CHAPTER ELEVEN

The observer walked from the Dining Room door through the Salon to the 
top of the stairs in the Hall, down the stairs, and through the darkened 
corridors, the sound of laughter and chattering grew louder as he neared 
the Entrance Hall, then all became suddenly quiet. Standing near the 
open Entrance was a overwhelmingly large figure in an Officer's Uniform. 
The observer stood and listened.

"What are you doing here Colonel Yakov Yurovsky?"  The guard was 
astonished at the presence of this officer.

"I am replacing Cheef Avdief of his Command, I have some of my men 
outside for the relief duty, my Officer will inform them as to their new 
instructions under my command."  Yakov Yurovsky summoned his men into 
the Entrance Hall.

Observer looked on dismayed at what he heard and saw, "Ziggy, give me 
all the data you have on Yakov Yurovsky and quickly."  The hand-link 
spluttered into life. The observer looked at the hand-link in wonder.  
"The executioner, God Sam, he's here already. Give me the time Ziggy."  
The observer pushed a button on the hand-link.  "Oh Lordy, 11:35pm. Stay 
there Sam, I'm coming."  The observer made his way back up to the Dining 
room.

Sam sat on a chair at the side of the table, as the observer entered 
apprehensively.  Sam looked up at his friend as he rushed up to him.  
"Sam he's here, the executioner's here."

"What are we going to do Al, hide in the dresser."  Sam pointed to the 
small cupboards in the dresser.

"I dunno, jump outta the window, make a run for it. You can't just let 
them take you down to that cellar and shoot you like a dog."

"Al, if I'm gonna die now, I'd sooner do it with some dignity than be 
shot in the back as a coward."

The hand-link beeped and chirped, the observer looked at it.  "How do I 
look Sam?"

"You-you're back to normal, why?"

"I wanted to check, see if the program's working."  The observer 
attempted to knock on the table, but his hand still went through it.

"What yer doing Al?"

"Oh Sam, just thought it...... It doesn't matter."  The observer shook 
his head, disappointed.  The hand-link beeped and chirped again, the 
observer looked at it.  "Ethos is in the Control Room, we just might 
make it, I'll just go back...."  The observer turned as if to leave.

Sam desperately interrupted,  "Al don't you go back there, I don't wanna 
die alone."

The observer turned back to his friend, concern in his voice, "You're 
not gonna die Sam, you can't, I wont let you."

"Then tell me how we're gonna stop this?"

The observer turned his back on his companion.  "Somethin'll turn up, 
you'll see."

"Always the optimist aren't you Al."

"Well it worked for me in Vietnam."

Suddenly the Salon door crashed open, Yakov Yurovsky entered the Dining 
Room. Visibly armed guards wait outside the open door. Yurovsky marched 
across the floor to the room where the three servants were sleeping, 
opening the door blatantly.

The observer cautioned, "He's Yakov Yurovsky, the leader Sam."

Yurovsky intruded the servants room,  "Get up, you are to have some 
photographs taken. Wake up the family, then come with me."

Yurovsky emerged into the Dining Room along with the three servants.  
The three nervous servants rush to the door of the Duchesses' room and 
go inside.

It's starting Sam.

The observer's distressed expression startled Sam,  "What, erm, " 
Yurovsky turned to Sam, he then turned away from him and whispered to 
his friend, " what can I do? I can't do anything Al, there are armed 
guards everywhere."

"Try and think of something Sam, and quickly."

Sam was quietly anxious, "What?"

"I dunno, I can't think straight?"

The three servants nervously reenter followed by the Imperial Family.

Yurovsky stood proudly, his voice deep and gravely, "You are all to have 
your photographs taken to assure the magistrate, NikolaEF Sokolov of 
your present condition. You will all now, follow me."

Yurovsky turned to leave, everyone silently followed, Jemmy cradled in 
Anastasia's arms.

"Sam, you're not going to have your photographs taken, it's just a ploy 
to get you all down there.  You're his prisoners, he's leading everyone 
into the Cellar, to the execution chamber."  The observer pressed a 
button on the hand-link, "Ziggy tell Ethos to get here, like yesterday."

The guards mingled with the prisoners as Yurovsky crossed the Salon 
towards the Hall.  They all follow him as he lead them down the stairs.  
Yurovsky lead them through dark empty corridors, through archways and 
doorways finally turning left into the Cellar.  Yurovsky entered with 
his prisoners behind.

The observer again pressed a button on the hand-link, "Ziggy, where's 
the hell's Ethos?"  There was no response.

Yurovsky pointed to a wall opposite the doorway, "Please line up here 
while I fetch the photographer," he left the Cellar.  Three guards 
remained the rest followed Yurovsky. The prisoners continued to wait.

Alexandra noticed that Alexei was about to collapse, "This waiting is 
exhausting could we have some chairs."

Sam, concerned of the child's fragile condition started to rush over to 
assist Alexei, a guard pushed Sam with the muzzle of his riffle, "Get 
back, leave him."

A guard brought in three chairs. Alexandra and Alexei sat in two of 
them. Suddenly Yurovsky reentered the cellar with seven more guards.

Yurovsky stood and faced the prisoners.  "Nicholas, Alexandra, your 
friends have tried to save you but they did not succeed and we are 
obliged to put you to death."

Alexandra and Olga crossed themselves.  Nicholas disbelieving the words 
responded, "What?"

The observers eyes were wide with trepidation, "Sam, have you thought of 
anything yet?"

Sam shook his head and looked apprehensively to his companion for help.

Yurovsky, raised his arm, his Nagan gun already drawn, shot Nicholas in 
the head, he fell dead. This was the signal for the Bolshevik guards to 
open fire. Each guard had his own target.

The observer screamed, "I can't help you Sam, leap Sam, leap."

Bullets ricochet from the bodices of the Duchesses', the diamonds and 
jewels they had sewn into their bodices served as body armor. Alexandra 
with pearls sewn into her bodice died instantly as did Olga. The yelping 
Jemmy died in Anastasia's arms, and fell to the ground as she was shot 
in the shoulder.  Alexei lie wounded on the ground Yurovsky shot him in 
the head. The observer noticed that Tschaikovsky had not fired his 
weapon.

A bright blue light enveloped Sam, and Dr. Botkin returned as a 
ricocheting bullet entered his scull. The observer breathed a sigh of 
relief, Sam had leapt.  Suddenly another flash of blue light surrounded 
Anastasia and her form changed into that of Sam.

The observer shrieked, "No! Sam! Go back! Sam no-o-o-o-o-o-o-?"  The 
observer ran around the Cellar his arms whipping the air desperately 
trying to stop the guards firing.

The guards start to panic, reloading and firing frantically at 
everything. More bullets ricochet from the Duchesses' and Sam. They ping 
around the walls of the Cellar. .

The observer watched in horror at this massacre. .

Sam, two of the Duchesses' and a servant were still alive, groaning on 
the ground. Out of bullets, the guards start stabbing them with blunt, 
rusty bayonets, scattering the jewels across the bloody floor. 
One-by-one they fall, a bayonet pierced Sam's heart. Yurovsky examined 
each body adding an extra bullet if he thought they were alive, 
eventually he was satisfied with the task and left the Cellar, the 
guards followed.

The terrified observer erratically pushed buttons on the hand-link.  
"Ziggy, Who's in the waiting room?"  He desperately looked at the 
hand-link. Finally the hand-link beeped and chirped, he mouthed the 
word,. "Anastasia."  He looked at his friend and stared unbelieving at 
Sam's broken body on the ground.

As the horrified observer watched, Sam's body slowly disappeared, and 
was replaced by Anastasia. Tschaikovsky reentered the Cellar.  A blue, 
white light surrounded Tschaikovsky, bright blue electric waves quivered 
his body. As the blue, white light faded the observer saw Sam, unmarked 
and full of vitality. Sam quickly moved towards Anastasia.

The look on the observer's face was that of elation, "Sam... You're 
alive."

Sam turned to face the observer.  "Erm, yes, I think am."  He raced over 
to Anastasia.  "She's still alive Al, she's unconscious but she'll be 
okay, I've just gotta get her outta here and dress these wounds."

The observer was unmistakably relieved, "I thought you were a gonna 
there pal."

Sam sighed deeply, "I thought so too."

Sam lifted Anastasia into his arms and carried her out of the cellar.  
The two friends could hear cheering from the Entrance Hall as the guards 
celebrated.  Sam carried Anastasia out onto the Terrace, down the steps 
into the grounds, disappearing round the corner of the building through 
the gap in the fence.  The observer watched as Sam disappeared into the 
night carrying Anastasia.

The observer touched a button on the hand-link, "Ziggy, centre me in on 
Sam."  the observer disappeared.  He stood in front of Ipatiev House. 
The streets were deserted.  He saw Sam, carrying Anastasia,. He was just 
disappearing round a corner.  The observer soon caught up with Sam.  
"Sam, this way, round here all the guards have gone."

Sam was breathing hard, "Phew Al, that was a close one. Which way now?"

"Through here, down this alley."  A blue, white light took over again. 
Sam was gone, replaced by Tschaikovsky.

The observer stood as Tschaikovsky disappeared from view, "Aw, where you 
gone now Sam."  He pushed a button on the hand-link.  "Ziggy, do you 
have a location for Sam?"  The observer waited for the reply, he could 
not believe his eyes.  "Oh...my...God?"  Another press of the hand-link 
and the observer vanished.

The Imaging Chamber door opened and Al stepped into the Control Room, 
Sammi Jo and Beth trotted towards him.  Ethos remained in the 
background, sensing that his attention was not required.

Al looked about him, "Well... Where is he?"

Beth looked surprised, "Who?"

"Sam of course."

Beth pointed towards the Accelerator Chamber. Al turned towards it. Sam, 
looking dazed, sauntered into the Control Room wearing a white 
Fermi-suit.

Al's face changed suddenly, "Sam?"

As soon as he saw Al, he smiled in recognition and hurried straight 
towards him.

"Al!" The two companions hugged.

Suddenly Sam pulled back, "What happened to Anastasia?  Is she alive?"

Al looked at the hand-link.  "Yeah you've changed the original history, 
originally she died with the rest of the family.  Now she went with 
Tschaikovsky. Somehow they got out of Russia, and they were married six 
month's later in Romania."

Ziggy chimed in, "Doctor Beckett, according to the records, Anastasia 
changed her name to Anna Anderson. When Tschaikovsky died in 1920, she 
searched out a relation in Berlin, she re-married in 1969 and died of 
pneumonia in 1984.  A DNA test was carried out in the 1990s, this 
confirmed that Anna Anderson was not Anastasia, but it was reported 
later, that the tissue samples taken, were not from Anna Anderson."

Beth and Sammi Jo joined Sam and Al, they all embraced. The Imaging 
Chamber door 'whooshed' open, they all turned to look, still holding on 
to each other. A figure, clad in glowing white robes loomed in the 
entrance.

"Sam Beckett. You have shown that you were willing to sacrifice your own 
life for another..... You have fulfilled the arduous tasks that have 
been set before you. You are home Sam Beckett, you may do as you please 
with your life with His blessing..... Safe in the knowledge that home 
will always be waiting, when-ever or where-ever you may travel."

The figure bowed, turned in the doorway and faded from view the door 
'whooshed' closed.

Al placed an arm around Sam's neck, "I still can't believe you're home."

Sam stepped back from Al and looked about him, smiling.  "Home."  A tear 
fell from Sam's eye another rolled down his cheek.

Ethos did not interrupt this sentimental reunion.  He had plans for 
Doctor Beckett, but he had plenty of time.  Time was of no importance to 
him.  He had all the time in the universe.  He could wait.

T H E   E N D
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