In the medlab of the Christa, Rosie was monitoring the condition of her two patients. They had been there, unconscious, for almost two hours, and neither showed any signs of coming around anytime soon. The Earther-Catalina has a mild concussion, and it would take awhile for the medlab's healing systems to help her recover to full health, but the other one, the Earthman, just seemed not to want to wake up. Rosie had looked and looked, but there really wasn't anything wrong with him.

Maybe, Rosie wondered, he was just lazy.

Meanwhile, in the command post, Thelma was filling the Commander, Harlan, Radu, and the recently-emerged Miss Davenport in on what she had learned from her other self.

"The other ship is indeed the Christa, but from a parallel reality, as I first learned from my counterpart there. The crew of that ship consisited of: Radu, Catalina, Rosie, Bova, and one Connor Macfarlane, of Earth."

"So that's that guy's name who was at the helm," interrupted Harlan.

"Yes... Apparently, he came from a long line of scientists and explorers, including some of the first human outsystem colonists... However, while he excelled at most classes at the Starcademy, he rebelled against the 'special treatment' he got because of his family..."

"So what happened to the rest of the crew?!" Miss davenport demanded, nearly hysterical.

"Well," Thelma began, though she was soon cut off by someone exiting the jump tubes.

"Commander," Suzee started, as soon as she got out of the tube, "I've got some bad news. It looks like our hyperdrive shorted out once we got into this system. It looks like the wires are corroding. I can probably get the parts to fix it, but only by scavenging the other ship."

"Well, I think you should wait until one of that ship's crew wakes up, so you can ask them. It is after all, their ship."

Again seemingly in response, the comm light flashed. It was Rosie.

"Commander, I think you should come down here. One of the patients has woken up."

Connor Macfarlane had seen many strange things in his life, but he was pretty sure that seeing people you knew were dead walking around just about beat all. He didn't know what he'd expected to see when he woke up, but Rosie probably wasn't it.

"Umm... Hey." He'd decided to start simply.

"Hi." Rosie replied cheerfully.

"I'm not... Dead, am I?"

"I'm pretty sure you aren't. Why would you be?"

Connor was now totally perplexed. How was he here, on the Christa, with someone who'd been lost days ago, and the ship not completely totalled? He was sure that he did not want to know... He was also sure that he was going to find out.

Then, Commander Goddard, Miss Davenport, Thelma, and Suzee entered. And Connor's head started to hurt.

"Greetings, mister Macfarlane. I'm Commander Goddard, but I guess you already know that."

"Yeah."

"I don't suppose you'd mind telling us what happened to your ship, as you remember it? Your ship's recording devices malfunctioned."

"Okay... Well... It all started three days ago, I think. We were checking out this system for usable fuel sources, and, with only Cat and I still aboard, we were badly undermanned. When we got near the second planet of the system, we detected a ship coming out of hyperspace... The Spung Killcruiser Na' Korremok, to be precise. They attacked us, without provocation, and we returned fire, but our weapons were underpowered. We were nearly destroyed, but Cat tried to use the Christa's hyperdrive and time-altering sytems at the same time... there was an incredible flash, and the next thing I remember is you guys fishing me out from under most of the command post. And then, here."

Goddard was incredulous.

"Did you say weapon systems?"

"Yeah, weapon systems. Why? And how am I on another Christa? And," he said, noticing Suzee for the first time, "who is she?"

"You are on another Christa in another reality", Thelma replied, "It seems that Catalina's inventive use of the hyperdrive and other systems pulled you out of your own reality and into this one. As for your last question, she is Suzee, a girl from another dimension who switched dimensions with our own Catalina some time ago when..."

"Thank you, Thelma," Goddard cut in, "now, Connor... You mentioned weapon systems?"

"Yeah... Thelma in our... Uh, reality thought it would be necessary for us to defend ourselves, and so she activated the ship's dormant weapon systems. We tried to use them as little as possible, but after what happened with the Spung, well..."

"What happened with you and the Spung?" Miss Davenport broke in, again near hysterics.

"It's, ah, a long story. And anyway, it doesn't really matter now, does it? It would seem that Cat and I are stuck here. Besides, I really need to eat something."

In the mess hall, Suzee was beginning to wonder if Connor's legs were hollow. He had eaten more in half an hour that Bova did in a day. After about that long, he seemed to realize that he was making a pig of himself, and slowed down.

"Sorry," he said, sheepishly.

"So," Suzee asked, "just how is your reality different from this one?"

"Well, first of all, I don't think you even exist there, though I've never been to another dimension, so I really wouldn't know... Ummm... That Harlan guy, in our reality, was the Starcademy's top student, and a complete jerk. Lesse, what else... Oh, yeah. We lost most of our crew by various means... Rosie and Bova were trying to get back to us in one of the Starlings, just when we jumped to this reality... Commander Goddard and Miss Davenport, they..." He stopped for a moment, as if nearly overcome by emotion, then continued, "well, they were both killed, anyway, and Radu was also killed."

"You don't seem terribly choked up over Radu."

"Yeah, well, he wasn't exactly sorely missed. I didn't enjoy that he died, but we were better off without him."

Suzee didn't understand, but she also didn't get the chance to ask, because Radu came out of the jump tubes and into the mess at that very moment. Connor looked at him for just a second, and then developed a strong interest in the food on his plate.

"What about Catalina?" Suzee asked.

"What about her?" Connor replied.

"Well, in this reality, she was Saturnian, and she and I had a mental link across dimensions. Plus, we're both engineering geniuses."

"Well," Connor began again, "Cat and I have known each other for years. She convinced me to enroll in the Starcademy with her, since we were best friends. She's still an engineering genius, but she's very shy about being so talented. It was her idea to board the Christa when it showed up at the Starcademy, and, well, it was kinda her fault we blasted away, too... Though, I guess I'm not totally blameless there myself... You know, you've asked alot of questions about Cat, and our reality, but you haven't said anything about..." He grinned... "Yourself."

"There's not really all that much to tell," Suzee started, loking at Radu, "I'm just your typical telepathic, gilled engineering genius from another dimension..."

Connor stared at her, his mouth hanging open.

"Wha...?"

Back in the command post, Harlan and Bova were on watch, with not much really happening.

"So, Bova... What do you think of our new arrivals?"

Bova looked up, half asleep at his post.

"I don't know, Harlan. I really didn't get a chance yet to meet them, since I've been on watch for three hours."

"You've been up here that long? Why didn't you say anything?"

"I guess I figured everyone had forgotten about me, as usual. So, the girl really is Cat?"

"Yeah, but only from a reality where she was human. And, supposedly, I was some stuck-up, egotistical jerk! Huh, can you believe that?!"

Bova didn't answer. He just rolled his eyes, and pretended to go to sleep.

The next day, Commander Goddard was trying to convince Connor to allow them to scavenge the other-Christa for repair parts for the hyperdrive.

"Listen, Commander... I would really like to help you guys, but I need my ship intact so Cat and I can get back to our reality when she wakes up... I mean, what use would you really have for us? Just a spare pilot and engineer, from a reality where the galaxy is a lot more hostile than this one..."

"Connor, we need all the help we can get. Besides, there's strength in numbers, and you only have two crewmembers... Together, however, we would have seven people who are bonded with the Christa, plus Miss Davenport and I. And, of course, Thelma. Between us, we would have a functioning ship."

"Yeah, but what is there for Cat and I in your reality? No family, no past. Nothing. I'm sorry, Commander. I'm going to get my ship functional, take Cat, and get back to my reality. I will try and find some spare parts to help you, but..."

Goddard had only one thing left he could try. And, from what Radu had told him about the way Connor reacted towards Suzee... He could only hope it was the right thing to do.

"At least, let me send someone along to help you."

Aboard the other-Christa, Connor and Suzee were rooting through the engine room, trying to find something that worked.

"Okay," Suzee said, "when I was here before, I saw that the main power was functional... I just need to find a connection... There!"

Lights began to come on all over the ship. Screens that had lain dark and dead flickered to life. With a heavy clunk the air circulation system got the stale atmosphere moving again.

"Ha ha... I did it again."

"Um, nice work, Suzee... I've got to get the command post up and running again, so, why don't you work down here at getting drive systems funtional?"

Before Suzee had a chance to respond, he was off down the newly-operating jump tubes.

"Sure...Good idea." She said, to herself. "Does he not like me or something?"

Aboard the working Christa, Radu and Harlan were in the command post, looking at the other ship.

"Well,' said Harlan, "looks like they got power back up."

"Yeah. And in under twenty minutes. That's good, even for Suzee."

"So, Radu... have you gone to see Cat yet?"

"Not yet... It's weird, you know? Having Cat and Suzee in the same dimension at the same time. Even if it isn't our Cat."

"No kidding... I didn't want to go see her at first... It brought back too many regrets... But Suzee must be ecstatic! After all, she hasn't talked to Catalina in how long now? That was strange, too... Her suddenly losing contact with Catalina..."

"Of course, if they go back to their own reality, then we'll still have no Catalina, Harlan."

"I know, I know..."

"Okay, Connor," Suzee's voice came in over the comm line, "you should have sublight now... Hyperdrive, though, will take some more work."

"How did you get the system back on line so fast, anyway? According to Thelma, it was going to take at least two days to repair the main drives."

"Well, Catalina'd already done most of the work... I just applied a little of my engineering genius to it."

"Great, great... How long until there's power for the forward gun? I'm feeling a little edgy, sitting here with two powerful, but unarmed ships who are incapable of hyperjumps..."

"That should take an hour or so... I'm a little new with weapon systems..."

"Okay... I've almost got the control sytems up... With most of the stations melted, I'll have to route all controls through the helm and engineering stations."

"You know how to do all that?"

"Of course! Cat was my engineering course tutor."

After almost an hour, Radu and Harlan were still sitting on the command post, still watching the other ship. Their day seemed to be on the way to a comfortable level of boredom, when Thelma walked onto the post.

"Sensors are detecting another ship, coming around from behind a planet."

"Thelma," Radu asked hurriedly, "why couldn't we detect it before?"

"It was probably hiding in the planet's mass shadow, where our sensors could not find it... This does not seem to be very good at all..."

"What," Harlan wondered sarcastically, "is something else wrong?"

"Oh, yes, Harlan. Very wrong indeed. The other ship... Is a Spung Killcruiser."

Thelma noted their expressions, and concluded that Harlan and Radu understood the gravity of the situation.

On the command post of the other-Christa, Connor had also noticed the new arrival.

"Uh-oh."

At that point, Suzee reopened the comm link to him.

"What's going on up there?"

"Ummm... We've got company. You'd better get those weapons up, 'cause we're gonna need 'em."

"Connor, what is going on up there?!"

"Spung," he said simply, and shut off the link.

"Commander, the Killcruiser is hailing us," Rosie chimed in from her post.

Goddard was impressed by the way Harlan and Radu had handled the situation: They'd called the rest of the crew up to the command post. With Suzee on the other ship, and Miss Davenport watching the comatose Catalina, they were shorthanded, but, hopefully, no-one would faint.

"Screen on."

The screen came to life, showing the wrecked interior of a Spung Killcruiser's bridge. And there, at the controls, was the haggard, but imperious face of...

"Elmira?" Radu asked the universe, recieving no response.

"Lumanian ships. This is the Spung Killcruiser Na'Korremok. You are harbouring known anti-Spung terrorist Connor Macfarlane, an Earthman. Turn him and his companion, a girl named Catalina, also from Earth, or be destroyed. In the name of the Spung Empire, I, Warlady Elmira, order you."

"Warlady Elmira?" Harlan wondered. "How's that work?"

"Rosie," Goddard asked, "why didn't she notice who we are?"

"I think that their communication systems have been damaged. She could send the message, but not recieve at the same time."

"Fine," Goddard went on, "Patch me throught to the other Christa. Now."

"Alright, Connor. You've got full weapons power, and full thrusters. No shields, though, and no hyperdrive. I have just one more thing to do before that's operational, and we'll have enough parts left over to fix my Christa!"

"That's great, Suzee... But we need to survive this, first." Connor really wasn't sure how he was going to pull that one off, but...

"Hang on, Suzee... I've got another signal coming through, from the Christa."

"Mister Macfarlane," Goddard began, confidently, "I assume you recieved that transmission for the Spung?"

"That's right, Commander."

"What's with this 'terrorist' label?"

"Well, Commander, after the first time the Spung attacked us, we were forced to defend ourselves. When we encountered Warlord Shank and the Ke'Zhadda, and were fired upon... I destroyed that Killcruiser, Commander. I killed Warlord Shank."

"Well, mister Macfarlane, you did what was necessary, but..." Goddard noticed that something else was troubling Connor.

"Commander, you died in the first attack on us by Shank. Miss Davenport, too. After all that, and what had happened to Radu, I was angry. We could've escaped, but... I wanted to destroy them, Commander. And I did. And then, part of me died."

"You only did what you had to to protect your crew and your friends, Connor, I would probably have done the same."

Connor looked away from the screen for a second, then checked his posts' readouts and controls.

"Now, Commander, I need you to look out for Cat for me, in case I don't come back... I'll get Suzee to a lifepod if things get rough, but right now I need her help. Get out of here, Commander. Now."

"Connor! Don't do this..."

"I have to, Commander," Connor saluted him, "screen off."

Goddard turned to his crew.

"You heard the man! Get us to a safe distance, mister Band. Bova, get those shields up. Be careful... This could get rough."

"Suzee!" Connor shouted into the comm link, "get out of here! Get to a lifepod, or one of the Starlings. You don't need to die."

"I'm staying here, Connor. It's the only way to make sure the Christa is safe. Besides, I'm sure we'll survive."

"Why is that?"

"Because I fixed these systems, genius. And I am a prodigy when it comes to fixing things."

"I hope you're right."

As the Christa moved away, the Na'Korremok turned towards it, readying its concussion torpedoes. But the other-Christa was also turning, towards the Killcruiser. And it was powering up thrusters, as well as the main gun.

On the command post of his ship, Connor Macfarlane eased the throttle open with one hand, the other on fire control. He could hear Suzee's tense breathing over the comm link, a stark contrast to his own, measured respiration.

"Hang on," he said, more for his own benefit than hers, "this is gonna be bad."

End of Part Two: Names

Next- Part Three: Into the Deep

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