Chapter Five

    Al sat in an empty office in the science department, checking over the 
test. It was more difficult than most of the doctor's tests but somehow he 
had felt like he aced it. He thanked Doctor Beckett in his own mind for the 
phone call reminding him to study for it.
    He handed the test to Sam, and then waited around for the doctor to 
correct it.
    "You did a fine job, Al," Sam said when he finally completed the 
corrections. "You passed. I knew that you were always a smart person."
    Al took the test paper out of Sam's hand. "A ninety! Wow! Holy crap!" He 
was beaming.
    The imaging chamber door opened, and Tina stepped out. "Sam, you did it. 
He passed with flying colors."
    "Thanks to me, right?"
    "Well, my ma was on my case as soon as I came home," Al said, thinking 
about how Maria yelled at him and made sure that he studied hard for the 
final.
    "Sam, we just hired a new employee for the Control room. He graduated 
Magna in his graduating class, and has two doctorates, one in history and one 
in computer programming."
    "Really?" Sam asked as the teenager walked out the door to show the test 
paper to David who was standing outside the building.
    "Sure. Send him in, Ziggy," she commanded.
    "Hi, Doctor Beckett," the young man said.
    "Call me Sam, ok?" 
    "Sure thing, Sam." It felt awkward to call his old professor by his first 
name, even if Doctor Beckett did date his adoptive mother.
     "Welcome, Al!" Sam took Al's holographic hand, and leaped.


                                                 * * * * * * * * *  * *

Epilogue
    
    Sam found himself on a tropical deserted island. He looked around him 
from his seat on the white sand beach. In front of him, there was clear blue 
water. There was no sign of life anywhere to be found, except for plants and 
animals. 
    Out of the ocean came a beautiful young woman wearing a French cut 
bikini. He must have missed her when he glanced around him before. She had 
long straight blond hair, brown eyes as pure as the water . . . and she was 
drop dead gorgeous. Sam always admired her eyes, but this time all he was 
looking at was what the top of her bathing suit was trying to cover.  
She walked over to Sam, and snuggled up to his chest. "Kiss me," she ordered.
       Hormones took over, and he kissed her, wrapping his arms tightly 
around her waist. 
       After the kiss, he felt the water from the ocean hitting him. He let 
go of the female.
       "Oh, boy!" 
    
    
     
    
    
    


diana beckett
(formally Monica Briggs)