Synergy

Moonbase Alpha's status report, 1365 days after leaving earth's orbit Dr. Helena Koenig recording. David Kano has discovered that the planet we are in range of is a combination of two energies that have joined to produce a gigantic forcefield within its parameters. One side of the planet is impenetrable to our scanners while the other side seems to be one dark uninhabited mass. We have however picked up some sign of life. We are trying to see if it is intelligent life.

"I must say Commander, you look ten years younger," Alan Carter reiterated for the umpteenth time that day.

John Koenig turned in his chair. He looked at Alan Carter. He sure was thick headed, but John appreciated his friendship and loyalty. John ignored the comment as he had been doing all day.

John turned back and continued looking at the schematics of the new Eagle. He liked the idea Johnson had come up with, but would it fly.

"When did Johnson and Bergman come up with this?" John asked looking at the fuel requirements. "Will it work?"

Just then, the door to his office bleeped. John opened it and Johnson, Morrow, Veredeschi and Bergman entered the room with more charts and schematics.

John took the ones he had in hand and they all went to the conference table. Victor spread the rest of the diagrams on the table. The men poured over them pointing on different areas of concern.

The communicator buzzed and Koenig answered. It was Sandra. "Yes, Sahn."

"We are getting a response from the other side of the planet, Commander!" Koenig raced out of the office.

"Didn't Kano say that side of the planet was barren?" Koenig asked.

"I guess he was wrong," Sahn stated.

Kano swiveled around in his chair, "I am never wrong," Kano looked a little put out.

"Than why are we getting a signal from that side of the planet?" Koenig looked him square in the eyes and asked.

"Computer is never wrong, Commander."

Koenig was exasperated. Kano could have a one-track mind when it came to computer. How many times had he heard that saying from him 'computer is never wrong'.

He stood beside Sahn's desk. "Any visual, Maya?" The others filed out from his office all the while looking at the screen.

"No, Commander." John looked up at the sound of the voice. It was Alibe. "Sorry Alibe, I did not know you were on duty this evening. How are they communicating, voice, sound or diagrams?" Koenig asked her.

Instinctively Alan went to stand by her desk. Alibe was aware of his presence. She took a deep breathe before answering him, "Sound, Commander. Computer is unscrambling it now."

Koenig moved to her desk to look at the readout on the screen. He could hear the steady rhythm from the signal. Victor moved in closer. David Kano got up from his desk and headed over to communications console He watched as computer ran the figures.

'I do not think computer has found a match for it, Commander," he said.

Alibe's console bleeped confirming Kano's observation. "What does that mean, Alibe?"

"It is not a signal. It could be a speech pattern. I will check." Alibe's fingers flew over the keyboard as she prompted computer to compute.

Kano watched the screen again. This time it looked like computer got something. Kano pressed a button on the console and computer started spilling out information. Alibe's screen ran information as well. She was confused, computers answer could not be deciphered by her. Alibe's fingers ran over the keys again as she asked the computer to analyze the report it gave out.

Kano was confused also. He watched as computer ran the figures again. It came up the same. John spoke directly to computer.

"Computer, data unreadable, clarify?" Koenig stood waiting. Kano could see no response from computer. Koenig tried again. The doors opened and Helena Koenig walked into Main Mission. She had a frown on her face and looked a little concerned. Her regal strides took her to Koenig's side.

"What's the matter? I sensed your anxiety," she said. Koenig looked at her. She was very good at sensing his emotions now. She was also attuned to his thought processes.

He could hear what she was thinking even when she was in medical, he just had to concentrate to tell her he loved her and she would send a message right back to him. Their thoughts had become one.

"The planet is communicating with us in some sort of language. Computer is not cooperating. The message from it is garbled," he said.

"Why are you agitated?" she asked looking at him. John looked at her and relaxed a little. He did not want to concern her. Koenig had not seen her all day. She looked relaxed and sun kissed. He touched her hair just as computer spoke.

DATA COMPLETE, RESPONSE CORRECT.

"Computer, that does not make any sense. Play the message on audio!" Koenig commanded. He was getting agitated again.

'WE ARE THE INHABITANTS OF THE PLANET SYNERGY. WELCOME.'

"Computer was right. It was correct we had to play it to hear it," Kano responded.

"Play the rest of the message, Alibe."

'WHO ARE YOU?'

"Respond, Alibe," he ordered. John moved from her desk and stood with Sahn. "Any visual yet?"

Alibe's message went out. 'We are citizens of the planet earth on a runaway moon'. The message was standard. They replied.

'WE WELCOME YOU TO OUR HOME. ARE YOU AN ADVANCED ALIEN SOCIETY?'

"We are, I believe in between, not very advanced I am afraid," Koenig responded. "Can either of you get visual?" Koenig asked.

"Interference from the energy field around the planet, Commander," Sandra responded.

"Am I speaking directly to them, Sahn?" The Commander asked.

"Yes, Commander, Computer is translating," she replied.

There was a lurch as Moonbase Alpha came to an abrupt halt. The Alphans were thrown forward. Helena clutched at John as she was thrown off her feet. John reached out to steady her and they both went down. John used his body to cushion her fall.

"Are you alright?" He looked at her with concern. Helena brushed her hair from her face and nodded. Koenig helped her to her feet and watched as those Alphans who had fallen got to their feet.

"Is everyone, alright?" he asked.

The answers came back positive and John asked for reports all over Alpha. Some minor injury reports came in to medical.

"Alibe, what just happened here?" he asked. Before she could respond Kano answered, "We are locked into orbit, Commander. The planets energy field has locked us in. We are trapped unless they can reverse the polarity."

"Alibe, open a channel with the inhabitants of Synergy," The Commander ordered. She nodded her head then responded to him.

"We are still in communication with them, Commander."

"We are locked in orbit by your planet. We will consider this action to be hostile, unless you release us," Koenig challenged.

'IDENTIFY YOURSELF'

"I am Commander Koenig, leader of these people."

'I AM DEMETER. REGENT OF THE SYNS, WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR BEING LOCKED INTO OUR ORBIT.'

"Somehow I do not believe that," John Koenig was peeved. He could somehow tell that this being was lying. Helena rests her hand on his shoulder. He looked at her and her, at him. She nodded her head. He was lying.

"Any visual," he asked turning his head slightly.

Maya entered the room and sat at her console directly before Alibe. Koenig turned to her, "Maya, see if you can get visual. Use that new extended range scanner we have been working on."

'COMMANDER KOENIG, I ASSURE YOU WE MEAN YOU NO HARM.'

"Then why did we come to an abrupt halt. That indicates a forced stop. We have experienced that before. Why is it that our scanners saw barren land when we probed your planet," he stated. The static on the giant screen cleared and they got a visual of the alien life form. The alien was in a large cubicle surrounded by almost invisible walls. The Alphans gasped.

His skin was milk white and he was skin and bones. He had little dark crystals as eyes and he was dressed in a gold robe with rich embroideries all around. He was tall. He seemed to be 8 ft. He had elfin ears and had a goatee of silver hair on his chin. He had no mouth.

"They were interfering with our visual capacity, Commander. I had to decode their block and override it," Maya stated.

"Why did you block our scanners and feed us wrong information?" Koenig asked. Koenig stepped forward as he spoke.

'WE DID NOT WISH TO ALARM YOU WITH OUR FEATURES NOR ALERT YOU OF OUR PRESENCE.'

Other creatures entered the cubicle and stood with him. It was easy to spot the female, no goatee. Other similar creatures went to other cubicles and started touching things before them that suddenly appeared and lit up.

Before long, the entire area was filled with these creatures. They all looked alike except they had on different colors and different length in their clothing.

'WE WELCOME YOU TO OUR PLANET COMMANDER AND HOPE YOU AND YOUR PEOPLE WILL STAY OR BECOME OUR NEIGHBORS.'

Helena approached Koenig. "I sense danger, John," Koenig looked at her; he had sensed it too. They were hiding something.

"Do we have permission to scan your planet including the other side that seems impenetrable?" he asked.

'SORRY COMMANDER, I CANNOT GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO SCAN THE OTHER SIDE OF OUR PLANET.'

"Why not?"

'IT IS NOT OURS.'

Koenig looked at Helena then the others.

"May we explore it?"

'YOU MAY AT YOUR OWN RISK.'

Koenig watched the response of the Syns in the cubicles. They had all stopped working as soon as the Commander had mentioned the other side. They started working again when the Regent gave permission for them to snoop. John did not like that.

"Who lives on that side of the planet?" Helena asked.

The Regent stopped what he was doing and looked closely at Helena. He responded.

'IS SHE THE FEMALE OF YOUR SPECIE?'

Koenig, try as he might could see no movement from where his mouth should be. "Yes," he responded.

'IT IS FORBIDDEN FOR A FEMALE TO SPEAK. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THEM ONLY AS LABORERS'

Helena's eyebrow raised a centimeter She looked at Koenig. John started a smile but it did not quite reach him lips before it faltered.

He ignored the Regent's response to Helena's question. "May we send a team down in four hours, our time?"

'YOU MAY'

The Syns broke transmission and Koenig headed into his office calling his best officers in with him. They all sat around the conference table. No one spoke until Koenig asked a question.

"Kano, is the air breathable on that planet?"

"From the little we gleamed when Maya obstructed their code I would say no," he offered.

"What's the component of the atmosphere?" Koenig asked.

"Ninety percent of it is unidentifiable, the other ten percent is nitrogen, arsine and some other inert gases," Kano replied.

"Any oxygen?" Koenig asked.

"Some, Commander."

"I think that the gas in their atmosphere has some form of burning effect on the skin. The color they have could be due to the heat and the other impurities," Maya observed.

"Why do you suppose that?" Helena asked.

"Computer is analyzing the data now. At this moment, I would bet the unknown gas is some form of phosphine. I think the unknown gas is similar to the one on that chlorine planet near my former home planet or where the Brain took you, Commander. This could be another planet D," Maya said.

"Any thoughts on these aliens?"

"You know me, Commander, I don't trust them," Alan responded.

"John, you and I feel the same way. They are hiding something," Helena responded.

"I say we explore the other half of the planet," Veredeschi suggested.

"Were our scanners able to penetrate to the other side, Kano?"

"No, Commander, it is still very much an unknown," he responded.

"Do you think they know what's out there?" Koenig asked while looking around the table.

"I bet they do," Bergman spoke up.

"Victor, what do you say we suit up? The women will stay here and we will go scouting. A faint heart never won anything. So let's go."

Helena Koenig and Maya stood in opposition. They said nothing but Koenig could see they were not going down without a fight.

Helena practically screamed no way in his head. "Helena, you have to think of the baby first and foremost. You cannot put your needs ahead of his," Koenig said this without looking at her.

Helena held her ground and so did Maya. The whites of Koenigs eyes blared. Future or no future everything could change if he made one bad decision here.

Koenig got up and took two steps in her direction but thought better off it. "Helena, this is one time I am not budging, my decision is final!"

John packed up the papers before him. He ventured a look in her direction. She did not venture a word. Maya opened her mouth to speak when a look from Helena silenced her.

"Listen, I know you think I am being overprotective but I am also thinking about the well-being of others on Alpha. We cannot both be in a dangerous situation at the same time."

The others at the table stood. They began filing out of the room one by one, as this could get ugly.

Tony Veredeschi took Maya by the hand and they exited the room. Helena Koenig went to a window and looked out. She had not said a word. Koenig had not noticed this.

He watched her from his position. Things could get out of hand, if they did not go to that planet soon. Koenig approached her from behind. He could not read her mind. She was closed to him. John said a silent prayer. Let her understand, Lord.

"Helena," Koenig watched as she bowed her head. He knew she was praying too, probably the same thing he had been. This was going to be difficult. He knew he could not railroad her into anything. He did not want what happened in the past to occur now. He needed her too much.

He tried again, "Helena, I know you think you should come and that you think I am being unfair but if anything happened to you it would mean our future." His hands rested on her shoulders. She did not speak.

Koenig stood along side her and turned her to him. She had an uneasy feeling about this mission. She saw John's point of view but could he see hers.

"Helena, why must you be so stubborn about this? You are willing to jeopardize our future for your stubborn will."

The baby kicked. John Koenig felt it. Helena Koenig felt it. They looked at each other both realizing that this was a phenomenal occurrence for more reasons than one. The tears came to their eyes at the same time. Koenig crushed her into his arms. He spun her around and until she became giddy. When he stopped, his lips descended on hers in a warm kiss.

He hugged her warmly. Helena smiled but it was all too sad. She spoke, "You promised I could go. If you go without me, John Koenig and you are killed, I will die. If we go and we die I will live." John looked into her eyes and knew the truth of what she said.

"I know I did but if you are killed, I will die." He looked into her eyes and she into his.

"We must have faith," they ended together. Their eyes held and John saw to the depth of her soul, as he was sure she saw to his. His heart soared. This, love he felt for her grew with each passing day. He did not know if he could love her anymore than at this moment.

John Koenig kissed his wife. Helena stood her ground. The heavens opened as their lips met. Helena felt a sweetness run through her veins. She felt every inch of John Koenig's love pour into her being. They merged into oneness. She became him and he became her.

She felt weak in the knees as his tongue explored her mouth. He kissed her upper lip and took her tongue into his mouth again. His right hand went to the back of her neck and held her in place.

Helena felt herself floating, yet her senses were tingling. She was about to release her pent-up pressure standing in the middle of John Koenig's conference room. She could not stop it as her body tensed. She felt John stiffen. He was about to find release as well standing in the middle of his conference room.

The stars exploded in their heads first. Then they released in unison. Their kiss had sparked one big explosion. They clung to each other as waves and waves of ecstasy flooded them.

When they were able to stand without support John asked, "What just happen here?" Helena smiled. She reached for his jacket and placed it before him. She opened the door and they marched out of Main Mission straight faced.

The Alphans watched surmising they were going to take the argument elsewhere. They made it to their quarters without incident. Koenig cleaned up and changed.

They came together again in the living room. Koenig called Alan Carter and put his plans for lift off in place. He called medical and had Dr. Spencer load the Eagle. He was going instead of Helena. John Koenig had not relented.

"Should the fetus be moving at this stage?" Koenig asked.

"No, but Bob did a little exploring this morning and says he has advanced to eight weeks.

Koenig whistled and touched her stomach. He could not let himself get too distracted by this. He did not get morning sickness today but he noticed that his breast was getting tender. He had shrugged that off and dismissed it. He must focus on the task at hand, the planet.

Koenig called Victor and Paul to head the team. Alibe was the next call. Koenig made sure she would be bringing a portable translator with her. They assembled in the waiting area and Koenig gave everyone a heads up. He made sure everyone's comlock was working and everyone was armed.

John turned to look at his wife. She was calm, trusting that everything would be OK. He took her hand in his and brought her hand up, palm first. He kissed it as he looked into her eyes. They embraced and John felt the baby's movement not just in Helena's stomach but his as well. They smiled at each other as they pulled apart.

John kissed her cheek and left.

They boarded the Eagle and Alibe sat with Ed while Paul and Victor sat in the rare. John went through to the pilot section with Alan. Alan looked behind him at Alibe he wanted to talk to her about something but he was not sure this would be the right time.

Helena headed for Main Mission to watch the take off. Maya used the long-range scanners and her eyes watched as they headed to the planet.

A buzz on screen alerted them to the Syn's call. Tony had them put them onscreen. Only sound came.

'WE SEE THAT YOUR COMMANDER AND CREW DECIDED TO VISIT THE OTHER SIDE OF SYNERGY. I WISH THEM GOOD HEALTH.'

"Is there any immediate danger on that side of the planet?" Veredeschi asked.

'DID YOUR COMMANDER NOT ASK A SIMILAR QUESTION? THE REGENT DOES NOT LIE.'

Tony looked at Helena and said in a side bar. "I would love to take bets on that."

'WE WISH TO INVITE THE COMMANDER AND HIS CREW TO VISIT OUR SIDE WHEN THEY ARE THROUGH WITH THE OTHER.'

"Why is it that we cannot get a visual on you as before?" Veredeschi asked.

'WE DO NOT WISH IT.'

Helena watched as the Eagle approached and entered the mist of the planet. She half heard the conversation around her. She could not hear John's thoughts anymore.

"Tony, We have lost contact with Eagle 7," Maya announced.

Tony's attention returned to the screen and John's disappearing Eagle.

"Scan that planet!"

"No sign of them Tony the Eagle just vanished as it entered the atmosphere," Maya informed him.

Tony's eyes met Helena's eyes. Helena's hands were clasped in prayer. Tony felt helpless. John said to expect it but now that it had happened, he felt uneasy about the whole thing.

'WERE YOU NOT EXPECTING THEM TO DISAPPEAR?'

Tony listened to the sarcasm in the voice. These aliens were getting on his last nerve. He looked at Maya. He wondered if that were a rhetorical question.

"What is it you want, Regent?" Tony asked.

'WE COME IN PEACE, VEREDESCHI.'

"How do you know my name?" Tony asked. Maya stood up and Helena got an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach..

'WE HAVE BEEN OBSERVING YOU FOR A WHILE NOW.'

"Clarify that statement?" Veredeschi asked moving forward.

'TOO LATE MR. VEREDESCHI WE ALREADY HAVE WHAT WE WANT.'

The link broke as the Syn's stopped their communications. "Maya, try to get them back?" Tony ordered.

"Moonbase Alpha to Synergy, Moonbase Alpha to Synergy, come in Synergy," she knew it was futile but she did it anyway. Sandra Benes was the first to notice Helena Koenig.

She stood frozen in the spot. Sandra got up and walked over to her. She waved her hand before her face. Helena did not blink. "Helena!" she called. Sandra shook her but she still showed no signs of acknowledgment

"Helena," It was Veredeschi this time who was trying to get her to respond. Sahn backed away and Tony gripped her arms. He shook her. Helena blinked, she spoke, "I can't sense him at all."

"Are you alright?" Sandra asked. Helena blinked and then looked at her.

"Yes, I am fine. I cannot reach him, no matter how deeply in thought I go. I thought I would always be able to sense him. Tony," Helena said clutched his arm, "we have got to locate him."

Tony's hand went to rest on hers. They could hear Maya's voice in the background still calling for a response from the planet.

As the Eagle entered the atmosphere, John Koenig and all those on-board felt as though they had entered a nether world. The twilight zone was more like it.

What greeted them on entering was not what he had expected. They were caught up in a vortex as the Eagle careened out of control. They spun around in circles.

Koenig and the rest of them heard the air being sucked from the Eagle's cabin. It was pitch-black, and as they spun, and the air depleted, they all passed out. The last thing Alan heard was a scream from Alibe.

John Koenig awoke to the sound of rushing waters. His head was still spinning. He opened his eyes slowly. He was in some sort of vineyard. The grapes were orange in color and hung in ringlets.

His crew was nowhere in site. Koenig saw a clearing and rose to his feet. As he emerged from the vineyard a holographic image of the Regent appear before him.

'HELLO COMMANDER KOENIG'

John Koenig was not surprised. He did not respond.

'I TAKE IT YOU ARE NOT SURPRISED TO SEE THAT I AM VERY MUCH HERE.'

Koenig was peeved to say the least. He knew they were lying but he thought the other side might just be habitable. He was angry with himself for taking the bait and probably endangering the lives of his crew. Where was his crew anyway?

The image of the Regent walked haltingly around Koenig, assessing him.

'YOUR CREW IS WELL TAKEN CARE OF COMMANDER, DO NOT FEAR..'

"What do you want, Regent?" Koenig stood his ground. He could see that this creature was up to something devious by luring them here.

'JUST A LITTLE SPORT, KOENIG.'

"Sport?"

'YES, WE ARE PEOPLE OF MANY TASTE AND ONE OF THEM IS THE NEED FOR SPORT.'

John shuddered, another psychotic race of people. He was afraid to ask the question but ask he must.

"Where do I come in?"

The alien stopped and assessed Koenig. He might be smarter than he looked. The alien's eyes lit up in a smile. He had no mouth so Koenig assumed he was smiling.

'WELL THIS MIGHT BE INTERESTING I MUST SAY. LET US BEGIN. CHOOSE ONE PERSON FROM YOUR CREW AS AN ALLY AND LET THE GAMES BEGIN.'

"What game are we playing, Regent?"

'THE GAME OF LIFE AND DEATH, YOUR LIVES AND DEATHS.'

From nowhere a host of Synergians appeared surrounding Koenig. They could easily be thousands of them in what looked like an arena. Koenig felt like a mouse among very large cats. As suddenly as they appeared, they vanished.

'CHOOSE YOUR PARTNER, COMMANDER AND LET THE GAMES BEGIN.'

The Regent faded from sight. Koenig looked around him at the barren wasteland he was standing on.

"I choose Alan Carter!" Koenig bellowed.

Koenig watched as Alan Carter materialized before him. The voice of the Regent rang out around them. Carter walked unsteadily toward Koenig.

'WELL COMMANDER, THIS IS THE GAME. YOU FACE FIVE OPPONENTS.'

As he spoke Victor Bergman, Alibe Parsons, Dr. Ed Spencer and Paul Morrow faces all appeared.

'THESE ARE YOUR OPPONENTS. THE OTHER OPPONENT YOU WILL DISCOVER SOON.'

Koenig looked at his people and he could hardly recognize them. They looked as though their minds had been somehow altered. They wore head pieces made of metal. Their eyes and chins were the only recognizable parts to Koenig.

'THEY NO LONGER RECOGNIZE YOU AS THEIR COMMANDER. THEY ARE EACH SPECIALIST IN THEIR OWN FIELD AND YOU WILL BATTLE THEM AS SUCH. IF YOU WIN, YOU ALL GO FREE. IF YOU LOSE, YOU ALL DIE.'

"Regent! I am not going to fight my crew!"

'YOU HAVE NO CHOICE, COMMANDER.'

The faces faded and the scene changed before them and they were now in a forest.

"Commander, what are we going to do? This is a game to them."

A voice from no where in particular said.

'CHOOSE YOUR WEAPONS!'

Appearing to his right were long rows of tables full of weaponry. It dated from the medieval times to the space age and beyond. Neither Koenig nor Alan knew the use of some of the arsenal. They reluctantly gathered a few pieces and strapped them securely to their persons.

Koenig heard a rustling to the side and he and Alan took cover as the weapons faded and the first opponent appeared. It was Paul Morrow. He was dressed in black and carrying several weapons strapped to his back. Koenig tried to talk to him.

"Paul," he called from his spot. "Paul, it's me, John. We cannot fight each other." Koenig's response was an explosion over his and Alan's heads as Paul fired. They had to turn and run. Paul pursued them through the woods that appeared before them. Koenig and Alan could not turn to fire nor did they want to.

The sting of the gun knocked Alan off his feet and sent him careening into the bushes. Koenig stopped and dropped to the ground. Rolling over three times, he pointed his weapon at Paul.

"Don't make me fire, Paul," Koenig said.

Paul ducked behind a tree and fired at Koenig. Koenig rolled and fired back at him. He crept to the bushes where Alan had fallen all the while looking out for Paul. It was no use Koenig had to kill him or be killed. He thought of Helena and made his decision.

Paul Morrow sneaked up behind him and was about to fire when Alan Carter fired from his position from the ground. They watched as Paul's innards spilled out before them and he dropped to the ground.

Applause rang out from the Synergians as they faded in and out.

John ran over and felt for a pulse, he was dead. He looked at Alan from where he had fired. Alan was bleeding and in need of attention.

Koenig went over to him and helped him up. He tore off a piece of his tunic and turned it into a bandage on his arm. Alan grimaced as John worked.

The scenery changed again and John and Alan were on a mountain range. A craft of some sort hovered overhead. They could see the pilot, it was Alibe. The game had begun again.

The Syn's watched from their positions around their monitors, they placed their bets on who they thought would win.

Helena Koenig decided she would go to the planet herself. She spoke to Tony and he agreed that a rescue party should be sent but he did not want to risk John's wrath if anything happened to Helena. He could not consent to her going.

Helena did not want to argue with Tony. She had an uneasy feeling that the Syns were involved with this disappearance. She spoke to Tony who agreed with her that they were involved.

As she stood talking with Tony, she felt a great adrenaline rush. Her pulse became rapid as though she had been running. John was in danger.

"Tony, I am feeling John's emotions. He is in danger we must go down there," she stated.

The compost bleeped and Maya opened a channel. It was the Syn's this time they had allowed visual. The Alphans could see that they were in an auditorium of some kind. There was a large globe in its center They could see the display as the Syns highlighted the globe. It was John and Alan they were being pursued by an automaton in a hovercraft of some kind.

"What is going on, Regent?" Helena asked frightened. The Regent did not respond. Veredeschi tried.

"Regent, we demand that you release the Commander and the other Alphans. What is going on there?"

'CAN YOU NOT PLAINLY SEE? THE COMMANDER AND HIS FRIENDS ARE HAVING A GOOD TIME.'

Tony turned to Bill Fraser, "Get Eagle 6 on the launch pad. We are going to that planet."

'I WOULD NOT DO THAT IF I WERE YOU VEREDESCHI. ANY MOVEMENT FROM YOUR PUNY MOON AND ALL SIX WILL DIE.'

They watched as they zoomed in on the occupant of the hovercraft. It looked like Alibe in a metal mask. She zoomed in on Koenig and Alan firing her weapons all the way.

Helena felt the adrenaline rush again as Koenig put on another burst of energy and sprinted into a cave dragging a winded Alan Carter with him.

Alibe looked for a place to land and her hovercraft broke in two forming a range rover as she speed off towards the cave. Helena and the rest of the Alphans watched in horror as she fired her rockets into the mouth of the cave. It exploded with debris flying everywhere.

Helena screamed. The Syn's turned in their invisible seating and found it amusing to watch both the scene and the Alphan's response.

"They are fighting each other," Helena said horrified.

Tony stepped forwards his hands were tied he could do nothing. He had to hope that John was still alive and had a plan.

Helena felt a pain on her left shoulder. The ache got bigger. John was hurt but not dead. She was relieved. Soon afterwards Helena could feel John heal.

John Koenig had gone deep into the cave when the rocket exploded. It knocked him off his feet as a piece of shrapnel hit him in the shoulder. He fell on Alan shielding him from the blast.

As John sat up, he watched the dust clear. The vixen was headed his way. Koenig unhooked a stunner from his belt and fired two shots at Alibe. She stopped in her tracks within the caves entrance and dropped to her knees. She keeled over.

Alan Carter had rolled from under Koenig. He ran to Alibe.

"Tie her up, Alan," Koenig ordered. Alan bent over Alibe. She looked dead but he could see she was breathing. He removed the mask from her face. Alan looked at her and was relieved to see she was unscathed. He kissed her lips. He was distraught he could see she had been altered somewhat her facial features had been hardened.

Koenig ordered him again to tie her up. Alan reluctantly removed his belt from his waist and tied her arms.

The Syn's watched as Koenig got to his feet. The wound on his shoulders stopped bleeding and they were surprised when they saw it close and heal without a scar.

The Syns were flabbergasted.

'HE IS NOT HUMAN, REGENT.'

'THE COMMANDER SEEMS TO HAVE POWERS WE WERE NOT AWARE OF CHANCELLOR. WE WILL REASSESS THE SITUATION.'

The Regent appeared to Koenig in the cave.

'COMMANDER, IT SEEMS WE UNDERESTIMATED YOU. WHY DID YOU NOT INFORM US OF YOUR GENETIC ABILITY TO HEAL.'

John Koenig had not noticed his shoulder. He looked at it now. His new blood had regenerated his flesh.

'OUR PLANS HAVE CHANGED COMMANDER. THE HUNTED IS NOW THE HUNTER.'

Koenig vanished from sight. He reappeared in a chamber within the invisible walls of the Syns' complex. He watched in distress as the Syn's introduced a gas into the chamber. John passed out. The Syn's medical staff went to work and implanted a device in his ear. They engaged it and watched as John Koenig's mind revert, to the machine they wanted him to become.

Meanwhile in the cave Alan watched as Alibe awoke. He did not know what had happened to Koenig but he knew it was bad. He sat Alibe up and propped her against a stone.

" Alibe, are you OK?" he asked. Alibe sat looking at him. Alan saw a device sticking from her ear. He placed his finger in and removed it. Alibe grimaced as the device came out. Alan watched as her eyes cleared and the Alibe he knew and loved appeared.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Those crazy aliens took over your mind you nearly killed the Commander and I."

Alibe looked at his arm and asked him the question on her mind, "Did I do that."

"No, Paul did."

"Where is Paul, now?"

"Dead," Alan looked away as he said it.

Alibe closed her eyes. She felt tired. She felt it when Alan took her hand. He brought it to his lips. Alibe opened her eyes. She looked into his deep blue ones. She felt all resistance leave her when his lips descended on hers.

Alibe longed for this but could not wish it. As Alan and Alibe's eyes opened they were on a open range. The mountainside was dark and eerie. They heard the sounds of a motorized craft approaching and Alan quickly removed the restraint from her arm. They crouched down. The craft stopped and John Koenig came out.

They watched as he walked around some rocks. "Can you move?' Alan asked lifting Alibe to her feet. She stood a little stunned but stable, Alan helped her and they moved off into the shadows. Koenig was armed to the teeth and Alan knew he was no longer himself.

As Alan and Alibe moved off down the pathway, they saw John headed in another direction.

Alan and Alibe saw Professor Bergman and Dr. Ed Spencer also armed run in the opposite direction as John. John was obviously hunting them.

Alan watched as John changed directions and fired at Victor.

Victor drooped to his feet and fired back. The rays from the gun lifted Koenig off his feet. He fell in a heap at the foot of the hill. Alan refused to help him, he had Alibe to think about. He headed for Koenig's craft.

Koenig groaned and got to his feet. He was mostly bruised, but not badly hurt. Victor chose another weapon, this time he meant to kill.

Koenig fired at them hitting Ed squarely in the stomach. A hole appeared where his guts should be. Spencer burst into flames as he died.

Victor got to his feet and ducked behind a boulder. Too late the device mounted on Koenig shouldered took him and the boulder out. Victor disintegrated along with the rock.

Alan Carter took off in the craft. Koenig turned in his tracks and reloaded the shoulder launcher. He heaved it to his shoulders and pointed it at the craft. Koenig blinked. He had a flash in his mind. He blinked again. He was in the room with the Regent and his people. They were looking at a screen before them. He saw a woman. He recognized her.

Koenig removed the launcher from his shoulder. He saw the woman stand from her position at a desk. He recognized her and for a moment, Koenig could hear her thoughts. She said, "John."

The Regent freaked. The Commander had invaded his mind and could see Alpha. The Regent broke communications with Alpha. The Council was in an uproar when the Regent told them why he broke transmission with the Alphans.

Helena saw as the Regent's face change. His eyes were no longer black diamonds but golden blue. She stood. She watched Koenig on the screen. She was seated when Ed Spencer and Victor died. She had seen him stop and not fire the weapon on his shoulder at Alan and Alibe.

She called his name and watched as his mind cleared and she could read it. She saw his confusion. The Syn's broke communications.

"John."

John Koenig was confused. Where was he? Who was he? For a moment, he thought he was in a chamber surrendered by Alan, Victor, Paul, Ed and Alibe.

He tried to clear his mind. Someone was in his head. He had felt her, that woman. Who was she? Koenig felt the change again, he went into hunter mode. A row of crafts appeared before him. He chose on and loaded his weapons. He headed for the range after Alan and Alibe.

The Syn's watched in amusement as Alan and Alibe climbed the mountain in the all terrain craft.

'REGENT'

'YES, CHANCELLOR'

'THE COMMANDER SEEMS TO HAVE BROKEN OUR MIND LOCK MOMENTARILY. HE SAW THE ALPHANS. WHAT HAPPENED?'

'I DO NOT KNOW CHANCELLOR.'

'THAT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH REGENT. THIS COMMITTEE CANNOT AFFORD MISTAKES. WE DO NOT WANT THE ALPHANS' TO BECOME MINDLESS VEGETABLES.'

'I ASSURE YOU CHANCELLOR THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN.'

THE CHANCELLOR AROSE FROM HIS CHAIR AND STOOD BEFORE THE REGENT.

'DEMETER, IF YOU FAIL US WE WILL DELETE YOU,' HE LEFT THE ROOM.

THE REGENT SHIVERED.

Alan and Alibe were being tossed around in the craft. They did not care. They had to escape Koenig.

'REGENT,' another council member said.

'YES, AKEL'

'ACTIVATE THE OTHER ALPHAN NOW.'

'I AM NOT READY'

'DO IT NOW'

THE REGENT LOOKED AROUND AT THE COUNCIL. HE SHRUGGED HIS SHOULDERS AND ACTIVATED ALAN CARTER.

The craft stopped on a slope. Alibe looked at Alan she wondered why he had stopped. Alan pointed a weapon at her and fired. Alibe shot out of the craft and landed on the side of a cliff. Alan got out and brutally kicked her over the edge. She dropped forty feet. The scenery changed and Alan Carter and John Koenig were both in outer space. They were at the command both of war machines. The crafts were loaded as they faced each other.

The Regent decide to communicate again with Alpha for the final time. He could not resist a finally.

Tony, Helena and the other operatives watched as the screen came to life again. John as in a craft and so was Alan Carter. Helena tried to reach him. What Helena saw was the Regent and all the other aliens in a room. She looked around the room. She was in John's head.

He was not in a craft facing off with Alan. Helena could see all of them suspended in chambers of oxygen as the Council watched the scenes unfold before them.

John Koenig saw what she saw. This was somehow not real. John Koenig fired all the weapons he had at Alan Carter. Alan never knew what hit him. His craft shattered into a thousand pieces.

Koenig watched as the scene changed. He was inside the chamber. He was floating in oxygen. All around him were his crew in individual chambers. He watched the aliens go back and forth as they had no idea he was awake.

Koenig felt strange. He could feel something in his ear but he did not want to raise his hand to check it out. The Chancellor entered the area and spoke to the Regent. Koenig watched but could not cipher what was being said. They had no lips. Koenig decided to see if he could read their minds.

It was no use; he could not.

Helena was now pacing in Main Mission. Tony and Maya watched her it was like watching Koenig. The two were taking on each others' affectations. Suddenly Helena stopped pacing. They watched as a glow came from her. Helena looked down it was the baby. Tony and Maya backed away from her but the glow grew and reached out to Maya.

"What is it doing, Helena?" Maya asked nervously.

"I would guess, trying to save John," she offered.

The light enveloped both of them. They could see their souls shift places within their bodies. The Alphans watched as Maya and Helena exchanged essence. Their souls crossed over and then they disappeared before theirs eyes. All were stunned.

Helena was no longer herself she was in Maya's body and Maya in hers. During the transformation, Helena and Maya morphed into the creatures and they were now Syns.

"What happened, Helena?" Maya asked.

"I think Isaiah has given me your abilities temporarily. We need to free John and the others. This place is an illusion we need to find a way to get them back to Alpha," she replied.

Helena and Maya walked down the corridor. A group on Syns dressed in red were coming down the corridors. Helena saw that they were women. She realized that Maya and herself were also dressed in red.

Maya and Helena walked along behind them. The walls were transparent and they both looked within to find the chamber where John and the others were being held prisoners.

They stopped when they saw the Regent leave a room. The girls entered. Helena and Maya went to two empty stations and pretended to work. Before them were the Alphans in transparent chambers of oxygen.

Koenig's eyes opened as the new Syn women walked in. He was beginning to tell them apart, the men from the women that is. They were both looking his way. Koenig closed his eyes again.

"What are we going to do, Helena?" It was strange Maya was actually talking to Helena in her body morphed into an alien.

"We have to unlock the moon first Maya. That I think is where you come in. Find the necessary buttons on this thing and get the moon moving again. I think we can free them from those chambers from here too."

"Helena, if we free them they will die in this gas. We can only hold this form for an hour. We will die if we do not go back."

"Well let's pray we have enough time to do this."

An alarm went off inside the room and all over the complex. An Intruder sign flashed. They froze.

SIX SYNS WALKED INTO THE ROOM TO SURVEY THE AREA. THE REGENT WALKED IN AS DID THE CHANCELLOR.

'WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?' ASKED THE CHANCELLOR.

'WE HAVE INTRUDERS. SENSORS HAVE INDICATED AN ENERGY SOURCE ENTERED OUR SPEHERE.' AN OFFICER TOLD THEM.

'WHERE ARE THEY NOW?" THE REGENT ASKED.

'WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE THEM,' HE RESPONDED.

'FIND THEM!' warned the Chancellor.

The men fanned out all over the complex.

The Chancellor turned to the Regent and said, 'IF THIS IS THE ALPHANS COME TO RESCUE THEIR COMMANDER I WILL HAVE YOUR HEAD REGENT.'

'THIS WAS YOUR IDEA CHANCELLOR I WILL NOT BE BLAMED FOR THIS!' The Regent countered.

'YOU WERE ORDERED TO BLOCK THEIR SENSORS. YOU GAVE THEM VISUAL AND YOU ALLOWED THEM TO WATCH THE PROCEDINGS. YOU DID NOT THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATE THEIR ABILITIES, REGENT' The Chancellor looked him in the eyes.

The Regent backed off. The Chancellor left the room. The Regent looked at the guards in the room and called them over. They saluted him.

'KILL THEM,' he ordered pointing at Koenig and the others. The Regent left the room.

Helena and Maya were alarmed. Instead of helping, they got them killed. The guards went over to Maya and Helena and ordered them to kill the Alphans. The girls touched some buttons before them as the guards turned their backs on them and watched the chambers.

Koenig knew something was going on when he saw the guards enter. Suddenly he felt himself being transported from the room into another space he watched the other Alphans disappearing from their chambers also.

Maya had found the buttons. She realized what the fetus had done. He had given her Helena's body to tap his expertise and energy to free the captives. Maya's hand flew over the keys as she located the Eagle and transported the Commander and his crew. The fetus opened Maya's mind and she saw how to operate these computers with ease.

As the chamber cleared, the guards turned weapons pointed. The Syns in the room stood. The alarms went off within the room and other guards entered.

'WHO ARE YOU? The guards asked.

John Koenig did not look a gift horse in the mouth. He did not know why he had left the chamber but he was getting off this crazy planet.

The scanners showed they were suspended in the atmosphere.

Suddenly they were free and Koenig turned the Eagle around and headed for Alpha.

"John Koenig calling Moonbase Alpha, come in Alpha." Koenig broke through the atmosphere and headed for Alpha.

Tony responded, "Moonbase Alpha here, John."

"We somehow got free and are heading back to base, ETA twenty minutes."

John was grinning. He looked over at Alan and saw that he was still unconscious. So were the others. The journey was uneventful.

As the Eagle touched down on the pad Koenig looked at the screen before him and saw that Tony looked a little worried.

"What's up, Tony? Where is Helena?" Tony put his hands on his hips. He dreaded telling John this.

"I do not know. Your son kidnapped her and Maya thirty minutes ago. I think they are on the planet."

"What?"

"You heard me loud and clear they are not here John."

Koenig was fuming. That child was in for a lecture when it could listen. Koenig decided to go back to the planet but the moon lurched forward and began to move.

The Eagle slid off the pad and crashed. As Tony got to his feet, he ordered a crash crew to launch pad four.

Koenig was furious. Maya must have been the one to release them from the clutches of the Syns now the moon was on the move they might be trapped.

'HOW DID YOU GET HERE? WHAT ARE YOU?'

The girls were silent. Maya was well aware that the child was now in her stomach as she had Helena's body she was not sure what to do.

'ANSWER ME. WHO ARE YOU?' Just then the Chancellor came in.

'WE CAUGHT THE INTRUDERS. THEY REFUSE TO TALK, CHANCELLOR.'

'WHAT ARE THEY?'

'WE HAVE NO IDEA CHANCELLOR.'

'CHECK THE COMPUTER, AND SCAN THEM,' The Chancellor Commanded.

The operatives came over and scanned them. They could not get a reading from them.

'NOTHING, CHANCELLOR WE CANNOT GET A READING.'

'YOU REFUSE TO COMMUNICATE AND WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE.' He turned to the guards, 'KILL THEM!'

The girls looked at each other. The light began with Maya in

Helena's body and shot out towards Helena in Maya's body and they disappeared from the room.

The Syns were perplexed. 'FIND THEM,' the Chancellor said, 'TAKE HIM' The Regent suddenly found himself a prisoner of his own people.

Helena and Maya appeared to be in a hallway again in another building. this time they were male and female Syns.

'We have to leave why isn't junior getting us out of here?' Maya asked.

'I think he has other plans Maya,' Helena, now the male syn in Maya's body responded.

they watched as they disappeared again and reappear within a command center in another complex. It looked to be the heart of Synergy.

Helena/male Syn went over to the guard and he let them through. He hesitated when the female came forward. Helena/male Syn nodded his head and the guard let her through.

Before entering the room, Helena/male Syn grabbed the weapon from the guard and as the door closed she fired at the corners and sealed the doors.

An alarm sounded.

The Syn's at work turned in fright. Helena/male syn pointed the weapon at them. She herded them into a corner and covered them as Maya walked over to the transparent consoles.

Maya was at the main machine. She punched up some numbers. 'This system is similar to the one on Psychon.' She manipulated some buttons and watched as the screen came alive.

Many scenes flashed before their eyes. It looked like a program of some sort. Maya looked at the schematics. 'It's the planet. Half of it is a computer. It is like a stage for a production. The Syns are making stories.'

'What?'

'It looks like they are creating illusions. I am going to dissolve the program.' When Maya dissolve the program alien ships from all over the galaxy appeared on the other side of Syn.

Maya searched the system for the passengers. Meanwhile, the Syns were in a quandary and headed for their command center to investigate. Their orders were to kill on sight.

Maya located one hundred rooms filled with aliens from other star systems. They were held in their various programs. The Syn's were creating their own entertainment centers by using the aliens as props for their viewing pleasure.

Maya deactivated all the programs and released them. She forced their computer to seal the doors to the main operating area while she worked as the Syn's were trying to get in.

John Koenig entered Main Mission at a run. "Do we have visual, Sahn?"

"No, Commander, still nothing," Sandra appeared frustrated.

"Why did you let them go Tony?"

"John, be reasonable I could not stop them. They wanted to go and your son took them."

"How far are we from them now?"

"We are going out of range."

"How long before we can get an Eagle up there?" John asked.

"We are working on it, Commander," Alan responded. Behind him were Alibe and Victor. Ed had gone back to the Medical Center.

Koenig started pacing. I hope you know what you are doing, Junior," thought Koenig.

Maya and Helena could here the Syn's over the speakers. They threatened to destroy the complex if they did not come out. They were cutting through the doors as well.

Helena knew they were getting further away from Moonbase Alpha. she told Maya to hurry. As the doors to the area came open the child's light grew again and transported them back to alpha.

The Syn's were furious as they went to the controls. Their programs were now in shambles and the aliens were waking up in their ships. They were about to have a situation on their hands. The Chancellor paced.

Maya and Helena appeared before them on Alpha . The Alphans watched as the creatures they had turned into collapsed.

"They need the air that those creatures live on to survive!" Alibe shouted.

"Tony, how long have they been in that form?"

"About an hour, John". Neither knew which one was Helena or Maya. The men cradled them as they laid there dying to breathe.

The bodies started to pulsate and all watched as the forms changed. Maya's body laid in John's arms and Helena's body laid in Tony's. They both smiled as they saw the women smiled.

They both sat them up. The men were about to switch position when Helena still in Maya's body stopped them.

"John," it was her voice. Koenig sat back on his haunches.

"What happened?" he asked confused.

"Our baby switched bodies with Maya and me. It was the only way I could have the ability to morph. Maya's soul is in my body still."

Koenig kissed her. Maya/Helena responded. Koenig pulled away it was Helena. They both helped the women to their feet.

"How long before you change to yourself?" Koenig asked.

"I do not know ask your son," Maya/Helena responded. Tony Veredeschi did not like this one bit. He held Helena's hand, but it was Maya residing there.

"What happened?" The Professor asked coming into the room.

Maya and Helena went into the details of the rescue. John was surprised as he had seen them walk in. Helena told of the daring rescue of the others and Koenig was stunned.

"The Regent is in for a bad time when he finds out that the intruders were two females," Tony smiled.

"So what do we do now? Maya is carrying our baby, Helena," Koenig looked at her in dismay. Helena shrugged at a lost for words.

Koenig looked at Helena/Maya her hair had gotten more platinum during this last encounter. He wanted to hold her but it was not she and he wanted to hold this other creature but it still was not the same he was in a quandary.

Tony too, he was glad it was over, though. John decided to hold her in his arms at least. Helena looked at him with blue eyes. He knew it was she but this was creepy.

Tony too held Helena/Maya. He had been worried but he would take her anyway he could get her.

"Commander, we will be in range of the next planet in about a month. Long range scanners indicate, Beula is habitable," Kano, informed him turning in his chair.

"Beula?" Koenig's hand massaged his chin, "This time we will be better prepared to deal with any surprises."

He held out his hand to Maya/Helena. She took it. "Tony, your on duty."

Tony watched as the Commander exited with Maya/Helena. He looked at Helena/Maya. She shrugged her shoulders.