503. Fit Me (Twijn Ik)

"Hey you, can I tell you something?"

"Yes."

"This might sound a little odd."

"Ok."

"I'm not sure really how to say this."

"Just say it. We'll work out the details later."

"Ok."

"So?"

"Alright."

"Yeah?"

"Ok, here goes."

Em raises her eyes.

Trev looks sheepish.

"Ok, here it is. You fit."

"You fit. Is that it?"

"Yeah."

"You fit?"

"Yeah."

"Ok."

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Well, aren't you gonna ask me what that means?"

"No, not really."

"What?"

"Really, I got it. I fit."

Trev stares at Em.

Em pretends not to notice.

"So that's it?" he says.

"I fit. What's so hard to understand about that?"

"Ok, well, then tell me what it means?"

"You said it. Why should I have to tell you what you mean? Are you confused?"

"You know I should spank you."

"You think you can?"

After a short wrestling match, both out of breath, Em on top.

"You had enough?" asked Em, smiling.

"Maybe."

"Ok, tell me what fit means."

"Everything."

"Ooooooh, the clears it up."

"I'm serious."

"So am I. Now what does everything means?"

"Kiss me," he says. She leans over, lips part, and with sleepy eyes, close, tenderly, one upon the other, a softness, pulsing thin pillow flesh, translucent shades of red and orange and pink. Breath, one into the other, warmth filling warmth, movements lost in time. Tongues, pointed, dance and dart as devils before the gates of eternity, each twisting and swirling, advancing, retreating, teasing, tasting in unspoken effortless synchronicity. Hips dovetail and legs twine like vines. Arms move without command as hands and fingers lace within tresses pulled breathlessly tight.

"See?"

Em smiles. "Shut up and kiss me again or . . ."

"Or what?"

"Or I'll fit my hand to the curve of your backside."

502. Director's Cut: John's Good Night

John stands in the hallway, light dim, director and camera on a rail to his left (George Clooney plays John). His suit looks like something out of the movie Dune. John's hair is cut short, his face lined, dark, but his eyes appear unnaturally bright. He is standing before the door. The camera zooms in upon his face, his eyes, and then, like a camera finding focus, zooms out to a full body shot and the sound of a camera clicking is heard and on the screen is the still shot of John before the door. Everything freezes just for a moment as the still shot fades from view and we are back to live action, John's hand on the door, hesitating.

The door opens and John rides the shaft of light into the room, closing the door quickly, standing still while his eyes adusted to the starlight in Ariel's room. A cool bluish light fills the room and as the camera, like John's eyes, adjusts to the light and we start to see shapes, we hear two sounds. John breathing and, very faintly, a heartbeat and then, as the tension builds, the sneeze.

John walks to the bed as the camera flips from a rear low level view to the view from Ariel watching him come forward. We hear the squish of his suit, the bed shifting as he sits and we feel (I'm not sure how) but we feel the fear that Ariel has that not all is as it should be. Words are spoken but we can't hear them. Ariel sits up. We see John's hand reach for her forehead and the camera moves from his face to hers, two sets of eyes, both looking, for different reasons, uncomfortable, out of place, odd. After a few more words, John leaves and the camera shows him walking away, the door opening, a shaft of light, then closing and it is dark again.

Our final image is of Ariel, still, sitting up in bed, her knees pulled to her chest and her arms roped around the front of them with her chin nestled between the tops. The camera starts dead-on with her face and then rotates ninety degrees to the left and we see her ghostly bluish profile, primrose hair looking white, apprearing smooth and cold as marble--unmoving, eyes wide and unblinking. The camera then floats to a cutaway view of the ship and the soundtrack becomes noticiable as we watch within the frame Ariel sitting still in her bed as the small figure of John walks deliberately to the bay and the waiting pod. Soundtrack picks up as the scene fades to black. End of chapter.

Soundtrack:

Details in the Fabric
Jason Mraz (featuring James Morrison)

Calm down
Deep breaths
And get yourself dressed instead
Of running around
And pulling all your threads saying
Breaking yourself up

If it's a broken part, replace it
If it’s a broken arm then brace it
If it's a broken heart then face it

And hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way
Hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way

And everything will be fine

Hang on
Help is on the way
Stay strong
I'm doing everything

Hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way
Hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way

And everything
Everything will be fine
Everything

Are the details in the fabric
Are the things that make you panic
Are your thoughts results of static cling?

Are the things that make you blow
Hell, no reason, go on and scream
If you're shocked it's just the fault
Of faulty manufacturing.

Everything will be fine
Everything in no time at all
Everything

Hold your own
And know your name
Go your own way

Are the details in the fabric
Are the things that make you panic
Are your thoughts results of static cling?

Hold your own
Know your name
Go your own way.

Are the details in the fabric
Are the things that make you panic
Is it Mother Nature's sewing machine?
Are the things that make you blow
Hell no reason go on and scream
If you’re shocked it's just the fault
Of faulty manufacturing

Everything will be fine
Everything in no time at all
Hearts will hold

501. ed note: Destiny

In the moments after John said 'good-night' to Ariel, he proceeded to Bravo's pod. Locked in, he requested Snazzle to initiate the start sequence and lock-on to the supplied coordinates. Approximately thirty seconds later, all systems powered down. Before John could address Snazzle, the pod filled with the bright light of Kieran. In short, Kieran informed John that participating in the exchange would not be allowed. When queried why, Kieran responded: Destiny. Hers.

500. Questions and Answers

"Von, you got a minute?"

"I do. Come on in. What's on your mind?"

"I'm losing her."

"Who?"

"Ariel."

"What makes you say that?"

"A feeling. Something is different. Something has changed."

"Such as?"

"I don't know."

"You sure about that?"

"Nothing seems as clear as it did before."

"Before when? Or is it what?"

"Before the incident on Tranquility."

"John, I think everyone understands. You've had no time to grieve."

"You see, that's just it. Time. I feel it slipping away. I feel I don't have time. I feel as if what is moving, what is changing, what may have already changed is outside the realm of time."

"Well, without going off on a tangent, there is only the eternal now, which is forever in motion because our minds create the concepts of motion and within motion is born time. But that's a discussion for another day. May I be blunt?"

John nods.

"I understand your fear and that fear is clouding your vision. What has changed will change again. So you must ask yourself the right question--assuming, of course, you want the right answer. You see, we often ask the wrong questions and fail to see why our answers never seem to work."

"And that question would be?"

"What do you want to happen. That is the question your analytical guilt-ridden mind is blocking from view. Ask that question and I think the answer you are looking for will be clear."

499. Lost

"Emy, can I ask you a question?"

"Always."

"Can you lose your smile?"

"Lose your smile?"

"Yeah."

"Tell me what you mean?"

"I think I've lost my smile. See."

"Sometimes your smile just needs a rest, like a nap."

Ariel, face stoic, ponders Em's answer then adds: "I'm afraid."

"Of what?"

"It won't come back. I'm afraid my smile is gone forever."

"Oh Ariel, it will come back."

"But what if it doesn't?"

"I promise you. It will."

"Can I tell you something?"

"Sure."

"When I see you smile, it makes me sad."

"Why?"

"Because I want to smile, just like you, and I can't."

Em opened her arms and took Ariel within and the two embraced without speaking. For a long time.

498. One Night

"I remember the night clearly, as clear as if it were yesterday; and I said the same thing ten years ago. The door opened and a shaft of light, first narrow, then wider, planked into my room and across the foot of my bed. And then it was gone. The door shut. My father, thinking I'm asleep, starring at me from the distance as one might stare at a rabbit, fearful that the slightest move will frighten it away. To this day I do not know if he meant to say goodbye or just to gaze upon his only daughter one last time. Truth be known, I felt like the rabbit. He was not dressed as he normally would be when tucking me in. His suit, as I recall, was military issue, dark, with dials and knobs and all sorts of things that fascinate the young. But I knew. I knew from the suit he was not coming to say good night. And I thought if I pretended to be asleep, he could not, would not leave."

"Why are you smiling?"

"The power of innocence. Thinking I could shape fate by pretending. I'd like to have that belief back. I'd like to live in a world where everything ends right, a world where good triumphs and dreams come true. I was in that world. I had, with Kyra's help, touched the unknown. I was the jewel of the ship. And I thought I could bend reality to my wishes. They say there are times in a life where there is a before and an after, that there are events, however subtle, that forever change the way we see and act and think and relate. That night was one of those nights. Of course, I didn't know it at the time. I mean, who does? What is clear now, was not at all clear then. But I do know this. The innocence that gave birth to the belief in all things good--died that night. I just didn't know it."

"But it didn't quite happen that way?"

"No."

"Please continue."

"After what seemed like forever, I sneezed. And he came over, to say 'good night.' I still remember the sound of his suit, a squishy sound, as he sat on the bed beside me, his weight throwing me off balance. I remember him looking at me as if he were looking through me, as if my eyes were in my forehead, as if he couldn't look me in the eye. And I remember his hand, looking ghostly in the pale starlight, as he reached out to brush the hair from my forehead. And then that squishy suit, that suit that wasn't suppose to be there. I hated that sound. I hated that suit. Like an intruder into our private affair, branding a memory into my brain. I own no rubber--to this day--the sound is too similar. I'd sooner drive splinters under my nails."

"What did he say?"

"To be honest, I don't remember. I just remember he didn't look like my dad. And I kept thinking he sounded odd and I thought, when I wake up, he'll be there."

"But he was, wasn't he?"

"Yeah. But it wasn't the same. I just didn't know it then.

---

Postscript:

"Can I add one more thing?"

"Sure."

"I love my dad. As much now as then and as much at all points in between."

"Noted."

"Thank you."

497. Outtake #6: Pleasure and Pain

ed note: Outtake chapters, like outtakes in a movie, may or may not be included in the final version. The conversation below is currently in outtake status. Enjoy.


The Hood: Bring her in.

Servitor: (opens door and Kyra is escorted in surrounded by armed servitors)

The Hood: Leave us.

Kyra: (looks around)

The Hood: Welcome. Please accept my apologies for the unpleasantness.

Kyra: You really should employ better help.

The Hood: (smiles) You know, you really didn't have to spare them. Would have saved me the trouble.

Kyra: The misguided should be educated, not punished.

The Hood: Yes, indeed, education. I agree wholeheartedly. You and I, my friend, not so different.

Kyra: Really? And what of me do you know?

The Hood: I could say the same.

Kyra: You could have killed me. Why not?

The Hood: (laughs out loud) You really don't know, do you?

Kyra: What?

The Hood: (walks closer, circles) I could no longer kill you than kill the rising sun.

Kyra: You didn't answer my question.

The Hood: Pleasure. And. Pain.

Kyra: Your pleasure. At my pain? Surely--

The Hood: Surely you think more of me than that. I need change. This world begs for it. Demands it. There is a hunger in the tide. You can't see it, just below the surface. Waiting. Needing.

Kyra: Needing what?

The Hood: A catalyst.

Kyra: Are you saying . . .

The Hood: I'm saying change only happens at the apex of pain or pleasure.