Dr. Ninjara Smith stood in front of Jenny's locked
freezing
tube. He rubbed his hands together.

NINJARA SMITH
I'm going to need Dr. Robinson's portable gurney. I believe it's
stored
in...

MARTIN ROBINSON
I know where it is. I'll get it. <He raced out of the
room>

Brisby stared at the vixen. She felt sick to her stomach
with
worry. Anger flashed in her eyes.

BRISBY ROBINSON
For months we worked together, getting ready for this mission.
We
trusted you. And in return, this is how you repay us?
<Shouts> YOU
TRIED TO KILL MY FAMILY!

NINJARA SMITH
Yes, well, existence offers us nothing if not the opportunity
for an
endless series of betrayals.

Brisby Robinson glared at her. Did she really look at life
that
way? Was there no shred of mutant decency in her body?

NINJARA SMITH
You look as if you don't understand, Professor. <Her eyes
shined with
excitement> Let me explain. There is a world behind this
world. Lie
once, cheat twice, and everything becomes clear. Do not mistake
my
deceptions for a character flaw. It is the way I have chosen to
live.

BRISBY ROBINSON
You are a monster!

NINJARA SMITH
Perhaps I am. Maybe you would like to see me die. But I am the
only
one who can save your daughter's life right now. So sorry for
the
ironic situation.

Martin rushed toward her, pulling the gurney behind him. His
face was flushed with the effort.

NINJARA SMITH
All right, Martin, junior. On my command, I need you to short
the
power.

MARTIN ROBINSON
Don't call me junior!

NINJARA SMITH
Professor Brisby, you will assist me in lowering the body.
<She handed
Martin her sword> Martin, junior <Sneers at his angry
look> NOW!

Martin swung the sword with all his strengh into the power
circuit outside the freezing tube. The field flared once, then
shut
off. Suddenly the door to the tube popped open. Brisby grabbed
her
daughter's arms, pulling her foreward. Then she leaned her head
against
Jenny's chest, listening for a heartbeat.

BRISBY ROBINSON
She's not breathing!

NINJARA SMITH
Sickbay, MOVE! <She commanded, lowering Jenny onto the
gurney>

BRUTUS WEST
The sun won't let us go. <They were being sucked toward it as
if they
were as weightless> Houston, I need options!

MISSION CONTROL
I'm sorry Brutus. There's nothing we can do to help.

Sergant Brutus stared at the windscreen. The sun was getting
so
big that it nearly blotted out everything else.

JUSTIN ROBINSON
We've got to divert all power to the engines. Re-routing life
sciences.

Justin tapped his computer, entering the commands that would
shut down all non-essential life science systems. All the
interior
lights turned off. Brutus stared at the drive core indicator.
Their
engine capacity had increased - but only slightly. It wouldn't
be
enough.

JUSTIN ROBINSON
Let's try to get more power. Shutting down Robotics. <He
flicked
another switch>

BRUTUS WEST
We're making progress. <Watching the indicator> But it's
still not
there.

JUSTIN ROBINSON
One more try. Shutting down essential life sciences.

He tried to disconect the power. The system shorted, and
electricity arced across the consoles.

COMPUTER SYNTHISIZED VOICE
SHUNT ERROR. WARNING: MEDICAL SYSTEMS CRASH!

JUSTIN ROBINSON
No! <Slams palm against console> I didn't mean to -
Jenny!

Down in sickbay, Jenny was lying on a high-tech scanning
bed.
Above her, a 3D holographic image of her body shimmered,
revealing the
weak links.

NINJARA SMITH
No cardio-pulmonary or respiratory functions. <Positions
shock paddles>
Clear! <Activates the paddles>

The holographic image of her heart beat once, then was
silent.

NINJARA SMITH
Again. Clear! <Engages the shock paddles>

The lights on the bio console flickered. The holograph went
out.

BRISBY ROBINSON
We're losing her!

NINJARA SMITH
Come on, child. Fight. <She started manual CPR, pumping
Jenny's chest
with her hands then breathing into her mouth, forcing air into
her
lungs> Put a little heart in it. The life...I save...May
be...my own!

She stopped and leaned over, pressing her ear to her chest.
Then she picked up her wrist and felt for a pulse.

BRISBY ROBINSON
Jenny? Baby? <Tears in her eyes>

Jenny opened her eyes and looked at her mother.

JENNY ROBINSON
You should try to look less worried, Mom. It has a tendency to
spook
the patients.

Brisby heaved a sigh of relief. Brushing a tear off her
cheek,
she turned to Dr. Ninjara Smith.

BRISBY ROBINSON
Thank you, I suppose.

NINJARA SMITH
I hope I have proved that the well-being of your family is of
great
import to me. You are a good woman, Brisby Robinson. Anyone can
see
that. Perhaps if you convinced your husband to trust me...

Brisby stared at her for a second. Did she really think she
could charm her - after all she'd done? What a sore loser. She
engaged
her Jedi Lightsaber, the glowing blue blade humming to life as
she
pointed it at the stunned vixen.

BRISBY ROBINSON
Stabilize her, Smith. Because you only breath as long as she
does.

BRUTUS WEST
Heat seal breach in 40 seconds.

Brutus stared at the engine capacity indicator on his
console.
The engines were operating with 50% more power than normal. But
Sergant
West doubted that would be enough to safely outmanuver the
sun.

JUSTIN ROBINSON
That's all the power we've got.

BRUTUS WEST
I'm putting the pedal to the metal. Here goes! <He pulled
back on the
main engine thrusters>

The engines screamed in torture as the ship strained to
accelerate foreward.

BRUTUS WEST
She can't break free from the sun's draw. She dosen't have
enough
thrust.

JUSTIN ROBINSON
There's got to be a way to get through this!

Sergant West took his eyes off the viewscreen for a second
to
stare at the Professor.

BRUTUS WEST
That's it.

JUSTIN ROBINSON
What's it?

BRUTUS WEST
If we can't go around the sun, we have to go through her. Using
your
hyperdive lightspeed. <He started moving his chair up to the
hyperdrive
initiator>

JUSTIN ROBINSON
No! If we engage the lightspeed without a gate portal, we could
be
thrown anywhere - anywhere in the galaxy!

BRUTUS WEST
Anywhere but here will do - don't you agree?

Justin spun around, hitting a special button. A hidden panel
slid open, revealing two silver keys. He tossed one up to
Sergant West.

JUSTIN ROBINSON
We do this together. On my mark.

Brutus nodded and inserted his key into the initiator,
Justin
did the same with his key.

JUSTIN ROBINSON
Three...two...one...Mark!

Both rats turned their keys. Hurry, Brutus thought, watching
a
holograph that showed the Discovery 2 virtually on fire. The
outer hull
was beginning to melt. They had only seconds to escape
ALIVE!

COMPUTER SYNTHISIZED VOICE
WARNING! HEAT SHIELD BREACH!

Justin and Brutus locked back into place. The sun covered
the
entire windscreen.

JUSTIN ROBINSON
Lightspeed hyperdrive at 100%. Proceed Sarge.

TIMMOTHY ROBINSON
Father! <He scrambled up onto the bridge. Justin spun around
to face
him, leaping out of his chair>

JUSTIN ROBINSON
Timmy, stand back! <Runs towards him>

Sergant Brutus was so focused on the hyperdrive that he
barely
noticed anything else.

BRUTUS WEST
Let's see what this baby can do! <He engaged the lightspeed
thrusters>

Suddenly everything seemed to stop! It was as if time stood
still as the starship surged foreward. Timmothy & Justin
suspended in
midair, reaching out for each other, Brutus slammed back into
his seat
by the G-Forces, face contorted in pain. Down below in sickbay
Ninjara,
Brisby, Martin and Jenny were flung into the air, also frozen in
place,
arms flailing, feet kicking. The acceleration was so fast that
sections
of the ship began to dissapear around them. The hull
vanished,
becomming translucent from the force of the hyperdrive.

Sergant Brutus had no sense of gravity as he felt them
falling
through space. Seconds later, the Discovery 2 emerged through
the other
side of the timewarp lightspeed barrier and returned to normal
space.