Quite suddenly Evan seemed to collapse into his bed, his eyes rolling back. Now the screen showed a high level of activity in his brain.

�Evan, tell me about your earliest memory. Remember to focus.�

As if in a trance, Evan opened his mouth and began to speak in a slow deep tone.

�My earliest memory is being cradled by my mum. My dad was trying to hurt us.�

Evan�s brain activity flickered wildly.

�Okay Evan. Keep relaxed.� Khaira said, �You�re doing really well.�

�Okay, next question. I want to you to tell me what you know about Khaira,� Elaine said.

�She came to me after I crashed my car, she was one of the nurses who saved me.� The voice was monotone and slow.

�What more do you know about her?� Elaine was pressing for Evan to say something, which would shed light on the situation.

�She�s my future liaison officer,� droned Evan, �and she�s pregnant.�

Major Harrison�s jaw dropped as she looked up at Khaira. Suddenly Evan snapped back awake.

�What happened?� asked Evan as he looked about at the shocked faces.

Silence was his only response for a long time.

�Evan, you went into some sort of trance. Try to relax. Close your eyes.� Major Harrison spoke.

�No, I protest,� Khaira interrupted.

�You�re just worried in case he reveals more sordid information,� stated Elaine coldly.

Khaira went bright red. She was only 20 and in the new world they had tried to reinstate some sort of morality. Having a child while being unmarried was now seen as some sort of taboo. It was why she had kept quiet for so long.

�Khaira, your baby is very healthy - a boy. And, I think that having a child is far from being sordid,� Evan said wearily, �Listen, I am exhausted. My head seems full of� stuff�.

�We may have done enough for just now.� Major Harrison looked up at the doctor.

�Very well, we�ll let Evan rest for a couple of hours and then resume after lunch. Khaira, I would like a word with you in the meantime.�

Captain Reynolds stood on the bridge of the Agamemnon and looked at the swirling void of the space/time continuum. Beside him stood his executive officer Commander Blake. �It still unsettles me that this ship is our only protection between us and the void.� Reynolds shifted slightly.

�It is a little unsettling but I tend not to think about it.� Blake was very matter of fact. �There are far more pressing matters to which we should concern ourselves.�

�Yes, Evan is quite a pressing matter. Doctor Masterton informed us that it seems he is quickly tired out when he used his abilities today and that he has, apparently, no direct control over the power.�

�If he has no control then that is troubling,� Blake was less than optimistic.

Reynolds turned and looked at Blake as though he was about to say something then stopped.

Blake continued unabated, �He might not be able to give us the vital information we need. It could all be too little too late. Perhaps if we could encourage him to awaken his powers.�

�We only have a few days left, before we drop off the survivors and I don�t think he believes�.� Reynolds paused, �You do know that people are beginning to have their doubts. Lose morale. A soldier committed suicide today.�

Blake shook his head and sighed, �We should go back to Evan. Put him in the same state that awakened his powers. And keep him there. Do you understand? We are running out of time.� With that Blake turned and walked towards the door, �I�m going for a drink. If this is going to be a failure then I had better enjoy the luxury�s we have before it�s too late.�

�Commander,� called Reynolds after his first officer.

�Yes?� said Blake as he turned back to the bridge.

�Don�t let all your hopes rest with that boy. As Miss. Woods said we have no idea what connection he has. Just remember the mission takes priority, Evan is a secondary consideration.�

�But�� Blake was about to protest.

�That is an order.� Reynolds gave Blake a deep, penetrating look.

�Understood,� at that Blake turned and walked away.

Reynolds sighed and shook his head; he knew there would be trouble sooner or later.

�Good afternoon Evan,� Khaira said, �I wanted to talk to you before anyone else got here,�

Evan smiled. Khaira was nice to him.

�Thank you for sticking up for me yesterday. But in this era, it�s not acceptable to be pregnant, unmarried and having sexual relationships as it used to be.� Khaira started playing with her hair and sat down on the chair, �Besides its not as if I planned to get pregnant. So it�s a boy? How did you know?�

Evan shook his head, �I just� knew. I closed my eyes and went into some sort of trance. I saw you with the baby. It was a boy. Since it�s just you and me would you like me to try? I�ve worked out that�s why I am important to you. To this mission.�

Khaira nodded. Evan shut his eyes and almost immediately went into a trance.

�You�re alone. It�s dusty. Very warm. You�re in pain, distress. You�re bleeding. You�ve got cuts and bruises, your injured. I can see another woman. She�s helping you give birth,� Evan paused.

Khaira was staring intently; she was focused so hard on Evan that she was shaking. How do you know what you are?�

�I don�t know I just do. I was practising, trying to get my mind to focus but it doesn�t seem as though it wants to.�

�I can see you�re face now, you�re�� Suddenly Evan opened his eyes, �The woman giving birth isn�t you - it�s someone else.�

Khaira was shocked. Unable to say anything she turned away confused. �What do you think you can bring to this mission?� she asked angrily.

�I think I can help find these people who attacked Earth, somehow I think my abilities could be used to help. I want to help. For too long I�ve done nothing but hurt and destroy but with these abilities I could maybe help save the Earth.�

The door opened and Doctor Masterton walked in followed by Major Harrison. Khaira turned to Evan and pressed her fingers to her lips, signalling him to keep quiet about their conversation.

�Right Evan,� began Elaine, �shall we begin.�

Cynthia Woods was looking over the timeline data when PC Oliver Branston walked up to her. Cynthia felt a surge of excitement but kept herself focused on work. They had met the previous night and shared an intimate moment. She knew they would be shunned because they were not married.

�Can I help you?� asked Cynthia in a most professional tone.

�Cynthia, I had a nightmare last night. I won�t go into too much detail but it made me assess my life. Our life,� He paused, �This last year, we�ve been sneaking about like a bunch of teenagers. I think,� he stopped and got down on one knee, �I can�t imagine life without you, you make me feel alive. If we were to die on this mission I�d never be able to die a happy man if I didn�t make you an honest woman. Marry me, come to the chapel now, let�s be man and wife and show the world our love before��

Cynthia had waited for this moment for so long. A big smile appeared on her face, and she nodded. �Yes, I�ll marry you. I love you,�

There moment of happiness was shattered, the familiar loud speaker blasted through the ship, �EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY! WOULD ALL ARMY PERSONNEL AND ALL POLICE OFFICERS PLEASE MAKE THEIR WAY TO HOLDING AREA B4. THIS IS NOT A DRILL�

�I love you Cynthia, see you soon,� Oliver turned and ran from the room leaving Cynthia to smile to herself.

She tried to look at the data but could not concentrate on it. Wedding plans flitted through her brain. She knew she wanted to be married straight away but it did not stop her fantasising about the wedding she would have had were she in better circumstances.

Oliver ran down the corridor and saw his partner Janice Mulholland ahead of him. �What�s happened?� asked Branston.

�I think you need to see this, I�ve cordoned off the area and summoned Commander Blake and the Captain, they should be with us shortly.� Mulholland led Oliver round the corner to the doors of Holding Area B4, there were four armed officers posted around the door. �We�ve more officers inside.�

�This is where a quarter of the survivors are being held while we complete the genetic modifications to their bodies.� Branston was worried; he could see the entire human race�s future slowly vanishing before his eyes. �What is the problem?� If it was serious then it could pose a threat to the entire ship and now there was Cynthia to worry about.

�I�ll show you.� Mulholland activated the door controls and opened the door.

Branston stepped into the room and saw a ring of officers surrounding something. At the sight of Branston they parted slightly. What he saw shocked him.

A creature, about seven feet tall, sat on the ground with its arms bound together. The creature had hard scales across its body, which were a bluish brown colour. Narrow black eyes glared back at Branston and there was the never-ending hiss of a breathing mask, which was strapped to the alien�s face.

�What is that?� asked Branston.

�We have no idea,� said Mulholland confused.

�Tany gorde gastry honns�

�What the hell was that? Get the translator down here,� Branston yelled.

Mulholland grabbed her intercom and called for the translator. She looked back at Branston and bowed her head, �There has been some casualties.�

Branston ran with two armed men into a back cabin, inside for 3 woman and 2 men. There bodies were twisted, bloody and the women had huge cuts on the abdomen.

�The women were all pregnant? What is that thing, look what it�s done. And the men, why kill them?� he asked.

�Sir, we are getting our best doctors and pathologists here,� a young soldier replied.

�Towestry brunes garrss.�

Branston didn�t care what it was saying; he walked forward and kicked the �thing� hard in the stomach.

�Towestry brunes garrss.� The creature repeated what it was saying; it didn�t even seem to mind that Branston had just kicked it.

Suddenly Branston realised that the alien was not glaring at him, it was in pain. The alien was hurt in some way. �We need a translator down here now.� Branston was not willing to take any further chances. �What happened here before I arrived, what happened to those people?�

�They engaged the alien and attacked them. It was an intruder on board and we took the standard precautions to protect the mission.� Mulholland was defending the other officers.

The more Branston thought about the situation the more he thought it was a terrible misunderstanding, that the creature was not here to attack but for some other purpose. He realised that it must have been quite terrified.

Suddenly the door hissed open causing Branston to start out of his thoughts.

�Sir?� came a voice.

Branston turned and saw that the translator had arrived. �I need a translator module which understands what that is saying.�

�Yes sir,� stammered the translator technician as he caught site of the alien sitting bound on the floor.

Branston kept his eyes focused on the creature trying to read its expression but the breathing mask hid part of its face and Branston resigned himself to waiting.

After about ten minutes the translator technician handed over a small, flat, round disk. Branston pressed the button to activate it.

�Who are you?� the translator issued some noises.

�Towestry brunes garrss.� Again the translator tried to issue some human equivalent.

�What do you want?� the translator attempted to issue the correct alien words. The alien turned as though making out roughly what was said.

�You ageis garston.� The translator was working.

�Keep speaking.� The translator managed to decipher the word speaking.

The alien seemed to catch on.

�Jaston but esconomar blashtet are gloshet speaking.�

Suddenly the translator beeped and a small electronic voice issued forth. �Translation algorithms complete, compiling to database.�

Branston knew that the alien would understand everything he said. �Who are you?�

The creature seemed slightly startled to fully understand what Branston said. �My name is Traksis.�

Branston was surprised by the creature�s shortness. �Why are you here? Are you hurt?�

�I am injured I require assistance.� It sounded strange hearing an electronic voice speaking what the creature had just said in another language. �I have important news for you. There is a spy amongst you.�

Suddenly the creature collapsed backwards unconscious.

Branston was shocked. �Get our medical staff here. NOW!� Branston yelled.

�Sir, it killed those women. I saw him with my own two eyes,� a small soldier said.

Branston thought for a moment, �Someone please isolate this area. Everyone needs to undergo lie detection, and we need to check our cameras.�

He quickly walked away while another senior officer sealed the area. The creature was brought out moments later, and the room was shut again. Mulholland joined Branston and the two looked at each other, �So we have a spy?�. Branston was the first to speak.

�I don�t know. Something weird is going on.�

�Absolutely, I have no doubt that the creature killed those people in there but I have to find out why it happened. I am sure our soldiers provoked it into attacking.�

�Do you think these are the aliens which used the ice bomb against us?� Mulholland posed the question, which was on everyone�s minds.

Branston didn�t have the time to answer because round the corner came Captain Reynolds followed by Commander Blake.

�Commander Blake, there has been an incident,� Mulholland said. �Some of the pregnant woman have been killed.�

Commander Blake turned an ill shade of green, �What about the unborn. How are they?�

Branston shook his head, �I have asked for a doctor to come here immediately but I am afraid that it doesn�t look good. There is so much blood. It�s a massacre,�

Captain Reynolds also looked ill. �I want to see the creature, I want to see if it�s an enemy breed.�

Branston led Blake and Reynolds after the medical team, which was transporting the creature to the infirmary. The creature was now awake but groggy. Captain Reynolds grabbed the translator, �Did you kill my people?�

�NO! I am from sister planet Billor. I never harmed your people. I tried to stop the spy but he escaped through the ducts. He killed your people.�

�What do you mean?� Reynolds was confused.

�It is too complicated to explain but one of my people is aboard your ship and wishes to kill you all.�

Reynolds looked at Blake, could this be the real saboteur, not Evan as may had suspected. �I want this ship locked down. I want police officers posted at every entrance and exit. I want lifts and doors on security protocol, inform everyone that they will now need to use access codes and a retinal scan to get anywhere on this ship. I want the ducts electrified. I want that thing found.�

�What about that thing?� asked Blake with a tone of disgust.

�It has a name,� interjected Branston.

�It is still the enemy,� roared Blake.

�We do not know that.� Reynolds cut Blake back down to size with one comment. �We have never met an alien creature like this before. This is a first contact situation and we react with complete and utter hostility and contempt.�

�These people didn�t come across us in normal space, we�re outside of the space/time continuum. The fact they are here isn�t a coincidence.�

�Get out,� ordered Reynolds. �This is not a discussion to be having in front of all of these people. Report to my office at once.� Reynolds watched as Blake exited the room. Still annoyed, the captain turned to Branston; �I hope you can handle this for now.�

�Yes sir,� said Branston with confidence as Reynolds left him to dress down his executive officer.

Reynolds keyed his access code into his office door and waited for the retinal scan to take place. A few moments later Reynolds entered the room to find Blake pacing up and down. Blake turned and looked at his superior officer as he sat down behind his desk.

�Please, take a seat.�

Blake sat down and tried to gauge Reynolds mood.

�Don�t ever do that to me again. You will not question my command in front of my crew. If you have a question regarding any of my orders you will direct it to me during a staff meeting or you will meet with me in private. During a situation such as this you will not openly question my command as it undermines our situation and our strength.� Reynolds was calm but there was anger in his yes. He was obviously furious at Blake but was trying to restrain himself.

There was silence for quite a while as the two men faced off against each other.

�Do I make myself clear?�

�Perfectly,� replied Blake with total honesty. �Permission to speak freely sir.�

�Granted.�

�This whole mission is making everyone on board a little nervous. Now with the added pressure of a boy who appears to be a descendant of one of our own coupled with the fact he may have some kind of psychic power, well that�s just beyond belief. If this alien threat turns out to have deadly consequences then I believe that the morale of the crew will be shot before anything has even happened.� Blake was trying to make Reynolds aware of the rumblings he had heard from the crew below him.

Reynolds mused over what Blake had said. There was no way that he could change what had happened and make the crew�s morale any higher in the short term. This mission was a long-term project and everyone who had signed up for it had been made aware of that at the time. This was a mission to change the past to affect the future. Obviously everyone knew it was a mission they could never return from due to their engine resources. Even if, by some miracle, they were to find chronometric energy to feed into the engines, they could never leave the ship for fear of phasing out of existence. Even if they found the perpetrators they would only have a limited time to fight them until the soldiers phased out of existence, they would have to fight in shifts and return to the ship.

There was some small hope; Cynthia Woods and her team had developed a prototype version of a device that could help them. The device was a portable chronometric field, which would encapsulate the wearer and stave off the degenerative effects of timeline regeneration for several days.

�I realise what you are saying but the fact of the situation means we can not second guess ourselves. We must continue with the mission without any further deviations.�

�I understand.�

�Good. Now, we may have some alien creature, the like of which we have never seen before, running free through this ship. I want it caught and I want it caught now. Go see to it commander.�

Blake stood up and left the room the hydraulics of the door hissing quietly as it closed behind him.

Reynolds ran his hand through his short hair; he was suddenly feeling the weight of his command. The future of the entire human race depended on his decisions and this crew�s abilities. In fact it was not just humanity�s future but also its past.

The news had soon spread throughout the ship. Whispers muttering different theories about what had gone on in the ship. Some thought it was a conspiracy, in the ships canteen there was endless discussions about what had gone on.

�I think it was definitely a conspiracy. I mean they were planning termination of some of the babies and look what happened. A �thing� breaks into the cargo bay and kills would be mothers causing their unborn to die�. The girl that spoke was young and well known for her over-active imagination.

�Oh come on! Do you really think some one on this ship would do something so disgraceful? It has to be an intruder. Really Jess, you read too many fanciful stories,� her friend replied.

�That may be but it�s just a coincidence don�t you think? Maybe some one on this ship set it up. And the alien was sent here to protect them but failed. Someone from the future sent to protect and change the future.� Jess was no on a role, waving her hands about wildly as she spoke, �Why hasn�t there been more of an investigation? Why are they keeping the alien locked away like a suspect? They are hiding the truth!�

�Hey can I join you?�

It was Cynthia, Jess and her friend Sally both nodded and indicated to the empty chair.

�Your missing this Cynthia, Jess is claiming wild allegations of conspiracy! What�s the inside story� rumour has it your getting very cosy with the delicious Oliver.�

�I don�t know what you're talking about Sally. Oliver and I� oh I can�t lie to you. Guess who got engaged last night!�

�I can�t believe it,� Jess looked at her friend, all thoughts of the alien intruder forgotten for the moment. �Last night, how did he do it?�

Cynthia sighed; this could be a long night. While the ship was large with a lot of personnel, it did feel incredibly small. The two people who were at the centre of spreading rumours around the ship were Sally and Jess. Although she wished to tell people her exciting news she did not know if Oliver really wanted it spread around. Now it was too late for her to retract her initial excited outburst and Cynthia grew worried for what Oliver would say. She knew he was busy with the ship being locked down and the alien creature, which was possibly running rampant throughout the ducts.

�Cynthia is everything all right?� Jess looked concerned.

�Sorry?� asked Cynthia as she was brought back to the present.

�You seemed a little out of it,� stated Sally.

�I�m just distracted, my department�s got a lot going on at the moment.� Standing up distractedly Cynthia started to walk away. �I need to do something.�

Jess and Sally watched as Cynthia walked out of the canteen and away down the hall.

The timeline officer did not know what she was doing she felt an urge to do something and was letting her feet take her where they wanted to go. Reaching the lift she tapped in her access code and waited for a retinal scan, which was confirmed. The two police officers guarding the lift entrance nodded to her as she passed through the now open doors.

As the lift doors closed, Cynthia felt a rush of fear, what was she doing? Reaching forward she keyed in her access code again and selected the engineering department from the map displayed on the lift�s computer screen.

Her heart was thudding in her chest as the lift began to descend. Why did she feel the need to go there? The lift began to slow and the lights began to flicker. Something was not right. Cynthia knew immediately there was a problem with the power. The lift slowed to a complete stop and Cynthia found herself in complete darkness.

�Don�t panic now Cynthia. Emergency lighting will come on soon,� she told herself.

Still darkness. �Come on,� she told herself again. Her heart was thudding hard now. Fear set in. �Hello,� she called out in the darkness. She began banging the buttons and then at the lift doors.

�Help I�m stuck� she yelled.

Realisation hit her. The ship was in lockdown. It could be hours before she was found. Every creek and noise sent Cynthia deeper into fear. Suddenly there was a loud bang, and looking up at the roof she saw the vent being slowly lifted. Two big eyes stared back at her. A strange creature pushed its head into the lift. Cynthia backed up against one of the walls.

�Grasohjr rotegrey soletin�

Cynthia slid down to the floor, fearing the creature would attack her. She closed her eyes tightly waiting. Nothing happened and when she opened her eyes again the creature was gone. Moments later the power returned and the lift began to move again.

There was the noise of a chime. �Engineering Department,� said an electronic voice.

Cynthia began to cry. Then, as quickly as her fear had come on, it resided. Realisation struck her and she pressed the button in her communications device. Seconds later a holographic representation of Branston stood before her.

�Cynthia? What�s wrong?�

�Oliver, I saw the creature.� Cynthia was shaken and it was obvious to Oliver that something was very wrong.

�Where?�

�I was in lift number three on my way down to engineering. The power seemed to fail and then the creature was there, above me.�

�What were you doing going to engineering?�

�I needed some components for the personal chronometric field generators.� Cynthia hated lying and especially to the man she loved but she could not explain the random feeling which had driven her to want to come all the way down here.

�Stay there, I�ll be down with a team of officers promptly.� Branston looked as though he were signalling to someone.

The communication cut out and Cynthia stood alone. She did not feel the need to go to engineering now. The department was just down the corridor but the feeling had evaporated like her fear. She would wait though until Oliver arrived.

The lights began to flicker again. �Don�t let the power go, don�t let the power go, not till Oliver gets here,� she whispered. �Don�t let it go,� she repeated. Her pleas went unheard and the power went again.