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From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Hi --- I may have a story or two Date: 04 Mar 2000 21:29:54 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF8620.C81D44A0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi Last week I posted a similar message on the TPDIS list, I guess by = mistake. Granted, I've got one beta reader (Thanks Charles!) already, = but I was hoping for more. I've got a couple of cross universe stories, = 'Tomorrow's Prize' and 'Evolution'. Both are Tomorrow People crossed = with Jonny Quest the Real Adventures. My main concerns with both = stories are do I have the New TP characters right? And are they too = much Jonny Quest? Any takers? Please? Thanks! Dianne wladams@comp.uark.edu ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF8620.C81D44A0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV>Hi</DIV> <DIV> Last week I = posted a similar=20 message on the TPDIS list, I guess by mistake. Granted, I've got = one beta=20 reader (Thanks Charles!) already, but I was hoping for more. = I've=20 got a couple of cross universe stories, 'Tomorrow's Prize' and=20 'Evolution'. Both are Tomorrow People crossed with Jonny Quest the = Real=20 Adventures. My main concerns with both stories are do I have the = New TP=20 characters right? And are they too much Jonny Quest?</DIV> <DIV>Any takers? = Please?</DIV> <DIV>Thanks!</DIV> <DIV>Dianne</DIV> <DIV><A=20 href=3D"mailto:wladams@comp.uark.edu">wladams@comp.uark.edu</A></D= IV> <DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF8620.C81D44A0-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Part O Date: 11 Mar 2000 21:27:00 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_000B_01BF8BA0.898CD680 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_001_000C_01BF8BA0.8995FE40" ------=_NextPart_001_000C_01BF8BA0.8995FE40 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable ------=_NextPart_001_000C_01BF8BA0.8995FE40 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_001_000C_01BF8BA0.8995FE40-- ------=_NextPart_000_000B_01BF8BA0.898CD680 Content-Type: text/plain; name="tppre.txt" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="tppre.txt" Tomorrow's Prize Part Zero a cross universe story between the Tomorrow People, (both series) and = Jonny Quest: The Real Adventures, complete in ten chapters by Dianne Elliott Legalities: Both Tomorrow People series (which the originals ran in the = 1970's and the new group ran in the early 1990's) were created by Roger = Price, via Thames River Television. The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest = is owned by Hanna-Barbera. I only borrowed the characters and their = situations to use in this fan fiction. The Tomorrow People characters = of Heather, Stephenie, Martin (Mars) and Amanda are my own creation. = Also General Damon's 'people' such as Captain Dalton, Elliott the = heliocoptor pilot, Johnson the artist, and Lieutenant Kwaii sprang from = my imagination. The Nannerkith Healer, a member of Alice Starseer's = crew, although a highly telepathic, intelligent and gentle being, is = based in appearance and biology (?) to Gloop of the Herculoids, which is = also owned by Hanna-Barbera. I also provided names for the nameless Men = In Black characters from the Jonny Quest series. With all this = borrowing and mixing, I mean no copyright infringements, folks. Also I = am not making any money off of this! Rating: PG, for fantasy-adventure type of violence. Background: 'Tomorrow's Prize' is not my first Tomorrow People/Jonny = Quest The Real Adventures, but my second. The first was 'Evolution', a = short story I completed in one weekend. It is archived over on Suze's = Official Jonny Quest: The Real Adventures Fanfic Achieve = (http://archivegoddess.simplenet.com/index.html) 'Evolution' was such a = dark piece, I decided to write another TPxJQ:TRA cross story, to capture = the high adventure spirit of both series. 'Tomorrow's Prize' is the result. Granted, 'The Tomorrow People' and = 'Jonny Quest: The Real Adventures' are different series, but both are in = the fantasy-adventure genre. Both have dealt with mad scientists, alien = invasions and so on. The new 'Real Adventures' series (where Jonny, = Jessie, and Hadji are all teenagers) particularly heavily relies on = aliens, with references to space cities and peace loving but powerful = galactic civilizations. To my mind's eye, this is a natural cross, to = do. In time frame, this story takes place after the close of the second = Tomorrow People series, and somewhere during the second season, of Jonny = Quest, before the destruction of the Rockport mansion in 'The Robot = Spies.' =20 The main connecting character between the worlds of the Galactic Trig = and Rockport Maine, is Alice Starseer. She was first introduced in the = first season JQ:TRA story 'Return of the Anasazi' and returned in = 'Trouble on the Colorado'. During the original series of the Tomorrow = People, John made a reference of humans living on other worlds, and = Starseer is one of them. When her mind was attacked on 'Trouble on the = Colorado', Alice did demonstrate that she could resist, so I gave her = telepathic abilities, but Alice is not a Tomorrow Person. As with Alice Starseer, I took some liberties with her Ship. In the = Jonny Quest episode, 'Return of the Anasazi' the Ship is portrayed as a = group of glowing orbs, which were damaged over Roswell in 1947. Her = grandfather was responsible for summoning the Ship, and left with it. = Later on in the episode, the approaching Ship either summoned or 'beamed = down' Anasazi spirits to defend the Quests from the Men In Black. The = story was very murky on that and several other points. So, in mentally = playing it out, I simply came up with the idea of Alice's Ship being = similar to the New Tomorrow People's Ship, okay a far newer model. = Alice's Ship may only be a few thousand years old, while the Tomorrow = People's Ship may be millions of years old. Her Ship, is self aware, = and she does have beings from various Galactic Telepathic Federation = worlds on her crew, but Starseer is a Free Trader. She is supposed to = follow Galactic law, but her connections and loyalties to the Galactic = Trig are not that great. Which opens up a whole universe of possibilities. As I said earlier, 'Tomorrow's Prize' is complete, however, I did leave = things open at the end for a sequel. I've got a few ideas, but nothing = firm, yet, except maybe for a scene between Jonny and Amanda. Their = conversation was supposed to be how to build a consensus between their = 'feuding' scientific fathers, but degrades quickly into whose father is = the better scientist. I wish to thank Charles Mento for beta reading this novella. He = suggested that I go ahead and share this story with the rest of the = group. I have been over 'Tomorrow's Prize' several times with the Spell = Checker. So much so, I have a distinct feeling that the Checker now = hates me and wants to leave the computer - which is maybe why the darn = thing keeps locking up! Okay, I am happy with the spelling and grammar, more or less. I am only going to post this and Chapter One tonight. If there are any = problems with overloaded readers, please, please let me know. The = Chapters run ten pages apiece. If any one has problems, I'll recut the = rest in smaller more computer digestible parts. So, sit back and enjoy. This going to be a wild ride! =20 ------=_NextPart_000_000B_01BF8BA0.898CD680-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Chapter One Date: 11 Mar 2000 21:28:07 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0015_01BF8BA0.B1761F80 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_001_0016_01BF8BA0.B1761F80" ------=_NextPart_001_0016_01BF8BA0.B1761F80 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable ------=_NextPart_001_0016_01BF8BA0.B1761F80 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_001_0016_01BF8BA0.B1761F80-- ------=_NextPart_000_0015_01BF8BA0.B1761F80 Content-Type: text/plain; name="Etpcha1.txt" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="Etpcha1.txt" Tomorrow's Prize By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People and = Jonny Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy write = holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I only borrowed = these wonderful characters for an original fan fiction. I mean no = infringment on copyright. Also I am not making any money off of this = story. * eHna naes bukra, naes burkra! is Arabic for, "We are Tomorrow People, = Tomorrow People!" Or at least I hope so. Reference: Lonely Planet = Egyptian Arabic Phrasebook Chapter One 'Elizabeth, did your son leave you a note??' Michael Bell's telepathy = sizzled angrily, through his fellow exiled Tomorrow People. 'As a matter of fact, Martin did,' the ambassador nodded her regally = coifed head, her mental sending cool yet tightly controlled. Her = maternal intuition over her absent son was easing. 'But let's compare = notes, once we get this mess cleared up with the children.' Mike snorted, folding his arms across his chest. "When I see Stephenie = again, I gonna give her a piece of my mind. Particularly, if she's = tried to run off to- - - ' 'Mike Please!' Heather's healer robes whispered against the carpet, as = she wheeled around, her emotions now raw, because her premonitions were = coming true. 'You could make matters worse not only for our children, = but for us!' Her husband, John grimly nodded the affirmative, the bonded couple = keeping their worries between themselves, through their unbreechable = link. 'Mike this could be much worse for us, then the time you nuked = the Trig's trash tip.' 'That got you released from jail!' He defended. 'And had us nearly thrown out of the Federation for good!' Elizabeth = pointed out. 'And after all of their broken promises to us - - - ,' John = reconsidered his thoughts. 'Maybe it would have been for the better, if = the Psionic Federation hadn't reinstated us.' Grey, chilly silence hung = over the psionic parents. 'Here they come!' Mike observed tensely, squinting down the unadorned = corridor. Something was very wrong. Two patrol biotronic orbs escorted only two human adolescents. = Stephenie lightly paced ahead of the lankier Martin, with an expedition = coat was tossed over her ji-space jumper, her normal self confidence = chiseled to a nub. With his shoulder's pulled forward, Martin appeared = shorter than his seven foot height. Their eyes were lowered, faces = drained not out of fear of punishment, but out of great concern. 'Where's Man--?' Mike began. In mid-fidget, Heather spun, with a venomous glare. John clutched her = shoulder, rubbing it in tender warning. 'These two youngsters were detained by the Trig Port Authority for = entering a restricted loading zone,' the Orb reported. 'We now release = them to you.' 'Thank you,' John nodded at the officers, dismissing them. 'We'll = handle things from here.' "Stephenie," Mike growled at the girl. "What were you thinking of??" "Mother, we only wanted to help!" Martin whimpered near to tears.=20 'Mars, later,' Stephenie warned telepathically. 'I agree,' John's even telepathy touched each mind there. 'Stephenie = Jameson and Martin Umbongo, you both are confined to your homes for the = next three days.' 'John,' Mike began to protest. 'Each of you are also to write a 25,000 word tract, of what you were = going to do on Earth once you got there. The body of which should be = about how you intend to raise a telepathic civilization on a hostile = closed world.' Mike winced at the punishment, but his foster daughter merely nodded = her head. "Yes, John." "Yes John," Martin swallowed timidly. "Come on," Elizabeth warmly smiled, hooking a motherly arm about her = son. "I've got a few old videos you can scan." Martin sighed = wistfully, as they teleported. "That means no Ji practice, for three days!" Mike thrust his jaw high. "My Master understands, Father," Stephenie clasped her hands behind her = bulky coat. "The small sacrifice shall open new doors of responsibility = and understanding." "Stephenie, why can't you be normal?" Mike muttered, as they teleported = home. Heather lingered by the now closed portal, her features paler, and more = drawn than before. *Love,* John extended his hand. *They aren't just holding her, are they?* she sadly admitted taking his = hand, not noticing the tingle of the paired teleport. *We both know that Amanda isn't at the Trig,* John concluded gently, = turning toward the false window set over their couch. The spacescape = was less than spectacular than usual, of a middle aged yellow star and = her attendant nine planets. *Our daughter's out there.* *No,* his wife tearfully concluded, not feeling her husband fold her = into a tight embrace. *She's going to Earth!* ************************************************************************ 'Earth, ready or not, here I come!' her fluttery thoughts repeated, as = she anxiously smoothed the coarse black fabric. The simple 'costume' = was made up of three pieces. Thus far, she put on the shapeless, black = shift, with the jaw high collar, while its dragging hem hid her toes. = Once again, she pouted at her mirror image, mutely wishing for her = friends dour Stephenie and gallant Mars. Hopefully, the Trig Port = Officers had released them to their parents by now, without trumping up = the charges. A shameful tear squeezed out of her eye. Her memories shifted onto her diamond studded gown, a small sacrifice = to save her people, meant to celebrate her formal entrance into Galactic = society, not to be sold to a back stabbing criminal who was supposed to = smuggle her and her friends onto an Earthbound Kolinar, which was = supposed to be captained by a Thorgan! "Matters could have been much worse," the captain's soft voice was as = hard and cold as a vacuum tempered starship hull. "You could have sold = yourself straight into slavery." She glared at the captain, not taking any comfort that she was a fellow = human. Word must have gotten back to her parents that she had runaway. = "Amanda, you can turn back. I can take you home." "No, mame," Amanda boldly met her gaze, while telekinetically summoning = the long habit and veil. "You've already brought me home----" The = floor violently lurched under their feet, throwing both women onto their = knees. "SHIP!!" the captain yelled. 'Captain, we are being fired upon by non-nuclear missiles, three = hundred kilometers down range southeast and approaching fast!' 'Evasive maneuvers. Let's keep close to the ground this time.' 'Again?' Amanda nervously chewed her lip. "Earth has a notorious reputation. Human violence is why our = birthworld is a closed world." The Kolinar shuddered with a distant thud. "I am ready, Captain = Starseer," Amanda grimly stood, as she pinned the veil across her nose = and mouth. "I don't think so, Ms Fairchild," the captain sternly studied her = underage passenger, with uneasy disapproval. "We cannot make landfall, = even at the second site." "That means a moving jaunt, I can do it." "Then you must keep moving, Amanda. I want you to go to the east, as = fast as you can. And take this water and food capsules." "But," her protest about the rest of her seized equipment dried. "I know the capsules are alien to this world, but so are you, and it = will take time for you to adjust to Earth conditions." Another slightly = stronger tremble snapped through the cabin. 'Alice,' came a mewing mental touch. 'I sense that the enemy has = spotted us from the grrround!' "Prepare to teleport, NOW AMANDA!!" The comfortable Kolinar cabin wooshed away, along with perhaps the last = friendly human she would know, she feared. Space darkness blinded = her, as her big toe caught on a sharp rock, sending the stunned girl = onto a stony surface. Gulping on the chilly, sweet air, she spun = around, and gazed up into the distant stars. They appeared wrong, so far away and twinkling. 'Planetfall!' her = heart hammered, climbing onto her unsteady feet. 'I'm back on Earth! = I'm REALLY HOME!!' 'AMANDA, GET AWAY FROM THERE!!' Alice Starseer sternly warned, as her = ship began to rise out of the valley below, emitting a harsh worble. = Amanda shivered, urgently returning, 'Captain your rotoscopic---' 'I am aware of our engineering problems ---' Twin thunderous booms sounded overhead, as two black arrowhead shaped = craft dove at the Kolinar. 'ALICE!!' Amanda screamed, when she saw = missiles launched at weaponless, crippled space ship. Panicked, she = jaunted off of the ridge, throwing herself away from the battlefield. = When she rematerialized a few hundred kilometers southeast, the = explosive concussion slammed her back onto her brusied knees. 'Alice?' = she whimpered, expecting an enormous well of death to swallow her mind. After several tense moments, the loneliness never touched her, but = neither did a reaffirming mental touch from the Kolinar's captain. = 'Stephenie, Mars please welcome Mega into our group, while I find the = lost Tomorrow People of Earth,' Amanda Fairchild somberly promised the = alien starfields. 'Then, only when we are ready, we shall return!' =20 ************************************************************************ Sol had burned away every trace of the night's chill, driving the small = reptiles and mammals into their subterranean burrows. Amanda had = traveled through the night, trying to put as much distance between her = and the landing site as possible, mulling over the old stories about the = savage human inhabitants of this blue and white world. Teleporting = across the rough desertscape was easy, but the mental action drained her = energy. Not knowing the planet's complicated magnetic fields, she was = forced to teleport in kilometer or two hops. After an hour of = 'jaunt-hopping', she reasoned that since the gravity was a tolerable one = gee, she began walking, to ease the steady throb between and behind her = eyes. 'Adam, Ami, Jade!' her telepathy returned hollowly, emphasizing = that she was now truly alone. The gravitational pull was only a point degree or two greater, than the = environment she grew up in, hence Amanda ignored her swelling ankles. = As the hours dragged on, she discovered that the hike also had presented = more challenges. Thorny plants often snagged the hem of her sweeping = and concealing burnoose. More than once, her ankle would catch in a = shallow depression or against an unseen rock and be twisted. By mid = morning, her long legs were scratched and bruised, and worse aching. = When she rested for a sip out of her precious water supply, she = considered climbing up a scree and nesting in a shady niche near the = peak. Then glancing over her shoulder, Amanda was not satisfied with = how far she managed to travel, for the landscape was as nearly the same = bleak stoniness as where she touched down. "Tonight maybe, if I can = find shelter, I'll rest," she somberly said aloud for comfort. When a = tried shudder, she launched herself upright on sandled feet. 'ADAM! = AMI! JADE!' only the hazy humm of unfocused psi energy yawned before = her mind. Grimly, Amanda doggedly pressed on, finding the raising heat at first = pleasant against her wet back and about her legs. She fought hard not = to think of her distant home, or her absent family, yet her uncle's = stern warnings about taking it easy in alien environs until one's body = and mind adapted to it, nagged. "This is Earth!" she declared kicking a = pebble, scraping her other big toe. He also told her not to get hurt. = "THIS IS MY BIRTHWORLD!!" she shouted to the cloudless skies. "I was = born here!" The silent, broiling heavens seemed not to care. She trudged on, = stubbornly refusing to give in to any thoughts or memories except for = her pace. Sweat matted her hair beneath the heavy scarf, while it = gushed through every pour on her body, soaking the wool. "I hope to = bathe, before I find any Tomorrow People," she quipped to the burning, = brooding rocks. Only a dry wind rustled the burnoose. She stubbornly continued, = fantasizing about how wonderful it would feel to wash off, she skipped = drinking her water, when she discovered that she splashed half of her = supply on her face and neck. 'Adam,Ami,Jade? Are you alive?' Sol had passed its zenith for this latitude, when a swarm of biting, = buzzing insects lead her to the corpse. The mangled creature was a = mammal with long ears, but she could not place it beyond that. Her = mother would be able to instantly identify it. A tear sprouted when she = turned away from those memories, concentrating on just what kind of = thing could have flattened the animal, so she could avoid the unknown = monster. Shivering, she stepped onto a smoothed broad avenue of desert = floor. Her legs no longer hurt, and walking on the avenue made = traveling so much easier, she picked up her pace. She continued to feel = chilled, but at least she no longer felt so desperately thirsty. A = faraway memory buzzed, warning something was going horribly wrong with = her body, but she was determined to find the Tomorrow People of Earth. = "Perhaps even Today!!" she felt so giddy and happy, she began to = drunkenly skip. = ************************************************************************ The Quest Streamline Research RV swayed back and forth, jingling and = jostling whenever one of the eight wheels labored over one of the = countless chuckholes on the grated dirt road. The gas guzzling behemoth = contained the planet's most complete mobile laboratories, as well as = satellite connections to all of the globe's computer systems. The = youngest of the Quest clan was behind the wide steering wheel. "Hadj," the tow headed teen complained to his East Indian companion. = "This is so boring!" "One must have patience, Jonny," he yawned and stretched. "On the road = of life --- you must keep your eyes on it!!" "Huh??" Jonny jumped, stomping on the air brakes. He did not see the = staggering figure until the very last nanosecond. Dust and pebbles were = kicked up into a rolling fog, obscuring his view. "COME ON HADJ!!" he = frantically yelled, flying for the cabin door. "I think I JUST KILLED = SOMEONE!!" "I sincerely hope not Jonny," Hadji anxiously added, unclipping the = first aid kit, before dashing out. A bolting, small dog, nearly tripped = the teenager, in his rush to investigate why he was launched from his = pillow. "I don't see her!" the young Quest only sounded partially relieved when = he did not find the victim under the massive tires, or pinned to the = grill. "Bandit---" he scolded the barking terrier, as the dog madly = dashed through the scrub. "This isn't time for chasin' rabbits!" "I think Bandit has caught a scent on the mysterious lady!" Hadji = exclaimed, pumping his lanky legs through the scrub. "BANDIT!!" Jonny hopefully whistled and clapped, giving chase. "Where = is she --- boy?" The burnoosed lady laid crumbled two hundred meters west from the RV, = under a thorny bush. "I didn't hit her that hard!" Jonny winced, still = hoping that somehow he had avoided her, while feverishly praying that = she was still alive. "I don't think you hit her at all, Jonny," Hadji softly reported, = pressing the tips of his fingers against the curl of her pale throat. = Her pulse was weak and fast, while the skin stinging hot and dry as = sand. "You're right, there isn't any blood, and the projection is totally = wrong---" his Hindu brother gravely nodded, at his bother's = observations, while unpinning the veil. "A woolen burnoose?? In Afghanistan, maybe, but why would anybody wear = such a thing in Death Valley?" Jonny mused aloud, feeling the course = wool between his fingers. "You can get heatstroke---and she's got it = pretty bad!! We better get her back to camp and Dad, fast!" Her dry skin was valentine red, and judging from her fair hair, head to = toe smothering outfit may have worsened the girl's condition. Her = feathery brows fluttered, as Hadji cupped her shoulders to lift her. = "Miss?" he hazard. Her brown eyes flickered, in frightful intensity. Jonny winced back, = yet Hadji tightly hovered over her as he cradled her in his arms. The = young yoga felt a touch, a fleeting recognition that went beyond simple = names and lives. Her umber irises were forest deep, with her pupils = dilated, her eyes were stellar black. Her cracked lips fumbled on a = nonsense statement, causing a bloody split on her lower lip as she = beautifully smiled. "eHna naes bukra, naes bukra!"* With a shuddering gasp, her body went totally slack in his arms. = "Hadj, isn't that Arabic for People of Tomorrow?" "Yes---" his brother softly confirmed, straightening his legs, while = holding the unconscious girl protectively close. "This is getting pretty strange." Jonny whispered. ************************************************************************ Years of archeological experiences in various deserts had hammered into = the world famous scientist, that one did the actual digging during the = morning and late afternoon. The midday hours were taken up with notes = and contemplation. "Or siestas!" he grinned at his family's body guard, = his assistant and long time good friend, softly snoring on the cot, = tucked into the only niche that did not have a crate. Doctor Quest = wistfully sighed, staring at the sewer lid sized ring he had discovered = several days ago. He came to Death Valley to help out a fellow = archeologist, to find some rumored Anastazi artifacts. There were a few = scattered pottery shards, that just might belong to that vanished tribe = of Amerindians. The find might prove that the cliff dwellers had = migrated west from their Arizona homelands. On the third day of = digging, he discovered the strange artifact. The stone textured = circlet was sectioned off into twenty markers. Each marker contained = very bizarre and thus far untranslatable glyphs. To the = paraphenomenolist's patient study, he discovered a few similarities with = both Easter Island and Ancient Hindu characters. When Hadji touched the = ring, the sensitive teenager's eyes grew wide, and he whispered, that = this piece was older than the Anastazi. He also said it was a gift, but = not to who, or from where. In mild frustration, he ran his sensitive fingertips across the rough = surface. So far, all the scientist could determine was despite that its = appearance, the hoop was not stone at all, but metal. Farther chemical = tests had to wait until they returned to his lab at the Maine Compound. = He began to fret, wondering as if he was becoming obsessive over the = enigmatic object. Last night, the untranslatable hieroglyphs would = flash and sing to him, in his dreams. Today, particularly when the work = was done, he would be drawn back to it and stare at the strange symbols, = hopelessly unable to decipher a single clue. "What are you??" he asked = it, whipping off his teeth with his tongue, mutely wishing that he had = not given up his pipe. "Boy it's hot!!" he softly complained, forcing himself away. Swapping = down his dripping forehead, Benton Quest decided, he had enough of = backbreaking digging. He had found enough Anastazi evidence to warrant = the expense of sending a university team to come out and take over. = Furthermore, he had his own esoteric find to--- The RV's revving engine, followed by its squealing brakes tore Doctor = Quest from his musings. And Race Bannon from his nap, "Sounds like the = boys have finally made it back." "And I'm going to have a word with them!" the scientist darkly = muttered, raising himself from the canvas chair. "I told Hadji not to = let Jonny talk him into---" "DAD!!" his teenaged son yelled, jumping from the RV's side door, and = breathlessly ran toward the men. "RACE!!!" "Jonny, I thought we agreed that you wouldn't drive the streamline = until ---" Doctor Quest slid into his firm parental role, pressing his = knuckles into his hips. "But DAD!!!" Jonny interrupted. "But nothing, don't you realize just how much---" Jonny rolled his blue eyes skywards, hunching his shoulders as he took = a deep breath. "But Dad!! Lettme tell you somethingimportant!" "What is it Jonny?" Race inquired, rubbing the sleep from his neck. "HadjiandIwere driving backfrom LoneRiver," Jonny had this annoying = ability to pack as much information as possible, and relay it as quickly = as possible. "TurningontoDryGutuchRoadwhen we raninto = thisstrangegirl---" "Whoa, slow down!" then Doctor Quest's squareish face darkened, as he = saw the insurance rates not only leave Earth orbit, but passing the = asteroid belt, penetrating Jupiter's clouds down to its theoretical = core. "You mean you hit someone??" "I thought I didDad!! Butshe's---" "Would --- you --- please --- tell me s-sslowly!" Quest emphasized = every word. "What about this girl you and Hadji found?" "She's got heat stroke Dad! Hadji's with---" A high pitched, drawn = out scream rent the air. Followed by a loud splashing crash from within = the RV. "I'd say that's a girl," Race ascertained, folding his arms across his = chest. Doctor Quest glared at him, then trotted into the RV just to see = what was going on in there. ************************************************************************ "Hadji?" Doctor Quest got out, when he stepped into the trickle of = water. Following it, he found his foster son soaking wet, with one of = the metal sample bins upended on his head. "What happened?" Jonny asked before his father could. Hadji meekly smiled, hooking his thumb under the deep pan's lip. "I = was giving her a cooling sponge bath, to relieve her heat stroke, when = she suddenly woke up." Race snickered, but managed to hold it in. Jonny could not, causing = overtly embarrassed Hadji to blush. "Suddenly she screamed and hit me = in the head with the bin." "I'd say that you deserved it," Race asked lifting the filthy dress, = draped across the foot of the cot. "I take it, she was wearing this?" "Erm, yes, Race." "That's enough!" Benton interrupted. "If her condition is that bad, = she's very, very sick! Now Hadji, where did she go?" "I think she ran into that closet," the boy winced, then lowered his = amber colored eyes. "But Race---" he called as Bannon turned and opened = it. "Here's our guest," he announced, shouldering aside lab coats and = arctic jumpsuits, reaching into the very back. She was very awake, = coiled into a silvery survival blanket. "Can you stand? Look," Race = gave his best swooning smile, which most women adored. "Let Doctor = Quest help you. We're not going to ---" "Race, I think she understands only Arabic," Hadji nudged his muscular = protector aside. Glaring poisonously at him, she tunneled against the wall. Jonny = commented, "I don't think that she likes you very much Hadj." "This is getting ridiculous," Quest puffed into a ponderous scowl. = "Race please get her out of there, so I can examine her. Then take the = boys outside!" Bannon firmly nodded, and reached. "But---" Hadji cautioned. "Hadji, Jonny, out," Benton firmly ordered. "Now!" "Look, I'm not going to hurt you," Race swiftly lunged. A rabbitish = screech tore out of a parched throat. "I got her Doctor Quest!" = Hoisting her, she was wildly lashing, and spitting. "She's a regular = HELL---!!!" he yelped as lightening snapped up his muscular arms. = "YEEEOOUCH!!!" He promptly dropped her onto the floor. "You keep your bloody paws off me SAP!!!" she viciously spat, white = energy crackling about her pallid skin, as it tightened the blanket = about her. "That's not Arabic," Doctor Quest sighed, stooping to her level. = "Look, Miss you need help. Who are---" For an answer her eyes rolled = up, and she fainted dead away. "Race, you okay?" Jonny quietly asked, as his dad leerilly regarded = their shocky guest. "Aghh, just all pins and needles, Jonny, Doc," Race wrung the tingles = out of his wrists. " What was that? Does she have a electronic = stunner?" "No, but she does have magic," Hadji's amber eyes twinkled like low = fires. "Apparently, very strong magic." "Or she can throw off a powerful electrical field, which I hope she can = use it again," Benton wistfully sighed, wrapping a lab coat across his = arms for insulation. Not a tingle snapped through as he gingerly picked = her up. "Right now, she's running a dangerously high fever, which has = to be brought down. Hadji would you draw another pan of water? While, = I can see what I can do." ************************************************************************ While his father was occupied with saving the enchanted girl, Jonny = decided, that he had to help in his own way. Collecting his laptop, he = strolled out to the lab tent. He had accessed the Quest main frame = computer, IRIS through satellite up links, then dialed into the World = Wide Web. When the first database finally crawled across his screen, he = slapped his forehead, and slouched back into director's chair. "Great, = just great!!" Rapidly typing in more restrictions, did not cut down on = the amount of research he had to do. Several tedious minutes past, when the uplink froze. "Found anything = yet, Jonny?" Hadji inquired, jolting him from a grumbling stew. "There must be millions of missing, kidnapped and just lost kids, = Hadj!" Jonny bitterly complained, as the screen flickered, then hundreds = of text lines and photographs raced by. "Did you narrow ---" "To blond teenaged girls from Europe? There must be a couple thousand, = at least!" "Who can speak Arabic and wear a burnoose?" "An escapee from a harem?" Jonny lightly poised. "Her?" Hadji knowingly grinned. "Somehow, I don't think so. Not with = those powers. Perhaps she's from another world!" "Missing kids with magical powers, might give me something," Jonny = sighed, upon seeing his brother activate his father's laptop computer. = "Unless she's alien ---" "She's human," Hadji blankly answered, studying the screen on a lead, = then discovered it was not their girl. "She's badly dehydrated, and is = running a 106.2 temperature." Jonny let out a low long whistle. "Dad's a doctor and we do have a = complete emergency field kit, but that sounds serious enough for a trip = to the hospital!" "I agree," Hadji muttered. "Doctor Quest is a little reluctant to = discuss it, but he did tell me, if her temperature doesn't drop below a = hundred by midnight, we are taking her in." "First that weird ring Dad keeps staring at, and now you're actin' = ----" A shrill chirp cut off the young Quest. Snatching up the cellular = phone he rapidly spoke into, "Quest Research, Jonny Quest speaking. = Jess! Hadji, get Race!" He quickly nodded, with a meek smile. "Jess, how are the entrance = exams going?" Jonny brightly asked. "Oh come now, you'll get into MIT = by sleeping through the interview, no problemo! Yeah, yeah." He = patiently listened to his friend's travails, wondering if he had the = intellectual endurance to answer impossibly picky questions and then do = an involved essay. Then he mentally dismissed those doubts, for those = problems however were a couple of years away, at least. "Well, for a = boring desert dig, things got pretty exciting. No --- we didn't find = the Arc of the Covenant. Hadji and I ran into this strange girl --- = with the RV. No, no, I did not hit her! Sunstroke, no we haven't taken = her to the hospital. Weird, huh? All we know is that she might be = British, can speak Arabic and was wearing a burnoose, yep a camel wool = burnoose." "That's Jess?" Race leaned in. Jonny nodded. "Hadj and I are in those databases now. Oh she zapped = your dad pretty good, with magical powers. Yeah, he's okay. Here he is = now. Check what?" he snatched up a note pad, and scribbled down, = Para.P.Galt. "One of Dad's cryptophenomenona files?" "Jonny!" Race hissed impatiently. "Here's your dad," Jonny handed over the telephone, then immediately = dismissed the World Wide Web. "What are you doing, Jonny?" Hadji blinked in disbelief. "The answer might have been in IRIS all along Hadj!" he declared. "In = fact in Dad's files." "Jonny, you know those are top ---" "This is important, Race," he interrupted. "Ohjustgreat! " Jonny kept = the courser language between his ears. "Surd blasted through these too! = Let's see if I can retrieve---" "Let me handle this Jonny, Surd sometimes left little nasty surprises = behind." "Like in Quest World." Jonny privately stewed, passing the laptop to = Hadji. "Got it, Professor John Galt. Psionic Investigator for the Scientific = Intelligence Services, London branch," Hadji read the screen. = "Researching Tomorrow People." "Tomorrow People?" Race incredulously asked, after hastily saying = good-bye to his daughter. "Don't tell me, people still actually believe = in them?" "When we found her out in the desert, the girl woke up enough to say, = "naes bukra," which is Arabic for Tomorrow People," Hadji quietly = explained. "eHna naes bukra," Jonny corrected, prompting an uncomfortable, but = brief stare from his Indian brother. "Okay, that's bizarre," Race folded his arms, then shrugged his = shoulders. "Anyway, Tomorrow People were a Company joke, way back when. = They were supposed to be a new race of---" "Psionically gifted young adults," Hadji read aloud, his voice and = heart racing. "They were reputed to be able to telepath, teleport, do = telekinesis and have healing skills." Race leaned in, keenly = interested. "It says here, that they could not kill..." "But can rip your mind out by the brain stem," the former CIA agent = darkly muttered. 'Hey, photos of them! Whoa Hadji, the first, and the tenth. Bring = those two together." "Already on it. He is John Fairchild and the young woman is Heather = Shire." "Recognize his eyes? And her nose and chin?" "Her parents?" Hadji tightly whispered. "Can't be, according to this, those two vanished over sixteen years = ago!" Bannon tightly pointed out. "With the rest of 'em." "Ahh, but when last seen, Heather Shire was believed to be near term." "That would make her your age Hadj," Jonny teased, with a pally slapped = to his brother's back. He pretended not to notice it. "Hey, the file is starting to break = up." "Do what you can to save it Hadji. I'll get Doctor Quest," Race = quickly left. Hadji tightly nodded, scrolling through the volumes of information, = downloading as quickly as possible. "It's going to take time to go = through this, a lot of it is damaged." "Hey, looks like there was another group that appeared a couple years = ago." "Adam Newman, Marmaduke Damon, Lisa Davis, Kevin ---" "Maybe they're still around!" Jonny said his eyes twinkling in = excitement. "The list states that Lisa has since died, as a result of one of = Professor Galt's experiments. The others---" "Hey, a list of potentials." "No doubt they are relatives to the above ---" Hadji froze, then = shivered. "Too weird for school!" Jonny beamed. The last name on the potential Tomorrow People list was Hadji Singh. The last line of the report read, "DESPITE THEIR SUPPOSED INABILITY TO = KILL, THE ABOVE PERSONS POSSESS DANGEROUS PSIONIC AND PERHAPS OTHER = UNKNOWN MENTAL ABILITIES. IF SIGHTED, PLEASE REPORT TO SIS OR CIA, AS = SOON AS POSSIBLE. HANDLE WITH EXTREME CAUTION!!! ------=_NextPart_000_0015_01BF8BA0.B1761F80-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Part 0 Date: 11 Mar 2000 21:31:56 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF8BA1.3A027BA0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part Zero a cross universe story between the Tomorrow People, (both series) and = Jonny Quest: The Real Adventures, complete in ten chapters by Dianne Elliott Legalities: Both Tomorrow People series (which the originals ran in the = 1970's and the new group ran in the early 1990's) were created by Roger = Price, via Thames River Television. The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest = is owned by Hanna-Barbera. I only borrowed the characters and their = situations to use in this fan fiction. The Tomorrow People characters of = Heather, Stephenie, Martin (Mars) and Amanda are my own creation. Also = General Damon's 'people' such as Captain Dalton, Elliott the heliocoptor = pilot, Johnson the artist, and Lieutenant Kwaii sprang from my = imagination. The Nannerkith Healer, a member of Alice Starseer's crew, = although a highly telepathic, intelligent and gentle being, is based in = appearance and biology (?) to Gloop of the Herculoids, which is also = owned by Hanna-Barbera. I also provided names for the nameless Men In = Black characters from the Jonny Quest series. With all this borrowing = and mixing, I mean no copyright infringements, folks. Also I am not = making any money off of this! Rating: PG, for fantasy-adventure type of violence. Background: 'Tomorrow's Prize' is not my first Tomorrow People/Jonny = Quest The Real Adventures, but my second. The first was 'Evolution', a = short story I completed in one weekend. It is archived over on Suze's = Official Jonny Quest: The Real Adventures Fanfic Achieve = (http://archivegoddess.simplenet.com/index.html) 'Evolution' was such a = dark piece, I decided to write another TPxJQ:TRA cross story, to capture = the high adventure spirit of both series. 'Tomorrow's Prize' is the result. Granted, 'The Tomorrow People' and = 'Jonny Quest: The Real Adventures' are different series, but both are in = the fantasy-adventure genre. Both have dealt with mad scientists, alien = invasions and so on. The new 'Real Adventures' series (where Jonny, = Jessie, and Hadji are all teenagers) particularly heavily relies on = aliens, with references to space cities and peace loving but powerful = galactic civilizations. To my mind's eye, this is a natural cross, to = do. In time frame, this story takes place after the close of the second = Tomorrow People series, and somewhere during the second season, of Jonny = Quest, before the destruction of the Rockport mansion in 'The Robot = Spies.'=20 The main connecting character between the worlds of the Galactic Trig = and Rockport Maine, is Alice Starseer. She was first introduced in the = first season JQ:TRA story 'Return of the Anasazi' and returned in = 'Trouble on the Colorado'. During the original series of the Tomorrow = People, John made a reference of humans living on other worlds, and = Starseer is one of them. When her mind was attacked on 'Trouble on the = Colorado', Alice did demonstrate that she could resist, so I gave her = telepathic abilities, but Alice is not a Tomorrow Person. As with Alice Starseer, I took some liberties with her Ship. In the = Jonny Quest episode, 'Return of the Anasazi' the Ship is portrayed as a = group of glowing orbs, which were damaged over Roswell in 1947. Her = grandfather was responsible for summoning the Ship, and left with it. = Later on in the episode, the approaching Ship either summoned or 'beamed = down' Anasazi spirits to defend the Quests from the Men In Black. The = story was very murky on that and several other points. So, in mentally = playing it out, I simply came up with the idea of Alice's Ship being = similar to the New Tomorrow People's Ship, okay a far newer model. = Alice's Ship may only be a few thousand years old, while the Tomorrow = People's Ship may be millions of years old. Her Ship, is self aware, and = she does have beings from various Galactic Telepathic Federation worlds = on her crew, but Starseer is a Free Trader. She is supposed to follow = Galactic law, but her connections and loyalties to the Galactic Trig are = not that great. Which opens up a whole universe of possibilities. As I said earlier, 'Tomorrow's Prize' is complete, however, I did leave = things open at the end for a sequel. I've got a few ideas, but nothing = firm, yet, except maybe for a scene between Jonny and Amanda. Their = conversation was supposed to be how to build a consensus between their = 'feuding' scientific fathers, but degrades quickly into whose father is = the better scientist. I wish to thank Charles Mento for beta reading this novella. He = suggested that I go ahead and share this story with the rest of the = group. I have been over 'Tomorrow's Prize' several times with the Spell = Checker. So much so, I have a distinct feeling that the Checker now = hates me and wants to leave the computer - which is maybe why the darn = thing keeps locking up! Okay, I am happy with the spelling and grammar, more or less. I am only going to post this and Chapter One tonight. If there are any = problems with overloaded readers, please, please let me know. The = Chapters run ten pages apiece. If any one has problems, I'll recut the = rest in smaller more computer digestible parts. So, sit back and enjoy. This going to be a wild ride! ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF8BA1.3A027BA0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part Zero a cross universe story between the Tomorrow People, (both series) and = Jonny=20 Quest: The Real Adventures, complete in ten chapters by Dianne Elliott Legalities: Both Tomorrow People series (which the originals ran in = the=20 1970's and the new group ran in the early 1990's) were created by Roger = Price,=20 via Thames River Television. The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest is owned = by=20 Hanna-Barbera. I only borrowed the characters and their situations to = use in=20 this fan fiction. The Tomorrow People characters of Heather, Stephenie, = Martin=20 (Mars) and Amanda are my own creation. Also General Damon's 'people' = such as=20 Captain Dalton, Elliott the heliocoptor pilot, Johnson the artist, and=20 Lieutenant Kwaii sprang from my imagination. The Nannerkith Healer, a = member of=20 Alice Starseer's crew, although a highly telepathic, intelligent and = gentle=20 being, is based in appearance and biology (?) to Gloop of the = Herculoids, which=20 is also owned by Hanna-Barbera. I also provided names for the nameless = Men In=20 Black characters from the Jonny Quest series. With all this borrowing = and=20 mixing, I mean no copyright infringements, folks. Also I am not making = any money=20 off of this! Rating: PG, for fantasy-adventure type of violence. Background: 'Tomorrow's Prize' is not my first Tomorrow People/Jonny = Quest=20 The Real Adventures, but my second. The first was 'Evolution', a short = story I=20 completed in one weekend. It is archived over on Suze's Official Jonny = Quest:=20 The Real Adventures Fanfic Achieve=20 (http://archivegoddess.simplenet.com/index.html) 'Evolution' was such a = dark=20 piece, I decided to write another TPxJQ:TRA cross story, to capture the = high=20 adventure spirit of both series. 'Tomorrow's Prize' is the result. Granted, 'The Tomorrow People' and = 'Jonny=20 Quest: The Real Adventures' are different series, but both are in the=20 fantasy-adventure genre. Both have dealt with mad scientists, alien = invasions=20 and so on. The new 'Real Adventures' series (where Jonny, Jessie, and = Hadji are=20 all teenagers) particularly heavily relies on aliens, with references to = space=20 cities and peace loving but powerful galactic civilizations. To my = mind's eye,=20 this is a natural cross, to do. In time frame, this story takes place = after the=20 close of the second Tomorrow People series, and somewhere during the = second=20 season, of Jonny Quest, before the destruction of the Rockport mansion = in 'The=20 Robot Spies.' The main connecting character between the worlds of the Galactic Trig = and=20 Rockport Maine, is Alice Starseer. She was first introduced in the first = season=20 JQ:TRA story 'Return of the Anasazi' and returned in 'Trouble on the = Colorado'.=20 During the original series of the Tomorrow People, John made a reference = of=20 humans living on other worlds, and Starseer is one of them. When her = mind was=20 attacked on 'Trouble on the Colorado', Alice did demonstrate that she = could=20 resist, so I gave her telepathic abilities, but Alice is not a Tomorrow=20 Person. As with Alice Starseer, I took some liberties with her Ship. In the = Jonny=20 Quest episode, 'Return of the Anasazi' the Ship is portrayed as a group = of=20 glowing orbs, which were damaged over Roswell in 1947. Her grandfather = was=20 responsible for summoning the Ship, and left with it. Later on in the = episode,=20 the approaching Ship either summoned or 'beamed down' Anasazi spirits to = defend=20 the Quests from the Men In Black. The story was very murky on that and = several=20 other points. So, in mentally playing it out, I simply came up with the = idea of=20 Alice's Ship being similar to the New Tomorrow People's Ship, okay a far = newer=20 model. Alice's Ship may only be a few thousand years old, while the = Tomorrow=20 People's Ship may be millions of years old. Her Ship, is self aware, and = she=20 does have beings from various Galactic Telepathic Federation worlds on = her crew,=20 but Starseer is a Free Trader. She is supposed to follow Galactic law, = but her=20 connections and loyalties to the Galactic Trig are not that great. Which opens up a whole universe of possibilities. As I said earlier, 'Tomorrow's Prize' is complete, however, I did = leave=20 things open at the end for a sequel. I've got a few ideas, but nothing = firm,=20 yet, except maybe for a scene between Jonny and Amanda. Their = conversation was=20 supposed to be how to build a consensus between their 'feuding' = scientific=20 fathers, but degrades quickly into whose father is the better = scientist. I wish to thank Charles Mento for beta reading this novella. He = suggested=20 that I go ahead and share this story with the rest of the group. I have been over 'Tomorrow's Prize' several times with the Spell = Checker. So=20 much so, I have a distinct feeling that the Checker now hates me and = wants to=20 leave the computer - which is maybe why the darn thing keeps locking = up! Okay, I am happy with the spelling and grammar, more or less. I am only going to post this and Chapter One tonight. If there are = any=20 problems with overloaded readers, please, please let me know. The = Chapters run=20 ten pages apiece. If any one has problems, I'll recut the rest in = smaller more=20 computer digestible parts. So, sit back and enjoy. This going to be a wild ride! </DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF8BA1.3A027BA0-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Jen Sulzer" <jsulzer@kent.edu> Subject: RE: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Chapter One Date: 12 Mar 2000 10:13:07 -0500 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_000A_01BF8C0B.90C32420 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I really like what I've read so far, but please send the rest pasted into the e-mail--it makes it much easier to read. Nice Job! Jen jsulzer@kent.edu http://www.personal.kent.edu/~jsulzer/ "May you walk with the awareness of life. May you walk in beauty." Teresa Pijoan ------=_NextPart_000_000A_01BF8C0B.90C32420 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=3DContent-Type = content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1> <META content=3D"MSHTML 5.50.3825.1300" name=3DGENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV>I = really like what=20 I've read so far, but please send the rest pasted into the e-mail--it = makes it=20 much easier to read.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Nice=20 Job!</DIV> <DIV>Jen</DIV> <DIV align=3Dleft><A=20 href=3D"mailto:jsulzer@kent.edu">jsulzer@kent.edu</A></DIV> <DIV align=3Dleft><A=20 href=3D"http://www.personal.kent.edu/~jsulzer/">http://www.personal.kent.= edu/~jsulzer/</A></DIV> <DIV align=3Dleft>"May you walk with the awareness of life. May = you walk=20 in=20 beauty." &= nbsp; &n= bsp; &nb= sp; =20 Teresa Pijoan</DIV> <DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_000A_01BF8C0B.90C32420-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: Re: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Chapter One Date: 12 Mar 2000 09:28:31 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_000C_01BF8C05.5509E460 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Thanks for reading! And a much bigger thank you for suggesting that I = post it in the body of the email instead of using attachments. It has = been so long that I had forgot which was the better method! Dianne -----Original Message----- From: Jen Sulzer <jsulzer@kent.edu> To: tpfict@lists.xmission.com <tpfict@lists.xmission.com> Date: Sunday, March 12, 2000 9:13 AM Subject: RE: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Chapter One =20 =20 I really like what I've read so far, but please send the rest pasted = into the e-mail--it makes it much easier to read. =20 Nice Job! Jen jsulzer@kent.edu http://www.personal.kent.edu/~jsulzer/ "May you walk with the awareness of life. May you walk in beauty." Teresa Pijoan ------=_NextPart_000_000C_01BF8C05.5509E460 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type><!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 = Transitional//EN"> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV>Thanks for reading! And a much = bigger=20 thank you for suggesting that I post it in the body of the email instead = of=20 using attachments. It has been so long that I had forgot which was = the=20 better method!</DIV> <DIV>Dianne</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE=20 style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 solid 2px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: = 5px"> <DIV>-----Original = Message----- From:=20 Jen Sulzer <<A=20 href=3D"mailto:jsulzer@kent.edu">jsulzer@kent.edu</A>> To: = <A=20 = href=3D"mailto:tpfict@lists.xmission.com">tpfict@lists.xmission.com</A> = <<A=20 = href=3D"mailto:tpfict@lists.xmission.com">tpfict@lists.xmission.com</A>&g= t; Date:=20 Sunday, March 12, 2000 9:13 AM Subject: RE: TPFICT: = Tomorrow's=20 Prize Chapter One </DIV> <DIV>I = really like=20 what I've read so far, but please send the rest pasted into the = e-mail--it=20 makes it much easier to read.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Nice=20 Job!</DIV> <DIV>Jen</DIV> <DIV align=3Dleft><A=20 href=3D"mailto:jsulzer@kent.edu">jsulzer@kent.edu</A></DIV> <DIV align=3Dleft><A=20 = href=3D"http://www.personal.kent.edu/~jsulzer/">http://www.personal.kent.= edu/~jsulzer/</A></DIV> <DIV align=3Dleft>"May you walk with the awareness of = life. May=20 you walk in=20 = beauty." &n= bsp; &nb= sp; &nbs= p; =20 Teresa Pijoan</DIV> <DIV> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_000C_01BF8C05.5509E460-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ruby Red <ruby@welkin.apana.org.au> Subject: TPFICT: Falling (0/0) Date: 19 Mar 2000 08:09:50 +1100 For those of you who might be interested, my Sentinel/Tomorrow People story "Falling" is now up on my fic page http://home.connexus.net.au/~kat/works/kathryn_a.htm Summary: When Blair sees a girl vanish in golden light, he's sure he's had a Golden flashback. When he goes missing the next day, Jim is sure it happened again. They shouldn't have been so sure. This is told from the Sentinel point of view, but Lisa gets a reasonable part. There's also some Adam, and some old villains. Also a little bit of Megabyte, Lisa's mother, and General Damon. But most of it is Jim and Blair. Enjoy. Kathryn A. -- Ruby Red <ruby@welkin.apana.org.au> http://home.connexus.net.au/~kat http://www.crosswinds.net/~rubykat "Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas any more." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Part 0 revised Date: 18 Mar 2000 17:41:52 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9101.3EFC9A40 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part 0/20 a cross universe story between the Tomorrow People, (both series) and = Jonny Quest: The Real Adventures, complete in ten chapters by Dianne Elliott Legalities: Both Tomorrow People series (which the originals ran in the = 1970's and the new group ran in the early 1990's) were created by Roger = Price, via Thames River Television. The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest = is owned by Hanna-Barbera. I only borrowed the characters and their = situations to use in this fan fiction. The Tomorrow People characters of = Heather, Charles, Stephenie (Steffy), Martin (Mars) and Amanda are my = own creation. Also General Damon's 'people' such as Captain Dalton, = Elliott the heliocoptor pilot, Johnson the artist, and Lieutenant Kwaii = sprang from my imagination. The Nannerkith Healer, a member of Alice = Starseer's crew, although a highly telepathic, intelligent and gentle = being, is based in appearance and biology (?) to Gloop of the = Herculoids, which is also owned by Hanna-Barbera. I also provided names = for the nameless Men In Black characters from the Jonny Quest series. = With all this borrowing and mixing, I mean no copyright infringements, = folks. Also I am not making any money off of this! Rating: PG, for fantasy-adventure type of violence. Background: 'Tomorrow's Prize' is not my first Tomorrow People/Jonny = Quest The Real Adventures, but my second. The first was 'Evolution', a = short story I completed in one weekend. It is archived over on Suze's = Official Jonny Quest: The Real Adventures Fanfic Achieve = (http://archivegoddess.simplenet.com/index.html) 'Evolution' was such a = dark piece, I decided to write another TPxJQ:TRA cross story, to capture = the high adventure spirit of both series. 'Tomorrow's Prize' is the result. Granted, 'The Tomorrow People' and = 'Jonny Quest: The Real Adventures' are different series, but both are in = the fantasy-adventure genre. Both have dealt with mad scientists, alien = invasions and so on. The new 'Real Adventures' series (where Jonny, = Jessie, and Hadji are all teenagers) particularly heavily relies on = aliens, with references to space cities and peace loving but powerful = galactic civilizations. To my mind's eye, this is a natural cross, to = do. In time frame, this story takes place after the close of the second = Tomorrow People series, and somewhere during the second season, of Jonny = Quest, before the destruction of the Rockport mansion in 'The Robot = Spies.'=20 The main connecting character between the worlds of the Galactic Trig = and Rockport Maine, is Alice Starseer. She was first introduced in the = first season JQ:TRA story 'Return of the Anasazi' and returned in = 'Trouble on the Colorado'. During the original series of the Tomorrow = People, John made a reference of humans living on other worlds, and = Starseer is one of them. When her mind was attacked on 'Trouble on the = Colorado', Alice did demonstrate that she could resist, so I gave her = telepathic abilities, but Alice is not a Tomorrow Person. As with Alice Starseer, I took some liberties with her Ship. In the = Jonny Quest episode, 'Return of the Anasazi' the Ship is portrayed as a = group of glowing orbs, which were damaged over Roswell in 1947. Her = grandfather was responsible for summoning the Ship, and left with it. = Later on in the episode, the approaching Ship either summoned or 'beamed = down' Anasazi spirits to defend the Quests from the Men In Black. The = story was very murky on that and several other points. So, in mentally = playing it out, I simply came up with the idea of Alice's Ship being = similar to the New Tomorrow People's Ship, okay a far newer model. = Alice's Ship may only be a few thousand years old, while the Tomorrow = People's Ship may be millions of years old. Her Ship, is self aware, and = she does have beings from various Galactic Telepathic Federation worlds = on her crew, but Starseer is a Free Trader. She is supposed to follow = Galactic law, but her connections and loyalties to the Galactic Trig are = not that great. Which opens up a whole universe of possibilities. As I said earlier, 'Tomorrow's Prize' is complete, however, I did leave = things open at the end for a sequel. I've got a few ideas, but nothing = firm, yet, except maybe for a scene between Jonny and Amanda. Their = conversation was supposed to be how to build a consensus between their = 'feuding' scientific fathers, but degrades quickly into whose father is = the better scientist. I wish to thank Charles Mento for beta reading this novella. He = suggested that I go ahead and share this story with the rest of the = group. I also wish to thank Wendy, for pointing out problems with the = story's structure. I have been over 'Tomorrow's Prize' several times with the Spell = Checker. So much so, I have a distinct feeling that the Checker now = hates me and wants to leave the computer - which is maybe why the darn = thing keeps locking up! Okay, I am happy with the spelling and grammar, more or less. Since Wendy has informed me that my story is too big for itself, I've = chopped it into 20 parts, more or less. I wonder if I write too big for = the net. So, sit back and enjoy. This going to be a wild ride! Summary: The Tomorrow People of Earth are suddenly lost and their Ship = has been captured by the Men In Black. Word reaches the Galactic Trig, = but only one member of the exiled group of the Tomorrow People reaches = the Closed World. Instead of locating her missing people, she quickly = finds a dangerous connection between the Ship and a recent archeological = discovery made by Doctor Quest. Suddenly, both General Damon and the Men = In Black are after both the Quests and Amanda Fairchild... ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9101.3EFC9A40 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part 0/20 a cross universe story between the Tomorrow People, (both series) and = Jonny=20 Quest: The Real Adventures, complete in ten chapters by Dianne Elliott Legalities: Both Tomorrow People series (which the originals ran in = the=20 1970's and the new group ran in the early 1990's) were created by Roger = Price,=20 via Thames River Television. The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest is owned = by=20 Hanna-Barbera. I only borrowed the characters and their situations to = use in=20 this fan fiction. The Tomorrow People characters of Heather, Charles, = Stephenie=20 (Steffy), Martin (Mars) and Amanda are my own creation. Also General = Damon's=20 'people' such as Captain Dalton, Elliott the heliocoptor pilot, Johnson = the=20 artist, and Lieutenant Kwaii sprang from my imagination. The Nannerkith = Healer,=20 a member of Alice Starseer's crew, although a highly telepathic, = intelligent and=20 gentle being, is based in appearance and biology (?) to Gloop of the = Herculoids,=20 which is also owned by Hanna-Barbera. I also provided names for the = nameless Men=20 In Black characters from the Jonny Quest series. With all this borrowing = and=20 mixing, I mean no copyright infringements, folks. Also I am not making = any money=20 off of this! Rating: PG, for fantasy-adventure type of violence. Background: 'Tomorrow's Prize' is not my first Tomorrow People/Jonny = Quest=20 The Real Adventures, but my second. The first was 'Evolution', a short = story I=20 completed in one weekend. It is archived over on Suze's Official Jonny = Quest:=20 The Real Adventures Fanfic Achieve=20 (http://archivegoddess.simplenet.com/index.html) 'Evolution' was such a = dark=20 piece, I decided to write another TPxJQ:TRA cross story, to capture the = high=20 adventure spirit of both series. 'Tomorrow's Prize' is the result. Granted, 'The Tomorrow People' and = 'Jonny=20 Quest: The Real Adventures' are different series, but both are in the=20 fantasy-adventure genre. Both have dealt with mad scientists, alien = invasions=20 and so on. The new 'Real Adventures' series (where Jonny, Jessie, and = Hadji are=20 all teenagers) particularly heavily relies on aliens, with references to = space=20 cities and peace loving but powerful galactic civilizations. To my = mind's eye,=20 this is a natural cross, to do. In time frame, this story takes place = after the=20 close of the second Tomorrow People series, and somewhere during the = second=20 season, of Jonny Quest, before the destruction of the Rockport mansion = in 'The=20 Robot Spies.' The main connecting character between the worlds of the Galactic Trig = and=20 Rockport Maine, is Alice Starseer. She was first introduced in the first = season=20 JQ:TRA story 'Return of the Anasazi' and returned in 'Trouble on the = Colorado'.=20 During the original series of the Tomorrow People, John made a reference = of=20 humans living on other worlds, and Starseer is one of them. When her = mind was=20 attacked on 'Trouble on the Colorado', Alice did demonstrate that she = could=20 resist, so I gave her telepathic abilities, but Alice is not a Tomorrow=20 Person. As with Alice Starseer, I took some liberties with her Ship. In the = Jonny=20 Quest episode, 'Return of the Anasazi' the Ship is portrayed as a group = of=20 glowing orbs, which were damaged over Roswell in 1947. Her grandfather = was=20 responsible for summoning the Ship, and left with it. Later on in the = episode,=20 the approaching Ship either summoned or 'beamed down' Anasazi spirits to = defend=20 the Quests from the Men In Black. The story was very murky on that and = several=20 other points. So, in mentally playing it out, I simply came up with the = idea of=20 Alice's Ship being similar to the New Tomorrow People's Ship, okay a far = newer=20 model. Alice's Ship may only be a few thousand years old, while the = Tomorrow=20 People's Ship may be millions of years old. Her Ship, is self aware, and = she=20 does have beings from various Galactic Telepathic Federation worlds on = her crew,=20 but Starseer is a Free Trader. She is supposed to follow Galactic law, = but her=20 connections and loyalties to the Galactic Trig are not that great. Which opens up a whole universe of possibilities. As I said earlier, 'Tomorrow's Prize' is complete, however, I did = leave=20 things open at the end for a sequel. I've got a few ideas, but nothing = firm,=20 yet, except maybe for a scene between Jonny and Amanda. Their = conversation was=20 supposed to be how to build a consensus between their 'feuding' = scientific=20 fathers, but degrades quickly into whose father is the better = scientist. I wish to thank Charles Mento for beta reading this novella. He = suggested=20 that I go ahead and share this story with the rest of the group. I also = wish to=20 thank Wendy, for pointing out problems with the story's structure. I have been over 'Tomorrow's Prize' several times with the Spell = Checker. So=20 much so, I have a distinct feeling that the Checker now hates me and = wants to=20 leave the computer - which is maybe why the darn thing keeps locking = up! Okay, I am happy with the spelling and grammar, more or less. Since Wendy has informed me that my story is too big for itself, I've = chopped=20 it into 20 parts, more or less. I wonder if I write too big for the = net. So, sit back and enjoy. This going to be a wild ride! Summary: The Tomorrow People of Earth are suddenly lost and their = Ship has=20 been captured by the Men In Black. Word reaches the Galactic Trig, but = only one=20 member of the exiled group of the Tomorrow People reaches the Closed = World.=20 Instead of locating her missing people, she quickly finds a dangerous = connection=20 between the Ship and a recent archeological discovery made by Doctor = Quest.=20 Suddenly, both General Damon and the Men In Black are after both the = Quests and=20 Amanda Fairchild...</DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9101.3EFC9A40-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Part 1/20 revisedTomorrow's Prize Date: 18 Mar 2000 17:52:06 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0006_01BF9102.AD297280 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part 1/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People and = Jonny Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy write = holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I only borrowed = these wonderful characters for an original fan fiction. I mean no = infringment on copyright. Also I am not making any money off of this = story. 'Elizabeth, did your son leave you a note??' Michael Bell's telepathy = sizzled angrily, through his fellow exiled Tomorrow People. 'As a matter of fact, Martin did,' the ambassador nodded her regally = coifed head, her mental sending cool yet tightly controlled. Her = maternal intuition over her absent son was easing. 'But let's compare = notes, once we get this mess cleared up with the children.' Mike snorted, folding his arms across his chest. "When I see Stephenie = again, I gonna give her a piece of my mind. Particularly, if she's tried = to run off to- - - ' 'Mike Please!' Heather's healer robes whispered against the carpet, as = she wheeled around, her emotions now raw, because her premonitions were = coming true. 'You could make matters worse not only for our children, = but for us!' Her husband, John grimly nodded the affirmative, the bonded couple = keeping their worries between themselves, through their unbreechable = link. 'Mike this could be much worse for us, then the time you nuked the = Trig's trash tip.' 'That got you released from jail!' He defended. 'And had us nearly thrown out of the Federation for good!' Elizabeth = pointed out. 'And after all of their broken promises to us - - - ,' John reconsidered = his thoughts. 'Maybe it would have been for the better, if the Psionic = Federation hadn't reinstated us.' Grey, chilly silence hung over the = psionic parents. 'Here they come!' Mike observed tensely, squinting down the unadorned = corridor. Something was very wrong. Two patrol biotronic orbs escorted only two human adolescents. Stephenie = lightly paced ahead of the lankier Martin, with an expedition coat was = tossed over her ji-space jumper, her normal self confidence chiseled to = a nub. With his shoulder's pulled forward, Martin appeared shorter than = his seven foot height. Their eyes were lowered, faces drained not out of = fear of punishment, but out of great concern. 'Where's Man--?' Mike began. In mid-fidget, Heather spun, with a venomous glare. John clutched her = shoulder, rubbing it in tender warning. 'These two youngsters were detained by the Trig Port Authority for = entering a restricted loading zone,' the Orb reported. 'We now release = them to you.' 'Thank you,' John nodded at the officers, dismissing them. 'We'll handle = things from here.' "Stephenie," Mike growled at the girl. "What were you thinking of??" "Mother, we only wanted to help!" Martin whimpered near to tears.=20 'Mars, later,' Stephenie warned telepathically. 'I agree,' John's even telepathy touched each mind there. 'Stephenie = Jameson and Martin Umbongo, you both are confined to your homes for the = next three days.' 'John,' Mike began to protest. 'Each of you are also to write a 25,000 word tract, of what you were = going to do on Earth once you got there. The body of which should be = about how you intend to raise a telepathic civilization on a hostile = closed world.' Mike winced at the punishment, but his foster daughter merely nodded her = head. "Yes, John." "Yes John," Martin swallowed timidly. "Come on," Elizabeth warmly smiled, hooking a motherly arm about her = son. "I've got a few old videos you can scan." Martin sighed wistfully, = as they teleported. "That means no Ji practice, for three days!" Mike thrust his jaw high. "My Master understands, Father," Stephenie clasped her hands behind her = bulky coat. "The small sacrifice shall open new doors of responsibility = and understanding." "Stephenie, why can't you be normal?" Mike muttered, as they teleported = home. Heather lingered by the now closed portal, her features paler, and more = drawn than before. *Love,* John extended his hand. *They aren't just holding her, are they?* she sadly admitted taking his = hand, not noticing the tingle of the paired teleport. *We both know that Amanda isn't at the Trig,* John concluded gently, = turning toward the false window set over their couch. The spacescape was = less than spectacular than usual, of a middle aged yellow star and her = attendant nine planets. *Our daughter's out there.* *No,* his wife tearfully concluded, not feeling her husband fold her = into a tight embrace. *She's going to Earth!* ************************************************************************ 'Earth, ready or not, here I come!' her fluttery thoughts repeated, as = she anxiously smoothed the coarse black fabric. The simple 'costume' was = made up of three pieces. Thus far, she put on the shapeless, black = shift, with the jaw high collar, while its dragging hem hid her toes. = Once again, she pouted at her mirror image, mutely wishing for her = friends dour Stephenie and gallant Mars. Hopefully, the Trig Port = Officers had released them to their parents by now, without trumping up = the charges. A shameful tear squeezed out of her eye. Her memories shifted onto her diamond studded gown, a small sacrifice to = save her people, meant to celebrate her formal entrance into Galactic = society, not to be sold to a back stabbing criminal who was supposed to = smuggle her and her friends onto an Earthbound Kolinar, which was = supposed to be captained by a Thorgan! "Matters could have been much worse," the captain's soft voice was as = hard and cold as a vacuum tempered starship hull. "You could have sold = yourself straight into slavery." She glared at the captain, not taking any comfort that she was a fellow = human. Word must have gotten back to her parents that she had runaway. = "Amanda, you can turn back. I can take you home." "No, mame," Amanda boldly met her gaze, while telekinetically summoning = the long habit and veil. "You've already brought me home----" The floor = violently lurched under their feet, throwing both women onto their = knees. "SHIP!!" the captain yelled. 'Captain, we are being fired upon by non-nuclear missiles, three hundred = kilometers down range southeast and approaching fast!' 'Evasive maneuvers. Let's keep close to the ground this time.' 'Again?' Amanda nervously chewed her lip. "Earth has a notorious reputation. Human violence is why our birthworld = is a closed world." The Kolinar shuddered with a distant thud. "I am ready, Captain = Starseer," Amanda grimly stood, as she pinned the veil across her nose = and mouth. "I don't think so, Ms Fairchild," the captain sternly studied her = underage passenger, with uneasy disapproval. "We cannot make landfall, = even at the second site." "That means a moving jaunt, I can do it." "Then you must keep moving, Amanda. I want you to go to the east, as = fast as you can. And take this water and food capsules." "But," her protest about the rest of her seized equipment dried. "I know the capsules are alien to this world, but so are you, and it = will take time for you to adjust to Earth conditions." Another slightly = stronger tremble snapped through the cabin. 'Alice,' came a mewing mental touch. 'I sense that the enemy has spotted = us from the grrround!' "Prepare to teleport, NOW AMANDA!!" The comfortable Kolinar cabin wooshed away, along with perhaps the last = friendly human she would know, she feared. Space darkness blinded her, = as her big toe caught on a sharp rock, sending the stunned girl onto a = stony surface. Gulping on the chilly, sweet air, she spun around, and = gazed up into the distant stars. They appeared wrong, so far away and twinkling. 'Planetfall!' her heart = hammered, climbing onto her unsteady feet. 'I'm back on Earth! I'm = REALLY HOME!!' 'AMANDA, GET AWAY FROM THERE!!' Alice Starseer sternly warned, as her = ship began to rise out of the valley below, emitting a harsh worble. = Amanda shivered, urgently returning, 'Captain your rotoscopic---' 'I am aware of our engineering problems ---' Twin thunderous booms sounded overhead, as two black arrowhead shaped = craft dove at the Kolinar. 'ALICE!!' Amanda screamed, when she saw = missiles launched at weaponless, crippled space ship. Panicked, she = jaunted off of the ridge, throwing herself away from the battlefield. = When she rematerialized a few hundred kilometers southeast, the = explosive concussion slammed her back onto her brusied knees. 'Alice?' = she whimpered, expecting an enormous well of death to swallow her mind. After several tense moments, the loneliness never touched her, but = neither did a reaffirming mental touch from the Kolinar's captain. = 'Stephenie, Mars please welcome Mega into our group, while I find the = lost Tomorrow People of Earth,' Amanda Fairchild somberly promised the = alien starfields. 'Then, only when we are ready, we shall return!'=20 ************************************************************************ Sol had burned away every trace of the night's chill, driving the small = reptiles and mammals into their subterranean burrows. Amanda had = traveled through the night, trying to put as much distance between her = and the landing site as possible, mulling over the old stories about the = savage human inhabitants of this blue and white world. Teleporting = across the rough desertscape was easy, but the mental action drained her = energy. Not knowing the planet's complicated magnetic fields, she was = forced to teleport in kilometer or two hops. After an hour of = 'jaunt-hopping', she reasoned that since the gravity was a tolerable one = gee, she began walking, to ease the steady throb between and behind her = eyes. 'Adam, Ami, Jade!' her telepathy returned hollowly, emphasizing = that she was now truly alone. The gravitational pull was only a point degree or two greater, than the = environment she grew up in, hence Amanda ignored her swelling ankles. As = the hours dragged on, she discovered that the hike also had presented = more challenges. Thorny plants often snagged the hem of her sweeping and = concealing burnoose. More than once, her ankle would catch in a shallow = depression or against an unseen rock and be twisted. By mid morning, her = long legs were scratched and bruised, and worse aching. When she rested = for a sip out of her precious water supply, she considered climbing up a = scree and nesting in a shady niche near the peak. Then glancing over her = shoulder, Amanda was not satisfied with how far she managed to travel, = for the landscape was as nearly the same bleak stoniness as where she = touched down. "Tonight maybe, if I can find shelter, I'll rest," she = somberly said aloud for comfort. When a tried shudder, she launched = herself upright on sandled feet. 'ADAM! AMI! JADE!' only the hazy humm = of unfocused psi energy yawned before her mind. Grimly, Amanda doggedly pressed on, finding the raising heat at first = pleasant against her wet back and about her legs. She fought hard not to = think of her distant home, or her absent family, yet her uncle's stern = warnings about taking it easy in alien environs until one's body and = mind adapted to it, nagged. "This is Earth!" she declared kicking a = pebble, scraping her other big toe. He also told her not to get hurt. = "THIS IS MY BIRTHWORLD!!" she shouted to the cloudless skies. "I was = born here!" The silent, broiling heavens seemed not to care. She trudged on, = stubbornly refusing to give in to any thoughts or memories except for = her pace. Sweat matted her hair beneath the heavy scarf, while it gushed = through every pour on her body, soaking the wool. "I hope to bathe, = before I find any Tomorrow People," she quipped to the burning, brooding = rocks. Only a dry wind rustled the burnoose. She stubbornly continued, = fantasizing about how wonderful it would feel to wash off, she skipped = drinking her water, when she discovered that she splashed half of her = supply on her face and neck. 'Adam,Ami,Jade? Are you alive?' Sol had passed its zenith for this latitude, when a swarm of biting, = buzzing insects lead her to the corpse. The mangled creature was a = mammal with long ears, but she could not place it beyond that. Her = mother would be able to instantly identify it. A tear sprouted when she = turned away from those memories, concentrating on just what kind of = thing could have flattened the animal, so she could avoid the unknown = monster. Shivering, she stepped onto a smoothed broad avenue of desert = floor. Her legs no longer hurt, and walking on the avenue made traveling = so much easier, she picked up her pace. She continued to feel chilled, = but at least she no longer felt so desperately thirsty. A faraway memory = buzzed, warning something was going horribly wrong with her body, but = she was determined to find the Tomorrow People of Earth. "Perhaps even = Today!!" she felt so giddy and happy, she began to drunkenly skip. = ************************************************************************ The Quest Streamline Research RV swayed back and forth, jingling and = jostling whenever one of the eight wheels labored over one of the = countless chuckholes on the grated dirt road. The gas guzzling behemoth = contained the planet's most complete mobile laboratories, as well as = satellite connections to all of the globe's computer systems. The = youngest of the Quest clan was behind the wide steering wheel. "Hadj," the tow headed teen complained to his East Indian companion. = "This is so boring!" "One must have patience, Jonny," he yawned and stretched. "On the road = of life --- you must keep your eyes on it!!" "Huh??" Jonny jumped, stomping on the air brakes. He did not see the = staggering figure until the very last nanosecond. Dust and pebbles were = kicked up into a rolling fog, obscuring his view. "COME ON HADJ!!" he = frantically yelled, flying for the cabin door. "I think I JUST KILLED = SOMEONE!!" ------=_NextPart_000_0006_01BF9102.AD297280 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part 1/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People = and Jonny=20 Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy = write=20 holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television=20 are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I only borrowed these = wonderful=20 characters for an original fan fiction. I mean no infringment on = copyright. Also=20 I am not making any money off of this story. 'Elizabeth, did your son leave you a note??' Michael Bell's telepathy = sizzled=20 angrily, through his fellow exiled Tomorrow People. 'As a matter of fact, Martin did,' the ambassador nodded her regally = coifed=20 head, her mental sending cool yet tightly controlled. Her maternal = intuition=20 over her absent son was easing. 'But let's compare notes, once we get = this mess=20 cleared up with the children.' Mike snorted, folding his arms across his chest. "When I see = Stephenie=20 again, I gonna give her a piece of my mind. Particularly, if she's tried = to run=20 off to- - - ' 'Mike Please!' Heather's healer robes whispered against the carpet, = as she=20 wheeled around, her emotions now raw, because her premonitions were = coming true.=20 'You could make matters worse not only for our children, but for = us!' Her husband, John grimly nodded the affirmative, the bonded couple = keeping=20 their worries between themselves, through their unbreechable link. 'Mike = this=20 could be much worse for us, then the time you nuked the Trig's trash = tip.' 'That got you released from jail!' He defended. 'And had us nearly thrown out of the Federation for good!' Elizabeth = pointed=20 out. 'And after all of their broken promises to us - - - ,' John = reconsidered his=20 thoughts. 'Maybe it would have been for the better, if the Psionic = Federation=20 hadn't reinstated us.' Grey, chilly silence hung over the psionic = parents. 'Here they come!' Mike observed tensely, squinting down the unadorned = corridor. Something was very wrong. Two patrol biotronic orbs escorted only two human adolescents. = Stephenie=20 lightly paced ahead of the lankier Martin, with an expedition coat was = tossed=20 over her ji-space jumper, her normal self confidence chiseled to a nub. = With his=20 shoulder's pulled forward, Martin appeared shorter than his seven foot = height.=20 Their eyes were lowered, faces drained not out of fear of punishment, = but out of=20 great concern. 'Where's Man--?' Mike began. In mid-fidget, Heather spun, with a venomous glare. John clutched her = shoulder, rubbing it in tender warning. 'These two youngsters were detained by the Trig Port Authority for = entering a=20 restricted loading zone,' the Orb reported. 'We now release them to = you.' 'Thank you,' John nodded at the officers, dismissing them. 'We'll = handle=20 things from here.' "Stephenie," Mike growled at the girl. "What were you = thinking=20 of??" "Mother, we only wanted to help!" Martin whimpered near to = tears.=20 'Mars, later,' Stephenie warned telepathically. 'I agree,' John's even telepathy touched each mind there. 'Stephenie = Jameson=20 and Martin Umbongo, you both are confined to your homes for the next = three=20 days.' 'John,' Mike began to protest. 'Each of you are also to write a 25,000 word tract, of what you were = going to=20 do on Earth once you got there. The body of which should be about how = you intend=20 to raise a telepathic civilization on a hostile closed world.' Mike winced at the punishment, but his foster daughter merely nodded = her=20 head. "Yes, John." "Yes John," Martin swallowed timidly. "Come on," Elizabeth warmly smiled, hooking a motherly arm = about=20 her son. "I've got a few old videos you can scan." Martin = sighed=20 wistfully, as they teleported. "That means no Ji practice, for three days!" Mike thrust = his jaw=20 high. "My Master understands, Father," Stephenie clasped her = hands behind=20 her bulky coat. "The small sacrifice shall open new doors of = responsibility=20 and understanding." "Stephenie, why can't you be normal?" Mike muttered, as = they=20 teleported home. Heather lingered by the now closed portal, her features paler, and = more drawn=20 than before. *Love,* John extended his hand. *They aren't just holding her, are they?* she sadly admitted taking = his hand,=20 not noticing the tingle of the paired teleport. *We both know that Amanda isn't at the Trig,* John concluded gently, = turning=20 toward the false window set over their couch. The spacescape was less = than=20 spectacular than usual, of a middle aged yellow star and her attendant = nine=20 planets. *Our daughter's out there.* *No,* his wife tearfully concluded, not feeling her husband fold her = into a=20 tight embrace. *She's going to Earth!* **********************************************************************= ** 'Earth, ready or not, here I come!' her fluttery thoughts repeated, = as she=20 anxiously smoothed the coarse black fabric. The simple 'costume' was = made up of=20 three pieces. Thus far, she put on the shapeless, black shift, with the = jaw high=20 collar, while its dragging hem hid her toes. Once again, she pouted at = her=20 mirror image, mutely wishing for her friends dour Stephenie and gallant = Mars.=20 Hopefully, the Trig Port Officers had released them to their parents by = now,=20 without trumping up the charges. A shameful tear squeezed out of her = eye. Her memories shifted onto her diamond studded gown, a small sacrifice = to save=20 her people, meant to celebrate her formal entrance into Galactic = society, not to=20 be sold to a back stabbing criminal who was supposed to smuggle her and = her=20 friends onto an Earthbound Kolinar, which was supposed to be captained = by a=20 Thorgan! "Matters could have been much worse," the captain's soft = voice was=20 as hard and cold as a vacuum tempered starship hull. "You could = have sold=20 yourself straight into slavery." She glared at the captain, not taking any comfort that she was a = fellow=20 human. Word must have gotten back to her parents that she had runaway.=20 "Amanda, you can turn back. I can take you home." "No, mame," Amanda boldly met her gaze, while = telekinetically=20 summoning the long habit and veil. "You've already brought me=20 home----" The floor violently lurched under their feet, throwing = both women=20 onto their knees. "SHIP!!" the captain yelled. 'Captain, we are being fired upon by non-nuclear missiles, three = hundred=20 kilometers down range southeast and approaching fast!' 'Evasive maneuvers. Let's keep close to the ground this time.' 'Again?' Amanda nervously chewed her lip. "Earth has a notorious reputation. Human violence is why our = birthworld=20 is a closed world." The Kolinar shuddered with a distant thud. "I am ready, Captain=20 Starseer," Amanda grimly stood, as she pinned the veil across her = nose and=20 mouth. "I don't think so, Ms Fairchild," the captain sternly = studied her=20 underage passenger, with uneasy disapproval. "We cannot make = landfall, even=20 at the second site." "That means a moving jaunt, I can do it." "Then you must keep moving, Amanda. I want you to go to the = east, as=20 fast as you can. And take this water and food capsules." "But," her protest about the rest of her seized equipment=20 dried. "I know the capsules are alien to this world, but so are you, = and it=20 will take time for you to adjust to Earth conditions." Another = slightly=20 stronger tremble snapped through the cabin. 'Alice,' came a mewing mental touch. 'I sense that the enemy has = spotted us=20 from the grrround!' "Prepare to teleport, NOW AMANDA!!" The comfortable Kolinar cabin wooshed away, along with perhaps the = last=20 friendly human she would know, she feared. Space darkness blinded her, = as her=20 big toe caught on a sharp rock, sending the stunned girl onto a stony = surface.=20 Gulping on the chilly, sweet air, she spun around, and gazed up into the = distant=20 stars. They appeared wrong, so far away and twinkling. 'Planetfall!' her = heart=20 hammered, climbing onto her unsteady feet. 'I'm back on Earth! I'm = REALLY=20 HOME!!' 'AMANDA, GET AWAY FROM THERE!!' Alice Starseer sternly warned, as her = ship=20 began to rise out of the valley below, emitting a harsh worble. Amanda = shivered,=20 urgently returning, 'Captain your rotoscopic---' 'I am aware of our engineering problems ---' Twin thunderous booms sounded overhead, as two black arrowhead shaped = craft=20 dove at the Kolinar. 'ALICE!!' Amanda screamed, when she saw missiles = launched=20 at weaponless, crippled space ship. Panicked, she jaunted off of the = ridge,=20 throwing herself away from the battlefield. When she rematerialized a = few=20 hundred kilometers southeast, the explosive concussion slammed her back = onto her=20 brusied knees. 'Alice?' she whimpered, expecting an enormous well of = death to=20 swallow her mind. After several tense moments, the loneliness never touched her, but = neither=20 did a reaffirming mental touch from the Kolinar's captain. 'Stephenie, = Mars=20 please welcome Mega into our group, while I find the lost Tomorrow = People of=20 Earth,' Amanda Fairchild somberly promised the alien starfields. 'Then, = only=20 when we are ready, we shall return!' **********************************************************************= ** Sol had burned away every trace of the night's chill, driving the = small=20 reptiles and mammals into their subterranean burrows. Amanda had = traveled=20 through the night, trying to put as much distance between her and the = landing=20 site as possible, mulling over the old stories about the savage human=20 inhabitants of this blue and white world. Teleporting across the rough=20 desertscape was easy, but the mental action drained her energy. Not = knowing the=20 planet's complicated magnetic fields, she was forced to teleport in = kilometer or=20 two hops. After an hour of 'jaunt-hopping', she reasoned that since the = gravity=20 was a tolerable one gee, she began walking, to ease the steady throb = between and=20 behind her eyes. 'Adam, Ami, Jade!' her telepathy returned hollowly, = emphasizing=20 that she was now truly alone. The gravitational pull was only a point degree or two greater, than = the=20 environment she grew up in, hence Amanda ignored her swelling ankles. As = the=20 hours dragged on, she discovered that the hike also had presented more=20 challenges. Thorny plants often snagged the hem of her sweeping and = concealing=20 burnoose. More than once, her ankle would catch in a shallow depression = or=20 against an unseen rock and be twisted. By mid morning, her long legs = were=20 scratched and bruised, and worse aching. When she rested for a sip out = of her=20 precious water supply, she considered climbing up a scree and nesting in = a shady=20 niche near the peak. Then glancing over her shoulder, Amanda was not = satisfied=20 with how far she managed to travel, for the landscape was as nearly the = same=20 bleak stoniness as where she touched down. "Tonight maybe, if I can = find=20 shelter, I'll rest," she somberly said aloud for comfort. When a = tried=20 shudder, she launched herself upright on sandled feet. 'ADAM! AMI! = JADE!' only=20 the hazy humm of unfocused psi energy yawned before her mind. Grimly, Amanda doggedly pressed on, finding the raising heat at first = pleasant against her wet back and about her legs. She fought hard not to = think=20 of her distant home, or her absent family, yet her uncle's stern = warnings about=20 taking it easy in alien environs until one's body and mind adapted to = it,=20 nagged. "This is Earth!" she declared kicking a pebble, = scraping her=20 other big toe. He also told her not to get hurt. "THIS IS MY=20 BIRTHWORLD!!" she shouted to the cloudless skies. "I was born=20 here!" The silent, broiling heavens seemed not to care. She trudged on, = stubbornly=20 refusing to give in to any thoughts or memories except for her pace. = Sweat=20 matted her hair beneath the heavy scarf, while it gushed through every = pour on=20 her body, soaking the wool. "I hope to bathe, before I find any = Tomorrow=20 People," she quipped to the burning, brooding rocks. Only a dry wind rustled the burnoose. She stubbornly continued, = fantasizing=20 about how wonderful it would feel to wash off, she skipped drinking her = water,=20 when she discovered that she splashed half of her supply on her face and = neck.=20 'Adam,Ami,Jade? Are you alive?' Sol had passed its zenith for this latitude, when a swarm of biting, = buzzing=20 insects lead her to the corpse. The mangled creature was a mammal with = long=20 ears, but she could not place it beyond that. Her mother would be able = to=20 instantly identify it. A tear sprouted when she turned away from those = memories,=20 concentrating on just what kind of thing could have flattened the = animal, so she=20 could avoid the unknown monster. Shivering, she stepped onto a smoothed = broad=20 avenue of desert floor. Her legs no longer hurt, and walking on the = avenue made=20 traveling so much easier, she picked up her pace. She continued to feel = chilled,=20 but at least she no longer felt so desperately thirsty. A faraway memory = buzzed,=20 warning something was going horribly wrong with her body, but she was = determined=20 to find the Tomorrow People of Earth. "Perhaps even Today!!" = she felt=20 so giddy and happy, she began to drunkenly skip.=20 ************************************************************************<= /P> The Quest Streamline Research RV swayed back and forth, jingling and = jostling=20 whenever one of the eight wheels labored over one of the countless = chuckholes on=20 the grated dirt road. The gas guzzling behemoth contained the planet's = most=20 complete mobile laboratories, as well as satellite connections to all of = the=20 globe's computer systems. The youngest of the Quest clan was behind the = wide=20 steering wheel. "Hadj," the tow headed teen complained to his East Indian=20 companion. "This is so boring!" "One must have patience, Jonny," he yawned and stretched. = "On=20 the road of life --- you must keep your eyes on it!!" "Huh??" Jonny jumped, stomping on the air brakes. He did = not see=20 the staggering figure until the very last nanosecond. Dust and pebbles = were=20 kicked up into a rolling fog, obscuring his view. "COME ON = HADJ!!" he=20 frantically yelled, flying for the cabin door. "I think I JUST = KILLED=20 SOMEONE!!"</DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0006_01BF9102.AD297280-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Part 2/20 revised Date: 18 Mar 2000 17:55:42 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9103.2D778440 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part 2/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People and = Jonny Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy write = holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I only borrowed = these wonderful characters for an original fan fiction. I mean no = infringment on copyright. Also I am not making any money off of this = story. * eHna naes bukra, naes burkra! is Arabic for, "We are Tomorrow People, = Tomorrow People!" Or at least I hope so. Reference: Lonely Planet = Egyptian Arabic Phrasebook "I sincerely hope not Jonny," Hadji anxiously added, unclipping the = first aid kit, before dashing out. A bolting, small dog, nearly tripped = the teenager, in his rush to investigate why he was launched from his = pillow. "I don't see her!" the young Quest only sounded partially relieved when = he did not find the victim under the massive tires, or pinned to the = grill. "Bandit---" he scolded the barking terrier, as the dog madly = dashed through the scrub. "This isn't time for chasin' rabbits!" "I think Bandit has caught a scent on the mysterious lady!" Hadji = exclaimed, pumping his lanky legs through the scrub. "BANDIT!!" Jonny hopefully whistled and clapped, giving chase. "Where is = she --- boy?" The burnoosed lady laid crumbled two hundred meters west from the RV, = under a thorny bush. "I didn't hit her that hard!" Jonny winced, still = hoping that somehow he had avoided her, while feverishly praying that = she was still alive. "I don't think you hit her at all, Jonny," Hadji softly reported, = pressing the tips of his fingers against the curl of her pale throat. = Her pulse was weak and fast, while the skin stinging hot and dry as = sand. "You're right, there isn't any blood, and the projection is totally = wrong---" his Hindu brother gravely nodded, at his bother's = observations, while unpinning the veil. "A woolen burnoose?? In Afghanistan, maybe, but why would anybody wear = such a thing in Death Valley?" Jonny mused aloud, feeling the course = wool between his fingers. "You can get heatstroke---and she's got it = pretty bad!! We better get her back to camp and Dad, fast!" Her dry skin was valentine red, and judging from her fair hair, head to = toe smothering outfit may have worsened the girl's condition. Her = feathery brows fluttered, as Hadji cupped her shoulders to lift her. = "Miss?" he hazard. Her brown eyes flickered, in frightful intensity. Jonny winced back, yet = Hadji tightly hovered over her as he cradled her in his arms. The young = yoga felt a touch, a fleeting recognition that went beyond simple names = and lives. Her umber irises were forest deep, with her pupils dilated, = her eyes were stellar black. Her cracked lips fumbled on a nonsense = statement, causing a bloody split on her lower lip as she beautifully = smiled. "eHna naes bukra, naes bukra!"* With a shuddering gasp, her body went totally slack in his arms. "Hadj, = isn't that Arabic for People of Tomorrow?" "Yes---" his brother softly confirmed, straightening his legs, while = holding the unconscious girl protectively close. "This is getting pretty strange." Jonny whispered. ************************************************************************ Years of archeological experiences in various deserts had hammered into = the world famous scientist, that one did the actual digging during the = morning and late afternoon. The midday hours were taken up with notes = and contemplation. "Or siestas!" he grinned at his family's body guard, = his assistant and long time good friend, softly snoring on the cot, = tucked into the only niche that did not have a crate. Doctor Quest = wistfully sighed, staring at the sewer lid sized ring he had discovered = several days ago. He came to Death Valley to help out a fellow = archeologist, to find some rumored Anastazi artifacts. There were a few = scattered pottery shards, that just might belong to that vanished tribe = of Amerindians. The find might prove that the cliff dwellers had = migrated west from their Arizona homelands. On the third day of digging, = he discovered the strange artifact. The stone textured circlet was = sectioned off into twenty markers. Each marker contained very bizarre = and thus far untranslatable glyphs. To the paraphenomenolist's patient = study, he discovered a few similarities with both Easter Island and = Ancient Hindu characters. When Hadji touched the ring, the sensitive = teenager's eyes grew wide, and he whispered, that this piece was older = than the Anastazi. He also said it was a gift, but not to who, or from = where. In mild frustration, he ran his sensitive fingertips across the rough = surface. So far, all the scientist could determine was despite that its = appearance, the hoop was not stone at all, but metal. Farther chemical = tests had to wait until they returned to his lab at the Maine Compound. = He began to fret, wondering as if he was becoming obsessive over the = enigmatic object. Last night, the untranslatable hieroglyphs would flash = and sing to him, in his dreams. Today, particularly when the work was = done, he would be drawn back to it and stare at the strange symbols, = hopelessly unable to decipher a single clue. "What are you??" he asked = it, whipping off his teeth with his tongue, mutely wishing that he had = not given up his pipe. "Boy it's hot!!" he softly complained, forcing himself away. Swapping = down his dripping forehead, Benton Quest decided, he had enough of = backbreaking digging. He had found enough Anastazi evidence to warrant = the expense of sending a university team to come out and take over. = Furthermore, he had his own esoteric find to--- The RV's revving engine, followed by its squealing brakes tore Doctor = Quest from his musings. And Race Bannon from his nap, "Sounds like the = boys have finally made it back." "And I'm going to have a word with them!" the scientist darkly muttered, = raising himself from the canvas chair. "I told Hadji not to let Jonny = talk him into---" "DAD!!" his teenaged son yelled, jumping from the RV's side door, and = breathlessly ran toward the men. "RACE!!!" "Jonny, I thought we agreed that you wouldn't drive the streamline until = ---" Doctor Quest slid into his firm parental role, pressing his = knuckles into his hips. "But DAD!!!" Jonny interrupted. "But nothing, don't you realize just how much---" Jonny rolled his blue eyes skywards, hunching his shoulders as he took a = deep breath. "But Dad!! Lettme tell you somethingimportant!" "What is it Jonny?" Race inquired, rubbing the sleep from his neck. "HadjiandIwere driving backfrom LoneRiver," Jonny had this annoying = ability to pack as much information as possible, and relay it as quickly = as possible. "TurningontoDryGutuchRoadwhen we raninto = thisstrangegirl---" "Whoa, slow down!" then Doctor Quest's squareish face darkened, as he = saw the insurance rates not only leave Earth orbit, but passing the = asteroid belt, penetrating Jupiter's clouds down to its theoretical = core. "You mean you hit someone??" "I thought I didDad!! Butshe's---" "Would --- you --- please --- tell me s-sslowly!" Quest emphasized every = word. "What about this girl you and Hadji found?" "She's got heat stroke Dad! Hadji's with---" A high pitched, drawn out = scream rent the air. Followed by a loud splashing crash from within the = RV. "I'd say that's a girl," Race ascertained, folding his arms across his = chest. Doctor Quest glared at him, then trotted into the RV just to see = what was going on in there. ************************************************************************ "Hadji?" Doctor Quest got out, when he stepped into the trickle of = water. Following it, he found his foster son soaking wet, with one of = the metal sample bins upended on his head. "What happened?" Jonny asked before his father could. Hadji meekly smiled, hooking his thumb under the deep pan's lip. "I was = giving her a cooling sponge bath, to relieve her heat stroke, when she = suddenly woke up." Race snickered, but managed to hold it in. Jonny could not, causing = overtly embarrassed Hadji to blush. "Suddenly she screamed and hit me in = the head with the bin." "I'd say that you deserved it," Race asked lifting the filthy dress, = draped across the foot of the cot. "I take it, she was wearing this?" "Erm, yes, Race." "That's enough!" Benton interrupted. "If her condition is that bad, = she's very, very sick! Now Hadji, where did she go?" "I think she ran into that closet," the boy winced, then lowered his = amber colored eyes. "But Race---" he called as Bannon turned and opened = it. "Here's our guest," he announced, shouldering aside lab coats and arctic = jumpsuits, reaching into the very back. She was very awake, coiled into = a silvery survival blanket. "Can you stand? Look," Race gave his best = swooning smile, which most women adored. "Let Doctor Quest help you. = We're not going to ---" "Race, I think she understands only Arabic," Hadji nudged his muscular = protector aside. Glaring poisonously at him, she tunneled against the wall. Jonny = commented, "I don't think that she likes you very much Hadj." "This is getting ridiculous," Quest puffed into a ponderous scowl. "Race = please get her out of there, so I can examine her. Then take the boys = outside!" Bannon firmly nodded, and reached. "But---" Hadji cautioned. "Hadji, Jonny, out," Benton firmly ordered. "Now!" "Look, I'm not going to hurt you," Race swiftly lunged. A rabbitish = screech tore out of a parched throat. "I got her Doctor Quest!" Hoisting = her, she was wildly lashing, and spitting. "She's a regular HELL---!!!" = he yelped as lightening snapped up his muscular arms. "YEEEOOUCH!!!" He = promptly dropped her onto the floor. "You keep your bloody paws off me SAP!!!" she viciously spat, white = energy crackling about her pallid skin, as it tightened the blanket = about her. "That's not Arabic," Doctor Quest sighed, stooping to her level. "Look, = Miss you need help. Who are---" For an answer her eyes rolled up, and = she fainted dead away. "Race, you okay?" Jonny quietly asked, as his dad leerilly regarded = their shocky guest. "Aghh, just all pins and needles, Jonny, Doc," Race wrung the tingles = out of his wrists. " What was that? Does she have a electronic stunner?" "No, but she does have magic," Hadji's amber eyes twinkled like low = fires. "Apparently, very strong magic." "Or she can throw off a powerful electrical field, which I hope she can = use it again," Benton wistfully sighed, wrapping a lab coat across his = arms for insulation. Not a tingle snapped through as he gingerly picked = her up. "Right now, she's running a dangerously high fever, which has to = be brought down. Hadji would you draw another pan of water? While, I can = see what I can do." ************************************************************************ While his father was occupied with saving the enchanted girl, Jonny = decided, that he had to help in his own way. Collecting his laptop, he = strolled out to the lab tent. He had accessed the Quest main frame = computer, IRIS through satellite up links, then dialed into the World = Wide Web. When the first database finally crawled across his screen, he = slapped his forehead, and slouched back into director's chair. "Great, = just great!!" Rapidly typing in more restrictions, did not cut down on = the amount of research he had to do. Several tedious minutes past, when the uplink froze. "Found anything = yet, Jonny?" Hadji inquired, jolting him from a grumbling stew. "There must be millions of missing, kidnapped and just lost kids, Hadj!" = Jonny bitterly complained, as the screen flickered, then hundreds of = text lines and photographs raced by. "Did you narrow ---" "To blond teenaged girls from Europe? There must be a couple thousand, = at least!" "Who can speak Arabic and wear a burnoose?" "An escapee from a harem?" Jonny lightly poised. "Her?" Hadji knowingly grinned. "Somehow, I don't think so. Not with = those powers. Perhaps she's from another world!" "Missing kids with magical powers, might give me something," Jonny = sighed, upon seeing his brother activate his father's laptop computer. = "Unless she's alien ---" "She's human," Hadji blankly answered, studying the screen on a lead, = then discovered it was not their girl. "She's badly dehydrated, and is = running a 106.2 temperature." Jonny let out a low long whistle. "Dad's a doctor and we do have a = complete emergency field kit, but that sounds serious enough for a trip = to the hospital!" "I agree," Hadji muttered. "Doctor Quest is a little reluctant to = discuss it, but he did tell me, if her temperature doesn't drop below a = hundred by midnight, we are taking her in." "First that weird ring Dad keeps staring at, and now you're actin' ----" = A shrill chirp cut off the young Quest. Snatching up the cellular phone = he rapidly spoke into, "Quest Research, Jonny Quest speaking. Jess! = Hadji, get Race!" He quickly nodded, with a meek smile. "Jess, how are the entrance exams = going?" Jonny brightly asked. "Oh come now, you'll get into MIT by = sleeping through the interview, no problemo! Yeah, yeah." He patiently = listened to his friend's travails, wondering if he had the intellectual = endurance to answer impossibly picky questions and then do an involved = essay. Then he mentally dismissed those doubts, for those problems = however were a couple of years away, at least. "Well, for a boring = desert dig, things got pretty exciting. No --- we didn't find the Arc of = the Covenant. Hadji and I ran into this strange girl --- with the RV. = No, no, I did not hit her! Sunstroke, no we haven't taken her to the = hospital. Weird, huh? All we know is that she might be British, can = speak Arabic and was wearing a burnoose, yep a camel wool burnoose." "That's Jess?" Race leaned in. Jonny nodded. "Hadj and I are in those databases now. Oh she zapped your = dad pretty good, with magical powers. Yeah, he's okay. Here he is now. = Check what?" he snatched up a note pad, and scribbled down, Para.P.Galt. = "One of Dad's cryptophenomenona files?" "Jonny!" Race hissed impatiently. "Here's your dad," Jonny handed over the telephone, then immediately = dismissed the World Wide Web. "What are you doing, Jonny?" Hadji blinked in disbelief. "The answer might have been in IRIS all along Hadj!" he declared. "In = fact in Dad's files." "Jonny, you know those are top ---" "This is important, Race," he interrupted. "Ohjustgreat! " Jonny kept = the courser language between his ears. "Surd blasted through these too! = Let's see if I can retrieve---" "Let me handle this Jonny, Surd sometimes left little nasty surprises = behind." "Like in Quest World." Jonny privately stewed, passing the laptop to = Hadji. "Got it, Professor John Galt. Psionic Investigator for the Scientific = Intelligence Services, London branch," Hadji read the screen. = "Researching Tomorrow People." "Tomorrow People?" Race incredulously asked, after hastily saying = good-bye to his daughter. "Don't tell me, people still actually believe = in them?" "When we found her out in the desert, the girl woke up enough to say, = "naes bukra," which is Arabic for Tomorrow People," Hadji quietly = explained. "eHna naes bukra," Jonny corrected, prompting an uncomfortable, but = brief stare from his Indian brother. "Okay, that's bizarre," Race folded his arms, then shrugged his = shoulders. "Anyway, Tomorrow People were a Company joke, way back when. = They were supposed to be a new race of---" "Psionically gifted young adults," Hadji read aloud, his voice and heart = racing. "They were reputed to be able to telepath, teleport, do = telekinesis and have healing skills." Race leaned in, keenly interested. = "It says here, that they could not kill..." "But can rip your mind out by the brain stem," the former CIA agent = darkly muttered. 'Hey, photos of them! Whoa Hadji, the first, and the tenth. Bring those = two together." "Already on it. He is John Fairchild and the young woman is Heather = Shire." "Recognize his eyes? And her nose and chin?" "Her parents?" Hadji tightly whispered. "Can't be, according to this, those two vanished over sixteen years = ago!" Bannon tightly pointed out. "With the rest of 'em." "Ahh, but when last seen, Heather Shire was believed to be near term." "That would make her your age Hadj," Jonny teased, with a pally slapped = to his brother's back. He pretended not to notice it. "Hey, the file is starting to break up." "Do what you can to save it Hadji. I'll get Doctor Quest," Race quickly = left. Hadji tightly nodded, scrolling through the volumes of information, = downloading as quickly as possible. "It's going to take time to go = through this, a lot of it is damaged." "Hey, looks like there was another group that appeared a couple years = ago." "Adam Newman, Marmaduke Damon, Lisa Davis, Kevin ---" "Maybe they're still around!" Jonny said his eyes twinkling in = excitement. "The list states that Lisa has since died, as a result of one of = Professor Galt's experiments. The others---" "Hey, a list of potentials." "No doubt they are relatives to the above ---" Hadji froze, then = shivered. "Too weird for school!" Jonny beamed. The last name on the potential Tomorrow People list was Hadji Singh. The last line of the report read, "DESPITE THEIR SUPPOSED INABILITY TO = KILL, THE ABOVE PERSONS POSSESS DANGEROUS PSIONIC AND PERHAPS OTHER = UNKNOWN MENTAL ABILITIES. IF SIGHTED, PLEASE REPORT TO SIS OR CIA, AS = SOON AS POSSIBLE. HANDLE WITH EXTREME CAUTION!!! ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9103.2D778440 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part 2/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People = and Jonny=20 Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy = write=20 holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television=20 are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I only borrowed these = wonderful=20 characters for an original fan fiction. I mean no infringment on = copyright. Also=20 I am not making any money off of this story. * eHna naes bukra, naes burkra! is Arabic for, "We are Tomorrow = People,=20 Tomorrow People!" Or at least I hope so. Reference: Lonely Planet = Egyptian=20 Arabic Phrasebook "I sincerely hope not Jonny," Hadji anxiously added, = unclipping the=20 first aid kit, before dashing out. A bolting, small dog, nearly tripped = the=20 teenager, in his rush to investigate why he was launched from his = pillow. "I don't see her!" the young Quest only sounded partially = relieved=20 when he did not find the victim under the massive tires, or pinned to = the grill.=20 "Bandit---" he scolded the barking terrier, as the dog madly = dashed=20 through the scrub. "This isn't time for chasin' rabbits!" "I think Bandit has caught a scent on the mysterious lady!" = Hadji=20 exclaimed, pumping his lanky legs through the scrub. "BANDIT!!" Jonny hopefully whistled and clapped, giving = chase.=20 "Where is she --- boy?" The burnoosed lady laid crumbled two hundred meters west from the RV, = under a=20 thorny bush. "I didn't hit her that hard!" Jonny winced, still = hoping=20 that somehow he had avoided her, while feverishly praying that she was = still=20 alive. "I don't think you hit her at all, Jonny," Hadji softly = reported,=20 pressing the tips of his fingers against the curl of her pale throat. = Her pulse=20 was weak and fast, while the skin stinging hot and dry as sand. "You're right, there isn't any blood, and the projection is = totally=20 wrong---" his Hindu brother gravely nodded, at his bother's = observations,=20 while unpinning the veil. "A woolen burnoose?? In Afghanistan, maybe, but why would = anybody wear=20 such a thing in Death Valley?" Jonny mused aloud, feeling the = course wool=20 between his fingers. "You can get heatstroke---and she's got it = pretty=20 bad!! We better get her back to camp and Dad, fast!" Her dry skin was valentine red, and judging from her fair hair, head = to toe=20 smothering outfit may have worsened the girl's condition. Her feathery = brows=20 fluttered, as Hadji cupped her shoulders to lift her. "Miss?" = he=20 hazard. Her brown eyes flickered, in frightful intensity. Jonny winced back, = yet=20 Hadji tightly hovered over her as he cradled her in his arms. The young = yoga=20 felt a touch, a fleeting recognition that went beyond simple names and = lives.=20 Her umber irises were forest deep, with her pupils dilated, her eyes = were=20 stellar black. Her cracked lips fumbled on a nonsense statement, causing = a=20 bloody split on her lower lip as she beautifully smiled. "eHna naes = bukra,=20 naes bukra!"* With a shuddering gasp, her body went totally slack in his arms. = "Hadj,=20 isn't that Arabic for People of Tomorrow?" "Yes---" his brother softly confirmed, straightening his = legs,=20 while holding the unconscious girl protectively close. "This is getting pretty strange." Jonny whispered. **********************************************************************= ** Years of archeological experiences in various deserts had hammered = into the=20 world famous scientist, that one did the actual digging during the = morning and=20 late afternoon. The midday hours were taken up with notes and = contemplation.=20 "Or siestas!" he grinned at his family's body guard, his = assistant and=20 long time good friend, softly snoring on the cot, tucked into the only = niche=20 that did not have a crate. Doctor Quest wistfully sighed, staring at the = sewer=20 lid sized ring he had discovered several days ago. He came to Death = Valley to=20 help out a fellow archeologist, to find some rumored Anastazi artifacts. = There=20 were a few scattered pottery shards, that just might belong to that = vanished=20 tribe of Amerindians. The find might prove that the cliff dwellers had = migrated=20 west from their Arizona homelands. On the third day of digging, he = discovered=20 the strange artifact. The stone textured circlet was sectioned off into = twenty=20 markers. Each marker contained very bizarre and thus far untranslatable = glyphs.=20 To the paraphenomenolist's patient study, he discovered a few = similarities with=20 both Easter Island and Ancient Hindu characters. When Hadji touched the = ring,=20 the sensitive teenager's eyes grew wide, and he whispered, that this = piece was=20 older than the Anastazi. He also said it was a gift, but not to who, or = from=20 where. In mild frustration, he ran his sensitive fingertips across the rough = surface. So far, all the scientist could determine was despite that its=20 appearance, the hoop was not stone at all, but metal. Farther chemical = tests had=20 to wait until they returned to his lab at the Maine Compound. He began = to fret,=20 wondering as if he was becoming obsessive over the enigmatic object. = Last night,=20 the untranslatable hieroglyphs would flash and sing to him, in his = dreams.=20 Today, particularly when the work was done, he would be drawn back to it = and=20 stare at the strange symbols, hopelessly unable to decipher a single = clue.=20 "What are you??" he asked it, whipping off his teeth with his = tongue,=20 mutely wishing that he had not given up his pipe. "Boy it's hot!!" he softly complained, forcing himself = away.=20 Swapping down his dripping forehead, Benton Quest decided, he had enough = of=20 backbreaking digging. He had found enough Anastazi evidence to warrant = the=20 expense of sending a university team to come out and take over. = Furthermore, he=20 had his own esoteric find to--- The RV's revving engine, followed by its squealing brakes tore Doctor = Quest=20 from his musings. And Race Bannon from his nap, "Sounds like the = boys have=20 finally made it back." "And I'm going to have a word with them!" the scientist = darkly=20 muttered, raising himself from the canvas chair. "I told Hadji not = to let=20 Jonny talk him into---" "DAD!!" his teenaged son yelled, jumping from the RV's side = door,=20 and breathlessly ran toward the men. "RACE!!!" "Jonny, I thought we agreed that you wouldn't drive the = streamline until=20 ---" Doctor Quest slid into his firm parental role, pressing his = knuckles=20 into his hips. "But DAD!!!" Jonny interrupted. "But nothing, don't you realize just how much---" Jonny rolled his blue eyes skywards, hunching his shoulders as he = took a deep=20 breath. "But Dad!! Lettme tell you somethingimportant!" "What is it Jonny?" Race inquired, rubbing the sleep from = his=20 neck. "HadjiandIwere driving backfrom LoneRiver," Jonny had this = annoying=20 ability to pack as much information as possible, and relay it as quickly = as=20 possible. "TurningontoDryGutuchRoadwhen we raninto=20 thisstrangegirl---" "Whoa, slow down!" then Doctor Quest's squareish face = darkened, as=20 he saw the insurance rates not only leave Earth orbit, but passing the = asteroid=20 belt, penetrating Jupiter's clouds down to its theoretical core. = "You mean=20 you hit someone??" "I thought I didDad!! Butshe's---" "Would --- you --- please --- tell me s-sslowly!" Quest = emphasized=20 every word. "What about this girl you and Hadji found?" "She's got heat stroke Dad! Hadji's with---" A high = pitched, drawn=20 out scream rent the air. Followed by a loud splashing crash from within = the=20 RV. "I'd say that's a girl," Race ascertained, folding his arms = across=20 his chest. Doctor Quest glared at him, then trotted into the RV just to = see what=20 was going on in there. **********************************************************************= ** "Hadji?" Doctor Quest got out, when he stepped into the = trickle of=20 water. Following it, he found his foster son soaking wet, with one of = the metal=20 sample bins upended on his head. "What happened?" Jonny asked before his father could. Hadji meekly smiled, hooking his thumb under the deep pan's lip. = "I was=20 giving her a cooling sponge bath, to relieve her heat stroke, when she = suddenly=20 woke up." Race snickered, but managed to hold it in. Jonny could not, causing = overtly=20 embarrassed Hadji to blush. "Suddenly she screamed and hit me in = the head=20 with the bin." "I'd say that you deserved it," Race asked lifting the = filthy=20 dress, draped across the foot of the cot. "I take it, she was = wearing=20 this?" "Erm, yes, Race." "That's enough!" Benton interrupted. "If her condition = is that=20 bad, she's very, very sick! Now Hadji, where did she go?" "I think she ran into that closet," the boy winced, then = lowered=20 his amber colored eyes. "But Race---" he called as Bannon = turned and=20 opened it. "Here's our guest," he announced, shouldering aside lab = coats and=20 arctic jumpsuits, reaching into the very back. She was very awake, = coiled into a=20 silvery survival blanket. "Can you stand? Look," Race gave his = best=20 swooning smile, which most women adored. "Let Doctor Quest help = you. We're=20 not going to ---" "Race, I think she understands only Arabic," Hadji nudged = his=20 muscular protector aside. Glaring poisonously at him, she tunneled against the wall. Jonny = commented,=20 "I don't think that she likes you very much Hadj." "This is getting ridiculous," Quest puffed into a ponderous = scowl.=20 "Race please get her out of there, so I can examine her. Then take = the boys=20 outside!" Bannon firmly nodded, and reached. "But---" Hadji cautioned. "Hadji, Jonny, out," Benton firmly ordered. = "Now!" "Look, I'm not going to hurt you," Race swiftly lunged. A = rabbitish=20 screech tore out of a parched throat. "I got her Doctor = Quest!"=20 Hoisting her, she was wildly lashing, and spitting. "She's a = regular=20 HELL---!!!" he yelped as lightening snapped up his muscular arms.=20 "YEEEOOUCH!!!" He promptly dropped her onto the floor. "You keep your bloody paws off me SAP!!!" she viciously = spat, white=20 energy crackling about her pallid skin, as it tightened the blanket = about=20 her. "That's not Arabic," Doctor Quest sighed, stooping to her = level.=20 "Look, Miss you need help. Who are---" For an answer her eyes = rolled=20 up, and she fainted dead away. "Race, you okay?" Jonny quietly asked, as his dad leerilly = regarded=20 their shocky guest. "Aghh, just all pins and needles, Jonny, Doc," Race wrung = the=20 tingles out of his wrists. " What was that? Does she have a = electronic=20 stunner?" "No, but she does have magic," Hadji's amber eyes twinkled = like low=20 fires. "Apparently, very strong magic." "Or she can throw off a powerful electrical field, which I hope = she can=20 use it again," Benton wistfully sighed, wrapping a lab coat across = his arms=20 for insulation. Not a tingle snapped through as he gingerly picked her = up.=20 "Right now, she's running a dangerously high fever, which has to be = brought=20 down. Hadji would you draw another pan of water? While, I can see what I = can=20 do." **********************************************************************= ** While his father was occupied with saving the enchanted girl, Jonny = decided,=20 that he had to help in his own way. Collecting his laptop, he strolled = out to=20 the lab tent. He had accessed the Quest main frame computer, IRIS = through=20 satellite up links, then dialed into the World Wide Web. When the first = database=20 finally crawled across his screen, he slapped his forehead, and slouched = back=20 into director's chair. "Great, just great!!" Rapidly typing in = more=20 restrictions, did not cut down on the amount of research he had to = do. Several tedious minutes past, when the uplink froze. "Found = anything=20 yet, Jonny?" Hadji inquired, jolting him from a grumbling stew. "There must be millions of missing, kidnapped and just lost = kids,=20 Hadj!" Jonny bitterly complained, as the screen flickered, then = hundreds of=20 text lines and photographs raced by. "Did you narrow ---" "To blond teenaged girls from Europe? There must be a couple = thousand,=20 at least!" "Who can speak Arabic and wear a burnoose?" "An escapee from a harem?" Jonny lightly poised. "Her?" Hadji knowingly grinned. "Somehow, I don't = think so.=20 Not with those powers. Perhaps she's from another world!" "Missing kids with magical powers, might give me = something," Jonny=20 sighed, upon seeing his brother activate his father's laptop computer.=20 "Unless she's alien ---" "She's human," Hadji blankly answered, studying the screen = on a=20 lead, then discovered it was not their girl. "She's badly = dehydrated, and=20 is running a 106.2 temperature." Jonny let out a low long whistle. "Dad's a doctor and we do have = a=20 complete emergency field kit, but that sounds serious enough for a trip = to the=20 hospital!" "I agree," Hadji muttered. "Doctor Quest is a little = reluctant=20 to discuss it, but he did tell me, if her temperature doesn't drop below = a=20 hundred by midnight, we are taking her in." "First that weird ring Dad keeps staring at, and now you're = actin'=20 ----" A shrill chirp cut off the young Quest. Snatching up the = cellular=20 phone he rapidly spoke into, "Quest Research, Jonny Quest speaking. = Jess!=20 Hadji, get Race!" He quickly nodded, with a meek smile. "Jess, how are the = entrance exams=20 going?" Jonny brightly asked. "Oh come now, you'll get into = MIT by=20 sleeping through the interview, no problemo! Yeah, yeah." He = patiently=20 listened to his friend's travails, wondering if he had the intellectual=20 endurance to answer impossibly picky questions and then do an involved = essay.=20 Then he mentally dismissed those doubts, for those problems however were = a=20 couple of years away, at least. "Well, for a boring desert dig, = things got=20 pretty exciting. No --- we didn't find the Arc of the Covenant. Hadji = and I ran=20 into this strange girl --- with the RV. No, no, I did not hit her! = Sunstroke, no=20 we haven't taken her to the hospital. Weird, huh? All we know is that = she might=20 be British, can speak Arabic and was wearing a burnoose, yep a camel = wool=20 burnoose." "That's Jess?" Race leaned in. Jonny nodded. "Hadj and I are in those databases now. Oh she = zapped your=20 dad pretty good, with magical powers. Yeah, he's okay. Here he is now. = Check=20 what?" he snatched up a note pad, and scribbled down, Para.P.Galt.=20 "One of Dad's cryptophenomenona files?" "Jonny!" Race hissed impatiently. "Here's your dad," Jonny handed over the telephone, then=20 immediately dismissed the World Wide Web. "What are you doing, Jonny?" Hadji blinked in = disbelief. "The answer might have been in IRIS all along Hadj!" he = declared.=20 "In fact in Dad's files." "Jonny, you know those are top ---" "This is important, Race," he interrupted. = "Ohjustgreat!=20 " Jonny kept the courser language between his ears. "Surd = blasted=20 through these too! Let's see if I can retrieve---" "Let me handle this Jonny, Surd sometimes left little nasty = surprises=20 behind." "Like in Quest World." Jonny privately stewed, passing the = laptop=20 to Hadji. "Got it, Professor John Galt. Psionic Investigator for the = Scientific=20 Intelligence Services, London branch," Hadji read the screen.=20 "Researching Tomorrow People." "Tomorrow People?" Race incredulously asked, after hastily = saying=20 good-bye to his daughter. "Don't tell me, people still actually = believe in=20 them?" "When we found her out in the desert, the girl woke up enough to = say,=20 "naes bukra," which is Arabic for Tomorrow People," Hadji = quietly=20 explained. "eHna naes bukra," Jonny corrected, prompting an = uncomfortable, but=20 brief stare from his Indian brother. "Okay, that's bizarre," Race folded his arms, then shrugged = his=20 shoulders. "Anyway, Tomorrow People were a Company joke, way back = when.=20 They were supposed to be a new race of---" "Psionically gifted young adults," Hadji read aloud, his = voice and=20 heart racing. "They were reputed to be able to telepath, teleport, = do=20 telekinesis and have healing skills." Race leaned in, keenly = interested.=20 "It says here, that they could not kill..." "But can rip your mind out by the brain stem," the former = CIA agent=20 darkly muttered. 'Hey, photos of them! Whoa Hadji, the first, and the tenth. Bring = those two=20 together." "Already on it. He is John Fairchild and the young woman is = Heather=20 Shire." "Recognize his eyes? And her nose and chin?" "Her parents?" Hadji tightly whispered. "Can't be, according to this, those two vanished over sixteen = years=20 ago!" Bannon tightly pointed out. "With the rest of = 'em." "Ahh, but when last seen, Heather Shire was believed to be near=20 term." "That would make her your age Hadj," Jonny teased, with a = pally=20 slapped to his brother's back. He pretended not to notice it. "Hey, the file is starting to = break=20 up." "Do what you can to save it Hadji. I'll get Doctor Quest," = Race=20 quickly left. Hadji tightly nodded, scrolling through the volumes of information,=20 downloading as quickly as possible. "It's going to take time to go = through=20 this, a lot of it is damaged." "Hey, looks like there was another group that appeared a couple = years=20 ago." "Adam Newman, Marmaduke Damon, Lisa Davis, Kevin ---" "Maybe they're still around!" Jonny said his eyes twinkling = in=20 excitement. "The list states that Lisa has since died, as a result of one of = Professor Galt's experiments. The others---" "Hey, a list of potentials." "No doubt they are relatives to the above ---" Hadji froze, = then=20 shivered. "Too weird for school!" Jonny beamed. The last name on the potential Tomorrow People list was Hadji = Singh. The last line of the report read, "DESPITE THEIR SUPPOSED = INABILITY TO=20 KILL, THE ABOVE PERSONS POSSESS DANGEROUS PSIONIC AND PERHAPS OTHER = UNKNOWN=20 MENTAL ABILITIES. IF SIGHTED, PLEASE REPORT TO SIS OR CIA, AS SOON AS = POSSIBLE.=20 HANDLE WITH EXTREME CAUTION!!! </DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9103.2D778440-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize part 3/20 revised Date: 18 Mar 2000 18:01:36 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9104.00F4C080 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part 3/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People and = Jonny Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy write = holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no = infringement on copyright. Doctor Quest shoved himself away from the RV's computer substation, not = in the mood for delving in another mystery. Rubbing his aching neck, he = tuned out his busy, conflicting thoughts, yearning for peaceful = stillness. A late afternoon stroll in this southwestern furnace, would = have been perfect. Instead he wearily closed his eyes and slouched in = the office chair. 'Maybe meditation could work---' His adopted son told = him that to meditate one should listen to one's breathing. Quest listened to the soft whir of the constantly running air = conditioners. The gentle drowsy sound was soothing in itself, until he = remember the tremendous drain on the batteries. 'Watch it Quest, you = know why you have to run them full tilt. Without moving he tuned into = another soft resonance. The velvety trickle of the rehydrating blanket = and mat reminded him of mountain creek. The device was one of his many = inventions, he came up during an idle moment in a small town clinic, not = far from Death Valley. Tiny pumps in the mat recycled the gravity = tumbling water from the blanket, while a small refrigeration coil cooled = it to the desired temperature. The thin fabric on the patient surfaces = encouraged a steady sweat, which meant the system could not be perfectly = closed. His design proved to be a life saver in heat strokes, but = expensive to manufacture. "Damn the bean counters," he tersely thought, = leaving his chair. The tender peep from his watch reminded him that he had to check on his = mysterious patient again. Pulling back the blanket from her face, so he = could press the sensor against her neck. "Good girl," he whispered. = "You're skin temperature is now down another degree." Taking up the damp = sponge Hadji left behind in the bin, he gently swabbed down her delicate = featured face and long slender neck. 'Are you happy with how you look?' = Quest found himself musing. Again he tried to place an age on her, which = was difficult. Hazarding a guess, he assumed that she was fourteen or = fifteen. His patient apparently put on an impressive growth spurt before = adolescence blessed her body, a process which he was not certain was = near completion. Her arms and legs were willowy, like a preteen, while = her perfect set of teeth was completely grown in, which normally did not = occur until eighteen or twenty. Her saw wheat thick hair appeared to = have been hastily chopped off into an uneven shag which whispered about = her bony shoulders, a sure sign of rebellion. He began to wonder if she = whined about her near six foot height, or suffered in silence or simply = accepted it. "I think you're pretty," he gently stated, mutely comparing = her with slim art deco statues of girls, her skin just as pale and = bright as glazed alabaster porcelain. Replacing the blanket, he returned = to his uncomfortable thoughts. Teenagers leave home for a variety of reasons. Anything from abusive and = non-understanding parents to an effusive wanderlust. Their guest showed = no outward signs of physical abuse, but mental abuse did not leave = visible scars. Aside from the sunstroke she was extremely healthy, = perhaps too healthy, if her blood tests were to be believed. IR and UV = scans reveled that there was not a single Earth viral pathogen in her = system, not even the faint traces evident from vaccines and colds. The = normal microflora was curiously depressed, with several common bacteria = species non existent in or on her. Instead, he discovered highly active = proteins and micro-enzymes, being shoved out of a hyper-immune system. = Whatever the chemical bits were, they effectively mowed down any local = germ. 'This girl belongs in a hospital,' he self nagged. 'She really = belongs in an isolation unit in John Hopkins!! No! A thousand times NO! = If what I expect is true about you ---' "What are you?" he softly = inquired, not expecting an answer. "Did you fall out of the sky??" "Doctor Quest?" the cabin door squealed as Race Bannon swung in. His = powerful voice was hushed, reflecting his suspicions and concerns. A = tone he used only when he knew that the family was in danger. "Any thing = on her?" "Outside that her temperature has dropped, I've got a lot of = speculations, but no real answers. Sounds like you have a couple of = leads." Race folded his arms across his powerful chest, crossing his ankles as = he leaned against the wall. "No, but the boys do." "Oh? From where?" "Jess suggested that they go into your files. Jonny was in the Galt = stuff before I could stop him." Quest dropped his head, blowing out. "Tomorrow People, the very last = thing I wanted Hadji to see. I wonder if Surd..." "He tore through that too. The files are a rat's nest, but Hadji---" "Won't rest until he rebuilds the damn thing. I should've never, never = downloaded it in the first place, but I was worried about Hadji, when he = had those migraines a couple years back. Fortunately his yoga exercises = seemed to help him control the symptoms, but I could never find out why = he was having migraines in the first place. After reviewing it, I should = have --- It's too late now. What do the boys have Race?" "Jonny accessed the photo file---" "And found hers?" Quest questioned, not remembering seeing such a girl. = There was a blond, but she had blue eyes, and the picture was over = twenty years old. "No, he and Hadji think they found her parents. John Fairchild and = Heather Shire, and there is a strong family resemblance." "They haven't been sighted in nearly sixteen years!" "Certain people believed the original TP went into deep hiding or off = planet." Quest turned away, worriedly tugging at the tip of his beard. = "Something, Doctor?" "It's nothing Race," he replied, switching off the computer screen. "If she is TP, she must be reported." "I know Race," Quest got up and stretched the aches out of his spine. = "Let's not jump to conclusions from a heavily damaged computer file and = a strange girl who may or may not be connected with it. If she turns out = to be a Tomorrow Person, let me handle it Race." "Okay Doc. Oh, Jess wanted to know if we would be back by the weekend. = One of the entrance exams has gotten her spooked ---" "We should be," Quest shrugged his shoulders, suspecting that Race = wanted to know more for himself than for his daughter. That glint in his = sapphire eyes was only partially hooded by a contemplative scowl. "I = still intend to leave first thing in the morning." ************************************************************************ While his sons busied themselves with final packing and cleanup, under = Race's supervision, Doctor Quest had his hands full with the unconscious = girl. Perhaps because of her serious condition or from her fragile = appearance, or from Race's uncalled for suspicions, he felt doubly = protective of her. Race and the boys understood, or so Quest hoped, = although a little nagging filament from the back of his thoughts warned = him he was becoming too parental. 'Could you be a Tomorrow Person?' he = wondered now. To the scientist, they were gentle, fantastic beings who = belonged more in fairy tales, than in dry cryptozoological journals. = Worse TP confirmed sightings were always guarded too jealously by too = shadowy organizations. With these thoughts constantly circling, Quest = dutifully kept tabs on her IV, and on her body temperature, as well as = to misrelate to her scratches, bumps, bruises and twisted ankles. Toward = that, he did inject her with small dosages of antibiotics, although = again with reservations. About ten in the evening his patient's fever broke, and the most recent = blood smears indicated that he did not poison her. Which was a mild = relief. For celebration, Doctor Quest stepped outside, only to discover = the camp completely broken down and the boys curled in their sleeping = bags. "Hum, looks like you worked them pretty hard," he whispered to the = snoring Race in approval. Emptying the coffee pot, Benton Quest paused = to admire the blazing stars. 'So beautiful,' he mused over the chilling = java. "One day---" An imposing pestering thought cut into his self declaration. As the = chilly wind whipped about his neck, Quest began to wonder if they were = going to leave tomorrow morning as he planned. Which was silly, the camp = is packed, artifacts noted and stored for the trip to the University of = Arizona. That left the girl, and with her, he had too many questions and = suspicions. If Race was correct, she was a TP, he could not just turn = her over to the authorities. She would more likely be experimented upon, = instead of being returned to her parents. Then, Quest's blood began to = boil as he thought about Professor Galt. They only formally met once, = but Quest did cared for the dapper, overtly assured parapsychiatrist. = Plus, he had heard of rumors of Galt's falling out with the SIS. From = Lisa Davis' file he discovered the healthy Tomorrow Person died in a = matter of weeks after discovering her powers. From a massive stroke. = Galt was rather proud of his device, he invented, that could to hold = teleporters in one place, by overloading their brains. According to the = official report Galt's machine had held the youngster in the field for a = couple of minutes. It did not take a suspicious scientific genus to figure out the possible = reason for the sixteen year old's sudden demise. Those were only = conjectures, Quest was willing to concede. Equally, however, he was = determined not just hand this girl over to them. "She'll stay with us," = he shrugged, draining the cup. Then another more disturbing thought = churned his bean and Mexican chili supper. The packed away ring 'sang' = to him. "That's silly, Benton," he chastised himself, rubbing the grit from his = eyes. "You're getting too old and tried for fantasies. In a sudden flash = of vision he saw that girl, take Jonny and Hadji through the glowing = ring, to someplace unthinkably distant, where the stars do not twinkle. = It left him with shaking hands and quite cold. "I've got to give up the = caffeine! And catch some sleep---" "We call ourselves the Tomorrow People---" the line haunted his much = needed sleep. Doctor Quest found himself standing before an old = fashioned museum case. After whipping off a layer of dust, he peered = through the smudged glass to the human skulls beneath. His heart began = to race, as he followed the pattern. "MUM!!" a young girl cried through the musty wilderness. "DAD, I need = you! PLEASE!!" ************************************************************************ Doctor Quest jolted awake. It took several hammering heartbeats to = realize that he had been asleep in his research RV. His patient = fearfully mewed in her sleep. Tossing the sleeping bag aside, his bare = feet slapped onto the cold tile. "Miss?" The rehydration blanket was rumbled by her thrashing, and she had thrown = her left arm across her eyes. Doctor Quest's immediate concern was that = IV needle he inserted in her right. "Mummy??" The scientist gently held = down that arm by the wrist, so he could inspect the needle. The vein network stood on end, as her fingers tightened on his hand. = "Where's---?" her nostrils flared, as her respiration rate rocketed. The = pan of water left on the nook beside her cot, threateningly trembled. = "W-Who are you??" she stammered, as Quest calmly reached over and pushed = the levitating full bin back into place. "W-Where am I??" "I'm Doctor Benton Quest!" upon meeting her soulful eyes he had to snap = his head aside. Something about her direct gaze went beyond = intelligence, snapping through his exposed brain, leaving him feeling = terribly striped and vulnerable. "Sss-sir---?" her British accent trembled in apprehension, reaching for = his arm with her free hand. "Are you okay?" "I'm fine, Miss?" he managed to turn back, keeping his eyes leveled on = the bed. She hesitated, knowing that this Doctor Benton Quest, this = non-telepathic human, wanted her name. Her instinct demanded that she = jaunt away no, nude or not. However, she also realized that he had = somehow found and helped her. Perhaps even saved her life. "Amanda = Fairchild, Doctor." He attempted a smile. "Amanda eh? Well, you are in Death Valley national = park." "Is this natural park in the Sahara?" "That's national park, Amanda. And you're several thousand miles west = from the Sahara. You're in California." Her young brow crinkled under puzzlement. "That's er --- in the Western = hemisphere, northern continent? Or Southern?" "Your compass must be broken," Quest quipped, releasing his hand = satisfied that the IV was secure. "You're on the Northern Continent, the = United States, near the Pacific coast." "The Kolinar was damaged," Amanda hunkered deeper in the blankets. "The = Saps tried to shoot us down---" "Kolinar?" "Er --- that's a free trader starship, sir." "Wait a minute, you're saying that a space ship brought you to Earth?" = astonishment colored his level voice. "Yes," she concurred, as if her arrival was as mundane as landing at = LAX. "Please, pardon me, I don't mean to frighten you sir. I just hope = my friends broke orbit before those Saps---" "What are Saps?" Quest demanded. It was Amanda's turn to glance timidly away, and slightly blush. "Er, = human beings, who aren't empowered. My Dad started it, as a joke when he = was young, but Mum really hates the term, and told me not to---" Doctor Quest had to chuckle, softly. "I see, and your mother's right. I = don't like being called a ---Sap." "You --- but----" her eyes darted to the bin, pulling her long legs = tightly against her, while she held the blanket tight against her chin. "The telekinesis?" Quest timidly smiled. "Oh, I've seen that before, and = believe me I don't need a shower." Amanda slightly relaxed, but kept coiled, now anxiously watched this = bearded man. His aura was both warming and soothing, something that = according her friends, no Sap could have. "I'm not going to hurt you," = he defended. "This needle hurts," she responded. "What's it for??" "You were badly dehydrated, so I had to replace --- hey!" He just = stopped her from removing the syringe. "I don't think I no longer need the electrolyte solution." "I am a doctor!" Quest raised his voice, which he learned was useless = around teenagers. A passing glance to her somber, pale face confirmed = that she could be as stubborn as Jonny, if not worse. Besides she was = conscious and aware and he had to win her over, before she vanished out = of his life. "Let me take it out, okay?" Amanda gravely nodded. "Thank you, Doctor," as she watched his actions. = "Now are my clothes about?" "You mean that burnoose and veil?" She gravely nodded. "They're awfully dirty," he immediately answered. "I have a few clothes, = that maybe aren't stylish, but are more appropriate for Southern = California." Diving back into the equipment locker was a temporary = relief, but suddenly he became more anxious to see if their guest = remained once he retrieved the old clothes. "Once you are cleaned up and = dressed, why don't you join me for some breakfast?" "Thank you!" she enthused. "You're welcome Amanda," he laid the bundle at the foot of the cot. She = began to reach for the jeans, then hopelessly glanced to him. "Er sir?" He lowered his eyes, picking up on her modesty. "You promise not to = disappear?" Her eyes grew into innocent saucers. "He knows about the Tomorrow = People!' "No sir!" "All right," Quest sighed, stepping back, clutching the dividing curtain = between the sleeping niche and the rest of the RV. "I'll just be on the = other side, if you need anything else Amanda." ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9104.00F4C080 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part 3/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People = and Jonny=20 Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy = write=20 holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television=20 are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no infringement on=20 copyright. Doctor Quest shoved himself away from the RV's computer substation, = not in=20 the mood for delving in another mystery. Rubbing his aching neck, he = tuned out=20 his busy, conflicting thoughts, yearning for peaceful stillness. A late=20 afternoon stroll in this southwestern furnace, would have been perfect. = Instead=20 he wearily closed his eyes and slouched in the office chair. 'Maybe = meditation=20 could work---' His adopted son told him that to meditate one should = listen to=20 one's breathing. Quest listened to the soft whir of the constantly running air = conditioners.=20 The gentle drowsy sound was soothing in itself, until he remember the = tremendous=20 drain on the batteries. 'Watch it Quest, you know why you have to run = them full=20 tilt. Without moving he tuned into another soft resonance. The velvety = trickle=20 of the rehydrating blanket and mat reminded him of mountain creek. The = device=20 was one of his many inventions, he came up during an idle moment in a = small town=20 clinic, not far from Death Valley. Tiny pumps in the mat recycled the = gravity=20 tumbling water from the blanket, while a small refrigeration coil cooled = it to=20 the desired temperature. The thin fabric on the patient surfaces = encouraged a=20 steady sweat, which meant the system could not be perfectly closed. His = design=20 proved to be a life saver in heat strokes, but expensive to manufacture. = "Damn the bean counters," he tersely thought, leaving his = chair. The tender peep from his watch reminded him that he had to check on = his=20 mysterious patient again. Pulling back the blanket from her face, so he = could=20 press the sensor against her neck. "Good girl," he whispered.=20 "You're skin temperature is now down another degree." Taking = up the=20 damp sponge Hadji left behind in the bin, he gently swabbed down her = delicate=20 featured face and long slender neck. 'Are you happy with how you look?' = Quest=20 found himself musing. Again he tried to place an age on her, which was=20 difficult. Hazarding a guess, he assumed that she was fourteen or = fifteen. His=20 patient apparently put on an impressive growth spurt before adolescence = blessed=20 her body, a process which he was not certain was near completion. Her = arms and=20 legs were willowy, like a preteen, while her perfect set of teeth was = completely=20 grown in, which normally did not occur until eighteen or twenty. Her saw = wheat=20 thick hair appeared to have been hastily chopped off into an uneven shag = which=20 whispered about her bony shoulders, a sure sign of rebellion. He began = to wonder=20 if she whined about her near six foot height, or suffered in silence or = simply=20 accepted it. "I think you're pretty," he gently stated, mutely = comparing her with slim art deco statues of girls, her skin just as pale = and=20 bright as glazed alabaster porcelain. Replacing the blanket, he returned = to his=20 uncomfortable thoughts. Teenagers leave home for a variety of reasons. Anything from abusive = and=20 non-understanding parents to an effusive wanderlust. Their guest showed = no=20 outward signs of physical abuse, but mental abuse did not leave visible = scars.=20 Aside from the sunstroke she was extremely healthy, perhaps too healthy, = if her=20 blood tests were to be believed. IR and UV scans reveled that there was = not a=20 single Earth viral pathogen in her system, not even the faint traces = evident=20 from vaccines and colds. The normal microflora was curiously depressed, = with=20 several common bacteria species non existent in or on her. Instead, he=20 discovered highly active proteins and micro-enzymes, being shoved out of = a=20 hyper-immune system. Whatever the chemical bits were, they effectively = mowed=20 down any local germ. 'This girl belongs in a hospital,' he self nagged. = 'She=20 really belongs in an isolation unit in John Hopkins!! No! A thousand = times NO!=20 If what I expect is true about you ---' "What are you?" he = softly=20 inquired, not expecting an answer. "Did you fall out of the = sky??" "Doctor Quest?" the cabin door squealed as Race Bannon = swung in.=20 His powerful voice was hushed, reflecting his suspicions and concerns. A = tone he=20 used only when he knew that the family was in danger. "Any thing on = her?" "Outside that her temperature has dropped, I've got a lot of=20 speculations, but no real answers. Sounds like you have a couple of=20 leads." Race folded his arms across his powerful chest, crossing his ankles = as he=20 leaned against the wall. "No, but the boys do." "Oh? From where?" "Jess suggested that they go into your files. Jonny was in the = Galt=20 stuff before I could stop him." Quest dropped his head, blowing out. "Tomorrow People, the very = last=20 thing I wanted Hadji to see. I wonder if Surd..." "He tore through that too. The files are a rat's nest, but=20 Hadji---" "Won't rest until he rebuilds the damn thing. I should've never, = never=20 downloaded it in the first place, but I was worried about Hadji, when he = had=20 those migraines a couple years back. Fortunately his yoga exercises = seemed to=20 help him control the symptoms, but I could never find out why he was = having=20 migraines in the first place. After reviewing it, I should have --- It's = too=20 late now. What do the boys have Race?" "Jonny accessed the photo file---" "And found hers?" Quest questioned, not remembering seeing = such a=20 girl. There was a blond, but she had blue eyes, and the picture was over = twenty=20 years old. "No, he and Hadji think they found her parents. John Fairchild = and=20 Heather Shire, and there is a strong family resemblance." "They haven't been sighted in nearly sixteen years!" "Certain people believed the original TP went into deep hiding = or off=20 planet." Quest turned away, worriedly tugging at the tip of his beard.=20 "Something, Doctor?" "It's nothing Race," he replied, switching off the computer = screen. "If she is TP, she must be reported." "I know Race," Quest got up and stretched the aches out of = his=20 spine. "Let's not jump to conclusions from a heavily damaged = computer file=20 and a strange girl who may or may not be connected with it. If she turns = out to=20 be a Tomorrow Person, let me handle it Race." "Okay Doc. Oh, Jess wanted to know if we would be back by the = weekend.=20 One of the entrance exams has gotten her spooked ---" "We should be," Quest shrugged his shoulders, suspecting = that Race=20 wanted to know more for himself than for his daughter. That glint in his = sapphire eyes was only partially hooded by a contemplative scowl. = "I still=20 intend to leave first thing in the morning." **********************************************************************= ** While his sons busied themselves with final packing and cleanup, = under Race's=20 supervision, Doctor Quest had his hands full with the unconscious girl. = Perhaps=20 because of her serious condition or from her fragile appearance, or from = Race's=20 uncalled for suspicions, he felt doubly protective of her. Race and the = boys=20 understood, or so Quest hoped, although a little nagging filament from = the back=20 of his thoughts warned him he was becoming too parental. 'Could you be a = Tomorrow Person?' he wondered now. To the scientist, they were gentle, = fantastic=20 beings who belonged more in fairy tales, than in dry cryptozoological = journals.=20 Worse TP confirmed sightings were always guarded too jealously by too = shadowy=20 organizations. With these thoughts constantly circling, Quest dutifully = kept=20 tabs on her IV, and on her body temperature, as well as to misrelate to = her=20 scratches, bumps, bruises and twisted ankles. Toward that, he did inject = her=20 with small dosages of antibiotics, although again with reservations. About ten in the evening his patient's fever broke, and the most = recent blood=20 smears indicated that he did not poison her. Which was a mild relief. = For=20 celebration, Doctor Quest stepped outside, only to discover the camp = completely=20 broken down and the boys curled in their sleeping bags. "Hum, looks = like=20 you worked them pretty hard," he whispered to the snoring Race in = approval.=20 Emptying the coffee pot, Benton Quest paused to admire the blazing = stars. 'So=20 beautiful,' he mused over the chilling java. "One day---" An imposing pestering thought cut into his self declaration. As the = chilly=20 wind whipped about his neck, Quest began to wonder if they were going to = leave=20 tomorrow morning as he planned. Which was silly, the camp is packed, = artifacts=20 noted and stored for the trip to the University of Arizona. That left = the girl,=20 and with her, he had too many questions and suspicions. If Race was = correct, she=20 was a TP, he could not just turn her over to the authorities. She would = more=20 likely be experimented upon, instead of being returned to her parents. = Then,=20 Quest's blood began to boil as he thought about Professor Galt. They = only=20 formally met once, but Quest did cared for the dapper, overtly assured=20 parapsychiatrist. Plus, he had heard of rumors of Galt's falling out = with the=20 SIS. From Lisa Davis' file he discovered the healthy Tomorrow Person = died in a=20 matter of weeks after discovering her powers. From a massive stroke. = Galt was=20 rather proud of his device, he invented, that could to hold teleporters = in one=20 place, by overloading their brains. According to the official report = Galt's=20 machine had held the youngster in the field for a couple of minutes. It did not take a suspicious scientific genus to figure out the = possible=20 reason for the sixteen year old's sudden demise. Those were only = conjectures,=20 Quest was willing to concede. Equally, however, he was determined not = just hand=20 this girl over to them. "She'll stay with us," he shrugged, = draining=20 the cup. Then another more disturbing thought churned his bean and = Mexican chili=20 supper. The packed away ring 'sang' to him. "That's silly, Benton," he chastised himself, rubbing the = grit from=20 his eyes. "You're getting too old and tried for fantasies. In a = sudden=20 flash of vision he saw that girl, take Jonny and Hadji through the = glowing ring,=20 to someplace unthinkably distant, where the stars do not twinkle. It = left him=20 with shaking hands and quite cold. "I've got to give up the = caffeine! And=20 catch some sleep---" "We call ourselves the Tomorrow People---" the line haunted = his=20 much needed sleep. Doctor Quest found himself standing before an old = fashioned=20 museum case. After whipping off a layer of dust, he peered through the = smudged=20 glass to the human skulls beneath. His heart began to race, as he = followed the=20 pattern. "MUM!!" a young girl cried through the musty wilderness. = "DAD,=20 I need you! PLEASE!!" **********************************************************************= ** Doctor Quest jolted awake. It took several hammering heartbeats to = realize=20 that he had been asleep in his research RV. His patient fearfully mewed = in her=20 sleep. Tossing the sleeping bag aside, his bare feet slapped onto the = cold tile.=20 "Miss?" The rehydration blanket was rumbled by her thrashing, and she had = thrown her=20 left arm across her eyes. Doctor Quest's immediate concern was that IV = needle he=20 inserted in her right. "Mummy??" The scientist gently held = down that=20 arm by the wrist, so he could inspect the needle. The vein network stood on end, as her fingers tightened on his hand.=20 "Where's---?" her nostrils flared, as her respiration rate = rocketed.=20 The pan of water left on the nook beside her cot, threateningly = trembled.=20 "W-Who are you??" she stammered, as Quest calmly reached over = and=20 pushed the levitating full bin back into place. "W-Where am = I??" "I'm Doctor Benton Quest!" upon meeting her soulful eyes he = had to=20 snap his head aside. Something about her direct gaze went beyond = intelligence,=20 snapping through his exposed brain, leaving him feeling terribly striped = and=20 vulnerable. "Sss-sir---?" her British accent trembled in apprehension, = reaching=20 for his arm with her free hand. "Are you okay?" "I'm fine, Miss?" he managed to turn back, keeping his eyes = leveled=20 on the bed. She hesitated, knowing that this Doctor Benton Quest, this = non-telepathic=20 human, wanted her name. Her instinct demanded that she jaunt away no, = nude or=20 not. However, she also realized that he had somehow found and helped = her.=20 Perhaps even saved her life. "Amanda Fairchild, Doctor." He attempted a smile. "Amanda eh? Well, you are in Death Valley = national=20 park." "Is this natural park in the Sahara?" "That's national park, Amanda. And you're several thousand miles = west=20 from the Sahara. You're in California." Her young brow crinkled under puzzlement. "That's er --- in the = Western=20 hemisphere, northern continent? Or Southern?" "Your compass must be broken," Quest quipped, releasing his = hand=20 satisfied that the IV was secure. "You're on the Northern = Continent, the=20 United States, near the Pacific coast." "The Kolinar was damaged," Amanda hunkered deeper in the = blankets.=20 "The Saps tried to shoot us down---" "Kolinar?" "Er --- that's a free trader starship, sir." "Wait a minute, you're saying that a space ship brought you to=20 Earth?" astonishment colored his level voice. "Yes," she concurred, as if her arrival was as mundane as = landing=20 at LAX. "Please, pardon me, I don't mean to frighten you sir. I = just hope=20 my friends broke orbit before those Saps---" "What are Saps?" Quest demanded. It was Amanda's turn to glance timidly away, and slightly blush. = "Er,=20 human beings, who aren't empowered. My Dad started it, as a joke when he = was=20 young, but Mum really hates the term, and told me not to---" Doctor Quest had to chuckle, softly. "I see, and your mother's = right. I=20 don't like being called a ---Sap." "You --- but----" her eyes darted to the bin, pulling her = long legs=20 tightly against her, while she held the blanket tight against her = chin. "The telekinesis?" Quest timidly smiled. "Oh, I've = seen that=20 before, and believe me I don't need a shower." Amanda slightly relaxed, but kept coiled, now anxiously watched this = bearded=20 man. His aura was both warming and soothing, something that according = her=20 friends, no Sap could have. "I'm not going to hurt you," he=20 defended. "This needle hurts," she responded. "What's it = for??" "You were badly dehydrated, so I had to replace --- hey!" = He just=20 stopped her from removing the syringe. "I don't think I no longer need the electrolyte = solution." "I am a doctor!" Quest raised his voice, which he learned = was=20 useless around teenagers. A passing glance to her somber, pale face = confirmed=20 that she could be as stubborn as Jonny, if not worse. Besides she was = conscious=20 and aware and he had to win her over, before she vanished out of his = life.=20 "Let me take it out, okay?" Amanda gravely nodded. "Thank you, Doctor," as she watched = his=20 actions. "Now are my clothes about?" "You mean that burnoose and veil?" She gravely nodded. "They're awfully dirty," he immediately answered. "I = have a=20 few clothes, that maybe aren't stylish, but are more appropriate for = Southern=20 California." Diving back into the equipment locker was a temporary = relief,=20 but suddenly he became more anxious to see if their guest remained once = he=20 retrieved the old clothes. "Once you are cleaned up and dressed, = why don't=20 you join me for some breakfast?" "Thank you!" she enthused. "You're welcome Amanda," he laid the bundle at the foot of = the cot.=20 She began to reach for the jeans, then hopelessly glanced to him. = "Er=20 sir?" He lowered his eyes, picking up on her modesty. "You promise not = to=20 disappear?" Her eyes grew into innocent saucers. "He knows about the = Tomorrow=20 People!' "No sir!" "All right," Quest sighed, stepping back, clutching the = dividing=20 curtain between the sleeping niche and the rest of the RV. "I'll = just be on=20 the other side, if you need anything else Amanda." </DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9104.00F4C080-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize 4/20 revised Date: 18 Mar 2000 18:03:45 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9104.4DDBA440 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part 4/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People and = Jonny Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy write = holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no = infringement on copyright. "All right," Quest sighed, stepping back, clutching the dividing curtain = between the sleeping niche and the rest of the RV. "I'll just be on the = other side, if you need anything else Amanda." Ten minutes later, she emerged, wearing Jonny's old jeans, one of = Hadji's formal long tunics, and Jess's forgotten pair of Air Jordans. = Her gleaming hair was wet, and she smelled of like she used at least one = cake of soap. "Er sir, the hot water was simply luxurious! But what is = the water holding capacity---?" "Don't worry about it, Mandy. We can always get more water. You feel = better?" "Much thanks," then she blinked. "Doctor Quest, I frighten you, don't = I?" "Amanda," he began patly, then paused. 'Are you sensing my emotions? Or = reading my thoughts?' "Yes you do," he offered his arm to her confusion. = "I'm a father to a pair of teenaged boys." "Oh?" her voice sparkled with youthful curiosity. "And I don't think Jonny and Hadji are quite ready for you!" She had a delightful birdish giggle. ************************************************************************ Amanda Fairchild could not understand Doctor Benton Quest. She had = tasted his anxious fear, even through his rouse. He knew that she was = different from himself, but he was not only civil, he was warm and = caring. She wanted to reach out to the scientist to reaffirm on a closer = level that she would not harm him, but their trust in one another was = not defined. Besides, she had to travel onwards, to find Adam, Ami, Jade = and the other Earth Tomorrow People, not forming familiar relationships. = That would be too dangerous to him and to her. The bright morning sun caused her to squint, but the whispering breeze = was cool, easing the sting of loneliness. "Hey, Dad!!" a blond haired = adolescent raced to the steps. "Whose your new girl friend?" "Jonny, you have better manners then that!" a huge snowy haired male = scolded lumbering up behind. His handsome face was bleeding in places, = which were masked in small bits of paper. 'Perhaps those cuts show his = tribal mark or celebrate his masculinity,' Amanda theorized to herself, = but injuries to her needed to be tended to, not shown off as badges. "This is Amanda Fairchild," Quest guided her down the steps, surprised = to see that she had a dancer's grace. "Of the Tomorrow People!" Amanda warmly smiled then startled, when the scientist so openly = revealed her secret. "You mean as in John Fairchild?" Jonny leaned in, flirtatiously. Amanda recoiled a decent step, struggling to keep her potent stare = level. "He is my father---" "Cool!" Jonny hooted. "These are my sons, Amanda. Jonny Quest and Hadji Singh." "I am pleased to met you, Amanda Fairchild," Hadji formally bowed. "The honor is reciprocated, Hadji Singh," Amanda returned with a deep = bow, as Jonny chuckled. "And this is our family's friend," Quest guided her to the muscular, = injured Sap. "Race Bannon." He extended his hand, expecting to take up hers up. Tentatively, she = laid her hand on top of his palm, his non-powered aura grating against = her esper senses. He could be an enemy, she warned herself. "Please to = met you, Miss Fairchild," his demeanor was warm, but subdued, as if he = was guarding his own suspicions. "Thank you Mister Bannon," she returned, the little rivulets of blood = troubling her. "Sir, you do know you're wounded?" Both Hadji and Jonny sputtered into laughter at that. "Mandy," Jonny = explained. "Race just cut himself shaving!" "I got more skin then beard," Race pronounced. "Nothing to worry about." "Certainly, there are better methods to removing facial hair than to = scrape it off!" That brought a round of laughter. Feeling left out, Amanda tried to chuckle with them, which made her feel = more alone. "You must've just landed," Jonny slyly winked, taking her by the left = arm. "I'll explain a few things over breakfast." "We will explain a few things," Hadji elaborated, taking her by the = right. Race shook his head no, as the boys escorted their guest to the camp = stove. "Are you sure, that they are safe around her?" "I think so Race," Benton slid his hands into his trouser pockets. = "Amanda is a Tomorrow Person, but she is also a lost teenager, who needs = a friend or two." "You sound like you've already drawn up the papers to take her in, = Benton," disapproval rang in Race's voice as he herded the scientist = into the RV. "Race, she told me that she was dropped off by a space ship, which was = attacked. Now, I don't know if she can leave on her own, but Amanda = Fairchild is totally alone on this planet!" "If she didn't cook up the entire story, Doctor Quest," Race purposely = gripped the handrail on the folding steps to keep his friend from = joining his sons. "Look, the fairy tales called it glamour or charming, = but in my lingo, it's either mental and/or emotional manipulation!" "Okay, you can feel her power whenever you stare into her eyes," Benton = relented, leaning against the driver's overplush chair. "She realized = that she spooked me, apologized for it and kept her eyes from my face. = Now I know what that must mean, but there is something more about = Amanda, an innocence and a straight forward honesty. She actually = thought she was in the Sahara! In talking with her, I realized that she = is very intelligent, but her knowledge of Earth is at best secondhand!" "Amanda's still a TP," Race darkly returned, snatching up a fresh towel. = "Even if she doesn't use her powers on you to get what she wants, there = are those people who would stop at nothing to get their hands on her!" "Exactly," Quest smiled, winning this argument. "Now that I've met a = full Tomorrow Person, seen that she is almost like the rest of us, the = more determined I am. Race, I don't want anymore Lisa Davises---" The water closet's taps squealed, only producing a limp trickle. "Amanda = thought that she had run the tank out," Quest teased, as Race threw down = his towel. "If you end up adopting her, would you please explain to her that we = ration water!" ************************************************************************ Amanda believed she had mentally prepared to met any challenge her = unfamiliar birthworld might offer. For most of her young life, she = dearly listened to the old stories her extended family regaled. Later, = she spent many a pleasant hour reading and rereading the huge collection = of books brought by the exiled Tomorrow People. As a little girl, she = even pretended that she would jaunt away from the restrictive, boring = Galactic Trig, so she could return home and have real adventures. Earth = and her people to her were thrilling, and menacing faraway things. Sitting on packing crates with Jonny and Hadji over a fluffy yellow hash = they called scrambled eggs with chili peppers, while their dog Bandit = begging for bits of fried pork, was like having tea at the Food = Repository Number Five with her old friends Stephenie and Mars. "You mean that the Tomorrow People of Earth live on other planets?" = Amanda directly met Hadji's amber gaze. "In other solar systems?" His = quiet, polished manner, before such an intense psionic presence, seemed = to invite her to telepath, communicating on a more intimate level. He = was perhaps not a Tomorrow Person, yet, but Hadji could be an anchor. "Well, Andrew, Tyso and his sister Evergreen and their families live on = Cetaceous One, with some baleen friends of ours." "Wait a second, Mandy," Jonny butted in. "You're saying that whales live = on other planets too?" "Yes," Amanda sighed, not feeling so at ease with Jonny. Like with his = biological father, she had to level her gaze, or else he would wince. = The boy was more daring, wiggling around silently attempting to corner = her into a staring contest. Jonny was so open, almost without any = restraint, disquieting in a norm. His uncouth openness and honesty that = attracted her, almost as much as Hadji's empathy. "When the Tal'hara = discovered the persecution Terra's whale population, whom they = considered evolutionary brothers, they offered the whales refuge on one = of their colony worlds. Quite a few willingly migrated to Cetaceous One. = Several of the elders sing longingly of the oceans of Earth." "Wow," Jonny whispered. "Captain Havell was more right than any of us = ever thought!" "Who is this Captain?" Amanda asked, openly glanced into his glacier = blue eyes. Jonny startled, coughed and blushed. While pretending to be = chasing an itch on the back of his neck, he sneaked a smile at her. "A submarine Captain from the former Soviet Union," Hadji quietly = explained, scrutinizing Jonny's manner. "Since a pod of sperm whales = saved his ship, he's taken matters into his own hands, against the = whalers." "What kind of matters?" Amanda curiously asked. "What does he do?" "People have been hunting whales for centuries---" Jonny began softly. "So I've heard," their guest sighed. "Only we call it the Cetacean = Holocaust." "Captain Havell sinks their vessels Amanda, with all hands on board," = Jonny covered her hand with his. "That's terrible!" Amanda declared, laying aside her empty dish, then = dropping her hand to scratch the impatient Bandit behind his ears. "Even = though my people did not realize the whales were sentient until my = mother became a Tomorrow Person, intelligent beings don't go about = killing others, over diplomatic matters! No matter what the reason is, = that isn't done in the civilized universe!" "We both agree with you Amanda," Hadji clutched her shoulder, as Jonny = tightened his grip. "Yeah, who ever said the Earth was civilized?" Jonny attempted to make = light of it. "Race said it best. We do, what we do in order to survive." "That sounds rather harsh," their guest somberly concluded. 'Since when = did I become a wishing stick?' she held that thought tightly, or else = insult Hadji. 'Oh no not that!' the thought stirred up conflicting = emotions of guilt and embarrassment. 'I'm so scared I've done it = automatically! Bloody charming, now I'll never know if they really like = me! Yet their competitive gestures were oddly comforting, for the = moment. "If Earth people frighten you so much, Amanda, why did you return?" = Hadji gently asked, as well as genuinely curious. "I had to. A couple of Galactic standard days ago, I found out that one = of the most basic tenements I have been taught since being a baby was = horribly wrong. We were all lied to, on purpose." "What happened Mandy?" Jonny nudged. "We were told that the Tomorrow People appeared too early, that we were = in fact misplaced mutations among our human parents. The Galactic = Evolutionist philosophers declared, that there would be no more Tomorrow = People to break out, which after the Tal'haran transgression, was a mote = point anyway. The Galactic Federation took away Earth's provisional open = status, which would allow free passage of Tomorrow People and whales = between the worlds. Of course, a few Tomorrow People, my parents being = the leaders, disagreed with the Elder Members, and argued to return the = provisional status. Then one Tomorrow Person from Earth attempted to = jaunt to the Trig, through a closed jauntway. Mega nearly died from his = injuries. He traveled over eight hundred light years to ask for help." "And you're it?" Jonny questioned incredulously. Amanda sighed. "The Senate tightened their restrictions on us. Taking = Dad's Kolinar or even my skiff out of dry-dock was forbidden. So, = Stephenie, Mars, and I came up with this plan to secretly hire an = independent ship. Unfortunately, my friends were arrested before we got = aboard." "So you took it upon yourself, to come back?" Hadji whispered. "To find = more Tomorrow People?" "Yes," Amanda lowered her head, for that was not the entire truth. = "Look, Mega's friends could be captured, or dead. This is very = dangerous..." "Hey, you got this far!" Jonny enthused, with a half embrace, which was = too much and far for her estimation. "Once Dad knows everything, I know = he'll help you. Hadj and I will help you too!" "Even with your constant one-upmanship between you two?" Amanda shyly = coughed, removing Jonny's arm around her shoulders. "Er you noticed?" Hadji was suddenly keenly interested in the low = mountains in the distance. "Please understand, I am deeply flattered by your attentions, gentlemen = ---" She privately struggled to control her 'charming' aspect. "And get very messy," Jonny sneaked a pouty peek to his brother. = Meanwhile, Amanda had gathered Bandit into her lap, with his dog adoring = her unbiased attention. "Of course, l'tle chap, that doesn't apply to you!" "Yark!" "Traitor!" "Jonny!" Hadji hissed. "He's only teasing Bandit." "Mars and Steffy tease Sparkle all the time." "Who's?" "My best friends," Amanda wistfully sighed, tipping her gaze skywards. = "They got left behind, by accident. Sparkle is my Mum's Yorkshire = Terrier---" "Hey, since you're from out there, maybe you know something about what = Dad found," Jonny grinned. Amanda's eyes widened in alarm. "Jonny, I'm not much on Galactic = Archeology! I barely passed the required course! Now, my Dad was the = ex---..." "Oh, come on Mandy, give it a try!" Jonny brightly invited, tugging on = her arm. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9104.4DDBA440 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part 4/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People = and Jonny=20 Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy = write=20 holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television=20 are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no infringement on=20 copyright. "All right," Quest sighed, stepping back, clutching the = dividing=20 curtain between the sleeping niche and the rest of the RV. "I'll = just be on=20 the other side, if you need anything else Amanda." Ten minutes later, she emerged, wearing Jonny's old jeans, one of = Hadji's=20 formal long tunics, and Jess's forgotten pair of Air Jordans. Her = gleaming hair=20 was wet, and she smelled of like she used at least one cake of soap. = "Er=20 sir, the hot water was simply luxurious! But what is the water holding=20 capacity---?" "Don't worry about it, Mandy. We can always get more water. You = feel=20 better?" "Much thanks," then she blinked. "Doctor Quest, I = frighten=20 you, don't I?" "Amanda," he began patly, then paused. 'Are you sensing my=20 emotions? Or reading my thoughts?' "Yes you do," he offered = his arm to=20 her confusion. "I'm a father to a pair of teenaged boys." "Oh?" her voice sparkled with youthful curiosity. "And I don't think Jonny and Hadji are quite ready for = you!" She had a delightful birdish giggle. **********************************************************************= ** Amanda Fairchild could not understand Doctor Benton Quest. She had = tasted his=20 anxious fear, even through his rouse. He knew that she was different = from=20 himself, but he was not only civil, he was warm and caring. She wanted = to reach=20 out to the scientist to reaffirm on a closer level that she would not = harm him,=20 but their trust in one another was not defined. Besides, she had to = travel=20 onwards, to find Adam, Ami, Jade and the other Earth Tomorrow People, = not=20 forming familiar relationships. That would be too dangerous to him and = to=20 her. The bright morning sun caused her to squint, but the whispering = breeze was=20 cool, easing the sting of loneliness. "Hey, Dad!!" a blond = haired=20 adolescent raced to the steps. "Whose your new girl = friend?" "Jonny, you have better manners then that!" a huge snowy = haired=20 male scolded lumbering up behind. His handsome face was bleeding in = places,=20 which were masked in small bits of paper. 'Perhaps those cuts show his = tribal=20 mark or celebrate his masculinity,' Amanda theorized to herself, but = injuries to=20 her needed to be tended to, not shown off as badges. "This is Amanda Fairchild," Quest guided her down the = steps,=20 surprised to see that she had a dancer's grace. "Of the Tomorrow=20 People!" Amanda warmly smiled then startled, when the scientist so openly = revealed her=20 secret. "You mean as in John Fairchild?" Jonny leaned in,=20 flirtatiously. Amanda recoiled a decent step, struggling to keep her potent stare = level.=20 "He is my father---" "Cool!" Jonny hooted. "These are my sons, Amanda. Jonny Quest and Hadji = Singh." "I am pleased to met you, Amanda Fairchild," Hadji formally = bowed. "The honor is reciprocated, Hadji Singh," Amanda returned = with a=20 deep bow, as Jonny chuckled. "And this is our family's friend," Quest guided her to the=20 muscular, injured Sap. "Race Bannon." He extended his hand, expecting to take up hers up. Tentatively, she = laid her=20 hand on top of his palm, his non-powered aura grating against her esper = senses.=20 He could be an enemy, she warned herself. "Please to met you, Miss=20 Fairchild," his demeanor was warm, but subdued, as if he was = guarding his=20 own suspicions. "Thank you Mister Bannon," she returned, the little = rivulets of=20 blood troubling her. "Sir, you do know you're wounded?" Both Hadji and Jonny sputtered into laughter at that. = "Mandy,"=20 Jonny explained. "Race just cut himself shaving!" "I got more skin then beard," Race pronounced. = "Nothing to=20 worry about." "Certainly, there are better methods to removing facial hair = than to=20 scrape it off!" That brought a round of laughter. Feeling left out, Amanda tried to chuckle with them, which made her = feel more=20 alone. "You must've just landed," Jonny slyly winked, taking her = by the=20 left arm. "I'll explain a few things over breakfast." "We will explain a few things," Hadji elaborated, taking = her by the=20 right. Race shook his head no, as the boys escorted their guest to the camp = stove.=20 "Are you sure, that they are safe around her?" "I think so Race," Benton slid his hands into his trouser = pockets.=20 "Amanda is a Tomorrow Person, but she is also a lost teenager, who = needs a=20 friend or two." "You sound like you've already drawn up the papers to take her = in,=20 Benton," disapproval rang in Race's voice as he herded the = scientist into=20 the RV. "Race, she told me that she was dropped off by a space ship, = which was=20 attacked. Now, I don't know if she can leave on her own, but Amanda = Fairchild is=20 totally alone on this planet!" "If she didn't cook up the entire story, Doctor Quest," = Race=20 purposely gripped the handrail on the folding steps to keep his friend = from=20 joining his sons. "Look, the fairy tales called it glamour or = charming, but=20 in my lingo, it's either mental and/or emotional manipulation!" "Okay, you can feel her power whenever you stare into her = eyes,"=20 Benton relented, leaning against the driver's overplush chair. "She = realized that she spooked me, apologized for it and kept her eyes from = my face.=20 Now I know what that must mean, but there is something more about = Amanda, an=20 innocence and a straight forward honesty. She actually thought she was = in the=20 Sahara! In talking with her, I realized that she is very intelligent, = but her=20 knowledge of Earth is at best secondhand!" "Amanda's still a TP," Race darkly returned, snatching up a = fresh=20 towel. "Even if she doesn't use her powers on you to get what she = wants,=20 there are those people who would stop at nothing to get their hands on=20 her!" "Exactly," Quest smiled, winning this argument. "Now = that I've=20 met a full Tomorrow Person, seen that she is almost like the rest of us, = the=20 more determined I am. Race, I don't want anymore Lisa = Davises---" The water closet's taps squealed, only producing a limp trickle. = "Amanda=20 thought that she had run the tank out," Quest teased, as Race threw = down=20 his towel. "If you end up adopting her, would you please explain to her = that we=20 ration water!" **********************************************************************= ** Amanda believed she had mentally prepared to met any challenge her = unfamiliar=20 birthworld might offer. For most of her young life, she dearly listened = to the=20 old stories her extended family regaled. Later, she spent many a = pleasant hour=20 reading and rereading the huge collection of books brought by the exiled = Tomorrow People. As a little girl, she even pretended that she would = jaunt away=20 from the restrictive, boring Galactic Trig, so she could return home and = have=20 real adventures. Earth and her people to her were thrilling, and = menacing=20 faraway things. Sitting on packing crates with Jonny and Hadji over a fluffy yellow = hash they=20 called scrambled eggs with chili peppers, while their dog Bandit begging = for=20 bits of fried pork, was like having tea at the Food Repository Number = Five with=20 her old friends Stephenie and Mars. "You mean that the Tomorrow People of Earth live on other = planets?"=20 Amanda directly met Hadji's amber gaze. "In other solar = systems?" His=20 quiet, polished manner, before such an intense psionic presence, seemed = to=20 invite her to telepath, communicating on a more intimate level. He was = perhaps=20 not a Tomorrow Person, yet, but Hadji could be an anchor. "Well, Andrew, Tyso and his sister Evergreen and their families = live on=20 Cetaceous One, with some baleen friends of ours." "Wait a second, Mandy," Jonny butted in. "You're = saying that=20 whales live on other planets too?" "Yes," Amanda sighed, not feeling so at ease with Jonny. = Like with=20 his biological father, she had to level her gaze, or else he would = wince. The=20 boy was more daring, wiggling around silently attempting to corner her = into a=20 staring contest. Jonny was so open, almost without any restraint, = disquieting in=20 a norm. His uncouth openness and honesty that attracted her, almost as = much as=20 Hadji's empathy. "When the Tal'hara discovered the persecution = Terra's=20 whale population, whom they considered evolutionary brothers, they = offered the=20 whales refuge on one of their colony worlds. Quite a few willingly = migrated to=20 Cetaceous One. Several of the elders sing longingly of the oceans of=20 Earth." "Wow," Jonny whispered. "Captain Havell was more right = than=20 any of us ever thought!" "Who is this Captain?" Amanda asked, openly glanced into = his=20 glacier blue eyes. Jonny startled, coughed and blushed. While pretending = to be=20 chasing an itch on the back of his neck, he sneaked a smile at her. "A submarine Captain from the former Soviet Union," Hadji = quietly=20 explained, scrutinizing Jonny's manner. "Since a pod of sperm = whales saved=20 his ship, he's taken matters into his own hands, against the = whalers." "What kind of matters?" Amanda curiously asked. "What = does he=20 do?" "People have been hunting whales for centuries---" Jonny = began=20 softly. "So I've heard," their guest sighed. "Only we call it = the=20 Cetacean Holocaust." "Captain Havell sinks their vessels Amanda, with all hands on=20 board," Jonny covered her hand with his. "That's terrible!" Amanda declared, laying aside her empty = dish,=20 then dropping her hand to scratch the impatient Bandit behind his ears.=20 "Even though my people did not realize the whales were sentient = until my=20 mother became a Tomorrow Person, intelligent beings don't go about = killing=20 others, over diplomatic matters! No matter what the reason is, that = isn't done=20 in the civilized universe!" "We both agree with you Amanda," Hadji clutched her = shoulder, as=20 Jonny tightened his grip. "Yeah, who ever said the Earth was civilized?" Jonny = attempted to=20 make light of it. "Race said it best. We do, what we do in order to = survive." "That sounds rather harsh," their guest somberly concluded. = 'Since=20 when did I become a wishing stick?' she held that thought tightly, or = else=20 insult Hadji. 'Oh no not that!' the thought stirred up conflicting = emotions of=20 guilt and embarrassment. 'I'm so scared I've done it automatically! = Bloody=20 charming, now I'll never know if they really like me! Yet their = competitive=20 gestures were oddly comforting, for the moment. "If Earth people frighten you so much, Amanda, why did you = return?"=20 Hadji gently asked, as well as genuinely curious. "I had to. A couple of Galactic standard days ago, I found out = that one=20 of the most basic tenements I have been taught since being a baby was = horribly=20 wrong. We were all lied to, on purpose." "What happened Mandy?" Jonny nudged. "We were told that the Tomorrow People appeared too early, that = we were=20 in fact misplaced mutations among our human parents. The Galactic = Evolutionist=20 philosophers declared, that there would be no more Tomorrow People to = break out,=20 which after the Tal'haran transgression, was a mote point anyway. The = Galactic=20 Federation took away Earth's provisional open status, which would allow = free=20 passage of Tomorrow People and whales between the worlds. Of course, a = few=20 Tomorrow People, my parents being the leaders, disagreed with the Elder = Members,=20 and argued to return the provisional status. Then one Tomorrow Person = from Earth=20 attempted to jaunt to the Trig, through a closed jauntway. Mega nearly = died from=20 his injuries. He traveled over eight hundred light years to ask for=20 help." "And you're it?" Jonny questioned incredulously. Amanda sighed. "The Senate tightened their restrictions on us. = Taking=20 Dad's Kolinar or even my skiff out of dry-dock was forbidden. So, = Stephenie,=20 Mars, and I came up with this plan to secretly hire an independent ship. = Unfortunately, my friends were arrested before we got aboard." "So you took it upon yourself, to come back?" Hadji = whispered.=20 "To find more Tomorrow People?" "Yes," Amanda lowered her head, for that was not the entire = truth.=20 "Look, Mega's friends could be captured, or dead. This is very=20 dangerous..." "Hey, you got this far!" Jonny enthused, with a half = embrace, which=20 was too much and far for her estimation. "Once Dad knows = everything, I know=20 he'll help you. Hadj and I will help you too!" "Even with your constant one-upmanship between you two?" = Amanda=20 shyly coughed, removing Jonny's arm around her shoulders. "Er you noticed?" Hadji was suddenly keenly interested in = the low=20 mountains in the distance. "Please understand, I am deeply flattered by your attentions, = gentlemen=20 ---" She privately struggled to control her 'charming' aspect. "And get very messy," Jonny sneaked a pouty peek to his = brother.=20 Meanwhile, Amanda had gathered Bandit into her lap, with his dog adoring = her=20 unbiased attention. "Of course, l'tle chap, that doesn't apply to you!" "Yark!" "Traitor!" "Jonny!" Hadji hissed. "He's only teasing = Bandit." "Mars and Steffy tease Sparkle all the time." "Who's?" "My best friends," Amanda wistfully sighed, tipping her = gaze=20 skywards. "They got left behind, by accident. Sparkle is my Mum's = Yorkshire=20 Terrier---" "Hey, since you're from out there, maybe you know something = about what=20 Dad found," Jonny grinned. Amanda's eyes widened in alarm. "Jonny, I'm not much on Galactic = Archeology! I barely passed the required course! Now, my Dad was the=20 ex---..." "Oh, come on Mandy, give it a try!" Jonny brightly invited, = tugging=20 on her arm. </DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9104.4DDBA440-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize part 5/20 revised Date: 18 Mar 2000 18:05:53 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9104.99E854A0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part 5/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People and = Jonny Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy write = holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no = infringement on copyright. The field lab tent had been struck and stored the previous evening, = along with the rest of the equipment, except for a lone burlap bag, left = beneath the kitchen tarp. "Race and I had a devil of a time getting the = ring into this, since a certain someone refused to touch it!" "What is unknown can be very dangerous," Hadji defended. "With its = ancientness and its power---" "The real question is," Jonny began while opening the bag. With = determined tugging and pulling, he managed only to expose an arching = section. "What is it?" Amanda's jaw dropped. "Hja raft!" the rather nasty Solvian curse popped = out. "I can't believe it!!" "Huh?" Jonny blinked, as she knelt beside the hoop. With a sharp tug, = the artifact was freed from the sack, but upon inspection the burlap was = not ripped. "What are you doing??" "The infinity hoop is intact," she tensely whispered, her palms glowing = a vibrant green. "If its working, I better lock the coordinate!" She = pressed the north key marker, it blazed into red life. Energy flowed in = piercing colors, the symbols fluxed and flowed like streams of oil = pumped into still water. "If I don't, the unstable hoop could suddenly = activate on its own! Let's see --- I think I can figure out the = activation code." Jonny stared at Hadji, who was just as fascinated and awe-struck. "This = is too weird!" "Should we get Doctor Quest?" Hadji timidly asked, but he was unable to = tear himself away. The ancient song he long ignored, tugged at every = fiber of his being. Jonny managed to shake off the hypnotic noise and color pulses. = Smoothing his bangs back, he approached, wondering if their new friend = was equally entranced by the flickering light streams. Amanda's full = concentration was on that artifact, following illogical symbols, = sometimes slapping down markers, sometimes ignoring them. It looked like = a dizzying version of a child's electronic game of matching beats to = color, but this version included mathematics, floating geometric shapes = and alien rhythms, thrown at her at the speed of human thought. A = rainbow circlet bathed her, pulsed, then fell back onto the gritty = surface. Amanda dragged her hand across her sweating forehead, as she studied the = pit yawning before them. "The hoop still works, I think," she sighed, as = Jonny leaned over the obsidian tunnel. "But what is it?" he demanded. "It looks like a hole ---" "You could call it a tunnel, Jonny," Amanda explained. "My people would = call it a jauntway, connecting two points through hyperspace." As an experiment, Jonny plucked up a rock and dropped it. He felt a = strong tug on his fingers as he released the stone. He intensely = listened for several seconds. "There isn't any bottom, or sides to this thing." "Just like the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland," Hadji observed = softly. "I wonder where this 'jauntway' leads?" "Somewhere on this planet, maybe," Amanda took a nervous step back from = the edge. "Considering that this is keyed to the magnetic fields and = enviro-pathways, and those do flux and flow through time, the far = opening must have moved from the original destination. Also, these keys = indicate the jauntway could be adjusted to open anywhere you wish to = go." "You mean like on another planet?" Jonny gasped in astonishment. "Directly into its core, which wouldn't be pleasant," Amanda sternly = warned. "Doctor Quest having moved it, between that, its age, and likely = damage, I wouldn't trust this tunnel to dump the refuse into!" Hadji chuckled. Then froze. "BANDIT!!" Jonny yelled, diving to grab his = pet, who was following his nose along the inner rim. Flopping onto his = chest the warm material bit into his shirt, bruising ribs, but Jonny = grabbed his dog, just as both were pulled into the unknown depths. "JONNY!!" Hadji shouted. "I've got to get to him, before the exit coordinates shift!" Amanda = declared, diving. "Wait!" the Hindu adolescent just gripped her by the ankle, and was = yanked into the inky interior. ************************************************************************ Finding the camp stove still lit, with the dirty morning dishes = haphazardly piled in the plastic bin, didn't please the adults. "I guess = the boys wondered off," Race grumbled, scanning the surrounding pan. "Amanda or no, Jonny or Hadji know better not to leave their chores = undone," Quest fumed, switching off the propane tank. As he = straightened, he saw the burlap sack caught in a breeze, tumbling across = the empty site. "Oh, NO!" he quickly ran. Race was immediately on his heels, his eyes fixed on the artifact now = unpacked. "How did that??" "I don't know how, but the symbols are different!" Doctor Quest lightly = caressed the rim. An electric blue plume smacked his wristwatch, = scrambling his watch-scanner-compass. "OUCH! That's hot!!" Wearily Race hovered his hand over the edge. "That thing's throwing off = a lot of heat." Thudding his palm down in the dust in the center. = "Funny, this sand feels cold and damp!" "Strange," Quest snatched up a handful. "It almost feels like beach = sand. JONNY! HADJI! AMANDA! ANSWER ME!!!" A distant thumping whir answered the scientist instead. "Looks like = we're going to have company," Race sighed. "In stealth helicopters?" Quest darkly glared at the sleek, black craft. = "I don't like this at all---" ************************************************************************ Hadji vaguely felt that he was falling from a great height, like the = time he dove off of the spring board at the old Key West Compound. He = was trying to show off, just like Jonny, however he dislocated his = elbow. Hadji had no time to remember the stabbing pain, when the = freezing water smacked into him. Swallowing a briny mouthful, he slammed awake, finding himself suspended = in gloomy blue. 'I am under the ocean!!' his mind raced, as he began to = kick toward the waning sunlight. A strong current suddenly caught him, dragging him down into the = shadows. 'RIPTIDE!!' the outside thought battered into his drowning mind. 'GIVE = ME YOUR HAND HADJ!!!' Hadji vaguely felt the pressure of a hand, followed by a bone jarring = jerk on his arm. His head broke the surface, and the first lungful of = salty air caused a round of hard sputtering, coughing. "Jonny?" he = muttered hopefully. "Amanda," his rescuer smiled, as she dog paddled at his side. Bandit was = perched on her shoulder, whimpering his unhappiness. "Amanda, where is Jonny??" Hadji demanded. "Below me!!" she responded. "He saw something on the bottom, but it's = been too long!! Bandit, go to Hadji!" With a gulp, she sank. He somberly counted thirty-five seconds, his anxiousness growing with = each one, until two heads popped up. "I can't believe it!!" Amanda = scolded, upon see the narrow bladed knife clutched in Jonny's teeth. = "That you went back down for that!!" "It's a good knife, Mandy," Jonny defended, with a pirate's smirk. = "There's all sorts of junk down there!" "I wonder where we are?" Hadji tried to bob higher on the cresting wave. "I don't know but the prevailing current is freezing!" Amanda shivered. = "Yet something about this water--- this place!!" "There's a spit of land that way, about a mile off, I guess," Jonny = pointed to a grassy knoll. "Any port in the storm---" "Yes my friend," Hadji sighed, stretching his body out to begin = swimming. "Yet Amanda's right, there is something familiar about this = place." "This isn't a tropical paradise, Hadj," Jonny commented. "Amanda can you = keep up?" She lightly splashed him, as she sliced the water like a dolphin, = between the two. "The only way to keep warm is to keep moving ---" = Suddenly, she stopped in mid stroke and floated in place. "What is it Amanda?" Jonny asked, wondering why she should be grinning. "A dorsal fin!" she sounded relieved. "Listen Hadji, can you hear her = song?!" "Listening to it?" He asked incredulously. "I've been fighting not to = since hitting the water!" "What song? I don't hear anything!" "It is the Ship! Somehow she must have had control over the jauntway, = and pulled us here!" "In our minds, Jonny, the Ship sounds like baleen whales, but unlike the = whale songs, the Ship sings to pull people to her! Mother always told me = not to listen to the Ship, no matter how beautiful or how lonely she = sounds." "But that Ship is our only hope, Hadj!" "Jonny's right, all the Ship wishes is to be with fellow telepaths." "The Ship's intelligent?" his gasped at their strange new friend. "The Ship's still alive." Amanda sassed. "Mum did it!" she began to = playfully thrash her arms and legs, showering her companions. "And they = remembered their promise! Here come the dolphins to help us to the = island!!" Jonny savagely yanked her away, shoving her at Hadji. "Those aren't = dolphins! They're sharks!!" "Swim for it!!" Hadji ordered. "But---" Amanda began to protest. 'JUST DO IT!!' his telepathy stabbed her puzzled mind into action. Jonny lingered slightly behind his friends, having counted three large = tiger sharks, definitely pacing them, gliding into lazy circles about = them. 'Defiantly hungry,' he observed, as the sea grew more choppy. = Their progress was being impeded, and he was beginning to realize that = they may not make it to that sand bar. Diving below the surface, he = glanced at the bottom over a hundred feet down. The area was more than = just a junk yard. He glimpsed the tattered remains of a gigantic drift = net, with bits of bodies ensnared in its mesh, some of it dolphin. Some = of it human. An outside chill invaded with an ugly thought. 'Small = wonder there're sharks here.' A torpedo shadow fell across him in middle depth. One of the tiger = sharks had broken from his pack, swimming determinedly toward Bandit. = 'Oh no you don't!' Knife in hand, he launched himself, at the shark's = belly, intending to slash across the blood rich gill slits. His attack = just might kill the shark, but it would also drive the other two into a = blood frenzy. If they were lucky, the sharks would polish off the third = allowing them to reach land. Jonny hoped and prayed. Just as he pulled back his arm, the shark jerked its nose toward him. = Its sandpapery hide cut and scraped his left arm, while the fish's teeth = snagged on his black tee-shirt. Slowly, the hunter tumbled, pulling = Jonny deeper, snapping and twisting. Jonny tried to protect his injured = arm, avoiding being torn to pieces, as the shark violently shook him. A = deadness flashed up his arm, as his head began to buzz. The murky darkness was no longer a frightening place. Besides there were = both dolphins and people his age down there. No sharks. No problems. And = promise denied!! Life jerked into his paralyzed limbs. A bright arch = dazzled his eyes. Blood flooded his face --- and rows of triangular = teeth lining a gapping maw. The water violently churned, as course = surfaces zoomed down. He was wrenched upwards. The water became slightly = warmer as the sunlight splashed across the surface. Jonny's exhaustion = began to drag him back under. 'Hadji is he breathing?' someone worriedly asked far, far away. A sharp blow across the jaw, drew Jonny back, although only reluctantly. = "Wha?" he sputtered on the froth. "Jonny, you got rid of the sharks," Hadji's eyes proudly gleamed. Another arm slid over his back, this one belonging to a girl, with = dreamy brown orbs, who gave up the stars to return home. "Just hang on, = Jonny," she comforted. "And let us get you to shore." "Bandit?" he managed. "He's settled back on Mandy's shoulder." "Good---" Jonny was aware of the fading light and the growing cold. And of his = friends, struggling to keep themselves and him alive. The sun was = sinking below the western horizon, when their feet touched solid sand. = The final trudge up the beach to the sea grass, was even more draining = than the desperate swim in. Jonny was already asleep as his aching frame = sank into the soft warmth. Hadji and Amanda were only seconds behind = him. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9104.99E854A0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part 5/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People = and Jonny=20 Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy = write=20 holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television=20 are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no infringement on=20 copyright. The field lab tent had been struck and stored the previous evening, = along=20 with the rest of the equipment, except for a lone burlap bag, left = beneath the=20 kitchen tarp. "Race and I had a devil of a time getting the ring = into this,=20 since a certain someone refused to touch it!" "What is unknown can be very dangerous," Hadji defended. = "With=20 its ancientness and its power---" "The real question is," Jonny began while opening the bag. = With=20 determined tugging and pulling, he managed only to expose an arching = section.=20 "What is it?" Amanda's jaw dropped. "Hja raft!" the rather nasty Solvian = curse=20 popped out. "I can't believe it!!" "Huh?" Jonny blinked, as she knelt beside the hoop. With a = sharp=20 tug, the artifact was freed from the sack, but upon inspection the = burlap was=20 not ripped. "What are you doing??" "The infinity hoop is intact," she tensely whispered, her = palms=20 glowing a vibrant green. "If its working, I better lock the=20 coordinate!" She pressed the north key marker, it blazed into red = life.=20 Energy flowed in piercing colors, the symbols fluxed and flowed like = streams of=20 oil pumped into still water. "If I don't, the unstable hoop could = suddenly=20 activate on its own! Let's see --- I think I can figure out the = activation=20 code." Jonny stared at Hadji, who was just as fascinated and awe-struck. = "This=20 is too weird!" "Should we get Doctor Quest?" Hadji timidly asked, but he = was=20 unable to tear himself away. The ancient song he long ignored, tugged at = every=20 fiber of his being. Jonny managed to shake off the hypnotic noise and color pulses. = Smoothing his=20 bangs back, he approached, wondering if their new friend was equally = entranced=20 by the flickering light streams. Amanda's full concentration was on that = artifact, following illogical symbols, sometimes slapping down markers,=20 sometimes ignoring them. It looked like a dizzying version of a child's=20 electronic game of matching beats to color, but this version included=20 mathematics, floating geometric shapes and alien rhythms, thrown at her = at the=20 speed of human thought. A rainbow circlet bathed her, pulsed, then fell = back=20 onto the gritty surface. Amanda dragged her hand across her sweating forehead, as she studied = the pit=20 yawning before them. "The hoop still works, I think," she = sighed, as=20 Jonny leaned over the obsidian tunnel. "But what is it?" he demanded. "It looks like a hole=20 ---" "You could call it a tunnel, Jonny," Amanda explained. = "My=20 people would call it a jauntway, connecting two points through=20 hyperspace." As an experiment, Jonny plucked up a rock and dropped it. He felt a = strong=20 tug on his fingers as he released the stone. He intensely listened for = several=20 seconds. "There isn't any bottom, or sides to this thing." "Just like the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland," Hadji = observed=20 softly. "I wonder where this 'jauntway' leads?" "Somewhere on this planet, maybe," Amanda took a nervous = step back=20 from the edge. "Considering that this is keyed to the magnetic = fields and=20 enviro-pathways, and those do flux and flow through time, the far = opening must=20 have moved from the original destination. Also, these keys indicate the = jauntway=20 could be adjusted to open anywhere you wish to go." "You mean like on another planet?" Jonny gasped in=20 astonishment. "Directly into its core, which wouldn't be pleasant," = Amanda=20 sternly warned. "Doctor Quest having moved it, between that, its = age, and=20 likely damage, I wouldn't trust this tunnel to dump the refuse = into!" Hadji chuckled. Then froze. "BANDIT!!" Jonny yelled, diving = to grab=20 his pet, who was following his nose along the inner rim. Flopping onto = his chest=20 the warm material bit into his shirt, bruising ribs, but Jonny grabbed = his dog,=20 just as both were pulled into the unknown depths. "JONNY!!" Hadji shouted. "I've got to get to him, before the exit coordinates = shift!" Amanda=20 declared, diving. "Wait!" the Hindu adolescent just gripped her by the ankle, = and was=20 yanked into the inky interior. **********************************************************************= ** Finding the camp stove still lit, with the dirty morning dishes = haphazardly=20 piled in the plastic bin, didn't please the adults. "I guess the = boys=20 wondered off," Race grumbled, scanning the surrounding pan. "Amanda or no, Jonny or Hadji know better not to leave their = chores=20 undone," Quest fumed, switching off the propane tank. As he = straightened,=20 he saw the burlap sack caught in a breeze, tumbling across the empty = site.=20 "Oh, NO!" he quickly ran. Race was immediately on his heels, his eyes fixed on the artifact now = unpacked. "How did that??" "I don't know how, but the symbols are different!" Doctor = Quest=20 lightly caressed the rim. An electric blue plume smacked his wristwatch, = scrambling his watch-scanner-compass. "OUCH! That's hot!!" Wearily Race hovered his hand over the edge. "That thing's = throwing off=20 a lot of heat." Thudding his palm down in the dust in the center.=20 "Funny, this sand feels cold and damp!" "Strange," Quest snatched up a handful. "It almost = feels like=20 beach sand. JONNY! HADJI! AMANDA! ANSWER ME!!!" A distant thumping whir answered the scientist instead. "Looks = like=20 we're going to have company," Race sighed. "In stealth helicopters?" Quest darkly glared at the sleek, = black=20 craft. "I don't like this at all---" **********************************************************************= ** Hadji vaguely felt that he was falling from a great height, like the = time he=20 dove off of the spring board at the old Key West Compound. He was trying = to show=20 off, just like Jonny, however he dislocated his elbow. Hadji had no time = to=20 remember the stabbing pain, when the freezing water smacked into = him. Swallowing a briny mouthful, he slammed awake, finding himself = suspended in=20 gloomy blue. 'I am under the ocean!!' his mind raced, as he began to = kick toward=20 the waning sunlight. A strong current suddenly caught him, dragging him down into the = shadows. 'RIPTIDE!!' the outside thought battered into his drowning mind. = 'GIVE ME=20 YOUR HAND HADJ!!!' Hadji vaguely felt the pressure of a hand, followed by a bone jarring = jerk on=20 his arm. His head broke the surface, and the first lungful of salty air = caused a=20 round of hard sputtering, coughing. "Jonny?" he muttered=20 hopefully. "Amanda," his rescuer smiled, as she dog paddled at his = side.=20 Bandit was perched on her shoulder, whimpering his unhappiness. "Amanda, where is Jonny??" Hadji demanded. "Below me!!" she responded. "He saw something on the = bottom,=20 but it's been too long!! Bandit, go to Hadji!" With a gulp, she = sank. He somberly counted thirty-five seconds, his anxiousness growing with = each=20 one, until two heads popped up. "I can't believe it!!" Amanda = scolded,=20 upon see the narrow bladed knife clutched in Jonny's teeth. "That = you went=20 back down for that!!" "It's a good knife, Mandy," Jonny defended, with a pirate's = smirk.=20 "There's all sorts of junk down there!" "I wonder where we are?" Hadji tried to bob higher on the = cresting=20 wave. "I don't know but the prevailing current is freezing!" = Amanda=20 shivered. "Yet something about this water--- this place!!" "There's a spit of land that way, about a mile off, I = guess," Jonny=20 pointed to a grassy knoll. "Any port in the storm---" "Yes my friend," Hadji sighed, stretching his body out to = begin=20 swimming. "Yet Amanda's right, there is something familiar about = this=20 place." "This isn't a tropical paradise, Hadj," Jonny commented.=20 "Amanda can you keep up?" She lightly splashed him, as she sliced the water like a dolphin, = between the=20 two. "The only way to keep warm is to keep moving ---" = Suddenly, she=20 stopped in mid stroke and floated in place. "What is it Amanda?" Jonny asked, wondering why she should = be=20 grinning. "A dorsal fin!" she sounded relieved. "Listen Hadji, = can you=20 hear her song?!" "Listening to it?" He asked incredulously. "I've been = fighting=20 not to since hitting the water!" "What song? I don't hear anything!" "It is the Ship! Somehow she must have had control over the = jauntway,=20 and pulled us here!" "In our minds, Jonny, the Ship sounds like baleen whales, but = unlike the=20 whale songs, the Ship sings to pull people to her! Mother always told me = not to=20 listen to the Ship, no matter how beautiful or how lonely she = sounds." "But that Ship is our only hope, Hadj!" "Jonny's right, all the Ship wishes is to be with fellow=20 telepaths." "The Ship's intelligent?" his gasped at their strange new=20 friend. "The Ship's still alive." Amanda sassed. "Mum did = it!"=20 she began to playfully thrash her arms and legs, showering her = companions.=20 "And they remembered their promise! Here come the dolphins to help = us to=20 the island!!" Jonny savagely yanked her away, shoving her at Hadji. "Those = aren't=20 dolphins! They're sharks!!" "Swim for it!!" Hadji ordered. "But---" Amanda began to protest. 'JUST DO IT!!' his telepathy stabbed her puzzled mind into = action. Jonny lingered slightly behind his friends, having counted three = large tiger=20 sharks, definitely pacing them, gliding into lazy circles about them. = 'Defiantly=20 hungry,' he observed, as the sea grew more choppy. Their progress was = being=20 impeded, and he was beginning to realize that they may not make it to = that sand=20 bar. Diving below the surface, he glanced at the bottom over a hundred = feet=20 down. The area was more than just a junk yard. He glimpsed the tattered = remains=20 of a gigantic drift net, with bits of bodies ensnared in its mesh, some = of it=20 dolphin. Some of it human. An outside chill invaded with an ugly = thought. 'Small=20 wonder there're sharks here.' A torpedo shadow fell across him in middle depth. One of the tiger = sharks had=20 broken from his pack, swimming determinedly toward Bandit. 'Oh no you = don't!'=20 Knife in hand, he launched himself, at the shark's belly, intending to = slash=20 across the blood rich gill slits. His attack just might kill the shark, = but it=20 would also drive the other two into a blood frenzy. If they were lucky, = the=20 sharks would polish off the third allowing them to reach land. Jonny = hoped and=20 prayed. Just as he pulled back his arm, the shark jerked its nose toward him. = Its=20 sandpapery hide cut and scraped his left arm, while the fish's teeth = snagged on=20 his black tee-shirt. Slowly, the hunter tumbled, pulling Jonny deeper, = snapping=20 and twisting. Jonny tried to protect his injured arm, avoiding being = torn to=20 pieces, as the shark violently shook him. A deadness flashed up his arm, = as his=20 head began to buzz. The murky darkness was no longer a frightening place. Besides there = were both=20 dolphins and people his age down there. No sharks. No problems. And = promise=20 denied!! Life jerked into his paralyzed limbs. A bright arch dazzled his = eyes.=20 Blood flooded his face --- and rows of triangular teeth lining a gapping = maw.=20 The water violently churned, as course surfaces zoomed down. He was = wrenched=20 upwards. The water became slightly warmer as the sunlight splashed = across the=20 surface. Jonny's exhaustion began to drag him back under. 'Hadji is he breathing?' someone worriedly asked far, far away. A sharp blow across the jaw, drew Jonny back, although only = reluctantly.=20 "Wha?" he sputtered on the froth. "Jonny, you got rid of the sharks," Hadji's eyes proudly=20 gleamed. Another arm slid over his back, this one belonging to a girl, with = dreamy=20 brown orbs, who gave up the stars to return home. "Just hang on,=20 Jonny," she comforted. "And let us get you to shore." "Bandit?" he managed. "He's settled back on Mandy's shoulder." "Good---" Jonny was aware of the fading light and the growing cold. And of his = friends,=20 struggling to keep themselves and him alive. The sun was sinking below = the=20 western horizon, when their feet touched solid sand. The final trudge up = the=20 beach to the sea grass, was even more draining than the desperate swim = in. Jonny=20 was already asleep as his aching frame sank into the soft warmth. Hadji = and=20 Amanda were only seconds behind him.</DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9104.99E854A0-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Part 7/20 revised Date: 18 Mar 2000 18:09:52 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9105.281E4680 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part 7/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People and = Jonny Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy write = holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no = infringement on copyright. The spark of his consciousness finally eked through the thick layers of = shock, anesthesia and whatever other painkiller cocktails the doctors = cared to inject into him since surgery. The dull ache thundering through = his body from his wounded shoulder served as proof to Race Bannon, that = he had been shot, again. Okay, it had been a few years since he had been = laid up like this, but at least he lived to talk about it. That was not a comfort to the former Company man. Just like the last = time he was taken down, the circumstances were plain stupid, which made = him angry. The stealth helicopters landed, emitting a special secret = division of US marines, not MIBs as he first feared. This Captain Dalton = naturally assumed command over the camp, over Doctor Quest's protests, = to secure the 'object'. Of course that flew smack against what Bannon = and Quest wanted to do, to search for the boys. The argument grew loud = between the scientist and the military man, which Race was trying to = soothe both, in Quest's favor. Then one of Dalton's men got an itchy = trigger finger, just when matters nearly deteriorated into a brawl. Bannon protectively swung in front of Doctor Quest and took the bullet = instead. He vaguely remembered Benton's worried eyes as he caught him = and lowered him onto the ground. Dalton was shouting for medics, then = demanded that Quest be immediately arrested for interfering with his = mission! "Real smart, Bannon!!" he mentally chastised, trying to relax in spite = of the faint smack of anapestic and the linen smell of bandages. "Doctor = Quest?" he hazard, upon hearing the faint stir of cloth at the foot of = his bed. "I'm afraid Doctor Quest isn't here, Mister Bannon." It had been years = since he heard that voice, the last time shortly after Doctor Quest = formally adopted Hadji, when he emerged out of the shadowy woodwork that = also housed the Men In Black. "General Damon," Race clutched his jaw, coolly regarding the middle aged = man, who still steadfastly refused to remove his London Fog trench coat. = Upon closer inspection, he realized that Damon appeared more haggard = than he should, but Bannon did not care a fig for the man's personal or = professional problems. He was simply interested in a few answers, for = Quest and the boys. Period. "What brings you to Death Valley?" "Doctor Quest's 'discovery', Mister Bannon," Damon's red lined eyes = dulled, as his arms fell to his sides. "Look I should've been with = Dalton, in the first place. If I was, you would not have been wounded, = and this mess would have been cleared up by now." "You weren't then," Race smirked. "And you are here now. What about = Doctor Quest's 'discovery', you're so interested in?" "I'll be blunt, Bannon. That ring may be a TP object, probably a = dangerous one." "Not my problem, Damon." "Oh, it may be, Mister Bannon. My men detected heat rising from the = ring, like it had been activated, but we know that only a Tomorrow = Person can activate it. Now, could Hadji do it??" A glacier stare was Race's answer. "Your assignment is to protect those kids, Bannon," Damon voice trembled = close to a plead. "Hadji being officially a TP would bring a lot of = wolves to your door---" "That's putting it nicely, sir." Bannon bit into each word. "Look, believe it or not, I'm just as interested in Jonny's and Hadji's = welfare as you are. If Hadji somehow activated that tunnel, even by = accident and they should fall into it --- they could wind up anywhere on = the planet!! They may even be dead right now!" Race's firm jaw lightly relaxed, for those were the very same worries = Doctor Quest voiced just before the helicopters touched down. He decided = to trust Damon, particularly if what he suspected was true, even if it = may turn out to be laying blame on an innocent girl. "Look, General, = there was this girl---" "A girl?!" Damon seized that bit of information like a starving man = would seize a sandwich. "Amanda Fairchild," Race confirmed, suddenly interested as to why Damon = would be this excited over a Tomorrow Person. No doubt a confirmed one = would give him kudos and perks galore, but somehow the general was too = desperate. "Did she just appear?" Damon gasped. "According to Jonny, just like the ghost of death," Bannon teased. = "Right in front of the RV." "This is not a joking matter, Bannon!!" Damon broke. "Look, I need a = full report on this Amanda Fairchild, ASAP!! You can give it to me on = the flight over." "Wait a minute, sir," Bannon interrupted. "I don't work for---" "I need you," Damon darkly seethed. "For the sake of all of those kids, = you do now!!" *********************************************************************** Doctor Quest shoved her into a petroleum powered vehicle he called a = jeep, activated the engine by tearing into its electrical system, then = pairing a couple of wires, which sharply sparkled. He ignored the = problem, depressing the right floor petal, causing the engine to revive. = The spewing partially burned hydrocarbons caused her to choke and = sneeze. "There must be alternatives to---" Amanda sputtered. "I'd love to discuss improving automotive mechanics, later, Amanda!" = Quest barked, over the building noise. She was aware of the mechanical = roar, and the skittering of pebbles under the squealing tires. Looking = through a mirror, Quest could see the steadily expanding horror. "I hope = we can outrun that!!" "Its rate of expansion is slowing---" Amanda was suddenly jolted as she = directly watched, and rudely slammed into her seat. "Put on you seat belt!" the scientist ordered, laying on speed, grabbing = a control stick between him and her. The jeep jumped, unseen gears = ground, as the vehicle raced into the approaching sunrise. Bracing herself tightly on the lumpy seat, Amanda observed him, staring, = stomping and moving that stick around, while muttering about the damned = transmission, and wiggle into a safety harness. Slowly, as she figured = out the safety harness, and slid it over her shoulder and across her = lap, Amanda came to realize that Doctor Quest was an amazing scientist, = but driving these primitive belching vehicles was not his forte. He simply lacked her father's nearly magical touch with mechanical = objects. Dad would often take out his antique Bentley, and lovingly told = her about each shinny piece, and how it all worked. Of course, Amanda = was more interested in the family's skiff, but she learned a lot from = the antique motor-car. She also perceived that Quest was also = frightened, blinding driving to escape, and still scared of her. Amanda = hunkered down, and privately stewed. After an hour of directionless running, and equally boring observation, = the jeep began to heave and sputter. "It's dying," Amanda pointed out, = quietly. "Nonsense," Quest defended, yanking and stomping. "We're nearly out of = gas, that's all!" "Then it's normal, sir, for it to shed its pieces?" "NO!" he shouted, no longer finding Amanda's otherworldliness 'cute'. He = managed an apologetic glance, just as the engine chugged twice, then = stumbled and become still, the radiator hissing. Fuming to himself, he = swung out of the vehicle, grabbing his jacket to cover his hands, then = popped the forward cover. As he was encased in escaping steam, Doctor = Quest said, "Now it's dead!" Slamming down the cover, he stared at the = horizon. Amanda lifted the bonnet, or that's what her father would call the part, = and peered through the steam. Alarmingly, this jeep's engine was more or = less a grimy copy of his Bentley. "Mandy, be careful," Quest hopelessly = sighed, not wanting to dampen the child's curiosity. "The pistons are seized up," she diagnosed. "I'm afraid the transmission = gears are shot, and the radiator has at least one hole---" "Do you know the number for the intergalactic auto club?" Quest lightly = teased. Amanda puzzled a moment, then hopelessly gazed back into the oily jumble = that used to be a six cylinder engine. "Given time and the proper = supplies, I think I can fix this." Quest threw her an astonished glare. "You didn't know what a jeep was, = and now you can repair it??" "This vehicle is remarkably similar to my father's Bentley," Amanda = meekly smiled, retracting her mental touch from the red hot engine = block. "If anything, its more primitive---" "Bentleys are the caviar of the automotive world, but how? Never mind, = Mandy," he shook his head no. "Right now, we've got bigger problems." Bandit hopped out of the back seat, and sleepily yawned. Then sniffed = around for his bowl. "Food, water and shelter are our primary concerns, = Amanda. Also I rank explanations fairly high among them." "Yes, sir," she anxiously bit into her lip. "I guess I should tell you = why I ran away from the Galactic Trig." "That would be good, but I want to know just what happened to Jonny and = Hadji, first." ************************************************************************ It took longer for General Damon to pull the proper strings to release = Roger Bannon from the Death Valley Community Hospital, than either man = cared for. For the most part, Damon was hooked to his cellular = telephone, ducking around corners and into offices for privacy. Race = managed to 'overhear' a snatch of a particularly heated exchange, and = that dealt with a divorce lawyer. After he flipped the phone shut, = Damon's glare to the Bannon was absolutely venomous, yet he did not give = the slightest hint nor did Race wanted to hear it. Yet an approaching = demise to Damon's marriage did partially explain the man's rumbled = demeanor, demolishing his usual professional dispatch and cool. "There = is something more," Race could not help but think as the two jogged = across the tarmac to the waiting 'copter. The men were shadowed by two = others, in dark suits, one was trying to balance an oversized sketch = pad, against the blades' downdraft. "You know you can do that on computers these days," Bannon dug. "Sir." "I know," Damon rolled his eyes. "But Johnson is the best at what he = does, but he can't use a computer. What I want you to do is to describe = Amanda as clearly as you can, as well as hold her image in your = thoughts." "But---" feeling the hair on the back of his stiff neck bristle, Bannon = turned to size up the quiet Johnson. The lanky young man was fairly = nondescript, except his arms and legs appeared too long and too pale for = his Sears black business suit. Beneath the tidy short black hair, his = owlish face was pale, with a smattering of teenage pimples that were = only now clearing away. It was Johnson's glinting eyes that gave it away = to Bannon, for they were a brilliant gold, flecked with emerald. They = used to call them improved, another 'joke' that turned out to be all too = real. The Telepaths were directly connected to the MIB, a few whispered = that they were specially bred during the cold war. "Johnson's second generation," Damon's open smile chilled him. "Come on = Elliott, lets get this egg beater in the air!!" ************************************************************************ "When Professor Galt stepped up to me, I felt so polluted by his = presence, I got angry," Amanda explained as they trudged together. "He has the same effect, on a lot of people," Quest clutched his sore = jaw hard. According to the lost Tomorrow Person, his find might have = directly lead to the legendary Ship, of which he had only scattered = hints of its existence. Jonny had shown her, but Amanda took it upon = herself to switch it on, with the intention of shutting down the hoop = safely. When Bandit got a little too close, the boy over reacted and = fell into it. Naturally Amanda and Hadji followed him through the rabbit = hole. There were sharks and a hard swim into safety, but really all that = was an adventurous lark for his teenagers. He would have found her = report pleasant, even funny, if the Ship had not been stolen away and a = trap laid for anyone reaching the island. "The professor had the = pretense to tell me that if I was good, I would be reunited with my = precious Ship! Doctor Quest, I jaunted away, in the vain hope of finding = help---" "It's okay, Amanda," he gripped her bony shoulder. "At least we know = where they are --- or were. If that ring had not ruptured the tunnel." "Sir," her brown eyes shimmered in tears. "I'm responsible for that as = well. The hoop was already hopelessly damaged and out of balance. I = didn't want anybody else to --- activate it and likely get killed..." "So you took it upon yourself to self destruct it," Quest measured his = words and feelings, rubbing the blossoming headache with his fingertips. = "Amanda, Amanda ---" Not only had he lost one of the greatest finds of = his life, but he also lost the only direct chance of rescuing Jonny and = Hadji. Amanda twitched like an attentive rabbit, then lowered her eyes, for she = had reached the same conclusions. "You're upset---" "I am, Amanda," Quest gave her a half hug. "But I am beginning to = understand why you did it. Now tell me why did you runaway from home?" "I ran away to home," Amanda firmly corrected. "My parents are from = Earth. I was born here. Mega, a Tomorrow Person from Earth, nearly died, = in an attempt to get for his people." She slowly shook her head, it was = true, but only partially so. Her parents would never settle for half = truths, nor would him. "Doctor Quest, even though I lived on the Trig = for most of my life, I never considered it home. The Galactic Trig has = its wonders and delights, but it isn't like the Earth---" She slowed and = lightly gasped, as a girlish grin spread. "What is it Amanda?" Doctor Quest squinted against the sun, having to = place his palm between it and his eyes. There was something, for the sun = seemed to be bubbling, releasing playful orbs and arches across its = burning halo. An illusion? Solar flares? Then to his astonishment, he = recognized them. "They're ALIVE! And They're coming back!' she nearly giggled. "The = Starseer is coming for us, Doctor Quest!!" "Are they willing to help?" he swallowed nervously. "Yes, for the Starseer brought me to Earth!'' Like a joyful fawn, Amanda = shot off through the dry grass, waving her arms and yelling, Alice, = ALICE!!! Benton's heart skipped a beat, before he chased after the star girl, = musing on how small the universe could be. Alice Starseer was also his = family's friend. He was too caught with the dancing orbs, to notice the = faint whir of a highly efficient and silent hydrogen fusion engine. = There had only been one such ground vehicle built from beyond top secret = designs and supplies. On its first field trial, the shimmering bullet = shaped thing served far more exemplary than its designer and engineer = imagined. A lifting portal broke the seamless, and windowless side, as = it softly whirled onto its cushion of air. A black uniformed man swung = out, clutching a modern, but mundane high powered rife. He did not = bother to remove his eye concealing sunglasses, as he scooped out the = two humans running toward the bogies. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9105.281E4680 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part 7/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People = and Jonny=20 Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy = write=20 holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television=20 are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no infringement on=20 copyright. The spark of his consciousness finally eked through the thick layers = of=20 shock, anesthesia and whatever other painkiller cocktails the doctors = cared to=20 inject into him since surgery. The dull ache thundering through his body = from=20 his wounded shoulder served as proof to Race Bannon, that he had been = shot,=20 again. Okay, it had been a few years since he had been laid up like = this, but at=20 least he lived to talk about it. That was not a comfort to the former Company man. Just like the last = time he=20 was taken down, the circumstances were plain stupid, which made him = angry. The=20 stealth helicopters landed, emitting a special secret division of US = marines,=20 not MIBs as he first feared. This Captain Dalton naturally assumed = command over=20 the camp, over Doctor Quest's protests, to secure the 'object'. Of = course that=20 flew smack against what Bannon and Quest wanted to do, to search for the = boys.=20 The argument grew loud between the scientist and the military man, which = Race=20 was trying to soothe both, in Quest's favor. Then one of Dalton's men = got an=20 itchy trigger finger, just when matters nearly deteriorated into a = brawl. Bannon protectively swung in front of Doctor Quest and took the = bullet=20 instead. He vaguely remembered Benton's worried eyes as he caught him = and=20 lowered him onto the ground. Dalton was shouting for medics, then = demanded that=20 Quest be immediately arrested for interfering with his mission! "Real smart, Bannon!!" he mentally chastised, trying to = relax in=20 spite of the faint smack of anapestic and the linen smell of bandages.=20 "Doctor Quest?" he hazard, upon hearing the faint stir of = cloth at the=20 foot of his bed. "I'm afraid Doctor Quest isn't here, Mister Bannon." It had = been=20 years since he heard that voice, the last time shortly after Doctor = Quest=20 formally adopted Hadji, when he emerged out of the shadowy woodwork that = also=20 housed the Men In Black. "General Damon," Race clutched his jaw, coolly regarding = the middle=20 aged man, who still steadfastly refused to remove his London Fog trench = coat.=20 Upon closer inspection, he realized that Damon appeared more haggard = than he=20 should, but Bannon did not care a fig for the man's personal or = professional=20 problems. He was simply interested in a few answers, for Quest and the = boys.=20 Period. "What brings you to Death Valley?" "Doctor Quest's 'discovery', Mister Bannon," Damon's red = lined eyes=20 dulled, as his arms fell to his sides. "Look I should've been with = Dalton,=20 in the first place. If I was, you would not have been wounded, and this = mess=20 would have been cleared up by now." "You weren't then," Race smirked. "And you are here = now. What=20 about Doctor Quest's 'discovery', you're so interested in?" "I'll be blunt, Bannon. That ring may be a TP object, probably a = dangerous one." "Not my problem, Damon." "Oh, it may be, Mister Bannon. My men detected heat rising from = the=20 ring, like it had been activated, but we know that only a Tomorrow = Person can=20 activate it. Now, could Hadji do it??" A glacier stare was Race's answer. "Your assignment is to protect those kids, Bannon," Damon = voice=20 trembled close to a plead. "Hadji being officially a TP would bring = a lot=20 of wolves to your door---" "That's putting it nicely, sir." Bannon bit into each = word. "Look, believe it or not, I'm just as interested in Jonny's and = Hadji's=20 welfare as you are. If Hadji somehow activated that tunnel, even by = accident and=20 they should fall into it --- they could wind up anywhere on the planet!! = They=20 may even be dead right now!" Race's firm jaw lightly relaxed, for those were the very same worries = Doctor=20 Quest voiced just before the helicopters touched down. He decided to = trust=20 Damon, particularly if what he suspected was true, even if it may turn = out to be=20 laying blame on an innocent girl. "Look, General, there was this=20 girl---" "A girl?!" Damon seized that bit of information like a = starving man=20 would seize a sandwich. "Amanda Fairchild," Race confirmed, suddenly interested as = to why=20 Damon would be this excited over a Tomorrow Person. No doubt a confirmed = one=20 would give him kudos and perks galore, but somehow the general was too=20 desperate. "Did she just appear?" Damon gasped. "According to Jonny, just like the ghost of death," Bannon = teased.=20 "Right in front of the RV." "This is not a joking matter, Bannon!!" Damon broke. = "Look, I=20 need a full report on this Amanda Fairchild, ASAP!! You can give it to = me on the=20 flight over." "Wait a minute, sir," Bannon interrupted. "I don't = work=20 for---" "I need you," Damon darkly seethed. "For the sake of = all of=20 those kids, you do now!!" **********************************************************************= * Doctor Quest shoved her into a petroleum powered vehicle he called a = jeep,=20 activated the engine by tearing into its electrical system, then pairing = a=20 couple of wires, which sharply sparkled. He ignored the problem, = depressing the=20 right floor petal, causing the engine to revive. The spewing partially = burned=20 hydrocarbons caused her to choke and sneeze. "There must be = alternatives=20 to---" Amanda sputtered. "I'd love to discuss improving automotive mechanics, later,=20 Amanda!" Quest barked, over the building noise. She was aware of = the=20 mechanical roar, and the skittering of pebbles under the squealing = tires.=20 Looking through a mirror, Quest could see the steadily expanding horror. = "I=20 hope we can outrun that!!" "Its rate of expansion is slowing---" Amanda was suddenly = jolted as=20 she directly watched, and rudely slammed into her seat. "Put on you seat belt!" the scientist ordered, laying on = speed,=20 grabbing a control stick between him and her. The jeep jumped, unseen = gears=20 ground, as the vehicle raced into the approaching sunrise. Bracing herself tightly on the lumpy seat, Amanda observed him, = staring,=20 stomping and moving that stick around, while muttering about the damned=20 transmission, and wiggle into a safety harness. Slowly, as she figured = out the=20 safety harness, and slid it over her shoulder and across her lap, Amanda = came to=20 realize that Doctor Quest was an amazing scientist, but driving these = primitive=20 belching vehicles was not his forte. He simply lacked her father's nearly magical touch with mechanical = objects.=20 Dad would often take out his antique Bentley, and lovingly told her = about each=20 shinny piece, and how it all worked. Of course, Amanda was more = interested in=20 the family's skiff, but she learned a lot from the antique motor-car. = She also=20 perceived that Quest was also frightened, blinding driving to escape, = and still=20 scared of her. Amanda hunkered down, and privately stewed. After an hour of directionless running, and equally boring = observation, the=20 jeep began to heave and sputter. "It's dying," Amanda pointed = out,=20 quietly. "Nonsense," Quest defended, yanking and stomping. = "We're=20 nearly out of gas, that's all!" "Then it's normal, sir, for it to shed its pieces?" "NO!" he shouted, no longer finding Amanda's = otherworldliness=20 'cute'. He managed an apologetic glance, just as the engine chugged = twice, then=20 stumbled and become still, the radiator hissing. Fuming to himself, he = swung out=20 of the vehicle, grabbing his jacket to cover his hands, then popped the = forward=20 cover. As he was encased in escaping steam, Doctor Quest said, "Now = it's=20 dead!" Slamming down the cover, he stared at the horizon. Amanda lifted the bonnet, or that's what her father would call the = part, and=20 peered through the steam. Alarmingly, this jeep's engine was more or = less a=20 grimy copy of his Bentley. "Mandy, be careful," Quest = hopelessly=20 sighed, not wanting to dampen the child's curiosity. "The pistons are seized up," she diagnosed. "I'm = afraid the=20 transmission gears are shot, and the radiator has at least one = hole---" "Do you know the number for the intergalactic auto club?" = Quest=20 lightly teased. Amanda puzzled a moment, then hopelessly gazed back into the oily = jumble that=20 used to be a six cylinder engine. "Given time and the proper = supplies, I=20 think I can fix this." Quest threw her an astonished glare. "You didn't know what a = jeep was,=20 and now you can repair it??" "This vehicle is remarkably similar to my father's = Bentley," Amanda=20 meekly smiled, retracting her mental touch from the red hot engine = block.=20 "If anything, its more primitive---" "Bentleys are the caviar of the automotive world, but how? Never = mind,=20 Mandy," he shook his head no. "Right now, we've got bigger=20 problems." Bandit hopped out of the back seat, and sleepily yawned. Then sniffed = around=20 for his bowl. "Food, water and shelter are our primary concerns, = Amanda.=20 Also I rank explanations fairly high among them." "Yes, sir," she anxiously bit into her lip. "I guess I = should=20 tell you why I ran away from the Galactic Trig." "That would be good, but I want to know just what happened to = Jonny and=20 Hadji, first." **********************************************************************= ** It took longer for General Damon to pull the proper strings to = release Roger=20 Bannon from the Death Valley Community Hospital, than either man cared = for. For=20 the most part, Damon was hooked to his cellular telephone, ducking = around=20 corners and into offices for privacy. Race managed to 'overhear' a = snatch of a=20 particularly heated exchange, and that dealt with a divorce lawyer. = After he=20 flipped the phone shut, Damon's glare to the Bannon was absolutely = venomous, yet=20 he did not give the slightest hint nor did Race wanted to hear it. Yet = an=20 approaching demise to Damon's marriage did partially explain the man's = rumbled=20 demeanor, demolishing his usual professional dispatch and cool. = "There is=20 something more," Race could not help but think as the two jogged = across the=20 tarmac to the waiting 'copter. The men were shadowed by two others, in = dark=20 suits, one was trying to balance an oversized sketch pad, against the = blades'=20 downdraft. "You know you can do that on computers these days," Bannon = dug.=20 "Sir." "I know," Damon rolled his eyes. "But Johnson is the = best at=20 what he does, but he can't use a computer. What I want you to do is to = describe=20 Amanda as clearly as you can, as well as hold her image in your=20 thoughts." "But---" feeling the hair on the back of his stiff neck = bristle,=20 Bannon turned to size up the quiet Johnson. The lanky young man was = fairly=20 nondescript, except his arms and legs appeared too long and too pale for = his=20 Sears black business suit. Beneath the tidy short black hair, his owlish = face=20 was pale, with a smattering of teenage pimples that were only now = clearing away.=20 It was Johnson's glinting eyes that gave it away to Bannon, for they = were a=20 brilliant gold, flecked with emerald. They used to call them improved, = another=20 'joke' that turned out to be all too real. The Telepaths were directly = connected=20 to the MIB, a few whispered that they were specially bred during the = cold=20 war. "Johnson's second generation," Damon's open smile chilled = him.=20 "Come on Elliott, lets get this egg beater in the air!!" **********************************************************************= ** "When Professor Galt stepped up to me, I felt so polluted by his = presence, I got angry," Amanda explained as they trudged = together. "He has the same effect, on a lot of people," Quest = clutched his=20 sore jaw hard. According to the lost Tomorrow Person, his find might = have=20 directly lead to the legendary Ship, of which he had only scattered = hints of its=20 existence. Jonny had shown her, but Amanda took it upon herself to = switch it on,=20 with the intention of shutting down the hoop safely. When Bandit got a = little=20 too close, the boy over reacted and fell into it. Naturally Amanda and = Hadji=20 followed him through the rabbit hole. There were sharks and a hard swim = into=20 safety, but really all that was an adventurous lark for his teenagers. = He would=20 have found her report pleasant, even funny, if the Ship had not been = stolen away=20 and a trap laid for anyone reaching the island. "The professor had = the=20 pretense to tell me that if I was good, I would be reunited with my = precious=20 Ship! Doctor Quest, I jaunted away, in the vain hope of finding=20 help---" "It's okay, Amanda," he gripped her bony shoulder. "At = least=20 we know where they are --- or were. If that ring had not ruptured the=20 tunnel." "Sir," her brown eyes shimmered in tears. "I'm = responsible for=20 that as well. The hoop was already hopelessly damaged and out of = balance. I=20 didn't want anybody else to --- activate it and likely get = killed..." "So you took it upon yourself to self destruct it," Quest = measured=20 his words and feelings, rubbing the blossoming headache with his = fingertips.=20 "Amanda, Amanda ---" Not only had he lost one of the greatest = finds of=20 his life, but he also lost the only direct chance of rescuing Jonny and=20 Hadji. Amanda twitched like an attentive rabbit, then lowered her eyes, for = she had=20 reached the same conclusions. "You're upset---" "I am, Amanda," Quest gave her a half hug. "But I am = beginning=20 to understand why you did it. Now tell me why did you runaway from=20 home?" "I ran away to home," Amanda firmly corrected. "My = parents are=20 from Earth. I was born here. Mega, a Tomorrow Person from Earth, nearly = died, in=20 an attempt to get for his people." She slowly shook her head, it = was true,=20 but only partially so. Her parents would never settle for half truths, = nor would=20 him. "Doctor Quest, even though I lived on the Trig for most of my = life, I=20 never considered it home. The Galactic Trig has its wonders and = delights, but it=20 isn't like the Earth---" She slowed and lightly gasped, as a = girlish grin=20 spread. "What is it Amanda?" Doctor Quest squinted against the sun, = having=20 to place his palm between it and his eyes. There was something, for the = sun=20 seemed to be bubbling, releasing playful orbs and arches across its = burning=20 halo. An illusion? Solar flares? Then to his astonishment, he recognized = them. "They're ALIVE! And They're coming back!' she nearly giggled. = "The=20 Starseer is coming for us, Doctor Quest!!" "Are they willing to help?" he swallowed nervously. "Yes, for the Starseer brought me to Earth!'' Like a joyful = fawn, Amanda=20 shot off through the dry grass, waving her arms and yelling, Alice, = ALICE!!! Benton's heart skipped a beat, before he chased after the star girl, = musing=20 on how small the universe could be. Alice Starseer was also his family's = friend.=20 He was too caught with the dancing orbs, to notice the faint whir of a = highly=20 efficient and silent hydrogen fusion engine. There had only been one = such ground=20 vehicle built from beyond top secret designs and supplies. On its first = field=20 trial, the shimmering bullet shaped thing served far more exemplary than = its=20 designer and engineer imagined. A lifting portal broke the seamless, and = windowless side, as it softly whirled onto its cushion of air. A black = uniformed=20 man swung out, clutching a modern, but mundane high powered rife. He did = not=20 bother to remove his eye concealing sunglasses, as he scooped out the = two humans=20 running toward the bogies. </DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9105.281E4680-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Part 8/20 revised Date: 18 Mar 2000 18:13:03 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9105.9A1E3C40 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part 8/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People and = Jonny Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy write = holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no = infringement on copyright. "What in the hell happened??" General Damon gasped, as their helicopter = topped the final hill. "It looks like a powerful bomb took out the camp!" Race raised his = voice, his eyes following the concentric circle ridges, before they = faded three hundred yards into the desert. Another five hundred yards = from the last ring, stood a small collection of tents, with isolation = suited men milling about them. "It appears that this is a level three isolation area, General Damon," = Elliott reported in his dull monotone. "Then land us as close to the new camp as possible, Elliott," Damon = barked. "Johnson, is that sketch done??" "Yes sir," he had a soft whinny voice. "Just doing the final touches = now. Mister Bannon, you are a very hard person to read." "Thank you," Race couldn't preen, for he was too worried about Doctor = Quest. If his scientist friend was down there when the bomb went off... Suddenly, he realized, it might not have been a bomb. The camp under strict isolation caused more picky troubles for the = arriving men. They had to land another five hundred yards from the = current outpost, then clamor into the stifling yellow contamination = suits, seal them, then lumber across the uneven desert floor. "The men = are still running radiation counts," General Damon tried to sound = encouraging. "These are simply precautionary measures." "I'm more interested in Doctor Quest, General," Bannon felt a timid tap = through the plastic. "Sir, is this young Miss Fairchild?" Johnson = timidly brandished his pad. Race just took a cursory glance, and was about to say yes to be rid of = the fellow, when he gasped, and took the pad from his grasp. "Hey!" the telepathic artist yelped in surprised protest. The 'sketch' of Amanda as perfect as a digital black and white = photograph of the girl, including that touch of nameless creepiness = about her wide, piercing eyes. "That's her!" Race pronounced, handing = Damon the book, who simply hissed. "I want this on the uplink = immediately Johnson!" "Yes sir! I hope I captured her well, sirs. She's got the Shire blood = and that's hard to capture with---" "Johnson," Damon grumbled impatiently. "The uplink, now!" "Yes sir!" he tottled back to his equally mysterious companion who = cradled the lap top computer like his own infant son. "Amanda Fairchild isn't just any Tomorrow Person, Benton," the General = explained, shuttling the agent toward the encampment. "She's the = daughter of John and Heather Fairchild!" "Am I supposed to be impressed, sir?" "Mister Bannon, John Fairchild was the very first Tomorrow Person we = know of to have survived the breaking out process! He assumed leadership = of the first wave of Tomorrow People when he was sixteen, financing his = emerging people out of his own pocket, with his own inventions!" "So?" "The long and short of it, John Fairchild invented the process to mass = produce the silicon chips, which are now in every calculator and PC on = this planet. He also holds patents for micromanaging molecules --- = things people back in the seventies thought were useless, that we are = only discovering valuable uses for! The man's a scientific genius to = rival your Doctor Quest, or would have been, if somehow he could have = stayed on this planet. Hard to tell what John's come up with since his = immigration --- for them!" "Now you're starting sound like the General Damon I know," Race = commented. "The loss of the Tomorrow People is incalculable to this world, Mister = Bannon," Damon pressed on. "I'm only beginning to understand just by how = much. Amanda's mother --- Heather Shire, was the last of an ancient = family, who guarded the secrets of the world, which we are starting to = stumble into, like that infinity hoop Quest dug up. A Shire would have = stopped him somehow and hid the device where no one could find it!" "Sounds rather hawkish of them." Race raised his sweeping eyebrows in = disbelief. "Race, this is never to be repeated. Most of our knowledge of the = Tomorrow People is indirect, for most of the paper trail lead to the = Shires. job of keeping the family clean, back in the early eighties, and = then dead ends. We do have proof that John Fairchild married Heather = Shire, and they had a daughter. Apparently, six months after Amanda's = birth, the Tomorrow People deliberately destroyed a decades long = American experiment and fled." "Oh, what were *we* doing?" Damon's jaw firmed, as he flirtively glanced away. "Eugenics, Bannon. = Let's say we got more than just TPs out of the program. Remember, you = didn't hear me vent my spleen, Mister Bannon." "Yes sir," he grimly smiled, at a striding fellow in a yellow isolation = suit. From this distance, he looked like Doctor Quest. "You've taken a = lot off of my mind in regards to Amanda Fairchild." 'Now I've gotta = convince the good Doctor Quest that she's simply too dangerous to have = around. Particularly around Hadji.' Meeting the soulful eyes of the = bearded scientist Bannon felt as if he was suddenly stabbed. He was not Quest. "General Damon," he signaled. "You wanted to see these upon landing. = Here are the primary radiation reports from the leading edge to the core = event." Damon scanned the hand written figures, as the breeze rifled the yellow = sheets. "From background normal to mildly hot at the center. We better = keep these bunny suits on gentlemen." "Where's Doctor Quest?" Race peered into the fellow's Spanish features. "Sir, no one has seen Doctor Quest since last night. He might have been = one of the causalities like Captain Dalton." "What happened to Dalton??" Damon pressured. "Er---the energy field cut him in half, sir," the scientist's eyes = darted nervously. "We found what was left of his skeleton between areas = two and three. If anyone was caught in areas one or two there --- aren't = even any remains. Dust to dust---" he slowly shook his head no. "Look, Doctor Santosa, I want to see that causality list, yesterday!" "Si --er yes General!" he blanched then trotted into the nearest tent. = Through the flap he disappeared through, a smaller gentleman strode out. = From his pace and confidence, Race automatically recognized him as a = military man. Damon grabbed the clipboard from under his arm even before = he stopped. "Thank you, lieutenant," he nodded without looking up from the sheets. Upon closer inspection of the nondescript lumps and folds of the clumsy = suit, Race suddenly realized that the man was actually a female. Peering = through the steamed up face plate, he startled. Judging from her dusky = features, full lips and exotic eyes, a rather attractive one, if she was = not so confined. "Race Bannon, this is Lieutenant Kwaii," Damon rotated = his hand in introduction, continuing his reading. She nodded, "Mister Bannon." "Lieutenant Kwaii," Race stuck to the formalities of the moment. "What = about---?" "Why is there a question mark by Doctor Quest's name?" Damon suddenly = interrupted. "And who is this girl intruder?" "This morning, at O-two-hundred, at the height of the 'event' rumor has = it that Doctor Quest was sighted stealing one of our jeeps, General," = Kwaii answered smoothly. "He was reported in the presence of a young or = teenaged girl. Her height was approximated at five ten, weight maybe = hundred fifteen." "Did she look like the TP?" "I was studying the file, as you arrived, General Damon," Kwaii = confirmed. "I did not witness Doctor Quest's escape or see the girl, but = I believe she matches the descriptions." "Find me the witnesses and make certain. Then I want search teams put = out into the desert, for a widespread but thorough search." "Yes General," with a smart salute she turned on her bulky boot heel and = strode back to her milling command.=20 "I hope they're still out there," Damon impatiently tapped his palm with = the clipboard. "They should be, unless Amanda teleported herself and = Doctor Quest someplace else, and if that's true--- Tell me Mister = Bannon, what was their relationship like?" "Relationship??" Race blinked. "They like each other --- I guess. Doctor = Quest seemed interested in her, but being a paraphenomenolist, he'd be = interested in any Tomorrow People he'd come across. Of course the boys = ---" Race shook his head no. "How old are Jonny and Hadji these days?" Damon asked in an almost = conversational tone. "Jonny's fourteen and counting the days until he can get a learner's = permit. Hadji's sixteen, and acting between ten and sixty." "Megabyte's fifteen. Right in the middle of the impossible years!" "Megabyte?" Race nudged. "He's really into computers these days?" "And hates his given name, Marmaduke more each day," Damon heavily = groaned from his heart. "We got kind of close for awhile after he --- = but my job kept getting in the way. I take it Jonny and Hadji really = liked her." "To put it mildly. I never saw those two try so hard to impress a girl = before," Race chuckled. "Oh, if my daughter Jess saw those two flirt, = first she'd laugh then get very suspicious." Which was how he felt from = the moment he saw her huddled in the back of the clothes closet. "Just = how dangerous can Amanda be?" "I honestly don't know, not until I can talk to her," was a very strange = answer from the General. "She could be charming the boys and not even = realize that she's doing it. She could also be charming Doctor Quest..." "I brought that up, but he didn't believe me." "Most victims of empathic charming deny its effect, but I've seen it = used and abused. Come on Bannon, I want to check out the event core." ************************************************************************ The trek across the scorched desert floor was short, but hot. Area = three, where the broken slabs were faint, there were still bits of = wilted grass and scrub still standing. At the boarder between area two = and three, the remaining plant life was rudely sliced off. Race stepped = over a halved cactus, and shivered about how they found Dalton. The = barren ground that made up area two was iron hard, as it broke into a = grossly enlarged spoke replica of the original stone ring, although the = sections did not contain the emblems. Area one was simply a blast zone, = with charred black lines exploding from the very epicenter. "It almost = looks like a nuclear device took this place out." "Santosa approximated that the 'event' had the power of a half megaton = blast," the general grimly reported. "The radiation profiles seem to = approximate a neutron explosion." Walking through the devastation, the = two men remained pensively silent. "This is it, Mister Bannon," Damon pointed at the jumble of broken slabs = at their boots. "That's the epicenter." "And what's left of the infinity hoop, Doctor Quest found," Race = stooped. "Infinity Hoop?" "That's what Doctor Quest officially called it," Bannon sighed, snagging = up a section with a hint of a figure eight glyph on its blasted surface. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," the General stopped him. "Not only = is it radioactive, it's our evidence now." "And useless anyway, sir." He smacked his hands as he stood up. "Are you sure that's the ring?" Damon asked in confirmation. "Yes sir," Race sadly sighed, now knowing what he long suspected. "If = properly activated, what should have happened?" "My scientists aren't certain, but they theorize a stable wormhole could = form. A gateway that could take you anywhere on this planet, if not off = of it." "I don't think Hadji would have opened it, sir." Race reported. "Since = Doctor Quest discovered it, he was a little leery of it. After the first = time he touched it, he wouldn't even---" "What happened when he touched it?" Damon asked. "Doctor Quest called it a plasma field. Whatever the yellow glow was, it = covered Hadji's hand to the knuckles. When he yanked away, he got zapped = by quite an electrical shock," Bannon stuck to the physical description. = "No, I think Amanda opened the gateway, either to prove something to the = boys or Jonny simply badgered her into doing it." "What kids do ---" Damon was interrupted by a faint buzz from within his = suit. "I thought I told them to hold my calls!!" Race Bannon shadowed him, as the General stomped out of the dead zone, = grumbling about money grubbing lawyers and incompetent field agents. = Having been through his own divorce years ago, Bannon was beginning to = feel a grudging sympathy for Damon, reasoning after all, the General had = two kids. For years after his own painful divorce, Race barely knew his = own daughter, Jessie. Worse, Race then realized that if he hadn't taken = the Quest assignment in a moment of weakness, for he was getting tired = of all of the cloak and dagger games he had to play, he would be dead, = retired or be heading a shadowy organization, just like General Damon. = Grizzled Company Men all knew that was the fast track to a heart attack = or stroke. Being a body guard cum tutor was not so bad in comparison = with the alternatives! Once he strode past the farthest crack of the outermost ring, Damon = reached into his suit and hauled out his cellular telephone. For a = moment, Race wondered if the delicate device would work with all of the = radiation. "Honey!" 'Oh great his wife!!' Race frumped, turning away. Scanning the horizon, = he thought he saw a distant stream of chasing motes. Closing his eyes = tight and shaking his head, his vision cleared, leaving him to wonder if = he was starting to lose too much water. Out in the sun, wearing 'the = bunny suit', Bannon felt like he was sweating like Richard Simmons' = plumpest clients. "I'm getting some water, General!" he called, only = getting a half wave, as Damon continued to loudly argue. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9105.9A1E3C40 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part 8/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People = and Jonny=20 Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy = write=20 holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television=20 are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no infringement on=20 copyright. "What in the hell happened??" General Damon gasped, as = their=20 helicopter topped the final hill. "It looks like a powerful bomb took out the camp!" Race = raised his=20 voice, his eyes following the concentric circle ridges, before they = faded three=20 hundred yards into the desert. Another five hundred yards from the last = ring,=20 stood a small collection of tents, with isolation suited men milling = about=20 them. "It appears that this is a level three isolation area, General=20 Damon," Elliott reported in his dull monotone. "Then land us as close to the new camp as possible, = Elliott," Damon=20 barked. "Johnson, is that sketch done??" "Yes sir," he had a soft whinny voice. "Just doing the = final=20 touches now. Mister Bannon, you are a very hard person to = read." "Thank you," Race couldn't preen, for he was too worried = about=20 Doctor Quest. If his scientist friend was down there when the bomb went=20 off... Suddenly, he realized, it might not have been a bomb. The camp under strict isolation caused more picky troubles for the = arriving=20 men. They had to land another five hundred yards from the current = outpost, then=20 clamor into the stifling yellow contamination suits, seal them, then = lumber=20 across the uneven desert floor. "The men are still running = radiation=20 counts," General Damon tried to sound encouraging. "These are = simply=20 precautionary measures." "I'm more interested in Doctor Quest, General," Bannon felt = a timid=20 tap through the plastic. "Sir, is this young Miss Fairchild?" = Johnson=20 timidly brandished his pad. Race just took a cursory glance, and was about to say yes to be rid = of the=20 fellow, when he gasped, and took the pad from his grasp. "Hey!" the telepathic artist yelped in surprised = protest. The 'sketch' of Amanda as perfect as a digital black and white = photograph of=20 the girl, including that touch of nameless creepiness about her wide, = piercing=20 eyes. "That's her!" Race pronounced, handing Damon the book, = who=20 simply hissed. "I want this on the uplink immediately = Johnson!" "Yes sir! I hope I captured her well, sirs. She's got the Shire = blood=20 and that's hard to capture with---" "Johnson," Damon grumbled impatiently. "The uplink,=20 now!" "Yes sir!" he tottled back to his equally mysterious = companion who=20 cradled the lap top computer like his own infant son. "Amanda Fairchild isn't just any Tomorrow Person, Benton," = the=20 General explained, shuttling the agent toward the encampment. = "She's the=20 daughter of John and Heather Fairchild!" "Am I supposed to be impressed, sir?" "Mister Bannon, John Fairchild was the very first Tomorrow = Person we=20 know of to have survived the breaking out process! He assumed leadership = of the=20 first wave of Tomorrow People when he was sixteen, financing his = emerging people=20 out of his own pocket, with his own inventions!" "So?" "The long and short of it, John Fairchild invented the process = to mass=20 produce the silicon chips, which are now in every calculator and PC on = this=20 planet. He also holds patents for micromanaging molecules --- things = people back=20 in the seventies thought were useless, that we are only discovering = valuable=20 uses for! The man's a scientific genius to rival your Doctor Quest, or = would=20 have been, if somehow he could have stayed on this planet. Hard to tell = what=20 John's come up with since his immigration --- for them!" "Now you're starting sound like the General Damon I know," = Race=20 commented. "The loss of the Tomorrow People is incalculable to this world, = Mister=20 Bannon," Damon pressed on. "I'm only beginning to understand = just by=20 how much. Amanda's mother --- Heather Shire, was the last of an ancient = family,=20 who guarded the secrets of the world, which we are starting to stumble = into,=20 like that infinity hoop Quest dug up. A Shire would have stopped him = somehow and=20 hid the device where no one could find it!" "Sounds rather hawkish of them." Race raised his sweeping = eyebrows=20 in disbelief. "Race, this is never to be repeated. Most of our knowledge of = the=20 Tomorrow People is indirect, for most of the paper trail lead to the = Shires. job=20 of keeping the family clean, back in the early eighties, and then dead = ends. We=20 do have proof that John Fairchild married Heather Shire, and they had a=20 daughter. Apparently, six months after Amanda's birth, the Tomorrow = People=20 deliberately destroyed a decades long American experiment and = fled." "Oh, what were *we* doing?" Damon's jaw firmed, as he flirtively glanced away. "Eugenics, = Bannon.=20 Let's say we got more than just TPs out of the program. Remember, you = didn't=20 hear me vent my spleen, Mister Bannon." "Yes sir," he grimly smiled, at a striding fellow in a = yellow=20 isolation suit. From this distance, he looked like Doctor Quest. = "You've=20 taken a lot off of my mind in regards to Amanda Fairchild." 'Now = I've gotta=20 convince the good Doctor Quest that she's simply too dangerous to have = around.=20 Particularly around Hadji.' Meeting the soulful eyes of the bearded = scientist=20 Bannon felt as if he was suddenly stabbed. He was not Quest. "General Damon," he signaled. "You wanted to see these = upon=20 landing. Here are the primary radiation reports from the leading edge to = the=20 core event." Damon scanned the hand written figures, as the breeze rifled the = yellow=20 sheets. "From background normal to mildly hot at the center. We = better keep=20 these bunny suits on gentlemen." "Where's Doctor Quest?" Race peered into the fellow's = Spanish=20 features. "Sir, no one has seen Doctor Quest since last night. He might = have been=20 one of the causalities like Captain Dalton." "What happened to Dalton??" Damon pressured. "Er---the energy field cut him in half, sir," the = scientist's eyes=20 darted nervously. "We found what was left of his skeleton between = areas two=20 and three. If anyone was caught in areas one or two there --- aren't = even any=20 remains. Dust to dust---" he slowly shook his head no. "Look, Doctor Santosa, I want to see that causality list,=20 yesterday!" "Si --er yes General!" he blanched then trotted into the = nearest=20 tent. Through the flap he disappeared through, a smaller gentleman = strode out.=20 From his pace and confidence, Race automatically recognized him as a = military=20 man. Damon grabbed the clipboard from under his arm even before he = stopped. "Thank you, lieutenant," he nodded without looking up from = the=20 sheets. Upon closer inspection of the nondescript lumps and folds of the = clumsy suit,=20 Race suddenly realized that the man was actually a female. Peering = through the=20 steamed up face plate, he startled. Judging from her dusky features, = full lips=20 and exotic eyes, a rather attractive one, if she was not so confined. = "Race=20 Bannon, this is Lieutenant Kwaii," Damon rotated his hand in = introduction,=20 continuing his reading. She nodded, "Mister Bannon." "Lieutenant Kwaii," Race stuck to the formalities of the = moment.=20 "What about---?" "Why is there a question mark by Doctor Quest's name?" = Damon=20 suddenly interrupted. "And who is this girl intruder?" "This morning, at O-two-hundred, at the height of the 'event' = rumor has=20 it that Doctor Quest was sighted stealing one of our jeeps, = General," Kwaii=20 answered smoothly. "He was reported in the presence of a young or = teenaged=20 girl. Her height was approximated at five ten, weight maybe hundred=20 fifteen." "Did she look like the TP?" "I was studying the file, as you arrived, General Damon," = Kwaii=20 confirmed. "I did not witness Doctor Quest's escape or see the = girl, but I=20 believe she matches the descriptions." "Find me the witnesses and make certain. Then I want search = teams put=20 out into the desert, for a widespread but thorough search." "Yes General," with a smart salute she turned on her bulky = boot=20 heel and strode back to her milling command. "I hope they're still out there," Damon impatiently tapped = his palm=20 with the clipboard. "They should be, unless Amanda teleported = herself and=20 Doctor Quest someplace else, and if that's true--- Tell me Mister = Bannon, what=20 was their relationship like?" "Relationship??" Race blinked. "They like each other = --- I=20 guess. Doctor Quest seemed interested in her, but being a = paraphenomenolist,=20 he'd be interested in any Tomorrow People he'd come across. Of course = the boys=20 ---" Race shook his head no. "How old are Jonny and Hadji these days?" Damon asked in an = almost=20 conversational tone. "Jonny's fourteen and counting the days until he can get a = learner's=20 permit. Hadji's sixteen, and acting between ten and sixty." "Megabyte's fifteen. Right in the middle of the impossible=20 years!" "Megabyte?" Race nudged. "He's really into computers = these=20 days?" "And hates his given name, Marmaduke more each day," Damon = heavily=20 groaned from his heart. "We got kind of close for awhile after he = --- but=20 my job kept getting in the way. I take it Jonny and Hadji really liked=20 her." "To put it mildly. I never saw those two try so hard to impress = a girl=20 before," Race chuckled. "Oh, if my daughter Jess saw those two = flirt,=20 first she'd laugh then get very suspicious." Which was how he felt = from the=20 moment he saw her huddled in the back of the clothes closet. "Just = how=20 dangerous can Amanda be?" "I honestly don't know, not until I can talk to her," was a = very=20 strange answer from the General. "She could be charming the boys = and not=20 even realize that she's doing it. She could also be charming Doctor=20 Quest..." "I brought that up, but he didn't believe me." "Most victims of empathic charming deny its effect, but I've = seen it=20 used and abused. Come on Bannon, I want to check out the event = core." **********************************************************************= ** The trek across the scorched desert floor was short, but hot. Area = three,=20 where the broken slabs were faint, there were still bits of wilted grass = and=20 scrub still standing. At the boarder between area two and three, the = remaining=20 plant life was rudely sliced off. Race stepped over a halved cactus, and = shivered about how they found Dalton. The barren ground that made up = area two=20 was iron hard, as it broke into a grossly enlarged spoke replica of the = original=20 stone ring, although the sections did not contain the emblems. Area one = was=20 simply a blast zone, with charred black lines exploding from the very = epicenter.=20 "It almost looks like a nuclear device took this place = out." "Santosa approximated that the 'event' had the power of a half = megaton=20 blast," the general grimly reported. "The radiation profiles = seem to=20 approximate a neutron explosion." Walking through the devastation, = the two=20 men remained pensively silent. "This is it, Mister Bannon," Damon pointed at the jumble of = broken=20 slabs at their boots. "That's the epicenter." "And what's left of the infinity hoop, Doctor Quest found," = Race=20 stooped. "Infinity Hoop?" "That's what Doctor Quest officially called it," Bannon = sighed,=20 snagging up a section with a hint of a figure eight glyph on its blasted = surface. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," the General stopped = him.=20 "Not only is it radioactive, it's our evidence now." "And useless anyway, sir." He smacked his hands as he stood = up. "Are you sure that's the ring?" Damon asked in = confirmation. "Yes sir," Race sadly sighed, now knowing what he long = suspected.=20 "If properly activated, what should have happened?" "My scientists aren't certain, but they theorize a stable = wormhole could=20 form. A gateway that could take you anywhere on this planet, if not off = of=20 it." "I don't think Hadji would have opened it, sir." Race = reported.=20 "Since Doctor Quest discovered it, he was a little leery of it. = After the=20 first time he touched it, he wouldn't even---" "What happened when he touched it?" Damon asked. "Doctor Quest called it a plasma field. Whatever the yellow glow = was, it=20 covered Hadji's hand to the knuckles. When he yanked away, he got zapped = by=20 quite an electrical shock," Bannon stuck to the physical = description.=20 "No, I think Amanda opened the gateway, either to prove something = to the=20 boys or Jonny simply badgered her into doing it." "What kids do ---" Damon was interrupted by a faint buzz = from=20 within his suit. "I thought I told them to hold my = calls!!" Race Bannon shadowed him, as the General stomped out of the dead = zone,=20 grumbling about money grubbing lawyers and incompetent field agents. = Having been=20 through his own divorce years ago, Bannon was beginning to feel a = grudging=20 sympathy for Damon, reasoning after all, the General had two kids. For = years=20 after his own painful divorce, Race barely knew his own daughter, = Jessie. Worse,=20 Race then realized that if he hadn't taken the Quest assignment in a = moment of=20 weakness, for he was getting tired of all of the cloak and dagger games = he had=20 to play, he would be dead, retired or be heading a shadowy organization, = just=20 like General Damon. Grizzled Company Men all knew that was the fast = track to a=20 heart attack or stroke. Being a body guard cum tutor was not so bad in=20 comparison with the alternatives! Once he strode past the farthest crack of the outermost ring, Damon = reached=20 into his suit and hauled out his cellular telephone. For a moment, Race = wondered=20 if the delicate device would work with all of the radiation.=20 "Honey!" 'Oh great his wife!!' Race frumped, turning away. Scanning the = horizon, he=20 thought he saw a distant stream of chasing motes. Closing his eyes tight = and=20 shaking his head, his vision cleared, leaving him to wonder if he was = starting=20 to lose too much water. Out in the sun, wearing 'the bunny suit', Bannon = felt=20 like he was sweating like Richard Simmons' plumpest clients. "I'm = getting=20 some water, General!" he called, only getting a half wave, as Damon = continued to loudly argue. </DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9105.9A1E3C40-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Part 6/20 revised Date: 19 Mar 2000 05:16:55 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9162.57D28460 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part 6/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People and = Jonny Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy write = holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no = infringement on copyright. "Yark, Sar!! Yark --- Sar! Sar SAR!! YARK!!!" A torrent of gleaming = tapering wings exploded, lifting the delicate webbed toes of the gulls = from the beach, just seconds ahead of the charging terrier. The sea = gulls delighting in taking advantage, took turns dive bombing the little = dog. He stood tall on the sand mound, barking and snapping at the hovering = laughing birds. "YARK!! YARK!! SAARRR!!! SAARR!!" "Bandit," his owner groaned, rolling over in his near slumber. The = overhead sun burning through his eyelids, added to the steady bang = behind them, and his churning empty stomach. "Where??" he promptly = shoved himself upright. It took a few seconds to remember that in = grabbing his dog, he fell through a tunnel, straight into a freezing = ocean. The undersea graveyard, patrolled by man-eating sharks. His raw = scraped arm was a nasty souvenir of his desperate fight. "Ermmm, Jonny?" Hadji weakly called, as he rolled onto his elbows. Bright blue eyes sparkled in his face. "How are you feeling Hadj?" "Like the morning after drinking a glass of your home brewed beer!!" he = weakly smiled, as he sat up. Jonny brightly chuckled at the old adventure. The impatient son of a = world famous scientist, messed up the fermentation, but boy did the = stuff taste so smooth, only to kick you in the gut and head an hour = later. "Oooooh," Amanda at last recovered, assisted along with Bandit's tongue = washing upon her sunburned cheeks. "Approximately nine thirty local = time," she muttered to the sun, before dropping her aching head back = into her hands. "'Morning, li'tle chap!" "Mandy," Jonny scooped her up, as Bandit slid off her lap. "We're on the = island, now where's this Ship of yours?" She blinked, as her feet found the uneven sand. "Amanda?" Hadji worried, prompting a wane smile. She took a couple of = staggering steps from the boys, and threw her arms wide. The wheeling = sea gulls dove at her, and began to circle her. "Why this entire island = shelters the Ship!" "Of course, the Ship crashed here," Hadji muttered. "The Tomorrow People = tried to hide her by importing more sand, creating this bar---" "Hadj, how do you??" Jonny asked, keeping a suspicious eye on the girl, = as she started to energetically trudge up the steep dune. "I guess I always knew, Jonny," Hadji grinned, and shrugged. "When I was = a baby, the Ship used to sing to me, but my Mother told me never to = listen to her. I guess Mother was afraid that I would be taken away." He = took a deep contemplative breath, staring at the stone monolith capped = by a rough chevron. To Jonny it looked like a mummified whale fluke. = "The Ship just reminded me of all of that---" That was troubling to Jonny. Amanda was a little weird, in a fairy child = way, but Hadji too was being swayed by this spell. Reasoning if his = friends were affected by the tone, he should be able to at least hear = it. Straining, into the rolling surf and below the laughing gulls, he = heard a low warbling tone. Like whale song, but far more ancient. It was = not welcoming as the young Quest imagined, but ominous, like = thunderclouds crowding the horizon. Curiously, the tone seemed to have = come over a great distance. "So that's it, some sort of psionic antenna. = Come on Hadj, let's go meet this Ship!" Amanda paused halfway up the dune, her intense gaze sweeping across the = ocean. "Something's wrong," she darkly whispered to them. She grimly = glanced into Jonny's face, then down, with a distressed shake. "The = song, all of the sudden, I can barely hear it Hadji." "The Ship's frightened," he quietly concurred. "She's wants us to leave = --- right now!" "Why??" Jonny fired out, when a flash dazzled him. Steel blue stealth = helicopters dove out of the concealing clouds, scattering the gulls, as = their powerful blades drew whitecaps on the waves. "Come on!!" Hadji yelled grabbing their arms. "If we can make it to the = final tunnel, we'll be safe. Run!" Amanda dumbly stared at the leading = helicopter, never imagining ever seeing such a thing, outside of picture = books. "Wait!!" she yelled at her realization. A missile spat out from the tube = on the right, and exploded in the grass within meters of her. She = wheeled, following the boys. "AMANDA!!" Jonny shouted from near the summit. "HADJI!! JONNY DON'T!!!" Both boys suddenly vanished, but not the way the Ship long intended. The = Ship's mournful cries suddenly erupted on Amanda's senses, causing her = to sprout her own tears. Her stunned mind was torn between the instinct = to teleport to safety, while struggling how to rescue her two new = friends. The humanized, alien hybrid aircraft touched down, was horrible proof = that at least part of the Trig Elder's lies were true. Humans had begun = to pirate extraterrestrial vessels and technologies to their own violent = ends. Most of the assembly could not care less what the humans did to = one another and to their homeworld. If, somehow, as the doomsayers' = whispers were to be believed, the the Psionic Elders were paralyzed as = to what to do, should non-telepathic humanity break away from Sol. Her = family had their own stories about these black uniformed soldiers. To = them, Tomorrow People were nothing more than useful slaves, such as = spying or enforced healings, if they could be held and controlled. If = not, Tomorrow People were to be exterminated. Racing like a gazelle, she managed to reach the banked summit. She came = upon the sharp drop to fast, disturbing the unstable sand, where upon it = showered Jonny and Hadji. Where the Ship had rested, was now a deep pit, = with steep sides of sand. They could not climb out. "JONNY!!!" she = howled, her mind working on how to teleport down and getting them away = from the trap. "HADJ AND I ARE OKAY!! GRAB BANDIT AND BACK AWAY!!" She numbly nodded, = scooping up his excited pet. Despite her steady movement, sand sprayed = down the steep sides, temporally blinding Jonny. A misstep would = immediately swamp and bury them alive. "Oh Bandit," she whimpered = cradling the dog tightly. Staring into his orbish eyes, several instant = clicks chorused all around her. Men in black billowing jump suits = concealed their similarly matched muscular bodies, had their long = nuzzled weapons out and aimed at her. Amanda was not certain if those = rifles used metallic projectiles or lasers, however, she found the grim = set of each of the square faced man, their eyes covered in heavily = polarized eyeglasses far more intimidating. Powerless for the moment, = with Hadji and Jonny trapped behind her, and surrounded by very = unfriendly Saps, she stood her ground. "Gentlemen," Amanda lowly hissed. "HOLD YOUR FIRE!!" another voice rouse over the ocean. The dapper = African fellow, dressed in khaki trousers and safari shirt, labored up = the dune. He paused just behind the ring of implacable soldiers, = producing a handkerchief from the breast pocket, swabbing down his = beading forehead and neck. "I want to talk to this one, gentlemen!" "Just be careful," the sole cleft chinned soldier growled. "She isn't = like the others." "No, she isn't," he flashed a false, swarmy grin, as he spread his = palms. "If I can win her over, our jobs would be a lot easier. Hot day, = isn't Miss?" "Perhaps," Amanda darkly responded. "Then again, I haven't been here = long, sir." He tightly giggled, with a condescending tip of his head. "It is so good = to met a young person, such as yourself who has some manners." "Thank you," she tightened her jaw, eyeing his cautious step, pause, = step movement. "You are aware just unstable this sand dune is, sir." "And observant," he darkly cooed. She nodded at him. "Then you also know that there are two young men = trapped below us?" "Oh yes," he chuckled, advancing a pulse faster. "So you also know about = our little pit trap." "Get them out of there, please!" "First, you must agree to come with us, my dear," he bared down. = "Eventually, if you are willing to cooperate with us, we will arrange it = so you can be with your precious Ship and maybe your fellow TPs." Amanda's eyes widened at his mention, her mind raced, on the ticklish = edge of panic. Hadji and Jonny were still ensnared in the deadly cavity. = She knew if she was shot, she would fall. That might have been enough to = start the deadly avalanche. The very thought of the Ship being in their = hands, their control. People who split atoms to make bombs, and went = into space to build bigger and more powerful weapons, have the Ship!! = The consequences for the Galactic Psionic Federation would be terrible, = perhaps leading to its extinction. "NEVER!!!" she screamed. "YOU, MANGY = SAP!!!" She bounded toward the circle of men, surprising them. Sprinting = directly at the leader, she vanished just short of his rifle's barrel. Uzis shattered the salty air, causing both Jonny and Hadji to cringe. In = the following eerie silence, they began to fear the worst. "Comb the = island, she can't teleport of it!!" the formally friendly man bellowed. "Teleport??" Jonny tightly whispered to his companion. "This is very bad," Hadji sighed, sinking down into the sand. "If those = people have the Ship, then they won't---can't be stopped!" a pale = bespeckled face peered over the wide mouth twenty feet or so above, = causing a sand shower. "She's not down there, Professor Galt," he flatly reported. "But I do = recognized the two males." "Drop 'em, but not with the synaptrial. If she knows we have them, maybe = we can lure her out." "Now wait a ---" Jonny rose, challenge sparking in his breaking voice. = The morning sun glinted off a rifle barrel, as it was pointed down at = them. "Good night, gentlemen," Galt grinned down, as the first dart was = discharged and slammed into Hadji. "Don't worry about pulling the dart = out of your friend," he teased, seeing Jonny spin around and catching = his falling brother. Hadji's eyelids were rapidly fluttering as his eyes = rolled up. "This stuff works pretty fast in you TPs. You'll be reunited = with your girl friend soon enough... ************************************************************************ Amanda was thrown when she jaunted. The same fields that the Ship used = to guard herself and protect those Tomorrow People who made it to her, = were immediately reversed and projected against her body, tossing her = deeper into hyperspace than she meant to go. Instead of materializing on = one of the islands farther along the uninhabited atoll, she flew into = the jauntway, then violently erupted out of the cryptic ring. She = crested like a dolphin, then crashed. Bandit yelped, when she flopped on top of him. "Boy, are you okay??" = Booted feet trampled outside. Having no choice, Amanda grabbed the = whimpering dog, hiding in the shadows by some towering crates. "Who's in there??" a gruff voice demanded, as the tent flap was parted = by a rifle barrel. Amanda hissed, cupping Bandit's mouth. The dog fell = silent. A thin high powered light beam penetrated the darkness, before = its halo landed on the ring. "Conway, the area has been disturbed!!" Amanda jumped, then stared down into the loose soil. The patterns on her = shoes left a distinct trail, straight to her hiding place. When the = light swung up and glided along the crates, she seized the moment, both = frantically erasing the path to her, and setting up an illusion going in = the opposite direction. "Looks like he managed to slip by us in the = dark, Captain." "We better round up the kid, Conway, before the General hears about = this..." Amanda counted their heavy footfalls, until they began to fade = into the near distance. Then she leapt upon the ring, fantasies of = dangerous men invading the Trig playing through her thoughts. Caressing = the flowing glyphs, she realized the infinity hoop was the very same one = Doctor Quest found and she activated. Only a few hours, perhaps a = rotation occurred since, but staring down at the ring, made her feel as = if a century had past. "They have too much now," Amanda shakily declared = to the attentive Bandit. "This can't --- shouldn't be used by them!'" = Again, her fingers raced across the markers. Reluctantly, the colors, = now hard enough to temporarily blind, sprouted. Faster and more = difficult the patterns became, for the device was being armed to self = destruct. "Come on l'tle chap," Amanda staggered, unable to decipher swimming = shadows from the swallowing rainbows. "I need you fellow. We've got to = warn the others and clear out!!" Barking furiously, Bandit pumped his pudgy legs, as the pair of them = burst out of the tent. "FREEZE!!!" a guard bellowed, as the black masked terrier shot between = his legs. "WHAT TH'??" A cloud piercing circle of rising and falling diamonds erupted, silently = consuming the tent, as it rapidly expanded. "The jauntway is collapsing = on itself, and taking the immediate area with it! GET OUT WHILE YOU = CAN!!" Amanda shouted with a stern shove to free herself from his grasp. "RUN!! RUN!!" she demanded of the shadowy figures, while chasing Bandit = through the encampment. Once a pair of huge hands grabbed her, but = Amanda felt herself slip into a short hop ahead, which must have = panicked the solider. The rupture in hyperspace was growing, and judging = from the terrorized screams, faster than several unlucky ones could run. = Suddenly the barking stopped. "Bandit?" The frightened teenager began to grope in the half flickering = light. "Here boy?!" He bark sounded from to her left, and a pace behind. "Bandit??" she = turned, now able to make out the bloating field out of the swarm of red = and yellow motes. The foreword edge was brushing against the tent's = farthest edge. "BANDIT!!" she yelled and sprung. Grabbing the dog, he = began to struggle, biting the web of skin between her thumb and index = finger. He bolted inside. Amanda shivered, for now the field sheering through the green fabric. = Then she dove inside. "BAN---?" "Amanda?" a familiar, warm voice greeted her. "Doctor Quest?" she wildly gasped, stilling the instinct to teleport = herself away. He was shackled to a desk, his back to the approaching = danger. "Where are the boys?" he demanded, just as she plucked up the electronic = lock box. "No time, sir," she hissed, studying the complicated device. "What??" he jerked his head over his shoulder to see what frightened the = girl so badly. The leaning edge of something alien was within = centimeters of his chair. The crackling field was already so close that = it caused his hair to stand on end, as its discharging electrical snaps = began to swarm over his cramping fingers. "Hey!!!" Amanda tossed the smoldering remains of the lock box into the field. = With a small pop, it dissolved into its components which were atomized = and flung up into the sky. "LATER!!!" scooping up Bandit, Quest shoved = his rescuer ahead of him. That tent's silent explosion did not slow the = field. "THIS WAY," Quest yelled, grabbing her by the elbow. "There's a = motor pool!" Chaos reigned, shouting, ordering and counter ordering bantered back and = forth with rifle fire. "QUEST!!!" from the the timberous voice, Amanda = recognized as the Captain. "What is the meaning of this??" "We're getting out of here Dalton! If you're smart, you'll get the men = and ---" ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9162.57D28460 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part 6/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People = and Jonny=20 Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy = write=20 holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television=20 are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no infringement on=20 copyright. "Yark, Sar!! Yark --- Sar! Sar SAR!! YARK!!!" A torrent of = gleaming=20 tapering wings exploded, lifting the delicate webbed toes of the gulls = from the=20 beach, just seconds ahead of the charging terrier. The sea gulls = delighting in=20 taking advantage, took turns dive bombing the little dog. He stood tall on the sand mound, barking and snapping at the hovering = laughing birds. "YARK!! YARK!! SAARRR!!! SAARR!!" "Bandit," his owner groaned, rolling over in his near = slumber. The=20 overhead sun burning through his eyelids, added to the steady bang = behind them,=20 and his churning empty stomach. "Where??" he promptly shoved = himself=20 upright. It took a few seconds to remember that in grabbing his dog, he = fell=20 through a tunnel, straight into a freezing ocean. The undersea = graveyard,=20 patrolled by man-eating sharks. His raw scraped arm was a nasty souvenir = of his=20 desperate fight. "Ermmm, Jonny?" Hadji weakly called, as he rolled onto his=20 elbows. Bright blue eyes sparkled in his face. "How are you feeling=20 Hadj?" "Like the morning after drinking a glass of your home brewed=20 beer!!" he weakly smiled, as he sat up. Jonny brightly chuckled at the old adventure. The impatient son of a = world=20 famous scientist, messed up the fermentation, but boy did the stuff = taste so=20 smooth, only to kick you in the gut and head an hour later. "Oooooh," Amanda at last recovered, assisted along with = Bandit's=20 tongue washing upon her sunburned cheeks. "Approximately nine = thirty local=20 time," she muttered to the sun, before dropping her aching head = back into=20 her hands. "'Morning, li'tle chap!" "Mandy," Jonny scooped her up, as Bandit slid off her lap.=20 "We're on the island, now where's this Ship of yours?" She blinked, as her feet found the uneven sand. "Amanda?" Hadji worried, prompting a wane smile. She took a = couple=20 of staggering steps from the boys, and threw her arms wide. The wheeling = sea=20 gulls dove at her, and began to circle her. "Why this entire island = shelters the Ship!" "Of course, the Ship crashed here," Hadji muttered. = "The=20 Tomorrow People tried to hide her by importing more sand, creating this=20 bar---" "Hadj, how do you??" Jonny asked, keeping a suspicious eye = on the=20 girl, as she started to energetically trudge up the steep dune. "I guess I always knew, Jonny," Hadji grinned, and = shrugged.=20 "When I was a baby, the Ship used to sing to me, but my Mother told = me=20 never to listen to her. I guess Mother was afraid that I would be taken=20 away." He took a deep contemplative breath, staring at the stone = monolith=20 capped by a rough chevron. To Jonny it looked like a mummified whale = fluke.=20 "The Ship just reminded me of all of that---" That was troubling to Jonny. Amanda was a little weird, in a fairy = child way,=20 but Hadji too was being swayed by this spell. Reasoning if his friends = were=20 affected by the tone, he should be able to at least hear it. Straining, = into the=20 rolling surf and below the laughing gulls, he heard a low warbling tone. = Like=20 whale song, but far more ancient. It was not welcoming as the young = Quest=20 imagined, but ominous, like thunderclouds crowding the horizon. = Curiously, the=20 tone seemed to have come over a great distance. "So that's it, some = sort of=20 psionic antenna. Come on Hadj, let's go meet this Ship!" Amanda paused halfway up the dune, her intense gaze sweeping across = the=20 ocean. "Something's wrong," she darkly whispered to them. She = grimly=20 glanced into Jonny's face, then down, with a distressed shake. "The = song,=20 all of the sudden, I can barely hear it Hadji." "The Ship's frightened," he quietly concurred. "She's = wants us=20 to leave --- right now!" "Why??" Jonny fired out, when a flash dazzled him. Steel = blue=20 stealth helicopters dove out of the concealing clouds, scattering the = gulls, as=20 their powerful blades drew whitecaps on the waves. "Come on!!" Hadji yelled grabbing their arms. "If we = can make=20 it to the final tunnel, we'll be safe. Run!" Amanda dumbly stared = at the=20 leading helicopter, never imagining ever seeing such a thing, outside of = picture=20 books. "Wait!!" she yelled at her realization. A missile spat out = from the=20 tube on the right, and exploded in the grass within meters of her. She = wheeled,=20 following the boys. "AMANDA!!" Jonny shouted from near the summit. "HADJI!! JONNY DON'T!!!" Both boys suddenly vanished, but not the way the Ship long intended. = The=20 Ship's mournful cries suddenly erupted on Amanda's senses, causing her = to sprout=20 her own tears. Her stunned mind was torn between the instinct to = teleport to=20 safety, while struggling how to rescue her two new friends. The humanized, alien hybrid aircraft touched down, was horrible proof = that at=20 least part of the Trig Elder's lies were true. Humans had begun to = pirate=20 extraterrestrial vessels and technologies to their own violent ends. = Most of the=20 assembly could not care less what the humans did to one another and to = their=20 homeworld. If, somehow, as the doomsayers' whispers were to be believed, = the the=20 Psionic Elders were paralyzed as to what to do, should non-telepathic = humanity=20 break away from Sol. Her family had their own stories about these black=20 uniformed soldiers. To them, Tomorrow People were nothing more than = useful=20 slaves, such as spying or enforced healings, if they could be held and=20 controlled. If not, Tomorrow People were to be exterminated. Racing like a gazelle, she managed to reach the banked summit. She = came upon=20 the sharp drop to fast, disturbing the unstable sand, where upon it = showered=20 Jonny and Hadji. Where the Ship had rested, was now a deep pit, with = steep sides=20 of sand. They could not climb out. "JONNY!!!" she howled, her = mind=20 working on how to teleport down and getting them away from the trap. "HADJ AND I ARE OKAY!! GRAB BANDIT AND BACK AWAY!!" She = numbly=20 nodded, scooping up his excited pet. Despite her steady movement, sand = sprayed=20 down the steep sides, temporally blinding Jonny. A misstep would = immediately=20 swamp and bury them alive. "Oh Bandit," she whimpered cradling = the dog=20 tightly. Staring into his orbish eyes, several instant clicks chorused = all=20 around her. Men in black billowing jump suits concealed their similarly = matched=20 muscular bodies, had their long nuzzled weapons out and aimed at her. = Amanda was=20 not certain if those rifles used metallic projectiles or lasers, = however, she=20 found the grim set of each of the square faced man, their eyes covered = in=20 heavily polarized eyeglasses far more intimidating. Powerless for the = moment,=20 with Hadji and Jonny trapped behind her, and surrounded by very = unfriendly Saps,=20 she stood her ground. "Gentlemen," Amanda lowly hissed. "HOLD YOUR FIRE!!" another voice rouse over the ocean. The = dapper=20 African fellow, dressed in khaki trousers and safari shirt, labored up = the dune.=20 He paused just behind the ring of implacable soldiers, producing a = handkerchief=20 from the breast pocket, swabbing down his beading forehead and neck. = "I=20 want to talk to this one, gentlemen!" "Just be careful," the sole cleft chinned soldier growled.=20 "She isn't like the others." "No, she isn't," he flashed a false, swarmy grin, as he = spread his=20 palms. "If I can win her over, our jobs would be a lot easier. Hot = day,=20 isn't Miss?" "Perhaps," Amanda darkly responded. "Then again, I = haven't=20 been here long, sir." He tightly giggled, with a condescending tip of his head. "It is = so good=20 to met a young person, such as yourself who has some manners." "Thank you," she tightened her jaw, eyeing his cautious = step,=20 pause, step movement. "You are aware just unstable this sand dune = is,=20 sir." "And observant," he darkly cooed. She nodded at him. "Then you also know that there are two young = men=20 trapped below us?" "Oh yes," he chuckled, advancing a pulse faster. "So = you also=20 know about our little pit trap." "Get them out of there, please!" "First, you must agree to come with us, my dear," he bared = down.=20 "Eventually, if you are willing to cooperate with us, we will = arrange it so=20 you can be with your precious Ship and maybe your fellow TPs." Amanda's eyes widened at his mention, her mind raced, on the ticklish = edge of=20 panic. Hadji and Jonny were still ensnared in the deadly cavity. She = knew if she=20 was shot, she would fall. That might have been enough to start the = deadly=20 avalanche. The very thought of the Ship being in their hands, their = control.=20 People who split atoms to make bombs, and went into space to build = bigger and=20 more powerful weapons, have the Ship!! The consequences for the Galactic = Psionic=20 Federation would be terrible, perhaps leading to its extinction.=20 "NEVER!!!" she screamed. "YOU, MANGY SAP!!!" She = bounded=20 toward the circle of men, surprising them. Sprinting directly at the = leader, she=20 vanished just short of his rifle's barrel. Uzis shattered the salty air, causing both Jonny and Hadji to cringe. = In the=20 following eerie silence, they began to fear the worst. "Comb the = island,=20 she can't teleport of it!!" the formally friendly man bellowed. "Teleport??" Jonny tightly whispered to his companion. "This is very bad," Hadji sighed, sinking down into the = sand.=20 "If those people have the Ship, then they won't---can't be = stopped!" a=20 pale bespeckled face peered over the wide mouth twenty feet or so above, = causing=20 a sand shower. "She's not down there, Professor Galt," he flatly reported. = "But I do recognized the two males." "Drop 'em, but not with the synaptrial. If she knows we have = them, maybe=20 we can lure her out." "Now wait a ---" Jonny rose, challenge sparking in his = breaking=20 voice. The morning sun glinted off a rifle barrel, as it was pointed = down at=20 them. "Good night, gentlemen," Galt grinned down, as the first = dart was=20 discharged and slammed into Hadji. "Don't worry about pulling the = dart out=20 of your friend," he teased, seeing Jonny spin around and catching = his=20 falling brother. Hadji's eyelids were rapidly fluttering as his eyes = rolled up.=20 "This stuff works pretty fast in you TPs. You'll be reunited with = your girl=20 friend soon enough... **********************************************************************= ** Amanda was thrown when she jaunted. The same fields that the Ship = used to=20 guard herself and protect those Tomorrow People who made it to her, were = immediately reversed and projected against her body, tossing her deeper = into=20 hyperspace than she meant to go. Instead of materializing on one of the = islands=20 farther along the uninhabited atoll, she flew into the jauntway, then = violently=20 erupted out of the cryptic ring. She crested like a dolphin, then = crashed. Bandit yelped, when she flopped on top of him. "Boy, are you=20 okay??" Booted feet trampled outside. Having no choice, Amanda = grabbed the=20 whimpering dog, hiding in the shadows by some towering crates. "Who's in there??" a gruff voice demanded, as the tent flap = was=20 parted by a rifle barrel. Amanda hissed, cupping Bandit's mouth. The dog = fell=20 silent. A thin high powered light beam penetrated the darkness, before = its halo=20 landed on the ring. "Conway, the area has been = disturbed!!" Amanda jumped, then stared down into the loose soil. The patterns on = her=20 shoes left a distinct trail, straight to her hiding place. When the = light swung=20 up and glided along the crates, she seized the moment, both frantically = erasing=20 the path to her, and setting up an illusion going in the opposite = direction.=20 "Looks like he managed to slip by us in the dark, = Captain." "We better round up the kid, Conway, before the General hears = about=20 this..." Amanda counted their heavy footfalls, until they began to = fade=20 into the near distance. Then she leapt upon the ring, fantasies of = dangerous men=20 invading the Trig playing through her thoughts. Caressing the flowing = glyphs,=20 she realized the infinity hoop was the very same one Doctor Quest found = and she=20 activated. Only a few hours, perhaps a rotation occurred since, but = staring down=20 at the ring, made her feel as if a century had past. "They have too = much=20 now," Amanda shakily declared to the attentive Bandit. "This = can't ---=20 shouldn't be used by them!'" Again, her fingers raced across the = markers.=20 Reluctantly, the colors, now hard enough to temporarily blind, sprouted. = Faster=20 and more difficult the patterns became, for the device was being armed = to self=20 destruct. "Come on l'tle chap," Amanda staggered, unable to decipher = swimming=20 shadows from the swallowing rainbows. "I need you fellow. We've got = to warn=20 the others and clear out!!" Barking furiously, Bandit pumped his pudgy legs, as the pair of them = burst=20 out of the tent. "FREEZE!!!" a guard bellowed, as the black masked terrier = shot=20 between his legs. "WHAT TH'??" A cloud piercing circle of rising and falling diamonds erupted, = silently=20 consuming the tent, as it rapidly expanded. "The jauntway is = collapsing on=20 itself, and taking the immediate area with it! GET OUT WHILE YOU = CAN!!"=20 Amanda shouted with a stern shove to free herself from his grasp. "RUN!! RUN!!" she demanded of the shadowy figures, while = chasing=20 Bandit through the encampment. Once a pair of huge hands grabbed her, = but Amanda=20 felt herself slip into a short hop ahead, which must have panicked the = solider.=20 The rupture in hyperspace was growing, and judging from the terrorized = screams,=20 faster than several unlucky ones could run. Suddenly the barking = stopped. "Bandit?" The frightened teenager began to grope in the = half=20 flickering light. "Here boy?!" He bark sounded from to her left, and a pace behind. = "Bandit??" she=20 turned, now able to make out the bloating field out of the swarm of red = and=20 yellow motes. The foreword edge was brushing against the tent's farthest = edge.=20 "BANDIT!!" she yelled and sprung. Grabbing the dog, he began = to=20 struggle, biting the web of skin between her thumb and index finger. He = bolted=20 inside. Amanda shivered, for now the field sheering through the green fabric. = Then=20 she dove inside. "BAN---?" "Amanda?" a familiar, warm voice greeted her. "Doctor Quest?" she wildly gasped, stilling the instinct to = teleport herself away. He was shackled to a desk, his back to the = approaching=20 danger. "Where are the boys?" he demanded, just as she plucked up = the=20 electronic lock box. "No time, sir," she hissed, studying the complicated = device. "What??" he jerked his head over his shoulder to see what=20 frightened the girl so badly. The leaning edge of something alien was = within=20 centimeters of his chair. The crackling field was already so close that = it=20 caused his hair to stand on end, as its discharging electrical snaps = began to=20 swarm over his cramping fingers. "Hey!!!" Amanda tossed the smoldering remains of the lock box into the field. = With a=20 small pop, it dissolved into its components which were atomized and = flung up=20 into the sky. "LATER!!!" scooping up Bandit, Quest shoved his = rescuer=20 ahead of him. That tent's silent explosion did not slow the field. = "THIS=20 WAY," Quest yelled, grabbing her by the elbow. "There's a = motor=20 pool!" Chaos reigned, shouting, ordering and counter ordering bantered back = and=20 forth with rifle fire. "QUEST!!!" from the the timberous = voice, Amanda=20 recognized as the Captain. "What is the meaning of this??" "We're getting out of here Dalton! If you're smart, you'll get = the men=20 and ---"</DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9162.57D28460-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize part 7/20 re-revised Date: 19 Mar 2000 05:49:46 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9166.EEA13FE0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part 7/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People and = Jonny Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy write = holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no = infringement on copyright. In an illogical action, the snarling brute lunged at the scientist. = Grabbing him by the shirt's lapels, the Captain bellowed. "You are still = under arrest, Doctor Quest!!" "Don't be a FOOL!!" he garbled. "That field disrupts everything it ---" "YOUR DIRTY TRINKET DID THIS TO ME AN MY MEN!!" Dalton charged, pulling = his fist back. Guilt stabbed at the Tomorrow Person, for if she did not = set off the self-destruct, none of this would have happened. Dalton = smashed her benefactor in his handsome bearded face. "AND YOU SHALL = PAY!!" The impact was hard enough to tear his shirt, as Quest staggered back a = step. Wiping the blood flowing from his mouth and nose, his kind eyes = blazed in such violence, Amanda screamed, and jumped between the two = combatants. "NO!!!" Quest swatted her out of the way, just as Dalton = flew at him again. The two were punching, kicking and rolling, with such = fascinating, yet very repugnant savageness. Amanda's old picture books = had photographs from boxing matches, the pain and injuries were just as = real and distant. This fight was before her, with no rules. Doctor Quest = finally clamored back on his feet, as did Dalton. "You're no egghead = sissy!!" He panted raggedly. "Look Dalton," Quest dropped his warrior's stance. "You're dead wrong," Dalton growled as he lunged. This time, Quest = caught the punch, checked his body and tossed him over his knee. Dalton = heavily crashed a meter behind them, slipping into unconsciousness. "He's a marine," he cracked a crooked smile at the dazed adolescent. "A marine what?" Amanda blinked innocently. Quest pressed against his bruising jaw, not certain if was broken, but = all the teeth on that side were loose, trying not to laugh. "The = field!!" he suddenly yelped. It was falling on Dalton. "QUEST!!!" he screamed, as the flowing diamonds began to slice through = his boots. The scientist leapt, grabbing his wrists and tugging for his = life. Amanda fell in immediately, extending her probes. His feet were = already dissolved, as his calves were on fire. She did not have healer's = training, nor the talent her mother had. The very best she hoped for was = to slip her fields over the wounds, fast enough, so they could pull this = marine free. But the jauntway field corona cut her probes off a critical = centimeters from the edge. "QUEST!!! KID!!! GET ME OUTTA----" The field = flashed up his thighs, his screaming became more frantic, and = incoherent. "QUESSTTT!!" he gave one last banshee wail, as the leaning = tendrils began snapping at them. "Let him go!" Quest leapt back. "But---" Amanda protested, seeing that Dalton was still breathing, and = muttering, even though he was half consumed. "He's already dead, dear," Quest glanced away, as he grabbed her limp = arm. "Come on, run for your life!!" **************************************************************** The spark of his consciousness finally eked through the thick layers of = shock, anesthesia and whatever other painkiller cocktails the doctors = cared to inject into him since surgery. The dull ache thundering through = his body from his wounded shoulder served as proof to Race Bannon, that = he had been shot, again. Okay, it had been a few years since he had been = laid up like this, but at least he lived to talk about it. That was not a comfort to the former Company man. Just like the last = time he was taken down, the circumstances were plain stupid, which made = him angry. The stealth helicopters landed, emitting a special secret = division of US marines, not MIBs as he first feared. This Captain Dalton = naturally assumed command over the camp, over Doctor Quest's protests, = to secure the 'object'. Of course that flew smack against what Bannon = and Quest wanted to do, to search for the boys. The argument grew loud = between the scientist and the military man, which Race was trying to = soothe both, in Quest's favor. Then one of Dalton's men got an itchy = trigger finger, just when matters nearly deteriorated into a brawl. Bannon protectively swung in front of Doctor Quest and took the bullet = instead. He vaguely remembered Benton's worried eyes as he caught him = and lowered him onto the ground. Dalton was shouting for medics, then = demanded that Quest be immediately arrested for interfering with his = mission! "Real smart, Bannon!!" he mentally chastised, trying to relax in spite = of the faint smack of anapestic and the linen smell of bandages. "Doctor = Quest?" he hazard, upon hearing the faint stir of cloth at the foot of = his bed. "I'm afraid Doctor Quest isn't here, Mister Bannon." It had been years = since he heard that voice, the last time shortly after Doctor Quest = formally adopted Hadji, when he emerged out of the shadowy woodwork that = also housed the Men In Black. "General Damon," Race clutched his jaw, coolly regarding the middle aged = man, who still steadfastly refused to remove his London Fog trench coat. = Upon closer inspection, he realized that Damon appeared more haggard = than he should, but Bannon did not care a fig for the man's personal or = professional problems. He was simply interested in a few answers, for = Quest and the boys. Period. "What brings you to Death Valley?" "Doctor Quest's 'discovery', Mister Bannon," Damon's red lined eyes = dulled, as his arms fell to his sides. "Look I should've been with = Dalton, in the first place. If I was, you would not have been wounded, = and this mess would have been cleared up by now." "You weren't then," Race smirked. "And you are here now. What about = Doctor Quest's 'discovery', you're so interested in?" "I'll be blunt, Bannon. That ring may be a TP object, probably a = dangerous one." "Not my problem, Damon." "Oh, it may be, Mister Bannon. My men detected heat rising from the = ring, like it had been activated, but we know that only a Tomorrow = Person can activate it. Now, could Hadji do it??" A glacier stare was Race's answer. "Your assignment is to protect those kids, Bannon," Damon voice trembled = close to a plead. "Hadji being officially a TP would bring a lot of = wolves to your door---" "That's putting it nicely, sir." Bannon bit into each word. "Look, believe it or not, I'm just as interested in Jonny's and Hadji's = welfare as you are. If Hadji somehow activated that tunnel, even by = accident and they should fall into it --- they could wind up anywhere on = the planet!! They may even be dead right now!" Race's firm jaw lightly relaxed, for those were the very same worries = Doctor Quest voiced just before the helicopters touched down. He decided = to trust Damon, particularly if what he suspected was true, even if it = may turn out to be laying blame on an innocent girl. "Look, General, = there was this girl---" "A girl?!" Damon seized that bit of information like a starving man = would seize a sandwich. "Amanda Fairchild," Race confirmed, suddenly interested as to why Damon = would be this excited over a Tomorrow Person. No doubt a confirmed one = would give him kudos and perks galore, but somehow the general was too = desperate. "Did she just appear?" Damon gasped. "According to Jonny, just like the ghost of death," Bannon teased. = "Right in front of the RV." "This is not a joking matter, Bannon!!" Damon broke. "Look, I need a = full report on this Amanda Fairchild, ASAP!! You can give it to me on = the flight over." "Wait a minute, sir," Bannon interrupted. "I don't work for---" "I need you," Damon darkly seethed. "For the sake of all of those kids, = you do now!!" *********************************************************************** Doctor Quest shoved her into a petroleum powered vehicle he called a = jeep, activated the engine by tearing into its electrical system, then = pairing a couple of wires, which sharply sparkled. He ignored the = problem, depressing the right floor petal, causing the engine to revive. = The spewing partially burned hydrocarbons caused her to choke and = sneeze. "There must be alternatives to---" Amanda sputtered. "I'd love to discuss improving automotive mechanics, later, Amanda!" = Quest barked, over the building noise. She was aware of the mechanical = roar, and the skittering of pebbles under the squealing tires. Looking = through a mirror, Quest could see the steadily expanding horror. "I hope = we can outrun that!!" "Its rate of expansion is slowing---" Amanda was suddenly jolted as she = directly watched, and rudely slammed into her seat. "Put on you seat belt!" the scientist ordered, laying on speed, grabbing = a control stick between him and her. The jeep jumped, unseen gears = ground, as the vehicle raced into the approaching sunrise. Bracing herself tightly on the lumpy seat, Amanda observed him, staring, = stomping and moving that stick around, while muttering about the damned = transmission, and wiggle into a safety harness. Slowly, as she figured = out the safety harness, and slid it over her shoulder and across her = lap, Amanda came to realize that Doctor Quest was an amazing scientist, = but driving these primitive belching vehicles was not his forte. He simply lacked her father's nearly magical touch with mechanical = objects. Dad would often take out his antique Bentley, and lovingly told = her about each shinny piece, and how it all worked. Of course, Amanda = was more interested in the family's skiff, but she learned a lot from = the antique motor-car. She also perceived that Quest was also = frightened, blinding driving to escape, and still scared of her. Amanda = hunkered down, and privately stewed. After an hour of directionless running, and equally boring observation, = the jeep began to heave and sputter. "It's dying," Amanda pointed out, = quietly. "Nonsense," Quest defended, yanking and stomping. "We're nearly out of = gas, that's all!" "Then it's normal, sir, for it to shed its pieces?" "NO!" he shouted, no longer finding Amanda's otherworldliness 'cute'. He = managed an apologetic glance, just as the engine chugged twice, then = stumbled and become still, the radiator hissing. Fuming to himself, he = swung out of the vehicle, grabbing his jacket to cover his hands, then = popped the forward cover. As he was encased in escaping steam, Doctor = Quest said, "Now it's dead!" Slamming down the cover, he stared at the = horizon. Amanda lifted the bonnet, or that's what her father would call the part, = and peered through the steam. Alarmingly, this jeep's engine was more or = less a grimy copy of his Bentley. "Mandy, be careful," Quest hopelessly = sighed, not wanting to dampen the child's curiosity. "The pistons are seized up," she diagnosed. "I'm afraid the transmission = gears are shot, and the radiator has at least one hole---" "Do you know the number for the intergalactic auto club?" Quest lightly = teased. Amanda puzzled a moment, then hopelessly gazed back into the oily jumble = that used to be a six cylinder engine. "Given time and the proper = supplies, I think I can fix this." Quest threw her an astonished glare. "You didn't know what a jeep was, = and now you can repair it??" "This vehicle is remarkably similar to my father's Bentley," Amanda = meekly smiled, retracting her mental touch from the red hot engine = block. "If anything, its more primitive---" "Bentleys are the caviar of the automotive world, but how? Never mind, = Mandy," he shook his head no. "Right now, we've got bigger problems." Bandit hopped out of the back seat, and sleepily yawned. Then sniffed = around for his bowl. "Food, water and shelter are our primary concerns, = Amanda. Also I rank explanations fairly high among them." "Yes, sir," she anxiously bit into her lip. "I guess I should tell you = why I ran away from the Galactic Trig." "That would be good, but I want to know just what happened to Jonny and = Hadji, first." ************************************************************************ It took longer for General Damon to pull the proper strings to release = Roger Bannon from the Death Valley Community Hospital, than either man = cared for. For the most part, Damon was hooked to his cellular = telephone, ducking around corners and into offices for privacy. Race = managed to 'overhear' a snatch of a particularly heated exchange, and = that dealt with a divorce lawyer. After he flipped the phone shut, = Damon's glare to the Bannon was absolutely venomous, yet he did not give = the slightest hint nor did Race wanted to hear it. Yet an approaching = demise to Damon's marriage did partially explain the man's rumbled = demeanor, demolishing his usual professional dispatch and cool. "There = is something more," Race could not help but think as the two jogged = across the tarmac to the waiting 'copter. The men were shadowed by two = others, in dark suits, one was trying to balance an oversized sketch = pad, against the blades' downdraft. "You know you can do that on computers these days," Bannon dug. "Sir." "I know," Damon rolled his eyes. "But Johnson is the best at what he = does, but he can't use a computer. What I want you to do is to describe = Amanda as clearly as you can, as well as hold her image in your = thoughts." "But---" feeling the hair on the back of his stiff neck bristle, Bannon = turned to size up the quiet Johnson. The lanky young man was fairly = nondescript, except his arms and legs appeared too long and too pale for = his Sears black business suit. Beneath the tidy short black hair, his = owlish face was pale, with a smattering of teenage pimples that were = only now clearing away. It was Johnson's glinting eyes that gave it away = to Bannon, for they were a brilliant gold, flecked with emerald. They = used to call them improved, another 'joke' that turned out to be all too = real. The Telepaths were directly connected to the MIB, a few whispered = that they were specially bred during the cold war. "Johnson's second generation," Damon's open smile chilled him. "Come on = Elliott, lets get this egg beater in the air!!" ************************************************************************ "When Professor Galt stepped up to me, I felt so polluted by his = presence, I got angry," Amanda explained as they trudged together. "He has the same effect, on a lot of people," Quest clutched his sore = jaw hard. According to the lost Tomorrow Person, his find might have = directly lead to the legendary Ship, of which he had only scattered = hints of its existence. Jonny had shown her, but Amanda took it upon = herself to switch it on, with the intention of shutting down the hoop = safely. When Bandit got a little too close, the boy over reacted and = fell into it. Naturally Amanda and Hadji followed him through the rabbit = hole. There were sharks and a hard swim into safety, but really all that = was an adventurous lark for his teenagers. He would have found her = report pleasant, even funny, if the Ship had not been stolen away and a = trap laid for anyone reaching the island. "The professor had the = pretense to tell me that if I was good, I would be reunited with my = precious Ship! Doctor Quest, I jaunted away, in the vain hope of finding = help---" "It's okay, Amanda," he nudged her. "At least we know where they are --- = or were. If that ring had not ruptured the tunnel." "Sir," her brown eyes shimmered in tears. "I'm responsible for that as = well. The hoop was already hopelessly damaged and out of balance. I = didn't want anybody else to --- activate it and likely get killed..." "So you took it upon yourself to self destruct it," Quest measured his = words and feelings, rubbing the blossoming headache with his fingertips. = "Amanda, Amanda ---" Not only had he lost one of the greatest finds of = his life, but he also lost the only direct chance of rescuing Jonny and = Hadji. Amanda twitched like an attentive rabbit, then lowered her eyes, for she = had reached the same conclusions. "You're upset---" ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9166.EEA13FE0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part 7/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People = and Jonny=20 Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy = write=20 holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television=20 are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no infringement on=20 copyright. In an illogical action, the snarling brute lunged at the scientist. = Grabbing=20 him by the shirt's lapels, the Captain bellowed. "You are still = under=20 arrest, Doctor Quest!!" "Don't be a FOOL!!" he garbled. "That field disrupts=20 everything it ---" "YOUR DIRTY TRINKET DID THIS TO ME AN MY MEN!!" Dalton = charged,=20 pulling his fist back. Guilt stabbed at the Tomorrow Person, for if she = did not=20 set off the self-destruct, none of this would have happened. Dalton = smashed her=20 benefactor in his handsome bearded face. "AND YOU SHALL = PAY!!" The impact was hard enough to tear his shirt, as Quest staggered back = a step.=20 Wiping the blood flowing from his mouth and nose, his kind eyes blazed = in such=20 violence, Amanda screamed, and jumped between the two combatants.=20 "NO!!!" Quest swatted her out of the way, just as Dalton flew = at him=20 again. The two were punching, kicking and rolling, with such = fascinating, yet=20 very repugnant savageness. Amanda's old picture books had photographs = from=20 boxing matches, the pain and injuries were just as real and distant. = This fight=20 was before her, with no rules. Doctor Quest finally clamored back on his = feet,=20 as did Dalton. "You're no egghead sissy!!" He panted = raggedly. "Look Dalton," Quest dropped his warrior's stance. "You're dead wrong," Dalton growled as he lunged. This = time, Quest=20 caught the punch, checked his body and tossed him over his knee. Dalton = heavily=20 crashed a meter behind them, slipping into unconsciousness. "He's a marine," he cracked a crooked smile at the dazed=20 adolescent. "A marine what?" Amanda blinked innocently. Quest pressed against his bruising jaw, not certain if was broken, = but all=20 the teeth on that side were loose, trying not to laugh. "The = field!!"=20 he suddenly yelped. It was falling on Dalton. "QUEST!!!" he screamed, as the flowing diamonds began to = slice=20 through his boots. The scientist leapt, grabbing his wrists and tugging = for his=20 life. Amanda fell in immediately, extending her probes. His feet were = already=20 dissolved, as his calves were on fire. She did not have healer's = training, nor=20 the talent her mother had. The very best she hoped for was to slip her = fields=20 over the wounds, fast enough, so they could pull this marine free. But = the=20 jauntway field corona cut her probes off a critical centimeters from the = edge.=20 "QUEST!!! KID!!! GET ME OUTTA----" The field flashed up his = thighs,=20 his screaming became more frantic, and incoherent. = "QUESSTTT!!" he=20 gave one last banshee wail, as the leaning tendrils began snapping at = them.=20 "Let him go!" Quest leapt back. "But---" Amanda protested, seeing that Dalton was still = breathing,=20 and muttering, even though he was half consumed. "He's already dead, dear," Quest glanced away, as he = grabbed her=20 limp arm. "Come on, run for your life!!" **************************************************************** The spark of his consciousness finally eked through the thick layers = of=20 shock, anesthesia and whatever other painkiller cocktails the doctors = cared to=20 inject into him since surgery. The dull ache thundering through his body = from=20 his wounded shoulder served as proof to Race Bannon, that he had been = shot,=20 again. Okay, it had been a few years since he had been laid up like = this, but at=20 least he lived to talk about it. That was not a comfort to the former Company man. Just like the last = time he=20 was taken down, the circumstances were plain stupid, which made him = angry. The=20 stealth helicopters landed, emitting a special secret division of US = marines,=20 not MIBs as he first feared. This Captain Dalton naturally assumed = command over=20 the camp, over Doctor Quest's protests, to secure the 'object'. Of = course that=20 flew smack against what Bannon and Quest wanted to do, to search for the = boys.=20 The argument grew loud between the scientist and the military man, which = Race=20 was trying to soothe both, in Quest's favor. Then one of Dalton's men = got an=20 itchy trigger finger, just when matters nearly deteriorated into a = brawl. Bannon protectively swung in front of Doctor Quest and took the = bullet=20 instead. He vaguely remembered Benton's worried eyes as he caught him = and=20 lowered him onto the ground. Dalton was shouting for medics, then = demanded that=20 Quest be immediately arrested for interfering with his mission! "Real smart, Bannon!!" he mentally chastised, trying to = relax in=20 spite of the faint smack of anapestic and the linen smell of bandages.=20 "Doctor Quest?" he hazard, upon hearing the faint stir of = cloth at the=20 foot of his bed. "I'm afraid Doctor Quest isn't here, Mister Bannon." It had = been=20 years since he heard that voice, the last time shortly after Doctor = Quest=20 formally adopted Hadji, when he emerged out of the shadowy woodwork that = also=20 housed the Men In Black. "General Damon," Race clutched his jaw, coolly regarding = the middle=20 aged man, who still steadfastly refused to remove his London Fog trench = coat.=20 Upon closer inspection, he realized that Damon appeared more haggard = than he=20 should, but Bannon did not care a fig for the man's personal or = professional=20 problems. He was simply interested in a few answers, for Quest and the = boys.=20 Period. "What brings you to Death Valley?" "Doctor Quest's 'discovery', Mister Bannon," Damon's red = lined eyes=20 dulled, as his arms fell to his sides. "Look I should've been with = Dalton,=20 in the first place. If I was, you would not have been wounded, and this = mess=20 would have been cleared up by now." "You weren't then," Race smirked. "And you are here = now. What=20 about Doctor Quest's 'discovery', you're so interested in?" "I'll be blunt, Bannon. That ring may be a TP object, probably a = dangerous one." "Not my problem, Damon." "Oh, it may be, Mister Bannon. My men detected heat rising from = the=20 ring, like it had been activated, but we know that only a Tomorrow = Person can=20 activate it. Now, could Hadji do it??" A glacier stare was Race's answer. "Your assignment is to protect those kids, Bannon," Damon = voice=20 trembled close to a plead. "Hadji being officially a TP would bring = a lot=20 of wolves to your door---" "That's putting it nicely, sir." Bannon bit into each = word. "Look, believe it or not, I'm just as interested in Jonny's and = Hadji's=20 welfare as you are. If Hadji somehow activated that tunnel, even by = accident and=20 they should fall into it --- they could wind up anywhere on the planet!! = They=20 may even be dead right now!" Race's firm jaw lightly relaxed, for those were the very same worries = Doctor=20 Quest voiced just before the helicopters touched down. He decided to = trust=20 Damon, particularly if what he suspected was true, even if it may turn = out to be=20 laying blame on an innocent girl. "Look, General, there was this=20 girl---" "A girl?!" Damon seized that bit of information like a = starving man=20 would seize a sandwich. "Amanda Fairchild," Race confirmed, suddenly interested as = to why=20 Damon would be this excited over a Tomorrow Person. No doubt a confirmed = one=20 would give him kudos and perks galore, but somehow the general was too=20 desperate. "Did she just appear?" Damon gasped. "According to Jonny, just like the ghost of death," Bannon = teased.=20 "Right in front of the RV." "This is not a joking matter, Bannon!!" Damon broke. = "Look, I=20 need a full report on this Amanda Fairchild, ASAP!! You can give it to = me on the=20 flight over." "Wait a minute, sir," Bannon interrupted. "I don't = work=20 for---" "I need you," Damon darkly seethed. "For the sake of = all of=20 those kids, you do now!!" **********************************************************************= * Doctor Quest shoved her into a petroleum powered vehicle he called a = jeep,=20 activated the engine by tearing into its electrical system, then pairing = a=20 couple of wires, which sharply sparkled. He ignored the problem, = depressing the=20 right floor petal, causing the engine to revive. The spewing partially = burned=20 hydrocarbons caused her to choke and sneeze. "There must be = alternatives=20 to---" Amanda sputtered. "I'd love to discuss improving automotive mechanics, later,=20 Amanda!" Quest barked, over the building noise. She was aware of = the=20 mechanical roar, and the skittering of pebbles under the squealing = tires.=20 Looking through a mirror, Quest could see the steadily expanding horror. = "I=20 hope we can outrun that!!" "Its rate of expansion is slowing---" Amanda was suddenly = jolted as=20 she directly watched, and rudely slammed into her seat. "Put on you seat belt!" the scientist ordered, laying on = speed,=20 grabbing a control stick between him and her. The jeep jumped, unseen = gears=20 ground, as the vehicle raced into the approaching sunrise. Bracing herself tightly on the lumpy seat, Amanda observed him, = staring,=20 stomping and moving that stick around, while muttering about the damned=20 transmission, and wiggle into a safety harness. Slowly, as she figured = out the=20 safety harness, and slid it over her shoulder and across her lap, Amanda = came to=20 realize that Doctor Quest was an amazing scientist, but driving these = primitive=20 belching vehicles was not his forte. He simply lacked her father's nearly magical touch with mechanical = objects.=20 Dad would often take out his antique Bentley, and lovingly told her = about each=20 shinny piece, and how it all worked. Of course, Amanda was more = interested in=20 the family's skiff, but she learned a lot from the antique motor-car. = She also=20 perceived that Quest was also frightened, blinding driving to escape, = and still=20 scared of her. Amanda hunkered down, and privately stewed. After an hour of directionless running, and equally boring = observation, the=20 jeep began to heave and sputter. "It's dying," Amanda pointed = out,=20 quietly. "Nonsense," Quest defended, yanking and stomping. = "We're=20 nearly out of gas, that's all!" "Then it's normal, sir, for it to shed its pieces?" "NO!" he shouted, no longer finding Amanda's = otherworldliness=20 'cute'. He managed an apologetic glance, just as the engine chugged = twice, then=20 stumbled and become still, the radiator hissing. Fuming to himself, he = swung out=20 of the vehicle, grabbing his jacket to cover his hands, then popped the = forward=20 cover. As he was encased in escaping steam, Doctor Quest said, "Now = it's=20 dead!" Slamming down the cover, he stared at the horizon. Amanda lifted the bonnet, or that's what her father would call the = part, and=20 peered through the steam. Alarmingly, this jeep's engine was more or = less a=20 grimy copy of his Bentley. "Mandy, be careful," Quest = hopelessly=20 sighed, not wanting to dampen the child's curiosity. "The pistons are seized up," she diagnosed. "I'm = afraid the=20 transmission gears are shot, and the radiator has at least one = hole---" "Do you know the number for the intergalactic auto club?" = Quest=20 lightly teased. Amanda puzzled a moment, then hopelessly gazed back into the oily = jumble that=20 used to be a six cylinder engine. "Given time and the proper = supplies, I=20 think I can fix this." Quest threw her an astonished glare. "You didn't know what a = jeep was,=20 and now you can repair it??" "This vehicle is remarkably similar to my father's = Bentley," Amanda=20 meekly smiled, retracting her mental touch from the red hot engine = block.=20 "If anything, its more primitive---" "Bentleys are the caviar of the automotive world, but how? Never = mind,=20 Mandy," he shook his head no. "Right now, we've got bigger=20 problems." Bandit hopped out of the back seat, and sleepily yawned. Then sniffed = around=20 for his bowl. "Food, water and shelter are our primary concerns, = Amanda.=20 Also I rank explanations fairly high among them." "Yes, sir," she anxiously bit into her lip. "I guess I = should=20 tell you why I ran away from the Galactic Trig." "That would be good, but I want to know just what happened to = Jonny and=20 Hadji, first." **********************************************************************= ** It took longer for General Damon to pull the proper strings to = release Roger=20 Bannon from the Death Valley Community Hospital, than either man cared = for. For=20 the most part, Damon was hooked to his cellular telephone, ducking = around=20 corners and into offices for privacy. Race managed to 'overhear' a = snatch of a=20 particularly heated exchange, and that dealt with a divorce lawyer. = After he=20 flipped the phone shut, Damon's glare to the Bannon was absolutely = venomous, yet=20 he did not give the slightest hint nor did Race wanted to hear it. Yet = an=20 approaching demise to Damon's marriage did partially explain the man's = rumbled=20 demeanor, demolishing his usual professional dispatch and cool. = "There is=20 something more," Race could not help but think as the two jogged = across the=20 tarmac to the waiting 'copter. The men were shadowed by two others, in = dark=20 suits, one was trying to balance an oversized sketch pad, against the = blades'=20 downdraft. "You know you can do that on computers these days," Bannon = dug.=20 "Sir." "I know," Damon rolled his eyes. "But Johnson is the = best at=20 what he does, but he can't use a computer. What I want you to do is to = describe=20 Amanda as clearly as you can, as well as hold her image in your=20 thoughts." "But---" feeling the hair on the back of his stiff neck = bristle,=20 Bannon turned to size up the quiet Johnson. The lanky young man was = fairly=20 nondescript, except his arms and legs appeared too long and too pale for = his=20 Sears black business suit. Beneath the tidy short black hair, his owlish = face=20 was pale, with a smattering of teenage pimples that were only now = clearing away.=20 It was Johnson's glinting eyes that gave it away to Bannon, for they = were a=20 brilliant gold, flecked with emerald. They used to call them improved, = another=20 'joke' that turned out to be all too real. The Telepaths were directly = connected=20 to the MIB, a few whispered that they were specially bred during the = cold=20 war. "Johnson's second generation," Damon's open smile chilled = him.=20 "Come on Elliott, lets get this egg beater in the air!!" **********************************************************************= ** "When Professor Galt stepped up to me, I felt so polluted by his = presence, I got angry," Amanda explained as they trudged = together. "He has the same effect, on a lot of people," Quest = clutched his=20 sore jaw hard. According to the lost Tomorrow Person, his find might = have=20 directly lead to the legendary Ship, of which he had only scattered = hints of its=20 existence. Jonny had shown her, but Amanda took it upon herself to = switch it on,=20 with the intention of shutting down the hoop safely. When Bandit got a = little=20 too close, the boy over reacted and fell into it. Naturally Amanda and = Hadji=20 followed him through the rabbit hole. There were sharks and a hard swim = into=20 safety, but really all that was an adventurous lark for his teenagers. = He would=20 have found her report pleasant, even funny, if the Ship had not been = stolen away=20 and a trap laid for anyone reaching the island. "The professor had = the=20 pretense to tell me that if I was good, I would be reunited with my = precious=20 Ship! Doctor Quest, I jaunted away, in the vain hope of finding=20 help---" "It's okay, Amanda," he nudged her. "At least we know = where=20 they are --- or were. If that ring had not ruptured the = tunnel." "Sir," her brown eyes shimmered in tears. "I'm = responsible for=20 that as well. The hoop was already hopelessly damaged and out of = balance. I=20 didn't want anybody else to --- activate it and likely get = killed..." "So you took it upon yourself to self destruct it," Quest = measured=20 his words and feelings, rubbing the blossoming headache with his = fingertips.=20 "Amanda, Amanda ---" Not only had he lost one of the greatest = finds of=20 his life, but he also lost the only direct chance of rescuing Jonny and=20 Hadji. Amanda twitched like an attentive rabbit, then lowered her eyes, for = she had=20 reached the same conclusions. "You're=20 upset---"</DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9166.EEA13FE0-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize part 8/20 re-revised Date: 19 Mar 2000 05:57:41 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9168.0A021C40 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part 8/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People and = Jonny Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy write = holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no = infringement on copyright. "I am, Amanda," Quest gave her a half hug. "But I am beginning to = understand why you did it. Now tell me why did you runaway from home?" "I ran away to home," Amanda firmly corrected. "My parents are from = Earth. I was born here. Mega, a Tomorrow Person from Earth, nearly died, = in an attempt to get for his people." She slowly shook her head, it was = true, but only partially so. Her parents would never settle for half = truths, nor would him. "Doctor Quest, even though I lived on the Trig = for most of my life, I never considered it home. The Galactic Trig has = its wonders and delights, but it isn't like the Earth---" She slowed and = lightly gasped, as a girlish grin spread. "What is it Amanda?" Doctor Quest squinted against the sun, having to = place his palm between it and his eyes. There was something, for the sun = seemed to be bubbling, releasing playful orbs and arches across its = burning halo. An illusion? Solar flares? Then to his astonishment, he = recognized them. "They're ALIVE! And They're coming back!' she nearly giggled. "The = Starseer is coming for us, Doctor Quest!!" "Are they willing to help?" he swallowed nervously. "Yes, for the Starseer brought me to Earth!'' Like a joyful fawn, Amanda = shot off through the dry grass, waving her arms and yelling, Alice, = ALICE!!! Benton's heart skipped a beat, before he chased after the star girl, = musing on how small the universe could be. Alice Starseer was also his = family's friend. He was too caught with the dancing orbs, to notice the = faint whir of a highly efficient and silent hydrogen fusion engine. = There had only been one such ground vehicle built from beyond top secret = designs and supplies. On its first field trial, the shimmering bullet = shaped thing served far more exemplary than its designer and engineer = imagined. A lifting portal broke the seamless, and windowless side, as = it softly whirled onto its cushion of air. A black uniformed man swung = out, clutching a modern, but mundane high powered rife. He did not = bother to remove his eye concealing sunglasses, as he scooped out the = two humans running toward the bogies. ******************************************************************* "What in the hell happened??" General Damon gasped, as their helicopter = topped the final hill. "It looks like a powerful bomb took out the camp!" Race raised his = voice, his eyes following the concentric circle ridges, before they = faded three hundred yards into the desert. Another five hundred yards = from the last ring, stood a small collection of tents, with isolation = suited men milling about them. "It appears that this is a level three isolation area, General Damon," = Elliott reported in his dull monotone. "Then land us as close to the new camp as possible, Elliott," Damon = barked. "Johnson, is that sketch done??" "Yes sir," he had a soft whinny voice. "Just doing the final touches = now. Mister Bannon, you are a very hard person to read." "Thank you," Race couldn't preen, for he was too worried about Doctor = Quest. If his scientist friend was down there when the bomb went off... Suddenly, he realized, it might not have been a bomb. The camp under strict isolation caused more picky troubles for the = arriving men. They had to land another five hundred yards from the = current outpost, then clamor into the stifling yellow contamination = suits, seal them, then lumber across the uneven desert floor. "The men = are still running radiation counts," General Damon tried to sound = encouraging. "These are simply precautionary measures." "I'm more interested in Doctor Quest, General," Bannon felt a timid tap = through the plastic. "Sir, is this young Miss Fairchild?" Johnson = timidly brandished his pad. Race just took a cursory glance, and was about to say yes to be rid of = the fellow, when he gasped, and took the pad from his grasp. "Hey!" the telepathic artist yelped in surprised protest. The 'sketch' of Amanda as perfect as a digital black and white = photograph of the girl, including that touch of nameless creepiness = about her wide, piercing eyes. "That's her!" Race pronounced, handing = Damon the book, who simply hissed. "I want this on the uplink = immediately Johnson!" "Yes sir! I hope I captured her well, sirs. She's got the Shire blood = and that's hard to capture with---" "Johnson," Damon grumbled impatiently. "The uplink, now!" "Yes sir!" he tottled back to his equally mysterious companion who = cradled the lap top computer like his own infant son. "Amanda Fairchild isn't just any Tomorrow Person, Benton," the General = explained, shuttling the agent toward the encampment. "She's the = daughter of John and Heather Fairchild!" "Am I supposed to be impressed, sir?" "Mister Bannon, John Fairchild was the very first Tomorrow Person we = know of to have survived the breaking out process! He assumed leadership = of the first wave of Tomorrow People when he was sixteen, financing his = emerging people out of his own pocket, with his own inventions!" "So?" "The long and short of it, John Fairchild invented the process to mass = produce the silicon chips, which are now in every calculator and PC on = this planet. He also holds patents for micromanaging molecules --- = things people back in the seventies thought were useless, that we are = only discovering valuable uses for! The man's a scientific genius to = rival your Doctor Quest, or would have been, if somehow he could have = stayed on this planet. Hard to tell what John's come up with since his = immigration --- for them!" "Now you're starting sound like the General Damon I know," Race = commented. "The loss of the Tomorrow People is incalculable to this world, Mister = Bannon," Damon pressed on. "I'm only beginning to understand just by how = much. Amanda's mother --- Heather Shire, was the last of an ancient = family, who guarded the secrets of the world, which we are starting to = stumble into, like that infinity hoop Quest dug up. A Shire would have = stopped him somehow and hid the device where no one could find it!" "Sounds rather hawkish of them." Race raised his sweeping eyebrows in = disbelief. "Race, this is never to be repeated. Most of our knowledge of the = Tomorrow People is indirect, for most of the paper trail lead to the = Shires. job of keeping the family clean, back in the early eighties, and = then dead ends. We do have proof that John Fairchild married Heather = Shire, and they had a daughter. Apparently, six months after Amanda's = birth, the Tomorrow People deliberately destroyed a decades long = American experiment and fled." "Oh, what were *we* doing?" Damon's jaw firmed, as he flirtively glanced away. "Eugenics, Bannon. = Let's say we got more than just TPs out of the program. Remember, you = didn't hear me vent my spleen, Mister Bannon." "Yes sir," he grimly smiled, at a striding fellow in a yellow isolation = suit. From this distance, he looked like Doctor Quest. "You've taken a = lot off of my mind in regards to Amanda Fairchild." 'Now I've gotta = convince the good Doctor Quest that she's simply too dangerous to have = around. Particularly around Hadji.' Meeting the soulful eyes of the = bearded scientist Bannon felt as if he was suddenly stabbed. He was not Quest. "General Damon," he signaled. "You wanted to see these upon landing. = Here are the primary radiation reports from the leading edge to the core = event." Damon scanned the hand written figures, as the breeze rifled the yellow = sheets. "From background normal to mildly hot at the center. We better = keep these bunny suits on gentlemen." "Where's Doctor Quest?" Race peered into the fellow's Spanish features. "Sir, no one has seen Doctor Quest since last night. He might have been = one of the causalities like Captain Dalton." "What happened to Dalton??" Damon pressured. "Er---the energy field cut him in half, sir," the scientist's eyes = darted nervously. "We found what was left of his skeleton between areas = two and three. If anyone was caught in areas one or two there --- aren't = even any remains. Dust to dust---" he slowly shook his head no. "Look, Doctor Santosa, I want to see that causality list, yesterday!" "Si --er yes General!" he blanched then trotted into the nearest tent. = Through the flap he disappeared through, a smaller gentleman strode out. = From his pace and confidence, Race automatically recognized him as a = military man. Damon grabbed the clipboard from under his arm even before = he stopped. "Thank you, lieutenant," he nodded without looking up from the sheets. Upon closer inspection of the nondescript lumps and folds of the clumsy = suit, Race suddenly realized that the man was actually a female. Peering = through the steamed up face plate, he startled. Judging from her dusky = features, full lips and exotic eyes, a rather attractive one, if she was = not so confined. "Race Bannon, this is Lieutenant Kwaii," Damon rotated = his hand in introduction, continuing his reading. She nodded, "Mister Bannon." "Lieutenant Kwaii," Race stuck to the formalities of the moment. "What = about---?" "Why is there a question mark by Doctor Quest's name?" Damon suddenly = interrupted. "And who is this girl intruder?" "This morning, at O-two-hundred, at the height of the 'event' rumor has = it that Doctor Quest was sighted stealing one of our jeeps, General," = Kwaii answered smoothly. "He was reported in the presence of a young or = teenaged girl. Her height was approximated at five ten, weight maybe = hundred fifteen." "Did she look like the TP?" "I was studying the file, as you arrived, General Damon," Kwaii = confirmed. "I did not witness Doctor Quest's escape or see the girl, but = I believe she matches the descriptions." "Find me the witnesses and make certain. Then I want search teams put = out into the desert, for a widespread but thorough search." "Yes General," with a smart salute she turned on her bulky boot heel and = strode back to her milling command.=20 "I hope they're still out there," Damon impatiently tapped his palm with = the clipboard. "They should be, unless Amanda teleported herself and = Doctor Quest someplace else, and if that's true--- Tell me Mister = Bannon, what was their relationship like?" "Relationship??" Race blinked. "They like each other --- I guess. Doctor = Quest seemed interested in her, but being a paraphenomenolist, he'd be = interested in any Tomorrow People he'd come across. Of course the boys = ---" Race shook his head no. "How old are Jonny and Hadji these days?" Damon asked in an almost = conversational tone. "Jonny's fourteen and counting the days until he can get a learner's = permit. Hadji's sixteen, and acting between ten and sixty." "Megabyte's fifteen. Right in the middle of the impossible years!" "Megabyte?" Race nudged. "He's really into computers these days?" "And hates his given name, Marmaduke more each day," Damon heavily = groaned from his heart. "We got kind of close for awhile after he --- = but my job kept getting in the way. I take it Jonny and Hadji really = liked her." "To put it mildly. I never saw those two try so hard to impress a girl = before," Race chuckled. "Oh, if my daughter Jess saw those two flirt, = first she'd laugh then get very suspicious." Which was how he felt from = the moment he saw her huddled in the back of the clothes closet. "Just = how dangerous can Amanda be?" "I honestly don't know, not until I can talk to her," was a very strange = answer from the General. "She could be charming the boys and not even = realize that she's doing it. She could also be charming Doctor Quest..." "I brought that up, but he didn't believe me." "Most victims of empathic charming deny its effect, but I've seen it = used and abused. Come on Bannon, I want to check out the event core." ************************************************************************ The trek across the scorched desert floor was short, but hot. Area = three, where the broken slabs were faint, there were still bits of = wilted grass and scrub still standing. At the boarder between area two = and three, the remaining plant life was rudely sliced off. Race stepped = over a halved cactus, and shivered about how they found Dalton. The = barren ground that made up area two was iron hard, as it broke into a = grossly enlarged spoke replica of the original stone ring, although the = sections did not contain the emblems. Area one was simply a blast zone, = with charred black lines exploding from the very epicenter. "It almost = looks like a nuclear device took this place out." "Santosa approximated that the 'event' had the power of a half megaton = blast," the general grimly reported. "The radiation profiles seem to = approximate a neutron explosion." Walking through the devastation, the = two men remained pensively silent. "This is it, Mister Bannon," Damon pointed at the jumble of broken slabs = at their boots. "That's the epicenter." "And what's left of the infinity hoop, Doctor Quest found," Race = stooped. "Infinity Hoop?" "That's what Doctor Quest officially called it," Bannon sighed, snagging = up a section with a hint of a figure eight glyph on its blasted surface. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," the General stopped him. "Not only = is it radioactive, it's our evidence now." "And useless anyway, sir." He smacked his hands as he stood up. "Are you sure that's the ring?" Damon asked in confirmation. "Yes sir," Race sadly sighed, now knowing what he long suspected. "If = properly activated, what should have happened?" "My scientists aren't certain, but they theorize a stable wormhole could = form. A gateway that could take you anywhere on this planet, if not off = of it." "I don't think Hadji would have opened it, sir." Race reported. "Since = Doctor Quest discovered it, he was a little leery of it. After the first = time he touched it, he wouldn't even---" "What happened when he touched it?" Damon asked. "Doctor Quest called it a plasma field. Whatever the yellow glow was, it = covered Hadji's hand to the knuckles. When he yanked away, he got zapped = by quite an electrical shock," Bannon stuck to the physical description. = "No, I think Amanda opened the gateway, either to prove something to the = boys or Jonny simply badgered her into doing it." "What kids do ---" Damon was interrupted by a faint buzz from within his = suit. "I thought I told them to hold my calls!!" ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9168.0A021C40 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part 8/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People = and Jonny=20 Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy = write=20 holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television=20 are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no infringement on=20 copyright. "I am, Amanda," Quest gave her a half hug. "But I am = beginning=20 to understand why you did it. Now tell me why did you runaway from=20 home?" "I ran away to home," Amanda firmly corrected. "My = parents are=20 from Earth. I was born here. Mega, a Tomorrow Person from Earth, nearly = died, in=20 an attempt to get for his people." She slowly shook her head, it = was true,=20 but only partially so. Her parents would never settle for half truths, = nor would=20 him. "Doctor Quest, even though I lived on the Trig for most of my = life, I=20 never considered it home. The Galactic Trig has its wonders and = delights, but it=20 isn't like the Earth---" She slowed and lightly gasped, as a = girlish grin=20 spread. "What is it Amanda?" Doctor Quest squinted against the sun, = having=20 to place his palm between it and his eyes. There was something, for the = sun=20 seemed to be bubbling, releasing playful orbs and arches across its = burning=20 halo. An illusion? Solar flares? Then to his astonishment, he recognized = them. "They're ALIVE! And They're coming back!' she nearly giggled. = "The=20 Starseer is coming for us, Doctor Quest!!" "Are they willing to help?" he swallowed nervously. "Yes, for the Starseer brought me to Earth!'' Like a joyful = fawn, Amanda=20 shot off through the dry grass, waving her arms and yelling, Alice, = ALICE!!! Benton's heart skipped a beat, before he chased after the star girl, = musing=20 on how small the universe could be. Alice Starseer was also his family's = friend.=20 He was too caught with the dancing orbs, to notice the faint whir of a = highly=20 efficient and silent hydrogen fusion engine. There had only been one = such ground=20 vehicle built from beyond top secret designs and supplies. On its first = field=20 trial, the shimmering bullet shaped thing served far more exemplary than = its=20 designer and engineer imagined. A lifting portal broke the seamless, and = windowless side, as it softly whirled onto its cushion of air. A black = uniformed=20 man swung out, clutching a modern, but mundane high powered rife. He did = not=20 bother to remove his eye concealing sunglasses, as he scooped out the = two humans=20 running toward the bogies. *******************************************************************</P= > "What in the hell happened??" General Damon gasped, as = their=20 helicopter topped the final hill. "It looks like a powerful bomb took out the camp!" Race = raised his=20 voice, his eyes following the concentric circle ridges, before they = faded three=20 hundred yards into the desert. Another five hundred yards from the last = ring,=20 stood a small collection of tents, with isolation suited men milling = about=20 them. "It appears that this is a level three isolation area, General=20 Damon," Elliott reported in his dull monotone. "Then land us as close to the new camp as possible, = Elliott," Damon=20 barked. "Johnson, is that sketch done??" "Yes sir," he had a soft whinny voice. "Just doing the = final=20 touches now. Mister Bannon, you are a very hard person to = read." "Thank you," Race couldn't preen, for he was too worried = about=20 Doctor Quest. If his scientist friend was down there when the bomb went=20 off... Suddenly, he realized, it might not have been a bomb. The camp under strict isolation caused more picky troubles for the = arriving=20 men. They had to land another five hundred yards from the current = outpost, then=20 clamor into the stifling yellow contamination suits, seal them, then = lumber=20 across the uneven desert floor. "The men are still running = radiation=20 counts," General Damon tried to sound encouraging. "These are = simply=20 precautionary measures." "I'm more interested in Doctor Quest, General," Bannon felt = a timid=20 tap through the plastic. "Sir, is this young Miss Fairchild?" = Johnson=20 timidly brandished his pad. Race just took a cursory glance, and was about to say yes to be rid = of the=20 fellow, when he gasped, and took the pad from his grasp. "Hey!" the telepathic artist yelped in surprised = protest. The 'sketch' of Amanda as perfect as a digital black and white = photograph of=20 the girl, including that touch of nameless creepiness about her wide, = piercing=20 eyes. "That's her!" Race pronounced, handing Damon the book, = who=20 simply hissed. "I want this on the uplink immediately = Johnson!" "Yes sir! I hope I captured her well, sirs. She's got the Shire = blood=20 and that's hard to capture with---" "Johnson," Damon grumbled impatiently. "The uplink,=20 now!" "Yes sir!" he tottled back to his equally mysterious = companion who=20 cradled the lap top computer like his own infant son. "Amanda Fairchild isn't just any Tomorrow Person, Benton," = the=20 General explained, shuttling the agent toward the encampment. = "She's the=20 daughter of John and Heather Fairchild!" "Am I supposed to be impressed, sir?" "Mister Bannon, John Fairchild was the very first Tomorrow = Person we=20 know of to have survived the breaking out process! He assumed leadership = of the=20 first wave of Tomorrow People when he was sixteen, financing his = emerging people=20 out of his own pocket, with his own inventions!" "So?" "The long and short of it, John Fairchild invented the process = to mass=20 produce the silicon chips, which are now in every calculator and PC on = this=20 planet. He also holds patents for micromanaging molecules --- things = people back=20 in the seventies thought were useless, that we are only discovering = valuable=20 uses for! The man's a scientific genius to rival your Doctor Quest, or = would=20 have been, if somehow he could have stayed on this planet. Hard to tell = what=20 John's come up with since his immigration --- for them!" "Now you're starting sound like the General Damon I know," = Race=20 commented. "The loss of the Tomorrow People is incalculable to this world, = Mister=20 Bannon," Damon pressed on. "I'm only beginning to understand = just by=20 how much. Amanda's mother --- Heather Shire, was the last of an ancient = family,=20 who guarded the secrets of the world, which we are starting to stumble = into,=20 like that infinity hoop Quest dug up. A Shire would have stopped him = somehow and=20 hid the device where no one could find it!" "Sounds rather hawkish of them." Race raised his sweeping = eyebrows=20 in disbelief. "Race, this is never to be repeated. Most of our knowledge of = the=20 Tomorrow People is indirect, for most of the paper trail lead to the = Shires. job=20 of keeping the family clean, back in the early eighties, and then dead = ends. We=20 do have proof that John Fairchild married Heather Shire, and they had a=20 daughter. Apparently, six months after Amanda's birth, the Tomorrow = People=20 deliberately destroyed a decades long American experiment and = fled." "Oh, what were *we* doing?" Damon's jaw firmed, as he flirtively glanced away. "Eugenics, = Bannon.=20 Let's say we got more than just TPs out of the program. Remember, you = didn't=20 hear me vent my spleen, Mister Bannon." "Yes sir," he grimly smiled, at a striding fellow in a = yellow=20 isolation suit. From this distance, he looked like Doctor Quest. = "You've=20 taken a lot off of my mind in regards to Amanda Fairchild." 'Now = I've gotta=20 convince the good Doctor Quest that she's simply too dangerous to have = around.=20 Particularly around Hadji.' Meeting the soulful eyes of the bearded = scientist=20 Bannon felt as if he was suddenly stabbed. He was not Quest. "General Damon," he signaled. "You wanted to see these = upon=20 landing. Here are the primary radiation reports from the leading edge to = the=20 core event." Damon scanned the hand written figures, as the breeze rifled the = yellow=20 sheets. "From background normal to mildly hot at the center. We = better keep=20 these bunny suits on gentlemen." "Where's Doctor Quest?" Race peered into the fellow's = Spanish=20 features. "Sir, no one has seen Doctor Quest since last night. He might = have been=20 one of the causalities like Captain Dalton." "What happened to Dalton??" Damon pressured. "Er---the energy field cut him in half, sir," the = scientist's eyes=20 darted nervously. "We found what was left of his skeleton between = areas two=20 and three. If anyone was caught in areas one or two there --- aren't = even any=20 remains. Dust to dust---" he slowly shook his head no. "Look, Doctor Santosa, I want to see that causality list,=20 yesterday!" "Si --er yes General!" he blanched then trotted into the = nearest=20 tent. Through the flap he disappeared through, a smaller gentleman = strode out.=20 From his pace and confidence, Race automatically recognized him as a = military=20 man. Damon grabbed the clipboard from under his arm even before he = stopped. "Thank you, lieutenant," he nodded without looking up from = the=20 sheets. Upon closer inspection of the nondescript lumps and folds of the = clumsy suit,=20 Race suddenly realized that the man was actually a female. Peering = through the=20 steamed up face plate, he startled. Judging from her dusky features, = full lips=20 and exotic eyes, a rather attractive one, if she was not so confined. = "Race=20 Bannon, this is Lieutenant Kwaii," Damon rotated his hand in = introduction,=20 continuing his reading. She nodded, "Mister Bannon." "Lieutenant Kwaii," Race stuck to the formalities of the = moment.=20 "What about---?" "Why is there a question mark by Doctor Quest's name?" = Damon=20 suddenly interrupted. "And who is this girl intruder?" "This morning, at O-two-hundred, at the height of the 'event' = rumor has=20 it that Doctor Quest was sighted stealing one of our jeeps, = General," Kwaii=20 answered smoothly. "He was reported in the presence of a young or = teenaged=20 girl. Her height was approximated at five ten, weight maybe hundred=20 fifteen." "Did she look like the TP?" "I was studying the file, as you arrived, General Damon," = Kwaii=20 confirmed. "I did not witness Doctor Quest's escape or see the = girl, but I=20 believe she matches the descriptions." "Find me the witnesses and make certain. Then I want search = teams put=20 out into the desert, for a widespread but thorough search." "Yes General," with a smart salute she turned on her bulky = boot=20 heel and strode back to her milling command. "I hope they're still out there," Damon impatiently tapped = his palm=20 with the clipboard. "They should be, unless Amanda teleported = herself and=20 Doctor Quest someplace else, and if that's true--- Tell me Mister = Bannon, what=20 was their relationship like?" "Relationship??" Race blinked. "They like each other = --- I=20 guess. Doctor Quest seemed interested in her, but being a = paraphenomenolist,=20 he'd be interested in any Tomorrow People he'd come across. Of course = the boys=20 ---" Race shook his head no. "How old are Jonny and Hadji these days?" Damon asked in an = almost=20 conversational tone. "Jonny's fourteen and counting the days until he can get a = learner's=20 permit. Hadji's sixteen, and acting between ten and sixty." "Megabyte's fifteen. Right in the middle of the impossible=20 years!" "Megabyte?" Race nudged. "He's really into computers = these=20 days?" "And hates his given name, Marmaduke more each day," Damon = heavily=20 groaned from his heart. "We got kind of close for awhile after he = --- but=20 my job kept getting in the way. I take it Jonny and Hadji really liked=20 her." "To put it mildly. I never saw those two try so hard to impress = a girl=20 before," Race chuckled. "Oh, if my daughter Jess saw those two = flirt,=20 first she'd laugh then get very suspicious." Which was how he felt = from the=20 moment he saw her huddled in the back of the clothes closet. "Just = how=20 dangerous can Amanda be?" "I honestly don't know, not until I can talk to her," was a = very=20 strange answer from the General. "She could be charming the boys = and not=20 even realize that she's doing it. She could also be charming Doctor=20 Quest..." "I brought that up, but he didn't believe me." "Most victims of empathic charming deny its effect, but I've = seen it=20 used and abused. Come on Bannon, I want to check out the event = core." **********************************************************************= ** The trek across the scorched desert floor was short, but hot. Area = three,=20 where the broken slabs were faint, there were still bits of wilted grass = and=20 scrub still standing. At the boarder between area two and three, the = remaining=20 plant life was rudely sliced off. Race stepped over a halved cactus, and = shivered about how they found Dalton. The barren ground that made up = area two=20 was iron hard, as it broke into a grossly enlarged spoke replica of the = original=20 stone ring, although the sections did not contain the emblems. Area one = was=20 simply a blast zone, with charred black lines exploding from the very = epicenter.=20 "It almost looks like a nuclear device took this place = out." "Santosa approximated that the 'event' had the power of a half = megaton=20 blast," the general grimly reported. "The radiation profiles = seem to=20 approximate a neutron explosion." Walking through the devastation, = the two=20 men remained pensively silent. "This is it, Mister Bannon," Damon pointed at the jumble of = broken=20 slabs at their boots. "That's the epicenter." "And what's left of the infinity hoop, Doctor Quest found," = Race=20 stooped. "Infinity Hoop?" "That's what Doctor Quest officially called it," Bannon = sighed,=20 snagging up a section with a hint of a figure eight glyph on its blasted = surface. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," the General stopped = him.=20 "Not only is it radioactive, it's our evidence now." "And useless anyway, sir." He smacked his hands as he stood = up. "Are you sure that's the ring?" Damon asked in = confirmation. "Yes sir," Race sadly sighed, now knowing what he long = suspected.=20 "If properly activated, what should have happened?" "My scientists aren't certain, but they theorize a stable = wormhole could=20 form. A gateway that could take you anywhere on this planet, if not off = of=20 it." "I don't think Hadji would have opened it, sir." Race = reported.=20 "Since Doctor Quest discovered it, he was a little leery of it. = After the=20 first time he touched it, he wouldn't even---" "What happened when he touched it?" Damon asked. "Doctor Quest called it a plasma field. Whatever the yellow glow = was, it=20 covered Hadji's hand to the knuckles. When he yanked away, he got zapped = by=20 quite an electrical shock," Bannon stuck to the physical = description.=20 "No, I think Amanda opened the gateway, either to prove something = to the=20 boys or Jonny simply badgered her into doing it." "What kids do ---" Damon was interrupted by a faint buzz = from=20 within his suit. "I thought I told them to hold my=20 calls!!"</DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9168.0A021C40-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Hi, from Dianne Date: 19 Mar 2000 06:02:36 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9168.B9BF1FC0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi, I've been having headaches with my email program, and my story = Tomorrow's Prize. Despite 3 trys last night, I could not get part 6/20 = to go out. So I had to remove the final couple of paragraphs, and it = mailed fine then. Since I had to put back those paragraphs, I had to = reedit both 7/20 and 8/20. I hope I'm not overloading any one's reader = out there, but I do want the story read logically. Thanks! Dianne ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9168.B9BF1FC0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV>Hi,</DIV> <DIV> I've been having = headaches=20 with my email program, and my story Tomorrow's Prize. Despite 3 = trys last=20 night, I could not get part 6/20 to go out. So I had to remove the = final=20 couple of paragraphs, and it mailed fine then. Since I had to put = back=20 those paragraphs, I had to reedit both 7/20 and 8/20. I hope I'm = not=20 overloading any one's reader out there, but I do want the story read=20 logically.</DIV> <DIV> = Thanks!</DIV> <DIV>Dianne</DIV> <DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF9168.B9BF1FC0-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: J2rider@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize part 8/20 re-revised Date: 19 Mar 2000 12:08:43 EST 7 had some of that but not a lot. 6 has the most. 8 doesn't appear to have it at all but looks rather fine. The Babel fish is small, yellow, leech like and the oddest thkng in the universe. IT feeds on brian energy and is a living language translater. So if youstick one in your ear, the langauge anywhere you hear will be explainable to you. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Part 9/20 Date: 19 Mar 2000 15:27:45 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B7.ACDEF9C0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part 9/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People and = Jonny Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copyright = holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no = infringement on copyright. Although his casted arm still resided under layers of bandages and = plastic, it was a great relief just to remove the helmet. It was still = cruelly hot in the tight little tent, yet he had a cup of lukewarm = water, which for the moment was better than any exotic beer. Besides, Bannon was right, Lieutenant Kwaii was a lot prettier out of = her helm than in it. Unfortunately he also discovered she was engaged, = to none other than the golden eyed geek, Johnson. "Yes, yes," Damon = talked still, his phone shoved against the flexible shield as he walked = in. "I can understand now, so please repeat!" He motioned for a pad and pencil. Rapidly he scribbled down a series of = numbers. "Hanger 57?? Are they nuts???" he barked. "No, no, not you, = Benson! Are you very certain about that? Yes, yes, I'll inform Race = Bannon, personally." "What was that, General?" Race raised his Nordic blue eyes upon hearing = his name, holding his joke about Martian lawyers were sighted over = Pasadena. General Damon sank into the chair across from him, sizing him up, again. = "How's the wing?" "It hurts," Bannon grumbled. "Now would you please tell me what was that = all about?" "More trouble that I ever care to see again, Race. My agents just = located where the MIBs have dry-docked the Enterprise." "The Enterprise??" the former agent just checked a laugh, for the = General was far too serious. "It's our code name for a device, that --- simply overshadows Doctor = Quest's recent discovery. That's not all, I just got a confirmation that = Professor Galt is working for the MIBs now." Race nervously swallowed. = "And he's holding Jonny and Hadji." Race slammed down his good palm as he stood up, anger flaming through = his warrior's body. "Where?" "These are the coordinates, Bannon," he tossed over the pad. "All I got = to do ---" "I'll make the arrangements, General. It'll be faster." Race Bannon = strolled out. "Remember, you just can't walk into Hanger 57, Race." "It's their base," the agent grumbled, already calculating the dangers. "Take my helicopter." "Thank you General Damon." When their eyes briefly lit on the other's = somber faces, Damon softly added, "Race, should you see my son, you have = my permission to knock him out and drag him home. Just don't let him = disappear on you --- like he did to me." Race arched his eyebrows, with a confirming nod of his head. ************************************************************************ Less than thirty-six hours had passed, before Amanda Fairchild found = herself back in a familiar haunt, she personally swore she would not see = for a long time. Having narrowly escaped injury, she still trembled from = what she saw. Doctor Quest had part of his chest ripped away, before she = ever felt the sniper's presence. Alice mentioned something about her = screaming for her mother, as she tried to cover her new friend's exposed = beating heart with her hands. 'If the healer can't---' she shuddered, = not wanting to think of Doctor Quest dying. Holding herself, she slowly = slid onto the glossy cool floor. She never had felt the loneliness gulf alone before. Always her family = surrounded her, protecting her when a friend died. 'The loneliness = changes you,' she thought. 'The breech will fade, but the emptiness = never entirely goes away,' her father once told her over a photograph of = a pretty oriental girl in a shimmering gold robe. 'A part of that = person's spirit will always reside with you,' her mother had said in a = sage moment. Both her mother and father had their own collection of = ghosts, which Amanda always found fascinating when she was little, until = she gained one of her own. She did not want the kindly Doctor Quest to become another fuzzy = presence behind her waking thoughts. Although the healer still lingered = close to her first Earth friend, Amanda began to cry anyway, putting as = much mental distance between Doctor Quest and herself as she could, = falsely believing that if she could get far enough away, she would not = feel the stab of his actual passing. She felt like she had spent hours and hours sobbing, too frightened even = to query the Starseer's computer about Doctor Quest. Instead, Amanda = only wanted to steep herself deeper in her sorrows. A timid paw tapped = her thigh. "Bandit?" she scooped up the sad faced dog, cradling him tightly to her = breast. "I ruined your family! I thought I was doing all the right = things, but --- Jonny and Hadji were taken away by Professor Galt. I = don't know where your warrior Bannon is, but Doctor Quest is --- dying. = I am responsible for Captain Dalton's death! It's all my fault!!! I'm = sooo sorry, but I don't know what to do or---" "Amanda?" a gentle brown hand touched her quivering shoulder. "Hadji?" she wildly startled, blinded by her own tears. "No little lamb," the bare arms slid around the girl, as she leaned into = a shoulder, covered by suede leather, not cotton. "It's me, Alice," she = softly purred. Amanda crushed herself into her. "Is Doctor---?" she choked on his = surname. "The healer had to make an Approach," she tipped the girl's chin, to = gaze into her watery eyes. "No," Amanda whispered, knowing from experience, an Approach meant the = healer opens a deep link, seeking out the departing soul. More often = than not, the patient simply wishes to leave this plane of existence, so = the healer is honor bound to return, alone and strained. Only true = healers could do the Approach and safely return. Anyone else could be = simply lost, or driven completely mad. "Benton Quest is a very strong and courageous man," Alice told her, as = she released the embrace. "He loves his sons and this life too much to = leave it just yet. He's awfully fond of you too, Amanda. We could have = used you in the circle." Amanda sniffled, collecting the Navajo's retreating hands. "Oh thank = you, thank you Alice!" "Hey, I was only part of the circle, not the healer!" she mildly = protested at the puppyish attention. "But I am worried about you Lost = Star Child." "I'm sixteen!" the teenager fumed, turning away. "I have the vote and = the voice!" "In your society," Alice reasoned, moving back and across from her. "The = one you choose to leave behind. On Earth you are a sixteen year old = girl, who was raised off the planet. A true alien." "No I'm---" her lip trembled, as now bitter tears rolled. Since Alice = had stationed herself out of reach, and Bandit seemed to prefer leaning = against her thigh, Amanda hugged her knees. "Maybe Ambassador Timus was = right --- given time, maybe the Trig would really help the Earth's = Tomorrow People, again. Then maybe Joracks would learn how to surkle." Alice mildly chuckled at the tired old joke. "I think I now see what's = truly wrong with you Star Child. Ship, I need my kit please." "I wasn't hurt!" Amanda eyed the collection of tiny elaborately = checkered bowls as they materialized between them. She understood the = physics behind transmolecular manipulation of objects stored within = hyperspacial vaults, but she had never seen such clay bowls before. The = colorful powders and greases they contained were a fascinating mystery. "But you are smarting spiritually," Alice confirmed, dipping her pinkie = finger into the red goo. "I want you to sit very still," she said, = tracing out a delicate five point star upon her brow. "This star = represents both your dreams and where you come from, Amanda." "It smells nice! --- like erm, crushed berries!" she smiled. "All of my medicines are collected and prepared on Earth, Amanda," Alice = explained. "Are you a Doctor like Doctor Quest?" "Not exactly," she cooed. "In my tribe, and out among the stars, I am a = Shaman. My science is different from that Benton practices but it works = all the same --- if you allow it." "Why should one science system not work, while the other one does?" her = patient poised, obviously from one of her school lessons. "The universe = is an infinite place. If there weren't differing sciences, then the = whole intelligent pursuit of knowledge would ultimately lead to a dead = end! Nothing new would ever be learned!" "And I want you to keep believing that Amanda Fairchild. No matter what = others may tell you," she quietly warned, dipping her next finger into = the deep green grease, she drew a pair of lightening streaks down each = cheek. "These bolts represent your chosen journey." "It smells like the ocean," Amanda admitted, then lightly frowned. "They = stole the Ship. I can't find Adam and his people! They just don't or = can't answer!" "I know," Alice said, taking up the final smudge pot, of dull brown, = powdery, sticky gunk, spreading it on her chin. "This is where you are = now, and the condition of your soul." Amanda's nostrils flared, as her lips tightened downward, but she kept = her observations to herself. "Is that it, Alice?" she asked. "I don't = feel any different, or better." "I'm not quite done, Star Child," Alice pulled out a small, hide covered = drum, with a scattering of tiny seashells between the skins. "First I = must stir your coals, but after that you must tend to your own fire." "I now really don't understand," Amanda muttered, after trying to lure = Bandit back into her lap. Whatever that stuff was on her chin, even the = dog did not care for the course caffeine musk. "That is your fire, Amanda Fairchild!" Pointing at the floor, she saw = reality ripple, reforming into a crude ring of stones. Piled in a small = heap in the center were a handful of black charcoals. Underneath were a = few faint yellow and red hot spots. Amanda pouted at the vision, finding = it boring, but then lifted her eyes, she gasped. Alice had surrounded = them with great evergreen trees. The crisp perfume filled her senses, = fueling her excitement. "Three dimensional, no four---" "You are too much like your analytical father, Amanda. Please allow a = poor shaman a few technological tricks." 'But it's SO BEAUTIFUL!' Amanda threw her arms wide, mentally casting = herself at the whispering broughs dizzingly high over their heads. "My ancestors called the desert home, while you hail from the Galactic = Trig," Alice began rapping her fingertips on the drum. "But we all are = joined, and renewed through the great forests of Earth. Just as the Ship = pines away for our kind, the great trees call for all who left the = planet. Of all of those who left Terra's warm embrace, the song is = strongest in you, Amanda. Even through the memory lenses of my computer = systems, you can still feel the pulse which connects tree to soil. Soil = to moss, moss to mouse---" "A biological chain?" Amanda puzzled aloud. 'The spirits often follow 'biology's' example, Lost One.' Alice lovingly = telepathed. 'Now watch your fire and listen..' "Ja-Hala- YAA!!" Alice = worbled the alien chant, over and over. Her soft voice waved in and out, = going low, then building until it echoed off of the trees, then her = chant would fade down into a gentle whisper. "The civilized universe is falling apart, and she's singing??" Amanda = muttered dejectedly. Soon the rhythms caught her swaying in time with = the trees and with Alice's drumming. Slowly, she could hear her father's = words ring off the high marble walls within the general council. "Gentle = Beings! I must object to your complete condemnation of Earth to us!! We = are humans, Earth is our homeworld!!" 'Carol,' her mother frowned at the colorful gathering of psionic = Senators. Every being, no matter how exotic their appearance was to = human eyes, were closely attentive to the guest speaker. From her = hostess, Heather felt a massive and spreading link open, washing over = all of dignitaries. Heather merely touched it, finding a link, so = subversive, and so invasive, the gentle healer was repulsed. 'Carol, = what are you doing?' "Gentle Human," a huge robotic life support unit snapped upright on the = first row. "Your Earth is but a festering boil that must either be = snuffed out or ignored!" Heather tensed at the bold attack, then shrank back into the cushions, = when she felt the Senatorial link coil, gathering strength. "TALLACX!! = INSULTS!!" her husband John yelled in defense, startling his wife high = in the galleries. 'You're doing this to him!' Heather hotly charged. Carol lowered her head, but her mind could not be uncoupled from the = Overmind. 'As Overmind, We do not agree,' her normal telepathy was cold, = slow, echoing with many touches. 'It's our way of shouting John down,' = Carol just managed the aside, before she was swept away with her = fellows. "Earth is my birthworld, my children's heritage!!" John sounded like he = was more in control. "The Tomorrow People's heritage!! We can begin to = heal our homeworld, if given the chance!!" 'You're twisting his emotions against him!' Heather rocketed to her = feet. 'I'm going down there!' "Heather," Carol latched onto her elbow. "Don't---" "Your fellow humans would sooner destroy the Tomorrow People than to = change their vile ways," Ambassador Timus rallied. "At least at the = Trig, you and your families can spread your collective knowledge and = wisdom to the universe!!" "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, TIMUS!!" her father yelled, Overmind's telepathic = tenor dug into him, as security drones silently drifted along side of = him. "I AM ALLOWED MY VOICE AS AN EQUAL TO YOU ALL!!" 'Everyone of you are locked on John's subconscious mind, and you're = baiting him!!' Heather declared her fine gown flashed into the dowdy = tunic and trousers of her station. 'It's really a test, to see if John can take it ---' 'You won't break him!! It's not a game anymore Carol!' Heather glowered, = as she teleported. "Gentle Human," Ambassador Mulical the Terran Humpback nervously = chirped, as he peaceful drifted over their heads, his anti-grav shields = shimmering mercurial silver. The great Cetacean shuddered, unable to = totally break the Senate link. "I too long for the endless oceans of = Earth. My elders and children too cry for her, but your parental Humans = are destroying the planet. I fear that only the six or seven Tomorrow = People brave and determined enough to return to her, shall only be = greeted with flesh splitting harpoons. Please, in honor, I ask that you = wait two Whale generations followed by two Human generations..." "Friend Mulical, please as we discussed," John stated coolly. "By then = it may be too late for the Tomorrow People, the remaining Whales,---" He = dug at his temple. "I FEAR FOR EARTH HERSELF!!" ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B7.ACDEF9C0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part 9/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People = and Jonny=20 Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copyright = holders=20 to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner Television = are the=20 creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no infringement on = copyright. Although his casted arm still resided under layers of bandages and = plastic,=20 it was a great relief just to remove the helmet. It was still cruelly = hot in the=20 tight little tent, yet he had a cup of lukewarm water, which for the = moment was=20 better than any exotic beer. Besides, Bannon was right, Lieutenant Kwaii was a lot prettier out of = her=20 helm than in it. Unfortunately he also discovered she was engaged, to = none other=20 than the golden eyed geek, Johnson. "Yes, yes," Damon talked = still,=20 his phone shoved against the flexible shield as he walked in. "I = can=20 understand now, so please repeat!" He motioned for a pad and pencil. Rapidly he scribbled down a series = of=20 numbers. "Hanger 57?? Are they nuts???" he barked. "No, = no, not=20 you, Benson! Are you very certain about that? Yes, yes, I'll inform Race = Bannon,=20 personally." "What was that, General?" Race raised his Nordic blue eyes = upon=20 hearing his name, holding his joke about Martian lawyers were sighted = over=20 Pasadena. General Damon sank into the chair across from him, sizing him up, = again.=20 "How's the wing?" "It hurts," Bannon grumbled. "Now would you please = tell me=20 what was that all about?" "More trouble that I ever care to see again, Race. My agents = just=20 located where the MIBs have dry-docked the Enterprise." "The Enterprise??" the former agent just checked a laugh, = for the=20 General was far too serious. "It's our code name for a device, that --- simply overshadows = Doctor=20 Quest's recent discovery. That's not all, I just got a confirmation that = Professor Galt is working for the MIBs now." Race nervously = swallowed.=20 "And he's holding Jonny and Hadji." Race slammed down his good palm as he stood up, anger flaming through = his=20 warrior's body. "Where?" "These are the coordinates, Bannon," he tossed over the = pad.=20 "All I got to do ---" "I'll make the arrangements, General. It'll be faster." = Race Bannon=20 strolled out. "Remember, you just can't walk into Hanger 57, Race." "It's their base," the agent grumbled, already calculating = the=20 dangers. "Take my helicopter." "Thank you General Damon." When their eyes briefly lit on = the=20 other's somber faces, Damon softly added, "Race, should you see my = son, you=20 have my permission to knock him out and drag him home. Just don't let = him=20 disappear on you --- like he did to me." Race arched his eyebrows, with a confirming nod of his head. **********************************************************************= ** Less than thirty-six hours had passed, before Amanda Fairchild found = herself=20 back in a familiar haunt, she personally swore she would not see for a = long=20 time. Having narrowly escaped injury, she still trembled from what she = saw.=20 Doctor Quest had part of his chest ripped away, before she ever felt the = sniper's presence. Alice mentioned something about her screaming for her = mother,=20 as she tried to cover her new friend's exposed beating heart with her = hands. 'If=20 the healer can't---' she shuddered, not wanting to think of Doctor Quest = dying.=20 Holding herself, she slowly slid onto the glossy cool floor. She never had felt the loneliness gulf alone before. Always her = family=20 surrounded her, protecting her when a friend died. 'The loneliness = changes you,'=20 she thought. 'The breech will fade, but the emptiness never entirely = goes away,'=20 her father once told her over a photograph of a pretty oriental girl in = a=20 shimmering gold robe. 'A part of that person's spirit will always reside = with=20 you,' her mother had said in a sage moment. Both her mother and father = had their=20 own collection of ghosts, which Amanda always found fascinating when she = was=20 little, until she gained one of her own. She did not want the kindly Doctor Quest to become another fuzzy = presence=20 behind her waking thoughts. Although the healer still lingered close to = her=20 first Earth friend, Amanda began to cry anyway, putting as much mental = distance=20 between Doctor Quest and herself as she could, falsely believing that if = she=20 could get far enough away, she would not feel the stab of his actual=20 passing. She felt like she had spent hours and hours sobbing, too frightened = even to=20 query the Starseer's computer about Doctor Quest. Instead, Amanda only = wanted to=20 steep herself deeper in her sorrows. A timid paw tapped her thigh. "Bandit?" she scooped up the sad faced dog, cradling him = tightly to=20 her breast. "I ruined your family! I thought I was doing all the = right=20 things, but --- Jonny and Hadji were taken away by Professor Galt. I = don't know=20 where your warrior Bannon is, but Doctor Quest is --- dying. I am = responsible=20 for Captain Dalton's death! It's all my fault!!! I'm sooo sorry, but I = don't=20 know what to do or---" "Amanda?" a gentle brown hand touched her quivering = shoulder. "Hadji?" she wildly startled, blinded by her own tears. "No little lamb," the bare arms slid around the girl, as = she leaned=20 into a shoulder, covered by suede leather, not cotton. "It's me,=20 Alice," she softly purred. Amanda crushed herself into her. "Is Doctor---?" she choked = on his=20 surname. "The healer had to make an Approach," she tipped the girl's = chin,=20 to gaze into her watery eyes. "No," Amanda whispered, knowing from experience, an = Approach meant=20 the healer opens a deep link, seeking out the departing soul. More often = than=20 not, the patient simply wishes to leave this plane of existence, so the = healer=20 is honor bound to return, alone and strained. Only true healers could do = the=20 Approach and safely return. Anyone else could be simply lost, or driven=20 completely mad. "Benton Quest is a very strong and courageous man," Alice = told her,=20 as she released the embrace. "He loves his sons and this life too = much to=20 leave it just yet. He's awfully fond of you too, Amanda. We could have = used you=20 in the circle." Amanda sniffled, collecting the Navajo's retreating hands. "Oh = thank=20 you, thank you Alice!" "Hey, I was only part of the circle, not the healer!" she = mildly=20 protested at the puppyish attention. "But I am worried about you = Lost Star=20 Child." "I'm sixteen!" the teenager fumed, turning away. "I = have the=20 vote and the voice!" "In your society," Alice reasoned, moving back and across = from her.=20 "The one you choose to leave behind. On Earth you are a sixteen = year old=20 girl, who was raised off the planet. A true alien." "No I'm---" her lip trembled, as now bitter tears rolled. = Since=20 Alice had stationed herself out of reach, and Bandit seemed to prefer = leaning=20 against her thigh, Amanda hugged her knees. "Maybe Ambassador Timus = was=20 right --- given time, maybe the Trig would really help the Earth's = Tomorrow=20 People, again. Then maybe Joracks would learn how to surkle." Alice mildly chuckled at the tired old joke. "I think I now see = what's=20 truly wrong with you Star Child. Ship, I need my kit please." "I wasn't hurt!" Amanda eyed the collection of tiny = elaborately=20 checkered bowls as they materialized between them. She understood the = physics=20 behind transmolecular manipulation of objects stored within hyperspacial = vaults,=20 but she had never seen such clay bowls before. The colorful powders and = greases=20 they contained were a fascinating mystery. "But you are smarting spiritually," Alice confirmed, = dipping her=20 pinkie finger into the red goo. "I want you to sit very = still," she=20 said, tracing out a delicate five point star upon her brow. "This = star=20 represents both your dreams and where you come from, Amanda." "It smells nice! --- like erm, crushed berries!" she = smiled. "All of my medicines are collected and prepared on Earth, = Amanda,"=20 Alice explained. "Are you a Doctor like Doctor Quest?" "Not exactly," she cooed. "In my tribe, and out among = the=20 stars, I am a Shaman. My science is different from that Benton practices = but it=20 works all the same --- if you allow it." "Why should one science system not work, while the other one = does?"=20 her patient poised, obviously from one of her school lessons. "The = universe=20 is an infinite place. If there weren't differing sciences, then the = whole=20 intelligent pursuit of knowledge would ultimately lead to a dead end! = Nothing=20 new would ever be learned!" "And I want you to keep believing that Amanda Fairchild. No = matter what=20 others may tell you," she quietly warned, dipping her next finger = into the=20 deep green grease, she drew a pair of lightening streaks down each = cheek.=20 "These bolts represent your chosen journey." "It smells like the ocean," Amanda admitted, then lightly = frowned.=20 "They stole the Ship. I can't find Adam and his people! They just = don't or=20 can't answer!" "I know," Alice said, taking up the final smudge pot, of = dull=20 brown, powdery, sticky gunk, spreading it on her chin. "This is = where you=20 are now, and the condition of your soul." Amanda's nostrils flared, as her lips tightened downward, but she = kept her=20 observations to herself. "Is that it, Alice?" she asked. = "I don't=20 feel any different, or better." "I'm not quite done, Star Child," Alice pulled out a small, = hide=20 covered drum, with a scattering of tiny seashells between the skins. = "First=20 I must stir your coals, but after that you must tend to your own = fire." "I now really don't understand," Amanda muttered, after = trying to=20 lure Bandit back into her lap. Whatever that stuff was on her chin, even = the dog=20 did not care for the course caffeine musk. "That is your fire, Amanda Fairchild!" Pointing at the = floor, she=20 saw reality ripple, reforming into a crude ring of stones. Piled in a = small heap=20 in the center were a handful of black charcoals. Underneath were a few = faint=20 yellow and red hot spots. Amanda pouted at the vision, finding it = boring, but=20 then lifted her eyes, she gasped. Alice had surrounded them with great = evergreen=20 trees. The crisp perfume filled her senses, fueling her excitement. = "Three=20 dimensional, no four---" "You are too much like your analytical father, Amanda. Please = allow a=20 poor shaman a few technological tricks." 'But it's SO BEAUTIFUL!' Amanda threw her arms wide, mentally casting = herself=20 at the whispering broughs dizzingly high over their heads. "My ancestors called the desert home, while you hail from the = Galactic=20 Trig," Alice began rapping her fingertips on the drum. "But we = all are=20 joined, and renewed through the great forests of Earth. Just as the Ship = pines=20 away for our kind, the great trees call for all who left the planet. Of = all of=20 those who left Terra's warm embrace, the song is strongest in you, = Amanda. Even=20 through the memory lenses of my computer systems, you can still feel the = pulse=20 which connects tree to soil. Soil to moss, moss to mouse---" "A biological chain?" Amanda puzzled aloud. 'The spirits often follow 'biology's' example, Lost One.' Alice = lovingly=20 telepathed. 'Now watch your fire and listen..' "Ja-Hala- = YAA!!" Alice=20 worbled the alien chant, over and over. Her soft voice waved in and out, = going=20 low, then building until it echoed off of the trees, then her chant = would fade=20 down into a gentle whisper. "The civilized universe is falling apart, and she's = singing??"=20 Amanda muttered dejectedly. Soon the rhythms caught her swaying in time = with the=20 trees and with Alice's drumming. Slowly, she could hear her father's = words ring=20 off the high marble walls within the general council. "Gentle = Beings! I=20 must object to your complete condemnation of Earth to us!! We are = humans, Earth=20 is our homeworld!!" 'Carol,' her mother frowned at the colorful gathering of psionic = Senators.=20 Every being, no matter how exotic their appearance was to human eyes, = were=20 closely attentive to the guest speaker. From her hostess, Heather felt a = massive=20 and spreading link open, washing over all of dignitaries. Heather merely = touched=20 it, finding a link, so subversive, and so invasive, the gentle healer = was=20 repulsed. 'Carol, what are you doing?' "Gentle Human," a huge robotic life support unit snapped = upright on=20 the first row. "Your Earth is but a festering boil that must either = be=20 snuffed out or ignored!" Heather tensed at the bold attack, then shrank back into the = cushions, when=20 she felt the Senatorial link coil, gathering strength. "TALLACX!!=20 INSULTS!!" her husband John yelled in defense, startling his wife = high in=20 the galleries. 'You're doing this to him!' Heather hotly charged. Carol lowered her head, but her mind could not be uncoupled from the=20 Overmind. 'As Overmind, We do not agree,' her normal telepathy was cold, = slow,=20 echoing with many touches. 'It's our way of shouting John down,' Carol = just=20 managed the aside, before she was swept away with her fellows. "Earth is my birthworld, my children's heritage!!" John = sounded=20 like he was more in control. "The Tomorrow People's heritage!! We = can begin=20 to heal our homeworld, if given the chance!!" 'You're twisting his emotions against him!' Heather rocketed to her = feet.=20 'I'm going down there!' "Heather," Carol latched onto her elbow. = "Don't---" "Your fellow humans would sooner destroy the Tomorrow People = than to=20 change their vile ways," Ambassador Timus rallied. "At least = at the=20 Trig, you and your families can spread your collective knowledge and = wisdom to=20 the universe!!" "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, TIMUS!!" her father yelled, = Overmind's=20 telepathic tenor dug into him, as security drones silently drifted along = side of=20 him. "I AM ALLOWED MY VOICE AS AN EQUAL TO YOU ALL!!" 'Everyone of you are locked on John's subconscious mind, and you're = baiting=20 him!!' Heather declared her fine gown flashed into the dowdy tunic and = trousers=20 of her station. 'It's really a test, to see if John can take it ---' 'You won't break him!! It's not a game anymore Carol!' Heather = glowered, as=20 she teleported. "Gentle Human," Ambassador Mulical the Terran Humpback = nervously=20 chirped, as he peaceful drifted over their heads, his anti-grav shields=20 shimmering mercurial silver. The great Cetacean shuddered, unable to = totally=20 break the Senate link. "I too long for the endless oceans of Earth. = My=20 elders and children too cry for her, but your parental Humans are = destroying the=20 planet. I fear that only the six or seven Tomorrow People brave and = determined=20 enough to return to her, shall only be greeted with flesh splitting = harpoons.=20 Please, in honor, I ask that you wait two Whale generations followed by = two=20 Human generations..." "Friend Mulical, please as we discussed," John stated = coolly.=20 "By then it may be too late for the Tomorrow People, the remaining=20 Whales,---" He dug at his temple. "I FEAR FOR EARTH=20 HERSELF!!"</DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B7.ACDEF9C0-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize 10/20 Date: 19 Mar 2000 15:30:26 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B8.0CC350C0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part 10/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People and = Jonny Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copyright = holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no = infringement on copyright. *LOVE!* Heather strained, materializing against a Golgotin's couch. She = felt the stab, his fighting of it, but she could not see him. 'John watch your manners, and control your passions! There are delicate = beings---' "WHO REFUSE TO SEE OUR DESPAIR!! EVEN DISALLOW MY PROPOSALS BEFORE = LISTENING THROUGH---" *Beloved, close your mind, back down, please!* Heather pleaded through = their bond. Security screens had caught her teleport again, now only = blocking her three rows from the podium. Timus flicked his wrist, = turning away. "You may remove the former Ambassador John from the = podium!" "WAIT!" John yelped, as the stunners fired into his spine. As he = crumpled unconscious, he was teleported away, in disgrace. Amanda felt fresh tears, as well as a rising heat. Never again was the = proud leader would be allowed to speak before the assembled great = council. After he recovered, John was quietly consigned to the Stellar = Archeological division of the university. His extensive knowledge of the = subject, gave him a high critical rating, which meant generous funding = and prestige. John was free to travel to the open worlds, but he was = also mentally tracked at all times. In Tomorrow People Council, within = his family, John still rallied for their eventual return home. "Look into your fire again," Alice instructed. The white flames was burning hot, but low, struggling to free themselves = from the coals. There was a fine coating of ash steadily cooling the = flames, holding them down. "Anger and passion can make a good fuel, for = a fast fire," the shaman instructed. "But eventually, the flame chokes = on itself, as the emotions cool, as they must. No one can think straight = with great anger and passion. For your chosen path, you must be wise, = beyond your years. Choose another fuel." Amanda puzzled, as Alice continued her chant. "They tricked my father--- = mother," she shuddered, as the flames fell back. 'My own emotions are = fuel, to my spirit? How can that be?' For a moment she pondered the = chemical reactions of burning sugars, then shrugged. Once again she was = caught up in the song. "Mandy!" Uncle Stephen trilled her around, until both were dizzy. Uncle = Stephen always picked her up, danced with her, told her she was pretty. = That made the four year old feel extra special. Well, Daddy and Mum said = the same things, but they were forced to live at the boring Trig. Uncle = Stephen got to travel to all sorts of interesting places, which he = always came back from his mind brimming with exciting sights and = stories. Those things made Stephen Jameson her favorite Uncle. "Now what = would you like from Earth, hummm?" "Take me!" the blond toddler chirped in delight, flexing her palms into = his face. Her vague baby memories of Earth were slipping away, no matter = how hard she held onto them. To her, however, Earth would always be = home. "Take me, please!!" "Amanda," her father sighed, collecting her from Uncle Stephen's = embrace, then set her on her feet. "Maybe when you're a little older," Uncle Stephen promised with a sly = wink. When ever he made a promise and winked, he meant it. "Stephen," John intoned, petting Amanda's fine hair. 'I wish you = wouldn't promise silly things like that!' he privately snapped. 'Oh, one day, John, Mandy'll make a dandy Galactic Agent!' Stephen = opened the link so Amanda could overhear. 'Then she'll go to Earth on = her own!' Her father worriedly pouted. 'Look, this an unofficial three day jaunt = around the ol' home turf, and I'll be back before I'm missed.' 'Stephen, I still don't like you gallivanting off on your own.' 'John, we've talked about this,' Uncle Stephen narrowed his telepathy = with a stiff blue eyed glare. 'I know you want to come with me.' 'You're right about that!' John wished, hunching his shoulders. 'If you and or Heather just up and vanish, you know they'll turn the = Vesh Hounds loose. Me, hey, I'm on leave, and I can jolly well go = anywhere I please. Besides, we need to check out the Earth, see if there = are any new Tomorrow People about, check up on the Ship---" Amanda's brown eyes blazed as she pounced on the mental construct. "The = Ship??" "Now Princess that's between your Daddy and Uncle Stephen. And we want = to keep it that way, Right?" "Riiiight," Stephen rolled his eyes, rocking on his heels. "Now, Mandy, = what would you like from the old home planet?" "Bring back the Ship!" she demanded. "Now wait a minute!" John protested, then stooped to her level. "Please?" she timidly added, knowing that she forgot to say a nice word. "Okay," John nodded. "But Uncle Stephen can't bring the Ship to the = Trig." "But she's so lonely on the Earth, without us!" Amanda bluntly pointed = out. "And she would love it here at the Trig. We could use her for = trips, and everything would be happy ever after. Please." Stephen snorted into his hand. "Mandy, I know she would love us and the = Trig, but the Ship was set on Earth for the Earth Tomorrow People to = find and use. That's her job, her responsibility." "Is responsibility like a mission Uncle Stephen?" "Well," he scratched his pony tail. "Sorta, but it's a life long = mission. To take the Ship away from the Earth would not be fair to our = friends, now would it?" "I---I guess not," Amanda was not entirely convinced, having a new word = to ponder. 'Now John,' he clapped his hands together. 'What would you like? The = latest issue of Nature Journal or National Geographic, or how about a = kilogram or two of those Swiss Chocolates Heather craves so much?' 'How 'but just yourself, alive and whole?' John grinned, cupping his = shoulders. "Well of course that!" Stephen said aloud. "By the way, those chocolates do sound nice. Mandy here never had real = hand dipped cherries." "Are they go-o-od?" she cooed. "Oh, they are very, very good," John grinned down, as she rocked on her = father's feet. Laughing, as father chattered away about all the = wonderful candy Earth confectioner's created, he lead her away from the = aged, unregistered teleport pads. "Bye Princess!' Uncle Stephen mentally = pecked her cheek, as he locked down his helmet to his A-E suit. "You'll = be as good as chocolate for your Mum and Dad, and I'll bring you an = entire mountain of the stuff!" She never heard or felt her beloved uncle alive again. ************************************************************************ Amanda quietly moaned, edging the emptiness her Uncle Stephen left = behind. "Look at the fire again," Alice directed. "It's still burning steadily," she snuffled, smudging the bolts with her = fingers. "Looks okay to me." "That is from your spirits, Amanda. No sacrifice, is ever a waste, even = though it appears to be pointless and heartbreaking. Again the spirits = are good fuel, for your fire, just like kindling," Alice sprinkled a = palmful of crushed dry leaves, causing it to hiss and pop. "But should = you lose your passion and your spirits, you'll still have nothing, and = with nothing, will freeze your heart. Search within yourself. Deeper. Do = not be afraid to gather, what you already have touched---" ************************************************************************ The flames rose up, hiding the shaman from Amanda's sight. When the fire = fell away, she gasped at the too familiar surroundings of the elegant = Jonsanque restaurant at the Trig. Ambassadors and Senators, in all of = their finery, consumed their meals there to be seen outside of chambers. = Celebrities of the moment, such as the most popular performers and = athletes peppered the swank eatery, out shining the Ambassadors in their = glittering clothes and groups. Lastly were the rare tourists, always = seated close to the dispensers, so they could gawk and privately = telepath, while ignoring their expensive gourmet feasts. Among the = Galactic pageantry, Mastero Charles Shire commanded the center most = table, a place normally reserved for visiting presidents and the richest = of royalty. All to celebrate Amanda's sixteenth birthday. "Princess?" he purred, over the remains of chocolate and mint triple = layer cake. "Thinking about taking over the Universe and setting it on = fire?" "Oh Uncle," she blushed. "I can't think past tonight! I get to speak in = front of our Council!" "And let me guess. Your first official speech is about returning to = Mother Earth and saving her?" "Of course!" she shyly chuckled, observing the few wide stares and = expressions from the fellow patrons. Each species had their own sub = councils, made up of their own chosen officials. Outside of their own = circles and perhaps those of their trading partners, Planetary = delegations and councils mattered little more than just gossip fodder to = the average Trig member. However, people still gossiped about John's = disgrace in front of all of the Federation Overmind. They already judged = the same incident would happen to Amanda, which would be a pity. She had = the even temper and intelligence to make an excellent contact being on = opening worlds, perhaps even make Ambassador one day, should she ever = give up that silly dream of going back to such a vile dirt ball. She = privately enjoyed making the old fat Saps squirm. "Amanda, that word," Charles narrowed his eyes, having picked up on her = fantasy. "Proper Tomorrow People no longer use it." "Yes Uncle," she sighed. How someone who was so popular and rich be so = stuffy was beyond her. A movement out of the corner of her eye startled = her. The nosy sensa-ree flexed its purple chiming leaves. "Must be the kids on the hover boards again. Hernee'll handle them." "Uncle, something's wrong, very wrong!" Amanda quivered, noting that a = few others were casting around nervously. "I think someone's trying to = jaunt in!" "What, without reservations?' Charles quipped, inspecting his famous = trim tuxedo, for any crumb. "The Marta'dee would have a fit!" "No wait!" The Sensa-ree began to lurch about in its pot, tearing its = fleshy trunk. A psionic pulse rippled through once. When empathic wave = coiled back, it slammed down with unbelievable force. Several of the = most sensitive patrons promptly fainted, sending the android servers = into a dignified tizzy. "LINK!!" Charles seized her hands, mashing down on her knuckles. Her = mind leapt out at his, instantly linking. Together they probed outwards = into the murky hyperspace. "OHMYGOD!!" Amanda wanted to pull out, when the bile splashed against = the back of her mouth. "HE'S HUMAN!!" "HE'S BADLY HURT!!" Charles loudly announced. "HELPME PULL HIM IN!!! COS = WE NEED YOU NOW!!!" "MUM?!" mother always came when she called. "DON'T LET GO YET AMANDA. = BLAST THESE SILLY PRIVACY SCREENS! ICAN BARELY --- HOLD THE---" A hard = flash slammed into the handsome couple. A jolt of collective revolution tore away what was left of polite = decorum. The shock was followed by a piercing howl of panicked disgust. = When Amanda dared open her eyes, she found that all sense of proper = manner was flung as so many particles across hyperspace. Several patrons = had jaunted out, others were running around screaming for guards, = waiters, their gods, anything but for healers, who were so desperately = needed. Laying on the mirrored tiles, was a mangled teenager, smoldering gashes = opened their interior organs to the cool recycled air. Amanda froze. = "MUM!!!" she wailed, with every erg of telepathy she could muster out of = her paralyzed brain. "HERE!!" Charles shoved a linen table cloth into = her limp hands. "ITS UP TO US PRINCESS! UNDERSTAND??" She numbly nodded, her memory stumbling all over her first aid classes. = The first thought was how to splint a minor digit. "AMANDA THINK!!" she = slapped at herself, diving at the nearest body. "KEEP WARM!! STOP THE = BLEEDING!! MAKE SURE THERE IS RESPIRATION OF PROPER TYPE---replete with = pages and pages of atmospheric conditions. IF YOU CAN SIPHON OFF THE = PAIN, DO SO, BUT NOT TAMPER WITH THE SHOCK!! LEAVE THAT TO THE = HEALERS!!!" "MUM!!!" "She cannot come, Amanda," Alice reminded her, fueling her doubt and = anguish. "FINALLY COMFORT THE DYING, ONLY IF THERE IS TIME!! ALWAYS TEND = TO THE LIVING FIRST IN ALL EMERGENCIES!!!" The red ink screamed through = her memories, as she blindly grabbed, and wound the table linen tight. = It was a bloody, savage blur. Amanda was confronted with torn, fading life, but she could not stop and = reflect. Again and again, far worse than her school's simulation of a = crashed star liner, she went through the motions of keeping the young = victim warm, stopping the bleeding, making certain he still breathed, as = they siphoned off dizzying jolts of pain. There was no time for comfort. = Suddenly, Amanda paused. Their desperate concert she worked with her = Uncle, was dragging. Deep sorrow swept through his fine features, and = musical mind. Uncle's eyes were streaming, as the veins running into his = temples, stood on end, as he struggled to maintain cohesion between a = fleeing soul and a corpse. "UNCLE CHARLES NO!!" Amanda shrieked, diving = for his grime slicked hands. "LET HIM GO!!! IT'S NOT YOUR DUTY!!! LET = GOPLEASE!!!PLEASE!!! MUM!!!" Even Alice glanced away. "CHARLES!!!" Amanda plowed her telekinesis into = her hand, then used the hot bolt to smash him into awareness. "UNCLE --- = LOOK AT ME!!!" "Megabyte's gone ---- just like that --- gone!" The Maestro quaked to = his soul, in horror. "He flew away ---" "UNCLE, WHO AM I??" Amanda roared. "Amanda?" he absently blinked. "Princess? Where does the music go? Oh = where did he go??" In a flash, the horror evaporated. Amanda was no longer staring into = Charles shattering mind, but into her own fire. It was as tall and = bright as a Christmas blaze, but she took no comfort in that. She could = no longer shake what her uncle shared with her. "You and your Uncle did save him," Alice reported, laying aside her = drum. "But you had to save your Uncle from the Approach." "Given time, Uncle Charles might recover," Amanda sniffled. "I really = don't feel heroic---" "Heroes rarely do, but it is all right to feel a degree of pride in = one's accomplishments. Notice your fire now, young Earth Woman?" "It's pretty impressive," she said, then paused. "Young Earth Woman?" Alice nodded. "You have found your bravery and courage." "I was scared! Then too busy," Amanda countered, shaking her head no. "You tapped into your knowledge and used it, while most of the others = around you panicked." "Uncle Charles had to force me to stay," she admitted.=20 "But he could not hold you, unless you were willing to be held. You are = no longer a Child, Amanda. You looked into a breaking mind, and kept him = focused on what is real and true. A rare gift most cannot touch, = including many healers. That could be your sword, Young Earth Woman. The = Sword of Truth can cleave both lies and madness. Weld it with wisdom, = Amanda, for you are now the Scout to your emerging nation. You shall = become leader, only if you are wise, cunning, dutiful to this world, as = well as loving. Your path is the most difficult. Do not despair should = you fail, for you shall. Learn from those failures and press on. = Millions will one day may turn to you." Amanda swallowed, as Bandit suddenly bounced onto her lap, and eagerly = began licking the goo, that he avoided earlier. "Alice, what is this = stuff?" "Oh, cherry juice, a few herbs, bear fat, sugar, butter, marshmallows = and a touch of raw cocoa." "But---" "You transformed it into chocolate. I knew my work was done by the = smell. Don't let Bandit have too much. Chocolate isn't too good for = dogs." Amanda giggled, as she took the offered handkerchief, and cleaned up the = remaining mess, but she left the star. "I must leave you for a time, = now. So you can contemplate on what you now must do." "Thank you," Amanda stood up and bowed, just like how her mother taught = her. Mother had a teacher once, a Hindu priest, and he demanded respect. = "Thank you, Shaman Alice Starseer." Alice grinned, rather sheepishly. Although for years, she had to put = aside her love of science and the past. Becoming a youth counselor = allowed her to stay close to the land and stars. Amanda was not the most = difficult youth she had helped during her career. Yet, the young = Tomorrow Person was the most responsive and the most respectful. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B8.0CC350C0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part 10/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People = and Jonny=20 Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copyright = holders=20 to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner Television = are the=20 creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no infringement on = copyright. *LOVE!* Heather strained, materializing against a Golgotin's couch. = She felt=20 the stab, his fighting of it, but she could not see him. 'John watch your manners, and control your passions! There are = delicate=20 beings---' "WHO REFUSE TO SEE OUR DESPAIR!! EVEN DISALLOW MY PROPOSALS = BEFORE=20 LISTENING THROUGH---" *Beloved, close your mind, back down, please!* Heather pleaded = through their=20 bond. Security screens had caught her teleport again, now only blocking = her=20 three rows from the podium. Timus flicked his wrist, turning away. = "You may=20 remove the former Ambassador John from the podium!" "WAIT!" John yelped, as the stunners fired into his spine. = As he=20 crumpled unconscious, he was teleported away, in disgrace. Amanda felt fresh tears, as well as a rising heat. Never again was = the proud=20 leader would be allowed to speak before the assembled great council. = After he=20 recovered, John was quietly consigned to the Stellar Archeological = division of=20 the university. His extensive knowledge of the subject, gave him a high = critical=20 rating, which meant generous funding and prestige. John was free to = travel to=20 the open worlds, but he was also mentally tracked at all times. In = Tomorrow=20 People Council, within his family, John still rallied for their eventual = return=20 home. "Look into your fire again," Alice instructed. The white flames was burning hot, but low, struggling to free = themselves from=20 the coals. There was a fine coating of ash steadily cooling the flames, = holding=20 them down. "Anger and passion can make a good fuel, for a fast = fire,"=20 the shaman instructed. "But eventually, the flame chokes on itself, = as the=20 emotions cool, as they must. No one can think straight with great anger = and=20 passion. For your chosen path, you must be wise, beyond your years. = Choose=20 another fuel." Amanda puzzled, as Alice continued her chant. "They tricked my = father---=20 mother," she shuddered, as the flames fell back. 'My own emotions = are fuel,=20 to my spirit? How can that be?' For a moment she pondered the chemical = reactions=20 of burning sugars, then shrugged. Once again she was caught up in the = song. "Mandy!" Uncle Stephen trilled her around, until both were = dizzy.=20 Uncle Stephen always picked her up, danced with her, told her she was = pretty.=20 That made the four year old feel extra special. Well, Daddy and Mum said = the=20 same things, but they were forced to live at the boring Trig. Uncle = Stephen got=20 to travel to all sorts of interesting places, which he always came back = from his=20 mind brimming with exciting sights and stories. Those things made = Stephen=20 Jameson her favorite Uncle. "Now what would you like from Earth,=20 hummm?" "Take me!" the blond toddler chirped in delight, flexing = her palms=20 into his face. Her vague baby memories of Earth were slipping away, no = matter=20 how hard she held onto them. To her, however, Earth would always be = home.=20 "Take me, please!!" "Amanda," her father sighed, collecting her from Uncle = Stephen's=20 embrace, then set her on her feet. "Maybe when you're a little older," Uncle Stephen promised = with a=20 sly wink. When ever he made a promise and winked, he meant it. "Stephen," John intoned, petting Amanda's fine hair. 'I = wish you=20 wouldn't promise silly things like that!' he privately snapped. 'Oh, one day, John, Mandy'll make a dandy Galactic Agent!' Stephen = opened the=20 link so Amanda could overhear. 'Then she'll go to Earth on her own!' Her father worriedly pouted. 'Look, this an unofficial three day = jaunt around=20 the ol' home turf, and I'll be back before I'm missed.' 'Stephen, I still don't like you gallivanting off on your own.' 'John, we've talked about this,' Uncle Stephen narrowed his telepathy = with a=20 stiff blue eyed glare. 'I know you want to come with me.' 'You're right about that!' John wished, hunching his shoulders. 'If you and or Heather just up and vanish, you know they'll turn the = Vesh=20 Hounds loose. Me, hey, I'm on leave, and I can jolly well go anywhere I = please.=20 Besides, we need to check out the Earth, see if there are any new = Tomorrow=20 People about, check up on the Ship---" Amanda's brown eyes blazed as she pounced on the mental construct. = "The=20 Ship??" "Now Princess that's between your Daddy and Uncle Stephen. And = we want=20 to keep it that way, Right?" "Riiiight," Stephen rolled his eyes, rocking on his heels.=20 "Now, Mandy, what would you like from the old home = planet?" "Bring back the Ship!" she demanded. "Now wait a minute!" John protested, then stooped to her = level. "Please?" she timidly added, knowing that she forgot to say = a nice=20 word. "Okay," John nodded. "But Uncle Stephen can't bring = the Ship=20 to the Trig." "But she's so lonely on the Earth, without us!" Amanda = bluntly=20 pointed out. "And she would love it here at the Trig. We could use = her for=20 trips, and everything would be happy ever after. Please." Stephen snorted into his hand. "Mandy, I know she would love us = and the=20 Trig, but the Ship was set on Earth for the Earth Tomorrow People to = find and=20 use. That's her job, her responsibility." "Is responsibility like a mission Uncle Stephen?" "Well," he scratched his pony tail. "Sorta, but it's a = life=20 long mission. To take the Ship away from the Earth would not be fair to = our=20 friends, now would it?" "I---I guess not," Amanda was not entirely convinced, = having a new=20 word to ponder. 'Now John,' he clapped his hands together. 'What would you like? The = latest=20 issue of Nature Journal or National Geographic, or how about a kilogram = or two=20 of those Swiss Chocolates Heather craves so much?' 'How 'but just yourself, alive and whole?' John grinned, cupping his=20 shoulders. "Well of course that!" Stephen said aloud. "By the way, those chocolates do sound nice. Mandy here never = had real=20 hand dipped cherries." "Are they go-o-od?" she cooed. "Oh, they are very, very good," John grinned down, as she = rocked on=20 her father's feet. Laughing, as father chattered away about all the = wonderful=20 candy Earth confectioner's created, he lead her away from the aged, = unregistered=20 teleport pads. "Bye Princess!' Uncle Stephen mentally pecked her = cheek, as=20 he locked down his helmet to his A-E suit. "You'll be as good as = chocolate=20 for your Mum and Dad, and I'll bring you an entire mountain of the=20 stuff!" She never heard or felt her beloved uncle alive again. **********************************************************************= ** Amanda quietly moaned, edging the emptiness her Uncle Stephen left = behind.=20 "Look at the fire again," Alice directed. "It's still burning steadily," she snuffled, smudging the = bolts=20 with her fingers. "Looks okay to me." "That is from your spirits, Amanda. No sacrifice, is ever a = waste, even=20 though it appears to be pointless and heartbreaking. Again the spirits = are good=20 fuel, for your fire, just like kindling," Alice sprinkled a palmful = of=20 crushed dry leaves, causing it to hiss and pop. "But should you = lose your=20 passion and your spirits, you'll still have nothing, and with nothing, = will=20 freeze your heart. Search within yourself. Deeper. Do not be afraid to = gather,=20 what you already have touched---" **********************************************************************= ** The flames rose up, hiding the shaman from Amanda's sight. When the = fire fell=20 away, she gasped at the too familiar surroundings of the elegant = Jonsanque=20 restaurant at the Trig. Ambassadors and Senators, in all of their = finery,=20 consumed their meals there to be seen outside of chambers. Celebrities = of the=20 moment, such as the most popular performers and athletes peppered the = swank=20 eatery, out shining the Ambassadors in their glittering clothes and = groups.=20 Lastly were the rare tourists, always seated close to the dispensers, so = they=20 could gawk and privately telepath, while ignoring their expensive = gourmet=20 feasts. Among the Galactic pageantry, Mastero Charles Shire commanded = the center=20 most table, a place normally reserved for visiting presidents and the = richest of=20 royalty. All to celebrate Amanda's sixteenth birthday. "Princess?" he purred, over the remains of chocolate and = mint=20 triple layer cake. "Thinking about taking over the Universe and = setting it=20 on fire?" "Oh Uncle," she blushed. "I can't think past tonight! = I get to=20 speak in front of our Council!" "And let me guess. Your first official speech is about returning = to=20 Mother Earth and saving her?" "Of course!" she shyly chuckled, observing the few wide = stares and=20 expressions from the fellow patrons. Each species had their own sub = councils,=20 made up of their own chosen officials. Outside of their own circles and = perhaps=20 those of their trading partners, Planetary delegations and councils = mattered=20 little more than just gossip fodder to the average Trig member. However, = people=20 still gossiped about John's disgrace in front of all of the Federation = Overmind.=20 They already judged the same incident would happen to Amanda, which = would be a=20 pity. She had the even temper and intelligence to make an excellent = contact=20 being on opening worlds, perhaps even make Ambassador one day, should = she ever=20 give up that silly dream of going back to such a vile dirt ball. She = privately=20 enjoyed making the old fat Saps squirm. "Amanda, that word," Charles narrowed his eyes, having = picked up on=20 her fantasy. "Proper Tomorrow People no longer use it." "Yes Uncle," she sighed. How someone who was so popular and = rich be=20 so stuffy was beyond her. A movement out of the corner of her eye = startled her.=20 The nosy sensa-ree flexed its purple chiming leaves. "Must be the kids on the hover boards again. Hernee'll handle=20 them." "Uncle, something's wrong, very wrong!" Amanda quivered, = noting=20 that a few others were casting around nervously. "I think someone's = trying=20 to jaunt in!" "What, without reservations?' Charles quipped, inspecting his = famous=20 trim tuxedo, for any crumb. "The Marta'dee would have a = fit!" "No wait!" The Sensa-ree began to lurch about in its pot, = tearing=20 its fleshy trunk. A psionic pulse rippled through once. When empathic = wave=20 coiled back, it slammed down with unbelievable force. Several of the = most=20 sensitive patrons promptly fainted, sending the android servers into a = dignified=20 tizzy. "LINK!!" Charles seized her hands, mashing down on her = knuckles.=20 Her mind leapt out at his, instantly linking. Together they probed = outwards into=20 the murky hyperspace. "OHMYGOD!!" Amanda wanted to pull out, when the bile = splashed=20 against the back of her mouth. "HE'S HUMAN!!" "HE'S BADLY HURT!!" Charles loudly announced. "HELPME = PULL HIM=20 IN!!! COS WE NEED YOU NOW!!!" "MUM?!" mother always came when she called. "DON'T LET = GO YET=20 AMANDA. BLAST THESE SILLY PRIVACY SCREENS! ICAN BARELY --- HOLD = THE---" A=20 hard flash slammed into the handsome couple. A jolt of collective revolution tore away what was left of polite = decorum.=20 The shock was followed by a piercing howl of panicked disgust. When = Amanda dared=20 open her eyes, she found that all sense of proper manner was flung as so = many=20 particles across hyperspace. Several patrons had jaunted out, others = were=20 running around screaming for guards, waiters, their gods, anything but = for=20 healers, who were so desperately needed. Laying on the mirrored tiles, was a mangled teenager, smoldering = gashes=20 opened their interior organs to the cool recycled air. Amanda froze.=20 "MUM!!!" she wailed, with every erg of telepathy she could = muster out=20 of her paralyzed brain. "HERE!!" Charles shoved a linen table = cloth=20 into her limp hands. "ITS UP TO US PRINCESS! UNDERSTAND??" She numbly nodded, her memory stumbling all over her first aid = classes. The=20 first thought was how to splint a minor digit. "AMANDA = THINK!!" she=20 slapped at herself, diving at the nearest body. "KEEP WARM!! STOP = THE=20 BLEEDING!! MAKE SURE THERE IS RESPIRATION OF PROPER TYPE---replete with = pages=20 and pages of atmospheric conditions. IF YOU CAN SIPHON OFF THE PAIN, DO = SO, BUT=20 NOT TAMPER WITH THE SHOCK!! LEAVE THAT TO THE HEALERS!!!" "MUM!!!" "She cannot come, Amanda," Alice reminded her, fueling her = doubt=20 and anguish. "FINALLY COMFORT THE DYING, ONLY IF THERE IS TIME!! = ALWAYS=20 TEND TO THE LIVING FIRST IN ALL EMERGENCIES!!!" The red ink = screamed=20 through her memories, as she blindly grabbed, and wound the table linen = tight.=20 It was a bloody, savage blur. Amanda was confronted with torn, fading life, but she could not stop = and=20 reflect. Again and again, far worse than her school's simulation of a = crashed=20 star liner, she went through the motions of keeping the young victim = warm,=20 stopping the bleeding, making certain he still breathed, as they = siphoned off=20 dizzying jolts of pain. There was no time for comfort. Suddenly, Amanda = paused.=20 Their desperate concert she worked with her Uncle, was dragging. Deep = sorrow=20 swept through his fine features, and musical mind. Uncle's eyes were = streaming,=20 as the veins running into his temples, stood on end, as he struggled to = maintain=20 cohesion between a fleeing soul and a corpse. "UNCLE CHARLES = NO!!"=20 Amanda shrieked, diving for his grime slicked hands. "LET HIM GO!!! = IT'S=20 NOT YOUR DUTY!!! LET GOPLEASE!!!PLEASE!!! MUM!!!" Even Alice glanced away. "CHARLES!!!" Amanda plowed her = telekinesis=20 into her hand, then used the hot bolt to smash him into awareness. = "UNCLE=20 --- LOOK AT ME!!!" "Megabyte's gone ---- just like that --- gone!" The Maestro = quaked=20 to his soul, in horror. "He flew away ---" "UNCLE, WHO AM I??" Amanda roared. "Amanda?" he absently blinked. "Princess? Where does = the music=20 go? Oh where did he go??" In a flash, the horror evaporated. Amanda was no longer staring into = Charles=20 shattering mind, but into her own fire. It was as tall and bright as a = Christmas=20 blaze, but she took no comfort in that. She could no longer shake what = her uncle=20 shared with her. "You and your Uncle did save him," Alice reported, laying = aside her=20 drum. "But you had to save your Uncle from the Approach." "Given time, Uncle Charles might recover," Amanda sniffled. = "I=20 really don't feel heroic---" "Heroes rarely do, but it is all right to feel a degree of pride = in=20 one's accomplishments. Notice your fire now, young Earth = Woman?" "It's pretty impressive," she said, then paused. = "Young Earth=20 Woman?" Alice nodded. "You have found your bravery and = courage." "I was scared! Then too busy," Amanda countered, shaking = her head=20 no. "You tapped into your knowledge and used it, while most of the = others=20 around you panicked." "Uncle Charles had to force me to stay," she admitted. "But he could not hold you, unless you were willing to be held. = You are=20 no longer a Child, Amanda. You looked into a breaking mind, and kept him = focused=20 on what is real and true. A rare gift most cannot touch, including many = healers.=20 That could be your sword, Young Earth Woman. The Sword of Truth can = cleave both=20 lies and madness. Weld it with wisdom, Amanda, for you are now the Scout = to your=20 emerging nation. You shall become leader, only if you are wise, cunning, = dutiful=20 to this world, as well as loving. Your path is the most difficult. Do = not=20 despair should you fail, for you shall. Learn from those failures and = press on.=20 Millions will one day may turn to you." Amanda swallowed, as Bandit suddenly bounced onto her lap, and = eagerly began=20 licking the goo, that he avoided earlier. "Alice, what is this=20 stuff?" "Oh, cherry juice, a few herbs, bear fat, sugar, butter, = marshmallows=20 and a touch of raw cocoa." "But---" "You transformed it into chocolate. I knew my work was done by = the=20 smell. Don't let Bandit have too much. Chocolate isn't too good for=20 dogs." Amanda giggled, as she took the offered handkerchief, and cleaned up = the=20 remaining mess, but she left the star. "I must leave you for a = time, now.=20 So you can contemplate on what you now must do." "Thank you," Amanda stood up and bowed, just like how her = mother=20 taught her. Mother had a teacher once, a Hindu priest, and he demanded = respect.=20 "Thank you, Shaman Alice Starseer." Alice grinned, rather sheepishly. Although for years, she had to put = aside=20 her love of science and the past. Becoming a youth counselor allowed her = to stay=20 close to the land and stars. Amanda was not the most difficult youth she = had=20 helped during her career. Yet, the young Tomorrow Person was the most = responsive=20 and the most respectful. </DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B8.0CC350C0-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize 11/20 Date: 19 Mar 2000 15:32:55 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B8.65946FE0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part 11/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People and = Jonny Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy write = holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no = infringement on copyright. General Damon's influence had shadowed Race Bannon through his lonely = night flight into the secretive base and beyond it. "You have permission = to land, Roger Bannon," the dispassionate air controller told him, as = floodlights emerged from the craggy desert floor. "Thank you," Race grumbled, easing the stealth helicopter onto the = illuminated pad, even as the massive, but concealing doors parted below = the rudders. He never cared for the Men In Black, how their sticky = fingers penetrated all levels of the Secret Services. Since losing their = government funding, there were rumors of the organization going rogue, = but of course there was no proof.=20 Race's official mission was to get that proof for General Damon. For = that, he had to go into this viper's nest through the front door. With = the gentlest bump, the black helicopter landed. Four loud pistol shots = rang out, followed by guttle hissing, caused Bannon to tense. Titanium = clamps slapped themselves across the rudders, as the landing pad began = to sink below the desert floor. Metal grated as the pad began to rotate = slowly. "Stand by for fuel dumping," the air controller informed him, as a snake = like coil slithered across the gleaming expanse, hooking onto the fuel = intake. Race glared at the conduit, as it sucked out the life out of the = delicate craft. This was a security measure. He knew there was one way = in, but he had to make his own way out, with the boys. Being surrounded = with gleaming search lights and polished electronic features, Race felt = extremely dirty. He long considered the MIBs vile, in spite of their = spit and polish cloneness. That blackness came from their cores, souls, = if they still had them. The dials and indicators flickered, then fell to = the lowest ranges. "Fuel dumping completed," Race fought to keep his = voice level. "Looks like you also drained the batteries," he hissed, = tapping a dark gauge. The landing pad touched down with a locking down thunk. Race scanned the = tube shaped room, particularly at the large bay doors which circled the = helicopter pad. He slipped out of the harness, flexing the fingers on = his injured arm. The stabbing arch ran between his shoulder and those = fingers, awaking him to his fullest. Slowly he swung out of the pilot's = seat. He managed a couple of steps onto the pad, when the massive doors = rumbled apart, emitting scores of black uniformed men, each toting the = MIBs latest version of M-16 rifles, kited out with ugly laser sights. Race Bannon glared down at the assembly. "Ahh, Mister Bannon," an oozing = voice announced his presence. Commander Marshell turned toward his = former 'ally', who now sported black sunglasses like the rest of his = men. "How nice to hear that you have finally come to your senses." "I work for General Damon now," Race firmed his jaw. "Yes, I fully understand, Bannon. All of those years serving as Doctor = Quest's body guard and nanny shouldn't go to waste," he purred, = extending his hand. "What a pity about the good doctor, having to met = his death, in such an embarrassing manner." Race snapped his frame tight. "What happened Commander?" "Doctor Quest was signaling one of his ET friends, or so he believed. = That bogey fried him with something like a death ray from the late show. = A real loss, actually. Quest should have known we are at war; we have = been since forty-seven." Bannon, glanced away, daring not to betray his emotions at that moment. = He did not know if the leader had just told him the truth or twisted it. = "I must say, considering the current economic environment, you managed = to land your new position rather quickly." "General Damon was aware that I was with Doctor Quest when he discovered = the ring," Bannon baited. "So my sources claim," the MIB soothed. 'Lord help you if those sources turn out to be the boys!' Bannon glared. "Let's get this inspection business over with, Mister Bannon," he gave a = pally slap which rang across his aching back. "Duty to one's superiors = must always come first. Although I am anxious to compare notes with you = about the late Doctor Quest's find. Then perhaps---" he allowed his = thoughts trail off as he lead Mister Bannon into the right corridor. A = hover cart was waiting for him. "I believe you should be reasonably = impressed with our operations." Bannon was not a telepath, however, his host was. A few of his men were = adept at scanning open minds, like the former Company man. 'Sir,' one of = his MIB telepaths reached out. 'He is aware that we are holding the = Quest kids.' 'I am aware of that, why else would that fool Damon send him?' 'His thoughts are muddled, full of observations. His diffuse thoughts = will be dangerous!' 'Keep trained on Bannon.' ************************************************************************ "Ohhhh," he groaned, his scattered thoughts began to slowly aggregate = across the void. The sensation of searing pain from his ribs slammed = into his nerves first. "Nanner, Nanner, Nanner," a muffled, garbled sound caressed his ears, as = the outside voice said. 'Please take it peacefully, Human Quest. Your = body desires more rest.' "Huh?" he forced his throbbing eyes open. The yellow glare echoed into = his brain, which demanded instantly to retreat and sleep more. An = enfolding, warm surface comforted him, while gently holding him like a = sick child. A nagging thought demanded confirmation. Only his sight was = too slow to clear. "Where am I?" "Nanner, Ninner?" more worbling, more velvety ripples against his body. = 'Your mind is up to such questions now, Human?' "Yes!" he vocally answered before he realized those words played = directly in his thoughts. "Nanner, Nanner, NAN!!" the cream surfaces rippled about his naked body, = as glyphs of protest flashed from the outside. Quest smiled, for his = mind was only able to translate stubborn Human!" 'Your curiosity is = boundless, Human Quest!' his invisible friend from the outside = complained. 'Do you realize that the emotion can interfere with your = recuperation?' Quest felt his face smile, through the velvet surface, as he began to = wonder why in the world he did not feel hungry. Or why he did not = smother under this weight. 'You are like a child, Human Quest!' 'Thank you, er---' 'I am your healer,' the presence hummed. 'Your mind cannot form my name = sign, so Healer must do.' "What happened to me? I remember seeing Alice's ship, then --- nothing! = Then I had this strange dream a tunnel of light, but I heard Amanda = crying. Oh dear, is she all right??" 'To answer your first question, one of your fellow humans launched a = lead missile, which penetrated the upper torso, over the cardio pump.' "You mean my heart?! I must have lost---" 'I had to strain your immune system, Human Quest. By right you should = still be in healing sleep. Amanda was upset over your injuries, but she = escaped with her physical health intact.' "Your medical science must be impressive, Healer. I wonder, may I study = it?" A chuckle sent more pleasing, comforting purls down his sore body, which = threatened to lower him back to sleep. 'Only once your body recovers its = native strength, Human Quest.' Quest heavily sighed, his mind too filled with questions. "I am aboard = Alice's ship then?" 'Correct, Human Quest, please ease your thought process. You do need to = rest farther.' "Please, I know you are an extraterrestrial, Healer. Just one more = question. Please, may I er - see you?" "Nanner, nannner," the Healer appeared to grumble, judging how the = mumbling dipped. 'Very well, if you promise that you will not strike me, = and keep yourself calm, I shall show myself to you.' Doctor Quest expected the sigh of heavy coverings, or the squeak of a = hinge, but none of those sounds reached his ears. The Healer nannered = and hummed, no longer sharing his thoughts, as the velvety warm surface = slid off of his body, taking the sleepy weight with it. The cold slammed = into him. Suddenly, he sorely missed the comforting warmth of those = luxuriant coverings, but at least now he could see--- Two large luminous pools floating in a sea of gelatinous protoplasm, = blankly staring back. Quest's fingers dug into the bed's giving plastic = surface, as he bit down on his lip to keep from screaming. More = Nannering, fast and harsh, as the being extended a pseudoarm out of its = protoplasmic body. ''Now, there is no need for you to injury yourself = farther, Human Quest,' the telepathy scolded, as the tendril delicately = swiped his bleeding lip. The scientist felt a gently electrical current = which melted the torn flesh back together and sealed it. "Fine telekinetic welding," Doctor Quest said, trying to sit up. "If I = hadn't witnessed it---I wouldn't believe it." The gelatinous protoplasm shot across his chest and shoulders, with more = persistent nannering. 'You are too weak to be moving in such manners, = Human Quest. Your ---er 'heart' is pumping at such a velocity that it = could rerupture!' "Healer?" a familiar warm voice softly called. "May I see your patient?" The being rapidly extended his eyes on a long stalk, rotating and = telescoping toward her. As alien as this being was, Doctor Quest found = himself relaxing in --- its? his? or what's? presence. The telepathy = came across as male, but perhaps the being could easily shape its = thoughts as it could its body. At the back of his thoughts, Doctor Quest = discovered that he would have been more comfortable with a human, male = physician and the healer must have detected that stray thought. Anyway, = he knew that was Alice's voice, and wanted so much to see her. More nannering, as the eye stalk swung back to him, retracting back into = the body mass. 'What a resilient species, your non-esper Humans are! At = the very sound of a female's voice, your pheromones switch on! If = procreation is what you both desire, I shall leave you!' Alice merrily laughed, as Quest felt his skin down to his collar bones = crimson. The being moved remarkably fast and gracefully on a pseudopodia = --- 'No,' the scientist corrected his observations, 'Healer moves by = undulating that pseudomusculature beneath the skin.' Healer had glided = his bulk out of the chamber, when he paused, as if another thought = occurred to him. The eye stalk swung around, staring into Alice's face. "I understand Healer," her fingers slid down the curl, as the stalk = retreated. "Let me guess, he telepathed something like, you got five minutes?" = Quest stretched and yawned. "And not to be disappointed," her eyes twinkled like low fires, as she = bent over him, then gently kissed him on the cheek. It felt good to hear and feel his warm snorting chuckle. "Welcome back = Benton." "Was I ---" he slowly shook his head no. "It was awfully close," he = shuddered, in spite of adapting to the ambient room temperature. Alice nodded, her fingers skimming across the raised edge. A silver = covering sprang into her grip, which she yanked over his body. "Better?" = she warmly returned. "Yes," the sheet thin blanket was nice, but now he suddenly missed the = Healer's folds. Which troubled him. "Do your healers sleep with their = patients?" He asked lightly, hiding his true feelings behind a joke = mask. Alice lifted an eyebrow, with a knowing grin. "Healers stay close to = their critical patients even though after difficult healings they must = rest." Quest raised his eyebrows, nodding, waiting for more. "It's a = tradition in Ninnerkith culture to hold their sick members until they = recover or die. Due to their protoplasmic natures, the Ninnerkiths are = most responsive to touch and taste. Touch is their first sense, even = above their considerable psionic powers." "I --- hope I didn't insult him ---er---" "Healer is a male colonial plasmasoid," Alice continued. "Trust me, he = is a very caring individual, all healers must be empathic, as well as = have the powers in order to do what they must. And get close. Outside of = caring for their charges, healers prefer not to be involved with their = patient's lives, much like Doctors should be." Quest relaxed as he = mulled. "Besides Healer has been with the Ship since my grandfather = first left the Earth. Healer constantly frets that being around such = thick flesh, he's getting crusty!" Doctor Quest laughed loud and hard, which felt so good. A timid knock on = the door sliced into their conversation. "Healer said --- Doctor = Quest?!" her brown eyes reflected her wild gasp of relief. "Amanda?" he blinked, wondering for a moment, what she would do. = Unabashedly, she crossed the few steps between the door and his bed, and = hugged him. "Oh, Doctor, I thought---" she sniffled. "It's okay, Mandy," he patted her flaxen hair, before releasing her. = "The healer told me it was pretty close ---" "And knowing healers, he's tapping his foot waiting for us to clear out = so you can rest," the child blinked tears, her pixie demeanor aging so = quickly. Taking a deep breath, she squared her lithe body and turned = toward Alice. "Shaman, I know what I must do ---" "Yes?" Alice prompted, cupping her shoulder. "I must free the Ship and if I can hide her in a new place," her low = voice rang with both fear and determination. Doctor Quest anxiously eyed the girl. "Alice, what is she talking = about?" "Benton," Starseer swallowed, glancing flirtively away. He wanted = information, but the news could damage his recovery. "Remember Doctor Quest," Amanda meekly smiled at the scientist, curling = her fingers about his limp hand. "Jonny, Hadji and I fell through the = jauntway to the Star Atoll, where my parents---" "By yourself??" Quest hotly glared at both women. "Alice, you're not = going to let her??" "This is Amanda's decision, Benton. This is her first task---" "Those people will kill her," he began to rise, then paused when he sat = up. "Look, give me a chance to get dressed, then---" "You must rest!" Alice rallied, firmly shoving down his shoulders, = causing the scientist to yelp in surprise. "I'm sorry, I and my crew = shall help Amanda in her quest, but her path is her own." Her eyes swimming, Amanda silently left. Less than thirty seconds later, = Healer reappeared, warbling clipply. 'Your emotive responses are = detrimental to your native healing Human Quest.' "Healer," Quest raised his voice loud enough to be heard in the = corridor. "Maybe you can talk some sense into---" Amanda shuddered, turning out his anger, before the computer raised the = damping fields. "Amanda?" Alice was at her elbow. "Are you ready?" "Doctor Quest didn't hurt himself?" she troubled. "No --- second thoughts?" "Sort of, I did imply helping Doctor Quest search for his sons. They are = my friends, if I hadn't ---" ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B8.65946FE0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part 11/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People = and Jonny=20 Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy = write=20 holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television=20 are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no infringement on=20 copyright. General Damon's influence had shadowed Race Bannon through his lonely = night=20 flight into the secretive base and beyond it. "You have permission = to land,=20 Roger Bannon," the dispassionate air controller told him, as = floodlights=20 emerged from the craggy desert floor. "Thank you," Race grumbled, easing the stealth helicopter = onto the=20 illuminated pad, even as the massive, but concealing doors parted below = the=20 rudders. He never cared for the Men In Black, how their sticky fingers=20 penetrated all levels of the Secret Services. Since losing their = government=20 funding, there were rumors of the organization going rogue, but of = course there=20 was no proof. Race's official mission was to get that proof for General Damon. For = that, he=20 had to go into this viper's nest through the front door. With the = gentlest bump,=20 the black helicopter landed. Four loud pistol shots rang out, followed = by guttle=20 hissing, caused Bannon to tense. Titanium clamps slapped themselves = across the=20 rudders, as the landing pad began to sink below the desert floor. Metal = grated=20 as the pad began to rotate slowly. "Stand by for fuel dumping," the air controller informed = him, as a=20 snake like coil slithered across the gleaming expanse, hooking onto the = fuel=20 intake. Race glared at the conduit, as it sucked out the life out of the = delicate=20 craft. This was a security measure. He knew there was one way in, but he = had to=20 make his own way out, with the boys. Being surrounded with gleaming = search=20 lights and polished electronic features, Race felt extremely dirty. He = long=20 considered the MIBs vile, in spite of their spit and polish cloneness. = That=20 blackness came from their cores, souls, if they still had them. The = dials and=20 indicators flickered, then fell to the lowest ranges. "Fuel dumping = completed," Race fought to keep his voice level. "Looks like = you also=20 drained the batteries," he hissed, tapping a dark gauge. The landing pad touched down with a locking down thunk. Race scanned = the tube=20 shaped room, particularly at the large bay doors which circled the = helicopter=20 pad. He slipped out of the harness, flexing the fingers on his injured = arm. The=20 stabbing arch ran between his shoulder and those fingers, awaking him to = his=20 fullest. Slowly he swung out of the pilot's seat. He managed a couple of = steps=20 onto the pad, when the massive doors rumbled apart, emitting scores of = black=20 uniformed men, each toting the MIBs latest version of M-16 rifles, kited = out=20 with ugly laser sights. Race Bannon glared down at the assembly. "Ahh, Mister = Bannon," an=20 oozing voice announced his presence. Commander Marshell turned toward = his former=20 'ally', who now sported black sunglasses like the rest of his men. = "How=20 nice to hear that you have finally come to your senses." "I work for General Damon now," Race firmed his jaw. "Yes, I fully understand, Bannon. All of those years serving as = Doctor=20 Quest's body guard and nanny shouldn't go to waste," he purred, = extending=20 his hand. "What a pity about the good doctor, having to met his = death, in=20 such an embarrassing manner." Race snapped his frame tight. "What happened = Commander?" "Doctor Quest was signaling one of his ET friends, or so he = believed.=20 That bogey fried him with something like a death ray from the late show. = A real=20 loss, actually. Quest should have known we are at war; we have been = since=20 forty-seven." Bannon, glanced away, daring not to betray his emotions at that = moment. He=20 did not know if the leader had just told him the truth or twisted it. = "I=20 must say, considering the current economic environment, you managed to = land your=20 new position rather quickly." "General Damon was aware that I was with Doctor Quest when he = discovered=20 the ring," Bannon baited. "So my sources claim," the MIB soothed. 'Lord help you if those sources turn out to be the boys!' Bannon = glared. "Let's get this inspection business over with, Mister = Bannon," he=20 gave a pally slap which rang across his aching back. "Duty to one's = superiors must always come first. Although I am anxious to compare notes = with=20 you about the late Doctor Quest's find. Then perhaps---" he allowed = his=20 thoughts trail off as he lead Mister Bannon into the right corridor. A = hover=20 cart was waiting for him. "I believe you should be reasonably = impressed=20 with our operations." Bannon was not a telepath, however, his host was. A few of his men = were adept=20 at scanning open minds, like the former Company man. 'Sir,' one of his = MIB=20 telepaths reached out. 'He is aware that we are holding the Quest = kids.' 'I am aware of that, why else would that fool Damon send him?' 'His thoughts are muddled, full of observations. His diffuse thoughts = will be=20 dangerous!' 'Keep trained on Bannon.' **********************************************************************= ** "Ohhhh," he groaned, his scattered thoughts began to slowly = aggregate across the void. The sensation of searing pain from his ribs = slammed=20 into his nerves first. "Nanner, Nanner, Nanner," a muffled, garbled sound caressed = his=20 ears, as the outside voice said. 'Please take it peacefully, Human = Quest. Your=20 body desires more rest.' "Huh?" he forced his throbbing eyes open. The yellow glare = echoed=20 into his brain, which demanded instantly to retreat and sleep more. An=20 enfolding, warm surface comforted him, while gently holding him like a = sick=20 child. A nagging thought demanded confirmation. Only his sight was too = slow to=20 clear. "Where am I?" "Nanner, Ninner?" more worbling, more velvety ripples = against his=20 body. 'Your mind is up to such questions now, Human?' "Yes!" he vocally answered before he realized those words = played=20 directly in his thoughts. "Nanner, Nanner, NAN!!" the cream surfaces rippled about = his naked=20 body, as glyphs of protest flashed from the outside. Quest smiled, for = his mind=20 was only able to translate stubborn Human!" 'Your curiosity is = boundless,=20 Human Quest!' his invisible friend from the outside complained. 'Do you = realize=20 that the emotion can interfere with your recuperation?' Quest felt his face smile, through the velvet surface, as he began to = wonder=20 why in the world he did not feel hungry. Or why he did not smother under = this=20 weight. 'You are like a child, Human Quest!' 'Thank you, er---' 'I am your healer,' the presence hummed. 'Your mind cannot form my = name sign,=20 so Healer must do.' "What happened to me? I remember seeing Alice's ship, then --- = nothing!=20 Then I had this strange dream a tunnel of light, but I heard Amanda = crying. Oh=20 dear, is she all right??" 'To answer your first question, one of your fellow humans launched a = lead=20 missile, which penetrated the upper torso, over the cardio pump.' "You mean my heart?! I must have lost---" 'I had to strain your immune system, Human Quest. By right you should = still=20 be in healing sleep. Amanda was upset over your injuries, but she = escaped with=20 her physical health intact.' "Your medical science must be impressive, Healer. I wonder, may = I study=20 it?" A chuckle sent more pleasing, comforting purls down his sore body, = which=20 threatened to lower him back to sleep. 'Only once your body recovers its = native=20 strength, Human Quest.' Quest heavily sighed, his mind too filled with questions. "I am = aboard=20 Alice's ship then?" 'Correct, Human Quest, please ease your thought process. You do need = to rest=20 farther.' "Please, I know you are an extraterrestrial, Healer. Just one = more=20 question. Please, may I er - see you?" "Nanner, nannner," the Healer appeared to grumble, judging = how the=20 mumbling dipped. 'Very well, if you promise that you will not strike me, = and=20 keep yourself calm, I shall show myself to you.' Doctor Quest expected the sigh of heavy coverings, or the squeak of a = hinge,=20 but none of those sounds reached his ears. The Healer nannered and = hummed, no=20 longer sharing his thoughts, as the velvety warm surface slid off of his = body,=20 taking the sleepy weight with it. The cold slammed into him. Suddenly, = he sorely=20 missed the comforting warmth of those luxuriant coverings, but at least = now he=20 could see--- Two large luminous pools floating in a sea of gelatinous protoplasm, = blankly=20 staring back. Quest's fingers dug into the bed's giving plastic surface, = as he=20 bit down on his lip to keep from screaming. More Nannering, fast and = harsh, as=20 the being extended a pseudoarm out of its protoplasmic body. ''Now, = there is no=20 need for you to injury yourself farther, Human Quest,' the telepathy = scolded, as=20 the tendril delicately swiped his bleeding lip. The scientist felt a = gently=20 electrical current which melted the torn flesh back together and sealed = it. "Fine telekinetic welding," Doctor Quest said, trying to = sit up.=20 "If I hadn't witnessed it---I wouldn't believe it." The gelatinous protoplasm shot across his chest and shoulders, with = more=20 persistent nannering. 'You are too weak to be moving in such manners, = Human=20 Quest. Your ---er 'heart' is pumping at such a velocity that it could=20 rerupture!' "Healer?" a familiar warm voice softly called. "May I = see your=20 patient?" The being rapidly extended his eyes on a long stalk, rotating and = telescoping=20 toward her. As alien as this being was, Doctor Quest found himself = relaxing in=20 --- its? his? or what's? presence. The telepathy came across as male, = but=20 perhaps the being could easily shape its thoughts as it could its body. = At the=20 back of his thoughts, Doctor Quest discovered that he would have been = more=20 comfortable with a human, male physician and the healer must have = detected that=20 stray thought. Anyway, he knew that was Alice's voice, and wanted so = much to see=20 her. More nannering, as the eye stalk swung back to him, retracting back = into the=20 body mass. 'What a resilient species, your non-esper Humans are! At the = very=20 sound of a female's voice, your pheromones switch on! If procreation is = what you=20 both desire, I shall leave you!' Alice merrily laughed, as Quest felt his skin down to his collar = bones=20 crimson. The being moved remarkably fast and gracefully on a pseudopodia = ---=20 'No,' the scientist corrected his observations, 'Healer moves by = undulating that=20 pseudomusculature beneath the skin.' Healer had glided his bulk out of = the=20 chamber, when he paused, as if another thought occurred to him. The eye = stalk=20 swung around, staring into Alice's face. "I understand Healer," her fingers slid down the curl, as = the stalk=20 retreated. "Let me guess, he telepathed something like, you got five = minutes?"=20 Quest stretched and yawned. "And not to be disappointed," her eyes twinkled like low = fires, as=20 she bent over him, then gently kissed him on the cheek. It felt good to hear and feel his warm snorting chuckle. = "Welcome back=20 Benton." "Was I ---" he slowly shook his head no. "It was = awfully=20 close," he shuddered, in spite of adapting to the ambient room=20 temperature. Alice nodded, her fingers skimming across the raised edge. A silver = covering=20 sprang into her grip, which she yanked over his body. = "Better?" she=20 warmly returned. "Yes," the sheet thin blanket was nice, but now he suddenly = missed=20 the Healer's folds. Which troubled him. "Do your healers sleep with = their=20 patients?" He asked lightly, hiding his true feelings behind a joke = mask. Alice lifted an eyebrow, with a knowing grin. "Healers stay = close to=20 their critical patients even though after difficult healings they must=20 rest." Quest raised his eyebrows, nodding, waiting for more. = "It's a=20 tradition in Ninnerkith culture to hold their sick members until they = recover or=20 die. Due to their protoplasmic natures, the Ninnerkiths are most = responsive to=20 touch and taste. Touch is their first sense, even above their = considerable=20 psionic powers." "I --- hope I didn't insult him ---er---" "Healer is a male colonial plasmasoid," Alice continued.=20 "Trust me, he is a very caring individual, all healers must be = empathic, as=20 well as have the powers in order to do what they must. And get close. = Outside of=20 caring for their charges, healers prefer not to be involved with their = patient's=20 lives, much like Doctors should be." Quest relaxed as he mulled.=20 "Besides Healer has been with the Ship since my grandfather first = left the=20 Earth. Healer constantly frets that being around such thick flesh, he's = getting=20 crusty!" Doctor Quest laughed loud and hard, which felt so good. A timid knock = on the=20 door sliced into their conversation. "Healer said --- Doctor = Quest?!"=20 her brown eyes reflected her wild gasp of relief. "Amanda?" he blinked, wondering for a moment, what she = would do.=20 Unabashedly, she crossed the few steps between the door and his bed, and = hugged=20 him. "Oh, Doctor, I thought---" she sniffled. "It's okay, Mandy," he patted her flaxen hair, before = releasing=20 her. "The healer told me it was pretty close ---" "And knowing healers, he's tapping his foot waiting for us to = clear out=20 so you can rest," the child blinked tears, her pixie demeanor aging = so=20 quickly. Taking a deep breath, she squared her lithe body and turned = toward=20 Alice. "Shaman, I know what I must do ---" "Yes?" Alice prompted, cupping her shoulder. "I must free the Ship and if I can hide her in a new = place," her=20 low voice rang with both fear and determination. Doctor Quest anxiously eyed the girl. "Alice, what is she = talking=20 about?" "Benton," Starseer swallowed, glancing flirtively away. He = wanted=20 information, but the news could damage his recovery. "Remember Doctor Quest," Amanda meekly smiled at the = scientist,=20 curling her fingers about his limp hand. "Jonny, Hadji and I fell = through=20 the jauntway to the Star Atoll, where my parents---" "By yourself??" Quest hotly glared at both women. = "Alice,=20 you're not going to let her??" "This is Amanda's decision, Benton. This is her first = task---" "Those people will kill her," he began to rise, then paused = when he=20 sat up. "Look, give me a chance to get dressed, then---" "You must rest!" Alice rallied, firmly shoving down his = shoulders,=20 causing the scientist to yelp in surprise. "I'm sorry, I and my = crew shall=20 help Amanda in her quest, but her path is her own." Her eyes swimming, Amanda silently left. Less than thirty seconds = later,=20 Healer reappeared, warbling clipply. 'Your emotive responses are = detrimental to=20 your native healing Human Quest.' "Healer," Quest raised his voice loud enough to be heard in = the=20 corridor. "Maybe you can talk some sense into---" Amanda shuddered, turning out his anger, before the computer raised = the=20 damping fields. "Amanda?" Alice was at her elbow. "Are = you=20 ready?" "Doctor Quest didn't hurt himself?" she troubled. "No --- second thoughts?" "Sort of, I did imply helping Doctor Quest search for his sons. = They are=20 my friends, if I hadn't ---"</DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B8.65946FE0-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Part 12/20 Date: 19 Mar 2000 15:34:55 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B8.AD25AA40 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part 12/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People and = Jonny Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy write = holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no = infringement on copyright. That was not why he got upset, Amanda. There is danger, where you = tread." Amanda held herself. "I know, but you should not get too involved in = this. The Ship was left for the Tomorrow People. She is our = responsibility." "Then you will?" "Yes, Alice, I'm returning to the Ship." ************************************************************************ With a brilliant flash of ball lightening, Amanda returned to Earth. The = Starseer bobbed, then chased its attendant vessels and probes up to a = heavy cloud bank. The Tomorrow Person deeply drank the atmosphere, = noting the tang of dry loss, intermingling with the faint sweetness of = pollen and the troubling smack of partly burned hydrocarbons. Briefly = she wanted to talk to Doctor Quest, wondering if native humans could = smell these warm living scents. Her heart hammered, as she scanned the = horizon for high altitude jets. At this predawn hour, the dark skies were empty of human activity. = Spying the starry band, that made up the Galactic core, Amanda allowed = her eyes to travel along it, her thoughts reaching once more for her = absent friends and parents. She longed just to say I love you, and = please understand why I had to leave. A dim presence hummed at the back = of her mind, an awareness of their life pulses. Amanda savored that = presence, as she mentally tuned into the Ship's soul tugging song. Her tele-empathic presence rang in icy greys, demonstrating that Ship = was languishing in deep despair, her lyric rumbling, and disorganized. = After steeling herself against the darker elements, which could have = plunged her into her own desperate gloom, Amanda probed along the soft = wailing, finding little pain. It occurred to her that the Ship's = presence felt differently than what she remembered, from when they first = met in her infancy. Amanda troubled a moment, over how much the Saps = might have damaged her. The Ship still sang, which was a comfort. The = depression, however, could be as debilitating as physical damage. "All right, Ship," Amanda took a deep breath, flexing her hands into = balls, then easing her body for jaunt. "I'm coming for you, old friend." ************************************************************************ The star light was immediately exchanged for the cold glare of powerful = fluorescent lighting. Amanda gave an involuntary shudder, finding the = harsh sterility of metal and faint hum of electronics now as threatening = as a shark's row upon row of savage teeth. Believing that she heard the = gleaming metal walls echoed the regular click of several booted feet, = she ducked beneath an instrument panel. Waiting for the ghosts to pass, = Amanda continued her observations, while her heart hammered against the = Ship's pitiful aria. A tentative probe to the instrument panel, gave her = flashes of mathematics and bits of intelligible information. 'An = electronic store!' she exclaimed, extending her mind probes across the = wires and fine silicon chips. Directly tapping into the artificial mind = was both tedious and time consuming. Most of the information she gleamed = repeated, but at her speed, Amanda could ignore the chaff, editing away = what she felt could be important. She learned that the humans had tried = to break into the Ship, but were unable too. The illogical statement = 'Paired onto the whole', repeated more frequently, the deeper she dove = into the data streams. The computer chattered, then caught flame, for = its components could no longer withstand Amanda's determined onslaught. = 'Bloody---,' she declared, smothering the sparks under oxygenless = telekinetic bubbles. "If there are connections with this primitive = computer to others, they know I am here!!' The air tasted stale, = artificially air-conditioned, no doubt the scrubbing system hopelessly = clogged, the Tomorrow Person darkly thought. As she darted across the chilled expanse ducking behind or underneath = more computer panels, suddenly small smacks of telepathy peppered her = mental screens, alerting her to the presence of snooping minds. She = simply closed her thoughts farther, becoming a gleaming mirror. Those = stale telepaths would not give her away so simply. She studied the broad = circular room, with her eyes and mind. This area was sealed from the = rest of the subterranean base. Laid in a rough concentric circles before = her, were computer stations and instrument carts. Collections of heavy = cable stretched across the floor, snaking in and out from under a = gossamer tarp. 'Ship??!' 'Little Captain??' the ancient vessel purred in recognition. 'Death = surrounds us. The humans have killed all who answered!!' 'Not all,' Amanda coolly answered, keeping in the shadows beneath the = rolls of computers. 'Mega made it to the Trig---' 'Are there others with you Mandy?' a blade of outside hope skittered = across her barriers. 'Is Megabyte with you?' 'They---' Amanda held her thoughts, sensing a trap, from perhaps within = the Ship. The other suddenly submerged into the Ship's essence. 'I was = the only one who could came. What is the status of scanning and security = devices?' 'Such devices surround you Captain,' that was the Ship who answered. = 'Including infrared ---' 'Oh joy!' Amanda hissed, for she ignored the faint buzz-tickle of = invisible light against her skin. 'Got to hurry!!' She popped up, = finding herself standing before the main computer. "Primitive," she = grumbled. "Let's see how strong and loyal you are." To her grim delight, Earth computers had no notion of loyalty. Now she = tapped into the mainframe, as a Sap human would. Access was achieved by = a combination of numbers and letters, easy to discover by reading the = lingering auras on the keys. The electronics whispered temptingly, which = traveled faster and more efficiently, than the jumble of encoded = information which crawled into blocks of text, before scrolling off of = the screen. Amanda discovered that most of the information was both = useless and wrong conjecture about the SHIP. 'Two into One?' Amanda = dismissed another block of repetitive junk. She skipped that garbage, = diving into the systems in order to find out how to free the Ship. = Instead, she found --- "JONNY!! HADJI!!" she blindly blinked at their names. "FREEZE TP!!!" a sharp spike of pain blazed from behind the Sap's = concealed eyes. Doubled, Amanda could only glare into Mister Bannon's = astonished face. She glimpsed Race's uninjured arm flash toward a shiny = object clutched in the black uniformed Sap's hand. The weapon's report = was just above a whisper, but the delivered missile tore faster than she = had hope to telekinetically freeze. The sharp end knicked a few strands = of cotton fabric, when Amanda was seized with a dangerous idea. She spun = away, going down, while cupping the ripped fabric. As she fell, she = spied the embedded dart. A telekinetic snap told her the capsule had = plunged its vile poison into the computer cabinet. Amanda snatched the = dart, and with a dreaded shudder, rammed the thick needle through the = fabric and into the muscle. She allowed her body to fully collapse. "It's a TP trick," the Man in Black commander coldly declared. "Bannon = be careful!" Amanda felt a brush of a timid boot against her tail bone, just as she = divorced her conscious spirit from her body. "She's barely alive!" Bannon tightly hissed, as his fingers retreated = from the carotid artery. "What did you hit her with??" "Synaptrial," his host chillingly smiled, causing Amanda's spirit to = shudder in disgust. "That stuff shuts down the automatic nervous system!!" "It's the only thing we ever came up with that safely holds a = teleporter, Mister Bannon," the MIB nodded. In her ethereal state, = Amanda was aware of Bannon clutching his fist, just stilling his = immediate desire to smash out the man's teeth. "Stand down men. We've = got to determine whether or not this is a TP trick before her brain is = reduced to sludge. Sympathy for her, Bannon?" "Amanda did come to us alone," he began slowly. "You are aware that TP can play upon your feelings. Perhaps even now, = with her under like this, one of her sticky little probes have twined = around your brain stem." "Give HER the ANTIDOTE!" Race barked. "NOW!" Commander Marshell smirked. "Ah, Professor Galt..." The South African parapsychologist bobbed his chubby head, with a = pleased grin. "Sir. You got her!" his eyes gleamed with intense greed. = "Not only a teleporter, but a purebred second generation TP!" "Is this a trick or an illusion?" "Her flesh feels solid enough," he grabbed her wrist, squeezing down = hard enough to dislocate bone. "She's unconscious," Bannon growled, as the rifles snapped at him. = Slowly he raised his hands. This was not the time to attack, not for his = sake. Amanda laid defenseless, out of reach, needing the antidote. "We'll put you under just as fast," his host reminded him. "Is this a = trick?" "Out of body?? Possibly---" with a flourish the Professor produced = silver lighter out of the breast pocket of his tailored suit. "Let's = see, eh?" Race jumped in horror, when he popped the gleaming top, and = activated the flint. Then he shoved the flame against the palm. "Her pulse rate is up," Galt observed still holding both her hand and = his lighter. "Way up!!" Race could not stand to watch anymore of this torture. Very aware of the = MIB, he dropped, and surged like a leopard very intent on the kill. Or = least get one crippling kick into Galt's ribs. A rabbitish scream = ripped, as Race pounced. Galt startled, dropping his lighter, just as = the air was rent with angry serpentine hissing. At least, the professor = later congratulated himself for the forethought of yanking his prize out = of danger if not with his entire dignity intact. Race's foul boot = whisked against his chin. "LETTME---" Amanda struggled. "Let me remind you where you are, Miss Fairchild," Galt smiled = pleasantly into her anger. "Without any of your telekinetic tricks or = charms, turn around, slowly." Probing along the ether, Amanda did not have to see, but if she = disobeyed, she would make the situation worse. Race Bannon laid crumbled = on the floor, his life force winding down, as the synaptrial shut down = his nervous system. "That's what a real, synaptrial coma looks like, = Miss Fairchild," Galt purred. "This isn't the drug your parents = experienced. Oh no, it has been improved. First, the higher functions of = the brain are shut down, so he can't move, hear, see or speak, but at = least Bannon is still breathing. Unless the antidote is administered = within a forty-five seconds, Bannon will lose his eyesight and hearing. = If we wait another thirty five seconds, after that, he'll lose his sense = of touch and muscle control. Not much after that I'm afraid, what there = is locked in his gorrillaish brain is degraded into sludge. Oh, Mister = Bannon could linger on for another five or so minutes after that, = without the antidote, but if it's given that late, Bannon would be in a = vegetative coma for the rest of his miserable life." "Give him the antidote," Amanda growled. "Please, Professor." Galt = laughed, having over heard her bitter telepathic 'Your compassion is a = dried husk!!' "I know your every thought, Mandy," he preened. "As you are now aware, = you are encircled by the strongest mind readers on Earth. With them, I = can 'hear' every thought in that pretty little head. Stand ready, = Gentlemen. Would you please take our honored guest in hand, Marshell?" = Galt knelt beside the slowly dying human. "Here in the bunker, = Compassion comes with a high price, which you must be willing to pay." "I am willing," Amanda sighed, feeling as if she just betrayed not only = the Ship, but her people as well. Life was too precious to her, even = Saps like Race... ************************************************************************ After meeting with her crew, Alice Starseer finally managed to retreat = into her quarters, her sanctuary from the universe. She hiked the = twisting in upon themselves corridors, trying to take comfort in the = organic closeness of the velvety soft walls, with the faint nutrient = vessels pulsing to scores of harmonic hearts. Her ship, the Starseer was = just as alive as her captain. Now her Ship reflected her subdued mood. = The Earth Humans had wounded the Starseer's propulsion units as well as = punctured the outer hull. The Engineer had nearly drained himself trying = to keep the Ship alive and whole. Now came the long slow process of = healing repairs, without the benefit of replacement organs or even = nutrient fluid. Only her concealment shields operated fully, which was = indeed fortunate for Alice and her multi-planetary crew. In a prolonged = chase, she knew that the Starseer could not out fly and out maneuver the = jets for very long. Nor could the Starseer break the stratosphere, yet. = They had to settle in for a long, tedious self healing trance to run its = course. Each time the Starseer was awakened from the trance, added twice that = amount of time for recovery and recharge. Now with Amanda having to go = to the Tomorrow People's Ship, alone, added to her anxiousness. Amanda's = bravery and determination were in abundance, but should she ask for help = --- Alice shuddered, wondering if she could aid her in her quest. With that she stalked into her quarters. With all of her might, Alice = could not simply dismiss her worries as she entered the chamber. Healer = wanted to give her a sleep touch, but the Navajo declined his offer. = Under another's influence, sleep was blissfully deep and without dreams, = but at the moment, Alice wanted her dreams, to gleam any fiber of = information or thought that might help her and her crew. The chamber greeted her with a cool desert breeze. It did not smell like = the desert, lacking the dust, pollen and Las Vegas smog, and the slowly = wheeling stars were only computer projections. Alice wearily trudged to = the fire ring, which marked the center of her quarters. Tucked beside = the stones, was her grandfather's bear hide satchel. She fished out a = smaller sack, pouring its glittering contents into her left palm. = Closing her eyes, she muttered a prayer over the glitter, then sprinkled = it into the firepit. A cheering blaze lightly licked her retreating = fingers. Like the satchel, the fire was also very real, but the Ship contained = the energy behind weak mobile force shields. If she had a mind to, she = could jump into the middle of the flames and dance naked, Alice would = emerged unscathed, enjoying the lingering warmth of fire harmlessly = climbing up and over her. This rest period, she did not feel that = playful. For long minutes, she stared into the flames, trying to devine = out her grandfather and her ancestors. She could feel the traces of the = Anazasi spirits flux and flow around her, for they were just as anxious = as she felt. Some of the warriors chastised her for sending in a girl on = a warriors' mission. "Chauvinists," she grumbled, turning toward the bed roll. She inherited = this bed roll from her grandfather as well, the deepest, softest lamb's = plush lined the interior, while tough moose hide encased the far softer = suede. Although in sleep the Ship would hover the sleeper and the roll = off of the floor, she found that the roll could be taken out into the = real world and serve very well. As a child, Grandfather used to promise = to give her this bedroll as a marriage gift, since it was large enough = to sleep a small family. Alice Starseer sighed, smoothing the ripples = out with her hands. Only once did she ever get close enough to want to = marry a man, who managed to capture her love, but not her heart. Then = she realized that shamans of her tribe were that way, loners by choice. A faint chime invaded her downward thoughts. "Healer?" A small head, whose only feature were those glittering orbs, swung = questioningly into her quarters. Over the softened nannering, Alice = understood his telepathy. 'Alice, your human friend Benton Quest refuses = to accept any farther rest. He wishes to met with you right now, = however, I tried to ---' Alice wistfully smiled, 'Please allow him in, Dear Healer. Benton is = just as anxious as I am.' 'May I remind you that your body also requires rest?' 'You just did,' her telepathy lightened with the tease. 'Please Healer, = show Benton in. I promise not to tire him or myself any farther than = necessary.' The Healer nannered, and warbled, in his language, holding his telepathy = in check, causing Alice to laugh out loud. Blinking, then narrowing his = oval eyes in amusement, his head was recoiled. A couple seconds later, a = cream colored tendril roughly shoved Doctor Quest into the room. "Well, I'd nev---" the door materialized between him and the humming, = likely stewing plasmasoid. Just as quickly the solid door vanished into = a vast desertscape. Timidly, Doctor Quest extended his palm, feeling the = rough texture grate against his fingertips. "A full three = dimensional-vitural effect --- without direct computer input---" Alice smiled, as she stood from the ground. "This is merely a projection = of the sights and sounds of the desert, Benton. A bit more advanced than = your Questworld, but not by much. All of this the computer replicated = for my grandfather's sake. When he died, I left the settings the same." Doctor Quest sighed, casting his gaze skywards. He felt the familiar = jabs to decipher all of this, but his anger swallowed that. "If I was in = a better mood," he began by folding his arms. "I would be impressed = Alice." Her face dropped. "We do need to talk Benton. Come sit down by the fire. = My Ship's biotronics have arranged for a chilly night." His face = impassive, the scientist sat across from her. "Yes we do need to = talk..." he agreed. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B8.AD25AA40 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part 12/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People = and Jonny=20 Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy = write=20 holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television=20 are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no infringement on=20 copyright. That was not why he got upset, Amanda. There is danger, where you=20 tread." Amanda held herself. "I know, but you should not get too = involved in=20 this. The Ship was left for the Tomorrow People. She is our=20 responsibility." "Then you will?" "Yes, Alice, I'm returning to the Ship." **********************************************************************= ** With a brilliant flash of ball lightening, Amanda returned to Earth. = The=20 Starseer bobbed, then chased its attendant vessels and probes up to a = heavy=20 cloud bank. The Tomorrow Person deeply drank the atmosphere, noting the = tang of=20 dry loss, intermingling with the faint sweetness of pollen and the = troubling=20 smack of partly burned hydrocarbons. Briefly she wanted to talk to = Doctor Quest,=20 wondering if native humans could smell these warm living scents. Her = heart=20 hammered, as she scanned the horizon for high altitude jets. At this predawn hour, the dark skies were empty of human activity. = Spying the=20 starry band, that made up the Galactic core, Amanda allowed her eyes to = travel=20 along it, her thoughts reaching once more for her absent friends and = parents.=20 She longed just to say I love you, and please understand why I had to = leave. A=20 dim presence hummed at the back of her mind, an awareness of their life = pulses.=20 Amanda savored that presence, as she mentally tuned into the Ship's soul = tugging=20 song. Her tele-empathic presence rang in icy greys, demonstrating that Ship = was=20 languishing in deep despair, her lyric rumbling, and disorganized. After = steeling herself against the darker elements, which could have plunged = her into=20 her own desperate gloom, Amanda probed along the soft wailing, finding = little=20 pain. It occurred to her that the Ship's presence felt differently than = what she=20 remembered, from when they first met in her infancy. Amanda troubled a = moment,=20 over how much the Saps might have damaged her. The Ship still sang, = which was a=20 comfort. The depression, however, could be as debilitating as physical=20 damage. "All right, Ship," Amanda took a deep breath, flexing her = hands=20 into balls, then easing her body for jaunt. "I'm coming for you, = old=20 friend." **********************************************************************= ** The star light was immediately exchanged for the cold glare of = powerful=20 fluorescent lighting. Amanda gave an involuntary shudder, finding the = harsh=20 sterility of metal and faint hum of electronics now as threatening as a = shark's=20 row upon row of savage teeth. Believing that she heard the gleaming = metal walls=20 echoed the regular click of several booted feet, she ducked beneath an=20 instrument panel. Waiting for the ghosts to pass, Amanda continued her=20 observations, while her heart hammered against the Ship's pitiful aria. = A=20 tentative probe to the instrument panel, gave her flashes of mathematics = and=20 bits of intelligible information. 'An electronic store!' she exclaimed,=20 extending her mind probes across the wires and fine silicon chips. = Directly=20 tapping into the artificial mind was both tedious and time consuming. = Most of=20 the information she gleamed repeated, but at her speed, Amanda could = ignore the=20 chaff, editing away what she felt could be important. She learned that = the=20 humans had tried to break into the Ship, but were unable too. The = illogical=20 statement 'Paired onto the whole', repeated more frequently, the deeper = she dove=20 into the data streams. The computer chattered, then caught flame, for = its=20 components could no longer withstand Amanda's determined onslaught. = 'Bloody---,'=20 she declared, smothering the sparks under oxygenless telekinetic = bubbles.=20 "If there are connections with this primitive computer to others, = they know=20 I am here!!' The air tasted stale, artificially air-conditioned, no = doubt the=20 scrubbing system hopelessly clogged, the Tomorrow Person darkly = thought. As she darted across the chilled expanse ducking behind or underneath = more=20 computer panels, suddenly small smacks of telepathy peppered her mental = screens,=20 alerting her to the presence of snooping minds. She simply closed her = thoughts=20 farther, becoming a gleaming mirror. Those stale telepaths would not = give her=20 away so simply. She studied the broad circular room, with her eyes and = mind.=20 This area was sealed from the rest of the subterranean base. Laid in a = rough=20 concentric circles before her, were computer stations and instrument = carts.=20 Collections of heavy cable stretched across the floor, snaking in and = out from=20 under a gossamer tarp. 'Ship??!' 'Little Captain??' the ancient vessel purred in recognition. 'Death = surrounds=20 us. The humans have killed all who answered!!' 'Not all,' Amanda coolly answered, keeping in the shadows beneath the = rolls=20 of computers. 'Mega made it to the Trig---' 'Are there others with you Mandy?' a blade of outside hope skittered = across=20 her barriers. 'Is Megabyte with you?' 'They---' Amanda held her thoughts, sensing a trap, from perhaps = within the=20 Ship. The other suddenly submerged into the Ship's essence. 'I was the = only one=20 who could came. What is the status of scanning and security = devices?' 'Such devices surround you Captain,' that was the Ship who answered.=20 'Including infrared ---' 'Oh joy!' Amanda hissed, for she ignored the faint buzz-tickle of = invisible=20 light against her skin. 'Got to hurry!!' She popped up, finding herself = standing=20 before the main computer. "Primitive," she grumbled. = "Let's see=20 how strong and loyal you are." To her grim delight, Earth computers had no notion of loyalty. Now = she tapped=20 into the mainframe, as a Sap human would. Access was achieved by a = combination=20 of numbers and letters, easy to discover by reading the lingering auras = on the=20 keys. The electronics whispered temptingly, which traveled faster and = more=20 efficiently, than the jumble of encoded information which crawled into = blocks of=20 text, before scrolling off of the screen. Amanda discovered that most of = the=20 information was both useless and wrong conjecture about the SHIP. 'Two = into=20 One?' Amanda dismissed another block of repetitive junk. She skipped = that=20 garbage, diving into the systems in order to find out how to free the = Ship.=20 Instead, she found --- "JONNY!! HADJI!!" she blindly blinked at their names. "FREEZE TP!!!" a sharp spike of pain blazed from behind the = Sap's=20 concealed eyes. Doubled, Amanda could only glare into Mister Bannon's = astonished=20 face. She glimpsed Race's uninjured arm flash toward a shiny object = clutched in=20 the black uniformed Sap's hand. The weapon's report was just above a = whisper,=20 but the delivered missile tore faster than she had hope to = telekinetically=20 freeze. The sharp end knicked a few strands of cotton fabric, when = Amanda was=20 seized with a dangerous idea. She spun away, going down, while cupping = the=20 ripped fabric. As she fell, she spied the embedded dart. A telekinetic = snap told=20 her the capsule had plunged its vile poison into the computer cabinet. = Amanda=20 snatched the dart, and with a dreaded shudder, rammed the thick needle = through=20 the fabric and into the muscle. She allowed her body to fully = collapse. "It's a TP trick," the Man in Black commander coldly = declared.=20 "Bannon be careful!" Amanda felt a brush of a timid boot against her tail bone, just as = she=20 divorced her conscious spirit from her body. "She's barely alive!" Bannon tightly hissed, as his fingers = retreated from the carotid artery. "What did you hit her = with??" "Synaptrial," his host chillingly smiled, causing Amanda's = spirit=20 to shudder in disgust. "That stuff shuts down the automatic nervous system!!" "It's the only thing we ever came up with that safely holds a=20 teleporter, Mister Bannon," the MIB nodded. In her ethereal state, = Amanda=20 was aware of Bannon clutching his fist, just stilling his immediate = desire to=20 smash out the man's teeth. "Stand down men. We've got to determine = whether=20 or not this is a TP trick before her brain is reduced to sludge. = Sympathy for=20 her, Bannon?" "Amanda did come to us alone," he began slowly. "You are aware that TP can play upon your feelings. Perhaps even = now,=20 with her under like this, one of her sticky little probes have twined = around=20 your brain stem." "Give HER the ANTIDOTE!" Race barked. "NOW!" Commander Marshell smirked. "Ah, Professor Galt..." The South African parapsychologist bobbed his chubby head, with a = pleased=20 grin. "Sir. You got her!" his eyes gleamed with intense greed. = "Not only a teleporter, but a purebred second generation = TP!" "Is this a trick or an illusion?" "Her flesh feels solid enough," he grabbed her wrist, = squeezing=20 down hard enough to dislocate bone. "She's unconscious," Bannon growled, as the rifles snapped = at him.=20 Slowly he raised his hands. This was not the time to attack, not for his = sake.=20 Amanda laid defenseless, out of reach, needing the antidote. "We'll put you under just as fast," his host reminded him. = "Is=20 this a trick?" "Out of body?? Possibly---" with a flourish the Professor = produced=20 silver lighter out of the breast pocket of his tailored suit. = "Let's see,=20 eh?" Race jumped in horror, when he popped the gleaming top, and = activated=20 the flint. Then he shoved the flame against the palm. "Her pulse rate is up," Galt observed still holding both = her hand=20 and his lighter. "Way up!!" Race could not stand to watch anymore of this torture. Very aware of = the MIB,=20 he dropped, and surged like a leopard very intent on the kill. Or least = get one=20 crippling kick into Galt's ribs. A rabbitish scream ripped, as Race = pounced.=20 Galt startled, dropping his lighter, just as the air was rent with angry = serpentine hissing. At least, the professor later congratulated himself = for the=20 forethought of yanking his prize out of danger if not with his entire = dignity=20 intact. Race's foul boot whisked against his chin. "LETTME---" Amanda struggled. "Let me remind you where you are, Miss Fairchild," Galt = smiled=20 pleasantly into her anger. "Without any of your telekinetic tricks = or=20 charms, turn around, slowly." Probing along the ether, Amanda did not have to see, but if she = disobeyed,=20 she would make the situation worse. Race Bannon laid crumbled on the = floor, his=20 life force winding down, as the synaptrial shut down his nervous system. = "That's what a real, synaptrial coma looks like, Miss = Fairchild," Galt=20 purred. "This isn't the drug your parents experienced. Oh no, it = has been=20 improved. First, the higher functions of the brain are shut down, so he = can't=20 move, hear, see or speak, but at least Bannon is still breathing. Unless = the=20 antidote is administered within a forty-five seconds, Bannon will lose = his=20 eyesight and hearing. If we wait another thirty five seconds, after = that, he'll=20 lose his sense of touch and muscle control. Not much after that I'm = afraid, what=20 there is locked in his gorrillaish brain is degraded into sludge. Oh, = Mister=20 Bannon could linger on for another five or so minutes after that, = without the=20 antidote, but if it's given that late, Bannon would be in a vegetative = coma for=20 the rest of his miserable life." "Give him the antidote," Amanda growled. "Please,=20 Professor." Galt laughed, having over heard her bitter telepathic = 'Your=20 compassion is a dried husk!!' "I know your every thought, Mandy," he preened. "As = you are=20 now aware, you are encircled by the strongest mind readers on Earth. = With them,=20 I can 'hear' every thought in that pretty little head. Stand ready, = Gentlemen.=20 Would you please take our honored guest in hand, Marshell?" Galt = knelt=20 beside the slowly dying human. "Here in the bunker, Compassion = comes with a=20 high price, which you must be willing to pay." "I am willing," Amanda sighed, feeling as if she just = betrayed not=20 only the Ship, but her people as well. Life was too precious to her, = even Saps=20 like Race... **********************************************************************= ** After meeting with her crew, Alice Starseer finally managed to = retreat into=20 her quarters, her sanctuary from the universe. She hiked the twisting in = upon=20 themselves corridors, trying to take comfort in the organic closeness of = the=20 velvety soft walls, with the faint nutrient vessels pulsing to scores of = harmonic hearts. Her ship, the Starseer was just as alive as her = captain. Now=20 her Ship reflected her subdued mood. The Earth Humans had wounded the = Starseer's=20 propulsion units as well as punctured the outer hull. The Engineer had = nearly=20 drained himself trying to keep the Ship alive and whole. Now came the = long slow=20 process of healing repairs, without the benefit of replacement organs or = even=20 nutrient fluid. Only her concealment shields operated fully, which was = indeed=20 fortunate for Alice and her multi-planetary crew. In a prolonged chase, = she knew=20 that the Starseer could not out fly and out maneuver the jets for very = long. Nor=20 could the Starseer break the stratosphere, yet. They had to settle in = for a=20 long, tedious self healing trance to run its course. Each time the Starseer was awakened from the trance, added twice that = amount=20 of time for recovery and recharge. Now with Amanda having to go to the = Tomorrow=20 People's Ship, alone, added to her anxiousness. Amanda's bravery and=20 determination were in abundance, but should she ask for help --- Alice=20 shuddered, wondering if she could aid her in her quest. With that she stalked into her quarters. With all of her might, Alice = could=20 not simply dismiss her worries as she entered the chamber. Healer wanted = to give=20 her a sleep touch, but the Navajo declined his offer. Under another's = influence,=20 sleep was blissfully deep and without dreams, but at the moment, Alice = wanted=20 her dreams, to gleam any fiber of information or thought that might help = her and=20 her crew. The chamber greeted her with a cool desert breeze. It did not smell = like the=20 desert, lacking the dust, pollen and Las Vegas smog, and the slowly = wheeling=20 stars were only computer projections. Alice wearily trudged to the fire = ring,=20 which marked the center of her quarters. Tucked beside the stones, was = her=20 grandfather's bear hide satchel. She fished out a smaller sack, pouring = its=20 glittering contents into her left palm. Closing her eyes, she muttered a = prayer=20 over the glitter, then sprinkled it into the firepit. A cheering blaze = lightly=20 licked her retreating fingers. Like the satchel, the fire was also very real, but the Ship contained = the=20 energy behind weak mobile force shields. If she had a mind to, she could = jump=20 into the middle of the flames and dance naked, Alice would emerged = unscathed,=20 enjoying the lingering warmth of fire harmlessly climbing up and over = her. This=20 rest period, she did not feel that playful. For long minutes, she stared = into=20 the flames, trying to devine out her grandfather and her ancestors. She = could=20 feel the traces of the Anazasi spirits flux and flow around her, for = they were=20 just as anxious as she felt. Some of the warriors chastised her for = sending in a=20 girl on a warriors' mission. "Chauvinists," she grumbled, turning toward the bed roll. = She=20 inherited this bed roll from her grandfather as well, the deepest, = softest=20 lamb's plush lined the interior, while tough moose hide encased the far = softer=20 suede. Although in sleep the Ship would hover the sleeper and the roll = off of=20 the floor, she found that the roll could be taken out into the real = world and=20 serve very well. As a child, Grandfather used to promise to give her = this=20 bedroll as a marriage gift, since it was large enough to sleep a small = family.=20 Alice Starseer sighed, smoothing the ripples out with her hands. Only = once did=20 she ever get close enough to want to marry a man, who managed to capture = her=20 love, but not her heart. Then she realized that shamans of her tribe = were that=20 way, loners by choice. A faint chime invaded her downward thoughts. "Healer?" A small head, whose only feature were those glittering orbs, swung=20 questioningly into her quarters. Over the softened nannering, Alice = understood=20 his telepathy. 'Alice, your human friend Benton Quest refuses to accept = any=20 farther rest. He wishes to met with you right now, however, I tried to = ---' Alice wistfully smiled, 'Please allow him in, Dear Healer. Benton is = just as=20 anxious as I am.' 'May I remind you that your body also requires rest?' 'You just did,' her telepathy lightened with the tease. 'Please = Healer, show=20 Benton in. I promise not to tire him or myself any farther than = necessary.' The Healer nannered, and warbled, in his language, holding his = telepathy in=20 check, causing Alice to laugh out loud. Blinking, then narrowing his = oval eyes=20 in amusement, his head was recoiled. A couple seconds later, a cream = colored=20 tendril roughly shoved Doctor Quest into the room. "Well, I'd nev---" the door materialized between him and = the=20 humming, likely stewing plasmasoid. Just as quickly the solid door = vanished into=20 a vast desertscape. Timidly, Doctor Quest extended his palm, feeling the = rough=20 texture grate against his fingertips. "A full three = dimensional-vitural=20 effect --- without direct computer input---" Alice smiled, as she stood from the ground. "This is merely a = projection=20 of the sights and sounds of the desert, Benton. A bit more advanced than = your=20 Questworld, but not by much. All of this the computer replicated for my=20 grandfather's sake. When he died, I left the settings the = same." Doctor Quest sighed, casting his gaze skywards. He felt the familiar = jabs to=20 decipher all of this, but his anger swallowed that. "If I was in a = better=20 mood," he began by folding his arms. "I would be impressed=20 Alice." Her face dropped. "We do need to talk Benton. Come sit down by = the fire.=20 My Ship's biotronics have arranged for a chilly night." His face = impassive,=20 the scientist sat across from her. "Yes we do need to talk..." = he=20 agreed. </DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B8.AD25AA40-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize part 13/20 Date: 19 Mar 2000 15:37:00 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B8.F7A8AD60 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part 13/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People and = Jonny Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy write = holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no = infringement on copyright. Under the constant threat of destroying the comatose Bannon in front of = her, Amanda forced herself to endure Galt's physical exam and his = ridiculous mental tests and answer his inane questions. When he shoved = the metal band over her forehead, the activation electrical jolt snapped = directly into her hypothalamus and into instant unconsciousness. "I know you can see hear and register my voice," Galt's prim tone = trickled into the lightening darkness. "You see, this psi-damping band," = his fleshy dark face swam through the tears. "Directly blocks out your = powers at the source, Miss Fairchild," he gloated, peeling her off of = the table, then propelling her at a waiting pair of somber MIB. = "Whatever you do, missy please don't remove it. The resulting bolt will = fry your brains. You're much too valuable to my research." "What shall we do with her?" Galt shrugged, "Better put her in holding with the other two." Amanda = gasped, for the Ship had not mentioned the presence. In a surge of hope, = she tried to reach out. Instead of the warm trickle of shared telepathy, = a painful arch snapped her back into semiconsciousness. "Is that wise sir?" "There's little other choice. Either young Mister Singh teaches her how = to cope with the Jedikieth Silencer Band or Amanda won't live much = longer..." ************************************************************************ Broken images of being dragged through a gleaming corridor invaded her = spinning brain. Out of the dim, she heard, felt presences, the = 'snooping' telepaths were trained on her peeled thoughts, like rabid = Vesh Hounds. She felt naked under their scrutinizing probes, unable even = to erect a weak barrier of self. Sickly, Amanda struggled to regain = consciousness through tiny steps in this chrome dreamscape. A heavy clack stirred her towards full consciousness. Ahead of her was a = windowless chamber. There was a rush of movement, but Amanda could not = remember if she was shoved or she fell --- or both. Spoken noise, = followed by the door whirring shut ratted in her ear canals, but she = could not make sense. Then more pain followed, as pressure bowed down. "Those animals!!" she fixated on the gentle voice, finding the strength = to seek her friend out. "Had---jee?" "Take it easy, Mandy," Jonny soothed, dabbing off her face with a damp = cloth. "You look like Galt put you through the ringer." "Jon," she weakly pushed his hand away, before digging her palms into = the pillowed surface. Although the floor was sectioned off in small = giving squares, they were both scratchy to the touch, and indent just = enough for a very unsteady stance. Amanda settled just to sit up, = curling her knees to her jaw. "If I understand you," Amanda closed her eyes, in a failed attempt to = keep from shaking. This cramped chamber was freezing. "He did ---" she = risked a glance to Hadji, who huddled less than an arm's length away, = between the padded wall and corner. His eyes were fevered bright, but = lidded, as he struggled to contain the pain. "He's worse off than you," Jonny grimly reported. "It's these silly Jedi = bands, Galt slapped on us. Mine doesn't affect me, at least not = directly." "But to watch---" Amanda's thoughts trailed off, as she reached to cup = Hadji's knee. "Hadji, these bands hone in on mental activity---" She = pried her frozen fingers off, not meaning to hurt her friend, as the = pain stabbed into the depths of her brain. "I am trying to block --- the pain!!!" Hadji hissed under extreme = concentration, feverish sweat trickling down his handsome face. "Something old," Amanda allowed herself to fall, as she crumbled back on = the floor. "Something --- my dad once ---" Closing her eyes, she tapped = into her memories. Images flashed across her buzzing brain. The jumbled = memories bubbled up like sheets of old photographs ripped from an album. = Of a cool almost dank, protected place, where rainbow colors danced = across the cement walls and instrument panels. Those memories were not = directly hers, but shared. Amanda fell back into her parents' tales once = more, although the mental action was anguishing, she knew the answer = laid within them. "Don't fight against the band," the Tomorrow Person = evenly pronounced. "In any manner." "The pain, I know I can---" Hadji shuddered. "C-cc-on-trol!" "Let it go," Amanda hissed, wanting her own agony to flow away like foul = water, yet it clung to her, weighing her mind back into a morass. "Relax = your mind, just strive for quiet. Then slowly, slowly---" Hadji nodded, trying to slip into a trance. One of the first things he = learned as a yoga novitiate, was that inner peace could triumph over = pain, even with this ringing, dragging throb. Fighting the pain, made = him concealed that concept from himself. Slowly, he felt his own pain = drain away like jagged glass grit flowing between his fingers. To touch = the departing stream even lightly, caused a fresh wellspring of agony. = Again Hadji controlled his breathing, and had to start over as the pain = built and fell away. The pain came and went like ocean waves. He could = not stop those waves, but he did finally concluded what Amanda was = trying to tell him. It was difficult, trying to organize one's very = thoughts, in linear spurts. His first thought crystallized out of the = grey sea. Escape. "Is that food I smell?" he finally managed, able to fully lift his head. "Don't tell me you're hungry at a time like this?!" Jonny wearily = sassed. "Mandy's unconscious---" "I know," Hadji grimly smiled, as he gingerly rolled to his feet. A = particularly powerful wave battered into his brain, and it took a couple = of seconds of nothingness to recover. "Good, bloody hamburger," he = dragged a pinkie through the congealing goo, then trailed it down the = side of Amanda's face and neck. In the faint light, it almost appeared = that she was bleeding. Jonny smirked, narrowing his eyes. "I got it Hadj --- HEY!!!" he = launched himself at the door, pounding desperately. "SOMEBODY WE NEED = HELP!!!" ************************************************************************ "It's the Quest boy again!" the attending guard nodded toward the = monitor. His commanding officer glared through his Rayburns, his frown = deepening the lines in his face. "No doubt it's a juvenile rouse. = Continue your monitoring, he'll exhaust himself in an hour or so." "Evening, gentlemen," Galt beamed, as he breezed into the security nook. = "How are my subjects?" "Your control is out of control, professor," the commander nodded toward = the screen, as the camera zoomed on Jonny, as he continued to pound and = holler. "Something's up," the parapsychiatrist frowned, as he nudged the younger = guard aside. "How do I get sound on this thing?" "Press the up arrow key." "Thank you," their specialist muttered, jamming the key down. "I could = never figure out why the Japanese have to make these silly computers so = complicated---" A small tinny "Help." screeched out of the speaker. Galt glared at the = screen, now randomly poking the keys. He did not know what he was doing, = except he was hoping to move the security cam off of Jonny and somehow = expand the view to include the entire chamber. "What in bloody hell is = going on in there?!?" "We believe it's an escape attempt," Marshell droned, folding his arms = across his chest. "Jonny Quest tried it earlier. He'll---" "What if there's something wrong in there??" Galt hotly demanded. "What = if Hadji is undergoing a break out crisis or --- No!" The camera briefly focused on the girl. Miss Fairchild was laying on her = side, her shoulder length shag damp and askew. Blood was trickling out = of her ear, just as the focus blurred into greys. "The stupid little = idiot tried to remove the band!!" "Then is she dead?" Marshell asked. "Likely," Galt slammed down his hands on the control panel in angry = frustration. "And I had such plans for her. Well, you better open up the = holding chamber Marshell. I've got to remove her and check on Hadji---" "Professor," Marshell caught him by the arm, just as he reached for the = release toggle. "This is still likely a rouse. Let's gas---" "We don't have time!!" Galt wildly snapped, yanking his arm out of his = steely grasp, then quickly checked for nicks in the tweed. "You haven't = seen the autistic factors on these TP have you? A TP can't kill another, = but they may be able to kill themselves, particularly in captive = situations like these!" "Do you know that for certain, professor?" Marshell coolly countered. "No," Galt dropped his eyes. "But I do know that I just lost a Tomorrow = Person. I don't want to lose my TP potential to some ridiculous teenaged = angst as well! Now let me open that door!" "Stand by," Marshell hissed to his guard, as he produced his own pistol = and cocked it. "Okay, open it---" A weak, shivering fourteen year old boy collapsed onto the padding as = the door rumbled open. "Thank goodness," Jonny whispered his eyes wide = and glassy. "You finally heard me!" "What happened boy?" Galt blocked his view, but Jonny could see that = only the commander entered, his gaze suspicious and roving. "WhenAmandawoke up," Jonny rapidly pleaded. "Shemust'vefelt that = bandand---Before I couldstop her, shescreamed,then collapsed." "I see," Galt sighed in mock sincerity, as he straightened. "Where's the = potential?" "Where he's always been, professor," Marshell nodded at the = semiconscious adolescent pressed against the wall. "You two stay put," the parapsychiatrist warned, as he knelt beside = Amanda. "While we remove her body---" Brief eye contact was exchanged between the two boys. "PRO---" Marshell = choked on his cry, as Jonny's flying kick knocked him flat on his belly. "Huh---?" Galt startled, just as Hadji's feet slammed into his back. ************************************************************************ It was difficult enough to stand, nearly impossible to walk, but Amanda = Fairchild managed. She smartly staggered to the guard, to grimly report, = "We've escaped sir." He startled just enough to fumble on the pistol grip, allowing Jonny to = attack. The weapon discharged as it bounced on the floor, its bullet = ricocheting into the control panel. "JONNY!" Hadji shouted over the = confusion, as both pounced into the guard, sending him roughly onto his = backside onto the padding. The heavy door slid down, trapping the three = adults within the holding chamber. "Slammin!" Jonny grinned. "Hey, that room must be sound --- Hadji!! = Mandy!!" His two friends were shaking uncontrollably, as they collapsed = onto the floor. "What's?" Jonny winced, for an electrical snap dug into = his temples as his own silencer began to buzz. "These bands are on = overload!" "Do something," Hadji wheezed, as his eyes rolled up. "Please my = friend!!" Jonny flew to the nearest terminal, the wrecked one. "Damn," he hissed, = pawing through the exposed wiring. "Give me a few minutes to fix then = hack into this." "We don't have a few minutes," Amanda whimpered. "Not even you!" "Then what??" Jonny loudly snapped at them, immediately feeling sorry, = for both made up a quivering heap. He still felt no pain, but that buzz = was as loud as a hornet. In desperation he fingered the band. The jolt = numbed his body, driving him onto his knees. "CAN I DO??" "Memory stream!" Amanda got out. "We've got to find the crystal! TIM!!" "What crystal?" Quest panted, trying to make his legs and head = coordinate. "Magnetized," she wheezed, then faded. Another mind, like hers scooped the information and planted it into = Jonny's head. Like an old silent movie, still images flickered briefly = across his thoughts. Young people in outdated clothes were racing around = this dark room, while a boy his age, in pajamas sat stark still, with a = similar band about his skull. Jonny staggered back to the wreckage, = tearing into the screen case, finding what he wanted behind the CRT = tube. "I just pray this works," he coarsely whispered, snatching up the = black magnet, then winding a coil of wire about it. The second jolt ripped into him, half way to his friends. 'No, I lost = it!!' he clinched his teeth. 'They'll die! Unless---' He had grabbed Hadji and turned him onto his back. For a precious pulse = or two, Jonny just dumbly stared at his adopted brother. His face was = frozen in a horrid grimace, his lips fiercely pulled back over his = chattering teeth. 'Now what do I do??' he demanded of himself. The = silencer band was made up of two thin metal strips. One that bisected = over the brain front to back, the other coiled around the head. He = struggled to remember, what Galt did to them, outside of take Hadji's = turban and family jewel. He briskly turned his brother onto his stomach, = then studied the junction the two bands made in the back of the skull. = There was a tiny electrical insert under a plastic shield. Galt warned = them not to touch it. Death would be instantaneous. If the long haired = kid in his vision could survive, so should Hadji. Jonny frowned at the = outside memory as he clicked on his make do electromagnet, then touched = the plate with it. The red LCD light faded, as Hadji's tense musculature abated. "Thank = you," he swallowed, shoving the band off his head. "You took a big risk, = my friend." "Hey, it was all or nothing!" Jonny smiled. "Come on let's get this = thing off of Mandy and me!" Amanda did not fully revive until both Jonny and Hadji hauled her onto = her feet. "My head still hurts," she mumbled, scratching the sore spot = in back. With a crooked smile, she added, "Thank you." "Come on," Hadji encouraged, with a cautious glance in either direction. = "They'll discover---" ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B8.F7A8AD60 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part 13/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People = and Jonny=20 Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy = write=20 holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television=20 are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no infringement on=20 copyright. Under the constant threat of destroying the comatose Bannon in front = of her,=20 Amanda forced herself to endure Galt's physical exam and his ridiculous = mental=20 tests and answer his inane questions. When he shoved the metal band over = her=20 forehead, the activation electrical jolt snapped directly into her = hypothalamus=20 and into instant unconsciousness. "I know you can see hear and register my voice," Galt's = prim tone=20 trickled into the lightening darkness. "You see, this psi-damping=20 band," his fleshy dark face swam through the tears. "Directly = blocks=20 out your powers at the source, Miss Fairchild," he gloated, peeling = her off=20 of the table, then propelling her at a waiting pair of somber MIB.=20 "Whatever you do, missy please don't remove it. The resulting bolt = will fry=20 your brains. You're much too valuable to my research." "What shall we do with her?" Galt shrugged, "Better put her in holding with the other = two."=20 Amanda gasped, for the Ship had not mentioned the presence. In a surge = of hope,=20 she tried to reach out. Instead of the warm trickle of shared telepathy, = a=20 painful arch snapped her back into semiconsciousness. "Is that wise sir?" "There's little other choice. Either young Mister Singh teaches = her how=20 to cope with the Jedikieth Silencer Band or Amanda won't live much=20 longer..." **********************************************************************= ** Broken images of being dragged through a gleaming corridor invaded = her=20 spinning brain. Out of the dim, she heard, felt presences, the = 'snooping'=20 telepaths were trained on her peeled thoughts, like rabid Vesh Hounds. = She felt=20 naked under their scrutinizing probes, unable even to erect a weak = barrier of=20 self. Sickly, Amanda struggled to regain consciousness through tiny = steps in=20 this chrome dreamscape. A heavy clack stirred her towards full consciousness. Ahead of her = was a=20 windowless chamber. There was a rush of movement, but Amanda could not = remember=20 if she was shoved or she fell --- or both. Spoken noise, followed by the = door=20 whirring shut ratted in her ear canals, but she could not make sense. = Then more=20 pain followed, as pressure bowed down. "Those animals!!" she fixated on the gentle voice, finding = the=20 strength to seek her friend out. "Had---jee?" "Take it easy, Mandy," Jonny soothed, dabbing off her face = with a=20 damp cloth. "You look like Galt put you through the = ringer." "Jon," she weakly pushed his hand away, before digging her = palms=20 into the pillowed surface. Although the floor was sectioned off in small = giving=20 squares, they were both scratchy to the touch, and indent just enough = for a very=20 unsteady stance. Amanda settled just to sit up, curling her knees to her = jaw. "If I understand you," Amanda closed her eyes, in a failed = attempt=20 to keep from shaking. This cramped chamber was freezing. "He did = ---"=20 she risked a glance to Hadji, who huddled less than an arm's length = away,=20 between the padded wall and corner. His eyes were fevered bright, but = lidded, as=20 he struggled to contain the pain. "He's worse off than you," Jonny grimly reported. = "It's these=20 silly Jedi bands, Galt slapped on us. Mine doesn't affect me, at least = not=20 directly." "But to watch---" Amanda's thoughts trailed off, as she = reached to=20 cup Hadji's knee. "Hadji, these bands hone in on mental = activity---"=20 She pried her frozen fingers off, not meaning to hurt her friend, as the = pain=20 stabbed into the depths of her brain. "I am trying to block --- the pain!!!" Hadji hissed under = extreme=20 concentration, feverish sweat trickling down his handsome face. "Something old," Amanda allowed herself to fall, as she = crumbled=20 back on the floor. "Something --- my dad once ---" Closing her = eyes,=20 she tapped into her memories. Images flashed across her buzzing brain. = The=20 jumbled memories bubbled up like sheets of old photographs ripped from = an album.=20 Of a cool almost dank, protected place, where rainbow colors danced = across the=20 cement walls and instrument panels. Those memories were not directly = hers, but=20 shared. Amanda fell back into her parents' tales once more, although the = mental=20 action was anguishing, she knew the answer laid within them. "Don't = fight=20 against the band," the Tomorrow Person evenly pronounced. "In = any=20 manner." "The pain, I know I can---" Hadji shuddered.=20 "C-cc-on-trol!" "Let it go," Amanda hissed, wanting her own agony to flow = away like=20 foul water, yet it clung to her, weighing her mind back into a morass.=20 "Relax your mind, just strive for quiet. Then slowly, = slowly---" Hadji nodded, trying to slip into a trance. One of the first things = he=20 learned as a yoga novitiate, was that inner peace could triumph over = pain, even=20 with this ringing, dragging throb. Fighting the pain, made him concealed = that=20 concept from himself. Slowly, he felt his own pain drain away like = jagged glass=20 grit flowing between his fingers. To touch the departing stream even = lightly,=20 caused a fresh wellspring of agony. Again Hadji controlled his = breathing, and=20 had to start over as the pain built and fell away. The pain came and = went like=20 ocean waves. He could not stop those waves, but he did finally concluded = what=20 Amanda was trying to tell him. It was difficult, trying to organize = one's very=20 thoughts, in linear spurts. His first thought crystallized out of the = grey sea.=20 Escape. "Is that food I smell?" he finally managed, able to fully = lift his=20 head. "Don't tell me you're hungry at a time like this?!" Jonny = wearily=20 sassed. "Mandy's unconscious---" "I know," Hadji grimly smiled, as he gingerly rolled to his = feet. A=20 particularly powerful wave battered into his brain, and it took a couple = of=20 seconds of nothingness to recover. "Good, bloody hamburger," = he=20 dragged a pinkie through the congealing goo, then trailed it down the = side of=20 Amanda's face and neck. In the faint light, it almost appeared that she = was=20 bleeding. Jonny smirked, narrowing his eyes. "I got it Hadj --- = HEY!!!" he=20 launched himself at the door, pounding desperately. "SOMEBODY WE = NEED=20 HELP!!!" **********************************************************************= ** "It's the Quest boy again!" the attending guard nodded = toward the=20 monitor. His commanding officer glared through his Rayburns, his frown = deepening=20 the lines in his face. "No doubt it's a juvenile rouse. Continue = your=20 monitoring, he'll exhaust himself in an hour or so." "Evening, gentlemen," Galt beamed, as he breezed into the = security=20 nook. "How are my subjects?" "Your control is out of control, professor," the commander = nodded=20 toward the screen, as the camera zoomed on Jonny, as he continued to = pound and=20 holler. "Something's up," the parapsychiatrist frowned, as he = nudged the=20 younger guard aside. "How do I get sound on this thing?" "Press the up arrow key." "Thank you," their specialist muttered, jamming the key = down.=20 "I could never figure out why the Japanese have to make these silly = computers so complicated---" A small tinny "Help." screeched out of the speaker. Galt = glared at=20 the screen, now randomly poking the keys. He did not know what he was = doing,=20 except he was hoping to move the security cam off of Jonny and somehow = expand=20 the view to include the entire chamber. "What in bloody hell is = going on in=20 there?!?" "We believe it's an escape attempt," Marshell droned, = folding his=20 arms across his chest. "Jonny Quest tried it earlier. = He'll---" "What if there's something wrong in there??" Galt hotly = demanded.=20 "What if Hadji is undergoing a break out crisis or --- = No!" The camera briefly focused on the girl. Miss Fairchild was laying on = her=20 side, her shoulder length shag damp and askew. Blood was trickling out = of her=20 ear, just as the focus blurred into greys. "The stupid little idiot = tried=20 to remove the band!!" "Then is she dead?" Marshell asked. "Likely," Galt slammed down his hands on the control panel = in angry=20 frustration. "And I had such plans for her. Well, you better open = up the=20 holding chamber Marshell. I've got to remove her and check on = Hadji---" "Professor," Marshell caught him by the arm, just as he = reached for=20 the release toggle. "This is still likely a rouse. Let's = gas---" "We don't have time!!" Galt wildly snapped, yanking his arm = out of=20 his steely grasp, then quickly checked for nicks in the tweed. "You = haven't=20 seen the autistic factors on these TP have you? A TP can't kill another, = but=20 they may be able to kill themselves, particularly in captive situations = like=20 these!" "Do you know that for certain, professor?" Marshell coolly=20 countered. "No," Galt dropped his eyes. "But I do know that I = just lost a=20 Tomorrow Person. I don't want to lose my TP potential to some ridiculous = teenaged angst as well! Now let me open that door!" "Stand by," Marshell hissed to his guard, as he produced = his own=20 pistol and cocked it. "Okay, open it---" A weak, shivering fourteen year old boy collapsed onto the padding as = the=20 door rumbled open. "Thank goodness," Jonny whispered his eyes = wide and=20 glassy. "You finally heard me!" "What happened boy?" Galt blocked his view, but Jonny could = see=20 that only the commander entered, his gaze suspicious and roving. "WhenAmandawoke up," Jonny rapidly pleaded. = "Shemust'vefelt=20 that bandand---Before I couldstop her, shescreamed,then = collapsed." "I see," Galt sighed in mock sincerity, as he straightened. = "Where's the potential?" "Where he's always been, professor," Marshell nodded at the = semiconscious adolescent pressed against the wall. "You two stay put," the parapsychiatrist warned, as he = knelt beside=20 Amanda. "While we remove her body---" Brief eye contact was exchanged between the two boys. = "PRO---"=20 Marshell choked on his cry, as Jonny's flying kick knocked him flat on = his=20 belly. "Huh---?" Galt startled, just as Hadji's feet slammed into = his=20 back. **********************************************************************= ** It was difficult enough to stand, nearly impossible to walk, but = Amanda=20 Fairchild managed. She smartly staggered to the guard, to grimly report, = "We've escaped sir." He startled just enough to fumble on the pistol grip, allowing Jonny = to=20 attack. The weapon discharged as it bounced on the floor, its bullet = ricocheting=20 into the control panel. "JONNY!" Hadji shouted over the = confusion, as=20 both pounced into the guard, sending him roughly onto his backside onto = the=20 padding. The heavy door slid down, trapping the three adults within the = holding=20 chamber. "Slammin!" Jonny grinned. "Hey, that room must be = sound ---=20 Hadji!! Mandy!!" His two friends were shaking uncontrollably, as = they=20 collapsed onto the floor. "What's?" Jonny winced, for an = electrical=20 snap dug into his temples as his own silencer began to buzz. "These = bands=20 are on overload!" "Do something," Hadji wheezed, as his eyes rolled up. = "Please=20 my friend!!" Jonny flew to the nearest terminal, the wrecked one. = "Damn," he=20 hissed, pawing through the exposed wiring. "Give me a few minutes = to fix=20 then hack into this." "We don't have a few minutes," Amanda whimpered. "Not = even=20 you!" "Then what??" Jonny loudly snapped at them, immediately = feeling=20 sorry, for both made up a quivering heap. He still felt no pain, but = that buzz=20 was as loud as a hornet. In desperation he fingered the band. The jolt = numbed=20 his body, driving him onto his knees. "CAN I DO??" "Memory stream!" Amanda got out. "We've got to find = the=20 crystal! TIM!!" "What crystal?" Quest panted, trying to make his legs and = head=20 coordinate. "Magnetized," she wheezed, then faded. Another mind, like hers scooped the information and planted it into = Jonny's=20 head. Like an old silent movie, still images flickered briefly across = his=20 thoughts. Young people in outdated clothes were racing around this dark = room,=20 while a boy his age, in pajamas sat stark still, with a similar band = about his=20 skull. Jonny staggered back to the wreckage, tearing into the screen = case,=20 finding what he wanted behind the CRT tube. "I just pray this = works,"=20 he coarsely whispered, snatching up the black magnet, then winding a = coil of=20 wire about it. The second jolt ripped into him, half way to his friends. 'No, I lost = it!!'=20 he clinched his teeth. 'They'll die! Unless---' He had grabbed Hadji and turned him onto his back. For a precious = pulse or=20 two, Jonny just dumbly stared at his adopted brother. His face was = frozen in a=20 horrid grimace, his lips fiercely pulled back over his chattering teeth. = 'Now=20 what do I do??' he demanded of himself. The silencer band was made up of = two=20 thin metal strips. One that bisected over the brain front to back, the = other=20 coiled around the head. He struggled to remember, what Galt did to them, = outside=20 of take Hadji's turban and family jewel. He briskly turned his brother = onto his=20 stomach, then studied the junction the two bands made in the back of the = skull.=20 There was a tiny electrical insert under a plastic shield. Galt warned = them not=20 to touch it. Death would be instantaneous. If the long haired kid in his = vision=20 could survive, so should Hadji. Jonny frowned at the outside memory as = he=20 clicked on his make do electromagnet, then touched the plate with = it. The red LCD light faded, as Hadji's tense musculature abated. = "Thank=20 you," he swallowed, shoving the band off his head. "You took a = big=20 risk, my friend." "Hey, it was all or nothing!" Jonny smiled. "Come on = let's get=20 this thing off of Mandy and me!" Amanda did not fully revive until both Jonny and Hadji hauled her = onto her=20 feet. "My head still hurts," she mumbled, scratching the sore = spot in=20 back. With a crooked smile, she added, "Thank you." "Come on," Hadji encouraged, with a cautious glance in = either=20 direction. "They'll = discover---"</DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B8.F7A8AD60-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Part 14/20 Date: 19 Mar 2000 15:39:12 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B9.463AD020 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part 14/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People and = Jonny Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy write = holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no = infringement on copyright. "The snoopers already know---" Amanda darkly hissed, as a distant blast = door thundered down. "Snoopers?" Jonny asked. "Telepaths who can tap into anyone's mind, even yours," Hadji warned. = "By force if necessary." "This way!" Jonny barked, just as another rumble sounded not ten meters = away. "The ducts!" "But ---" "It's our only chance---" "And that's where the gas is!" Amanda pointed out, yanking her arm out = of his firm grip. "Not only that I refuse to leave Mister Bannon with = these---Sap-err-umm goons!" "Race is here??" Jonny gasped, as her fingers delicately floated to her = temples. "Amanda??" "She's trying to contact the Ship!" Hadji blinked in disbelief. "Hadj? Can you tell what they're saying?" "No, Mandy's blocking me out with the --- Wait," upon feeling Amanda's = feathery touch brush against the edge of his waking thoughts he = tightened his stance. "Yes! I shall link with you!" "Link?" Jonny puzzled, feeling left out. "What is---?" Hadji opened his eyes. "This way!" he signaled, as he spun into a fast = sprint. "Mandy?" "The Ship is singing the snoopers to sleep," she explained. "So what's the hurry?" he asked, as they laid on speed. "Not everybody in this base is a telepath. Farther more, we've got to = keep them from releasing the gas!" "Gas?" Jonny sputtered. "Among other tasty atmospheres, they've got something called XJ9." "That's a deadly nerve gas!!" the young Quest gulped "Finally," Hadji wheezed, his fingertips sparkling, as he traced out a = rectangle on the gleaming, seamless wall. "A terminal." "There's---" Jonny began. "A camouflaged computer??" he asked, as a = touchpad dropped down, while a liquid crystal screen was revealed behind = a sliding panel. "It's just a security subsystem," Hadji gravely reported, his fingers = rapidly typing the letterless pads. "I just hope I can make the down = links fast enough." "Down link from what?" "Your brother is in direct contact with the Ship," Amanda clutched = Jonny's shoulder. "He's trying to tie her into this computer system, and = from what little I've learned about Earth's technology---" "Our computers are maybe village idiots in comparison to yours," Hadji = began. A meter above their heads, a nozzle extended from behind another = invisible door, locking into position. "Hadji---" Jonny broke in. "But even village idiots ---" "GAS!" a green mist descended on the trio, before the computer genius = could complete his hacking. '?' Concerned mental pulses fired between = Hadji and Amanda, both confirming that the gas had a poisonous element, = and they could hold their breath. 'Keep going,' Amanda telepathed, = grabbing Jonny by the shoulders. 'I'll tend to the blast doors.' Jonny glared at her, daring not to mutter a protest. The green fog = spilled heavily through the atmosphere, pooling onto the floor. 'Nasty = stuff,' the Tomorrow Person vaguely telepathed, as the massive blast = door loomed ahead of them. 'Now, to tickle the circuits just right, and = hope they hadn't gassed the other side!' Jonny glared at her wonderingly, as Amanda extended her verdant glowing = fingers across the featureless expanse. Feeling his stare bore into her = back, she risked a brief turn. He impatiently circled his wrist, bluntly = indicating that she should hurry it up. The door growled about a foot = off of the floor, emitting a blast of lime green smoke. 'Bloody---' Amanda crossly began. 'Now Mandy,' a familiar mental touch caused her to pause. 'Such = language.' 'True, Hadji, yours is far more colorful,' she suffered. 'You both need to hold your breath just a few seconds more,' he broadly = announced, emerging out of the deadly rolls of fog. Jonny sputtered on the bitter air. The resulting coughing fit would have = drove him onto his knees, if Amanda had not caught him in time. Hadji = dove at the same instant, smacking a cylinder against the corner of his = neck. "EYOUCH!!" Jonny jumped as the snub nosed needle retracted into the = firing chamber. "That really smarts, Hadj!" "Even Village Idiots can come up with a few surprises,' Hadji finished = proverb with a flourish, as he presented Amanda with the final vile of = antidote. "Thanks!" she whispered, telekinetically whisking the injector out of = his palm. 'You just know what to give a girl!' Hadji startled, glanced away as she applied the drug to her thigh, then = timidly giggled. "What?" Jonny demanded in a low hoarse voice. The antidote did work, but = the gas still stung his eyes. "Did you 'path to each other?" "Maybe we'll explain it to you when your a little older," Amanda teased. = "Lets see if we can locate Mister Bannon---" ************************************************************************ As a prisoner, Race Bannon had been treated far worse, yet he was being = held none the less. Where they held him was slightly larger than a = Japanese deluxe hotel room, complete with a shoulder wide cot and = pillow, running hot and cold water sink and toilet, but not much else. = Marshell called it a 'hospital' room, where in he had to 'rest' until he = shook off the 'unfortunate' side effects of an 'accidental' exposure to = synaptrial. Race paced and fumed, for they even took away his guidance = watch, and all other electronic devices he had tucked away in his = pockets and belt. Worse the room did have a computer terminal, which was = retracted into the wall and locked within it. Plus his jail was also = largely sound proof. He was worried about the boys, concerned over what = Galt would do to that girl, plus his arm ached. He was far from a good = mood. He was on his thirty-second pace across the length across the cell, when = the door gave a funny, pleasant chime. Then lifted. He tensed. "RACE!" Jonny chirped in relieved surprise running in. "You're alive!!" "Jonny, Hadji!!" He grinned, giving each a heart felt smack on the back. = "What happened to the guard??" "The Ship put him to sleep," Hadji explained, as they grandly led him = out of his cell. "Huh?" "Yeah Race, the Ship has taken over the computer systems of this place. = About half of it is still gassed, the other half is blacked out!" Jonny = proudly reported. "From what the Ship told Hadji all of the enemy = telepaths were sung to sleep. Those that weren't are stumbling around = wearing gas filters, in the dark, unable to get their computers to = respond!" His leeriness returned, when a tall blond haired sixteen year old = returned, clutching several injector syringes. "I just hope --- Mister = Bannon!" she rushed up to him like a puppy, stopping just short of = hugging him. "You're not comatose --- but??" "Come on, you two," Race immediately took over. Glancing at Amanda, he = amended, "Three, we're getting out of here while we have the chance." Amanda gave Jonny a quizzical glance, then stood her ground. "If you = know of another way out, then go. But I'm not leaving the Ship behind." Race sighed, grumbling to himself. "All right Mandy, can this Ship of = yours escape?" Amanda paused, her eyes bright. "The Ship tells me that the Men here = have tried to break into her, and to tamper with her engine systems, = however, she is not gravely damaged. Yet---" "Yet what Mandy?" Jonny inquired. "Her surface integrity is compromised," Amanda shook her head no, = breaking contact. "She isn't truly space worthy." "She can take us outta here, but not to the moon. That's enough for me." = Spying the automatic rifle laying across the guard's lap, Race snatched = it up. Amanda glared at the weapon, causing it to become oddly warm in = his grip. "Insurance," he explained, forcing her to turn around, and to = run with the boys. 'Doc, you and I gotta have a long talk about = Mandy---' Race promised himself, should they escape the bunker. ************************************************************************ Once again he was standing on the second floor landing, holding his = prize by the ankles, silently praying that General Damon would back = down, and let him go with his teleporter. What happened to Gloria, he = did not care, but the Tomorrow Person --- was Damon's son! His knotted = fingers slipped, as his hard won subject began to plummet head first. = Then he teleported! 'Why do they always teleport??' he bitterly cursed = to himself. 'Or die on me! I just what to know the how their brains = work! The TP would be a boom to mankind, if we only understand them!!' A tooth rattling slap jolted the professor out of his dreamy musings. = Marshell glared down at him, from the deep frown creasing his face, = rather hatefully. "Put this on," he pressed the plastic mask hard over = his nose and mouth. "Or you'll go down again!!" "Where's my subjects?" Galt blinked in confusion about the heavily = fogged holding cell. "They escaped," Marshell chided. "Not only that, but they also boggled = the computer and power systems. But---" he brandished a heavy automatic = Lugur, a weapon that looked primitive next to the alien hybrid rifles = the other Men In Black held. "They can't escape." Galt's cheeks shook with combating fear and rage. "You mean to kill = those kids?" "Hadji Singh and Amanda Fairchild have proven themselves uncontrollable. = Race Bannon and Jonathan Quest simply know too much and must also be = eliminated. I'll have my men try not to damage the TP's skulls, but no = promises, Professor. Those are the rules of war..." ************************************************************************ Race chased after the teenagers, for Amanda seemed to have swept them = all up in her excitement, energizing the boys, but not him. Fortunately, = they made good time, hadn't run into any patrols and Amanda appeared to = know where they were going. It disturbed the former Company man, that = the twisting gleaming maze gradually descended. The Ship kept the power = off in the lower level, making it darker as mid-winter clouded midnight = at the North Pole. "There's the blast doors leading to the hanger!" = Amanda loudly announced, as a green glow erupted across her slender = body. "That's cool, Mandy," Jonny had to comment. Race could imagine his = admiring glance. Amanda did look rather pretty with her short hair = floating in her ghostly halo.=20 "These doors?!" she grumbled in frustration. "Ship, what's wrong?? Hadji = could you please---" "Of course," he purred. "No you," Jonny was still grinning when the hard lights flooded on, = stunning their eyes. The heavy bolts finally slammed into their retainers, but it took Hadji, = Amanda and the Ship's combined powers to open the heavy door against the = computer system. "INSIDE!!!" Race barked as the first volley of bullets = pinged and ricocheted about them. He returned fire. "SHIP!!" Amanda = yelled at the tarped spherical object. "THE DOORS! PLEASE CLOSE---" "That's no good, Mandy," Jonny reported. "The security system is back on = line! It's now holding those doors open!" "But I'm hacking into that system right now," Hadji added just as = quickly.=20 "RACE!!!" Jonny howled, when a flash grazed his bandaged shoulder, = causing him to stagger. He bolted toward his friend, with Amanda right = behind him. "COME ON!!" Amanda circled front, to shove him inside. = Something magma hot nicked her ear lobe. "OLD CHAP!!" "HEY---" Race revived just as the door began to thunder down on them. = Again he shoved his teenaged rescuers ahead of himself, the several ton = door just grazing the bottom of his boots. As Amanda began to pull = herself off of the floor, he steadily glared at her. "I am not that old! = Young lady!!" Amanda winced, briefly met his gaze, then lowered her eyes. "Please = pardon my slip, Mister Bannon. But you're injured again ---" She reached = for the bleeding gash in his heavily bandaged arm. "It's just another scratch Mandy," he quickly explained, cupping the = wound. "We--- " a hard splatter of a heat laser sizzled and exploded an = electrical junction box just outside. The door laboriously lifted once = again. "Come on you three," Race gravely muttered, swinging his = purloined rifle back in his unsteady grip. "Get to that Ship and get = inside, fast. I'll cover you---" he amended for Amanda's sake. "Race means it," Jonny spun her around, forcing her into a hard run = across the remaining cable strun meters. "BUT---" her protest caught in her throat. "MISTER BANNON!!" Marshell bowled through, as his men sprayed the = chamber with bullets. "You are no longer responsible for the Quest = children. Accept that and we might spare you!" "I'll see you in HELL!!" Bannon seethed, as Amanda stumbled upon another = imbedded Infinity Hoop in a just sheltered niche. This one, she sensed = all of her people's essences from her father's to Adam's to finally = Ami's. She shuddered at the coolness Uncle Stephen left behind in her = thoughts, as she forced to clear her mind. This hoop so much used in the = recent past, was simple to open. Which was fortuitous, for when she = turned to call her new friends. "JONNY!!!" she shrieked for he had begun = to run into the pitched battle. Race's cast was broken, as he weakly = dove for the last enclosing ring of instrument panels. She grabbed the = younger teen in a fierce telekinetic hold, and hauled him back to the = open portal. "You first!" she boiled, as Jonny stumbled backwards into = the void. "WHA----HEYYYYyyyy!" Hadji blinked at the yawning tunnel, feeling both his mind and soul = tugged into its shadowy depths. "There is someone else in there, but = you're in command," Amanda snapped into his disbelieving stare. "Until, = and if I return." "Huh? Mandy wait!?!" Once again Hadji found himself tumbling through the dark. This time = however, he heard whale song, a comforting lullaby that soothed his = tense mind and muscles. If he allowed it, he would have been lowed into = a pleasant sleep, but he had far too much on his mind. 'I am in = command?' the young Sultan puzzled. 'Of an extraterrestrial, intelligent = Ship?!' He landed tail first. "HADJ!!!" Jonny roared in protest. "GET OFF!!" "Oh, sorry Jonny," he immediately scrambled to his feet. "I didn't = realize that it was you who broke my fall!" "Yeah, yeah," Jonny mumbled, then cast his gaze about the astonishing = chamber. "Would you have a look at this place?" he whispered in awe, as = gentle freckles of gold, lavender, blue and red light began to flow = stately across the command center. "To quote you, this is too weird for school," Hadji whispered, his eyes = shimmering gold, as he gently caressed the now pulsating and humming = tentacles that laced about the flat surfaces. "The stuff in here is = changing!" Jonny whispered as they watched the living vines transmute = themselves into understandable chairs, cots, flat screened computer = readouts and keyboards. "You know what this almost looks like," Jonny ambled over to the center = seat, hoisted high overhead. "But not quite my friend," Hadji wisely smiled, as his brother prodded = the wood like swivel arm. The chair swooped down. Jonny choked at the = chair's occupant. He might have been a couple years older than Hadji. = The same woody tendrils that laced about the controls, had grown over = his pallid features, and into his flesh. "Adam?" Jonny timidly whispered, as his brother broke the fragile twigs = about his face and head. "Had to, full merge," his bloodless lips fumbled. "Keep'em out." "This is not good," Hadji grumbled. "The connection between Adam and the = Ship is beyond mental. If we could release him, that could kill them = both!!" "Mega?" Adam blindly called. "He made it," Jonny gently told him. Adam's unearthly blazing eyes slid shut.=20 "We gotta do something!" Leaning forward Jonny quickly demanded, = "Adam-Ship, I want to see what's happening outside!" The chamber = spanning screen remained featureless. "Race and Mandy are still out = there!" "I guess this is what Mandy met when she put me in command," Hadji = whispered. With a reluctant glance to the entrapped Tomorrow Person, he = ordered, "Ship, please show us what is happening to Race and Amanda." ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B9.463AD020 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part 14/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People = and Jonny=20 Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy = write=20 holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television=20 are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no infringement on=20 copyright. "The snoopers already know---" Amanda darkly hissed, as a = distant=20 blast door thundered down. "Snoopers?" Jonny asked. "Telepaths who can tap into anyone's mind, even yours," = Hadji=20 warned. "By force if necessary." "This way!" Jonny barked, just as another rumble sounded = not ten=20 meters away. "The ducts!" "But ---" "It's our only chance---" "And that's where the gas is!" Amanda pointed out, yanking = her arm=20 out of his firm grip. "Not only that I refuse to leave Mister = Bannon with=20 these---Sap-err-umm goons!" "Race is here??" Jonny gasped, as her fingers delicately = floated to=20 her temples. "Amanda??" "She's trying to contact the Ship!" Hadji blinked in = disbelief. "Hadj? Can you tell what they're saying?" "No, Mandy's blocking me out with the --- Wait," upon = feeling=20 Amanda's feathery touch brush against the edge of his waking thoughts he = tightened his stance. "Yes! I shall link with you!" "Link?" Jonny puzzled, feeling left out. "What=20 is---?" Hadji opened his eyes. "This way!" he signaled, as he spun = into a=20 fast sprint. "Mandy?" "The Ship is singing the snoopers to sleep," she = explained. "So what's the hurry?" he asked, as they laid on speed. "Not everybody in this base is a telepath. Farther more, we've = got to=20 keep them from releasing the gas!" "Gas?" Jonny sputtered. "Among other tasty atmospheres, they've got something called=20 XJ9." "That's a deadly nerve gas!!" the young Quest gulped "Finally," Hadji wheezed, his fingertips sparkling, as he = traced=20 out a rectangle on the gleaming, seamless wall. "A = terminal." "There's---" Jonny began. "A camouflaged = computer??" he=20 asked, as a touchpad dropped down, while a liquid crystal screen was = revealed=20 behind a sliding panel. "It's just a security subsystem," Hadji gravely reported, = his=20 fingers rapidly typing the letterless pads. "I just hope I can make = the=20 down links fast enough." "Down link from what?" "Your brother is in direct contact with the Ship," Amanda = clutched=20 Jonny's shoulder. "He's trying to tie her into this computer = system, and=20 from what little I've learned about Earth's technology---" "Our computers are maybe village idiots in comparison to = yours,"=20 Hadji began. A meter above their heads, a nozzle extended from behind another = invisible=20 door, locking into position. "Hadji---" Jonny broke in. "But even village idiots ---" "GAS!" a green mist descended on the trio, before the = computer=20 genius could complete his hacking. '?' Concerned mental pulses fired = between=20 Hadji and Amanda, both confirming that the gas had a poisonous element, = and they=20 could hold their breath. 'Keep going,' Amanda telepathed, grabbing Jonny = by the=20 shoulders. 'I'll tend to the blast doors.' Jonny glared at her, daring not to mutter a protest. The green fog = spilled=20 heavily through the atmosphere, pooling onto the floor. 'Nasty stuff,' = the=20 Tomorrow Person vaguely telepathed, as the massive blast door loomed = ahead of=20 them. 'Now, to tickle the circuits just right, and hope they hadn't = gassed the=20 other side!' Jonny glared at her wonderingly, as Amanda extended her verdant = glowing=20 fingers across the featureless expanse. Feeling his stare bore into her = back,=20 she risked a brief turn. He impatiently circled his wrist, bluntly = indicating=20 that she should hurry it up. The door growled about a foot off of the = floor,=20 emitting a blast of lime green smoke. 'Bloody---' Amanda crossly began. 'Now Mandy,' a familiar mental touch caused her to pause. 'Such=20 language.' 'True, Hadji, yours is far more colorful,' she suffered. 'You both need to hold your breath just a few seconds more,' he = broadly=20 announced, emerging out of the deadly rolls of fog. Jonny sputtered on the bitter air. The resulting coughing fit would = have=20 drove him onto his knees, if Amanda had not caught him in time. Hadji = dove at=20 the same instant, smacking a cylinder against the corner of his = neck. "EYOUCH!!" Jonny jumped as the snub nosed needle retracted = into the=20 firing chamber. "That really smarts, Hadj!" "Even Village Idiots can come up with a few surprises,' Hadji = finished=20 proverb with a flourish, as he presented Amanda with the final vile of=20 antidote. "Thanks!" she whispered, telekinetically whisking the = injector out=20 of his palm. 'You just know what to give a girl!' Hadji startled, glanced away as she applied the drug to her thigh, = then=20 timidly giggled. "What?" Jonny demanded in a low hoarse voice. The antidote = did=20 work, but the gas still stung his eyes. "Did you 'path to each=20 other?" "Maybe we'll explain it to you when your a little older," = Amanda=20 teased. "Lets see if we can locate Mister Bannon---" **********************************************************************= ** As a prisoner, Race Bannon had been treated far worse, yet he was = being held=20 none the less. Where they held him was slightly larger than a Japanese = deluxe=20 hotel room, complete with a shoulder wide cot and pillow, running hot = and cold=20 water sink and toilet, but not much else. Marshell called it a = 'hospital' room,=20 where in he had to 'rest' until he shook off the 'unfortunate' side = effects of=20 an 'accidental' exposure to synaptrial. Race paced and fumed, for they = even took=20 away his guidance watch, and all other electronic devices he had tucked = away in=20 his pockets and belt. Worse the room did have a computer terminal, which = was=20 retracted into the wall and locked within it. Plus his jail was also = largely=20 sound proof. He was worried about the boys, concerned over what Galt = would do to=20 that girl, plus his arm ached. He was far from a good mood. He was on his thirty-second pace across the length across the cell, = when the=20 door gave a funny, pleasant chime. Then lifted. He tensed. "RACE!" Jonny chirped in relieved surprise running in. = "You're=20 alive!!" "Jonny, Hadji!!" He grinned, giving each a heart felt smack = on the=20 back. "What happened to the guard??" "The Ship put him to sleep," Hadji explained, as they = grandly led=20 him out of his cell. "Huh?" "Yeah Race, the Ship has taken over the computer systems of this = place.=20 About half of it is still gassed, the other half is blacked out!" = Jonny=20 proudly reported. "From what the Ship told Hadji all of the enemy = telepaths=20 were sung to sleep. Those that weren't are stumbling around wearing gas = filters,=20 in the dark, unable to get their computers to respond!" His leeriness returned, when a tall blond haired sixteen year old = returned,=20 clutching several injector syringes. "I just hope --- Mister = Bannon!"=20 she rushed up to him like a puppy, stopping just short of hugging him.=20 "You're not comatose --- but??" "Come on, you two," Race immediately took over. Glancing at = Amanda,=20 he amended, "Three, we're getting out of here while we have the=20 chance." Amanda gave Jonny a quizzical glance, then stood her ground. "If = you=20 know of another way out, then go. But I'm not leaving the Ship = behind." Race sighed, grumbling to himself. "All right Mandy, can this = Ship of=20 yours escape?" Amanda paused, her eyes bright. "The Ship tells me that the Men = here=20 have tried to break into her, and to tamper with her engine systems, = however,=20 she is not gravely damaged. Yet---" "Yet what Mandy?" Jonny inquired. "Her surface integrity is compromised," Amanda shook her = head no,=20 breaking contact. "She isn't truly space worthy." "She can take us outta here, but not to the moon. That's enough = for=20 me." Spying the automatic rifle laying across the guard's lap, Race = snatched it up. Amanda glared at the weapon, causing it to become oddly = warm in=20 his grip. "Insurance," he explained, forcing her to turn = around, and=20 to run with the boys. 'Doc, you and I gotta have a long talk about = Mandy---'=20 Race promised himself, should they escape the bunker. **********************************************************************= ** Once again he was standing on the second floor landing, holding his = prize by=20 the ankles, silently praying that General Damon would back down, and let = him go=20 with his teleporter. What happened to Gloria, he did not care, but the = Tomorrow=20 Person --- was Damon's son! His knotted fingers slipped, as his hard won = subject=20 began to plummet head first. Then he teleported! 'Why do they always = teleport??'=20 he bitterly cursed to himself. 'Or die on me! I just what to know the = how their=20 brains work! The TP would be a boom to mankind, if we only understand=20 them!!' A tooth rattling slap jolted the professor out of his dreamy musings. = Marshell glared down at him, from the deep frown creasing his face, = rather=20 hatefully. "Put this on," he pressed the plastic mask hard = over his=20 nose and mouth. "Or you'll go down again!!" "Where's my subjects?" Galt blinked in confusion about the = heavily=20 fogged holding cell. "They escaped," Marshell chided. "Not only that, but = they also=20 boggled the computer and power systems. But---" he brandished a = heavy=20 automatic Lugur, a weapon that looked primitive next to the alien hybrid = rifles=20 the other Men In Black held. "They can't escape." Galt's cheeks shook with combating fear and rage. "You mean to = kill=20 those kids?" "Hadji Singh and Amanda Fairchild have proven themselves = uncontrollable.=20 Race Bannon and Jonathan Quest simply know too much and must also be = eliminated.=20 I'll have my men try not to damage the TP's skulls, but no promises, = Professor.=20 Those are the rules of war..." **********************************************************************= ** Race chased after the teenagers, for Amanda seemed to have swept them = all up=20 in her excitement, energizing the boys, but not him. Fortunately, they = made good=20 time, hadn't run into any patrols and Amanda appeared to know where they = were=20 going. It disturbed the former Company man, that the twisting gleaming = maze=20 gradually descended. The Ship kept the power off in the lower level, = making it=20 darker as mid-winter clouded midnight at the North Pole. "There's = the blast=20 doors leading to the hanger!" Amanda loudly announced, as a green = glow=20 erupted across her slender body. "That's cool, Mandy," Jonny had to comment. Race could = imagine his=20 admiring glance. Amanda did look rather pretty with her short hair = floating in=20 her ghostly halo. "These doors?!" she grumbled in frustration. "Ship, = what's=20 wrong?? Hadji could you please---" "Of course," he purred. "No you," Jonny was still grinning when the hard lights = flooded on,=20 stunning their eyes. The heavy bolts finally slammed into their retainers, but it took = Hadji,=20 Amanda and the Ship's combined powers to open the heavy door against the = computer system. "INSIDE!!!" Race barked as the first volley = of=20 bullets pinged and ricocheted about them. He returned fire. = "SHIP!!"=20 Amanda yelled at the tarped spherical object. "THE DOORS! PLEASE=20 CLOSE---" "That's no good, Mandy," Jonny reported. "The security = system=20 is back on line! It's now holding those doors open!" "But I'm hacking into that system right now," Hadji added = just as=20 quickly. "RACE!!!" Jonny howled, when a flash grazed his bandaged = shoulder,=20 causing him to stagger. He bolted toward his friend, with Amanda right = behind=20 him. "COME ON!!" Amanda circled front, to shove him inside. = Something=20 magma hot nicked her ear lobe. "OLD CHAP!!" "HEY---" Race revived just as the door began to thunder = down on=20 them. Again he shoved his teenaged rescuers ahead of himself, the = several ton=20 door just grazing the bottom of his boots. As Amanda began to pull = herself off=20 of the floor, he steadily glared at her. "I am not that old! Young=20 lady!!" Amanda winced, briefly met his gaze, then lowered her eyes. = "Please=20 pardon my slip, Mister Bannon. But you're injured again ---" She = reached=20 for the bleeding gash in his heavily bandaged arm. "It's just another scratch Mandy," he quickly explained, = cupping=20 the wound. "We--- " a hard splatter of a heat laser sizzled = and=20 exploded an electrical junction box just outside. The door laboriously = lifted=20 once again. "Come on you three," Race gravely muttered, = swinging his=20 purloined rifle back in his unsteady grip. "Get to that Ship and = get=20 inside, fast. I'll cover you---" he amended for Amanda's sake. "Race means it," Jonny spun her around, forcing her into a = hard run=20 across the remaining cable strun meters. "BUT---" her protest caught in her throat. "MISTER BANNON!!" Marshell bowled through, as his men = sprayed the=20 chamber with bullets. "You are no longer responsible for the Quest=20 children. Accept that and we might spare you!" "I'll see you in HELL!!" Bannon seethed, as Amanda stumbled = upon=20 another imbedded Infinity Hoop in a just sheltered niche. This one, she = sensed=20 all of her people's essences from her father's to Adam's to finally = Ami's. She=20 shuddered at the coolness Uncle Stephen left behind in her thoughts, as = she=20 forced to clear her mind. This hoop so much used in the recent past, was = simple=20 to open. Which was fortuitous, for when she turned to call her new = friends.=20 "JONNY!!!" she shrieked for he had begun to run into the = pitched=20 battle. Race's cast was broken, as he weakly dove for the last enclosing = ring of=20 instrument panels. She grabbed the younger teen in a fierce telekinetic = hold,=20 and hauled him back to the open portal. "You first!" she = boiled, as=20 Jonny stumbled backwards into the void. "WHA----HEYYYYyyyy!" Hadji blinked at the yawning tunnel, feeling both his mind and soul = tugged=20 into its shadowy depths. "There is someone else in there, but = you're in=20 command," Amanda snapped into his disbelieving stare. "Until, = and if I=20 return." "Huh? Mandy wait!?!" Once again Hadji found himself tumbling through the dark. This time = however,=20 he heard whale song, a comforting lullaby that soothed his tense mind = and=20 muscles. If he allowed it, he would have been lowed into a pleasant = sleep, but=20 he had far too much on his mind. 'I am in command?' the young Sultan = puzzled.=20 'Of an extraterrestrial, intelligent Ship?!' He landed tail first. "HADJ!!!" Jonny roared in protest. "GET = OFF!!" "Oh, sorry Jonny," he immediately scrambled to his feet. = "I=20 didn't realize that it was you who broke my fall!" "Yeah, yeah," Jonny mumbled, then cast his gaze about the=20 astonishing chamber. "Would you have a look at this place?" he = whispered in awe, as gentle freckles of gold, lavender, blue and red = light began=20 to flow stately across the command center. "To quote you, this is too weird for school," Hadji = whispered, his=20 eyes shimmering gold, as he gently caressed the now pulsating and = humming=20 tentacles that laced about the flat surfaces. "The stuff in here is = changing!" Jonny whispered as they watched the living vines = transmute=20 themselves into understandable chairs, cots, flat screened computer = readouts and=20 keyboards. "You know what this almost looks like," Jonny ambled over = to the=20 center seat, hoisted high overhead. "But not quite my friend," Hadji wisely smiled, as his = brother=20 prodded the wood like swivel arm. The chair swooped down. Jonny choked = at the=20 chair's occupant. He might have been a couple years older than Hadji. = The same=20 woody tendrils that laced about the controls, had grown over his pallid=20 features, and into his flesh. "Adam?" Jonny timidly whispered, as his brother broke the = fragile=20 twigs about his face and head. "Had to, full merge," his bloodless lips fumbled. = "Keep'em=20 out." "This is not good," Hadji grumbled. "The connection = between=20 Adam and the Ship is beyond mental. If we could release him, that could = kill=20 them both!!" "Mega?" Adam blindly called. "He made it," Jonny gently told him. Adam's unearthly blazing eyes slid shut. "We gotta do something!" Leaning forward Jonny quickly = demanded,=20 "Adam-Ship, I want to see what's happening outside!" The = chamber=20 spanning screen remained featureless. "Race and Mandy are still out = there!" "I guess this is what Mandy met when she put me in = command," Hadji=20 whispered. With a reluctant glance to the entrapped Tomorrow Person, he = ordered,=20 "Ship, please show us what is happening to Race and = Amanda." </DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B9.463AD020-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize part 15/20 Date: 19 Mar 2000 15:41:06 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B9.8A84CEC0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part 15/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People and = Jonny Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy write = holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no = infringement on copyright. Amanda had jumped on his protector's back, her telekinetic hands = savagely wrapped about the rifle Race was using. "LET GO!" she hissed. "YOU GET TO THE BOYS," Race struggled, then lurched the dissolving = weapon out of her grasp. "NOW!!!" "SHIP!" Jonny and Hadji yelped together. "ADAM!! Let us out, now!!" The = Ship absently continued her comforting wordless aria. ************************************************************************ "You've been trained to never trust a TP," Marshell smirked, with a = savage kick to Race's handsome face. Race did not go down, but instead struggled onto his feet, defensively = posturing himself between the encircling Men In Black. "Nor a MIB," he = coolly hissed, through a bleeding split lip. "Or so I'm told." Amanda stepped out of his protective shadow, bracing his swaying body = against hers. Marshell ripped off his stylish Rayburns, revealing a pair = of reptilian slit eyes. "You will tell me where the Quest boys are." Amanda directly met that emotionless stare. "You're too mired in your = own pollution to get at them." "The Ship?" Marshell growled. "We do have the ability to destroy it, but = first I shall peel every erg of knowledge out of your mind --- and = then---"=20 Marshell screamed, holding the pulsing sides of his head. "YOU'RE AS = DEFIANT AS YOUR FATHER, BRAT!!" Amanda lowered her eyes from the battering probe she leveled, to weakly = telepathed, 'Ship?' 'Yes?' 'SHE's IN COMMUNICATION!!' "KILL THEM!!' the commander raged over his = migraine. "KILL THEM ALL, NOW!!" Race swung his bulk back in front of Amanda, directly drawing the worse = of the barrage into himself, but Amanda felt both of their releases just = short of the whisking away of a teleport. ************************************************************************ "Ohhh, what happened?" Race pulled himself off of the cot, holding his = spinning head. "Boys?" Then his eyes tracked across the twisting web of = thick and thin roots, sensing that he was surrounded by something very = alive, although he had no hope of communicating with whatever it was. = "Where am I?" Then he gazed down his red shirt, expecting to see it = ripped to shreds, but it was oddly intact. Only the tiny aches lingered, = where the lethal spray had ----" Race took an unsteady sip of air, = feeling slightly ill. Only then he realized that the shattered cast had = also been removed, his arm fully functioning. "And why I don't want a = glass of water just now??" Hadji snickered softly, then turned away from what looked like a Quest = computer terminal. "Teleportedyou andMandy---" "Jonny," Race dismissed, levering himself up, his back and neck stiff. = "Thank you, somehow, I already knew that this isn't a crazy dream. Could = you slow down? I am feeling my age right now." "Thank Adam," Amanda soberly nodded toward the raised center seat. "He = has the touch, which the Ship merely magnified. Mum often told me that = healings can be more exhausting than acquiring the injuries themselves," = Amanda meekly smiled at him. "And thank you for trying to save my life." Race puzzled over that as he straightened his shirt, then dismissed it. = "Wasn't Adam one of the recent TP's ---" The living casket about the = young man caused him to shudder. "He and the Ship are in Deep Tandem, = sir," Amanda explained. "From communicating with Adam, they had no = choice." "I've got the guidance systems on line, as well as extend the telepathic = centers," Hadji reported. "With the Ship, we can contact any one in the = solar system. Right now---" "But where are we --- oh no!" Race whispered, leaning over Hadji's = shoulder. "We're still in Hanger 57!! I thought this crate could move = ---" "We can leave at any time, Mister Bannon," Amanda formally said. "In = fact, Marshell and his men have already er --- bugged out." "Why don't you do the same??" Race charged. "We've got a problem Race," Hadji softly answered. "Marshell activated a = nuclear warhead underneath this base." "The resulting explosion will take out several towns and contaminate Las = Vegas with plutonium," Amanda finished. "We've rigged a dampening signal = on the computer system, but it refuses to take it. We've got to stay = until the last minute---" "That's crazy!!" Race rolled his eyes. "With the Ship, I've attempted to erase the launch program, but the = MIB's mainframe simply reboots itself," frustration sharpened Hadji's = normally soft voice. "I've got an idea," Jonny wickedly grinned. "Amanda, could you please = have the Ship give me a computer terminal, with access solely with = Hanger 57 systems." "Of course," she blinked in confusion, as the tendrils below Jonny's = shifted, swaying as they molded together. "But what---" "If what I'm doing gets out into the main information lanes," Jonny = said. "We'd have a mess." "I'd say," Hadji gulped upon spying his brother's work. "You're about to = let lose a tiger!" "Sometimes it takes a tiger," Amanda quoted. "It's more like a mole, carrying all sorts of nasty viruses in its fur," = Jonny finished with a flourish. "A Surd mole!" "Jonny, lets not get too fancy," Amanda warned. "We've got less than = five minutes before---" "Five minutes??" Race spat. "Plenty of time," Jonny confidently slouched back in his chair. "The computer isn't accepting the Surd mole either," Hadji sighed. "That's, that's impossible!" Jonny shot back into his program, = frantically reviewing it. "Surd was in our system for months, his = viruses are still popping up!!" "Doctor Quest also warned everybody to watch out for Surd," Race = reminded the teenagers. "The MIB would be the first ones on the block to = find out and throw up anti-Surd blockers!" "We never could, Race," Jonny defended. "How did this Surd person get into your computer system in the first = place?" Amanda inquired. "Through QuestWorld," Hadji explained, trying a different route for the = mole, and failing. "What's??" "A vitural reality system," Race waved, with a troubled frown. "Jonny's = personal playground." "Then lets find a bloody game of Pong and inject the mole into it," = Amanda focused on her terminal. "We're down to three minutes twenty = seconds!" "Pong?? Mandy QuestWorld isn't ---" "Jonny, what do you need?" Amanda cut him off. "A QuestWorld visor and direct links to the Ship systems," he answered. "Jonny!" Race began to protest. "Access directly this Ship's computer's = and you'll wind up grown into it like that poor kid!" "No, he won't Mister Bannon. Jonny is a low level telepath. The Ship = will only fully link with full Tomorrow People, like myself." "I still don't want you to wind up like him!" "Jonny. I'll follow you in," Amanda quietly announced. "Telepathically. = If this doesn't work, Ship, dump the original smothering programming at = five seconds, then teleport ten miles downrange. Hadji ---" "Take command---" "Please pray that one or the other programs work. Jonny, ready?" "Going in hot --- NOW!!!" It felt as if he just slammed through a tangle of underbrush. "Whoa," he = gasped, as the initial rush cleared from his tingling senses. "This is = almost like the Doctor Correll's DNA computer, only more --- root like, = and alive. Hadji?" "I can see you --- in my mind! There are all sorts of connections = between us, even with Race and the Ship, all of them telepathic!!" "Where's---?" "DNA biotronics?" Amanda asked. "Don't you realize just unstable that = molecule is??" "We learned, the hard way," Jonny scanned the twinkling branches. "Mandy = where??" "Up here Jonny." A ghostly bird with a long beak, plumes and elegant = tail alighted on the branch to his left. "Youyou looklikeaphoenix," he blinked in astonishment. "You appear to be a warrior in a close fitting spacer suit," the bird = blinked an umber eye. "Not very practical in this environ---" "HEY!!" Jonny spat angrily, as the phoenix whisked by his face. "She does have a point Jonny. According to Adam, the Ship is not = hostile. Like you, that is her gaming form." "Give me some weapons." "The Ship won't allow me." "Great, then give me something that I can use!' A hoverboard appeared = beside him. "You have less than two minutes, Jonny." "Thanks Hadj ---" "Remember this is not a game, my friend." Jonny kicked the board, finding the glowing terrain of branches = challenging. Several times he nearly whipped out by skimming through a = tingle too fast or through too tight an angle. He found himself almost = enjoying the chasing the far more agile bird. If there was not the bomb = under them. The branches fell away into a more familiar landscape of = computer innards. Familiar only to him, for Amanda stopped her dive, = fluttering about in apparent confusion, then stooping like a falcon. Jonny lowered his frame closer to the board, realizing that she had = found the mole first. She swung back at him, clutching a seething ball = in her claws. Jonny automatically slowed, certain of a collision, = throwing up his arm to protect his eyes. A sickly plop sounded at his feet, as the phoenix bird settled on his = shoulder. "From your thoughts, you believe yourself an expert?" she = poised. "In Challenx I only reached fourth standing!" "Yeah, yeah, we'll see just who is the expert," Jonny coolly grumbled. = "And what's this thing?" "The Ship's interpretation of your Surd mole. She does not quite like = it, but she cannot come up with any alternatives." "But---" "That's why the Federation is a bit leery of humankind. We as a people = always come up with an alternative," Amanda explained. That made Jonny = feel a little more confident. His eye twinkled, as he announced, "Get = ready to see my computer world." Amanda shivered. They sailed into a conduit, cold and just as featureless as Hanger 57 = bunker. Suddenly the tunnel opened up into a into a broader, = electronicscape of glowing connections and chips. "It's beautiful, in a = primitive way," Amanda brought up her hand, staring at in utter = confusion. The board bucked, sending the two teenagers flying onto the = stubble floor. "But---" Jonny blundered into her as if he was protecting = her from something hideous. The twenty foot tall, male image matched her = description of evil. "Uncle Mike never came up with anything like this!" = she tersely whispered. "HADJ, we need those weapons now!" Back in the comfort of the Ship, Hadji Singh jolted out of his trance. = "What's wrong?" Race demanded impatiently. "They made it into the bunker's computer system, with the mole," he = stumbled. "But that wasn't just a mole Jonny had. The Ship must have = interpreted and incorperated Jonny's memories. They recreated Jeremiah = Surd!" "Oh great!" Race grumbled, his own experiences with the mad scientist = crowding in with his concerns for Jonny and Amanda. "HADJI!!" Amanda = shouted in triumph, "We're in!!" "What about Surd?" "He's giving us a spot of bother---" "A spot of bother?!" Jonny challenged, just as the hover board they were = using disintegrated under a powerful blast out of Surd's eyes. A deep chuckle rumbled out of the giant. "I have long looked forward to = this day, Jonny Quest. You are defenseless." A huge foot raised as if to = squash the pair. Amanda jaunted. As Jonny began a desperate run. "This is crazy---" "Never mind, I'll get the strange girl---" A creature, only as tall as = Surd's heel, plowed its facial horns into it, tossing its head, as the = way off balance giant fell onto his back. At first Jonny judged the = posturing beast was a rhino or a triceratops, but possessed ten legs. = Fluttering its petal like frill, the tank like monster charged up to = Jonny. "This is just like Challenx," Amanda spoke, as the beast faded = away. "But---I can't defend ourselves without---" "In Challenx there are no weapons. Just imagination and cunning. = Morphing in defense is allowed, but only once per character per turn." "That's Surd!' "Your creation Doctor Frankenstien," Amanda just had to remind him. = "Hadji time?" "Thirty seconds." "Release the smothering program, and get out of there." "Do it Hadj!" Jonny ordered, picking himself up. A silver spear flashed out of the electronic heavens, splitting the = green 'earth' between Jonny and Surd. The giant was recovering. "Smart = move, girl!" Instantly fiery tentacles shot out of his fingers, = enclosing about her, lifting her high above Jonny's head. She did not = scream, but Jonny could see the pain in her face, as his enemy began to = drain Amanda. Jonny dove for the spear, then threatened Surd with it. The giant = chuckled, "You are going to destroy me with that, boy?" Jonny's throat tightened on his answer. "NO!" he shifted the spear = across his chest, presenting the weapon. "It's a gift for you." "For me?" his grip slackened on Amanda, as he scooped both Jonny and the = spear. "A gift from you to me. How charming! I think I shall use it --- = TO DESTROY YOU!!" Needles of fire flared through Jonny's 'spacer suit'. "AMANDA!!" he = wailed, as Surd set him back on the ground. Through the rippling haze he = saw the spear enlarge to Surd size. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B9.8A84CEC0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part 15/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People = and Jonny=20 Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy = write=20 holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television=20 are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no infringement on=20 copyright. Amanda had jumped on his protector's back, her telekinetic hands = savagely=20 wrapped about the rifle Race was using. "LET GO!" she hissed. "YOU GET TO THE BOYS," Race struggled, then lurched the = dissolving=20 weapon out of her grasp. "NOW!!!" "SHIP!" Jonny and Hadji yelped together. "ADAM!! Let = us out,=20 now!!" The Ship absently continued her comforting wordless = aria. **********************************************************************= ** "You've been trained to never trust a TP," Marshell = smirked, with a=20 savage kick to Race's handsome face. Race did not go down, but instead struggled onto his feet, = defensively=20 posturing himself between the encircling Men In Black. "Nor a = MIB," he=20 coolly hissed, through a bleeding split lip. "Or so I'm = told." Amanda stepped out of his protective shadow, bracing his swaying body = against=20 hers. Marshell ripped off his stylish Rayburns, revealing a pair of = reptilian=20 slit eyes. "You will tell me where the Quest boys are." Amanda directly met that emotionless stare. "You're too mired in = your=20 own pollution to get at them." "The Ship?" Marshell growled. "We do have the ability = to=20 destroy it, but first I shall peel every erg of knowledge out of your = mind ---=20 and then---" Marshell screamed, holding the pulsing sides of his head. = "YOU'RE AS=20 DEFIANT AS YOUR FATHER, BRAT!!" Amanda lowered her eyes from the battering probe she leveled, to = weakly=20 telepathed, 'Ship?' 'Yes?' 'SHE's IN COMMUNICATION!!' "KILL THEM!!' the commander raged = over his=20 migraine. "KILL THEM ALL, NOW!!" Race swung his bulk back in front of Amanda, directly drawing the = worse of=20 the barrage into himself, but Amanda felt both of their releases just = short of=20 the whisking away of a teleport. **********************************************************************= ** "Ohhh, what happened?" Race pulled himself off of the cot, = holding=20 his spinning head. "Boys?" Then his eyes tracked across the = twisting=20 web of thick and thin roots, sensing that he was surrounded by something = very=20 alive, although he had no hope of communicating with whatever it was.=20 "Where am I?" Then he gazed down his red shirt, expecting to = see it=20 ripped to shreds, but it was oddly intact. Only the tiny aches lingered, = where=20 the lethal spray had ----" Race took an unsteady sip of air, = feeling=20 slightly ill. Only then he realized that the shattered cast had also = been=20 removed, his arm fully functioning. "And why I don't want a glass = of water=20 just now??" Hadji snickered softly, then turned away from what looked like a = Quest=20 computer terminal. "Teleportedyou andMandy---" "Jonny," Race dismissed, levering himself up, his back and = neck=20 stiff. "Thank you, somehow, I already knew that this isn't a crazy = dream.=20 Could you slow down? I am feeling my age right now." "Thank Adam," Amanda soberly nodded toward the raised = center seat.=20 "He has the touch, which the Ship merely magnified. Mum often told = me that=20 healings can be more exhausting than acquiring the injuries = themselves,"=20 Amanda meekly smiled at him. "And thank you for trying to save my=20 life." Race puzzled over that as he straightened his shirt, then dismissed = it.=20 "Wasn't Adam one of the recent TP's ---" The living casket = about the=20 young man caused him to shudder. "He and the Ship are in Deep = Tandem,=20 sir," Amanda explained. "From communicating with Adam, they = had no=20 choice." "I've got the guidance systems on line, as well as extend the = telepathic=20 centers," Hadji reported. "With the Ship, we can contact any = one in=20 the solar system. Right now---" "But where are we --- oh no!" Race whispered, leaning over = Hadji's=20 shoulder. "We're still in Hanger 57!! I thought this crate could = move=20 ---" "We can leave at any time, Mister Bannon," Amanda formally = said.=20 "In fact, Marshell and his men have already er --- bugged = out." "Why don't you do the same??" Race charged. "We've got a problem Race," Hadji softly answered. = "Marshell=20 activated a nuclear warhead underneath this base." "The resulting explosion will take out several towns and = contaminate Las=20 Vegas with plutonium," Amanda finished. "We've rigged a = dampening=20 signal on the computer system, but it refuses to take it. We've got to = stay=20 until the last minute---" "That's crazy!!" Race rolled his eyes. "With the Ship, I've attempted to erase the launch program, but = the=20 MIB's mainframe simply reboots itself," frustration sharpened = Hadji's=20 normally soft voice. "I've got an idea," Jonny wickedly grinned. "Amanda, = could you=20 please have the Ship give me a computer terminal, with access solely = with Hanger=20 57 systems." "Of course," she blinked in confusion, as the tendrils = below=20 Jonny's shifted, swaying as they molded together. "But = what---" "If what I'm doing gets out into the main information = lanes," Jonny=20 said. "We'd have a mess." "I'd say," Hadji gulped upon spying his brother's work.=20 "You're about to let lose a tiger!" "Sometimes it takes a tiger," Amanda quoted. "It's more like a mole, carrying all sorts of nasty viruses in = its=20 fur," Jonny finished with a flourish. "A Surd mole!" "Jonny, lets not get too fancy," Amanda warned. "We've = got=20 less than five minutes before---" "Five minutes??" Race spat. "Plenty of time," Jonny confidently slouched back in his = chair. "The computer isn't accepting the Surd mole either," Hadji=20 sighed. "That's, that's impossible!" Jonny shot back into his = program,=20 frantically reviewing it. "Surd was in our system for months, his = viruses=20 are still popping up!!" "Doctor Quest also warned everybody to watch out for Surd," = Race=20 reminded the teenagers. "The MIB would be the first ones on the = block to=20 find out and throw up anti-Surd blockers!" "We never could, Race," Jonny defended. "How did this Surd person get into your computer system in the = first=20 place?" Amanda inquired. "Through QuestWorld," Hadji explained, trying a different = route for=20 the mole, and failing. "What's??" "A vitural reality system," Race waved, with a troubled = frown.=20 "Jonny's personal playground." "Then lets find a bloody game of Pong and inject the mole into = it,"=20 Amanda focused on her terminal. "We're down to three minutes twenty = seconds!" "Pong?? Mandy QuestWorld isn't ---" "Jonny, what do you need?" Amanda cut him off. "A QuestWorld visor and direct links to the Ship systems," = he=20 answered. "Jonny!" Race began to protest. "Access directly this = Ship's=20 computer's and you'll wind up grown into it like that poor = kid!" "No, he won't Mister Bannon. Jonny is a low level telepath. The = Ship=20 will only fully link with full Tomorrow People, like myself." "I still don't want you to wind up like him!" "Jonny. I'll follow you in," Amanda quietly announced.=20 "Telepathically. If this doesn't work, Ship, dump the original = smothering=20 programming at five seconds, then teleport ten miles downrange. Hadji=20 ---" "Take command---" "Please pray that one or the other programs work. Jonny,=20 ready?" "Going in hot --- NOW!!!" It felt as if he just slammed through a tangle of underbrush.=20 "Whoa," he gasped, as the initial rush cleared from his = tingling=20 senses. "This is almost like the Doctor Correll's DNA computer, = only more=20 --- root like, and alive. Hadji?" "I can see you --- in my mind! There are all sorts of = connections=20 between us, even with Race and the Ship, all of them = telepathic!!" "Where's---?" "DNA biotronics?" Amanda asked. "Don't you realize = just=20 unstable that molecule is??" "We learned, the hard way," Jonny scanned the twinkling = branches.=20 "Mandy where??" "Up here Jonny." A ghostly bird with a long beak, plumes = and=20 elegant tail alighted on the branch to his left. "Youyou looklikeaphoenix," he blinked in astonishment. "You appear to be a warrior in a close fitting spacer = suit," the=20 bird blinked an umber eye. "Not very practical in this = environ---" "HEY!!" Jonny spat angrily, as the phoenix whisked by his = face. "She does have a point Jonny. According to Adam, the Ship is not = hostile. Like you, that is her gaming form." "Give me some weapons." "The Ship won't allow me." "Great, then give me something that I can use!' A hoverboard = appeared=20 beside him. "You have less than two minutes, Jonny." "Thanks Hadj ---" "Remember this is not a game, my friend." Jonny kicked the board, finding the glowing terrain of branches = challenging.=20 Several times he nearly whipped out by skimming through a tingle too = fast or=20 through too tight an angle. He found himself almost enjoying the chasing = the far=20 more agile bird. If there was not the bomb under them. The branches fell = away=20 into a more familiar landscape of computer innards. Familiar only to = him, for=20 Amanda stopped her dive, fluttering about in apparent confusion, then = stooping=20 like a falcon. Jonny lowered his frame closer to the board, realizing that she had = found the=20 mole first. She swung back at him, clutching a seething ball in her = claws. Jonny=20 automatically slowed, certain of a collision, throwing up his arm to = protect his=20 eyes. A sickly plop sounded at his feet, as the phoenix bird settled on his = shoulder. "From your thoughts, you believe yourself an = expert?" she=20 poised. "In Challenx I only reached fourth standing!" "Yeah, yeah, we'll see just who is the expert," Jonny = coolly=20 grumbled. "And what's this thing?" "The Ship's interpretation of your Surd mole. She does not quite = like=20 it, but she cannot come up with any alternatives." "But---" "That's why the Federation is a bit leery of humankind. We as a = people=20 always come up with an alternative," Amanda explained. That made = Jonny feel=20 a little more confident. His eye twinkled, as he announced, "Get = ready to=20 see my computer world." Amanda shivered. They sailed into a conduit, cold and just as featureless as Hanger 57 = bunker.=20 Suddenly the tunnel opened up into a into a broader, electronicscape of = glowing=20 connections and chips. "It's beautiful, in a primitive way," = Amanda=20 brought up her hand, staring at in utter confusion. The board bucked, = sending=20 the two teenagers flying onto the stubble floor. "But---" = Jonny=20 blundered into her as if he was protecting her from something hideous. = The=20 twenty foot tall, male image matched her description of evil. = "Uncle Mike=20 never came up with anything like this!" she tersely whispered. "HADJ, we need those weapons now!" Back in the comfort of the Ship, Hadji Singh jolted out of his = trance.=20 "What's wrong?" Race demanded impatiently. "They made it into the bunker's computer system, with the = mole," he=20 stumbled. "But that wasn't just a mole Jonny had. The Ship must = have=20 interpreted and incorperated Jonny's memories. They recreated Jeremiah=20 Surd!" "Oh great!" Race grumbled, his own experiences with the mad = scientist crowding in with his concerns for Jonny and Amanda.=20 "HADJI!!" Amanda shouted in triumph, "We're = in!!" "What about Surd?" "He's giving us a spot of bother---" "A spot of bother?!" Jonny challenged, just as the hover = board they=20 were using disintegrated under a powerful blast out of Surd's eyes. A deep chuckle rumbled out of the giant. "I have long looked = forward to=20 this day, Jonny Quest. You are defenseless." A huge foot raised as = if to=20 squash the pair. Amanda jaunted. As Jonny began a desperate run. "This is=20 crazy---" "Never mind, I'll get the strange girl---" A creature, only = as tall=20 as Surd's heel, plowed its facial horns into it, tossing its head, as = the way=20 off balance giant fell onto his back. At first Jonny judged the = posturing beast=20 was a rhino or a triceratops, but possessed ten legs. Fluttering its = petal like=20 frill, the tank like monster charged up to Jonny. "This is just = like=20 Challenx," Amanda spoke, as the beast faded away. "But---I can't defend ourselves without---" "In Challenx there are no weapons. Just imagination and cunning. = Morphing in defense is allowed, but only once per character per = turn." "That's Surd!' "Your creation Doctor Frankenstien," Amanda just had to = remind him.=20 "Hadji time?" "Thirty seconds." "Release the smothering program, and get out of there." "Do it Hadj!" Jonny ordered, picking himself up. A silver spear flashed out of the electronic heavens, splitting the = green=20 'earth' between Jonny and Surd. The giant was recovering. "Smart = move,=20 girl!" Instantly fiery tentacles shot out of his fingers, enclosing = about=20 her, lifting her high above Jonny's head. She did not scream, but Jonny = could=20 see the pain in her face, as his enemy began to drain Amanda. Jonny dove for the spear, then threatened Surd with it. The giant = chuckled,=20 "You are going to destroy me with that, boy?" Jonny's throat tightened on his answer. "NO!" he shifted = the spear=20 across his chest, presenting the weapon. "It's a gift for = you." "For me?" his grip slackened on Amanda, as he scooped both = Jonny=20 and the spear. "A gift from you to me. How charming! I think I = shall use it=20 --- TO DESTROY YOU!!" Needles of fire flared through Jonny's 'spacer suit'. = "AMANDA!!" he=20 wailed, as Surd set him back on the ground. Through the rippling haze he = saw the=20 spear enlarge to Surd size.</DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B9.8A84CEC0-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Part 16/20 Date: 19 Mar 2000 15:43:02 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B9.CF6763E0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part 16/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People and = Jonny Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy write = holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no = infringement on copyright. "Your aim's off Surd!" Amanda taunted from his grip. "Keep out of this girl!" he sneered. "Oh very well," she sounded very bored. "If you want to waste a = perfectly good spear on some rocks, that's not my problem!" "ROCKS??" he shook her. "You see, Jonny's jaunted," she told him. "Teleported or beamed up to = the mothership if you will." "Do not mock me!" "I do not, Doctor Surd, but you were playing with just Saps before. Now = the whole game's been changed. We're Tomorrow People, and we write the = rules." "I write the rules," his hand was trembling as he set her down. Surd was = actually afraid of her, her commanding stare. "Yes, of course, but Jonny has jaunted again. Now he's over there, = planning to attack from the rear. You must be quick." Surd spun, rocketing the smothering program, directly at the launch = codes. The scape instantly vanished, leaving only Jonny and Amanda. "You liked doing that, didja?" he coldly charged. "Surd was just your monster," Amanda smiled into his bewildered face. = "He's done what he's been programmed to do---so let's split!" ************************************************************************ "Split?!" Jonny rounded on her, as he removed his visor. "That word went = out in the sixties!" "Pardon," Amanda grinned, then eased back in her chair. "Where are we now Hadji?" Jonny blinked at the view screen, pleased that = the local scenery was now of a peaceful desertscape. "Ten miles downrange from Hanger 57, and there is not a spike of = plutonium!" "All right!" Jonny cooed, as they high fived. "I guess the MIB will = eventually come back, but when they get into the computer system, boy = will they be surprised!" "Surd's still in there?" Race smiled approvingly. "Not only that Race, he's pretty upset and confused!" "You couldn't give such a nice gift to a such a wonderful group of = people." "Right! Amanda?" She sighed, her shoulders going slack from exhaustion. "Yes, Adam. That = is a good place. I believe I've found the Ship's new home. It's ---" The Ship violently rocked. "What the? Stealth jets?!" "Oh bloody --- get us out of here!" Amanda ordered. "These jets, do they = carry nuclear warheads?" "They can Mandy," Race answered. "It won't take a nuclear missile to = knock us out of the sky." "Roswell," Jonny chimed in. "1947---" "I was taught about that incident in school," Amanda clenched her teeth, = for Roswell was Earth's inexcusable crimes. "Ship we need some speed and = altitude!" "The jets are catching up. One hundred and fifty miles down range and = closing fast." "Don't you have phasers or something?" "Phasers?" Amanda and Hadji echoed together. "The Ship just told me, they've just launched their missiles!" Hadji cut = in. "Ship flux shields, between bands two-fifty through infrared spectrum." "What will that do?" Race asked. "Explode those missiles short of the defense shields, I hope. Too close, = we'll lose shields. The next missile we'll go down, rather rapidly." "More jets are coming in," Hadji began to sound frightened. "All = points!" "Looks like half of the US Air Force is already scrambled!" "That's not all Race," Jonny urgently cut in. "I managed to hack into = defense net, and nearly everybody wants to join the party!" "Charming! Adam/Ship, teleport to suborbital. I hope to shake some of = them off of us! Drop the flux, tighten shields aft and fore. That's = where the hull was damaged when they moved the Ship." "I thought the Ship isn't spaceworthy," Hadji pointed out. "Not for long under conditions," Amanda hopped off of her chair. "The = hull is close to rupturing in those spots, but I want some breathing = room to consider our options. I'm still worried about the nukes." "Most of the nuclear powers have agreed not to use them." "Most?" Amanda peered at Race. "Amanda, the missiles are your problem not nukes!" Jonny impatiently = pointed out. "If some rogue state attempts to take us down, and contaminates Earth's = stratosphere---" "Got your point." "It'll take Intercontinentals to reach this high," Race pointed out. = "But everybody has that ability now." "That's what I'm afraid of." Amanda sighed. "Hadji, Jonny, with the = Ship's resources, can you break into this defense net?" "No way!" Race glowered. "There is so many old measures and = countermeasures out in those systems, you'd end up with a full world = war, if you even try to shut them down." "Besides, the pilots and their jets are so dependent on the computers, = to simply interfere may cause them to crash!" "Blocking out radar, with an extended flux pulse? That may disguise us = long enough to---" A shallow thud rocked the Ship. Within the lights flickered and dimmed. = "We just lost the shields," Hadji quietly announced. Within his tomb, = Adam gave a rattling scream. "His arm!" Jonny pointed out. "That's a fresh cut!" "Damage to the Ship is translated to Adam --- and me," Amanda winced = wringing her wrist. "The starboard hull has been grazed. Ship, try to = maintain present speed, but take us down into the atmosphere." 'That is what the humans want!' the Ship protested loudly enough for = Jonny to pick up on. 'They desire our deaths!' "I know!" Jonny had to turn away from Amanda, so his eyes alighted on the fore = screen. Earth was in eclipse, with only a thin brilliant sliver of blue. = This was his first glimpse of his planet from orbit. A homeworld, Amanda = fought so hard to touch, and he had the honor of living on it all of his = life! He fell in love with the curls of brilliant white clouds and = placid oceans. Everything he knew was down there. The stars did not = twinkle above the clouds, appearing so cold and impossibly distant. = Slowly he began to realize the anguish the exiled Tomorrow People must = feel for this planet. It was an old feeling, one that made him yearn = just to be back in Maine, just to run through the maple and oak forest = again. Suddenly, realizing that Earth's rotation would within bring = Maine into dawn, Jonny peered closer, hoping to catch the rough triangle = of New England. Then a bowlish flash in the heavens above, demanded his = attention instead. "What??" "The Starseer!" Amanda nearly whimpered. "Alice!" she cheered as the = view screen shifted to another command center. "DAD!?!" Jonny cried in relief. "Whatare you???" "It's a long story, son---" Suddenly other Kolinar shuddered, as the = connection dimmed. "DAD!!!" "That was a little too close, Alice," Doctor Quest glowered at her, as = esper communication returned. "Amanda, set your beacons on the Starseer. Then repel against my course! = The coyotes can't chase two rabbits, Earth Woman!" "Just be careful, Shaman. Break radio contact Ship, I don't want them to = know anything more about us!" "That's gives us a spiral coarse," Hadji reported. "An awfully steep one," Race frowned at the trajectories. "If this = wasn't an alien space ship, I'd say you'll burn up in the atmosphere." "It's going to be a long rough ride," Amanda quietly agreed. "Ship, = Race, Jonny, teleport NOW!" Jonny jumped as Race startled at the sudden use of his chosen name. The = soothing alien interior vanished from their astonished gazes. The bold white circular wall smacked into their unprepared minds. The = vortexing blue and white triangular titles beneath their feet surged = into their collective senses of vertigo. Only by glancing over to the = familiar panels which housed the QuestWorld mainframe, was Jonny able to = maintain his stance. "We're --- home?!" "I'm swearing off the science fiction!" Race groaned, picking himself = off of the floor. "Even Star Trek, too much of its coming tr---where's = Hadji and Amanda? And Adam??" Jonny blinked, then ran outside. Yelling their names across the dark = landscape was no help. "They didn't beam down!" he skittered back = breathlessly. "Knowing Amanda, she'll stay with the Ship until---" they stared = hopelessly into the other's eyes. "Jonny, can you get ahold of the = Starseer?" "I'll try Race!!" He knew his brother's and new friends' lives were at = stake. ************************************************************************ *No,* Hadji repeated slowly, in clinging link to Amanda's countering = thoughts. *I will not leave, and that is final.* She dropped her eyes. "Hadji, there isn't time ---" A shallow thud tore through her senses and thoughts. The Ship had not = suffered another injury, but the pursuing jets have just located her = again. 'Ship please, quarter turn south-south east. And could you = squeeze?' 'After teleporting Mister Bannon and Jonny Quest, the Ship's reserves = are low, Amanda,' she felt a tremble in the Adam's weakened telepathy = she did not care for. 'I think, we'll crash in about ten minutes. Jets = shall be overtake us in less than five.' 'Try to stay with us, Adam, Ship, please.' Amanda winced, wanting to = scream out her lungs, but she could not, for Hadji's silent, attentive = stare locked onto her. "There is one more thing we can try," Hadji slightly smiled at her. "But = I need your help, I don't know your technology that well." "My hands and mind are yours," Amanda turned toward him. ************************************************************************ "Amanda and the Ship are not going to make landfall," the Starseer = whispered to all aboard her. "The probabilities are---" "Don't give me probabilities Ship," Alice seethed. "Give me schematics = and a forward view." "Yes Captain." "You often argue with your ships?" Quest lightly quizzed. "Since some nameless genius decided that sentient ships are more = efficient that non," she growled. "Sorry Benton. Right now I'm angry at = Amanda for cutting off all communication. It's an offensive, energy = saving move, so I can almost understand why, but without direct = telepathy, the Starseer can't teleport Amanda or anybody else on board = her!!" Doctor Quest glanced away, fighting tears, as he balled his fists. = "Schematics're up!" Alice poked his arm. Then she wished that she = allowed his privacy. It did not take a scientific genius to make out the = tumbling power readings. "Is the Ship---?" he was about to say powering down, when Alice = finished. "The Ship's dying..." The diagrams flickered and fizzed. "Now---" Zeeee"d---Da---Al---" the garbled sound would have been dismissed on any = other occasion. "Clarify the incoming transmission!" Alice resounded. "Dad, Alice!" the picture suddenly sharpened on Jonny's worried face. "We're here son," Quest choked on a building sob. "Where's??" "RaceandIareattheCompound!" Although ran together, those were the = sweetest words in the universe. "ButHADJI,ADAMandAMANDAdidn'tmake it!" "That means they're still on the Ship!" Alice declared. "With those = readings---" "I know this ship's fields can flux, but do you have anything like = a---tractor beam?" "A tractor beam?!" she stammered, then reflected. "But you're the one to = build it, Benton. It'll mean exposing my ship and crew to the Earth, but = if there's a chance---" "I hope there's a chance---" ************************************************************************ "Shield's are gone," Amanda numbly reported, rubbing her stiff arm. "But = we're invisible to their radar. Ship---we need to ad-just---Ship?" "I think the Ship's unconscious," Hadji swallowed. "And Adam --- is in a = coma." Amanda chewed her lip, considering their options. If Adam died, the Ship = would die. If the Ship died, this high in the atmosphere. They had one = distant chance. One that could revitalize the Ship. "Ship, could you = please release Adam," Amanda eased herself into Jonny's former seat. = "Direct connect myself." "Amanda! NO!" Hadji yelled, however, the tendrils were already = retreating from the Tomorrow Person's body, and collecting over her. She = briefly worried about Adam, who scarcely breathed. "Transference still = works." Rapidly typing, her glowing fingers extended into the = touchboard. A bright stream of alien figures brought up to her hopeful = gaze. Then those glyphs faded. "Okay," she telekinetically snatched up = the visor. It became a wiggling mass of worm like projections, which = penetrated her skull and eyes. 'Now what did Jonny say?' she wondered. = "Going in hot!!" ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B9.CF6763E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part 16/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People = and Jonny=20 Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy = write=20 holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television=20 are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no infringement on=20 copyright. "Your aim's off Surd!" Amanda taunted from his grip. "Keep out of this girl!" he sneered. "Oh very well," she sounded very bored. "If you want = to waste=20 a perfectly good spear on some rocks, that's not my problem!" "ROCKS??" he shook her. "You see, Jonny's jaunted," she told him. "Teleported = or=20 beamed up to the mothership if you will." "Do not mock me!" "I do not, Doctor Surd, but you were playing with just Saps = before. Now=20 the whole game's been changed. We're Tomorrow People, and we write the=20 rules." "I write the rules," his hand was trembling as he set her = down.=20 Surd was actually afraid of her, her commanding stare. "Yes, of course, but Jonny has jaunted again. Now he's over = there,=20 planning to attack from the rear. You must be quick." Surd spun, rocketing the smothering program, directly at the launch = codes.=20 The scape instantly vanished, leaving only Jonny and Amanda. "You liked doing that, didja?" he coldly charged. "Surd was just your monster," Amanda smiled into his = bewildered=20 face. "He's done what he's been programmed to do---so let's=20 split!" **********************************************************************= ** "Split?!" Jonny rounded on her, as he removed his visor. = "That=20 word went out in the sixties!" "Pardon," Amanda grinned, then eased back in her chair. "Where are we now Hadji?" Jonny blinked at the view screen, = pleased=20 that the local scenery was now of a peaceful desertscape. "Ten miles downrange from Hanger 57, and there is not a spike of = plutonium!" "All right!" Jonny cooed, as they high fived. "I guess = the MIB=20 will eventually come back, but when they get into the computer system, = boy will=20 they be surprised!" "Surd's still in there?" Race smiled approvingly. "Not only that Race, he's pretty upset and confused!" "You couldn't give such a nice gift to a such a wonderful group = of=20 people." "Right! Amanda?" She sighed, her shoulders going slack from exhaustion. "Yes, = Adam. That=20 is a good place. I believe I've found the Ship's new home. It's = ---" The Ship violently rocked. "What the? Stealth jets?!" "Oh bloody --- get us out of here!" Amanda ordered. = "These=20 jets, do they carry nuclear warheads?" "They can Mandy," Race answered. "It won't take a = nuclear=20 missile to knock us out of the sky." "Roswell," Jonny chimed in. "1947---" "I was taught about that incident in school," Amanda = clenched her=20 teeth, for Roswell was Earth's inexcusable crimes. "Ship we need = some speed=20 and altitude!" "The jets are catching up. One hundred and fifty miles down = range and=20 closing fast." "Don't you have phasers or something?" "Phasers?" Amanda and Hadji echoed together. "The Ship just told me, they've just launched their = missiles!"=20 Hadji cut in. "Ship flux shields, between bands two-fifty through infrared=20 spectrum." "What will that do?" Race asked. "Explode those missiles short of the defense shields, I hope. = Too close,=20 we'll lose shields. The next missile we'll go down, rather = rapidly." "More jets are coming in," Hadji began to sound frightened. = "All points!" "Looks like half of the US Air Force is already = scrambled!" "That's not all Race," Jonny urgently cut in. "I = managed to=20 hack into defense net, and nearly everybody wants to join the = party!" "Charming! Adam/Ship, teleport to suborbital. I hope to shake = some of=20 them off of us! Drop the flux, tighten shields aft and fore. That's = where the=20 hull was damaged when they moved the Ship." "I thought the Ship isn't spaceworthy," Hadji pointed = out. "Not for long under conditions," Amanda hopped off of her = chair.=20 "The hull is close to rupturing in those spots, but I want some = breathing=20 room to consider our options. I'm still worried about the = nukes." "Most of the nuclear powers have agreed not to use = them." "Most?" Amanda peered at Race. "Amanda, the missiles are your problem not nukes!" Jonny=20 impatiently pointed out. "If some rogue state attempts to take us down, and contaminates = Earth's=20 stratosphere---" "Got your point." "It'll take Intercontinentals to reach this high," Race = pointed=20 out. "But everybody has that ability now." "That's what I'm afraid of." Amanda sighed. "Hadji, = Jonny,=20 with the Ship's resources, can you break into this defense = net?" "No way!" Race glowered. "There is so many old = measures and=20 countermeasures out in those systems, you'd end up with a full world = war, if you=20 even try to shut them down." "Besides, the pilots and their jets are so dependent on the = computers,=20 to simply interfere may cause them to crash!" "Blocking out radar, with an extended flux pulse? That may = disguise us=20 long enough to---" A shallow thud rocked the Ship. Within the lights flickered and = dimmed.=20 "We just lost the shields," Hadji quietly announced. Within = his tomb,=20 Adam gave a rattling scream. "His arm!" Jonny pointed out. "That's a fresh = cut!" "Damage to the Ship is translated to Adam --- and me," = Amanda=20 winced wringing her wrist. "The starboard hull has been grazed. = Ship, try=20 to maintain present speed, but take us down into the = atmosphere." 'That is what the humans want!' the Ship protested loudly enough for = Jonny to=20 pick up on. 'They desire our deaths!' "I know!" Jonny had to turn away from Amanda, so his eyes alighted on the fore = screen.=20 Earth was in eclipse, with only a thin brilliant sliver of blue. This = was his=20 first glimpse of his planet from orbit. A homeworld, Amanda fought so = hard to=20 touch, and he had the honor of living on it all of his life! He fell in = love=20 with the curls of brilliant white clouds and placid oceans. Everything = he knew=20 was down there. The stars did not twinkle above the clouds, appearing so = cold=20 and impossibly distant. Slowly he began to realize the anguish the = exiled=20 Tomorrow People must feel for this planet. It was an old feeling, one = that made=20 him yearn just to be back in Maine, just to run through the maple and = oak forest=20 again. Suddenly, realizing that Earth's rotation would within bring = Maine into=20 dawn, Jonny peered closer, hoping to catch the rough triangle of New = England.=20 Then a bowlish flash in the heavens above, demanded his attention = instead.=20 "What??" "The Starseer!" Amanda nearly whimpered. "Alice!" = she=20 cheered as the view screen shifted to another command center. "DAD!?!" Jonny cried in relief. "Whatare=20 you???" "It's a long story, son---" Suddenly other = Kolinar=20 shuddered, as the connection dimmed. "DAD!!!" "That was a little too close, Alice," Doctor Quest glowered = at her,=20 as esper communication returned. "Amanda, set your beacons on the Starseer. Then repel against my = course!=20 The coyotes can't chase two rabbits, Earth Woman!" "Just be careful, Shaman. Break radio contact Ship, I don't want = them to=20 know anything more about us!" "That's gives us a spiral coarse," Hadji reported. "An awfully steep one," Race frowned at the trajectories. = "If=20 this wasn't an alien space ship, I'd say you'll burn up in the=20 atmosphere." "It's going to be a long rough ride," Amanda quietly = agreed.=20 "Ship, Race, Jonny, teleport NOW!" Jonny jumped as Race startled at the sudden use of his chosen name. = The=20 soothing alien interior vanished from their astonished gazes. The bold white circular wall smacked into their unprepared minds. The = vortexing blue and white triangular titles beneath their feet surged = into their=20 collective senses of vertigo. Only by glancing over to the familiar = panels which=20 housed the QuestWorld mainframe, was Jonny able to maintain his stance.=20 "We're --- home?!" "I'm swearing off the science fiction!" Race groaned, = picking=20 himself off of the floor. "Even Star Trek, too much of its coming=20 tr---where's Hadji and Amanda? And Adam??" Jonny blinked, then ran outside. Yelling their names across the dark=20 landscape was no help. "They didn't beam down!" he skittered = back=20 breathlessly. "Knowing Amanda, she'll stay with the Ship until---" they = stared=20 hopelessly into the other's eyes. "Jonny, can you get ahold of the=20 Starseer?" "I'll try Race!!" He knew his brother's and new friends' = lives were=20 at stake. **********************************************************************= ** *No,* Hadji repeated slowly, in clinging link to Amanda's countering=20 thoughts. *I will not leave, and that is final.* She dropped her eyes. "Hadji, there isn't time ---" A shallow thud tore through her senses and thoughts. The Ship had not = suffered another injury, but the pursuing jets have just located her = again.=20 'Ship please, quarter turn south-south east. And could you squeeze?' 'After teleporting Mister Bannon and Jonny Quest, the Ship's reserves = are=20 low, Amanda,' she felt a tremble in the Adam's weakened telepathy she = did not=20 care for. 'I think, we'll crash in about ten minutes. Jets shall be = overtake us=20 in less than five.' 'Try to stay with us, Adam, Ship, please.' Amanda winced, wanting to = scream=20 out her lungs, but she could not, for Hadji's silent, attentive stare = locked=20 onto her. "There is one more thing we can try," Hadji slightly smiled = at her.=20 "But I need your help, I don't know your technology that = well." "My hands and mind are yours," Amanda turned toward = him. **********************************************************************= ** "Amanda and the Ship are not going to make landfall," the = Starseer=20 whispered to all aboard her. "The probabilities are---" "Don't give me probabilities Ship," Alice seethed. = "Give me=20 schematics and a forward view." "Yes Captain." "You often argue with your ships?" Quest lightly = quizzed. "Since some nameless genius decided that sentient ships are more = efficient that non," she growled. "Sorry Benton. Right now I'm = angry=20 at Amanda for cutting off all communication. It's an offensive, energy = saving=20 move, so I can almost understand why, but without direct telepathy, the = Starseer=20 can't teleport Amanda or anybody else on board her!!" Doctor Quest glanced away, fighting tears, as he balled his fists.=20 "Schematics're up!" Alice poked his arm. Then she wished that = she=20 allowed his privacy. It did not take a scientific genius to make out the = tumbling power readings. "Is the Ship---?" he was about to say powering down, when = Alice=20 finished. "The Ship's dying..." The diagrams flickered and fizzed. "Now---" Zeeee"d---Da---Al---" the garbled sound would have been = dismissed=20 on any other occasion. "Clarify the incoming transmission!" Alice resounded. "Dad, Alice!" the picture suddenly sharpened on Jonny's = worried=20 face. "We're here son," Quest choked on a building sob.=20 "Where's??" "RaceandIareattheCompound!" Although ran together, those = were the=20 sweetest words in the universe. "ButHADJI,ADAMandAMANDAdidn'tmake=20 it!" "That means they're still on the Ship!" Alice = declared.=20 "With those readings---" "I know this ship's fields can flux, but do you have anything = like=20 a---tractor beam?" "A tractor beam?!" she stammered, then reflected. "But = you're=20 the one to build it, Benton. It'll mean exposing my ship and crew to the = Earth,=20 but if there's a chance---" "I hope there's a chance---" **********************************************************************= ** "Shield's are gone," Amanda numbly reported, rubbing her = stiff arm.=20 "But we're invisible to their radar. Ship---we need to=20 ad-just---Ship?" "I think the Ship's unconscious," Hadji swallowed. = "And Adam=20 --- is in a coma." Amanda chewed her lip, considering their options. If Adam died, the = Ship=20 would die. If the Ship died, this high in the atmosphere. They had one = distant=20 chance. One that could revitalize the Ship. "Ship, could you please = release=20 Adam," Amanda eased herself into Jonny's former seat. "Direct = connect=20 myself." "Amanda! NO!" Hadji yelled, however, the tendrils were = already=20 retreating from the Tomorrow Person's body, and collecting over her. She = briefly=20 worried about Adam, who scarcely breathed. "Transference still = works."=20 Rapidly typing, her glowing fingers extended into the touchboard. A = bright=20 stream of alien figures brought up to her hopeful gaze. Then those = glyphs faded.=20 "Okay," she telekinetically snatched up the visor. It became a = wiggling mass of worm like projections, which penetrated her skull and = eyes.=20 'Now what did Jonny say?' she wondered. "Going in=20 hot!!"</DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF91B9.CF6763E0-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Michael Matott" <greyfalconsaerie@hotmail.com> Subject: TPFICT: Mailbox overload Date: 20 Mar 2000 13:50:53 PST I'd like to make a civil request. If anyone is posting parts to the list, could they space them out over a couple of days - especially if the posts are relatively long in K. I got 20 messages in my box, all over 30K, at once. My mailbox didn't like that very much. Thanks. mike ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jackie Clark <jackie@effdee.demon.co.uk> Subject: TPFICT: To Have and to Hold Part 0 of 0 Date: 20 Mar 2000 22:59:02 +0000 To Have and To Hold Part 0 of 0 By Jacqueline Clark An Original Series Story from 'The Joining' Universe Dedication: This story is for David, my dearest, sweetest love on the day of our marriage 26th February 2000. It is also for all those on TPfict and TPdis who help to keep the TP dream alive. Although we may be miles apart, and will probably never meet, I believe that we share more than a passion for an under-funded kids TV show but a hope for the future of all mankind. So this story is my gift to all the incurable romantics of the world with love. Synopsis: A love story in seven parts... A collection of personal thoughts from our favourite characters. Disclaimer: Most of the characters contained in this story are not mine but are borrowed from the 1970s series The Tomorrow People. They are the property of the creators and copyright holders. Much of the dialogue is taken directly from the story 'War of the Empires.' Written by Roger Price. Any other characters, planets and cultures are the sole creation and property of Jacqueline Clark. No one may post this story to any web page without my permission other than the tpfict archives. Each chapter title is loosely based upon the traditional Christian marriage service; 1. To have and to hold: John's Story 2. From this day forward: Elizabeth's Story 3. For better for worse: Timus' Story 4. For richer for poorer: Mike's Story 5. In sickness and in health: Chris' Story 6. Forsaking all others: Carol's Story 7. Till death do us part: Possible Spoiler: Some of the events take place during well known episodes from the 1970's series and later, somewhere in the middle of chapter three of 'The Joining'. I would like to thank Carolyn Foster for beta reading this fict. Jackie@effdee.demon.co.uk ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jackie Clark <jackie@effdee.demon.co.uk> Subject: TPFICT: To Have and to hold Part 1 of 7 Date: 20 Mar 2000 22:59:39 +0000 To Have and to Hold By Jacqueline Clark An Original Series Story Part 1 of 7 John's Story: To have and to hold. The Planet Peeri Spring 1975 John bent down to study the young Vesh girl more closely. She was now sleeping quite peacefully in his bunk after her ordeal in the woods. He lent forward and gently stroked the hair from her eyes. Sensing Liz behind him he felt very self conscious of his actions, withdrawing his hand he began to stand. Elizabeth stepped closer to him and as she did so he caught the sweet scent of her perfume. How he longed to reach out and touch Elizabeth's hair too. How lovely she looked in that native costume... The speed with which the thoughts developed in his mind caught him by surprise. Liz was a friend and nothing more he told himself, but still he watched her subtle movements as she knelt to take his place beside the girl. Watching her tend to the girl he became acutely aware that his heart was beating very fast. Could this be fear that their mission was in jeopardy he wondered? But no, he knew that was not the reason. It was Liz' presence so close to him that stirred his emotions. "Nice people hunting a young girl." She said gently, deep concern showing on her face. John wondered whether she expected him to reply, but at that moment all he could do was try and control the deep feelings rising up within him. Panic suddenly overtook him and he knew he had to get away, turning he ran towards the cave entrance. Once outside he began to relax. Standing behind Stephen he looked out at the countryside below him. "It's gone very quiet out there." He said trying to tear his mind free from the images of Elizabeth's face. "Nothing's making a sound not even the animals." But inside there was no peace, his heart still thumped uncontrollably and his mind raced with recriminations and inner torment. His relationship with Elizabeth could never be anything more than a friendship, of that he was certain. Their lives were too precarious, too uncertain for him to be distracted by events of a personal nature. It was his job to protect the Tomorrow People, to guide them through the turmoil that life amongst the Sap's would bring. With danger as such a close companion he could not afford to be distracted from his purpose. For the only time in his life he secretly thanked the Kultarn, at least without psionic powers the others would never know his secret. A secret he must keep for the rest of his life... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jackie Clark <jackie@effdee.demon.co.uk> Subject: TPFICT: To Have and to Hold Part 2 of 7 Date: 20 Mar 2000 23:01:26 +0000 To Have and to Hold By Jacqueline Clark An Original Series Story Part 2 of 7 Liz' Story: From this day forward. North London, Autumn 1975 Elizabeth stood at the top of the stairs and looked back into the tiny room, which had once been her home. She glanced at the empty bookshelves devoid of the various texts collected during her short career. She looked at the bed, it's floral coverings now safely packed into her luggage. Sensing John beside her she turned and gave a weak smile. "Let's get going." He said. Picking up the last of the small boxes she cradled it under her arm. With one last glance over her shoulder she began to descend to the hallway below. Mrs. Phillips met her at the bottom of the stairs. "Well Miss M'Bondo, that is it! We will be sad to see you go." But Elizabeth knew that behind the smiles Mrs. Phillips was quite relieved that she had decided to move away. She had always been suspicious of Elizabeth's strange movements. Especially how she managed to come and go from the house without being noticed by any other tenant. Elizabeth had always kept to herself not wishing to field questions about her personal life, and in so many ways this move was a relief. But it was also painful, to leave behind her old life, this place had provided her with some way of holding on to normality. Stepping out into the afternoon sunshine she spotted Stephen and Chris waiting in the old battered van. "Get a move on," shouted Stephen, "the match starts in twenty minutes and you know how bad TIM is about remembering to record it!" So this was her new life, she thought, spending my time playing mother goose to this bunch of space cowboys. Will I ever become a mother of my own children? She sighed and looked at the three young men. Chris with his mop of blond hair and cavalier attitude, Stephen almost a man but with the qualities of a child and John... He was the greatest enigma of them all, so cool when around her, so practical and controlled. Yet she had, on occasions, caught something else in his smile, something which stirred feelings within her. Would he ever be more than a friend? She doubted it very much. "If you are quite finished reminiscing, I'd like to get back to the lab and finish my work." Commented John, in a flat tone. "We've wasted most of the afternoon sorting out your things. It'll be so much easier when we all live together in the lab." His comments angered Elizabeth. How could he dismiss her life so easily? Had he been a Tomorrow Person for so long that he'd forgotten what ordinary people did! But that didn't matter now. It had been her decision to move permanently to the lab, and she could not deny his impeccable logic about how much easier it would make all their lives. (OK TIM.) She pathed. (Jaunt us in.) In the next instant they were gone. Mrs. Phillips stepped back from her hiding place behind the curtains. She crossed herself and muttered a prayer. She had never felt such relief to see one of her tenants leave; Elizabeth was definitely the strangest person she had ever met, and this confirmed her deepest suspicions... 'Voodoo' she mumbled under her breath as she quickly returned to her sitting room and locked the door behind her. ********************* The Lab, eight hours later. Later that evening Liz found herself lying on the bunk in her cabin, staring aimlessly at the tiled ceiling. Her reverie was broken by a light tap at the door. "May I come in?" Asked John in an uncharacteristically compliant voice. "Of course." She replied, hurriedly sitting and straightening her hair. "What brings you here at this time of night?" John stood silently in the doorway. From his expression it was obvious that he had something to say and she guessed that this reticence was caused by him picking his words carefully. Deciding not to rush him, she motioned for him to sit on the bed beside her. There was an awkward silence between them which seemed to last for minutes, but in reality was only a few seconds. Eventually John took a deep breath and began what must have been a well rehearsed speech. "Look Liz, I'm sorry if I seemed brusque this afternoon. I didn't mean to rush you... I know how much you liked living in that place and I don't want you to resent me for forcing you to come here." She smiled at him and relaxed. "Of course I'm not angry with you. I came here freely, no one forced me. You were right to push me along a little. I needed someone to shake me out of that rut and make me face up to the changes in my life!" "I don't think you're in a rut." He replied defensively. "It's just that things were so complicated with us all living in separate locations, and I was worried about you. We nearly lost you once before and I never want that to happen again." Puzzled by his comments she looked at him questioningly. "Nearly lost me?" "When you broke out. You were in great danger out there alone in hyperspace and I was very worried for you." "Oh John," She joked. Placing her arms around his shoulders she pulled him towards her. "I never knew you cared!" Instantly his whole body stiffened, and his original, slightly irritated, tone returned. "I care for all Tomorrow People. It would be tragic if anything happened to anyone. Here in the lab TIM can keep an eye on us. That's all I wanted to say." Pulling himself free from her grasp he stood once again and headed for the door. Suddenly he swung around as if some uncontrollable impulse had overcome him. "Dear Elizabeth, you know that I care for you like a father, no I mean like a brother," he stumbled over the words. "I feel that it is my duty to protect you all from harm. I pledge my life to that duty and will endeavour to continue protecting you in the way that seems most appropriate. Even if it does mean some personal sacrifice, having to give up some of the things we were hoping for, or that which we took for granted in our previous lives. I promise you that the future of all Tomorrow People is paramount in my mind." Having finished his little speech, and before she could even think of a reply, he exited the room and headed straight to the jaunting pad. Left alone once again Liz thought over what he had said. Where could this sudden outburst have come from? It was then that she remembered her thoughts just before they jaunted back to the lab. Could John have picked up her personal feelings? It was obvious to her that there was much more hidden in his outburst than he had meant to convey. Sinking back onto the pillow her face broke into a wide grin. Now she knew why he had been avoiding her, all the pieces of the puzzle suddenly fitted. "Very admirable of you John, I never would have guessed." She said aloud. "Well you may have decided not to act on your feelings but I never made such a promise." There, in the silence of her room, she suddenly became aware that her pulse was racing. 'Well, brother or father, or what ever you think I am to you, I'll play along with your game but that will not stop me loving you.' She thought. But despite her pledge not to be drawn by his notions of obligation and sacrifice events in their lives seemed to take over and she hardly had time to think about how she felt for John. As the years passed she played along with him, keeping their relationship purely as a friendship. Eventually she stopped thinking of it as a masquerade and began to believe, like him, that they must sacrifice personal happiness for the good of the Earth and the future of their species... ******************** ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jackie Clark <jackie@effdee.demon.co.uk> Subject: TPFICT: To Have and to Hold Part 3 of 7 Date: 20 Mar 2000 23:03:37 +0000 To Have and to Hold By Jacqueline Clark An Original Series Story Part 3 of 7 Timus' Story: For better for worse The Trig January 1979 It was during the Thargon/Sorson war that I first noticed there was something between them. They tried almost too hard to hide their feelings for one another but even in such dangerous times there was an obvious bond which went beyond normal friendship. Elizabeth and I had just returned from the Sorson ship and were disturbed by the news that they had been involved in a space battle quite close to her home world. She immediately asked to be excused while she contacted John and the other Tomorrow People on Earth. As the viewer cleared John stepped towards the screen. "Ok Elizabeth, what do we do now? The Saps are just about to have a real close encounter. If we let it happen what are the Galactic Federation gonna do about that!" Barked John gruffly. "Well they are due to discuss it at the next meeting of the supreme council." She replied calmly. During their exchange I watched them closely. Outwardly they seemed agitated with one another but there was something, some residual emotion, which they passed in their thoughts. To the careful observer it was all too obvious how they felt. Later that day Elizabeth spoke to John once again and I listened intently to their exchange. "Elizabeth are we glad to see you." He said with obvious relief. "Do you know what the Sorcons are doing now?" "Yes TIM has been keeping us informed." "What are the Galactic Trig proposing, that we let them land on Earth?" John's response was, in my opinion, far too abrupt for civil conversation, but Elizabeth, in her immutable tone handled his angry outburst very well. "No John. The Council isn't proposing anything. They say it's a very delicate situation and has to handled with great diplomacy." At last John's posture softened a little. Placing his hands upon his hips he quite openly asked for her opinion. "And what do you think we should do Elizabeth?" "I'm coming home. I think I'll be more use with you than up here on the Trig." "Ok. We'll talk then." As their conversation ended I could feel the relief emanating from Elizabeth. She was going home and could not hide her joy at that thought. "If you would excuse me your Excellency, I'd like to change into some more suitable clothes before the jaunt." How could I keep her here, knowing what I did? Her assistance with my recent diplomatic trip to the Sorson command ship had been invaluable and I was sad to loose such an able assistant, but her heart was no longer in the job, it belonged to a young man back on her home world. In these very troubled times she needed to be amongst her own people, back with the ones she loved. "I thank you Elizabeth for your help these past few months. I will miss your insights and contributions but I realise that John and the others need you more than I. Go with my best wishes and blessing. I truly hope that this situation with the Sorcons and Thargons can be remedied quickly." ********************** Unfortunately our parting was much more short-lived than I had imagined it would be. The two young Tomorrow People were soon back, and this time Elizabeth was unable to placate John's temper. His actions almost cost them more than their future federation membership! I was attending an emergency session of the supreme council when, much to our surprise, John and Elizabeth appeared in the centre of the room. This was highly irregular and broke the most fundamental rules of Trig etiquette. As their forms solidified I noticed the anger of the chair president and stepped in to make their apologies. But my words were hardly needed as Elizabeth begged the pardon of the council and explained their case. It was good to see my old friends stand together during such troubled times, both had matured very nicely over the past few years and at that moment I realised that under their careful tutelage the future of the planet Earth was assured. "Please accept our apologies Mr. Chair President," began Elizabeth, "I fear we are a little distressed by what is happening to our planet." She glanced anxiously at John and a silent thought passed between them. "All this is most regrettable." Replied the being. But this was not the response John wanted to hear. He stepped forward and addressed the Chair President directly. "Yes, and we'd like to know what's going to be done about it? The Sorsons are teaching the Homo Sapiens all the secrets of interstellar travel." Sensing that this was an opportune moment Elizabeth and myself joined John in expressing our concern for the dire consequences of the situation. Alas in their usual manner the counsel dismissed our pleas and proposed the discussion on neutrino ray emissions from the Sorson's Ripper Rays. This was the last straw for John. He leant menacingly across the desk and fixed the Chair President with a piercing stare. "Just a minute. What about us!" Sensing trouble I looked anxiously across at Liz. John continued. "What about the Earth?" He demanded. The being behind the desk was quite taken aback by this rude interruption, and responded in the usual Federation rhetoric. "Oh yes of course... I move that a special committee be set up." Elizabeth had heard this before, she knew when they were being given the brush off and let out a deep sigh of disbelief and hopelessness. But this only made John angrier. "Talk!" He barked at the Chair President. "Talk and more committees is all that you can do?" Elizabeth was very worried now, she fully understood John's anger and frustration, he had had fewer direct dealings with Federation bureaucracy than she had and was not aware of exactly how slowly the official wheels turned here on the Trig. She looked at the angry expression rapidly growing on his face. "John Please..." She begged and tried to usher him away from the platform. I was also becoming concerned for my two young friends. Although the Federation moved slowly on matters of policy and diplomacy they were rigid in their upholding of council chamber rules. Quickly I rushed up to John and took him by the arm. "Please John?" I pleaded. All thoughts of the Thargon/Sorson war were now gone from my mind, I knew I had to remove him from the chambers and take him somewhere, anywhere, until he calmed down. But by attempts just fell on deaf ears. "Just a minute Timus." He replied shaking his arm free from my grasp. "I want to tell these time servants what I think of them. He looked directly at each council member in turn, his voice carrying a menacing tone which I had seldom heard before. "You empty headed morons. Oh you look very fine in your ceremonial robes. I'm sure that you all think you're very important talking and squeaking and twittering or what ever it is you do all day long! Just as long as you don't have to take any decisions and have to take the consequences of your actions you're perfectly happy!" He looked threateningly around the room once again. With this last and final insult I knew he had gone too far. The situation was now out of my control and all I could do was attempt to contain the damage he had done to the Tomorrow People's case. I looked on as the Chair President reprimanded him for his behaviour. My heart sank as I realised that a custodial sentence was the only possible consequence of this type of outburst. As the Galactic Police arrived I knew that my friends were in serious trouble and that even with my influence their was little I could do to improve the situation. As John was led away Liz reached out to him desperately she turned towards the council members and begged their forgiveness. "He didn't mean it... please Mr. Chair President?" But all I could do was to hold her back and prevent her from suffering the same fate as her friend. Once outside the chambers Elizabeth finally broke down under the strain. Weeping softly she leant against my shoulder. Even without telepathy I could feel her heart breaking at the thought that not only was her beloved Earth in serious danger of being totally destroyed but her dearest friend and companion could be detained on the Trig indefinitely or even worse sent for rehabilitation on a distant penal colony. The pain she felt was a terrible burden but despite this in just a few short minutes she regained her composure and began to search for a possible solution to her problems. What a strong woman she had become, she stood as steady as a rock in the face of adversity and refused to accept that their was no way out. Here was a Tomorrow Person worthy of the title of the 'mother to her people'. As we stood together in the corridor I found myself wondering where this strength came from. It was more than the possession of special powers which gave her this resilience it was something much deeper... it was a love for her fellow man and more than this... it was the love of the man now detained in the Procter Detention Centre. Whatever the outcome of this situation, whether it be good or bad, one thing was certain, Elizabeth and John's lives were inextricably bound together and would never be separated again. ************************ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: J2rider@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: To Have and to Hold Part 3 of 7 Date: 20 Mar 2000 21:02:51 EST MORE MORE MORE! I am so happy someone is writing an Tp original series story! Not a crossover and not a NEW SERIES story. Thanks and keep posting! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Beth A Epstein <tptigger42@earthlink.net> Subject: TPFICT: Admin: Reminder: Post Limit Date: 20 Mar 2000 22:03:47 -0600 Michael Matott wrote: > > I'd like to make a civil request. If anyone is posting parts to the list, > could they space them out over a couple of days - especially if the posts > are relatively long in K. I got 20 messages in my box, all over 30K, at > once. My mailbox didn't like that very much. I'll go one step further: The rules *explicitly state* that no one should post more than five story parts per day. Don't make us sic John on you.... Tigger ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Beth A Epstein <tptigger42@earthlink.net> Subject: TPFICT: ADMIN: Out of Communication Date: 21 Mar 2000 20:48:01 -0600 Well, you know, unless I figure out the telepathy thing. In short, I'm leaving town early tomorrow morning for the annual Drosophila meeting and will not be checking email until Sunday night. As such, please address any list concerns to Shaun or Wendy. Thanks, Beth ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Part 17/20 Date: 24 Mar 2000 20:19:26 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF95CE.404182E0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part 17/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People and = Jonny Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy write = holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no = infringement on copyright. "But---" "That's why the Federation is a bit leery of humankind. We as a people = always come up with an alternative," Amanda explained. That made Jonny = feel a little more confident. His eye twinkled, as he announced, "Get = ready to see my computer world." Amanda shivered. They sailed into a conduit, cold and just as featureless as Hanger 57 = bunker. Suddenly the tunnel opened up into a into a broader, = electronicscape of glowing connections and chips. "It's beautiful, in a = primitive way," Amanda brought up her hand, staring at in utter = confusion. The board bucked, sending the two teenagers flying onto the = stubble floor. "But---" Jonny blundered into her as if he was protecting = her from something hideous. The twenty foot tall, male image matched her = description of evil. "Uncle Mike never came up with anything like this!" = she tersely whispered. "HADJ, we need those weapons now!" Back in the comfort of the Ship, Hadji Singh jolted out of his trance. = "What's wrong?" Race demanded impatiently. "They made it into the bunker's computer system, with the mole," he = stumbled. "But that wasn't just a mole Jonny had. The Ship must have = interpreted and incorporated Jonny's memories. They recreated Jeremiah = Surd!" "Oh great!" Race grumbled, his own experiences with the mad scientist = crowding in with his concerns for Jonny and Amanda. "HADJI!!" Amanda = shouted in triumph, "We're in!!" "What about Surd?" "He's giving us a spot of bother---" "A spot of bother?!" Jonny challenged, just as the hover board they were = using disintegrated under a powerful blast out of Surd's eyes. A deep chuckle rumbled out of the giant. "I have long looked forward to = this day, Jonny Quest. You are defenseless." A huge foot raised as if to = squash the pair. Amanda jaunted. As Jonny began a desperate run. "This is crazy---" "Never mind, I'll get the strange girl---" A creature, only as tall as = Surd's heel, plowed its facial horns into it, tossing its head, as the = way off balance giant fell onto his back. At first Jonny judged the = posturing beast was a rhino or a triceratops, but possessed ten legs. = Fluttering its petal like frill, the tank like monster charged up to = Jonny. "This is just like Challenx," Amanda spoke, as the beast faded = away. "But---I can't defend ourselves without---" "In Challenx there are no weapons. Just imagination and cunning. = Morphing in defense is allowed, but only once per character per turn." "That's Surd!' "Your creation Doctor Frankenstien," Amanda just had to remind him. = "Hadji time?" "Thirty seconds." "Release the smothering program, and get out of there." "Do it Hadj!" Jonny ordered, picking himself up. A silver spear flashed out of the electronic heavens, splitting the = green 'earth' between Jonny and Surd. The giant was recovering. "Smart = move, girl!" Instantly fiery tentacles shot out of his fingers, = enclosing about her, lifting her high above Jonny's head. She did not = scream, but Jonny could see the pain in her face, as his enemy began to = drain Amanda. Jonny dove for the spear, then threatened Surd with it. The giant = chuckled, "You are going to destroy me with that, boy?" Jonny's throat tightened on his answer. "NO!" he shifted the spear = across his chest, presenting the weapon. "It's a gift for you." "For me?" his grip slackened on Amanda, as he scooped both Jonny and the = spear. "A gift from you to me. How charming! I think I shall use it --- = TO DESTROY YOU!!" Needles of fire flared through Jonny's 'spacer suit'. "AMANDA!!" he = wailed, as Surd set him back on the ground. Through the rippling haze he = saw the spear enlarge to Surd size. "Your aim's off Surd!" Amanda taunted from his grip. "Keep out of this girl!" he sneered. "Oh very well," she sounded very bored. "If you want to waste a = perfectly good spear on some rocks, that's not my problem!" "ROCKS??" he shook her. "You see, Jonny's jaunted," she told him. "Teleported or beamed up to = the mothership if you will." "Do not mock me!" "I do not, Doctor Surd, but you were playing with just Saps before. Now = the whole game's been changed. We're Tomorrow People, and we write the = rules." "I write the rules," his hand was trembling as he set her down. Surd was = actually afraid of her, her commanding stare. "Yes, of course, but Jonny has jaunted again. Now he's over there, = planning to attack from the rear. You must be quick." Surd spun, rocketing the smothering program, directly at the launch = codes. The scape instantly vanished, leaving only Jonny and Amanda. "You liked doing that, didja?" he coldly charged. "Surd was just your monster," Amanda smiled into his bewildered face. = "He's done what he's been programmed to do---so let's split!" ************************************************************************ "Split?!" Jonny rounded on her, as he removed his visor. "That word went = out in the sixties!" "Pardon," Amanda grinned, then eased back in her chair. "Where are we now Hadji?" Jonny blinked at the view screen, pleased that = the local scenery was now of a peaceful desertscape. "Ten miles downrange from Hanger 57, and there is not a spike of = plutonium!" "All right!" Jonny cooed, as they high fived. "I guess the MIB will = eventually come back, but when they get into the computer system, boy = will they be surprised!" "Surd's still in there?" Race smiled approvingly. "Not only that Race, he's pretty upset and confused!" "You couldn't give such a nice gift to a such a wonderful group of = people." "Right! Amanda?" She sighed, her shoulders going slack from exhaustion. "Yes, Adam. That = is a good place. I believe I've found the Ship's new home. It's ---" The Ship violently rocked. "What the? Stealth jets?!" "Oh bloody --- get us out of here!" Amanda ordered. "These jets, do they = carry nuclear warheads?" "They can Mandy," Race answered. "It won't take a nuclear missile to = knock us out of the sky." "Roswell," Jonny chimed in. "1947---" "I was taught about that incident in school," Amanda clenched her teeth, = for Roswell was Earth's inexcusable crimes. "Ship we need some speed and = altitude!" "The jets are catching up. One hundred and fifty miles down range and = closing fast." "Don't you have phasers or something?" "Phasers?" Amanda and Hadji echoed together. "The Ship just told me, they've just launched their missiles!" Hadji cut = in. "Ship flux shields, between bands two-fifty through infrared spectrum." "What will that do?" Race asked. "Explode those missiles short of the defense shields, I hope. Too close, = we'll lose shields. The next missile we'll go down, rather rapidly." "More jets are coming in," Hadji began to sound frightened. "All = points!" "Looks like half of the US Air Force is already scrambled!" "That's not all Race," Jonny urgently cut in. "I managed to hack into = defense net, and nearly everybody wants to join the party!" "Charming! Adam/Ship, teleport to suborbital. I hope to shake some of = them off of us! Drop the flux, tighten shields aft and fore. That's = where the hull was damaged when they moved the Ship." "I thought the Ship isn't spaceworthy," Hadji pointed out. "Not for long under conditions," Amanda hopped off of her chair. "The = hull is close to rupturing in those spots, but I want some breathing = room to consider our options. I'm still worried about the nukes." "Most of the nuclear powers have agreed not to use them." "Most?" Amanda peered at Race. "Amanda, the missiles are your problem not nukes!" Jonny impatiently = pointed out. "If some rogue state attempts to take us down, and contaminates Earth's = stratosphere---" "Got your point." "It'll take Intercontinentals to reach this high," Race pointed out. = "But everybody has that ability now." "That's what I'm afraid of." Amanda sighed. "Hadji, Jonny, with the = Ship's resources, can you break into this defense net?" "No way!" Race glowered. "There is so many old measures and = countermeasures out in those systems, you'd end up with a full world = war, if you even try to shut them down." "Besides, the pilots and their jets are so dependent on the computers, = to simply interfere may cause them to crash!" "Blocking out radar, with an extended flux pulse? That may disguise us = long enough to---" A shallow thud rocked the Ship. Within the lights flickered and dimmed. = "We just lost the shields," Hadji quietly announced. Within his tomb, = Adam gave a rattling scream. "His arm!" Jonny pointed out. "That's a fresh cut!" "Damage to the Ship is translated to Adam --- and me," Amanda winced = wringing her wrist. "The starboard hull has been grazed. Ship, try to = maintain present speed, but take us down into the atmosphere." 'That is what the humans want!' the Ship protested loudly enough for = Jonny to pick up on. 'They desire our deaths!' "I know!" Jonny had to turn away from Amanda, so his eyes alighted on the fore = screen. Earth was in eclipse, with only a thin brilliant sliver of blue. = This was his first glimpse of his planet from orbit. A homeworld, Amanda = fought so hard to touch, and he had the honor of living on it all of his = life! He fell in love with the curls of brilliant white clouds and = placid oceans. Everything he knew was down there. The stars did not = twinkle above the clouds, appearing so cold and impossibly distant. = Slowly he began to realize the anguish the exiled Tomorrow People must = feel for this planet. It was an old feeling, one that made him yearn = just to be back in Maine, just to run through the maple and oak forest = again. Suddenly, realizing that Earth's rotation would within bring = Maine into dawn, Jonny peered closer, hoping to catch the rough triangle = of New England. Then a bowlish flash in the heavens above, demanded his = attention instead. "What??" "The Starseer!" Amanda nearly whimpered. "Alice!" she cheered as the = view screen shifted to another command center. "DAD!?!" Jonny cried in relief. "Whatare you???" "It's a long story, son---" Suddenly other Kolinar shuddered, as the = connection dimmed. "DAD!!!" "That was a little too close, Alice," Doctor Quest glowered at her, as = esper communication returned. "Amanda, set your beacons on the Starseer. Then repel against my course! = The coyotes can't chase two rabbits, Earth Woman!" "Just be careful, Shaman. Break radio contact Ship, I don't want them to = know anything more about us!" "That's gives us a spiral coarse," Hadji reported. "An awfully steep one," Race frowned at the trajectories. "If this = wasn't an alien space ship, I'd say you'll burn up in the atmosphere." "It's going to be a long rough ride," Amanda quietly agreed. "Ship, = Race, Jonny, teleport NOW!" Jonny jumped as Race startled at the sudden use of his chosen name. The = soothing alien interior vanished from their astonished gazes. The bold white circular wall smacked into their unprepared minds. The = vortexing blue and white triangular titles beneath their feet surged = into their collective senses of vertigo. Only by glancing over to the = familiar panels which housed the QuestWorld mainframe, was Jonny able to = maintain his stance. "We're --- home?!" "I'm swearing off the science fiction!" Race groaned, picking himself = off of the floor. "Even Star Trek, too much of its coming tr---where's = Hadji and Amanda? And Adam??" Jonny blinked, then ran outside. Yelling their names across the dark = landscape was no help. "They didn't beam down!" he skittered back = breathlessly. "Knowing Amanda, she'll stay with the Ship until---" they stared = hopelessly into the other's eyes. "Jonny, can you get a hold of the = Starseer?" "I'll try Race!!" He knew his brother's and new friends' lives were at = stake. ************************************************************************ *No,* Hadji repeated slowly, in clinging link to Amanda's countering = thoughts. *I will not leave, and that is final.* She dropped her eyes. "Hadji, there isn't time ---" A shallow thud tore through her senses and thoughts. The Ship had not = suffered another injury, but the pursuing jets have just located her = again. 'Ship please, quarter turn south-south east. And could you = squeeze?' 'After teleporting Mister Bannon and Jonny Quest, the Ship's reserves = are low, Amanda,' she felt a tremble in the Adam's weakened telepathy = she did not care for. 'I think, we'll crash in about ten minutes. Jets = shall be overtake us in less than five.' 'Try to stay with us, Adam, Ship, please.' Amanda winced, wanting to = scream out her lungs, but she could not, for Hadji's silent, attentive = stare locked onto her. "There is one more thing we can try," Hadji slightly smiled at her. "But = I need your help, I don't know your technology that well." "My hands and mind are yours," Amanda turned toward him. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF95CE.404182E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part 17/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People = and Jonny=20 Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy = write=20 holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television=20 are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no infringement on=20 copyright. "But---" "That's why the Federation is a bit leery of humankind. We as a = people=20 always come up with an alternative," Amanda explained. That made = Jonny feel=20 a little more confident. His eye twinkled, as he announced, "Get = ready to=20 see my computer world." Amanda shivered. They sailed into a conduit, cold and just as featureless as Hanger 57 = bunker.=20 Suddenly the tunnel opened up into a into a broader, electronicscape of = glowing=20 connections and chips. "It's beautiful, in a primitive way," = Amanda=20 brought up her hand, staring at in utter confusion. The board bucked, = sending=20 the two teenagers flying onto the stubble floor. "But---" = Jonny=20 blundered into her as if he was protecting her from something hideous. = The=20 twenty foot tall, male image matched her description of evil. = "Uncle Mike=20 never came up with anything like this!" she tersely whispered. "HADJ, we need those weapons now!" Back in the comfort of the Ship, Hadji Singh jolted out of his = trance.=20 "What's wrong?" Race demanded impatiently. "They made it into the bunker's computer system, with the = mole," he=20 stumbled. "But that wasn't just a mole Jonny had. The Ship must = have=20 interpreted and incorporated Jonny's memories. They recreated Jeremiah=20 Surd!" "Oh great!" Race grumbled, his own experiences with the mad = scientist crowding in with his concerns for Jonny and Amanda.=20 "HADJI!!" Amanda shouted in triumph, "We're = in!!" "What about Surd?" "He's giving us a spot of bother---" "A spot of bother?!" Jonny challenged, just as the hover = board they=20 were using disintegrated under a powerful blast out of Surd's eyes. A deep chuckle rumbled out of the giant. "I have long looked = forward to=20 this day, Jonny Quest. You are defenseless." A huge foot raised as = if to=20 squash the pair. Amanda jaunted. As Jonny began a desperate run. "This is=20 crazy---" "Never mind, I'll get the strange girl---" A creature, only = as tall=20 as Surd's heel, plowed its facial horns into it, tossing its head, as = the way=20 off balance giant fell onto his back. At first Jonny judged the = posturing beast=20 was a rhino or a triceratops, but possessed ten legs. Fluttering its = petal like=20 frill, the tank like monster charged up to Jonny. "This is just = like=20 Challenx," Amanda spoke, as the beast faded away. "But---I can't defend ourselves without---" "In Challenx there are no weapons. Just imagination and cunning. = Morphing in defense is allowed, but only once per character per = turn." "That's Surd!' "Your creation Doctor Frankenstien," Amanda just had to = remind him.=20 "Hadji time?" "Thirty seconds." "Release the smothering program, and get out of there." "Do it Hadj!" Jonny ordered, picking himself up. A silver spear flashed out of the electronic heavens, splitting the = green=20 'earth' between Jonny and Surd. The giant was recovering. "Smart = move,=20 girl!" Instantly fiery tentacles shot out of his fingers, enclosing = about=20 her, lifting her high above Jonny's head. She did not scream, but Jonny = could=20 see the pain in her face, as his enemy began to drain Amanda. Jonny dove for the spear, then threatened Surd with it. The giant = chuckled,=20 "You are going to destroy me with that, boy?" Jonny's throat tightened on his answer. "NO!" he shifted = the spear=20 across his chest, presenting the weapon. "It's a gift for = you." "For me?" his grip slackened on Amanda, as he scooped both = Jonny=20 and the spear. "A gift from you to me. How charming! I think I = shall use it=20 --- TO DESTROY YOU!!" Needles of fire flared through Jonny's 'spacer suit'. = "AMANDA!!" he=20 wailed, as Surd set him back on the ground. Through the rippling haze he = saw the=20 spear enlarge to Surd size. "Your aim's off Surd!" Amanda taunted from his grip. "Keep out of this girl!" he sneered. "Oh very well," she sounded very bored. "If you want = to waste=20 a perfectly good spear on some rocks, that's not my problem!" "ROCKS??" he shook her. "You see, Jonny's jaunted," she told him. "Teleported = or=20 beamed up to the mothership if you will." "Do not mock me!" "I do not, Doctor Surd, but you were playing with just Saps = before. Now=20 the whole game's been changed. We're Tomorrow People, and we write the=20 rules." "I write the rules," his hand was trembling as he set her = down.=20 Surd was actually afraid of her, her commanding stare. "Yes, of course, but Jonny has jaunted again. Now he's over = there,=20 planning to attack from the rear. You must be quick." Surd spun, rocketing the smothering program, directly at the launch = codes.=20 The scape instantly vanished, leaving only Jonny and Amanda. "You liked doing that, didja?" he coldly charged. "Surd was just your monster," Amanda smiled into his = bewildered=20 face. "He's done what he's been programmed to do---so let's=20 split!" **********************************************************************= ** "Split?!" Jonny rounded on her, as he removed his visor. = "That=20 word went out in the sixties!" "Pardon," Amanda grinned, then eased back in her chair. "Where are we now Hadji?" Jonny blinked at the view screen, = pleased=20 that the local scenery was now of a peaceful desertscape. "Ten miles downrange from Hanger 57, and there is not a spike of = plutonium!" "All right!" Jonny cooed, as they high fived. "I guess = the MIB=20 will eventually come back, but when they get into the computer system, = boy will=20 they be surprised!" "Surd's still in there?" Race smiled approvingly. "Not only that Race, he's pretty upset and confused!" "You couldn't give such a nice gift to a such a wonderful group = of=20 people." "Right! Amanda?" She sighed, her shoulders going slack from exhaustion. "Yes, = Adam. That=20 is a good place. I believe I've found the Ship's new home. It's = ---" The Ship violently rocked. "What the? Stealth jets?!" "Oh bloody --- get us out of here!" Amanda ordered. = "These=20 jets, do they carry nuclear warheads?" "They can Mandy," Race answered. "It won't take a = nuclear=20 missile to knock us out of the sky." "Roswell," Jonny chimed in. "1947---" "I was taught about that incident in school," Amanda = clenched her=20 teeth, for Roswell was Earth's inexcusable crimes. "Ship we need = some speed=20 and altitude!" "The jets are catching up. One hundred and fifty miles down = range and=20 closing fast." "Don't you have phasers or something?" "Phasers?" Amanda and Hadji echoed together. "The Ship just told me, they've just launched their = missiles!"=20 Hadji cut in. "Ship flux shields, between bands two-fifty through infrared=20 spectrum." "What will that do?" Race asked. "Explode those missiles short of the defense shields, I hope. = Too close,=20 we'll lose shields. The next missile we'll go down, rather = rapidly." "More jets are coming in," Hadji began to sound frightened. = "All points!" "Looks like half of the US Air Force is already = scrambled!" "That's not all Race," Jonny urgently cut in. "I = managed to=20 hack into defense net, and nearly everybody wants to join the = party!" "Charming! Adam/Ship, teleport to suborbital. I hope to shake = some of=20 them off of us! Drop the flux, tighten shields aft and fore. That's = where the=20 hull was damaged when they moved the Ship." "I thought the Ship isn't spaceworthy," Hadji pointed = out. "Not for long under conditions," Amanda hopped off of her = chair.=20 "The hull is close to rupturing in those spots, but I want some = breathing=20 room to consider our options. I'm still worried about the = nukes." "Most of the nuclear powers have agreed not to use = them." "Most?" Amanda peered at Race. "Amanda, the missiles are your problem not nukes!" Jonny=20 impatiently pointed out. "If some rogue state attempts to take us down, and contaminates = Earth's=20 stratosphere---" "Got your point." "It'll take Intercontinentals to reach this high," Race = pointed=20 out. "But everybody has that ability now." "That's what I'm afraid of." Amanda sighed. "Hadji, = Jonny,=20 with the Ship's resources, can you break into this defense = net?" "No way!" Race glowered. "There is so many old = measures and=20 countermeasures out in those systems, you'd end up with a full world = war, if you=20 even try to shut them down." "Besides, the pilots and their jets are so dependent on the = computers,=20 to simply interfere may cause them to crash!" "Blocking out radar, with an extended flux pulse? That may = disguise us=20 long enough to---" A shallow thud rocked the Ship. Within the lights flickered and = dimmed.=20 "We just lost the shields," Hadji quietly announced. Within = his tomb,=20 Adam gave a rattling scream. "His arm!" Jonny pointed out. "That's a fresh = cut!" "Damage to the Ship is translated to Adam --- and me," = Amanda=20 winced wringing her wrist. "The starboard hull has been grazed. = Ship, try=20 to maintain present speed, but take us down into the = atmosphere." 'That is what the humans want!' the Ship protested loudly enough for = Jonny to=20 pick up on. 'They desire our deaths!' "I know!" Jonny had to turn away from Amanda, so his eyes alighted on the fore = screen.=20 Earth was in eclipse, with only a thin brilliant sliver of blue. This = was his=20 first glimpse of his planet from orbit. A homeworld, Amanda fought so = hard to=20 touch, and he had the honor of living on it all of his life! He fell in = love=20 with the curls of brilliant white clouds and placid oceans. Everything = he knew=20 was down there. The stars did not twinkle above the clouds, appearing so = cold=20 and impossibly distant. Slowly he began to realize the anguish the = exiled=20 Tomorrow People must feel for this planet. It was an old feeling, one = that made=20 him yearn just to be back in Maine, just to run through the maple and = oak forest=20 again. Suddenly, realizing that Earth's rotation would within bring = Maine into=20 dawn, Jonny peered closer, hoping to catch the rough triangle of New = England.=20 Then a bowlish flash in the heavens above, demanded his attention = instead.=20 "What??" "The Starseer!" Amanda nearly whimpered. "Alice!" = she=20 cheered as the view screen shifted to another command center. "DAD!?!" Jonny cried in relief. "Whatare=20 you???" "It's a long story, son---" Suddenly other = Kolinar=20 shuddered, as the connection dimmed. "DAD!!!" "That was a little too close, Alice," Doctor Quest glowered = at her,=20 as esper communication returned. "Amanda, set your beacons on the Starseer. Then repel against my = course!=20 The coyotes can't chase two rabbits, Earth Woman!" "Just be careful, Shaman. Break radio contact Ship, I don't want = them to=20 know anything more about us!" "That's gives us a spiral coarse," Hadji reported. "An awfully steep one," Race frowned at the trajectories. = "If=20 this wasn't an alien space ship, I'd say you'll burn up in the=20 atmosphere." "It's going to be a long rough ride," Amanda quietly = agreed.=20 "Ship, Race, Jonny, teleport NOW!" Jonny jumped as Race startled at the sudden use of his chosen name. = The=20 soothing alien interior vanished from their astonished gazes. The bold white circular wall smacked into their unprepared minds. The = vortexing blue and white triangular titles beneath their feet surged = into their=20 collective senses of vertigo. Only by glancing over to the familiar = panels which=20 housed the QuestWorld mainframe, was Jonny able to maintain his stance.=20 "We're --- home?!" "I'm swearing off the science fiction!" Race groaned, = picking=20 himself off of the floor. "Even Star Trek, too much of its coming=20 tr---where's Hadji and Amanda? And Adam??" Jonny blinked, then ran outside. Yelling their names across the dark=20 landscape was no help. "They didn't beam down!" he skittered = back=20 breathlessly. "Knowing Amanda, she'll stay with the Ship until---" they = stared=20 hopelessly into the other's eyes. "Jonny, can you get a hold of the = Starseer?" "I'll try Race!!" He knew his brother's and new friends' = lives were=20 at stake. **********************************************************************= ** *No,* Hadji repeated slowly, in clinging link to Amanda's countering=20 thoughts. *I will not leave, and that is final.* She dropped her eyes. "Hadji, there isn't time ---" A shallow thud tore through her senses and thoughts. The Ship had not = suffered another injury, but the pursuing jets have just located her = again.=20 'Ship please, quarter turn south-south east. And could you squeeze?' 'After teleporting Mister Bannon and Jonny Quest, the Ship's reserves = are=20 low, Amanda,' she felt a tremble in the Adam's weakened telepathy she = did not=20 care for. 'I think, we'll crash in about ten minutes. Jets shall be = overtake us=20 in less than five.' 'Try to stay with us, Adam, Ship, please.' Amanda winced, wanting to = scream=20 out her lungs, but she could not, for Hadji's silent, attentive stare = locked=20 onto her. "There is one more thing we can try," Hadji slightly smiled = at her.=20 "But I need your help, I don't know your technology that = well." "My hands and mind are yours," Amanda turned toward = him. </DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF95CE.404182E0-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Part 18/20 Date: 24 Mar 2000 20:23:16 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF95CE.C94C84E0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part 18/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People and = Jonny Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy write = holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no = infringement on copyright. "Amanda and the Ship are not going to make landfall," the Starseer = whispered to all aboard her. "The probabilities are---" "Don't give me probabilities Ship," Alice seethed. "Give me schematics = and a forward view." "Yes Captain." "You often argue with your ships?" Quest lightly quizzed. "Since some nameless genius decided that sentient ships are more = efficient that non," she growled. "Sorry Benton. Right now I'm angry at = Amanda for cutting off all communication. It's an offensive, energy = saving move, so I can almost understand why, but without direct = telepathy, the Starseer can't teleport Amanda or anybody else on board = her!!" Doctor Quest glanced away, fighting tears, as he balled his fists. = "Schematics're up!" Alice poked his arm. Then she wished that she = allowed his privacy. It did not take a scientific genius to make out the = tumbling power readings. "Is the Ship---?" he was about to say powering down, when Alice = finished. "The Ship's dying..." The diagrams flickered and fizzed. "Now---" Zeeee"d---Da---Al---" the garbled sound would have been dismissed on any = other occasion. "Clarify the incoming transmission!" Alice resounded. "Dad, Alice!" the picture suddenly sharpened on Jonny's worried face. "We're here son," Quest choked on a building sob. "Where's??" "RaceandIareattheCompound!" Although ran together, those were the = sweetest words in the universe. "ButHADJI,ADAMandAMANDAdidn'tmake it!" "That means they're still on the Ship!" Alice declared. "With those = readings---" "I know this ship's fields can flux, but do you have anything like = a---tractor beam?" "A tractor beam?!" she stammered, then reflected. "But you're the one to = build it, Benton. It'll mean exposing my ship and crew to the Earth, but = if there's a chance---" "I hope there's a chance---" ************************************************************************ "Shield's are gone," Amanda numbly reported, rubbing her stiff arm. "But = we're invisible to their radar. Ship---we need to ad-just---Ship?" "I think the Ship's unconscious," Hadji swallowed. "And Adam --- is in a = coma." Amanda chewed her lip, considering their options. If Adam died, the Ship = would die. If the Ship died, this high in the atmosphere. They had one = distant chance. One that could revitalize the Ship. "Ship, could you = please release Adam," Amanda eased herself into Jonny's former seat. = "Direct connect myself." "Amanda! NO!" Hadji yelled, however, the tendrils were already = retreating from the Tomorrow Person's body, and collecting over her. She = briefly worried about Adam, who scarcely breathed. "Transference still = works." Rapidly typing, her glowing fingers extended into the = touchboard. A bright stream of alien figures brought up to her hopeful = gaze. Then those glyphs faded. "Okay," she telekinetically snatched up = the visor. It became a wiggling mass of worm like projections, which = penetrated her skull and eyes. 'Now what did Jonny say?' she wondered. = "Going in hot!!" Her mind slammed into the cold. The forest was now populated with yellow = pools of ooze, and withered roots. Amanda hesitated, then extended her = self. In the hazy distance across the Ship's radio wavelength detectors, = she overheard the pilots buzzing to one another, something about = shooting off their missiles in a search pattern. Unless she made that = course correction, immediately. She lowered her personal barriers. = Extending her telekinetic fields over the Ship's surface, she shuddered = for the countless dings and worse damage scored into sores and aches in = her own body. Her physical senses screamed from agony that was not hers. = Slowly, she fought the impulse to disconnect, desperately seeking out = the telekinetic rudder and wing plane controls, pulsing what energy she = had remaining to refire the Ship's failing engines.=20 Hadji jumped when Amanda screamed, then collapsed across the snapping = remains of the keyboard. He ripped off the visor only to see that her = eyes were deeply bruised, while tiny tendrils were already lacing across = her face. "I bought us a couple more minutes --- I think. The Ship'll = crash in the ocean, far from any land." ************************************************************************ Benton Quest found himself up to his elbows, in warm, living goo. The = Archaniod being engineer anxiously lent her spinnerets and claws, as = well as her expertise on this living sentient vessel, but did she holler = when he had to tear into the main power feeders. Doctor Quest in his = rush had unknowingly hurt the Starseer which Engineer felt within. = Finally, she briskly pinched Quest with three of her sixteen clawed = legs, clicking like breaking glass. Shooing the human scientist aside, = the Engineer closed his handiwork with her own webbing. "I don't know if = I should be insulted." "Ship, flux shields in Quest beam," Alice absently shrugged. "Engineer = is very attached to the Starseer, Benton. When you attached your device, = she felt your handiwork directly." Benton blinked in astonishment, as the spider being slipped a bit of = webbing across a small wound on her rear most leg. "Catch the Ship, in = easy steps," Alice brought him back. "Activate cycles now. It'll toss = them, Benton, but at least that'll keep us from being dragged down too = much." "Now, I wonder what the Air Force---" A deep shudder rocked the = Starseer. "Stabilizers!" Alice yelled over the twisting panic, as her = ship began to plummet out of space. "All non essential personal prepare = for teleportation and that includes you too Benton!" "Wait a minute Alice." "Benton ---" she gently shoved against his chest. "I don't think---" "That Quest beam is mine," he smiled, stroking her shimmering ebony = hair. "I can keep it going. If Engineer is willing." "She's willing," she worriedly glared at the Archanoid. "Benton, you do = know we're also going down." "Yes---but I don't give up so easily either." Alice relaxed slightly. "I knew you'd say something like that!" A louder = explosion slammed through the vessel, crumbling Alice screaming onto the = floor. Cupping her ears, as she curled into a ball, she shouted, "Everyone, = except Benton and I off NOW!" "Alice?!" The scientist yelped, kneeling over her. She huddled closer to = the membrane wall, tearing into the nutrient and nerve sources within = it. Finally, soothingly, he managed to tenderly released her claw like = hold, horrified at her twisted face. "What happened?" "Let's say I just felt the Starseer's pain. Tele-empathic feedback isn't = pretty," she suffered, even as he protectively embraced her. "Damn the = cavalry." "What can I do?" "Let's see if we can do a coarse correction. Help me get up Benton." ************************************************************************ "Race anything?" Jonny demanded, as his somber faced friend returned. "Believe me I pulled every sting I had. No one is interested in stopping = this little target practice on a pair of defenseless spaceships. Man, I = didn't know that the Men In Black had so many friends." Jonny pouted, then snapped his fingers. His fingers flew across the = keyboard in front of him. "Race, couldja please hand me the head set." "You're tapping into Ma Bell?" "Our long distance carrier," Jonny cheekily grinned. "Got DC right now. = Directly to the Oval Office---" "Jonny!" Race quietly warned, then rolled his eyes. It was a final = desperate move. One Race Bannon prayed worked. ************************************************************************ "We're going to land some three hundred and twenty miles northeast of = the Hawaii Islands," Benton whipped the sweat from his face. Except for = their tiny corner of exposed filaments and nutrient vessels, the = Starseer appeared lifeless. The jerryrigged panel on the engineering = floor, winked on and off, with each remaining flutter of the space = ship's heart. "Any sign that the kids are even still alive Alice?" "Between the Air Force taking pot shots and the beam shaking them?" she = blinked, then wearily lowered her head. "Plus that Ship is millions of = years old. I don't know --- But---" "But what?" "Impossible ---" Alice blinked, motioning for him to be silent. "I'm = actually overhearing jet to jet radio transmission. The attack has been = ordered off! Amanda? No-- It's Hadji?!" "It's Hadji?" Benton gasped hopefully. "What about Mandy?" "He's very concerned, from the symptoms, she's experienced a bad = feedback. Worse, she's in full merge with her Ship. Amanda's going to = need the Healer. Ship," the captain rolled her eyes cielingwards. "Drop = the Quest beam, ready the teleporters----" Alice doubled, panting. = "Benton, please I can't---" As the lights flickered, she fainted. "Alice I hope your ship'll listen to me," Benton Quest desperately = raised his voice, "Starseer, teleport the kids to us, then us to Maine = Compound Latitude ----" ************************************************************************ Having Jonny call the president of the United States was astonishing = enough, but having an ark full of extratresstrials just materializing = right in front of one was a Liberty play into the Twilight Zone. = Suddenly, Race longed for that one far away night during his college = days when he tried the weed. He felt so guilty over trying the stuff, = not only he did not get high, Race tensed up so bad, he couldn't sleep = for a week. A bad flashback would be a reasonable explanation to having = a ten foot yellow blob nannering at you, or a sixteen legged spider = wildly rotating its eight telescopic orbs in minute study of everything = in the computer lab. At least the spinner dolphins swimming through the = air lent a haunting touch of near normality. And Jonny, the fourteen = year old was having the time of his young life trying to communicate = with their alien guests. Apparently, judging from how the trio of = chattering Spinners gathered about him, Jonny was having some success = with the flying dolphins, through IRIS's mainframe. Within a globe of brilliant lightening, Benton, Alice, Hadji and two = balls of writhing tentacles suddenly flashed into existence. Snarling, = two oversized Persian Cats leapt out of the milling knot of beings, = biting, clawing and tearing off the fleshy, wriggling wood. "Benton, = Race, leave my officers to free them," Alice bluntly instructed. "They = know what they are doing. The worbling protoplasmic creature oozed = forward, then enfolded both freed young people within its butter cream = bulk. "It's okay Race. He kindly smiled at the blob, "He is the ship's = doctor." "If you say so ---" Race winced, wondering why a doctor would flow over = his charges with his body. The lighthouse door creaked open, causing the 'ship's doctor' to extend = his lipid eyes in a curious stalk, while the rest of the crew scattered = to the heights of the gallery or huddle timidly closer to the walls or = equipment. Dying tentacles scrabbled across the black and white tile. A fifteen year old with flame red hair quizzically blinked at the = Galactic assemblage, before her emerald eyes latched on Race Bannon. = "Dad?" "Oh, Jess!" Jonny bounded over to her. "Thesearesomenew friends ofours!" "Okay," her tight smile froze, as Jonny took her by the arm, then = proudly lead her to the knot lead by Doctor Quest. "Mrs. Evans'll want = to know what to fix for breakfast." 'Outside of a double shot of Scotch = for herself!' ************************************************************************ Without realizing the passage of hours, Doctor Benton Quest startled = from his terminal screen, when he noticed Alice's beaming reflection. = "You call this resting?" she gently teased. "Well, I do call this taking it easy---" he began, leaning back into her = nimble hands, hinting at for a neck rub. "What's this?" she peered at the document on screen instead. "You're = going to adopt Amanda?!?" Quest cleared his throat, shouldering the remaining inch between them. = "She'll become my ward." "After all she has done?" Alice gasped. "It was you who left her off near my camp," the scientist defended. = "Unless, you are willing to return Amanda to her proper home." "You realize I can't do that, Benton," she wearily sighed. "The moment = we enter Trig space, Amanda Fairchild would be immediately arrested and = put on trial for her 'crimes' ." "You explained to me last night," Quest's face became stony. "A kangaroo = trial, at best, with that girl losing her powers and sent into exile. I = still can't believe that intelligent beings would do that to a runaway = ---" "Very frightened sentient beings, Benton." She nudged the top of his = skull. "There is a big difference." Quest heartily sighed. "That doesn't change matters. Adam has his = family, but Amanda still has needs, a roof over her head, food, an = education---" "An allowance---," a discordant lighter voice sliced through. "Jonny!" Quest glared at his son's flexing fingers. "Today is Saturday, Doctor Quest," Jess hopefully reminded him, causing = Alice to softly giggle behind her curled finger. "I want to see just what Hadji and Mandy are doing up in the lighthouse = first," Quest gravely announced. "I told Hadji he could show IRIS off = ---" "Oh they got bored with QuestWorld games hours ago, Dad," Jonny = reported. "That's what I'm afraid of!" With a grumble, he and Alice started for = the library door. "Why didn't you tell him, that Mandy's been in the = virtual lab?" Jessie charged. "And what, spoil what's she's cooking up?" Jonny grinned. ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF95CE.C94C84E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part 18/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People = and Jonny=20 Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy = write=20 holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television=20 are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no infringement on=20 copyright. "Amanda and the Ship are not going to make landfall," the = Starseer=20 whispered to all aboard her. "The probabilities are---" "Don't give me probabilities Ship," Alice seethed. = "Give me=20 schematics and a forward view." "Yes Captain." "You often argue with your ships?" Quest lightly = quizzed. "Since some nameless genius decided that sentient ships are more = efficient that non," she growled. "Sorry Benton. Right now I'm = angry=20 at Amanda for cutting off all communication. It's an offensive, energy = saving=20 move, so I can almost understand why, but without direct telepathy, the = Starseer=20 can't teleport Amanda or anybody else on board her!!" Doctor Quest glanced away, fighting tears, as he balled his fists.=20 "Schematics're up!" Alice poked his arm. Then she wished that = she=20 allowed his privacy. It did not take a scientific genius to make out the = tumbling power readings. "Is the Ship---?" he was about to say powering down, when = Alice=20 finished. "The Ship's dying..." The diagrams flickered and fizzed. "Now---" Zeeee"d---Da---Al---" the garbled sound would have been = dismissed=20 on any other occasion. "Clarify the incoming transmission!" Alice resounded. "Dad, Alice!" the picture suddenly sharpened on Jonny's = worried=20 face. "We're here son," Quest choked on a building sob.=20 "Where's??" "RaceandIareattheCompound!" Although ran together, those = were the=20 sweetest words in the universe. "ButHADJI,ADAMandAMANDAdidn'tmake=20 it!" "That means they're still on the Ship!" Alice = declared.=20 "With those readings---" "I know this ship's fields can flux, but do you have anything = like=20 a---tractor beam?" "A tractor beam?!" she stammered, then reflected. "But = you're=20 the one to build it, Benton. It'll mean exposing my ship and crew to the = Earth,=20 but if there's a chance---" "I hope there's a chance---" **********************************************************************= ** "Shield's are gone," Amanda numbly reported, rubbing her = stiff arm.=20 "But we're invisible to their radar. Ship---we need to=20 ad-just---Ship?" "I think the Ship's unconscious," Hadji swallowed. = "And Adam=20 --- is in a coma." Amanda chewed her lip, considering their options. If Adam died, the = Ship=20 would die. If the Ship died, this high in the atmosphere. They had one = distant=20 chance. One that could revitalize the Ship. "Ship, could you please = release=20 Adam," Amanda eased herself into Jonny's former seat. "Direct = connect=20 myself." "Amanda! NO!" Hadji yelled, however, the tendrils were = already=20 retreating from the Tomorrow Person's body, and collecting over her. She = briefly=20 worried about Adam, who scarcely breathed. "Transference still = works."=20 Rapidly typing, her glowing fingers extended into the touchboard. A = bright=20 stream of alien figures brought up to her hopeful gaze. Then those = glyphs faded.=20 "Okay," she telekinetically snatched up the visor. It became a = wiggling mass of worm like projections, which penetrated her skull and = eyes.=20 'Now what did Jonny say?' she wondered. "Going in hot!!" Her mind slammed into the cold. The forest was now populated with = yellow=20 pools of ooze, and withered roots. Amanda hesitated, then extended her = self. In=20 the hazy distance across the Ship's radio wavelength detectors, she = overheard=20 the pilots buzzing to one another, something about shooting off their = missiles=20 in a search pattern. Unless she made that course correction, = immediately. She=20 lowered her personal barriers. Extending her telekinetic fields over the = Ship's=20 surface, she shuddered for the countless dings and worse damage scored = into=20 sores and aches in her own body. Her physical senses screamed from agony = that=20 was not hers. Slowly, she fought the impulse to disconnect, desperately = seeking=20 out the telekinetic rudder and wing plane controls, pulsing what energy = she had=20 remaining to refire the Ship's failing engines. Hadji jumped when Amanda screamed, then collapsed across the snapping = remains=20 of the keyboard. He ripped off the visor only to see that her eyes were = deeply=20 bruised, while tiny tendrils were already lacing across her face. = "I bought=20 us a couple more minutes --- I think. The Ship'll crash in the ocean, = far from=20 any land." **********************************************************************= ** Benton Quest found himself up to his elbows, in warm, living goo. The = Archaniod being engineer anxiously lent her spinnerets and claws, as = well as her=20 expertise on this living sentient vessel, but did she holler when he had = to tear=20 into the main power feeders. Doctor Quest in his rush had unknowingly = hurt the=20 Starseer which Engineer felt within. Finally, she briskly pinched Quest = with=20 three of her sixteen clawed legs, clicking like breaking glass. Shooing = the=20 human scientist aside, the Engineer closed his handiwork with her own = webbing.=20 "I don't know if I should be insulted." "Ship, flux shields in Quest beam," Alice absently = shrugged.=20 "Engineer is very attached to the Starseer, Benton. When you = attached your=20 device, she felt your handiwork directly." Benton blinked in astonishment, as the spider being slipped a bit of = webbing=20 across a small wound on her rear most leg. "Catch the Ship, in easy = steps," Alice brought him back. "Activate cycles now. It'll = toss them,=20 Benton, but at least that'll keep us from being dragged down too = much." "Now, I wonder what the Air Force---" A deep shudder rocked = the=20 Starseer. "Stabilizers!" Alice yelled over the twisting panic, = as her=20 ship began to plummet out of space. "All non essential personal = prepare for=20 teleportation and that includes you too Benton!" "Wait a minute Alice." "Benton ---" she gently shoved against his chest. "I = don't=20 think---" "That Quest beam is mine," he smiled, stroking her = shimmering ebony=20 hair. "I can keep it going. If Engineer is willing." "She's willing," she worriedly glared at the Archanoid.=20 "Benton, you do know we're also going down." "Yes---but I don't give up so easily either." Alice relaxed slightly. "I knew you'd say something like = that!" A=20 louder explosion slammed through the vessel, crumbling Alice screaming = onto the=20 floor. Cupping her ears, as she curled into a ball, she shouted, = "Everyone,=20 except Benton and I off NOW!" "Alice?!" The scientist yelped, kneeling over her. She = huddled=20 closer to the membrane wall, tearing into the nutrient and nerve sources = within=20 it. Finally, soothingly, he managed to tenderly released her claw like = hold,=20 horrified at her twisted face. "What happened?" "Let's say I just felt the Starseer's pain. Tele-empathic = feedback isn't=20 pretty," she suffered, even as he protectively embraced her. = "Damn the=20 cavalry." "What can I do?" "Let's see if we can do a coarse correction. Help me get up=20 Benton." **********************************************************************= ** "Race anything?" Jonny demanded, as his somber faced friend = returned. "Believe me I pulled every sting I had. No one is interested in = stopping=20 this little target practice on a pair of defenseless spaceships. Man, I = didn't=20 know that the Men In Black had so many friends." Jonny pouted, then snapped his fingers. His fingers flew across the = keyboard=20 in front of him. "Race, couldja please hand me the head = set." "You're tapping into Ma Bell?" "Our long distance carrier," Jonny cheekily grinned. = "Got DC=20 right now. Directly to the Oval Office---" "Jonny!" Race quietly warned, then rolled his eyes. It was = a final=20 desperate move. One Race Bannon prayed worked. **********************************************************************= ** "We're going to land some three hundred and twenty miles = northeast of=20 the Hawaii Islands," Benton whipped the sweat from his face. Except = for=20 their tiny corner of exposed filaments and nutrient vessels, the = Starseer=20 appeared lifeless. The jerryrigged panel on the engineering floor, = winked on and=20 off, with each remaining flutter of the space ship's heart. "Any = sign that=20 the kids are even still alive Alice?" "Between the Air Force taking pot shots and the beam shaking = them?"=20 she blinked, then wearily lowered her head. "Plus that Ship is = millions of=20 years old. I don't know --- But---" "But what?" "Impossible ---" Alice blinked, motioning for him to be = silent.=20 "I'm actually overhearing jet to jet radio transmission. The attack = has=20 been ordered off! Amanda? No-- It's Hadji?!" "It's Hadji?" Benton gasped hopefully. "What about=20 Mandy?" "He's very concerned, from the symptoms, she's experienced a bad = feedback. Worse, she's in full merge with her Ship. Amanda's going to = need the=20 Healer. Ship," the captain rolled her eyes cielingwards. "Drop = the=20 Quest beam, ready the teleporters----" Alice doubled, panting.=20 "Benton, please I can't---" As the lights flickered, she = fainted. "Alice I hope your ship'll listen to me," Benton Quest = desperately=20 raised his voice, "Starseer, teleport the kids to us, then us to = Maine=20 Compound Latitude ----" **********************************************************************= ** Having Jonny call the president of the United States was astonishing = enough,=20 but having an ark full of extratresstrials just materializing right in = front of=20 one was a Liberty play into the Twilight Zone. Suddenly, Race longed for = that=20 one far away night during his college days when he tried the weed. He = felt so=20 guilty over trying the stuff, not only he did not get high, Race tensed = up so=20 bad, he couldn't sleep for a week. A bad flashback would be a reasonable = explanation to having a ten foot yellow blob nannering at you, or a = sixteen=20 legged spider wildly rotating its eight telescopic orbs in minute study = of=20 everything in the computer lab. At least the spinner dolphins swimming = through=20 the air lent a haunting touch of near normality. And Jonny, the fourteen = year=20 old was having the time of his young life trying to communicate with = their alien=20 guests. Apparently, judging from how the trio of chattering Spinners = gathered=20 about him, Jonny was having some success with the flying dolphins, = through=20 IRIS's mainframe. Within a globe of brilliant lightening, Benton, Alice, Hadji and two = balls of=20 writhing tentacles suddenly flashed into existence. Snarling, two = oversized=20 Persian Cats leapt out of the milling knot of beings, biting, clawing = and=20 tearing off the fleshy, wriggling wood. "Benton, Race, leave my = officers to=20 free them," Alice bluntly instructed. "They know what they are = doing.=20 The worbling protoplasmic creature oozed forward, then enfolded both = freed young=20 people within its butter cream bulk. "It's okay Race. He kindly smiled at the blob, "He is the = ship's=20 doctor." "If you say so ---" Race winced, wondering why a doctor = would flow=20 over his charges with his body. The lighthouse door creaked open, causing the 'ship's doctor' to = extend his=20 lipid eyes in a curious stalk, while the rest of the crew scattered to = the=20 heights of the gallery or huddle timidly closer to the walls or = equipment. Dying=20 tentacles scrabbled across the black and white tile. A fifteen year old with flame red hair quizzically blinked at the = Galactic=20 assemblage, before her emerald eyes latched on Race Bannon. = "Dad?" "Oh, Jess!" Jonny bounded over to her. = "Thesearesomenew=20 friends ofours!" "Okay," her tight smile froze, as Jonny took her by the = arm, then=20 proudly lead her to the knot lead by Doctor Quest. "Mrs. Evans'll = want to=20 know what to fix for breakfast." 'Outside of a double shot of = Scotch for=20 herself!' **********************************************************************= ** Without realizing the passage of hours, Doctor Benton Quest startled = from his=20 terminal screen, when he noticed Alice's beaming reflection. "You = call this=20 resting?" she gently teased. "Well, I do call this taking it easy---" he began, leaning = back=20 into her nimble hands, hinting at for a neck rub. "What's this?" she peered at the document on screen = instead.=20 "You're going to adopt Amanda?!?" Quest cleared his throat, shouldering the remaining inch between = them.=20 "She'll become my ward." "After all she has done?" Alice gasped. "It was you who left her off near my camp," the scientist = defended.=20 "Unless, you are willing to return Amanda to her proper = home." "You realize I can't do that, Benton," she wearily sighed.=20 "The moment we enter Trig space, Amanda Fairchild would be = immediately=20 arrested and put on trial for her 'crimes' ." "You explained to me last night," Quest's face became = stony.=20 "A kangaroo trial, at best, with that girl losing her powers and = sent into=20 exile. I still can't believe that intelligent beings would do that to a = runaway=20 ---" "Very frightened sentient beings, Benton." She nudged the = top of=20 his skull. "There is a big difference." Quest heartily sighed. "That doesn't change matters. Adam has = his=20 family, but Amanda still has needs, a roof over her head, food, an=20 education---" "An allowance---," a discordant lighter voice sliced = through. "Jonny!" Quest glared at his son's flexing fingers. "Today is Saturday, Doctor Quest," Jess hopefully reminded = him,=20 causing Alice to softly giggle behind her curled finger. "I want to see just what Hadji and Mandy are doing up in the = lighthouse=20 first," Quest gravely announced. "I told Hadji he could show = IRIS off=20 ---" "Oh they got bored with QuestWorld games hours ago, Dad," = Jonny=20 reported. "That's what I'm afraid of!" With a grumble, he and Alice = started=20 for the library door. "Why didn't you tell him, that Mandy's been = in the=20 virtual lab?" Jessie charged. "And what, spoil what's she's cooking up?" Jonny = grinned. </DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0004_01BF95CE.C94C84E0-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: J2rider@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Part 18/20 Date: 26 Mar 2000 11:41:04 EST This was TC Kirkham's Season One, there are some things here which did not appear in the book but which came from TC's letters to me. I feel that it is time that some of this be shared with fans who have not seen it (and some I suspect paid for the book but never got it) and may enjoy it. While I had my own problems with TC, a majority of this material is quite good, while some is utter trash. But I feel others should see his body of work (if not his body!) 1982 to 1983 1-INTRODUCTIONS Questor (John Stamos), an alien, discovers an underground group of telepaths living in London. He helps them with a mission and makes his friendly intentions clear as do they. This mission was to find out about a group of teen pickpockets who had stolen secret weaponry from a London armory. 2-BREAKOUT Stephen senses a new Tomorrow Person breaking out during a blizzard. An attempt to help almost has tragic results. Brian Robbins (Andred Caravelli) breaks out. 3-FAR TO GO With Stephen and Tyso's help, Brian comes to terms with his new powers. Brian's first adventure ends up detecting a youngster with great potential. 11 year old Toby Llewellyn (Keith Mitchell) is this genius. 4-YOUNG BLOOD Toby is an 11 year old genius who breaks out. He instantly distrusts everybody. He and the others think he is the youngest to break out but they forgot Kenny really was. Younger Tp will break out within the next 8 years. 5-FIRE ONE Toby uses his new powers and his own genius, to reconstruct and remodel the TP HQ. In the process, we learn how TIM was created. 6-CALL FROM TIME Time Guardian Peter returns to the TP for help in containing a time warp he accidentally unleashed. This time warp was putting history 25 years too early, causing things to happen earlier than they should have. NOTE: This type of time warp would affect the Tp again in the future and more than once. In 1989, 1990, and 1991, a time warp rift (really due to creative differences between TC and myself) would make these years sort of blend into one long time. 7-LETTER FROM HELL College student now, Tyso is disturbed by telepathic emissions from occult experimentist Jani Thomas (Valerie Landsberg). An accident during a ceremony causes her to break out. 8-LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT Stephen and Jani fall in love as he trains her in the use of her newfound powers. 9-SECRET LIFE A bookwormish student with a secret partyloving side shows signs of breaking out but cannot be found when the time arrives. Julian "JJ" Tomie (Anthony Edwards) joins the TP. 10-MORDEU 30th century evil magician is accidentally released by Peter. Mordeu wants revenge on his foe Questor, who was responsible for his imprisonment. 11-MAGIC HATH FEW CHARMS Questor is captured by Mordeu. The Tp face defeat at the magician's hands. Mordeu destroys the most recent version of the Lab. It is alien Matthew Star (played by Peter Barton from the TV series THE POWERS OF MATTHEW STAR ) who comes up with a new solution that saves everyone. When Mordeu is entombed, he loses his powers. Mordeu is finally entombed on a distant planet. 12-DEADLY ACT A young aspiring actor is plagued by visions and voices of doom, sensing a neighbor's terrorist hostage taking plans. Tawny Callahan (Meeno Peluce, star of VOYAGERS!) breaks out. 13-THE CURSE OF THE SPIDRON Spidron escapes Galactic Prison, where Steen had managed to put him and returns to Earth for revenge on the TP. The Trig assisted construction on a specially designed hidden satellite, begins. Later this satellite will be named FUTURE ONE and will also be revealed to contain its own secrets such as being a rocket/star/space/time ship. 14-JOINT CUSTODY The TP risk contact with Earth governments to help stop a deadly new strain of flu accidentally unleashed by the CIA and the KGB. This virus was released when it was being tested by flushing sponges with the infection in them into several major systems of water plants on the US East Coast. 15-DOCTOR'S CHAIR A doctor finds out about the TP and tries to expose them after Brian reveals their secret while under hypnosis treatment for a football injury. This doctor vanishes before the TP can find him 16-MOVING IN The Tp move into their new satellite headquarters, hidden from Earth view by spectrashift. TIM, malfunctioning, goes berserk during transfer from Underground to the Satellite. 17-SEAVIEW ALiens invade Earth to build an undersea base that if completed would mean the destruction of half the Earth. This episode is based on DOCTOR WHO-WARRIORS OF THE DEEP. 18-CLASSIC CASE Jamie Parker (C Thomas Howell) is surprised to learn that he will eventually become a TP. Questor and TIM help Peter resolve a time flux. Questor came from the 27th Century. Peter and TIM were helping to try to work out a way to get Questor home. Although the time flux allowed Questor to come to the past--the Tp's present---and it was opened easily, there was virtually no way to recreate it to send Questor home. 19-FAMILY SECRETS Andrew's father is murdered! Seeking a reason, Andrew and the TP stumble upon a long forgotten family feud now involved with world security. 20-DETONATION Andrew's family feud heats up when his power hungry uncle seizes an atomic energy plant and theatens detonation if his demands for world power are not met. 21-TIME CROSS-A group of TP not involved with Andrew's family feud travel with Peter into the 23rd century to cure an illness which threatens all psi life. Barney Barton (Tim Topper) breaks out with Kevin Ankoris's (Billy Warlock of BAYWATCH season 1 and 2, DAYS OF OUR LIVES, and GENERAL HOSPITAL) help. NOTES ON SEASON ONE: Jamie and Kamandi, friends of QUESTOR, appear quite a bit on this first season of the new Tp. Andre Fleaurmer (Thelonius Bernard) and Kevin Ankoris (Billy Warlock) were Tp who broke out before this series began. Thus they broke out sometime between WAR OF THE EMPIRES and INTRODUCTIONS. This Lab was similar to the first Lab only larger and was protected by a spectrashift. TIM was located in a ceiling encasement, John having decided that the mobile version was too much trouble to maintain. although the network of tubing for TIM's biotronic fluids now encompassed the entire lab, including the individual's quarters. This lab was located somewhere near the vicinity of the original Lab, but built even farther down and further back than the Second Lab (THE LOST GODS) which was destroyed by Major Ann Turner and the SIS in 1981---which brings me to DREAMS OF DESTINY. DREAMS OF DESTINY by Dianne Elliot details what happens in the years 1980 to 1981 approximately although the constant time shifts that occur make WAR OF THE EMPIRES sometimes occur in 1980 or 1981 and DREAMS in 1981 to 1982. The satellite: A team of Trig engineers built it. It is in geosynchronious orbit 22,300 miles above Earth's surface over London, England. Time on the satellite is measure by Grennwich Mean Time, each individual member can adjust the environment of his or her quarters and the time within, to fit their own needs. The satellite started out as 12 decks large with more than enough space to accomodate the TP currently known and can be moved by means of a propulsion system to any location in the solar system. It is hidden from view of Earth by a spectrashift generator. Much of this would change over the years as the satellite was named later (FUTURE ONE) and would grow or expand and secrets within would be revealed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: J2rider@aol.com Subject: TPFICT: TC TP-updated season one and season two Date: 26 Mar 2000 19:27:12 EST TC seems to have vanished but I think I will start to post his stuff bit by bit since most fans nowadays don't have any idea of it and since most of it was truly good (especially at the beginning) I want to give new fans a chance to see it, including those who may have ordered it and never received it, so here goes (notes this info contains information not in the books but which came direct from TC): THE TP-original series-1974 to 1979 DREAMS OF DESTINY-1980 to 1981 (time change sometimes puts this later) JEDIKIAH'S REVENGE-movie-1982 ANIMATED TOMORROW PEOPLE-series-1982 NOTE: more on all of the above at a later date! 1982 to 1983 1-INTRODUCTIONS Questor (John Stamos), an alien, discovers an underground group of telepaths living in London. He helps them with a mission and makes his friendly intentions clear as do they. This mission was to find out about a group of teen pickpockets who had stolen secret weaponry from a London armory. 2-BREAKOUT Stephen senses a new Tomorrow Person breaking out during a blizzard. An attempt to help almost has tragic results. Brian Robbins (Andrew Caravelli) breaks out. 3-FAR TO GO With Stephen and Tyso's help, Brian comes to terms with his new powers. Brian's first adventure ends up detecting a youngster with great potential. 11 year old Toby Llewellyn (Keith Mitchell) is this genius. 4-YOUNG BLOOD Toby is an 11 year old genius who breaks out. He instantly distrusts everybody. He and the others think he is the youngest to break out but they forgot Kenny really was. Younger Tp will break out within the next 8 years. 5-FIRE ONE Toby uses his new powers and his own genius, to reconstruct and remodel the TP HQ. In the process, we learn how TIM was created. 6-CALL FROM TIME Time Guardian Peter returns to the TP for help in containing a time warp he accidentally unleashed. This time warp was putting history 25 years too early, causing things to happen earlier than they should have. NOTE: This type of time warp would affect the Tp again in the future and more than once. In 1989, 1990, and 1991, a time warp rift (really due to creative differences between TC and myself) would make these years sort of blend into one long time. 7-LETTER FROM HELL College student now, Tyso is disturbed by telepathic emissions from occult experimentist Jani Thomas (Valerie Landsberg). An accident during a ceremony causes her to break out. 8-LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT Stephen and Jani fall in love as he trains her in the use of her newfound powers. 9-SECRET LIFE A bookwormish student with a secret partyloving side shows signs of breaking out but cannot be found when the time arrives. Julian "JJ" Tomie (Anthony Edwards) joins the TP. 10-MORDEU 30th century evil magician is accidentally released by Peter. Mordeu wants revenge on his foe Questor, who was responsible for his imprisonment. 11-MAGIC HATH FEW CHARMS Questor is captured by Mordeu. The Tp face defeat at the magician's hands. Mordeu destroys the most recent version of the Lab. It is alien Matthew Star (played by Peter Barton from the TV series THE POWERS OF MATTHEW STAR ) who comes up with a new solution that saves everyone. When Mordeu is entombed, he loses his powers. Mordeu is finally entombed on a distant planet. 12-DEADLY ACT A young aspiring actor is plagued by visions and voices of doom, sensing a neighbor's terrorist hostage taking plans. Tawny Callahan (Meeno Peluce, star of VOYAGERS!) breaks out. 13-THE CURSE OF THE SPIDRON Spidron escapes Galactic Prison, where Steen had managed to put him and returns to Earth for revenge on the TP. The Trig assisted construction on a specially designed hidden satellite, begins. Later this satellite will be named FUTURE ONE and will also be revealed to contain its own secrets such as being a rocket/star/space/time ship. 14-JOINT CUSTODY The TP risk contact with Earth governments to help stop a deadly new strain of flu accidentally unleashed by the CIA and the KGB. This virus was released when it was being tested by flushing sponges with the infection in them into several major systems of water plants on the US East Coast. 15-DOCTOR'S CHAIR A doctor finds out about the TP and tries to expose them after Brian reveals their secret while under hypnosis treatment for a football injury. This doctor vanishes before the TP can find him 16-MOVING IN The Tp move into their new satellite headquarters, hidden from Earth view by spectrashift. TIM, malfunctioning, goes berserk during transfer from Underground to the Satellite. 17-SEAVIEW ALiens invade Earth to build an undersea base that if completed would mean the destruction of half the Earth. This episode is based on DOCTOR WHO-WARRIORS OF THE DEEP. 18-CLASSIC CASE Jamie Parker (C Thomas Howell) is surprised to learn that he will eventually become a TP. Questor and TIM help Peter resolve a time flux. Questor came from the 27th Century. Peter and TIM were helping to try to work out a way to get Questor home. Although the time flux allowed Questor to come to the past--the Tp's present---and it was opened easily, there was virtually no way to recreate it to send Questor home. 19-FAMILY SECRETS Andrew's father is murdered! Seeking a reason, Andrew and the TP stumble upon a long forgotten family feud now involved with world security. 20-DETONATION Andrew's family feud heats up when his power hungry uncle seizes an atomic energy plant and theatens detonation if his demands for world power are not met. 21-TIME CROSS-A group of TP not involved with Andrew's family feud travel with Peter into the 23rd century to cure an illness which threatens all psi life. Barney Barton (Tim Topper) breaks out with Kevin Ankoris's (Billy Warlock of BAYWATCH season 1 and 2, DAYS OF OUR LIVES, and GENERAL HOSPITAL) help. NOTES ON SEASON ONE: Jamie and Kamandi, friends of QUESTOR, appear quite a bit on this first season of the new Tp. Andre Fleaurmer (Thelonius Bernard) and Kevin Ankoris (Billy Warlock) were Tp who broke out before this series began. Thus they broke out sometime between WAR OF THE EMPIRES and INTRODUCTIONS. This Lab was similar to the first Lab only larger and was protected by a spectrashift. TIM was located in a ceiling encasement, John having decided that the mobile version was too much trouble to maintain. although the network of tubing for TIM's biotronic fluids now encompassed the entire lab, including the individual's quarters. This lab was located somewhere near the vicinity of the original Lab, but built even farther down and further back than the Second Lab (THE LOST GODS) which was destroyed by Major Ann Turner and the SIS in 1981---which brings me to DREAMS OF DESTINY. DREAMS OF DESTINY by Dianne Elliot details what happens in the years 1980 to 1981 approximately although the constant time shifts that occur make WAR OF THE EMPIRES sometimes occur in 1980 or 1981 and DREAMS in 1981 to 1982. One bad move in that is the death of Hsue Tai. The satellite: A team of Trig engineers built it. It is in geosynchronious orbit 22,300 miles above Earth's surface over London, England. Time on the satellite is measure by Grennwich Mean Time, each individual member can adjust the environment of his or her quarters and the time within, to fit their own needs. The satellite started out as 12 decks large with more than enough space to accomodate the TP currently known and can be moved by means of a propulsion system to any location in the solar system. It is hidden from view of Earth by a spectrashift generator. Much of this would change over the years as the satellite was named later (FUTURE ONE) and would grow or expand and secrets within would be revealed. Matthew Star and Walt Sheppard appear from time to time. Also some episodes were crossovers with QUESTOR, a series about an alien. There were also crossovers with POWERS OF MATTHEW STAR. MY OWN COMMENTS: One can see both merit and confusion right from the beginning. The TP didn't need do crossover so blatantly with either QUESTOR or POWERS OF MATTHEW STAR. The overreliance on other characters made the TP more like THE X MEN, which sometimes worked and sometimes didn't. As time went on, this format faded but the TP never fully recovered. 1983 to 1984 22-MELTDOWN The Tp try to find a way to defeat Andrew's Uncle Richard. Gregg Martz (Kelly Hansen), One of Richard's hostages breaks out. Anderw dies to save the planet from certain destruction, using his telekinesis to contain the nuclear explosion. MY NOTES: In this controversial move, Andrew appears to die but is he really gone for good? Also didn't like his dad having to die also. A bad move for the series, I felt. 23-THE DECISION Stephen and Tyso decide to return to the Galactic corps after a couple of years back on Earth. Jani decides to stay behind. NOTE: This is the last episode where Brian is played by Andrew Caravelli, who passed away in a car accident. 24-SILENT NIGHT, JOBE NIGHT Jobe Arkensa becomes the first deaf Tomorrow Person. Brian is felled by a mysterious disease while at the Trig with Stephen and Tyso. NOTE: Brian is now played by Todd Porter of WHIZ KIDS. 25-BARTER FORTIME Andrea Barter (Lara Jill Miller) breaks out when she picks up telepathic impressions from Jobe who was the victim of a kidnapping, having witnessed a murder. Andrea manages to alert the Tp to his perilous predicament. 26-TIME TRAP Peter, trapped in the 21st Century, calls for help. A rescue attempt by the Tp fails. 27-LIVING LEGEND Zack finds Rabowski alive and teams up with the Tp to stop the time crossing monsters Rabowski has forced Peter to help him unleash. Rabowski had trapped Peter when Peter first found out Rabowski was still alive. The first team sent to find Peter was captured and had to be rescued by a second team when Rabowski made his way to the 20th Century. Zack (Lee Curreri of FAME), a Time Guardian, teamed up with Toby to create a convection, returning the monsters to the time where they were originally taken from. 28-SEEING DOUBLE Ricky Johnson (Adam Rich of EIGHT IS ENOUGH) breaks out, going insane in the process as the TP try to stop the disasters being caused b Ricky while in pain. TIM manages to heal the mental injuries and Ricky joins the TP. 29-THE SEARCH Jamie asks for help in locating Questor, who has disappeared. Dr. Allenton is holding Questor prisoner and the Tp must find a way to save him without revealing their existence to him. 30-SEARCH CAREFULLY Kevin infiltrates Allenton's headquarters where he finds Allenton's unknowing assistant, Barb Jansen (Amy Steele from FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2 and POWERS OF MATTHEW STAR), on the verge of breaking out. Kevin and Barb help restore Questor's memory and all escape, leaving behind a stunned Allenton. 31-SKATING ON THIN ICE Barney goes undercover to help with the breakout of Olympic skater Kevin Holt (Pat Talkington), which TIM believes will be a difficult breakout. NOTE: We now have two Kevin's--Kevin Holt; and Kevin Ankoris (Billy Warlock). This is the first of several bad decisions by TC. 32-STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT Andre and Matthew Star investigate a friend under suspicion of drug dealing. They stumble onto an assassination plot innocently involving their friend. NOTE: Walt Sheppard (Lou Gossett Jr) , Matthew's mentor is a semi regular on the show now. 33-POINT OF NO RETURN Tikno asks the TP to help him free the ntaives of planet Sharonna from a non psi dictator. The plan fails, but Mike Bell, Barney, Barb, Tawny, and JJ remain behind to continue the fight. NOTE: the first of many ill fated spin offs of the kind TC liked to do. Some of them worked but for the most part they were pretty awful. 34-DISSOLUTION TIM's essence is accidentally stolen by computer hacker and aspiring musician Terry Keller (Michael Damian of some soap opera), who then breaks out. The Tp must find TIM and assist Terry without his aid. John, seeing the group continue to grow and mature, decides to permanently join Heather and Amanda at the Trig, where they were sent during the KGB virus outbreak. NOTE: Another bad move, moving John to the Trig. This had to be done to incorporate Heather and Amanda, Dianne's characters from DREAMS OF DESTINY into this TC universe. TC had storylines that did not include these two great characters since he found out about them after he plotted so many stories. To fit them in later on (a good move as they were the best thing about this series), he moved John and the two of them to the Trig. 35-NEW RULER Elizabeth M'Bondo assumes the mantle of leadership. Brian, still weakened by his battle wtih the VSR virus, returns to Earth feeling inferior, helpelss and altered. 36-SOLO STAR Brian goes on a deadly mission without informing the others to prove himself still worthy of being a TP and is nearly killed in an accident. 37-JOYCE'S WORLD Snobbish teen Joyce Feinstein (Alison Finte) begins to break out but runs from all attempts of help that the TP offer. 38-THE TOBY FACTOR A mysterious malady fells Toby while TIM is offline. Liz isn't sure that Toby can be saved without help from the massive biocomputer TIM but help from the Trig doctor M'Pongold, a very alien doctor, arrives at the last moment. M'Pongold is not humanoid. 39-SECRETS Jamie feels left out when Questor goes on a secret mission for the TP. Jamie breaks out following an accident at school caused by his distraction over the situation. 40-HEARTACHES Jamie feels betrayed by Questor, who only wants to shelter his friend from the troubles of the world. Their strained relationship is mended with help from Terry and TIM. NOTE: It starts to get more and more like a soap opera and not much happens per episode at this point. TC felt the TP became a community ala KNOT'S LANDING and this shows...badly. 41-THE FERRERI Renaldo Ferreri (Tony La Torre) is the orphaned son of a former circus act is kidnapped from his guardians, the owner of the circus, where his fear triggers his breakout. A telepathic cry for help alerts Terry, who goes to his rescue but almost not in time. Renaldo joins the TP. 42-CRY FOR HELP Renaldo discovers an extra power. Hit by a laser the first time he jaunts, Renaldo breaks out fully. He can shoot lasers from his fingertips---absorbing energy. 43-THE "DEATH" OF RICKY Ricky is seemingly killed in an auto accident but the Tp pick up on faint traces of memories, prompting them to believe something strange is going on. An enemy of Ricky's discovered his powers and had him kidnapped for his own purposes. 44-SUSPICION Jobe is arrested for burglary, not knowing he was framed by a friend. The Tp try to find a way to clear the young man without revealing their existence. 45-GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT The Tp discover Jobe's legal counsel is a fake while discovering the councel's secretary, Felice Akers (Connie Needham), is ready to break out. Andre pulls a stunt in court that clears Jobe and reveals the real culprit. 46-THE PARADE On Earth for some time off, Stephen and Tyso pick up images of an invasion, which is confirmed by Ambassador Kolar (John Colicos of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA). This invasion will later prove to be an invasion from Tharga. 47-THE TIME IS HERE Zack comes in search of Peter, who disappeared during their most recent mission. 48-SCENES FROM THE END OF SPACE Brian picks up images of Hsui Tai and Andrew, who were both thought long (?) dead. No explanation can be found except that maybe Brian is going crazy. Brian's visions are found out to be projections, coming from a Thargon agent. NOTE: Despite this, Andrew and Hsui Tai live on in some form. This will be revealed in the future. 49-THE WEDDING ROYALE Stephan and Jani's wedding is wonderful until a feared Thargon invasion begins. This puts the TP into action. 50-FINAL VOWS The Tp must secretly save Earth from the Thargon invasion. Major space battles inflict great damage on the satellite. A stray phaser bolt from a passing Thargon ship hits Jani, who lives her final moments in Stephen's arms. The others manage to defeat the invading army. 51-PARALYSIS OF DOOM Renaldo's powers suddenly begin to fail, causing him to be injured in a jaunting accident, perhaps fatally. The Tp suffer a slowing of their powers. The still training Felice dies suddenly, prompting a few tests and a lot of worry---have the Tp suddenly begun to devolve? Later in the next episode we find that the real culprit was a small virus that affected only TP. Toby develops a cure, given to all Tp when they break out, one dose for life. NOTES ON SEASON TWO: While Andrew Caravelli was 19 when he played Brian, Todd Porter who replaced him was 17. Some stories remained self contained while others took several weeks to resolve. The series thus took on a semi continuing format. Severeal episodes were crossovers with QUESTOR as happened in the first season. Three spinoffs appear this season and intermingle with the main show, often starting out on the main TP show. STEPHEN AND TYSO, TIME GATE, and POINT OF NO RETURN begin. John is written out (always a bad move) following the mid season start of POINT OF NO RETURN. He began to return from time to time before fully returning (thankfully) in the 1988 to 1989 season. There were also more crossovers with THE NEW ADVENTURES OF MATTHEW STAR and QUESTOR. SPINOFF CHECK: STEPHEN AND TYSO TIMEGATE POINT OF NO RETURN ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jeffl1965@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Part 18/20 Date: 26 Mar 2000 19:30:12 EST In a message dated 3/26/00 10:41:51 AM Central Standard Time, J2rider@aol.com writes: << This was TC Kirkham's Season One, there are some things here which did not appear in the book but which came from TC's letters to me. I feel that it is time that some of this be shared with fans who have not seen it (and some I suspect paid for the book but never got it) and may enjoy it. While I had my own problems with TC, a majority of this material is quite good, while some is utter trash. But I feel others should see his body of work (if not his body!) >> I agree that his work should be seen,as little of it that exists,but I dont feel that these people should be tortured by seeing his ghastly body!!!! :P But on a serious note, I *have* tried to get people to assist in retyping his ramblings,but so far after nearly a year, I've seen no results,nor have the books be returned to me. I am starting to have flashbacks about TPI now with this treatment. I do hope that the books will be returned soon,or typed. <hint,hint> :) Jeff ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: J2rider@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Part 18/20 Date: 26 Mar 2000 19:34:40 EST Tell me you didn't send the books to someone!!!! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: J2rider@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Part 18/20 Date: 26 Mar 2000 19:35:00 EST Is it true he took orders from people and never sent them the books? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize part 19/20 Date: 26 Mar 2000 19:03:48 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_002F_01BF9756.0474AC40 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part 19/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People and = Jonny Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy write = holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no = infringement on copyright. It took hours of fussy programming and tweaking, to get this VR world = right. Using Doctor Quest's Virtual Laboratory as a base, Amanda = incorporated elements from her father's and her school's labs. This was = far from her dream lab, however, it did supply with an eclectic mix of = Trig and Terran instruments, what she needed to demonstrate the basics = of biotronics. "Well?" after activating the hyper-display plate, Amanda = stood back from her creation, proudly smacking her delicate hands. Over = the shimmering mirror plate, rotated a hexagonal figure, sporting a = protoplasmic star of neural tissue. Adam cocked his head as he studied the image on the Questworld monitor. = "That's it?" "The simplicity of the engram unit is astounding!" Hadji put in = admiringly. Amanda, within the Quest Vitural lab, via Questworld, preemed. Tucking = her hands behind her, she began, "This engram gentlemen is the very = basis of our biotronic systems. "These special nerve cells connect to = one another via real neurons and axons supported by the cartilage ring." "Then, hundreds of those together would make up an artificial brain?!" = Adam whispered uncertainly. Amanda eagerly nodded. "Our technology is based on engrams of some of = our most illustrious beings, however, each sentient biotronic entity = evolves his or her own personality." "They have souls then," Hadji concluded just as uneasily. "Yes," Amanda's pride was slightly dimmed. "Ten years ago, there was a = Federation wide revolt. Biotronics had ---"=20 "What's going on?" Doctor Quest interrupted, as he and Starseer entered = the lighthouse. "And what is that?" he quietly asked, studying the = floating hexagon. "It looks like a living brain cell." "That is a biotronic 'chip'," Alice explained, reaching around Hadji, to = hit the reset key. "Something Earth isn't quite ready for, Amanda." She felt her ears burn, as she removed the deactivated VR visor. "I just = wanted to show Hadji and Adam how biotronics worked!" 'If you wish to remain on Earth, you must temper that impulsiveness!' = Starseer telepathed. Amanda only firmed her mouth, with a noncommittal bob of her head. "Hadji, was that lab set up saved?" Quest asked. "Yes, it was Doctor Quest, although the memory requirements---" "Benton?" Alice gasped, "You're not thinking of?" "Oh, Leo Correll would love to study that Biotronic chip, but this set = up --- is fascinating! Three dimensional demonstration boards, fine = laser tools, molecular manipulators, and my goodness is that a tissue = ---?" "Benton," Alice purred. "Most of this instrumentation requires a = telekinetic mind." "We do have telepathic and telekinetic simulation in QuestWorld," Hadji = reported. "Although, the telekinetic feel isn't exact, sir," Adam added. "That's why my first program, flying a space skiff did not work as it = should ---" "Amanda, how can you say that?!" Jonny demanded. "Dad, it was slammin! = You actually plug your mind into the skiff's system, you can feel the = speed, and space!" "It was creepy," Jessie pouted, folding her arms. "Your arms become the = solar wings of the ship. When you encounter particles, it feels like = someone is pouring cold sand on your skin." "As Alice, Adam and Amanda proved, being that close with your ship isn't = healthy!" Race suddenly voiced, with two meek Karrian explorers behind = him. "Rum-tung, Ruth-ma," Alice nodded to her officers. They clutched white = cups in their massive, furry paws. "I traced these two to Starbucks!" Race glowered into their golden eyed, = plush Persian faces. "You went into town!!" Alice charged "Mer-mall," Ruth-ma trilled, pleased with squeezing a new English word = out of her purr arch in back of her throat. "They teleported to Concord, mame," Race sighed. "If Doctor Quest and = Amanda hadn't built this teleport box, I'd never found them!" "You and the Captain had forbidden the locality to us. Our purpose = however is to explore---" 'Which you two took advantage of,' Alice firmly disciplined. "You = promised you would avoid all human contact." 'We did Captain,' Ruth-ma purred as she 'pathed, after draining her = twenty-four ounces of double latte. "Save for the churr vendor at the = mall, but we did approach them under illusion cloak. We managed to mimic = the local intelligences perfectly, after studying your family Doctor = Quest." "As long as you paid for that churr," he sighed, leaning on their word = for extra strong caffeine/cream mix which Earthen latte only = approximated. The Karrians enjoyed the beverage so much, there was not = any coffee or milk of any kind on the compound. "And did not challenge = anyone to a wrestling match," he shot Race a secret grin, for he tried = to take on the three hundred pound felines in play. "I don't think any = harm was done, but for you three ---" The scientist started upon hearing the antique thumb latch on the = lighthouse door click. "General Damon," Race defensively put himself between his extended = family and the lone trench coated human. Two pair of cat orbs glowed, as = the couple placed themselves between the young people and this stranger. The leader of the SIS stood his ground. The Kazinti things were = telepaths, and perhaps not attack, but his former agent. "If I inform = certain people that you are harboring illegals---" "Your point, General?" Race folded his arms across his powerful chest. "Your wing has healed nicely," he sighed, digging deep into his pockets. = "Look, I know Ms Fairchild is in there." "What do you want with her, General Damon?" "Adam, what --- where have you and the others been??!" "General, the Men in Black cornered us in the Ship," Adam nudged Race = aside. "Even after I merged with the Ship, we still could not defend = ourselves. To order to save Ami and Jade, I had to smother their = powers," Amanda gasped at Adam's statement. "They are no longer Tomorrow = People." "Where is my son?" Damon quietly demanded. "When Star Island was first surrounded, the Ship opened a deep space = wormhole, balanced for only for one. The Ship claimed that it should go = to a great space city at the Galactic Hub." "So you sent Mega---" "Megabyte made it sir." Her pale face peered into him. Damon mutely = returned the direct stare. "Just---" "Look, I know that you have powers different from the Earth kids!" Damon = grabbed her by the arms. Race defensively tensed. "Show me!" "The truth can cut you through the heart, General," Alice clutched = Amanda's shoulder. "This not knowing is worse, Starseer. Quest, you have two boys. If they = just up and vanish one day, you'd---" "I'm familiar with your personal hell, General," Quest looped both Jonny = and Hadji in his arms. Amanda glanced to the tight family, feeling a = soul rendering stab. She so dearly missed her parents, siblings and = friends. "All right, sir, I was there." Potent images welled from Amanda's = memories. Mirrored floors, crystal statuary fractured light into = impossible colors. Music, telepathy and empathy blended. Beings beyond = imagination flowed with the wondrous colors and sound. "Where are we??" = Damon boiled. "The Galactic Trig..." ************************************************************************ Away from the link, the others quietly watched Damon's face shift from a = glowing awe, into a deep scowl, then ashen in depression. "Alice, do you = know what happened?" Quest gently asked. "Something --- horrible," Hadji mummered. "When Amanda shared that with = me---" he turned away. Adam shot him a sympathetic gaze.=20 "Show me!" Damon tightened his grip. "You've seen my son! Now I want to = see him!!" Amanda gasped lowering her head. "IRIS, vocal recognition. Amanda = Fairchild, telepathic link and projection." "Is that boy even alive??'" Doctor Quest muttered. Jessie even = shuddered. "Megabyte survived," Amanda whispered, upon seeing a tear trail down = Damon's handsome face. A blur of hands and linen dissolved the chaos. = "The Ship opened a very old jauntway. The privacy screens were only = erected two hundred or so years ago --- Those screens seized his = partially materialized body like claws and teeth. Uncle Charles and I = did what we could, until my Mum and the other healers arrived." "I'm sure of that Mandy," Quest approached from behind, then defensively = hugged her. "Now that you got your answer, General Damon I suggest that = you ---" "Wait," Amanda broke the embrace. "Sir, that's not all of it. When Mega = became strong enough," she continued. "He begged my father to help the = Tomorrow People. Our allies would not allow us to travel to such a = dangerous planet. So, my friends, Stephenie and Mars ---" "Tried to secretly hire on a Free Trader Kolinar," Alice amended. "But = your friends were arrested at port. And you pressed on alone." "Then --- is there a chance, that---Mega'll come home one day??" "Earth is a Closed World, General Damon," Alice tightly whispered. = "Considered far too dangerous for civilized people to visit. Your son is = in very safe, comfortable exile. While Amanda cannot return..." "Perhaps, one day," Amanda clutched his arm. The trench coated fellow = swung away. "I've got to met with my lawyers. You needn't worry, Mandy, = Doctor Quest. And thank you." He was so distraught he did not lift his = eyes until he was back out in the bright spring sun. Worriedly, Amanda = surged for the entrance, mutely watching him, clutching the door frame = for support. Even though she was being sheltered by her new family, the = Quests, she felt empty. 'She looks so ancient,' Quest worried to himself. 'To have gone through = that, small wonder she --- came home. John and Heather would be deeply = upset, but should be just as proud.' "I'd tottle safely home --- and die in bed," Amanda quietly quoted from = somewhere. "That's Sasson," Quest whispered in awe. "Huh?" "A World War One poet," Hadji softly gave the schoolboy's answer to = Jonny. "Does it ---?" Amanda soberly turned toward the scientist. Her eyes were = expectant, searching, but the narrowing at the corners, hinted the very = depth of the answer she suspected. "Ever get any easier to tell some one = --- something like that?" "No, as long as you have a heart, it doesn't." ************************************************************************ "Hadj---" Jonny nudged him, as the extended family filed through the = forest. "You know how down Mandy's been since General Damon left this = afternoon." "So?" he sighed, then shot his brother a side glare. "Amanda has much on = her mind, right now." 'Adam, are Ami and Jade really beyond us?' Amanda telepathically asked. 'I'm certain,' the Australian Tomorrow Person glumly returned. 'The Ship = guided me, in doing this.' He shuddered. 'The section of their brains = which generate and control their powers, withered. Their memories of = being Tomorrow People were even erased. We didn't know that Mega was = alive or dead, and the Ship was already captured.' 'Adam, don't blame yourself. The Ship will protect the genome, but not = necessary the powers of the Tomorrow People, or so she explained to me.' 'That could mean, there'll be generations of Tomorrow People who would = never know who and what they are,' his frown deepened. 'Adam, according to my parents, there already have been thousands of = potentials. Doctor Quest and Captain Starseer are but two.' Adam glumly mulled that over. 'So, what becomes of them?' He nodded = toward the Quests. 'Hadji, I sense can be one of us, but could we allow = that? And endanger him?' Amanda gasped, turning away, pensively. ------=_NextPart_000_002F_01BF9756.0474AC40 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part 19/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People = and Jonny=20 Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy = write=20 holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television=20 are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no infringement on=20 copyright. It took hours of fussy programming and tweaking, to get this VR world = right.=20 Using Doctor Quest's Virtual Laboratory as a base, Amanda incorporated = elements=20 from her father's and her school's labs. This was far from her dream = lab,=20 however, it did supply with an eclectic mix of Trig and Terran = instruments, what=20 she needed to demonstrate the basics of biotronics. "Well?" = after=20 activating the hyper-display plate, Amanda stood back from her creation, = proudly=20 smacking her delicate hands. Over the shimmering mirror plate, rotated a = hexagonal figure, sporting a protoplasmic star of neural tissue. Adam cocked his head as he studied the image on the Questworld = monitor.=20 "That's it?" "The simplicity of the engram unit is astounding!" Hadji = put in=20 admiringly. Amanda, within the Quest Vitural lab, via Questworld, preemed. = Tucking her=20 hands behind her, she began, "This engram gentlemen is the very = basis of=20 our biotronic systems. "These special nerve cells connect to one = another=20 via real neurons and axons supported by the cartilage ring." "Then, hundreds of those together would make up an artificial=20 brain?!" Adam whispered uncertainly. Amanda eagerly nodded. "Our technology is based on engrams of = some of=20 our most illustrious beings, however, each sentient biotronic entity = evolves his=20 or her own personality." "They have souls then," Hadji concluded just as = uneasily. "Yes," Amanda's pride was slightly dimmed. "Ten years = ago,=20 there was a Federation wide revolt. Biotronics had ---" "What's going on?" Doctor Quest interrupted, as he and = Starseer=20 entered the lighthouse. "And what is that?" he quietly asked, = studying=20 the floating hexagon. "It looks like a living brain cell." "That is a biotronic 'chip'," Alice explained, reaching = around=20 Hadji, to hit the reset key. "Something Earth isn't quite ready = for,=20 Amanda." She felt her ears burn, as she removed the deactivated VR visor. = "I just=20 wanted to show Hadji and Adam how biotronics worked!" 'If you wish to remain on Earth, you must temper that impulsiveness!' = Starseer telepathed. Amanda only firmed her mouth, with a noncommittal bob of her = head. "Hadji, was that lab set up saved?" Quest asked. "Yes, it was Doctor Quest, although the memory = requirements---" "Benton?" Alice gasped, "You're not thinking = of?" "Oh, Leo Correll would love to study that Biotronic chip, but = this set=20 up --- is fascinating! Three dimensional demonstration boards, fine = laser tools,=20 molecular manipulators, and my goodness is that a tissue ---?" "Benton," Alice purred. "Most of this instrumentation = requires=20 a telekinetic mind." "We do have telepathic and telekinetic simulation in = QuestWorld,"=20 Hadji reported. "Although, the telekinetic feel isn't exact, sir," Adam = added. "That's why my first program, flying a space skiff did not work = as it=20 should ---" "Amanda, how can you say that?!" Jonny demanded. "Dad, = it was=20 slammin! You actually plug your mind into the skiff's system, you can = feel the=20 speed, and space!" "It was creepy," Jessie pouted, folding her arms. = "Your arms=20 become the solar wings of the ship. When you encounter particles, it = feels like=20 someone is pouring cold sand on your skin." "As Alice, Adam and Amanda proved, being that close with your = ship isn't=20 healthy!" Race suddenly voiced, with two meek Karrian explorers = behind=20 him. "Rum-tung, Ruth-ma," Alice nodded to her officers. They = clutched=20 white cups in their massive, furry paws. "I traced these two to Starbucks!" Race glowered into their = golden=20 eyed, plush Persian faces. "You went into town!!" Alice charged "Mer-mall," Ruth-ma trilled, pleased with squeezing a new = English=20 word out of her purr arch in back of her throat. "They teleported to Concord, mame," Race sighed. "If = Doctor=20 Quest and Amanda hadn't built this teleport box, I'd never found = them!" "You and the Captain had forbidden the locality to us. Our = purpose=20 however is to explore---" 'Which you two took advantage of,' Alice firmly disciplined. = "You=20 promised you would avoid all human contact." 'We did Captain,' Ruth-ma purred as she 'pathed, after draining her=20 twenty-four ounces of double latte. "Save for the churr vendor at = the mall,=20 but we did approach them under illusion cloak. We managed to mimic the = local=20 intelligences perfectly, after studying your family Doctor = Quest." "As long as you paid for that churr," he sighed, leaning on = their=20 word for extra strong caffeine/cream mix which Earthen latte only = approximated.=20 The Karrians enjoyed the beverage so much, there was not any coffee or = milk of=20 any kind on the compound. "And did not challenge anyone to a = wrestling=20 match," he shot Race a secret grin, for he tried to take on the = three=20 hundred pound felines in play. "I don't think any harm was done, = but for=20 you three ---" The scientist started upon hearing the antique thumb latch on the = lighthouse=20 door click. "General Damon," Race defensively put himself between his = extended=20 family and the lone trench coated human. Two pair of cat orbs glowed, as = the=20 couple placed themselves between the young people and this stranger. The leader of the SIS stood his ground. The Kazinti things were = telepaths,=20 and perhaps not attack, but his former agent. "If I inform certain = people=20 that you are harboring illegals---" "Your point, General?" Race folded his arms across his = powerful=20 chest. "Your wing has healed nicely," he sighed, digging deep into = his=20 pockets. "Look, I know Ms Fairchild is in there." "What do you want with her, General Damon?" "Adam, what --- where have you and the others been??!" "General, the Men in Black cornered us in the Ship," Adam = nudged=20 Race aside. "Even after I merged with the Ship, we still could not = defend=20 ourselves. To order to save Ami and Jade, I had to smother their = powers,"=20 Amanda gasped at Adam's statement. "They are no longer Tomorrow=20 People." "Where is my son?" Damon quietly demanded. "When Star Island was first surrounded, the Ship opened a deep = space=20 wormhole, balanced for only for one. The Ship claimed that it should go = to a=20 great space city at the Galactic Hub." "So you sent Mega---" "Megabyte made it sir." Her pale face peered into him. = Damon mutely=20 returned the direct stare. "Just---" "Look, I know that you have powers different from the Earth = kids!"=20 Damon grabbed her by the arms. Race defensively tensed. "Show = me!" "The truth can cut you through the heart, General," Alice = clutched=20 Amanda's shoulder. "This not knowing is worse, Starseer. Quest, you have two boys. = If they=20 just up and vanish one day, you'd---" "I'm familiar with your personal hell, General," Quest = looped both=20 Jonny and Hadji in his arms. Amanda glanced to the tight family, feeling = a soul=20 rendering stab. She so dearly missed her parents, siblings and = friends. "All right, sir, I was there." Potent images welled from = Amanda's=20 memories. Mirrored floors, crystal statuary fractured light into = impossible=20 colors. Music, telepathy and empathy blended. Beings beyond imagination = flowed=20 with the wondrous colors and sound. "Where are we??" Damon = boiled. "The Galactic Trig..." **********************************************************************= ** Away from the link, the others quietly watched Damon's face shift = from a=20 glowing awe, into a deep scowl, then ashen in depression. "Alice, = do you=20 know what happened?" Quest gently asked. "Something --- horrible," Hadji mummered. "When Amanda = shared=20 that with me---" he turned away. Adam shot him a sympathetic gaze. = "Show me!" Damon tightened his grip. "You've seen my = son! Now=20 I want to see him!!" Amanda gasped lowering her head. "IRIS, vocal recognition. = Amanda=20 Fairchild, telepathic link and projection." "Is that boy even alive??'" Doctor Quest muttered. Jessie = even=20 shuddered. "Megabyte survived," Amanda whispered, upon seeing a tear = trail=20 down Damon's handsome face. A blur of hands and linen dissolved the = chaos.=20 "The Ship opened a very old jauntway. The privacy screens were only = erected=20 two hundred or so years ago --- Those screens seized his partially = materialized=20 body like claws and teeth. Uncle Charles and I did what we could, until = my Mum=20 and the other healers arrived." "I'm sure of that Mandy," Quest approached from behind, = then=20 defensively hugged her. "Now that you got your answer, General = Damon I=20 suggest that you ---" "Wait," Amanda broke the embrace. "Sir, that's not all = of it.=20 When Mega became strong enough," she continued. "He begged my = father=20 to help the Tomorrow People. Our allies would not allow us to travel to = such a=20 dangerous planet. So, my friends, Stephenie and Mars ---" "Tried to secretly hire on a Free Trader Kolinar," Alice = amended.=20 "But your friends were arrested at port. And you pressed on=20 alone." "Then --- is there a chance, that---Mega'll come home one=20 day??" "Earth is a Closed World, General Damon," Alice tightly = whispered.=20 "Considered far too dangerous for civilized people to visit. Your = son is in=20 very safe, comfortable exile. While Amanda cannot return..." "Perhaps, one day," Amanda clutched his arm. The trench = coated=20 fellow swung away. "I've got to met with my lawyers. You needn't = worry,=20 Mandy, Doctor Quest. And thank you." He was so distraught he did = not lift=20 his eyes until he was back out in the bright spring sun. Worriedly, = Amanda=20 surged for the entrance, mutely watching him, clutching the door frame = for=20 support. Even though she was being sheltered by her new family, the = Quests, she=20 felt empty. 'She looks so ancient,' Quest worried to himself. 'To have gone = through that,=20 small wonder she --- came home. John and Heather would be deeply upset, = but=20 should be just as proud.' "I'd tottle safely home --- and die in bed," Amanda quietly = quoted=20 from somewhere. "That's Sasson," Quest whispered in awe. "Huh?" "A World War One poet," Hadji softly gave the schoolboy's = answer to=20 Jonny. "Does it ---?" Amanda soberly turned toward the scientist. = Her eyes=20 were expectant, searching, but the narrowing at the corners, hinted the = very=20 depth of the answer she suspected. "Ever get any easier to tell = some one=20 --- something like that?" "No, as long as you have a heart, it doesn't." **********************************************************************= ** "Hadj---" Jonny nudged him, as the extended family filed = through=20 the forest. "You know how down Mandy's been since General Damon = left this=20 afternoon." "So?" he sighed, then shot his brother a side glare. = "Amanda=20 has much on her mind, right now." 'Adam, are Ami and Jade really beyond us?' Amanda telepathically = asked. 'I'm certain,' the Australian Tomorrow Person glumly returned. 'The = Ship=20 guided me, in doing this.' He shuddered. 'The section of their brains = which=20 generate and control their powers, withered. Their memories of being = Tomorrow=20 People were even erased. We didn't know that Mega was alive or dead, and = the=20 Ship was already captured.' 'Adam, don't blame yourself. The Ship will protect the genome, but = not=20 necessary the powers of the Tomorrow People, or so she explained to = me.' 'That could mean, there'll be generations of Tomorrow People who = would never=20 know who and what they are,' his frown deepened. 'Adam, according to my parents, there already have been thousands of=20 potentials. Doctor Quest and Captain Starseer are but two.' Adam glumly mulled that over. 'So, what becomes of them?' He nodded = toward=20 the Quests. 'Hadji, I sense can be one of us, but could we allow that? = And=20 endanger him?' Amanda gasped, turning away, pensively. </DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_002F_01BF9756.0474AC40-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "William Adams" <wladams@comp.uark.edu> Subject: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize part 20/20 Date: 26 Mar 2000 19:05:37 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0037_01BF9756.4592E660 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Tomorrow's Prize Part 20/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People and = Jonny Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy write = holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no = infringement on copyright. Jonny sighed, then glanced across to Jessie Bannon, who tossed him a = hopeless shrug. Amanda was not in one of her more conversive moods, or = perhaps was in deep telepathic communication with Adam. Jessie shot = Jonny an impish lift of her eyebrow. She dropped back a pace, to where = Adam and Amanda were glumly walking side by side. She boldly nudged. "Huh?" Adam timidly blinked out of his dark thoughts. "Are you all right = Jessie?" "Ponchita?" Race called back. "I just twisted my ankle dad," she pouted at his paternal glower. 'I wonder what was that all about?' Adam mused telepathically. 'Maybe Jessie likes you,' Amanda returned with a playful lilt. 'That I highly doubt,' he returned, watching Jessie pass a confused cum = jealous Jonny. 'It looks like she was more after a rouse out of him. And = she's got it!' 'Maybe ---' Her thoughts drifted off into concerns over to someone else. "Mandy," Alice brightly motioned her over. "Would you care to begin your = lessons now about Earth?" Amanda's eyes eagerly brightened for the first time in hours. "I wonder what Alice and Amanda are up to," Race mused aloud, as the two = women skirted to the head of the group, with Alice patiently pointing at = some harmless moss growing on a tree truck. "Whatever it is, I approve," Doctor Quest answered. Jessie pouted, then shot a charged gaze at Jonny. "And I'm beginning to = think it isn't a good idea!" "What idea is that Ponchita?" her father had to ask. "Oh, it was something Jonny and I came up with to make Amanda feel = better," she swallowed, tucking her hands behind her back, feeling edgy = under Adam's potent gaze. "Anyway, it would have been easier to convince = Surd to take up knitting!" Jonny snorted into his palm. Then whispered directly into her ear, which = caused her to giggle. Race caught the name of Hadji, but his demanding = glare brought only sheepish glances from his daughter and charge. "I = swear the kids are up to something Doctor Quest." "Ahh, the conspiracies of youth," the scientist pocketed his hands. So = unlike Jonny and Jess, from whose postures, and expressions Doctor Quest = assumed they were going to launch some great surprise or degrade into an = equally loud argument, should it fail, his East Indian ward ambled = silently, wrapped in his own thoughts, slightly to the left and ahead of = the group. "Hadji?" Quest hazard. "Would you care to talk?" "No Doctor Quest," the young Sultan of Bangalore responded. "I am only = saddened." Alice and Amanda suddenly stopped, and turned. 'Saddened?' Alice = telepathed quizzically. "You and your crew are leaving us," he glumly explained. "Taking Amanda = with you." "Hadji, you know you and your family are always welcomed," Alice gripped = him. "The choice is still your father's. Adam, you are also welcomed, = and the decision is yours." "Captain," he smiled gently. "I appreciate your offer, however, I'm even = more bound to the Ship and to Earth. Amanda," he hugged her briefly. = "I'm returning to the Ship, to start repairs." "Take care, my friend," she stepped back to allow him to teleport out. "And you know my answer, and my reasons, Alice," Quest gathered his = sons, as Amanda turned away. She achingly searched the skies for the = memorized patterns of stars around the Trig. However, the night was not = deep enough for the faint glimmer of its backbone. "Destiny is a difficult star to follow," Amanda muttered, facing them = once again. Hadji quizzically looked at her, before his eyes nervously = darted away. Jessie Bannon snorted, folding her arms, just like her = father does when faced by a stubborn opponent. "And you all must follow = your stars, as I must follow mine." "Spoken very wisely Amanda," Alice nudged. "Benton, I'm receiving = telemetry from Ruth-ma. Engineer and her dolphin techs have sealed the = Starseer. We should be leaving..." Amanda suddenly startled, then dropped her gaze, moving with her Shaman = to say good-bye to her new found family. "Take care, Mandy," Race pumped = her hand in his vice like grip. "I'll try, Race," she still felt a little self conscious over using his = preferred nick name. At least his aura no longer grate against hers. Facing Jessie next, his fiery daughter, tentatively raised a foot, as if = to step away, then dropped it. "Oh, what the hey," she pulled her into a = rough embrace. "Mandy, you and I just met an' all, but Jonny's right. = You are pretty cool, in a weird way." "Jess," Race hissed. Jonny hugged her in a similar manner. "Trust me, there is nothing = between Adam and Jessie." "And you thought?!" Jess steamed. Doctor Quest and Race exchanged = knowing glances, believing that Jessie Bannon felt that Jonny was = holding Amanda a pause too long. "How dare you even think! Adam is at = least four years older!!" Even Amanda giggled at that one. "And I was worried about making foolish mistakes," she gently added. "Keep us in your thoughts Mandy," Jonny repeated a sincere wish that the = Healer told him earlier, as his palms slid down her arms. "Doctor Quest?" Amanda weakly fluttered her arms, not knowing what to = expect from him. He could be as simple or as difficult to read as her = father. Which presented her with a dilemma. The more time she spent with = the scientist, the more he reminded her of dad. She could not have that, = for the feelings could never be complete, for even the very reminder was = too painful for now to endure. His eyes were shimmering, as he swept his = arms tightly about her, and held her silently like her father = occasionally had in the past. "I too understand destiny," he looked at = Alice. "You took a great risk in leaving your parents to do what had to = be done." "I know, ---I'm afraid --- I've hurt them terribly sir. Then I think of = Adam, and his friends, Mega, Ami and Jade. It was their choice to follow = their leader." "It sounds like your parents did not have the choice, but to leave," he = tenderly kissed her brow. "For years, I quietly researched the Tomorrow = People, half believing the reports, which is good, since at best they're = only half true. Look, Amanda, where ever you go, whatever you do, you'll = always be a part of my family. You have a home with us." Jonny and Jess exchanged glances. Alice came forward, to embrace and kissed her lover, as Amanda regarded = Hadji. Then shyly, they stared at their shoes. "Come on," Jonny hissed, = with a poke between Hadji's bony shoulders. "Adam's just a fellow TP to = her! It's now or never!" "Jonny, this isn't proper." Jessie began to angle away from the group. "What are you three up to?" = Race softly demanded, as Alice tenderly whispered good-bye to Quest. = "Us?" his daughter blinked innocently pointing at herself. "Amanda ---" Starseer quietly reminded her. "It's about time." "Yes," the teenager moaned in a torn tone. "Mandy," Hadji cleared his throat as he modestly curled his fingers = about her hands. "Er we --- you and I are both, well ---" He stumbled = back into gawking into her eyes. "So much for Mister Proverb for every occasion," Jonny impatiently = rolled his eyes. "Trying to get those two together is like lining up two repelling = magnets!" Jess huffed. "So that's what you two were up to," Race chuckled in relief. "Hadji and = Amanda simply wish to be---" The couple in question impulsively, and somewhat clumsily kissed, = tensing as if to teleport in opposite directions out of sheer = embarrassment. "All right!!" Jessie high fived Jonny in triumph. "That's enough you two," Quest grumbled. "Since you harassed Hadji and = Mandy into this, I want you both to apologize---"=20 "Er Doc---" Race cleared his throat. "I think that point passed a couple = seconds ago." "Oh my---" Jessie gasped, upon seeing Hadji and Amanda nestled so = comfortably in one another's arms, as if they knew one another for = years. They broke the kiss slowly, but their bright eyes remained locked = in a private dance. Doctor Quest softly groaned, as Race stared off in = the distance. Both men had experienced their share of embraces and = gazes, but to see a couple of teenagers engaged so lovingly, it was = disconcerting. Only Alice and Jonny were grinning, when Hadji and Amanda = reluctantly parted. With a final nuzzle, Hadji whispered something Hindi into her ear. = Amanda beamed as only an empathic TP or angel could. Alice glanced into = her face, "They are coming for us. Ready?" "I think so." Alice raised her hand and voice into a chant. "HI YAA JAA!" A globe of = light descended on the two women, split apart covering them in its = piercing glow, before raising toward the stars. "Amanda really got to me," Quest admitted softly. "And it wasn't = entirely with her charm either." "I know what you mean Doc," Race shifted, and yawned, as his daughter = joined his charges into staring up into the skies. "But the Company did = get one thing right, if TP should come into your life, they'll turn it = upside down!" "Way to go Hadji!" Jonny thunked his brother on the back. "Earth to = Hadji?" "Oh couldn't you leave well enough alone for once, Jonny," Jess sassed. = "Can't you tell he's still in shock?" "From a kiss?" the fourteen year old sounded particularly dubious. = "Although that was quite a kiss!" "That and the fact we'll never see Amanda again!" she declared in = satisfaction. "I won't be so certain about that Jess. We all thought we wouldn't see = Alice again when she left with her grandfather," her father pointed out. "Well," she fudged, then grinned at Hadji when he cleared his dreamy = thoughts. "Welcome back! By the way, you're one smooth operator. It's a = shame that Amanda is going away with Alice." Hadji was about to protest 'the smooth operator' bit, then decided to = correct Jess instead. "Amanda isn't going away with Alice. She told me = that when the Starseer is repaired, and the Voyager is space worthy once = again, Amanda is staying on Earth. With Adam and the Ship." "When did she tell you all of that?" Quest demanded. "While we kissed," Hadji blushed. "She and I shared --- a lot. Amanda = believes that they won't be alone for long. She believes there is a cure = for Ami and Jade. There are other Tomorrow People who will --- join = them, soon.." "Crazy sixteen year old adolescent," the scientist grumbled, pinching = his nose. "You?" Jonny whispered. "Yes," Hadji felt his face flush. "As well as thousands of others." "Thousands of Tomorrow People?" Race echoed suspiciously. "Millions, in fact most of humanity have potions of psionic alles within = their genetic makeup." "Then, humankind is evolving, into a more peaceful, intelligent = species," Doctor Quest concluded. "I guess they are simply waiting for = us to join them." "I don't know if that is a good thing or not, Doctor," Race darkly = mutter. "Now, aren't you glad that you hadn't adopted Amanda?"=20 "Adopt?" Hadji seized the word. "Why that would be improper in the = extreme!" "Whoa Hadj, what's so wrong?" Jonny got out in surprise. "It would have = meant that Mandy---" "But don't you see, that would have made Amanda, my sister!!" Hadji was = furious. "What's so wrong---?" his younger brother pouted. "Oh Jonny, this is so romantic!" "Jessie, I know you're jealous. Amanda would've made a great sister!" he = would not let go. "Perhaps for you," Hadji huffed, "But not for me!" "I think I know where this is going," Doctor Quest moaned. "Opps in all of the excitement, I forgot about Mrs. Evans waiting for me = to pick her up at the airport," Race mischievously grinned. "Would you = care to tag along?" "Not until this 'I can't have my girlfriend as a sister' figured out," = Jonny rudely sliced in. "The situation would become indelicate, inappropriate, indecent---" = Hadji took a deep breath. "I do not disagree to any charity you would = wish to extend to her, Doctor Quest, but should you adopt Amanda, I must = return to Bangalore." "Wait a minute Race," Quest groaned. "Listening to Mrs. Evans' sister's = travails over the fifth anniversary of her gall stone removal, has got = to better than this!!" "I thought they would never leave," Jess laughed at their departing = fathers. "You actually believe that Hadj? You would go back to Bangalore, if Dad = adopted Amanda??" Jonny tried to comfort him. Hadji returned his gaze to the twinkling stars. "Yes, I do. Back on the = Ship, Amanda pledged her mind and hands to me. To bring up Jonny's = computer link." "Then does this mean, you're serious?" Jess worriedly nudged him. "About = Mandy?" His eyes slid onto her expectant features. "I can be, but --- I must = capture her heart first. With Amanda, that is the most difficult, for = her mind is so busy with thoughts on the Tomorrow People. Right now, I = don't know if I should even attempt to --- share my feelings. I hope --- = my love for the people of Bangalore is at least half as great as hers = for her people!" "Oh Hadji," Jess settled her qualms with a tomboyish hug. "There's more," he sniffed. "I offered Mandy my heart, but she wouldn't = take it." "Remember Elisia? Annylla? Dad's right about this, you shouldn't rush = into betrothing yourself." "I know my friend," he wearily sighed. "But Amanda left me with a far = more thoughtful gift. The image of a pair of passing star systems, being = pulled together by their gravitational wells, ultimately sharing their = planets between them." "Two passing star systems?" Jessie quizzed, her mind filled with the = resultant chaos that would cause to their attendant planets. Why the = gravity could just as easily rip apart the stars themselves, instead of = forming a stable double star system. Should that happen to Sol, that = would simply wiped life out on Earth. Jonny had only a cocky smile and one word. "Cool!" ------=_NextPart_000_0037_01BF9756.4592E660 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Tomorrow's Prize Part 20/20 By Dianne Elliott wladams@comp.uark.edu This is a cross universe story, involving both the Tomorrow People = and Jonny=20 Quest The Real Adventures. This novella is complete in ten parts. Rating PG for adventure Legalities: Roger Price and Thames River Television are the copy = write=20 holders to both series of Tomorrow People. Hanna Barbera and Turner = Television=20 are the creators and owners of Jonny Quest. I mean no infringement on=20 copyright. Jonny sighed, then glanced across to Jessie Bannon, who tossed him a = hopeless=20 shrug. Amanda was not in one of her more conversive moods, or perhaps = was in=20 deep telepathic communication with Adam. Jessie shot Jonny an impish = lift of her=20 eyebrow. She dropped back a pace, to where Adam and Amanda were glumly = walking=20 side by side. She boldly nudged. "Huh?" Adam timidly blinked out of his dark thoughts. = "Are you=20 all right Jessie?" "Ponchita?" Race called back. "I just twisted my ankle dad," she pouted at his paternal=20 glower. 'I wonder what was that all about?' Adam mused telepathically. 'Maybe Jessie likes you,' Amanda returned with a playful lilt. 'That I highly doubt,' he returned, watching Jessie pass a confused = cum=20 jealous Jonny. 'It looks like she was more after a rouse out of him. And = she's=20 got it!' 'Maybe ---' Her thoughts drifted off into concerns over to someone = else. "Mandy," Alice brightly motioned her over. "Would you = care to=20 begin your lessons now about Earth?" Amanda's eyes eagerly brightened for the first time in hours. "I wonder what Alice and Amanda are up to," Race mused = aloud, as=20 the two women skirted to the head of the group, with Alice patiently = pointing at=20 some harmless moss growing on a tree truck. "Whatever it is, I approve," Doctor Quest answered. Jessie pouted, then shot a charged gaze at Jonny. "And I'm = beginning to=20 think it isn't a good idea!" "What idea is that Ponchita?" her father had to ask. "Oh, it was something Jonny and I came up with to make Amanda = feel=20 better," she swallowed, tucking her hands behind her back, feeling = edgy=20 under Adam's potent gaze. "Anyway, it would have been easier to = convince=20 Surd to take up knitting!" Jonny snorted into his palm. Then whispered directly into her ear, = which=20 caused her to giggle. Race caught the name of Hadji, but his demanding = glare=20 brought only sheepish glances from his daughter and charge. "I = swear the=20 kids are up to something Doctor Quest." "Ahh, the conspiracies of youth," the scientist pocketed = his hands.=20 So unlike Jonny and Jess, from whose postures, and expressions Doctor = Quest=20 assumed they were going to launch some great surprise or degrade into an = equally=20 loud argument, should it fail, his East Indian ward ambled silently, = wrapped in=20 his own thoughts, slightly to the left and ahead of the group.=20 "Hadji?" Quest hazard. "Would you care to talk?" "No Doctor Quest," the young Sultan of Bangalore responded. = "I=20 am only saddened." Alice and Amanda suddenly stopped, and turned. 'Saddened?' Alice = telepathed=20 quizzically. "You and your crew are leaving us," he glumly explained.=20 "Taking Amanda with you." "Hadji, you know you and your family are always welcomed," = Alice=20 gripped him. "The choice is still your father's. Adam, you are also = welcomed, and the decision is yours." "Captain," he smiled gently. "I appreciate your offer, = however, I'm even more bound to the Ship and to Earth. Amanda," he = hugged=20 her briefly. "I'm returning to the Ship, to start = repairs." "Take care, my friend," she stepped back to allow him to = teleport=20 out. "And you know my answer, and my reasons, Alice," Quest = gathered his=20 sons, as Amanda turned away. She achingly searched the skies for the = memorized=20 patterns of stars around the Trig. However, the night was not deep = enough for=20 the faint glimmer of its backbone. "Destiny is a difficult star to follow," Amanda muttered, = facing=20 them once again. Hadji quizzically looked at her, before his eyes = nervously=20 darted away. Jessie Bannon snorted, folding her arms, just like her = father does=20 when faced by a stubborn opponent. "And you all must follow your = stars, as=20 I must follow mine." "Spoken very wisely Amanda," Alice nudged. "Benton, = I'm=20 receiving telemetry from Ruth-ma. Engineer and her dolphin techs have = sealed the=20 Starseer. We should be leaving..." Amanda suddenly startled, then dropped her gaze, moving with her = Shaman to=20 say good-bye to her new found family. "Take care, Mandy," Race = pumped=20 her hand in his vice like grip. "I'll try, Race," she still felt a little self conscious = over using=20 his preferred nick name. At least his aura no longer grate against = hers. Facing Jessie next, his fiery daughter, tentatively raised a foot, as = if to=20 step away, then dropped it. "Oh, what the hey," she pulled her = into a=20 rough embrace. "Mandy, you and I just met an' all, but Jonny's = right. You=20 are pretty cool, in a weird way." "Jess," Race hissed. Jonny hugged her in a similar manner. "Trust me, there is = nothing=20 between Adam and Jessie." "And you thought?!" Jess steamed. Doctor Quest and Race = exchanged=20 knowing glances, believing that Jessie Bannon felt that Jonny was = holding Amanda=20 a pause too long. "How dare you even think! Adam is at least four = years=20 older!!" Even Amanda giggled at that one. "And I was worried about making foolish mistakes," she = gently=20 added. "Keep us in your thoughts Mandy," Jonny repeated a sincere = wish=20 that the Healer told him earlier, as his palms slid down her arms. "Doctor Quest?" Amanda weakly fluttered her arms, not = knowing what=20 to expect from him. He could be as simple or as difficult to read as her = father.=20 Which presented her with a dilemma. The more time she spent with the = scientist,=20 the more he reminded her of dad. She could not have that, for the = feelings could=20 never be complete, for even the very reminder was too painful for now to = endure.=20 His eyes were shimmering, as he swept his arms tightly about her, and = held her=20 silently like her father occasionally had in the past. "I too = understand=20 destiny," he looked at Alice. "You took a great risk in = leaving your=20 parents to do what had to be done." "I know, ---I'm afraid --- I've hurt them terribly sir. Then I = think of=20 Adam, and his friends, Mega, Ami and Jade. It was their choice to follow = their=20 leader." "It sounds like your parents did not have the choice, but to=20 leave," he tenderly kissed her brow. "For years, I quietly = researched=20 the Tomorrow People, half believing the reports, which is good, since at = best=20 they're only half true. Look, Amanda, where ever you go, whatever you = do, you'll=20 always be a part of my family. You have a home with us." Jonny and Jess exchanged glances. Alice came forward, to embrace and kissed her lover, as Amanda = regarded=20 Hadji. Then shyly, they stared at their shoes. "Come on," = Jonny=20 hissed, with a poke between Hadji's bony shoulders. "Adam's just a = fellow=20 TP to her! It's now or never!" "Jonny, this isn't proper." Jessie began to angle away from the group. "What are you three = up=20 to?" Race softly demanded, as Alice tenderly whispered good-bye to = Quest.=20 "Us?" his daughter blinked innocently pointing at herself. "Amanda ---" Starseer quietly reminded her. "It's = about=20 time." "Yes," the teenager moaned in a torn tone. "Mandy," Hadji cleared his throat as he modestly curled his = fingers=20 about her hands. "Er we --- you and I are both, well ---" He = stumbled=20 back into gawking into her eyes. "So much for Mister Proverb for every occasion," Jonny = impatiently=20 rolled his eyes. "Trying to get those two together is like lining up two = repelling=20 magnets!" Jess huffed. "So that's what you two were up to," Race chuckled in = relief.=20 "Hadji and Amanda simply wish to be---" The couple in question impulsively, and somewhat clumsily kissed, = tensing as=20 if to teleport in opposite directions out of sheer embarrassment. = "All=20 right!!" Jessie high fived Jonny in triumph. "That's enough you two," Quest grumbled. "Since you = harassed=20 Hadji and Mandy into this, I want you both to apologize---" "Er Doc---" Race cleared his throat. "I think that = point=20 passed a couple seconds ago." "Oh my---" Jessie gasped, upon seeing Hadji and Amanda = nestled so=20 comfortably in one another's arms, as if they knew one another for = years. They=20 broke the kiss slowly, but their bright eyes remained locked in a = private dance.=20 Doctor Quest softly groaned, as Race stared off in the distance. Both = men had=20 experienced their share of embraces and gazes, but to see a couple of = teenagers=20 engaged so lovingly, it was disconcerting. Only Alice and Jonny were = grinning,=20 when Hadji and Amanda reluctantly parted. With a final nuzzle, Hadji whispered something Hindi into her ear. = Amanda=20 beamed as only an empathic TP or angel could. Alice glanced into her = face,=20 "They are coming for us. Ready?" "I think so." Alice raised her hand and voice into a chant. "HI YAA JAA!" = A globe=20 of light descended on the two women, split apart covering them in its = piercing=20 glow, before raising toward the stars. "Amanda really got to me," Quest admitted softly. "And = it=20 wasn't entirely with her charm either." "I know what you mean Doc," Race shifted, and yawned, as = his=20 daughter joined his charges into staring up into the skies. "But = the=20 Company did get one thing right, if TP should come into your life, = they'll turn=20 it upside down!" "Way to go Hadji!" Jonny thunked his brother on the back.=20 "Earth to Hadji?" "Oh couldn't you leave well enough alone for once, Jonny," = Jess=20 sassed. "Can't you tell he's still in shock?" "From a kiss?" the fourteen year old sounded particularly = dubious.=20 "Although that was quite a kiss!" "That and the fact we'll never see Amanda again!" she = declared in=20 satisfaction. "I won't be so certain about that Jess. We all thought we = wouldn't see=20 Alice again when she left with her grandfather," her father pointed = out. "Well," she fudged, then grinned at Hadji when he cleared = his=20 dreamy thoughts. "Welcome back! By the way, you're one smooth = operator.=20 It's a shame that Amanda is going away with Alice." Hadji was about to protest 'the smooth operator' bit, then decided to = correct=20 Jess instead. "Amanda isn't going away with Alice. She told me that = when=20 the Starseer is repaired, and the Voyager is space worthy once again, = Amanda is=20 staying on Earth. With Adam and the Ship." "When did she tell you all of that?" Quest demanded. "While we kissed," Hadji blushed. "She and I shared = --- a lot.=20 Amanda believes that they won't be alone for long. She believes there is = a cure=20 for Ami and Jade. There are other Tomorrow People who will --- join = them,=20 soon.." "Crazy sixteen year old adolescent," the scientist = grumbled,=20 pinching his nose. "You?" Jonny whispered. "Yes," Hadji felt his face flush. "As well as = thousands of=20 others." "Thousands of Tomorrow People?" Race echoed=20 suspiciously. "Millions, in fact most of humanity have potions = of=20 psionic alles within their genetic makeup." "Then, humankind is evolving, into a more peaceful, intelligent=20 species," Doctor Quest concluded. "I guess they are simply = waiting for=20 us to join them." "I don't know if that is a good thing or not, Doctor," Race = darkly=20 mutter. "Now, aren't you glad that you hadn't adopted Amanda?" = "Adopt?" Hadji seized the word. "Why that would be = improper in=20 the extreme!" "Whoa Hadj, what's so wrong?" Jonny got out in surprise. = "It=20 would have meant that Mandy---" "But don't you see, that would have made Amanda, my = sister!!" Hadji=20 was furious. "What's so wrong---?" his younger brother pouted. "Oh Jonny, this is so romantic!" "Jessie, I know you're jealous. Amanda would've made a great=20 sister!" he would not let go. "Perhaps for you," Hadji huffed, "But not for = me!" "I think I know where this is going," Doctor Quest = moaned. "Opps in all of the excitement, I forgot about Mrs. Evans = waiting for me=20 to pick her up at the airport," Race mischievously grinned. = "Would you=20 care to tag along?" "Not until this 'I can't have my girlfriend as a sister' figured = out," Jonny rudely sliced in. "The situation would become indelicate, inappropriate, = indecent---"=20 Hadji took a deep breath. "I do not disagree to any charity you = would wish=20 to extend to her, Doctor Quest, but should you adopt Amanda, I must = return to=20 Bangalore." "Wait a minute Race," Quest groaned. "Listening to = Mrs. Evans'=20 sister's travails over the fifth anniversary of her gall stone removal, = has got=20 to better than this!!" "I thought they would never leave," Jess laughed at their = departing=20 fathers. "You actually believe that Hadj? You would go back to Bangalore, = if Dad=20 adopted Amanda??" Jonny tried to comfort him. Hadji returned his gaze to the twinkling stars. "Yes, I do. Back = on the=20 Ship, Amanda pledged her mind and hands to me. To bring up Jonny's = computer=20 link." "Then does this mean, you're serious?" Jess worriedly = nudged him.=20 "About Mandy?" His eyes slid onto her expectant features. "I can be, but --- I = must=20 capture her heart first. With Amanda, that is the most difficult, for = her mind=20 is so busy with thoughts on the Tomorrow People. Right now, I don't know = if I=20 should even attempt to --- share my feelings. I hope --- my love for the = people=20 of Bangalore is at least half as great as hers for her people!" "Oh Hadji," Jess settled her qualms with a tomboyish = hug. "There's more," he sniffed. "I offered Mandy my heart, = but she=20 wouldn't take it." "Remember Elisia? Annylla? Dad's right about this, you shouldn't = rush=20 into betrothing yourself." "I know my friend," he wearily sighed. "But Amanda = left me=20 with a far more thoughtful gift. The image of a pair of passing star = systems,=20 being pulled together by their gravitational wells, ultimately sharing = their=20 planets between them." "Two passing star systems?" Jessie quizzed, her mind filled = with=20 the resultant chaos that would cause to their attendant planets. Why the = gravity=20 could just as easily rip apart the stars themselves, instead of forming = a stable=20 double star system. Should that happen to Sol, that would simply wiped = life out=20 on Earth. Jonny had only a cocky smile and one word.=20 "Cool!"</DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0037_01BF9756.4592E660-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jeffl1965@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Part 18/20 Date: 26 Mar 2000 21:12:18 EST In a message dated 3/26/00 6:35:43 PM Central Standard Time, J2rider@aol.com writes: << Is it true he took orders from people and never sent them the books? >> Yes,besides me, there's about 2 or 3 people on this list. But dont post anything else about him here,its off-topic and you'll get spanked for it!! :) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jackie Clark <jackie@effdee.demon.co.uk> Subject: TPFICT: To Have and To Hold part 4 Date: 27 Mar 2000 18:45:41 +0100 To Have and to Hold By Jacqueline Clark An Original Series Story Part 4 of 7 Mike's story: For richer for poorer The Galactic Federation Trig, 1985 I never knew what it was like to have close family before I met them, of course I had me mum and sister and they were great but I was never checked up on before, never asked where I was going and what I was doing. After that episode with Lord Dunning they never trusted me for a long time. John was the worse but with Liz it was always like she really cared, even when she took me and me mates, the 'fresh hearts', around to our gigs she was always there to keep an eye on us. After a while I realised that she really did care and wanted to look out for us. It was like having a proper mum and dad but at the time I didn't see it. I just wanted to rebel and make trouble, like I would with a real mum. The more I thought of Liz as close family the more I noticed something between her and John, I never said a word until I was much older but I'm sure Stephen and Tyso knew it too. Of course the truth came out during that blending thing with Angie. Funny people the Manyarnern's they never 'ave any secrets, they know everything about each other. It gives me the creeps to think that someone else is inside my head all the time. Like I could never have an idea without someone ear wigging on me. Just think if John knew half the stuff I thought about, or got up to, my life wouldn't be worth livingàStill they, the Manyarnern's, usually keep themselves shielded and only let on secrets during one of their deep mind links. I think I forgot to mentionàWe were all living on the Trig at that time. The Federation had decided that Earth was too dangerous. It suited me fine, there was some heavy stuff that I had gotten involved with that I was pleased to get away from it in a hurry. The down side was living like sardines in a tin on that space station. Stephen and Tyso had been Galactic Federation coppers for a few years by then and like Tricia they got to jaunt all over the place, until Stephen met Angie, that is. Stephen had got married to her a few months before, this put John in a really bad mood, which he took out on me, as usual. I was stuck baby sitting Andrew and Hsui. Not that I minded too much she was good company, it's just that John was always on me back about something or other. 'Mike why can't you do this?' and 'Haven't you got something more constructive to do?' Anyway, Angie being the daughter of the Manyarnern ambassador, had gotten permission to go back to Earth. This made John's mood even worse. He kept making official protests to the high council but they never listened to a thing 'e said. So when she came back to the Trig a few months later, looking very pregnant, he was really annoyed with her. She asked Liz what was wrong and it was their conversation that got round to John's jealousy. Looking back I can see how much he did for us all, as our leader and friend. I can also see how much he had given up in order to take on that role. So when Stephen got married and side stepped the Federation laws to go back and live on Earth, leaving the rest of us behind, it's no wonder that he got mad. Liz, loyal to John as ever, had tried to pretend nothing was wrong but Angie has this terrible way of getting under your skin, of digging around in your head until you tell the truth. It was then that she found out how much Liz was in love with John and decided to tell the rest of usà ****************** The Manyarnern Ambassadorial Suite. "So that's the whole story." Said Angie. "Liz is sure he loves her too but is too proud to admit it." "I have been certain that John was keeping part of himself closed off from the rest of us since I first came to join you." Commented Hsui Tai. "Do you remember how upset he was after that incident with Sarah?" I nodded. "It's like he never really lets himself go and enjoy life like the rest of us. He always has to be proper and responsible. Really boring like that." Hsui gave me one of her looks. "John is just trying to do what's right for all our sakes." "Yes, but he seems so unhappy. Can't we help him out?" Asked Andrew. "I have a suggestion." Said Angie hesitantly. "We could ask them to join with us in a blending ceremony. This is a ritual used on my planet all the time, everyone opens themselves up to each other and shares their inner most thoughts." I didn't like the sound of this, what if they found out all the stuff I didn't want them to know? "You mean they share everything?" I mumbled Angie turned towards me and I could feel her strength as she prodded telepathically at the edges of my mind. "Yes, what's wrong with that? I can sense that it makes you feel apprehensive." "Who me? No. I've got nothing to hide." As soon as I said it, I regretted it. The denial had been enough to open my mind telepathically and in the next instant she was linked into me. (Do not fear Mike, you may have 'fingers in many pies?') she lifted the words directly from my thoughts. (But you do not have to tell the others anything that you do not wish to. I do not intend to cause more trouble between you and John, there is enough animosity between him and Stephen already. I could not bear to think I upset the lives of the Tomorrow People so much.) (Can the others hear this?) I pathed. (No, this is a private link on my own personal channel.) (I'll take your word for it.) I gave her a half smile. (I know that you want to help us but we are not used to being soà open. When I broke out I was pleased to have me special powers but I had gotton on fine before I had them and never wanted to use them so much. Living here on the Trig has been difficult, we may not be like the Saps but we didn't live such different lives you know. All this linking and bonding and stuff. It feelsà) I paused. (Unnatural?) she suggested. (Yes, that's it.) (I never knew that you found it so difficult to fit in here, what would you say if I could get the council to let you go back home.) (Really? You would do that for us?) (Of course, after all we are family now. I may be joined to Stephen but he is and always will be a Tomorrow Person. We are all on the same side.) "Well then, that's settled." She said returning to speech. "We will tell them that it is part of Manyarnern law always performed prior to the birth of a child and then let them find out each others feelings themselves." ********************** The next day, Elizabeth's quarters. We all sat around the table and Angie took the lead. "Blending ceremonies usually have a lens to focus the thoughts." She said. "I'm not too sure how to do this but I can probably channel through my mind in order to link each of us at a deep unconscious level. There is nothing to be afraid of it's quite a joyous experience." "Let's get on with it then." Remarked John gruffly. Closing my eyes I was suddenly aware of the strong telepathic link which had formed between us. In the middle, yes I know mind links don't have a middle, but that's what it felt like, there was Angie's consciousness. It formed a sort of bridge and we all flowed across it until we found ourselves in a familiar place, the lab. (How did we get here?) Asked Andrew, slumping down on a nearby couch. John ran his fingers across the coarse material of the seat cushions before sitting down beside him. (In reality we are not here at all, this is a sort of shared vision. Our bodies are still around the table in Liz' quarters. But I must admit it feels very real.) (Yes.) Added Hsui. (It does look very real.) (Actually we are not sharing it.) I said. (One of us is generating the image and the others just have access to the thoughts. In fact, John, I think this is your dreamscape.) He looked across at me in disbelief, his voice had a sarcastic tone which told me I had hit on a raw nerve. (Since when did you become an expert of Manyarnern religious practices?) (I didn't know that I wasà maybe yesterday when Angie was linked to meà) John's crossed his arms in an attempt to show disinterest, but I could tell that he was extremely curious about everything to do with Angie and Manyarnern culture. (I didn't know you two were on such intimate terms these days!) Choosing to ignore his comments I continued to explain. (Yesterday, when she suggested that we hold a blending ceremony I was ratherà unsure, about the idea. She linked to my mind and explained what it would be like, that's all. I suppose she might have put information directly into my memory which we could use today.) It was only then that I realised that Angie had not joined us in the link. (It makes sense seeing that she's not here.) The others looked around the room. It was just as we left it the day we moved out. The equipment racks were empty of their various gadgets. TIM's conduits hung silently overhead and his mobile platform stood motionless in between the couches but apart from us there was no one else there. (I wonder why John created the lab as a place for us to be during the blending?) Commented Tricia. Elizabeth stepped forward and stroked the illuminated globe which formed part of TIM. (That's obvious. The Lab is at the centre of our collective unconscious because it is at the centre of our lives. We're here because it means so much to us. This is where it all began.) (And what does that mean! Where what began?) Demanded John. (None of this is making any sense. I thought we were here to find out about Angie not perform some sort of psychoanalyses on ourselves. I thought you'd be the last one to let all this Manyarnern spiritual clap trap go to your head Liz.) Hsui, Andrew and me began to snigger at John's comments and suddenly the vision faded into blackness. It was replaced by the image of a small room. Stunned by the sudden change, it was Tricia who spoke up first. (Where are we now?) (This is my old digs in London.) Replied Liz. (Where I lived before I moved into the Lab for good. This must be my dreamscapeà I never knew I remembered it with such affection.) John's body visibly stiffened. (So why have you brought us here?) (Don't blame Liz.) I said. (She cannot help it if her unconscious feels that there is some sort of unresolved issue which needs to be sorted out.) (Thank you Sigmund, but there is no issue. No need for us to sort ourselves out. We are all perfectly happy the way things are and don't need an alien we hardly know meddling in our personal affairs.) John had clearly had enough and stomped across the room as if to leave. (No John ,) said Liz, (please don't give up. There is an issue here that none of us have faced yet.) As she said this the walls faded into nothingness and were replaced by the familiar surroundings of her cabin back in the Lab. (I know you feel as we do. We miss our home and want to go back.) (And you think I don't? I've been trying for the past few months to overturn the Federation decision to exile us here. I've done everything I can to get back home. Do you think that I want to remain on the Trig for the rest of my life?) (Of course not John. But where we live is not the issue here.) Commented Tricia. John gave Tricia a hard stare. (So, would you like to let tell me exactly what you think the issue is?) Behind his calm exterior his anger was only just held in check and we all knew that he could explode at any moment. (No Tricia.) Said Liz. (This is for me to explain. It's my problem, mine and John's and I think it's time we were honest with one another. Do you recall the day I moved into the lab, the conversation we had that evening?) John was taken aback by Liz' direct approach (Yes, of course I remember very well. I was worried that you thought I had forced you to move but you told me that it was what you wanted. Are you telling me now that you have resented me all these years over something as trivial as that!) (No John, it's not that part of the conversation that I'm talking about, it was what you said just before you left. Something concerning honour and duty and giving up our personal happiness. Well I have given it up for long enough, it's time for us to think of ourselves and take what we want from life. Ever since Stephen married Angie you have been in a bad temper. We tolerate it because it's you and we respect you, but it's high time you stopped being so angry with him and accepted that he was free to get on with his own life in any way he wanted.) As her words sunk in John's expression began to change. His mouth opened as if he was about to speak but for the first time since I had known him he was lost for words. John, the one who had an opinion on everything, the undisputed leader of the Tomorrow People who bossed us around as if it was a vocation, was stunned and had absolutely no idea what to do next. Seizing the opportunity I decided to add my own thoughts to Liz' comments. (You know your trouble John. You are jealous of Stephen. Jealous and angry because he went off and married without your permission and then managed to do the thing you haven't been able to do. To get back home.) I wondered whether I had pushed him too far and a worried look from Liz warned me to shut my mouth before I got into any more trouble. I decided that caution might be a safe bet and immediately apologized. (Look John, I'm sorry I didn't mean that. It's just that you've been in a really bad mood for months and we don't like to see you like that.) A light nod from Liz told me that I had said enough to make up for my earlier outburst. (He's right John.) She added. (Stephen's marriage does seem to have upset you and I'm worried about what it's doing to your friendship.) At last John found his voice and this time it was not anger in his tone. (Do you all think I'm jealous of Stephen because he got married? I'm very happy that he met Angie. I do admit to being angered by the Federation's continued refusal of my request that we also be allowed to return to Earth. But it didn't seem to be so bad living here. Now you tell me that I've been in a bad mood and taking it out on you? Do you all agree with Liz and Mike? Do you all feel like this?) He looked around the group and one by one they nodded. He then turned to face Liz directly. (You said that you had given up your own personal happiness by living here, that you wanted to be back in control of your life. I'm sorry if I've been holding you back. If there is another place that you want to live. Sophia perhaps, or Adonesia with Carol, you are free to go I will not stand in your way.) Elizabeth smiled warmly. (You know the old saying 'home is where the heart is'. Well my heart is with you, where ever you live will be my home, be it here or back on Earth. I want to be with you John, because I love you.) For the second time in the conversation Liz' comments stunned John into silence. He lowered his gaze and stared at the floor like a child who has been caught doing something wrong. (Ià Ià) Liz walked across and put her finger to his lips. (No John, you do not have to say anything here or now. Just as long as you promise to think about what I've said and share your thoughts with me one day. I know how seriously you take being a TP, all I ask is that you think of yourself for a change and try to do what will make you happyà) In the next instant I found myself back at my seat around the table in Liz' quarters. We all sat in silence for a short while then following Tricia's lead made our excuses and prepared to jaunt away. "I think you two have a lot to talk about." Said Angie as she stood and walked across the room. "But there is one thing I'd like to say before you discuss your future together. I think it's time I used my influence to get the council to change their ruling and allow us all to return to Earth. I'll talk to them as soon as I return from Manyarner." ****************** Corrour Sta, Scotland. January 1989 True to her word Angie did arrange for us to go back home. At first we lived together in the lab and many of the old tensions between me and John came back We all knew that they fancied each other like mad but apart from a few dates they had never done anything to make the relationship more permanent. It was after the death of Stephen's parents in 1988 that he left John and Liz in charge of renovating that big old house in Scotland that I finally spoke up. John was being his usual bossy self and making all the decisions, which left Liz and Hsui time to jaunt around the world shopping for stuff to decorate it with. I spent a lot of time with him that winter and tried really hard to get along with him, somehow it always ended up in a disagreement over something or other and I would jaunt back to the lab to watch the telly in peace and quiet. One particular argument led to us not speaking for days and I remember how wonderful Liz was at sorting things out. Then, without warning, I hit a raw nerve during an quarrel and it paved the way for us to sort out, once and for all, our misunderstandings. We had just returned from Grahame Truscot's office in London. John had not really wanted me with him and only agreed to take me at TIM's insistence. As we stepped off the jaunting pad he immediately laid into me. "Did you have to say those things to him? I have entrusted my money to his accountancy firm for many years and they have always invested it wisely." "What did I say that was so wrong?" "You know damn well what you said. You practically accused the man of ripping us off! I just wish Mike, that you'd learn to let me take the lead. I've been in charge of things around here for a long time and up until now we've had everything we needed. The Tomorrow Foundation patents and distributes by inventions and it brings in enough money to run both labs. Accusing the man of cheating us and keeping money for himself was inexcusable." "I never did nothing of the sort!" I replied indignantly. "Your problem, John, is that you're such a middle class snob. You've never known what it was like to go without supper 'cos you're mum has not been paid for a month. You grew up in your well off semi-detached family home, a clone of all the other families in the neighborhood. You have never gone without nofink and you think that gives you the right to tell us how we should live our lives. Just because you trust the man doesn't mean I have to as well. You've had things your own way around here for too long. I thought this was meant to be a democracy not a dictatorship. Even Liz can't stand to be near you any longer. She must be really glad that she never married you. You'd have her acting like a scivy tidying the lab all day long while you ruled over us like a little Hitler." Me and me big mouth, it always gets me in trouble. I knew that I'd pushed him too far but I also knew that I daren't take it back or he'd have won the battle. What really shocked me was that it wasn't my name calling which upset him the most but my comments about Liz. "I'd have you know young man. That whether Elizabeth and myself get married is none of your business and your comments on our personal life are not wanted around here. I think that you have said quite enough for one day and suggest that you go back home before I say something I'll regret later." Suddenly I saw a crack in his usually calm exterior. Taking a step away from him I swallowed hard and delivered my next blow. "So you have been thinking of marrying her then? You know your trouble John; you're just too uptight about doing what's right... You always have to have a bloody debate over everything and never just get on and do it! It's pathetic. I don't think you have the guts to do it!" Instantly the tension between us subsided and he actually began to laugh. This was the side of John that I liked the one that knew when to give up and see the funny side of things. Unfortunately he let this side of himself be seen rarely. Through his chuckling he managed to string a sentence together. "Since when did you get to be wise? I never even dreamed that I'd end up being told off by you!" "And since when did you get to be so pig-headed that you couldn't make a decision to marry her and get on with it!" John smiled. "Oh I've always been pig-headed just like you but I've never admitted it before." He straightened up and patted me on the shoulder. "Mike, you are right it is about time I married Liz and made both of us happy." "If marrying Liz makes you less moody around here we'll all be happy." ************************** ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jackie Clark <jackie@effdee.demon.co.uk> Subject: TPFICT: To Have and to hold Part 5 Date: 27 Mar 2000 18:47:05 +0100 To Have and To Hold Part 5 of 7 By Jacqueline Clark In sickness and in health: Chris' Story Corroua Sta, Scotland. It was that incident with the Tyrellian plague that clinched it for me. It was not for the first time that I had noticed something between Elizabeth and John. Years earlier, on our time travelling jaunt to Roman Britain, I had thought there was more to their friendship. Liz looked so beautiful in that costume and played the part of John's wife with such ease. It makes me smile now to think how puny Stephen looked in that fur cape and leather boots. Still, he had a strong nerve even back then and showed bravery well beyond his years. But I digress; it was definitely during their illness that John and Liz turned a corner. Funny what a few delirious hallucinations can reveal about a person. Shortly after Stephen left for Manyarner John called me up and asked me to help him install the equipment in the new lab. Not that I'm anywhere close to Stephen's skill with electronics, but I can hold a screwdriver and helped him assemble the conduits that make up part of TIM. We were working away one cold winter's day when the familiar voice of Tyso broke our concentration. "Hey there, can a simple gypsy boy lend you two a hand?" He joked. "Tyso!" Exclaimed John jumping down from the ladder and giving his old friend a warm handshake. "How on Earth did you get here? The last thing we heard was that you were in the outer reaches of the Pergona system." "Oh it's a long, and very boring, story. I just thought that as I was passing, on me way back, I'd pop into see me pals here on little old Earth." During the exchange we had not noticed Liz descend from the room above carrying steaming mugs of tea. "Well now that you are here you can stay long enough to tell us all about it." She said handing us each a mug. A few hours later we sat around the makeshift table in the centre of the large lounge. A roaring log fire burned brightly in the hearth and filled the room with the pungent scent of pine. Tyso had spent much of the evening telling of his travels and beguiling Hsui Tai with stories of foreign worlds and far away places. As the hall clock struck midnight we prepared to retire for the night. As he stood up Tyso seemed unsteady on his feet. "Is it me or is this room hot?" He remarked, reaching out to support himself on the nearby table. "I feel a bit woozy, I think I'll go outside for some fresh air before I go to bed." "You have been cooped up in a space ship too long, your lungs aren't used to real fresh air." Joked Mike. "I think I'll join you in a short walk before bed too." The too men waved us goodnight and headed out into the hallway. But Tyso didn't get much further than this. One minute he was striding purposely towards the front door, the next he was crumpled in a heap on the cold flag stones. John was the quickest to react and reached him a few seconds ahead of the rest of us. Crouching down he turned Tyso over to see his face. It was immediately obvious that he was very ill, his skin was pale and covered in a layer of sweat. His pupils were dilated and his entire body convulsed and twitched uncontrollably. The London Lab, An Hour Later. "Tim are you sure of your diagnosis?" "I'm afraid so John. The symptoms follow the pattern exactly. This is the first case of Tyrellian plague reported in the federation for thirty years. I have already informed the Federation's medical council and they have placed the Earth in total quarantine with immediate effect." "What does that mean?" Asked a worried Andrew. "That we are on our own." Replied Liz. Placing her hands on the edge of the bio bed she looked anxiously at Tyso. "And I'm guessing that the prognosis for this disease is not good, am I right TIM?" "Yes Elizabeth, there is no known cure for Tyrellian plague in the federation database, and the federation medics will offer us no assistance in looking for a cure. Unless we come up with some kind of treatment in the next few days Tyso will die." They all stood in stunned silence looking at the limp form of their old friend. At that moment I realised that they were not, in fact, silent at all but were holding an intense telepathic debate. One which I was not a party to. "Forgive my ignorance, but could someone please explain to me what Tyrellian plague actually is and how Tyso could have caught it?" "Yes of course Chris." Began John. "We're sorry to have dragged you into this mess. First let me tell you that you are quite safe, Tyrellian plague only affects telepaths. You cannot catch it." "Does that mean that the rest of you can?" "Yes, for all we know, Tyso has already passed it onto us and in a few short hours we will be lying here delirious like him. You see, it is caused by a virus that feeds off psionic energy. It infects the psi-center of a telepaths brain and slowly shuts down all other bodily functions until the host dies. The federation thought they had eradicated it from all open worlds but there are still planets that have occasional outbreaks of the disease. As you can guess, once all the possible hosts have died in an area the virus itself dies off. Poor Tyso, he was so thrilled to be travelling to new and unknown worlds, little did he know that he's come into contact with such a deadly disease." Liz returned to the couch and put her arm reassuringly around Hsui Tai. "Well I'm not going to just sit around and watch while each of us gets ill. Isn't there anything we can do?" "Your right." Replied John. "While we still have our strength I think we should all do as much as possible to find a cure." He turned towards me. "I'm sorry Chris, but we could do with some help. Do you mind sticking around for a few days?" I gave him a brave smile. "Of course, that's what friends are for. What would you like me to do first?" Over the next few days we worked feverishly looking for some insight that may lead to a cure for the plague. One by one the Tomorrow People all succumbed to its debilitating effects. Andrew was first, followed by Hsui and Mike. Liz held out for three days before she collapsed more from fatigue than anything else. After this John redoubled his efforts until he too was at the point of exhaustion. Between periods of culturing, scrutinizing and assessing samples of tissues, infected by the virus, he spent his time at Liz' bedside, mopping her forehead and offering words of comfort during her brief moments of lucidity. On one occasion I heard him speaking softly to her, begging her not to leave him and promising that he would find a cure if only she could hold on for a few more days. All she could manage was a weak smile in his direction but this was enough to give him renewed hope and he returned once more to his investigations. It was on the fifth day of their illness as Tyso lay on the verge of death that John seemed to loose all hope. He sat at his workbench studying blood and tissue samples taken from the others. After staring into the microscope for almost three hours he stretched and rubbed his eyes. "It's no good Chris, there is nothing that I can do. I've tried every kind of antibiotic and anti viral agent known. None of them have any effect." He let out a deep sigh and his whole body seemed to droop with fatigue. "What you need is some rest." I replied stepping forward and helping him onto one of the couches. "Why not try to get a little sleep before day break. Maybe things will look clearer in the morning." "I'm not sure if I've got until the morningà" He mumbled and quickly fell into a fitful sleep. Looking upwards I spoke directly to TIM. "Looks like it's just you and me now. Any suggestions for what I can do next?" "I suggest that you take some of your own advice. You have not had much rest either in the past few days." "I'll tell you what I really need. A stiff drink! You couldn't see your way to conjuring up a large whisky, could you?" Knowing how straight the Tomorrow People were about consumption of alcohol I was surprised to see a decanter and glass appear on the link table before me. Eagerly I leaned forward and poured myself a tumbler full of the shinning brown liquid. As it slipped down my throat I felt the tension in my muscles ease. "Why thanks TIM, I really needed that." A few minutes later I was fast asleep. I'm not sure how long we slept, but I was awakened by a loud noise as energy pulsed in TIM's tubes. Looking up at the jaunting pad the figure of a slim woman slowly took shape and solidified. She was small with short fair hair and wore strange clothing. This, I was sure, could not be Angie; she was many light years away on route to her home world. It was John who recognized her first; he had also been awakened from his sleep and stood up to greet her warmly. "Carol, my dear Carol. It's wonderful to see you after all these years." But as the last vestiges of sleep crept from him his expression turned to one of anger. "What on Earth brought you here, haven't you been warned that we are under quarantine. You must go now, quickly, before you are also infected." The kindly woman stepped from the jaunting pad and moved further into the lab. "Well charming, I come all this way to help you out and you want to send me away before I've even unpacked!" She said with a mischievous grin. She came over to me and took my hands in hers. "And you must be Chris. I've heard a lot about you. How are Ginge and Lefty these days? It must be almost twenty years since I last saw them." So this was the Carol I had heard so much about. One of the first TP's to break out after John, married to an alien now and living many light years across the galaxy. "I take it that you have come hear to help?" I asked. Taking my lead she immediately changed the conversation away from greetings and pleasantries and her face took on a more earnest expression. "Yes. When TIM contacted me I knew that I just had to come. You need meà" She waved her hand across towards John who had by this time collapsed once again onto one of the nearby couches. "They all need me. I know that coming hear may be signing my own death warrant but while there's still a glimmer of hope we must not give up." "That's the old Carol I remember," commented John, "if you don't mind I won't get up again. You two just work around me." He watched as Carol and I busied ourselves. After reading John's carefully taken notes about the virus she took his place at the workbench and peered into the microscope. There was nothing for me to do but offer comfort to the others, who were now lying delirious in their respective bunks. I was just returning from Mike's room as I saw John reach over and take the glass, which I had discarded earlier, on the link table. "What does one have to do to get a drink around here? I'm parched." He said in a loud voice. "Aha what's this?" Without noticing the smell he grabbed the decanter and poured a large glass of the whisky, which he then gulped down greedily. Eventually he came to his senses and noticed the taste of the raw spirit. "Yuck! What was that?" I ran over to him quickly, and removed the decanter and glass from his unsteady hands. "About a triple measure of pure malt!" I exclaimed. "For someone who never drinks you sure know how to knock it back." Carol looked up from her work and smiled. "Allow the man a few last pleasures." She said, then realizing the inappropriateness of the comment she hurried on with her inspection of the latest blood sample. After a few minutes she looked up and sighed, then replaced the sample with a previous one and continued her analyses. Neither of us had paid much attention to John who now lay, wrapped in a blanket, on the bio bed. "We Tomorrow purple need to keeps a clear heads." Mumbled John to himself. "Tepathelly doesn't wiorik if you are strunk!" Carol and I both turned and stared at him. "What did you say John?" "I'lls easy peasy," Hic! "We'ves gotten speshull prowers ands ve can't doos anythunk vith themà" He sat up straight and stared at us in disbelief. "It's nofink swrong wiv me buit you'sh should sees vyoour fases." Carol jumped down from the stool and joined me beside the bio bed. She gently placed her hand against his forehead to feel the temperature. "John, listen to me. How are you feeling? Apart from the effects of the whisky do you feel any better?" "Vscourse I dooos, I may be a blittle blit dwunk, but I knows that's I feels great." "You aren't dizzy or nauseous?" I inquired. "Hold up your hand." John was by now acting as if he had had much more than one large scotch. He obligingly held his arm up above his head and it was obvious that it no longer shook with the effects of the disease. I turned to Carol and grinned. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" "It's a long shot and we really should wait for scientific confirmation but at his point in time all I can suggest is that we share around that bottle and get the whole lot of us very drunk!" A few minutes later I was surrounded by the gleeful shouts of a lot of very intoxicated Tomorrow People. As I figured it the virus in their brains didn't like to be flooded with alcohol and died immediately. In no time at all they had regained their strength and were buzzing around me in a drunken frenzy. "If we've going to have a party." Laughed Elizabeth. "What we need is music. TIM if you would be so kind. I'm in the mood for dancing!" As the music began the lab became a happy place once again. The air was filled with laughter and the Tomorrow People twirled and twisted around as best they could under the influence of so much pure scotch whisky. Suddenly Liz grabbed John and pulled him around the floor with her. Much to my surprise he did not resist her attempts to make him dance but instead grasped her waist tightly and led her in a painfully enthusiastic waltz. After much toe stumping and yelps as they bumped the furniture they soon slumped down together on the couch. It was then that it happened. Under the influence of the alcohol neither of them had inhibitions holding them back. As their heads came close together their eyes locked and their mouths touched. The kiss was not prolonged but it was something. It pulled at both their heartstrings and made them smile to one another. Being the only sober person present I felt immediately embarrassed to have witnessed such a tender moment, but much to my relief the others, caught up in their own little flights of fancy, had not even noticed. I was just thinking over how good they looked together when TIM interrupted me. "I have relayed an urgent message to the federation medical counsel detailing our rather unorthodox cure for the Tyrellian plague. They send their congratulations on such a miraculous discovery. Of course this cure has never been tried before because alcohol consumption is rare on most telepathic worlds. I'm thankful that you were here to save us." I blushed. "Oh TIM it was nothingà" "I still have one concern though," added the biotronic computer, "you may have been able to cope with nursing five seriously ill Tomorrow People, but how are you going to cope with six extremely hung over ones?" **************** ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jackie Clark <jackie@effdee.demon.co.uk> Subject: TPFICT: To Have and to Hold Part 6 Date: 27 Mar 2000 18:47:50 +0100 To Have and To Hold Part 6 of 7 By Jacqueline Clark Forsaking all others: Carol's Story. Corroua Sta, Scotland. After we had found a cure for their illness they invited me to stay on for a while and it took very little persuasion to get me to stay. "Just as long as you don't rope me into your schemes on interior decorating." I joked with Elizabeth. It had been many years since I had been on my home world. Life with Narscissa and Nova was fine and Adonesia was such a beautiful planet, but still I missed the surroundings of Earth with it's rolling countryside. The way the mist clung to the hills in the early morning reminded me of my childhood when I would walk the dog on Hampstead Heath. I spent most days chatting, and reminiscing, with Chris while he and John worked on installing equipment in the new lab and surrounding countryside. We were returning to the house one day after setting up surveillance cameras in trees on the edges of the estate that I commented on the location of the house. "This is the ideal place for a family home. What do you think Chris?" "Well it's ok but I'm more of a city type. I prefer the push and shove of London streets to the countryside. It's just too quiet around here for me." "That's not what I meant. Don't you think this would make a perfect place for a family of Tomorrow People? It's far enough away from the town to give privacy, you could jaunt quite happily and not have to worry about people seeing you." "What exactly do you mean Carol?" Said John, who had obviously been paying more attention to our conversation than he liked to let on. "This house belongs to Stephen; he inherited it from his parents. We've just been adapting it for him to use that's all." "Nonsense John, you've been creating a bolt hole, a safe place for you all to live away from prying eyes but above ground. The lab is fine as temporary accommodation but it's not really a place for bringing up children." He looked at me quizzically. "Just what are you getting at Carol. Why do you keep on about children?" I stopped walking and the two men moved ahead of me. Sensing that I was no longer at their side they turned and looked back. "Typical men, haven't you figured it out yet? There aren't going to be so few of you forever. When more Tomorrow People break out it will be impossible for everyone to live in the lab. Especially after they start to marry and have children of their own." John gave a sigh of relief. "Oh yes of course. We know that one day there will be more of us, but until the effects of the RTE wear off completely break outs will be so few that we hardly need to plan for a population explosion." "And what about your own and Stephen's children?" At this Chris stopped walking and gave John a wry smile. "Yes John. What about your own kids? It's time you settled down and found yourself a good woman." But John was not to be goaded; he just shook his head at our teasing and continued on in silence. Later that day I found myself alone with John in the newly decorated lounge. He sipped on a mug of coffee while wistfully looking out of the large lead framed windows. "Penny for them John?" "They're not worth a penny. I was just wondering whether were are making the right decision to come back to Earth." "But this is your home. I know that I live many light years away but I still regard it as my home too." "Why did you do it?" He said, turning back to face me. "Do what? Oh you mean, decide to leave Earth and live on the Trig." "Yes. When we were exiled there it was good at first. All those myriad of different cultures living together, it seemed such a great opportunity. But as the months went on it began to feel like being in prison, the real world just outside your window but you are unable to touch it." "Well to be perfectly honest shortly after I arrived I was so homesick that I nearly begged TIM to jaunt me back. Then I met Narscissa and everything just seemed to fit into place. Do you remember the day you visited me and I took you sightseeing, it was just before Professor McDrew arrived." "Yes, I remember it all too well. You'd changed and didn't seem at all interested in the Earth and us Tomorrow People back home." "Oh John, how little you knew. I so wanted to see you; I needed to know that you were still my friend even with all those thousands of light years between us. I wanted to tell you how much I missed my old way of life but I just couldn't admit it. By then I was so attached to Narscissa that I would have found it impossible to leave him. It was obvious that he could never pass as human and so I decided to cut my ties with Earth and make a new life for myself on his home world." "And what about me?" "What about you?" "Didn't you ever stop to think that you may have been breaking my heart by not coming Back!" This last comment threw me completely. "You're not saying that you were in love with me? But you never showed it, you never said a thing. We parted on such good terms that day, and whenever I've seen you since you seemed so happy with Elizabeth by your side. I thought that we had both moved on. Maybe I was wrong " John turned towards the window once again, unable to look me in the eye. "I can't say that it was love, but we were the first. We sort of grew up together and I always thoughtà" I rushed over to him and stood where he could not look away. "You can't start this now, not after so many years. I've got a husband and son waiting for me back on Adonesia; you've got a woman with the patience of an angel waiting for you to commit to her. You can't just sit there and say that because we were the first people to break out we were destined to be together. Not now John, it's too late!" He stood up and walked over to the coffee table, replacing his mug purposely on tray beside mine, he sighed. "Yes Carol, you are right. We have both moved on. It's just that I'm about to make a very big decision and need to know that you will be happy for me. The last thing I want is to spoil our friendship. I'm sorry that I brought it up." "Well I'm not sorry. We've been friends for too long to let old ghosts haunt us now. Whatever decision you make will be for the best. I'm sure of that." I got up and walked towards the door. "If me being here is making things difficult for you, I think it may be best if I went back home to my husband. Can you ask TIM to set up the long distance teleport as soon as possible." "No Carol please don't go. What happened in the past is well behind us now. Please can't you stay until afterà" "After what?" "I've decided that Liz and I are going to get married. Please stay for our wedding." I rushed over to him once again and hugged him to me. "Oh John, that's so wonderful. Of course I'll stay when did you both decide to marry?" Pulling away slightly he coughed to clear his throat. "Well I haven't actually asked her yet, but I will and soon, I promise." "Oh Johnà" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jackie Clark <jackie@effdee.demon.co.uk> Subject: TPFICT: To Have and to hold part 7 Date: 27 Mar 2000 18:48:51 +0100 To Have and To Hold Part 7 of 7 By Jacqueline Clark Till Death do us Part The sports car sped around the bend it's tyres barely gripping the old tarmac surface. Anxiously Elizabeth looked out of the window into the driving rain. "Hurry John." She said, as the car hit another pothole in the road and she was momentarily lifted out of her seat. "The storm is getting much worse." "I'm driving as fast as I can in these conditions but this car is not designed to be an off road vehicle you know. I don't think anything has been along this stretch for years, apart from the odd sheep. If only we hadn't left our jaunting bands behind we could have been home ages ago." "Well I'm glad we don't have them. We planned tonight to be a special occasion, no telepathic interruptions, no telekinesis, and especially no jaunting. It was a wonderful idea to have an evening as an ordinary couple, the meal was fabulous, and the ride home would be equally nice if it wasn't for the unpredictable Scottish weather." "It was a lovely evening wasn't it?" Remarked John, daring to take his eyes off the road for just a moment to smile at her. "Yes John, it was the best night out I've ever had. Thank you, I had a wonderful time." He grinned at her. "I do my bestà" This night was not exactly working our as John had planned. Even now he could feel the little box in his pocket, it's precious contents playing on his mind. All evening he had waited for the perfect moment. He tried during the meal. Then again while they danced around the dimly lit hall. But before he could bring himself to say it the evening had come to a close. Even now he longed to say it, but his mind was caught up in the riggers of the long and arduous drive. "If you are really worried we could always call TIM for help." Suggested Elizabeth. "No. I made the others promise that they would not disturb us for any reason, just think how stupid we'd look if we broke our own orders. Besides, if we were saps we'd have to manage and an uncomfortable journey home wont do us any harm, even if we have to walk for a bit." "What in these cloths?" She joked, looking down at her flimsy evening gown and high healed shoes. "We're not exactly dressed for a cross country hike!" In the next instant they rounded a sharp bend and were knocked sideways by a huge gust of wind. "Hold on." Shouted John as he grappled with the steering wheel. The car steadied itself momentarily and Elizabeth began to sigh with relief then without warning she realised that they were skidding out of control towards the safety barrier. As the car impacted there was a deafening screech of metal on metal and the car flipped up onto it's side. But the old corroded barrier could not take the strain and buckled under their weight, they toppled over the precipice and fell into the ravine below. During it's descent the car smashed against protruding rocks until it finally came to rest amongst the tangle of heather and brush that carpeted the valley floor. Some Minutes Later. John awoke first, rubbing the back of his head he sat up and was immediately aware of an intense pain in his leg. Looking down he could just make out a huge gash in his shin, from which he was rapidly loosing blood. Holding his hand up to shield his face from the driving rain he peered into the darkness for some sign of Elizabeth. Eventually he managed to make out the tangled wreckage of his precious sports car laying some distance away, and beside it was her limp form. Scrambling to his feet he ignored the pain in his leg and dragged himself over to her side. She was bleeding slightly from a head wound and still unconscious but as he examined her there seemed to be little else wrong. "Thank god!" He muttered to himself. (TIM. Can you hear me TIM. We need help. Carol, Mike. Can anyone hear me?) But it was no good, he was obviously suffering from concussion as a result of being knocked out in the accident. Until his special powers returned there was no way for them to get help. Elizabeth began to stir in his arms. "Can you hear me Liz? Are you ok?" "Yes John, what on Earth happened?" "We fell over the cliff." He replied looking up into the darkness. "It was quite a drop. We were lucky that this undergrowth broke our fall and we're in one piece." Liz sat more upright and looked around her. "But your lovely carà Oh what a shame you put so much work into renovating it." "The car doesn't matter as long as we are both ok." "Have you called for help? Are the others coming?" John shook his head. "I'm afraid that I've lost my powers and I suspect that you have too. That's quite a nasty bump you've got there." Liz put her hand to the wound and winced. I think I'll be ok but we had better get out of this weather or we might both freeze to death. Have you looked around? Is there any shelter nearby." "From what I recall the map didn't indicate any crofters cottages for miles. Our house is on the other side of that peak." He pointed into the night and Liz could just discern the outline of the distant row of hills. "So I was right then." She said pulling herself to her feet. "We will have to do a little cross country hiking even in our evening wear!" Looking at John, drenched by rain, his once immaculate tuxedo now in tatters she noticed the gash in his leg. "Before we go anywhere we need to stop that from bleeding. Got anything we can use as a bandage?" John instinctively reached into his trouser pocket. He felt the little box still safely tucked away with its delicate cargo intact. For a moment he thought about asking her then and there. Could he get down on bended knee here in the cold night and ask her the most important question of his life? He decided against it, they had far more serious problems to deal with first. Realizing that John was lost in his own private reverie and did not intend answering her question Elizabeth took the matter into her own hands. Bending down she tore a strip from around the hem of her dress. Her lovely designer dress that she and Hsui had jaunted to Paris to have made for her. It's delicate fabric and embroidered beadwork was now ruined by mud and rain. 'Well I wont be wearing you again.' She thought, as she used the material to tightly bind John's leg. Once she had finished they set off in the direction of home. Their progress was painfully slow, impeded by the thick undergrowth and uneven rock strewn surface. After a while she stopped and bent down. "What are you doing?" Asked a bewildered John. "Taking these off!" Liz lifted up her skirt to reveal the pointed patent surface of her evening shoes. "It's almost impossible to walk across this stuff in these. I'll do much better in bare feet." Liz held up her hand to stop him from making further comment. "A little discomfort never hurt anyone, and any minor damage can be healed easily by TIM once we get back." John could not argue with her logic and decided that it was better just to keep on the move as best they could. He knew that eventually their overdue arrival would cause concern and the others would be bound to start looking for them. All they had to do was find their way back to the road and let it lead them in the direction of Corroua Sta and safety. Thirty Minutes Later Elizabeth was aware that she was shivering. John had gallantly given her his jacket some minutes earlier but this did very little to keep out the cold. They were both soaked through and as they climbed out of the ravine the rain had slowly turned to sleet and then to snow. The wind seemed to go straight threw her and made it difficult to breath. As they walked in silence they took turns to call out telepathically for help but it was still too soon after the accident and neither of them had regained their special powers. Eventually her tiredness overcame her and she tripped over a stone. Finding herself laying amongst the heather she felt much better. "Can't we rest for a few minutes." She begged John, who was already pulling her upright again and dragging her forward along the trail. "No Liz, if we stop we may die. You know that as well as I do. We're going into the first stage of hypothermia that's all. I feel the overwhelming tiredness too but we must keep plodding on." He put his arm around her shoulders and hugged her to him. "I promised you that I would find a cure for the plague and I didà the least I can do is to get you home. It can't be very much further we've been walking for about two miles already." "Only two miles!" She exclaimed. "You know the first thing I'm gonna do once we get back?" She knew John was too tired to answer so she continued on without a response. "Have a long soak in a hot bath." "I'm going to have a hot cup of tea and sit in front of the fire until I can feel the skin on my face almost scorching in the heat." He said. They plodded on in silenceà "John?" "Yes Liz?" "When Stephen and Angie get back shall we ask if they mind us all staying in the house together? I was talking to Carol and she made a good case for it to be our new headquarters." "I was thinking about that too. She spoke to me about it a few days ago. It does seem like a good place to settle down. Like a real family home but with space enough for us all and with the new Lab in the basement we can store all the equipment we need." At last they had reached the top of the steep incline that they had been climbing for the past few minutes. It had not been possible to go straight up the ravine's side to reach the road but they had had to take a longer diagonal path following the contour of the mountain. Now they had reached the safety barrier once again, just a few miles further down the road from the site of the accident. "At last!" Commented Liz. "A touch of civilization. If you don't mind I think we should stop for a short while in the lee of the hillside and inspect your leg wound." "Good idea." He pointed across the road at a crevice cut into the bank, and they quickly made their way across to this relatively sheltered spot. Standing with his back braced against the cold granite surface he held up his leg for her to examine. While she did this he put his hands into his pockets in a vain attempt to keep them warm. There it was again, the little box, a constant reminder of how his perfectly romantic evening had turned sour. "When are you going to show it to me?" Asked Liz. "WàWhat?" "Whatever it is you have hidden in your pocket. You've been playing with it all evening and I've been waiting for you to tell me what it is." John could hardly believe that she had guessed his intentions so easily. "Oh it's nothing." He tried to sound as nonchalant as possible. "If it was nothing you wouldn't keep checking that it was still there every time you stumble or fall. I've known you long enough John to read you like a book." Reluctantly he pulled the ring box from it's hiding place and held it out to her in the palm of his hand. Droplets of snow fell onto it's dark green leather surface and covered the embossed gold lettering. "May I take a look?" She asked reaching out and taking it from him. "I don't see why not. I had planned for a better place than this but you seem to have me at a disadvantage." He smiled and pulled down his trouser leg to cover the newly tightened bandage. "Look Liz there is something I want to ask youà" Suddenly they swung round as the road was illuminated by the headlights of an approaching vehicle. Forgetting their conversation they both ran out into the road and waved wildly at the Land Rover as it come closer. Pulling up in the middle of the road the farmer could hardly believe his eyes. Rolling down his window he called out to the two strangers in a deep highlands accent. "Hey there do you two need a lift?" In no time at all Liz and John were huddled together on the back seat. Wrapped in a travelling blanket which smelt of animals, but neither of them cared. They had explained to the man about the accident and their trek up from the ravine in the snow. "What a sight you look, I could hardly believe my eyes, two people dressed in party gear all this way out here on a night like this. You are very lucky that I'm on my way back from my sister's place. No one ever comes along this stretch of road these days." "We know and are very grateful. Could you possibly take us home to Ossain Park Lodge in Corroua Sta?" Asked a relieved John. "Is that where you were headed?" "Yes." They both nodded. "It's just a little further along this road." The craggy face of the farmer cracked into a wide grin. "You two are city dwellers I can tell. You are more lucky than you realise. Loch Ossain is over there." He pointed across the valley. "This road leads up into the highlands to my farm. It be twenty miles at least before you get to the nearest toon." John and Liz looked at one another as they realised how close they had come to making a grave mistake, heading not for safety but further into the wintry night. They fell silent and the man started up the engine. "I've got some whisky here if either of you would like a we dram." He pulled the battered silver flask from his coat pocket and offered it to his two passengers. John shook his head. "No thanks, we'll just be pleased for a lift to the nearest phone box so we can call home." "No problem." Replied the farmer taking a huge gulp from the flask. After a short while Liz shifted her weight to get more comfortable. John noticed her movements and relaxed his arm which was still around her shoulder. "Are you feeling any better?" He asked softly. "Much better thanksà" She smiled and opened the palm of her hand, John could see a tear which gently trickled down her face to splash against the diamond which nestled safely in the green velvet surround of it's box. "and by the way the answer is yes." One month later. The little chapel was filled with the scent of spring flowers. The light poured in threw it's tiny stained glass window to cast a myriad of colours, like a rainbow, across the ground. The vicar stood with his bible outstretched before them. He had a friendly face and welcoming eyes. Below his robes the hem of his kilt could be seen stirring in the gentle breeze which blew across the tiled stone floor. Elizabeth looked around at each of the Tomorrow People. Carol beamed at her from the front pew; beside her were Chris and Mike who seemed decidedly uncomfortable in their morning suits. Next to them Hsui looked so pretty in her colourful silk kimono and Andrew, almost a man, in his traditional clan tartan. There too were her parents, teleported in from Trinidad by TIM the day before, and lastly John's parents, his father standing so tall and proud in his police uniform. The only one missing was Stephen, but somehow she knew that he was there in spirit with them that day. "Do you Elizabeth, Christina M'Bondo take Jonathan, Charles, William Phillips to be your lawfully wedded husband. To have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health and forsaking all others to love and to cherish for as long as you both shall live?" She looked back over her shoulder once again. The vicar began to get nervous by her pause before answering and gave a gentle cough as encouragement for her to respond. Turning to John she opened up her mind. ("I will") Authors Note: Many of my stories are inspired by music, but on this occasion the words came first. It was not until I had finished the piece that I discovered what I consider to be the most appropriate song to accompany the story. It is called 'Never be the Same Again': by Melanie C, from the album Northern Star. I call you up whenever things go wrong, You're always there. You are my shoulder to cry on. I can't believe it took me quite so long. To take the forbidden step. Is this something that I might regret? (Come on, Come on.) Nothing ventured nothing gained (You are the one.) A lonely heart that can't be tamed. (Come on, come on.) I'm hoping that you feel the same. This is something that I can't forget. Chorus: I thought that we would just be friends. Things will never be the same again. It's just the beginning it's not the end. Things will never be the same again. It's not a secret any more. Now we've opened up the door. Starting tonight, and from now on. We'll never, never be the same again. Now I know that we were close before. I'm glad I realised I need you so much more. And I don't care what everyone will say. It's about you and me, And we'll never be the same again. (Chorus) Black beach, sand in red clay. The US to UK, NYC to LA. >From sidewalks to highways, See it'll never be the same again. My mind frame never changed 'til you came and rearranged. But sometimes it seems completely forbidden. To discover those feelings that we kept so well hidden. Where there's no competition, And you render my condition. Though improbable, it's not impossible. For a love that could be unstoppable. But wait, a fine line's between fate and destiny. Do you believe in the things that were meant to be? When you tell me the stories of your quest for me. Picturesque is the picture that you paint effortlessly. And as our energies mix and begin to multiply. Everyday situations they begin to simplify. So things will never be the same between you and I. We intertwined our life forces and now we're unified. (Chorus) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: J2rider@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Part 18/20 Date: 27 Mar 2000 17:50:44 EST In a message dated 00-03-26 21:13:07 EST, you write: << Yes,besides me, there's about 2 or 3 people on this list. But dont post anything else about him here,its off-topic and you'll get spanked for it!! :) >> Ohhh, is that a definite? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: J2rider@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: To Have and to hold part 7 Date: 27 Mar 2000 17:54:17 EST There is a new theme version of the old song. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: J2rider@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: To Have and to hold part 7 Date: 27 Mar 2000 17:55:02 EST TC seems to have vanished but I think I will start to post his stuff bit by bit since most fans nowadays don't have any idea of it and since most of it was truly good (especially at the beginning) I want to give new fans a chance to see it, so here goes (notes this info contains information not in the books but which came direct from TC): THE TP-original series-1974 to 1979 DREAMS OF DESTINY-1980 to 1981 (time change sometimes puts this later) JEDIKIAH'S REVENGE-movie-1982 ANIMATED TOMORROW PEOPLE-series-1982 1982 to 1983 1-INTRODUCTIONS Questor (John Stamos), an alien, discovers an underground group of telepaths living in London. He helps them with a mission and makes his friendly intentions clear as do they. This mission was to find out about a group of teen pickpockets who had stolen secret weaponry from a London armory. 2-BREAKOUT Stephen senses a new Tomorrow Person breaking out during a blizzard. An attempt to help almost has tragic results. Brian Robbins (Andrew Caravelli) breaks out. 3-FAR TO GO With Stephen and Tyso's help, Brian comes to terms with his new powers. Brian's first adventure ends up detecting a youngster with great potential. 11 year old Toby Llewellyn (Keith Mitchell) is this genius. 4-YOUNG BLOOD Toby is an 11 year old genius who breaks out. He instantly distrusts everybody. He and the others think he is the youngest to break out but they forgot Kenny really was. Younger Tp will break out within the next 8 years. 5-FIRE ONE Toby uses his new powers and his own genius, to reconstruct and remodel the TP HQ. In the process, we learn how TIM was created. 6-CALL FROM TIME Time Guardian Peter returns to the TP for help in containing a time warp he accidentally unleashed. This time warp was putting history 25 years too early, causing things to happen earlier than they should have. NOTE: This type of time warp would affect the Tp again in the future and more than once. In 1989, 1990, and 1991, a time warp rift (really due to creative differences between TC and myself) would make these years sort of blend into one long time. 7-LETTER FROM HELL College student now, Tyso is disturbed by telepathic emissions from occult experimentist Jani Thomas (Valerie Landsberg). An accident during a ceremony causes her to break out. 8-LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT Stephen and Jani fall in love as he trains her in the use of her newfound powers. 9-SECRET LIFE A bookwormish student with a secret partyloving side shows signs of breaking out but cannot be found when the time arrives. Julian "JJ" Tomie (Anthony Edwards) joins the TP. 10-MORDEU 30th century evil magician is accidentally released by Peter. Mordeu wants revenge on his foe Questor, who was responsible for his imprisonment. 11-MAGIC HATH FEW CHARMS Questor is captured by Mordeu. The Tp face defeat at the magician's hands. Mordeu destroys the most recent version of the Lab. It is alien Matthew Star (played by Peter Barton from the TV series THE POWERS OF MATTHEW STAR ) who comes up with a new solution that saves everyone. When Mordeu is entombed, he loses his powers. Mordeu is finally entombed on a distant planet. 12-DEADLY ACT A young aspiring actor is plagued by visions and voices of doom, sensing a neighbor's terrorist hostage taking plans. Tawny Callahan (Meeno Peluce, star of VOYAGERS!) breaks out. 13-THE CURSE OF THE SPIDRON Spidron escapes Galactic Prison, where Steen had managed to put him and returns to Earth for revenge on the TP. The Trig assisted construction on a specially designed hidden satellite, begins. Later this satellite will be named FUTURE ONE and will also be revealed to contain its own secrets such as being a rocket/star/space/time ship. 14-JOINT CUSTODY The TP risk contact with Earth governments to help stop a deadly new strain of flu accidentally unleashed by the CIA and the KGB. This virus was released when it was being tested by flushing sponges with the infection in them into several major systems of water plants on the US East Coast. 15-DOCTOR'S CHAIR A doctor finds out about the TP and tries to expose them after Brian reveals their secret while under hypnosis treatment for a football injury. This doctor vanishes before the TP can find him 16-MOVING IN The Tp move into their new satellite headquarters, hidden from Earth view by spectrashift. TIM, malfunctioning, goes berserk during transfer from Underground to the Satellite. 17-SEAVIEW ALiens invade Earth to build an undersea base that if completed would mean the destruction of half the Earth. This episode is based on DOCTOR WHO-WARRIORS OF THE DEEP. 18-CLASSIC CASE Jamie Parker (C Thomas Howell) is surprised to learn that he will eventually become a TP. Questor and TIM help Peter resolve a time flux. Questor came from the 27th Century. Peter and TIM were helping to try to work out a way to get Questor home. Although the time flux allowed Questor to come to the past--the Tp's present---and it was opened easily, there was virtually no way to recreate it to send Questor home. 19-FAMILY SECRETS Andrew's father is murdered! Seeking a reason, Andrew and the TP stumble upon a long forgotten family feud now involved with world security. 20-DETONATION Andrew's family feud heats up when his power hungry uncle seizes an atomic energy plant and theatens detonation if his demands for world power are not met. 21-TIME CROSS-A group of TP not involved with Andrew's family feud travel with Peter into the 23rd century to cure an illness which threatens all psi life. Barney Barton (Tim Topper) breaks out with Kevin Ankoris's (Billy Warlock of BAYWATCH season 1 and 2, DAYS OF OUR LIVES, and GENERAL HOSPITAL) help. NOTES ON SEASON ONE: Jamie and Kamandi, friends of QUESTOR, appear quite a bit on this first season of the new Tp. Andre Fleaurmer (Thelonius Bernard) and Kevin Ankoris (Billy Warlock) were Tp who broke out before this series began. Thus they broke out sometime between WAR OF THE EMPIRES and INTRODUCTIONS. This Lab was similar to the first Lab only larger and was protected by a spectrashift. TIM was located in a ceiling encasement, John having decided that the mobile version was too much trouble to maintain. although the network of tubing for TIM's biotronic fluids now encompassed the entire lab, including the individual's quarters. This lab was located somewhere near the vicinity of the original Lab, but built even farther down and further back than the Second Lab (THE LOST GODS) which was destroyed by Major Ann Turner and the SIS in 1981---which brings me to DREAMS OF DESTINY. DREAMS OF DESTINY by Dianne Elliot details what happens in the years 1980 to 1981 approximately although the constant time shifts that occur make WAR OF THE EMPIRES sometimes occur in 1980 or 1981 and DREAMS in 1981 to 1982. One bad move in that is the death of Hsue Tai. The satellite: A team of Trig engineers built it. It is in geosynchronious orbit 22,300 miles above Earth's surface over London, England. Time on the satellite is measure by Grennwich Mean Time, each individual member can adjust the environment of his or her quarters and the time within, to fit their own needs. The satellite started out as 12 decks large with more than enough space to accomodate the TP currently known and can be moved by means of a propulsion system to any location in the solar system. It is hidden from view of Earth by a spectrashift generator. Much of this would change over the years as the satellite was named later (FUTURE ONE) and would grow or expand and secrets within would be revealed. Matthew Star and Walt Sheppard appear from time to time. Also some episodes were crossovers with QUESTOR, a series about an alien. There were also crossovers with POWERS OF MATTHEW STAR. MY OWN COMMENTS: One can see both merit and confusion right from the beginning. The TP didn't need do crossover so blatantly with either QUESTOR or POWERS OF MATTHEW STAR. The overreliance on other characters made the TP more like THE X MEN, which sometimes worked and sometimes didn't. As time went on, this format faded but the TP never fully recovered. 1983 to 1984 22-MELTDOWN The Tp try to find a way to defeat Andrew's Uncle Richard. Gregg Martz (Kelly Hansen), One of Richard's hostages breaks out. Anderw dies to save the planet from certain destruction, using his telekinesis to contain the nuclear explosion. MY NOTES: In this controversial move, Andrew appears to die but is he really gone for good? Also didn't like his dad having to die also. A bad move for the series, I felt. 23-THE DECISION Stephen and Tyso decide to return to the Galactic corps after a couple of years back on Earth. Jani decides to stay behind. NOTE: This is the last episode where Brian is played by Andrew Caravelli, who passed away in a car accident. 24-SILENT NIGHT, JOBE NIGHT Jobe Arkensa becomes the first deaf Tomorrow Person. Brian is felled by a mysterious disease while at the Trig with Stephen and Tyso. NOTE: Brian is now played by Todd Porter of WHIZ KIDS. 25-BARTER FORTIME Andrea Barter (Lara Jill Miller) breaks out when she picks up telepathic impressions from Jobe who was the victim of a kidnapping, having witnessed a murder. Andrea manages to alert the Tp to his perilous predicament. 26-TIME TRAP Peter, trapped in the 21st Century, calls for help. A rescue attempt by the Tp fails. 27-LIVING LEGEND Zack finds Rabowski alive and teams up with the Tp to stop the time crossing monsters Rabowski has forced Peter to help him unleash. Rabowski had trapped Peter when Peter first found out Rabowski was still alive. The first team sent to find Peter was captured and had to be rescued by a second team when Rabowski made his way to the 20th Century. Zack (Lee Curreri of FAME), a Time Guardian, teamed up with Toby to create a convection, returning the monsters to the time where they were originally taken from. 28-SEEING DOUBLE Ricky Johnson (Adam Rich of EIGHT IS ENOUGH) breaks out, going insane in the process as the TP try to stop the disasters being caused b Ricky while in pain. TIM manages to heal the mental injuries and Ricky joins the TP. 29-THE SEARCH Jamie asks for help in locating Questor, who has disappeared. Dr. Allenton is holding Questor prisoner and the Tp must find a way to save him without revealing their existence to him. 30-SEARCH CAREFULLY Kevin infiltrates Allenton's headquarters where he finds Allenton's unknowing assistant, Barb Jansen (Amy Steele from FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2 and POWERS OF MATTHEW STAR), on the verge of breaking out. Kevin and Barb help restore Questor's memory and all escape, leaving behind a stunned Allenton. 31-SKATING ON THIN ICE Barney goes undercover to help with the breakout of Olympic skater Kevin Holt (Pat Talkington), which TIM believes will be a difficult breakout. NOTE: We now have two Kevin's--Kevin Holt; and Kevin Ankoris (Billy Warlock). This is the first of several bad decisions by TC. 32-STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT Andre and Matthew Star investigate a friend under suspicion of drug dealing. They stumble onto an assassination plot innocently involving their friend. NOTE: Walt Sheppard (Lou Gossett Jr) , Matthew's mentor is a semi regular on the show now. 33-POINT OF NO RETURN Tikno asks the TP to help him free the ntaives of planet Sharonna from a non psi dictator. The plan fails, but Mike Bell, Barney, Barb, Tawny, and JJ remain behind to continue the fight. NOTE: the first of many ill fated spin offs of the kind TC liked to do. Some of them worked but for the most part they were pretty awful. 34-DISSOLUTION TIM's essence is accidentally stolen by computer hacker and aspiring musician Terry Keller (Michael Damian of some soap opera), who then breaks out. The Tp must find TIM and assist Terry without his aid. John, seeing the group continue to grow and mature, decides to permanently join Heather and Amanda at the Trig, where they were sent during the KGB virus outbreak. NOTE: Another bad move, moving John to the Trig. This had to be done to incorporate Heather and Amanda, Dianne's characters from DREAMS OF DESTINY into this TC universe. TC had storylines that did not include these two great characters since he found out about them after he plotted so many stories. To fit them in later on (a good move as they were the best thing about this series), he moved John and the two of them to the Trig. 35-NEW RULER Elizabeth M'Bondo assumes the mantle of leadership. Brian, still weakened by his battle wtih the VSR virus, returns to Earth feeling inferior, helpelss and altered. 36-SOLO STAR Brian goes on a deadly mission without informing the others to prove himself still worthy of being a TP and is nearly killed in an accident. 37-JOYCE'S WORLD Snobbish teen Joyce Feinstein (Alison Finte) begins to break out but runs from all attempts of help that the TP offer. 38-THE TOBY FACTOR A mysterious malady fells Toby while TIM is offline. Liz isn't sure that Toby can be saved without help from the massive biocomputer TIM but help from the Trig doctor M'Pongold, a very alien doctor, arrives at the last moment. M'Pongold is not humanoid. 39-SECRETS Jamie feels left out when Questor goes on a secret mission for the TP. Jamie breaks out following an accident at school caused by his distraction over the situation. 40-HEARTACHES Jamie feels betrayed by Questor, who only wants to shelter his friend from the troubles of the world. Their strained relationship is mended with help from Terry and TIM. NOTE: It starts to get more and more like a soap opera and not much happens per episode at this point. TC felt the TP became a community ala KNOT'S LANDING and this shows...badly. 41-THE FERRERI Renaldo Ferreri (Tony La Torre) is the orphaned son of a former circus act is kidnapped from his guardians, the owner of the circus, where his fear triggers his breakout. A telepathic cry for help alerts Terry, who goes to his rescue but almost not in time. Renaldo joins the TP. 42-CRY FOR HELP Renaldo discovers an extra power. Hit by a laser the first time he jaunts, Renaldo breaks out fully. He can shoot lasers from his fingertips---absorbing energy. 43-THE "DEATH" OF RICKY Ricky is seemingly killed in an auto accident but the Tp pick up on faint traces of memories, prompting them to believe something strange is going on. An enemy of Ricky's discovered his powers and had him kidnapped for his own purposes. 44-SUSPICION Jobe is arrested for burglary, not knowing he was framed by a friend. The Tp try to find a way to clear the young man without revealing their existence. 45-GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT The Tp discover Jobe's legal counsel is a fake while discovering the councel's secretary, Felice Akers (Connie Needham), is ready to break out. Andre pulls a stunt in court that clears Jobe and reveals the real culprit. 46-THE PARADE On Earth for some time off, Stephen and Tyso pick up images of an invasion, which is confirmed by Ambassador Kolar (John Colicos of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA). This invasion will later prove to be an invasion from Tharga. 47-THE TIME IS HERE Zack comes in search of Peter, who disappeared during their most recent mission. 48-SCENES FROM THE END OF SPACE Brian picks up images of Hsui Tai and Andrew, who were both thought long (?) dead. No explanation can be found except that maybe Brian is going crazy. Brian's visions are found out to be projections, coming from a Thargon agent. NOTE: Despite this, Andrew and Hsui Tai live on in some form. This will be revealed in the future. 49-THE WEDDING ROYALE Stephan and Jani's wedding is wonderful until a feared Thargon invasion begins. This puts the TP into action. 50-FINAL VOWS The Tp must secretly save Earth from the Thargon invasion. Major space battles inflict great damage on the satellite. A stray phaser bolt from a passing Thargon ship hits Jani, who lives her final moments in Stephen's arms. The others manage to defeat the invading army. 51-PARALYSIS OF DOOM Renaldo's powers suddenly begin to fail, causing him to be injured in a jaunting accident, perhaps fatally. The Tp suffer a slowing of their powers. The still training Felice dies suddenly, prompting a few tests and a lot of worry---have the Tp suddenly begun to devolve? Later in the next episode we find that the real culprit was a small virus that affected only TP. Toby develops a cure, given to all Tp when they break out, one dose for life. NOTES ON SEASON TWO: While Andrew Caravelli was 19 when he played Brian, Todd Porter who replaced him was 17. Some stories remained self contained while others took several weeks to resolve. The series thus took on a semi continuing format. Severeal episodes were crossovers with QUESTOR as happened in the first season. Three spinoffs appear this season and intermingle with the main show, often starting out on the main TP show. STEPHEN AND TYSO, TIME GATE, and POINT OF NO RETURN begin. John is written out (always a bad move) following the mid season start of POINT OF NO RETURN. He began to return from time to time before fully returning (thankfully) in the 1988 to 1989 season. There were also more crossovers with THE NEW ADVENTURES OF MATTHEW STAR and QUESTOR. SPINOFF CHECK: STEPHEN AND TYSO TIMEGATE POINT OF NO RETURN ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: J2rider@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: Tomorrow's Prize Part 18/20 Date: 27 Mar 2000 17:57:33 EST Whoops I thought this was from someone else. Sorry to send it here. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: J2rider@aol.com Subject: TPFICT: tctp season three Date: 27 Mar 2000 23:12:51 EST 1984-1985 52-THE RUSSIAN CONNECTION Endrei Komorov (Ron Claver), the first Russian TP undetected by the KGB, breaks out. Renaldo recovers from his accident. Toby and TIM, working together, find the answer to the sudden weakness that affected Renaldo and Felice. Felice has died. The culprit is a small virus that affects only TP. Toby develops a cure that is given to all TP when they break out, one dose for life. Brian decides to join Stephen and Tyso at the Trig. 53-AMERICAN EXPRESS Endrei, worried about his family in the USSR, disobeys orders and returns home, only to be captured by the KGB. Toby, making a new orientation machine, picks up a teenager in agony. Tony Le Blanc (John P Navin, Jr) breaks out. 54-RESCUE TESTING Kevin and Terry launch a rescue attempt for Endrei. College student Darren Solquist (Simon Beal) breaks out during a test for ESP. Tony attends a beauty contest. 55-BEAUTIFUL BOMBSHELL A beauty contest contestant is targeted for murder. With Tony and Renny's help, Jillian Vontz (Dara Sedaka) breaks out after escaping harm. Major Hughes contacts Liz about Endrei. Hughes blames Endrei for espionage. 56-WHEN ARE WE NOW Terry and Renaldo find an abandoned mummy at the circus, accidentally bringing its curse to life, opening a time warp. The time storm sends Renny and Terry through time but all within a couple of years of where they then were. The Tp had to find a way to get them out of the storm and stop it, which they did by releasing a load of magnetic energy into it. Peter comes to the rescue to prevent Earth from being engulfed into the time storm. 57-GROWN GERMAN Greta Hoffman (Danielle Von Zerneck of TABLE FOR FIVE), daughter of the German ambassador, and a friend of Tony's, breaks out during a state reception, endangering the secret of the TP. 58-VANISHING TACT Stephen and Tyso contact Liz for assistance on a diplomatic mission. Driadnai Amindi (Tom Citera--Hash in UP THE ACADEMY), the son of a wealthy Arab shiek, suddenly disappears in front of his father and several witnesses. 59-RICH IN SOUL Dri becomes a full fledged TP afer an unintentional goose chase while jaunting out of control. Kevin and Ricky vie for Andrea's affection. 60-THE DARKHORSE Evan Darkhorse (Carmen Santa Maria) becomes the first Native American TP when he breaks out following a climbing accident during his test of manhood. Jamie finds a secret passageway in his school, which leads into a deadly trap. NOTE: Evan's breakout is based on STAR TREK ANIMATED-YESTERYEAR!?! 61-SCHOOL DAZE Jamie, being held captive by Dr. Allenton, tries to contact TIM but instead makes contact with a teacher's daughter on the verge of breaking out. Julianne Andretti (Stacy Nelkin) tells the Tp how she broke out, leading to Jamie's rescue. 62-FLASHBACK Liz and Toby recount Tp history for new members Darren, Jillian, Evan, Dri, Greta, and Julianne, using mentally recorded highlights of past adventures. This is basically a cheater episode using clips from past shows--and as such, it sucks big time. 63-STROKE OF GENIUS Brilliant high school senior Dion Suttor (Christoff St John from some soap opera) mistakes his breakout for the beginnings of a stroke and treats himself from his doctor father's medicine supply, causing him to overdose on pain killers. Darren picks up impressions of sinking spirits, leading to Dion's rescue. 64-PROFESSOR CAWSTON, I PRESUME John, on holiday from the Trig, goes with Liz to see Professor George Cawston. When he turns up missing, it is discovered that he has been kidnapped by his niece, Heidi Brandt (Lisa Turner) . 65-WIPEOUT It is learned that Heidi, while in the process of breaking out, picked up her uncle's memories of the TP. She kidnapped him for his help but accidentally damaged his memory in the process of probing his mind. 66-REMBRANCES OF THINGS PRESENT Called on by the Tp to help restore Cawston's memory, his lab assistant Sabrina Tolliver (Wanda Johnson) is so shocked, it triggers her break out. 67-VIBRATION THERAPY Toby, Terry, Gregg, and TIM come up with a dangerous plan to restore Cawston's memory, knowing it could kill any or all of them. The plan involved TK to vibrate the brain, while trying to telepathically locate the cause of the amnesia. It worked but since the vibrations were similar to tuning forks, it was very dangerous. 68-SECOND CHANCES Kevin wins Andrea's hand. Ricky, feeling rejected, disappears. Dion tries to follow Ricky to try and comfort him. Cawston's memory is 100 percent restored. 69-MASTER'S HEIR Cawston receives a phony distress call from the Tp asking for his help. It is actually a trap set up by the son of Colonel Masters, who is out to avenge his father's murder. This appears to be one of Colonel Masters' sons, possibly Micheal Masters. 70-QUAKE SCENE Zack alerst the TP to vibrations in the Earth's time flow. Toby detects an unusual seismic pattern near New York. Glenna Sequas (Cythnia Gibb) , a fast rising soap star, is experiencing severe headaches. 71-AN EVER GROWING PATTERN Glenna breaks out, causing an earthquake in New York City. Peter reports the time flux in the area of Earth is growing, for no visible reason. Stephen and Tyso come home for a visit. Cawtson sees Evergreen at her wedding. Stephen and Tyso return for Evergreen's wedding. 72-THE DEVIL'S FACE Tyso's sister Evergreen, wakes up screaming on her honey moon, claiming to have seen the devil in a dream. The time flux becomes visible on the Tp scanners. A plutonium robbery is investigated by Gregg and Jobe. NOTE: Evergreen's dream foretold the coming of Detron. 73-HAWK'S FOLLY Hawk comes to Earth when invited by Stephen and discovers a deadlly allergy to something on Earth int process. Questor and Jamie help the Overmind team race to find the cause and an antidote. 74-CURE ALL Questor risks his life to find Tyso, who disappeared while on a search for the antidote. With Hawk's life hanging in the balance, the cause and the antidote are discovered, barely in time to save him. 75-SPEAK OF THE DEVIL The time flux continues to grow without explanation. Peter and Zack disappear while in communcation with the TP. Evergreen sees the devil again. Stephen and Hawk investigate a distress call. 76-DEADLY SUPRISE The distress call turns out to be a phony. Stephen, Hawk, Evergreen, Peter and Zack are al the prisoners of a mysterious captor. Tyso sees Mike in danger and calls the planet Sharonna to alert him. 77-INVISIBLE MOTIVE The Sharonna group returns to Earth with natives Dreidal (Dweezil Zappa) and Adrianna (Erin Moran) in tow. Liz worries about what happened to the missing TP and friends. Driadnai, Greta, and Gregg join the missing list. Liz contacts John for advice. 78-PAPER IN FIRE Questor, called by Brian for a meeting, witnesses the young TP's abduction. Toby discovers that the time flux now threatens Earth's very existence. Barney and Dreidal disappear from the satellite. 79-AND GOD CREATED CHAOS The kidnappings of the Tp and their friends are discovered to have been engineered by a still living Jedikiah (Francis DeWolf), who reveals his is working for an all powerful entity who will stop all time on Earth unless the TP agree to help him gain universal domination and control over all time and space. 80-DETRON Aided by Jedikiah, Detron plans to wreak havor throughout the entire boundaries of space and time, as the still active members rush to find a solution to stopping him, to no avail. 81-THE LAST BLACK DAY Detron begins his destruction palns, beginning with present day Earth. Jedikiah taunts the Tp, who are all captured in one stroke of Detron's might. The united Tp and friends hatch a deadly and sacrificial plan to save all time and space from massive destruction. Frasier McCollough, a young Australian college student, runs from his family home in fear when Detron randomly attacks it and him. Detron now controls all time and space around Earth and begins hungering for more. NOTES ON SEASON THREE The character of Kevin Ankoris (Billy Warlock) seems to have just vanished from the show. Jamie appears as a full time regular. The stories become fully continuing. QUESTOR crossovers were involved. The spinoff characters return for this season. A massive death occurs as a result of the battle with Jedikiah and Detron. MY NOTES: Not terrible but too many breakouts and the soap format hurt the overall effect of the show. Way too many characters and too many breakouts happening right on top of each other. Not bad but not very good either. The crossovers at this point were an inspired idea but having them crossover so much was not very cool. I wouldn't mind the original series characters Mike Bell, Stephen Jamieson, and Tyso Bozewell returning from their spinoffs but we also get a major influx of characters we don't really care about. SPINOFF CHECKLIST: STEPHEN AND TYSO TIME GATE POINT OF NO RETURN GROUND ZERO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: J2rider@aol.com Subject: TPFICT: tctpseason3 Date: 27 Mar 2000 23:13:31 EST 1984-1985 52-THE RUSSIAN CONNECTION Endrei Komorov (Ron Claver), the first Russian TP undetected by the KGB, breaks out. Renaldo recovers from his accident. Toby and TIM, working together, find the answer to the sudden weakness that affected Renaldo and Felice. Felice has died. The culprit is a small virus that affects only TP. Toby develops a cure that is given to all TP when they break out, one dose for life. Brian decides to join Stephen and Tyso at the Trig. 53-AMERICAN EXPRESS Endrei, worried about his family in the USSR, disobeys orders and returns home, only to be captured by the KGB. Toby, making a new orientation machine, picks up a teenager in agony. Tony Le Blanc (John P Navin, Jr) breaks out. 54-RESCUE TESTING Kevin and Terry launch a rescue attempt for Endrei. College student Darren Solquist (Simon Beal) breaks out during a test for ESP. Tony attends a beauty contest. 55-BEAUTIFUL BOMBSHELL A beauty contest contestant is targeted for murder. With Tony and Renny's help, Jillian Vontz (Dara Sedaka) breaks out after escaping harm. Major Hughes contacts Liz about Endrei. Hughes blames Endrei for espionage. 56-WHEN ARE WE NOW Terry and Renaldo find an abandoned mummy at the circus, accidentally bringing its curse to life, opening a time warp. The time storm sends Renny and Terry through time but all within a couple of years of where they then were. The Tp had to find a way to get them out of the storm and stop it, which they did by releasing a load of magnetic energy into it. Peter comes to the rescue to prevent Earth from being engulfed into the time storm. 57-GROWN GERMAN Greta Hoffman (Danielle Von Zerneck of TABLE FOR FIVE), daughter of the German ambassador, and a friend of Tony's, breaks out during a state reception, endangering the secret of the TP. 58-VANISHING TACT Stephen and Tyso contact Liz for assistance on a diplomatic mission. Driadnai Amindi (Tom Citera--Hash in UP THE ACADEMY), the son of a wealthy Arab shiek, suddenly disappears in front of his father and several witnesses. 59-RICH IN SOUL Dri becomes a full fledged TP afer an unintentional goose chase while jaunting out of control. Kevin and Ricky vie for Andrea's affection. 60-THE DARKHORSE Evan Darkhorse (Carmen Santa Maria) becomes the first Native American TP when he breaks out following a climbing accident during his test of manhood. Jamie finds a secret passageway in his school, which leads into a deadly trap. NOTE: Evan's breakout is based on STAR TREK ANIMATED-YESTERYEAR!?! 61-SCHOOL DAZE Jamie, being held captive by Dr. Allenton, tries to contact TIM but instead makes contact with a teacher's daughter on the verge of breaking out. Julianne Andretti (Stacy Nelkin) tells the Tp how she broke out, leading to Jamie's rescue. 62-FLASHBACK Liz and Toby recount Tp history for new members Darren, Jillian, Evan, Dri, Greta, and Julianne, using mentally recorded highlights of past adventures. This is basically a cheater episode using clips from past shows--and as such, it sucks big time. 63-STROKE OF GENIUS Brilliant high school senior Dion Suttor (Christoff St John from some soap opera) mistakes his breakout for the beginnings of a stroke and treats himself from his doctor father's medicine supply, causing him to overdose on pain killers. Darren picks up impressions of sinking spirits, leading to Dion's rescue. 64-PROFESSOR CAWSTON, I PRESUME John, on holiday from the Trig, goes with Liz to see Professor George Cawston. When he turns up missing, it is discovered that he has been kidnapped by his niece, Heidi Brandt (Lisa Turner) . 65-WIPEOUT It is learned that Heidi, while in the process of breaking out, picked up her uncle's memories of the TP. She kidnapped him for his help but accidentally damaged his memory in the process of probing his mind. 66-REMBRANCES OF THINGS PRESENT Called on by the Tp to help restore Cawston's memory, his lab assistant Sabrina Tolliver (Wanda Johnson) is so shocked, it triggers her break out. 67-VIBRATION THERAPY Toby, Terry, Gregg, and TIM come up with a dangerous plan to restore Cawston's memory, knowing it could kill any or all of them. The plan involved TK to vibrate the brain, while trying to telepathically locate the cause of the amnesia. It worked but since the vibrations were similar to tuning forks, it was very dangerous. 68-SECOND CHANCES Kevin wins Andrea's hand. Ricky, feeling rejected, disappears. Dion tries to follow Ricky to try and comfort him. Cawston's memory is 100 percent restored. 69-MASTER'S HEIR Cawston receives a phony distress call from the Tp asking for his help. It is actually a trap set up by the son of Colonel Masters, who is out to avenge his father's murder. This appears to be one of Colonel Masters' sons, possibly Micheal Masters. 70-QUAKE SCENE Zack alerst the TP to vibrations in the Earth's time flow. Toby detects an unusual seismic pattern near New York. Glenna Sequas (Cythnia Gibb) , a fast rising soap star, is experiencing severe headaches. 71-AN EVER GROWING PATTERN Glenna breaks out, causing an earthquake in New York City. Peter reports the time flux in the area of Earth is growing, for no visible reason. Stephen and Tyso come home for a visit. Cawtson sees Evergreen at her wedding. Stephen and Tyso return for Evergreen's wedding. 72-THE DEVIL'S FACE Tyso's sister Evergreen, wakes up screaming on her honey moon, claiming to have seen the devil in a dream. The time flux becomes visible on the Tp scanners. A plutonium robbery is investigated by Gregg and Jobe. NOTE: Evergreen's dream foretold the coming of Detron. 73-HAWK'S FOLLY Hawk comes to Earth when invited by Stephen and discovers a deadlly allergy to something on Earth int process. Questor and Jamie help the Overmind team race to find the cause and an antidote. 74-CURE ALL Questor risks his life to find Tyso, who disappeared while on a search for the antidote. With Hawk's life hanging in the balance, the cause and the antidote are discovered, barely in time to save him. 75-SPEAK OF THE DEVIL The time flux continues to grow without explanation. Peter and Zack disappear while in communcation with the TP. Evergreen sees the devil again. Stephen and Hawk investigate a distress call. 76-DEADLY SUPRISE The distress call turns out to be a phony. Stephen, Hawk, Evergreen, Peter and Zack are al the prisoners of a mysterious captor. Tyso sees Mike in danger and calls the planet Sharonna to alert him. 77-INVISIBLE MOTIVE The Sharonna group returns to Earth with natives Dreidal (Dweezil Zappa) and Adrianna (Erin Moran) in tow. Liz worries about what happened to the missing TP and friends. Driadnai, Greta, and Gregg join the missing list. Liz contacts John for advice. 78-PAPER IN FIRE Questor, called by Brian for a meeting, witnesses the young TP's abduction. Toby discovers that the time flux now threatens Earth's very existence. Barney and Dreidal disappear from the satellite. 79-AND GOD CREATED CHAOS The kidnappings of the Tp and their friends are discovered to have been engineered by a still living Jedikiah (Francis DeWolf), who reveals his is working for an all powerful entity who will stop all time on Earth unless the TP agree to help him gain universal domination and control over all time and space. 80-DETRON Aided by Jedikiah, Detron plans to wreak havor throughout the entire boundaries of space and time, as the still active members rush to find a solution to stopping him, to no avail. 81-THE LAST BLACK DAY Detron begins his destruction palns, beginning with present day Earth. Jedikiah taunts the Tp, who are all captured in one stroke of Detron's might. The united Tp and friends hatch a deadly and sacrificial plan to save all time and space from massive destruction. Frasier McCollough, a young Australian college student, runs from his family home in fear when Detron randomly attacks it and him. Detron now controls all time and space around Earth and begins hungering for more. NOTES ON SEASON THREE The character of Kevin Ankoris (Billy Warlock) seems to have just vanished from the show. Jamie appears as a full time regular. The stories become fully continuing. QUESTOR crossovers were involved. The spinoff characters return for this season. A massive death occurs as a result of the battle with Jedikiah and Detron. MY NOTES: Not terrible but too many breakouts and the soap format hurt the overall effect of the show. Way too many characters and too many breakouts happening right on top of each other. Not bad but not very good either. The crossovers at this point were an inspired idea but having them crossover so much was not very cool. I wouldn't mind the original series characters Mike Bell, Stephen Jamieson, and Tyso Bozewell returning from their spinoffs but we also get a major influx of characters we don't really care about. SPINOFF CHECKLIST: STEPHEN AND TYSO TIME GATE POINT OF NO RETURN GROUND ZERO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: J2rider@aol.com Subject: TPFICT: tctp4 Date: 29 Mar 2000 22:43:26 EST 1985-1986 82-FEAR OF FLYING Detron is defied b a group of the Tp and Hawk. Detron threatens to destroy Earth. Peter, Zack, and Brian put their plan into action. Jedikiah is killed (again). The last ditch effort succeeds in getting rid of Detron but at the highest cost possible: Brian, Gregg, Sabrina, Tony, Julianna, Greta, and Jobe perish while Hawk and Toby are critically injured and the inside of the satellite is destroyed. Ricky, Heidi, and Glenna, seeing the destruction, decide to quit active membership. The plan was to use a massive bolt of psychic energy but those who channeled the energy had to actually touch Detron to deliver it. Jedikiah was seemingly killed in the backlash of energy, the same backlash that while getting Detron put away, killed many TP. 83-AUSSIE IN THE OUTBACK Stephen and the Overmind Group return to their headquarters to seek help for Hawk. Toby begins a slow recovery. Dion and Liz discover Frasier breaking out and in need of help. 84-BEATING THE ODDS Toby continues to grow stronger. Kevin asks Andrea to marry him. Liz prepares for a date with black business man Gary Novell (Avery Brooks), a horror novelist. Clean up on the satellite continues. 85-QUEST FOR FACTS Toby begins to question what life is about. Liz falls in love. Frasier learns how to use his powers. Terry and Renny look for some adventure in Hollywood. 86-A LITTLE GOOD NEWS Chip Evans (Jeffery Rogers) breaks out with no problems, triggering a round of curiosity. Kevin and Andrea announce their engagement. Evan goes in search of his roots. Terry makes a contact for his band while Renny lands a job in a commercial. 87-LOST AND FOUND Renny picks up telepathic vibrations from a hooker who propositions him and walks into a trap. Terry worries when he loses contact with Renny. The hooker Lorraine Jacks (Elizabeth Daily) explains Renny is to be a part of a white slavery ring. 88-SLAVE TRADE A helpless Renny senses an impending breakout for Lorraine. Terry finds Lorraine breaking out and he convinces her to help him free Renny and herself. A Kansas farm boy named Zeke (Carlo Imperato who plays Danny on TV's FAME), displays incredible memory skills. 89-DOWN ON THE FARM An approaching tornado triggers Zeke's breakout. Toby questions Chip and finds out Chip has known about the existence of the TP for years, thanks to his cousin Andrew Forbes. 90-RICE AND WISHES Kevin and Andrea marry. Endrei returns incognito to the Russian consulate to visit friends. Dri suffers a slight loss in his powers for no apparent reason. 91-FADE OUT Dri, caught in mid jaunt, hangs between life and death. A still recovering Toby tries a dangerous merger of bodies, nearly killing himself in the process but breaking the power fade of Dri, who survives. 92-SACRIFICIAL LAMB Toby, chastised by Liz for his dangerous stunt, agrees that he needs some time off and returns home, only to discover that his best friend's sister is about to break out. Danette Brandon (Shalane McCall) joins the TP. 93-HONEYMOON HORROR HOTEL Kevin and Andrea's honeymoon is interrupted by a mysterious young lady that scares both of them. Draea London (Kyle Richards), this young lady, is discovered to be in dire need of help. 94-LONDON CALLING Draea breaks out. Her dream sequences make it possible for her to enter other people's dreams, causing panic in the process. 95-PHOTOGRAPHS AND MEMORIES Renny, looking for comfort on the anniversary of his parents' deaths, turns to Jillian. Terry meets a hot Hollywood socialite named Julia Winters (Deborah Adair). A young Mexican named Jesse Rapheeal (Johnny Lozada of MENUDO) breaks out at his brother's funeral. 96-FRENZY Zeke reveals his abused background. Jesse, brought to the satellite, refuses to believe the story of what he's become until Kevin forces him to face the fact that both the Tp and his powers are real. 97-IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT Liz spends the night with Gary. Endrei senses just beginning telepathic signs in an old friend. TIM suffers an accidental supplementary memory burnout. 98-AFFAIRS OF THE HEART Jesse and Draea find a common interest. 21 year old Jillian seduces 15 year old Renny, leading to a secret relationship. Terry meets with socialite Julia Winters (Deborah Adair). 99-INSECURE MISSION Kevin is warned by a friend about a secret file on the TP at CIA headquarters. Toby confirms its existence and plans to secure it. Kevin, an ex olympic champion, volunteers to go undercover and get it, much to the chagrin of his bride. 100-COVERT PROJECTS Kevin is discovered and captured by the CIA. Lorraine moves in with her sister in Washington DC, vowing never to go back to her old lifestyle. Terry has another rendezvous with Julia. 101-PENETRATION CIA penetrates the satellite's spectrashift screen and pinpoints its location, making plans to invade and capture the satellite and the TP. Kevin is injured when he tries to escape from the secret CIA bunker. TIM begins shifting the position of the satellite. 102-TRIALS OF YOUTH The satellite is placed into a new, unknown orbit. Liz, Zeke, Dri, and Chip go undercover to save Kevin from a fate of being a queni pig. Andrea learns a secret. Evan returns home for a family ceremony and reveals his powers to them for the first time. 103-MAJOR MISTAKES Andrea tells a recovering Kevin her secret. Liz contemplates moving in with Gary. Terry tells Renny he is falling in love with Julia while Renny keeps his relationship with Jillian a secret. 104-TALKING HEARTS Peter, on vacation here, warns Toby of impending danger from some outside source. Jillian and Renny consummate their relationship on Renny's 16th birthday. Kevin and Andrea reveal their secret to everyone, who couldn't be happier for them and their impending arrival. OKAY WHAT'S UP NOTE: What the hell is this, a soap opera? It has turned the TP into total soap and it's really mediocre. Not only that but does one get the idea that these little blurbs can only add up to about 15 minutes of so called adventure? 105-FIRE AND WATER Toby detects a radiation cloud drifting towards Earth. Elizabeth accepts Gary's marriage proposal. Chip's lifelong best friend is showing signs of being in trouble. 106-UNUSUAL ACTIVITY Endrei notes an increase of activity on the Russian space station. Toby and Liz fear detection by the Soviets, who may be worried that they are working for the CIA. The CIA can no longer prove the TP's existence but are now fully aware of the TP. Jesse helps out with earthquake victims near his home. 107-THERE'S A SUCKER BORN EVERY MINUTE The radiation cloud is approaching Mars, coming ever closer to Earth. Terry confesses his love to Julia by proposing to her. Toby and Danette try a first date. 108-GEIGER COUNTER Terry awaits Julia's answer, hoping that their 15 year age difference won't matter to her. Toby sends Zeke and Evan to investigate the radiation cloud, who could bring back bad news---if it gets too close to Earth, it will destroy all life. 109-PLAN OF REACTION The cloud is now only two weeks from Earth and definitely deadly. Toby develops a plan to absorb the cloud as an energy source. Terry goes to Julia's home for an answer to his proposal. 110-ABSOLUTION The radiation cloud is almost upon Earth, while Toby works to build a containment device of some kind. Julia reveals her true motives, trapping a heartbroken Terry and confessing her shockingly extensive knowledge of the TP. 111-FREE FALL Renny and Frasier investigate Terry's disappearance. Julia claims not to have seen him recently. A captive Terry tries desperately to call for help. Toby's absorption and containment enclosure malfunctions as the radiation cloud envelops the satellite. Liz, on Earth, prepares for her wedding. TIM, overloaded by the information from the cloud explodes, injuring Toby, Kevin, and Lorraine. Without help from TIM, the satellite's orbit begins to decay. NOTES ON SEASON FOUR: Liz will retire next season. Phillip Gilbert as the voice of TIM will retire next season but Vincent Price will take over TIM's voice. MY OWN NOTES: Oh boy, the real rot sets in. Okay, I can see that if you enjoy the characters, you can enjoy a particular story line. The stories are driven only by the characters and many of them are not interesting or fleshed out in any way, thus, the stories are mundane, something the TP should never be. I also tend to see what I never noticed until writing this: the worst aspects of DOCTOR WHO's later seasons began to influence TC: we have a regular villain and deaths thrown in for deaths' sakes. Not a good way to write. On top of that, we continue to get the encroaching soap continuation aspect, which only hurt this writer and this once promising show. This season the characters that break out are even more shallow than the previous ones, many of the best ones having been killed off at the start of this "season." The stretched out story lines only make things worse and this season can probably be told as one four hour mini series and even that would be putting stress on the narrative. In addition to all of this mess, TC's spinoffs are not listed in the correct years in book one and book three--one might be correct and the other might not. Some in Book One have overlapping years and others are not listed in the third book. SPINOFF CHECKLIST: STEPHEN AND TYSO season 3 TIME GATE season 3 POINT OF NO RETURN season 3 GROUND ZERO --Winter 1986 MOVIE: STEPHEN AND TYSO: THE ARMEGGEDON FACTOR-December 1985 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: J2rider@aol.com Subject: TPFICT: tctpseasons 1 to 3 updated Date: 29 Mar 2000 22:44:26 EST THE TP-original series-1974 to 1979 DREAMS OF DESTINY-1980 to 1981 (time change sometimes puts this later) JEDIKIAH'S REVENGE-movie-1982 ANIMATED TOMORROW PEOPLE-series-1982 1982 to 1983 1-INTRODUCTIONS Questor (John Stamos), an alien, discovers an underground group of telepaths living in London. He helps them with a mission and makes his friendly intentions clear as do they. This mission was to find out about a group of teen pickpockets who had stolen secret weaponry from a London armory. 2-BREAKOUT Stephen senses a new Tomorrow Person breaking out during a blizzard. An attempt to help almost has tragic results. Brian Robbins (Andrew Caravelli) breaks out. 3-FAR TO GO With Stephen and Tyso's help, Brian comes to terms with his new powers. Brian's first adventure ends up detecting a youngster with great potential. 11 year old Toby Llewellyn (Keith Mitchell) is this genius. 4-YOUNG BLOOD Toby is an 11 year old genius who breaks out. He instantly distrusts everybody. He and the others think he is the youngest to break out but they forgot Kenny really was. Younger Tp will break out within the next 8 years. 5-FIRE ONE Toby uses his new powers and his own genius, to reconstruct and remodel the TP HQ. In the process, we learn how TIM was created. 6-CALL FROM TIME Time Guardian Peter returns to the TP for help in containing a time warp he accidentally unleashed. This time warp was putting history 25 years too early, causing things to happen earlier than they should have. NOTE: This type of time warp would affect the Tp again in the future and more than once. In 1989, 1990, and 1991, a time warp rift (really due to creative differences between TC and myself) would make these years sort of blend into one long time. 7-LETTER FROM HELL College student now, Tyso is disturbed by telepathic emissions from occult experimentist Jani Thomas (Valerie Landsberg). An accident during a ceremony causes her to break out. 8-LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT Stephen and Jani fall in love as he trains her in the use of her newfound powers. 9-SECRET LIFE A bookwormish student with a secret partyloving side shows signs of breaking out but cannot be found when the time arrives. Julian "JJ" Tomie (Anthony Edwards) joins the TP. 10-MORDEU 30th century evil magician is accidentally released by Peter. Mordeu wants revenge on his foe Questor, who was responsible for his imprisonment. 11-MAGIC HATH FEW CHARMS Questor is captured by Mordeu. The Tp face defeat at the magician's hands. Mordeu destroys the most recent version of the Lab. It is alien Matthew Star (played by Peter Barton from the TV series THE POWERS OF MATTHEW STAR ) who comes up with a new solution that saves everyone. When Mordeu is entombed, he loses his powers. Mordeu is finally entombed on a distant planet. 12-DEADLY ACT A young aspiring actor is plagued by visions and voices of doom, sensing a neighbor's terrorist hostage taking plans. Tawny Callahan (Meeno Peluce, star of VOYAGERS!) breaks out. 13-THE CURSE OF THE SPIDRON Spidron escapes Galactic Prison, where Steen had managed to put him and returns to Earth for revenge on the TP. The Trig assisted construction on a specially designed hidden satellite, begins. Later this satellite will be named FUTURE ONE and will also be revealed to contain its own secrets such as being a rocket/star/space/time ship. 14-JOINT CUSTODY The TP risk contact with Earth governments to help stop a deadly new strain of flu accidentally unleashed by the CIA and the KGB. This virus was released when it was being tested by flushing sponges with the infection in them into several major systems of water plants on the US East Coast. 15-DOCTOR'S CHAIR A doctor finds out about the TP and tries to expose them after Brian reveals their secret while under hypnosis treatment for a football injury. This doctor vanishes before the TP can find him 16-MOVING IN The Tp move into their new satellite headquarters, hidden from Earth view by spectrashift. TIM, malfunctioning, goes berserk during transfer from Underground to the Satellite. 17-SEAVIEW ALiens invade Earth to build an undersea base that if completed would mean the destruction of half the Earth. This episode is based on DOCTOR WHO-WARRIORS OF THE DEEP. 18-CLASSIC CASE Jamie Parker (C Thomas Howell) is surprised to learn that he will eventually become a TP. Questor and TIM help Peter resolve a time flux. Questor came from the 27th Century. Peter and TIM were helping to try to work out a way to get Questor home. Although the time flux allowed Questor to come to the past--the Tp's present---and it was opened easily, there was virtually no way to recreate it to send Questor home. 19-FAMILY SECRETS Andrew's father is murdered! Seeking a reason, Andrew and the TP stumble upon a long forgotten family feud now involved with world security. 20-DETONATION Andrew's family feud heats up when his power hungry uncle seizes an atomic energy plant and threatens detonation if his demands for world power are not met. 21-TIME CROSS-A group of TP not involved with Andrew's family feud travel with Peter into the 23rd century to cure an illness which threatens all psi life. Barney Barton (Tim Topper) breaks out with Kevin Ankoris's (Billy Warlock of BAYWATCH season 1 and 2, DAYS OF OUR LIVES, and GENERAL HOSPITAL) help. NOTES ON SEASON ONE: Jamie and Kamandi, friends of QUESTOR, appear quite a bit on this first season of the new Tp. Andre Fleaurmer (Thelonius Bernard) and Kevin Ankoris (Billy Warlock) were Tp who broke out before this series began. Thus they broke out sometime between WAR OF THE EMPIRES and INTRODUCTIONS. This Lab was similar to the first Lab only larger and was protected by a spectrashift. TIM was located in a ceiling encasement, John having decided that the mobile version was too much trouble to maintain. although the network of tubing for TIM's biotronic fluids now encompassed the entire lab, including the individual's quarters. This lab was located somewhere near the vicinity of the original Lab, but built even farther down and further back than the Second Lab (THE LOST GODS) which was destroyed by Major Ann Turner and the SIS in 1981---which brings me to DREAMS OF DESTINY. DREAMS OF DESTINY by Dianne Elliot details what happens in the years 1980 to 1981 approximately although the constant time shifts that occur make WAR OF THE EMPIRES sometimes occur in 1980 or 1981 and DREAMS in 1981 to 1982. One bad move in that is the death of Hsue Tai. The satellite: A team of Trig engineers built it. It is in geosynchronious orbit 22,300 miles above Earth's surface over London, England. Time on the satellite is measure by Grennwich Mean Time, each individual member can adjust the environment of his or her quarters and the time within, to fit their own needs. The satellite started out as 12 decks large with more than enough space to accomodate the TP currently known and can be moved by means of a propulsion system to any location in the solar system. It is hidden from view of Earth by a spectrashift generator. Much of this would change over the years as the satellite was named later (FUTURE ONE) and would grow or expand and secrets within would be revealed. Matthew Star and Walt Sheppard appear from time to time. Also some episodes were crossovers with QUESTOR, a series about an alien. There were also crossovers with POWERS OF MATTHEW STAR. MY OWN COMMENTS: One can see both merit and confusion right from the beginning. The TP didn't need do crossover so blatantly with either QUESTOR or POWERS OF MATTHEW STAR. The overreliance on other characters made the TP more like THE X MEN, which sometimes worked and sometimes didn't. As time went on, this format faded but the TP never fully recovered. 1983 to 1984 22-MELTDOWN The Tp try to find a way to defeat Andrew's Uncle Richard. Gregg Martz (Kelly Hansen), One of Richard's hostages breaks out. Anderw dies to save the planet from certain destruction, using his telekinesis to contain the nuclear explosion. MY NOTES: In this controversial move, Andrew appears to die but is he really gone for good? Also didn't like his dad having to die also. A bad move for the series, I felt. 23-THE DECISION Stephen and Tyso decide to return to the Galactic corps after a couple of years back on Earth. Jani decides to stay behind. NOTE: This is the last episode where Brian is played by Andrew Caravelli, who passed away in a car accident. 24-SILENT NIGHT, JOBE NIGHT Jobe Arkensa becomes the first deaf Tomorrow Person. Brian is felled by a mysterious disease while at the Trig with Stephen and Tyso. NOTE: Brian is now played by Todd Porter of WHIZ KIDS. 25-BARTER FORTIME Andrea Barter (Lara Jill Miller) breaks out when she picks up telepathic impressions from Jobe who was the victim of a kidnapping, having witnessed a murder. Andrea manages to alert the Tp to his perilous predicament. 26-TIME TRAP Peter, trapped in the 21st Century, calls for help. A rescue attempt by the Tp fails. 27-LIVING LEGEND Zack finds Rabowski alive and teams up with the Tp to stop the time crossing monsters Rabowski has forced Peter to help him unleash. Rabowski had trapped Peter when Peter first found out Rabowski was still alive. The first team sent to find Peter was captured and had to be rescued by a second team when Rabowski made his way to the 20th Century. Zack (Lee Curreri of FAME), a Time Guardian, teamed up with Toby to create a convection, returning the monsters to the time where they were originally taken from. 28-SEEING DOUBLE Ricky Johnson (Adam Rich of EIGHT IS ENOUGH) breaks out, going insane in the process as the TP try to stop the disasters being caused b Ricky while in pain. TIM manages to heal the mental injuries and Ricky joins the TP. 29-THE SEARCH Jamie asks for help in locating Questor, who has disappeared. Dr. Allenton is holding Questor prisoner and the Tp must find a way to save him without revealing their existence to him. 30-SEARCH CAREFULLY Kevin infiltrates Allenton's headquarters where he finds Allenton's unknowing assistant, Barb Jansen (Amy Steele from FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2 and POWERS OF MATTHEW STAR), on the verge of breaking out. Kevin and Barb help restore Questor's memory and all escape, leaving behind a stunned Allenton. 31-SKATING ON THIN ICE Barney goes undercover to help with the breakout of Olympic skater Kevin Holt (Pat Talkington), which TIM believes will be a difficult breakout. NOTE: We now have two Kevin's--Kevin Holt; and Kevin Ankoris (Billy Warlock). This is the first of several bad decisions by TC. 32-STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT Andre and Matthew Star investigate a friend under suspicion of drug dealing. They stumble onto an assassination plot innocently involving their friend. NOTE: Walt Sheppard (Lou Gossett Jr) , Matthew's mentor is a semi regular on the show now. 33-POINT OF NO RETURN Tikno asks the TP to help him free the natives of planet Sharonna from a non psi dictator. The plan fails, but Mike Bell, Barney, Barb, Tawny, and JJ remain behind to continue the fight. NOTE: the first of many ill fated spin offs of the kind TC liked to do. Some of them worked but for the most part they were pretty awful. 34-DISSOLUTION TIM's essence is accidentally stolen by computer hacker and aspiring musician Terry Keller (Michael Damian of some soap opera), who then breaks out. The Tp must find TIM and assist Terry without his aid. John, seeing the group continue to grow and mature, decides to permanently join Heather and Amanda at the Trig, where they were sent during the KGB virus outbreak. NOTE: Another bad move, moving John to the Trig. This had to be done to incorporate Heather and Amanda, Dianne's characters from DREAMS OF DESTINY into this TC universe. TC had storylines that did not include these two great characters since he found out about them after he plotted so many stories. To fit them in later on (a good move as they were the best thing about this series), he moved John and the two of them to the Trig. 35-NEW RULER Elizabeth M'Bondo assumes the mantle of leadership. Brian, still weakened by his battle with the VSR virus, returns to Earth feeling inferior, helpless and altered. 36-SOLO STAR Brian goes on a deadly mission without informing the others to prove himself still worthy of being a TP and is nearly killed in an accident. 37-JOYCE'S WORLD Snobbish teen Joyce Feinstein (Alison Finte) begins to break out but runs from all attempts of help that the TP offer. 38-THE TOBY FACTOR A mysterious malady fells Toby while TIM is offline. Liz isn't sure that Toby can be saved without help from the massive biocomputer TIM but help from the Trig doctor M'Pongold, a very alien doctor, arrives at the last moment. M'Pongold is not humanoid. 39-SECRETS Jamie feels left out when Questor goes on a secret mission for the TP. Jamie breaks out following an accident at school caused by his distraction over the situation. 40-HEARTACHES Jamie feels betrayed by Questor, who only wants to shelter his friend from the troubles of the world. Their strained relationship is mended with help from Terry and TIM. NOTE: It starts to get more and more like a soap opera and not much happens per episode at this point. TC felt the TP became a community ala KNOT'S LANDING and this shows...badly. 41-THE FERRERI Renaldo Ferreri (Tony La Torre) is the orphaned son of a former circus act is kidnaped from his guardians, the owner of the circus, where his fear triggers his breakout. A telepathic cry for help alerts Terry, who goes to his rescue but almost not in time. Renaldo joins the TP. 42-CRY FOR HELP Renaldo discovers an extra power. Hit by a laser the first time he jaunts, Renaldo breaks out fully. He can shoot lasers from his fingertips---absorbing energy. 43-THE "DEATH" OF RICKY Ricky is seemingly killed in an auto accident but the Tp pick up on faint traces of memories, prompting them to believe something strange is going on. An enemy of Ricky's discovered his powers and had him kidnaped for his own purposes. 44-SUSPICION Jobe is arrested for burglary, not knowing he was framed by a friend. The Tp try to find a way to clear the young man without revealing their existence. 45-GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT The Tp discover Jobe's legal counsel is a fake while discovering the counsel's secretary, Felice Akers (Connie Needham), is ready to break out. Andre pulls a stunt in court that clears Jobe and reveals the real culprit. 46-THE PARADE On Earth for some time off, Stephen and Tyso pick up images of an invasion, which is confirmed by Ambassador Kolar (John Colicos of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA). This invasion will later prove to be an invasion from Tharga. 47-THE TIME IS HERE Zack comes in search of Peter, who disappeared during their most recent mission. 48-SCENES FROM THE END OF SPACE Brian picks up images of Hsui Tai and Andrew, who were both thought long (?) dead. No explanation can be found except that maybe Brian is going crazy. Brian's visions are found out to be projections, coming from a Thargon agent. NOTE: Despite this, Andrew and Hsui Tai live on in some form. This will be revealed in the future. 49-THE WEDDING ROYALE Stephan and Jani's wedding is wonderful until a feared Thargon invasion begins. This puts the TP into action. 50-FINAL VOWS The Tp must secretly save Earth from the Thargon invasion. Major space battles inflict great damage on the satellite. A stray phaser bolt from a passing Thargon ship hits Jani, who lives her final moments in Stephen's arms. The others manage to defeat the invading army. 51-PARALYSIS OF DOOM Renaldo's powers suddenly begin to fail, causing him to be injured in a jaunting accident, perhaps fatally. The Tp suffer a slowing of their powers. The still training Felice dies suddenly, prompting a few tests and a lot of worry---have the Tp suddenly begun to devolve? Later in the next episode we find that the real culprit was a small virus that affected only TP. Toby develops a cure, given to all Tp when they break out, one dose for life. NOTES ON SEASON TWO: While Andrew Caravelli was 19 when he played Brian, Todd Porter who replaced him was 17. Some stories remained self contained while others took several weeks to resolve. The series thus took on a semi continuing format. Several episodes were crossovers with QUESTOR as happened in the first season. Three spinoffs appear this season and intermingle with the main show, often starting out on the main TP show. STEPHEN AND TYSO, TIME GATE, and POINT OF NO RETURN begin. John is written out (always a bad move) following the mid season start of POINT OF NO RETURN. He began to return from time to time before fully returning (thankfully) in the 1988 to 1989 season. There were also more crossovers with THE NEW ADVENTURES OF MATTHEW STAR and QUESTOR. SPINOFF CHECK: STEPHEN AND TYSO season one TIMEGATE season one POINT OF NO RETURN season one MOVIE: RETURN OF THE DOOMSDAY MEN 1984-1985 52-THE RUSSIAN CONNECTION Endrei Komorov (Ron Claver), the first Russian TP undetected by the KGB, breaks out. Renaldo recovers from his accident. Toby and TIM, working together, find the answer to the sudden weakness that affected Renaldo and Felice. Felice has died. The culprit is a small virus that affects only TP. Toby develops a cure that is given to all TP when they break out, one dose for life. Brian decides to join Stephen and Tyso at the Trig. 53-AMERICAN EXPRESS Endrei, worried about his family in the USSR, disobeys orders and returns home, only to be captured by the KGB. Toby, making a new orientation machine, picks up a teenager in agony. Tony Le Blanc (John P Navin, Jr) breaks out. 54-RESCUE TESTING Kevin and Terry launch a rescue attempt for Endrei. College student Darren Solquist (Simon Beal) breaks out during a test for ESP. Tony attends a beauty contest. 55-BEAUTIFUL BOMBSHELL A beauty contest contestant is targeted for murder. With Tony and Renny's help, Jillian Vontz (Dara Sedaka) breaks out after escaping harm. Major Hughes contacts Liz about Endrei. Hughes blames Endrei for espionage. 56-WHEN ARE WE NOW Terry and Renaldo find an abandoned mummy at the circus, accidentally bringing its curse to life, opening a time warp. The time storm sends Renny and Terry through time but all within a couple of years of where they then were. The Tp had to find a way to get them out of the storm and stop it, which they did by releasing a load of magnetic energy into it. Peter comes to the rescue to prevent Earth from being engulfed into the time storm. 57-GROWN GERMAN Greta Hoffman (Danielle Von Zerneck of TABLE FOR FIVE), daughter of the German ambassador, and a friend of Tony's, breaks out during a state reception, endangering the secret of the TP. 58-VANISHING TACT Stephen and Tyso contact Liz for assistance on a diplomatic mission. Driadnai Amindi (Tom Citera--Hash in UP THE ACADEMY), the son of a wealthy Arab shiek, suddenly disappears in front of his father and several witnesses. 59-RICH IN SOUL Dri becomes a full fledged TP afer an unintentional goose chase while jaunting out of control. Kevin and Ricky vie for Andrea's affection. 60-THE DARKHORSE Evan Darkhorse (Carmen Santa Maria) becomes the first Native American TP when he breaks out following a climbing accident during his test of manhood. Jamie finds a secret passageway in his school, which leads into a deadly trap. NOTE: Evan's breakout is based on STAR TREK ANIMATED-YESTERYEAR!?! 61-SCHOOL DAZE Jamie, being held captive by Dr. Allenton, tries to contact TIM but instead makes contact with a teacher's daughter on the verge of breaking out. Julianne Andretti (Stacy Nelkin) tells the Tp how she broke out, leading to Jamie's rescue. 62-FLASHBACK Liz and Toby recount Tp history for new members Darren, Jillian, Evan, Dri, Greta, and Julianne, using mentally recorded highlights of past adventures. This is basically a cheater episode using clips from past shows--and as such, it sucks big time. 63-STROKE OF GENIUS Brilliant high school senior Dion Suttor (Christoff St John from some soap opera) mistakes his breakout for the beginnings of a stroke and treats himself from his doctor father's medicine supply, causing him to overdose on pain killers. Darren picks up impressions of sinking spirits, leading to Dion's rescue. 64-PROFESSOR CAWSTON, I PRESUME John, on holiday from the Trig, goes with Liz to see Professor George Cawston. When he turns up missing, it is discovered that he has been kidnaped by his niece, Heidi Brandt (Lisa Turner) . 65-WIPEOUT It is learned that Heidi, while in the process of breaking out, picked up her uncle's memories of the TP. She kidnaped him for his help but accidentally damaged his memory in the process of probing his mind. 66-REMBRANCES OF THINGS PRESENT Called on by the Tp to help restore Cawston's memory, his lab assistant Sabrina Tolliver (Wanda Johnson) is so shocked, it triggers her break out. 67-VIBRATION THERAPY Toby, Terry, Gregg, and TIM come up with a dangerous plan to restore Cawston's memory, knowing it could kill any or all of them. The plan involved TK to vibrate the brain, while trying to telepathically locate the cause of the amnesia. It worked but since the vibrations were similar to tuning forks, it was very dangerous. 68-SECOND CHANCES Kevin wins Andrea's hand. Ricky, feeling rejected, disappears. Dion tries to follow Ricky to try and comfort him. Cawston's memory is 100 percent restored. 69-MASTER'S HEIR Cawston receives a phony distress call from the Tp asking for his help. It is actually a trap set up by the son of Colonel Masters, who is out to avenge his father's murder. This appears to be one of Colonel Masters' sons, possibly Micheal Masters. 70-QUAKE SCENE Zack alerst the TP to vibrations in the Earth's time flow. Toby detects an unusual seismic pattern near New York. Glenna Sequas (Cythnia Gibb) , a fast rising soap star, is experiencing severe headaches. 71-AN EVER GROWING PATTERN Glenna breaks out, causing an earthquake in New York City. Peter reports the time flux in the area of Earth is growing, for no visible reason. Stephen and Tyso come home for a visit. Cawtson sees Evergreen at her wedding. Stephen and Tyso return for Evergreen's wedding. 72-THE DEVIL'S FACE Tyso's sister Evergreen, wakes up screaming on her honey moon, claiming to have seen the devil in a dream. The time flux becomes visible on the Tp scanners. A plutonium robbery is investigated by Gregg and Jobe. NOTE: Evergreen's dream foretold the coming of Detron. 73-HAWK'S FOLLY Hawk comes to Earth when invited by Stephen and discovers a deadlly allergy to something on Earth int process. Questor and Jamie help the Overmind team race to find the cause and an antidote. Jamie helps Questor and begins to try to fulfill his dream of being a success on Broadway without using his powers. 74-CURE ALL Questor risks his life to find Tyso, who disappeared while on a search for the antidote. With Hawk's life hanging in the balance, the cause and the antidote are discovered, barely in time to save him. 75-SPEAK OF THE DEVIL The time flux continues to grow without explanation. Peter and Zack disappear while in communcation with the TP. Evergreen sees the devil again. Stephen and Hawk investigate a distress call. 76-DEADLY SUPRISE The distress call turns out to be a phony. Stephen, Hawk, Evergreen, Peter and Zack are al the prisoners of a mysterious captor. Tyso sees Mike in danger and calls the planet Sharonna to alert him. 77-INVISIBLE MOTIVE The Sharonna group returns to Earth with natives Dreidal (Dweezil Zappa) and Adrianna (Erin Moran) in tow. Liz worries about what happened to the missing TP and friends. Driadnai, Greta, and Gregg join the missing list. Liz contacts John for advice. 78-PAPER IN FIRE Questor, called by Brian for a meeting, witnesses the young TP's abduction. Toby discovers that the time flux now threatens Earth's very existence. Barney and Dreidal disappear from the satellite. 79-AND GOD CREATED CHAOS The kidnappings of the Tp and their friends are discovered to have been engineered by a still living Jedikiah (Francis DeWolf), who reveals his is working for an all powerful entity who will stop all time on Earth unless the TP agree to help him gain universal domination and control over all time and space. 80-DETRON Aided by Jedikiah, Detron plans to wreak havor throughout the entire boundaries of space and time, as the still active members rush to find a solution to stopping him, to no avail. 81-THE LAST BLACK DAY Detron begins his destruction palns, beginning with present day Earth. Jedikiah taunts the Tp, who are all captured in one stroke of Detron's might. The united Tp and friends hatch a deadly and sacrificial plan to save all time and space from massive destruction. Frasier McCollough (Alasdair Cumming, Colin in DOCTOR WHO-ARC OF INFINITY), a young Australian college student, runs from his family home in fear when Detron randomly attacks it and him. Detron now controls all time and space around Earth and begins hungering for more. NOTES ON SEASON THREE The character of Kevin Ankoris (Billy Warlock) seems to have just vanished from the show. Jamie appears as a full time regular. The stories become fully continuing. QUESTOR crossovers were involved. The spinoff characters return for this season. A massive death occurs as a result of the battle with Jedikiah and Detron. MY NOTES: Not terrible but too many breakouts and the soap format hurt the overall effect of the show. Way too many characters and too many breakouts happening right on top of each other. Not bad but not very good either. The crossovers at this point were an inspired idea but having them crossover so much was not very cool. I wouldn't mind the original series characters Mike Bell, Stephen Jamieson, and Tyso Bozewell returning from their spinoffs but we also get a major influx of characters we don't really care about. SPINOFF CHECKLIST: STEPHEN AND TYSO season two TIME GATE season two POINT OF NO RETURN season two GROUND ZERO season one-Spring of 1985 1985-1986 82-FEAR OF FLYING Detron is defied b a group of the Tp and Hawk. Detron threatens to destroy Earth. Peter, Zack, and Brian put their plan into action. Jedikiah is killed (again). The last ditch effort succeeds in getting rid of Detron but at the highest cost possible: Brian, Gregg, Sabrina, Tony, Julianna, Greta, and Jobe perish while Hawk and Toby are critically injured and the inside of the satellite is destroyed. Ricky, Heidi, and Glenna, seeing the destruction, decide to quit active membership. The plan was to use a massive bolt of psychic energy but those who channeled the energy had to actually touch Detron to deliver it. Jedikiah was seemingly killed in the backlash of energy, the same backlash that while getting Detron put away, killed many TP. 83-AUSSIE IN THE OUTBACK Stephen and the Overmind Group return to their headquarters to seek help for Hawk. Toby begins a slow recovery. Dion and Liz discover Frasier breaking out and in need of help. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: J2rider@aol.com Subject: TPFICT: tctp season 4 Date: 29 Mar 2000 22:45:00 EST 1985-1986 82-FEAR OF FLYING Detron is defied b a group of the Tp and Hawk. Detron threatens to destroy Earth. Peter, Zack, and Brian put their plan into action. Jedikiah is killed (again). The last ditch effort succeeds in getting rid of Detron but at the highest cost possible: Brian, Gregg, Sabrina, Tony, Julianna, Greta, and Jobe perish while Hawk and Toby are critically injured and the inside of the satellite is destroyed. Ricky, Heidi, and Glenna, seeing the destruction, decide to quit active membership. The plan was to use a massive bolt of psychic energy but those who channeled the energy had to actually touch Detron to deliver it. Jedikiah was seemingly killed in the backlash of energy, the same backlash that while getting Detron put away, killed many TP. 83-AUSSIE IN THE OUTBACK Stephen and the Overmind Group return to their headquarters to seek help for Hawk. Toby begins a slow recovery. Dion and Liz discover Frasier breaking out and in need of help. 84-BEATING THE ODDS Toby continues to grow stronger. Kevin asks Andrea to marry him. Liz prepares for a date with black business man Gary Novell (Avery Brooks), a horror novelist. Clean up on the satellite continues. 85-QUEST FOR FACTS Toby begins to question what life is about. Liz falls in love. Frasier learns how to use his powers. Terry and Renny look for some adventure in Hollywood. 86-A LITTLE GOOD NEWS Chip Evans (Jeffery Rogers) breaks out with no problems, triggering a round of curiosity. Kevin and Andrea announce their engagement. Evan goes in search of his roots. Terry makes a contact for his band while Renny lands a job in a commercial. 87-LOST AND FOUND Renny picks up telepathic vibrations from a hooker who propositions him and walks into a trap. Terry worries when he loses contact with Renny. The hooker Lorraine Jacks (Elizabeth Daily) explains Renny is to be a part of a white slavery ring. 88-SLAVE TRADE A helpless Renny senses an impending breakout for Lorraine. Terry finds Lorraine breaking out and he convinces her to help him free Renny and herself. A Kansas farm boy named Zeke (Carlo Imperato who plays Danny on TV's FAME), displays incredible memory skills. 89-DOWN ON THE FARM An approaching tornado triggers Zeke's breakout. Toby questions Chip and finds out Chip has known about the existence of the TP for years, thanks to his cousin Andrew Forbes. 90-RICE AND WISHES Kevin and Andrea marry. Endrei returns incognito to the Russian consulate to visit friends. Dri suffers a slight loss in his powers for no apparent reason. 91-FADE OUT Dri, caught in mid jaunt, hangs between life and death. A still recovering Toby tries a dangerous merger of bodies, nearly killing himself in the process but breaking the power fade of Dri, who survives. 92-SACRIFICIAL LAMB Toby, chastised by Liz for his dangerous stunt, agrees that he needs some time off and returns home, only to discover that his best friend's sister is about to break out. Danette Brandon (Shalane McCall) joins the TP. 93-HONEYMOON HORROR HOTEL Kevin and Andrea's honeymoon is interrupted by a mysterious young lady that scares both of them. Draea London (Kyle Richards), this young lady, is discovered to be in dire need of help. 94-LONDON CALLING Draea breaks out. Her dream sequences make it possible for her to enter other people's dreams, causing panic in the process. 95-PHOTOGRAPHS AND MEMORIES Renny, looking for comfort on the anniversary of his parents' deaths, turns to Jillian. Terry meets a hot Hollywood socialite named Julia Winters (Deborah Adair). A young Mexican named Jesse Rapheeal (Johnny Lozada of MENUDO) breaks out at his brother's funeral. 96-FRENZY Zeke reveals his abused background. Jesse, brought to the satellite, refuses to believe the story of what he's become until Kevin forces him to face the fact that both the Tp and his powers are real. 97-IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT Liz spends the night with Gary. Endrei senses just beginning telepathic signs in an old friend. TIM suffers an accidental supplementary memory burnout. 98-AFFAIRS OF THE HEART Jesse and Draea find a common interest. 21 year old Jillian seduces 15 year old Renny, leading to a secret relationship. Terry meets with socialite Julia Winters (Deborah Adair). 99-INSECURE MISSION Kevin is warned by a friend about a secret file on the TP at CIA headquarters. Toby confirms its existence and plans to secure it. Kevin, an ex olympic champion, volunteers to go undercover and get it, much to the chagrin of his bride. 100-COVERT PROJECTS Kevin is discovered and captured by the CIA. Lorraine moves in with her sister in Washington DC, vowing never to go back to her old lifestyle. Terry has another rendezvous with Julia. 101-PENETRATION CIA penetrates the satellite's spectrashift screen and pinpoints its location, making plans to invade and capture the satellite and the TP. Kevin is injured when he tries to escape from the secret CIA bunker. TIM begins shifting the position of the satellite. 102-TRIALS OF YOUTH The satellite is placed into a new, unknown orbit. Liz, Zeke, Dri, and Chip go undercover to save Kevin from a fate of being a queni pig. Andrea learns a secret. Evan returns home for a family ceremony and reveals his powers to them for the first time. 103-MAJOR MISTAKES Andrea tells a recovering Kevin her secret. Liz contemplates moving in with Gary. Terry tells Renny he is falling in love with Julia while Renny keeps his relationship with Jillian a secret. 104-TALKING HEARTS Peter, on vacation here, warns Toby of impending danger from some outside source. Jillian and Renny consummate their relationship on Renny's 16th birthday. Kevin and Andrea reveal their secret to everyone, who couldn't be happier for them and their impending arrival. OKAY WHAT'S UP NOTE: What the hell is this, a soap opera? It has turned the TP into total soap and it's really mediocre. Not only that but does one get the idea that these little blurbs can only add up to about 15 minutes of so called adventure? 105-FIRE AND WATER Toby detects a radiation cloud drifting towards Earth. Elizabeth accepts Gary's marriage proposal. Chip's lifelong best friend is showing signs of being in trouble. 106-UNUSUAL ACTIVITY Endrei notes an increase of activity on the Russian space station. Toby and Liz fear detection by the Soviets, who may be worried that they are working for the CIA. The CIA can no longer prove the TP's existence but are now fully aware of the TP. Jesse helps out with earthquake victims near his home. 107-THERE'S A SUCKER BORN EVERY MINUTE The radiation cloud is approaching Mars, coming ever closer to Earth. Terry confesses his love to Julia by proposing to her. Toby and Danette try a first date. 108-GEIGER COUNTER Terry awaits Julia's answer, hoping that their 15 year age difference won't matter to her. Toby sends Zeke and Evan to investigate the radiation cloud, who could bring back bad news---if it gets too close to Earth, it will destroy all life. 109-PLAN OF REACTION The cloud is now only two weeks from Earth and definitely deadly. Toby develops a plan to absorb the cloud as an energy source. Terry goes to Julia's home for an answer to his proposal. 110-ABSOLUTION The radiation cloud is almost upon Earth, while Toby works to build a containment device of some kind. Julia reveals her true motives, trapping a heartbroken Terry and confessing her shockingly extensive knowledge of the TP. 111-FREE FALL Renny and Frasier investigate Terry's disappearance. Julia claims not to have seen him recently. A captive Terry tries desperately to call for help. Toby's absorption and containment enclosure malfunctions as the radiation cloud envelops the satellite. Liz, on Earth, prepares for her wedding. TIM, overloaded by the information from the cloud explodes, injuring Toby, Kevin, and Lorraine. Without help from TIM, the satellite's orbit begins to decay. NOTES ON SEASON FOUR: Liz will retire next season. Phillip Gilbert as the voice of TIM will retire next season but Vincent Price will take over TIM's voice. MY OWN NOTES: Oh boy, the real rot sets in. Okay, I can see that if you enjoy the characters, you can enjoy a particular story line. The stories are driven only by the characters and many of them are not interesting or fleshed out in any way, thus, the stories are mundane, something the TP should never be. I also tend to see what I never noticed until writing this: the worst aspects of DOCTOR WHO's later seasons began to influence TC: we have a regular villain and deaths thrown in for deaths' sakes. Not a good way to write. On top of that, we continue to get the encroaching soap continuation aspect, which only hurt this writer and this once promising show. This season the characters that break out are even more shallow than the previous ones, many of the best ones having been killed off at the start of this "season." The stretched out story lines only make things worse and this season can probably be told as one four hour mini series and even that would be putting stress on the narrative. In addition to all of this mess, TC's spinoffs are not listed in the correct years in book one and book three--one might be correct and the other might not. Some in Book One have overlapping years and others are not listed in the third book. SPINOFF CHECKLIST: STEPHEN AND TYSO season 3 TIME GATE season 3 POINT OF NO RETURN season 3 GROUND ZERO --Winter 1986 MOVIE: STEPHEN AND TYSO: THE ARMEGGEDON FACTOR-December 1985 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Vivian Arney <TIA-PALS@excite.com> Subject: TPFICT: Please make contact. Date: 30 Mar 2000 16:35:57 -0800 (PST) Dianne Elliot & Jackie Clark please contact me privately. thanks viv Tia's Pals' Press c/o Vivian Arney P.O. Box 4187 Austin, Tx 78765-4187 We've been selling Fanfiction, memorabilia and books for twelve years. SASE for more info. _______________________________________________________ Get 100% FREE Internet Access powered by Excite Visit http://freelane.excite.com/freeisp