The swarm was undeterred and doubled it's numbers, coming in from any angle behind them. They followed the knocked down trees until they reached the clearing filled with cacti. On the other side Theo could see the insects coming out of the tree line.

“Oh sh*%! I think we're surrounded!” Theo yelled.

--------------------

Uncertainty

The last commando had just disappeared through the fold and less than a minute later it was business as usual. People, paper, and information flowed around Farris, the three foot radius around him was a no man's land.

A nameless suit was taking paper from one side of the room to the other, he had made sure it looked important enough to warrant the trip. He hit some congestion, people where milling around blocking the way through. Split second decision, he risked invading the Director's personal space. He had high hopes of passing by without a word, he was half way into the danger zone when his hopes were dashed upon the rocks. Farris's bear claw of a hand shot out and gripped his shoulder stopping him in his tracks.

“I'd like all the psych reports we have on the alien girl.” Farris rumbled.

“Yes, sir.” the suit choked, he feared the paper work he would have to soon tackle.

“Psych reports? What are you looking for?” Farris's right hand man asked.

“How she escaped.”

“You saw the video, and our eggheads here could only give us theories.”

“I want to know how she escaped when she couldn't even run away from a swat team.”

“She said she was blind.”

“Yeah, blind because of her abilities that she seemed to have mastered the day before when she escaped.”

“I get ya, see if she gave off any signs of lying.”

“Yup, or that she has split personalities.” Farris chuckled.

“What do you think you'll find?”

“Couldn't say.”

--------------------

Theo sprinted away from the broken trees that were falling a little too close for comfort. When she heard the first tree snap it broke her concentration from navigating the dark forest. The tree fell fifteen feet from where she was standing sending a gust of wind at Theo. She had turned to see the tree fall in front of her, now in the tree's place was the Monolith.

“At least the loud noises will drive any wild animals away, if there are any out here.” Theo said to herself.

Leaving a path of destruction behind her, Theo found a clearing filled with the hairy cacti. She noticed holes dug around adult varieties, in the holes were half eaten cactus shoots. Theo looked around for any sign of the search team, none. She looked to the sky and pulled out the past, after a moment a smoke trail started to coalesce in the sky. The flare jumped back out of the forest and traced its path back to the gun it was fired out of. She was maybe a two and half a miles away from the flare's starting point. The world snapped back and Theo dodged through the patch of cacti to the other side of the clearing. The closer she got the more she could hear the pop of small arms fire over the sound of trees breaking and falling.

The trees thinned and Theo caught sight of the Commandos walking backwards still firing rounds into the forest. As Theo neared them she saw foot long insects scurrying away. They had four legs and walked like the creature Theo had seen before, but they didn't undulate and swim through the air like the larger creature did. The creatures had a ridged torso with a segmented neck attached to large jaws, their shape plus their dark coloring made them look pretty nasty.

“What happened?!” Theo yelled out.

Gibson turned and released an empty clip from his pistol. He grinned “We found em.”

Theo took a sideways glance at the missing guys. “I see that.”

The rest of the group finished emptying their clips and turned to Theo. “What was that?” Theo pointed to the place they had been shooting.

“We found these chuckle heads at a small oasis and when we were coming back we walked over an ant hive or something.” said Ford.

“Yeah, those thing poured out from a hole in the ground and chased us here.” Williams said.

“We had ourselves a bug hunt.” Parker had obviously watched Starship Troopers.

“Your buddy there scared them off.” Gibson pointed to the Monolith.

“You're welcome?” Theo said.

“Hold that applause folks, Those goddamn bugs are coming back! OPEN FIRE!” one of the three man recon team yelled. The soldier was missing some bandoliers of ammo but he did his damnedest to look and act like Dutch from Predator.

The commandos slapped in new clips and turned in unison towards the alien threat. All at once they opened up on the insect horde, Theo could of sworn she saw one of them Rambo'ing.

She felt like she was losing grip on reality and falling into an action movie. Theo screamed over the gunfire. “What is going on?!”

“We are moving, stay behind us!” Gibson roared.

Theo sighed in resignation and complied with Gibson's orders; she turned and ran back towards the Monolith. She had to run parallel to the domino stack of trees that the Monolith had made. The commandos followed, covering and falling back with swift efficiency. The swarm pushed them back past the Monolith and farther, soon they were leaving it behind. The invisible rope connecting Theo and the Monolith went taut and it start pulling the Monolith to Theo. They kept retreating back into the forest, leading the Monolith into more tree fodder. The gunfire slowed as the commando only had to pick off the insects that didn't get crushed by falling trees. The swarm was undeterred and doubled its numbers, coming in from any every angle behind them. They followed the knocked down trees until they reached the clearing filled with cacti. On the other side Theo could see the insects coming out of the tree line.

“Oh shit! I think we're surrounded!” Theo yelled.

Gibson turned and assessed the situation “Williams, Ford, Parker get in front and clear a path.”

“Yes, sir!” They yelled in unison.

The group advanced to the center of the clearing when one of the recon. team yelled. “Where is the Monolith?”

Theo swung her head back and saw the ruined tree line sans Monolith.

“Where did it go, princess?” Ford barked.

“Like I tell it where to go!” Theo yelled.

Theo whipped her head around looking for the Monolith until her eyes caught some movement above her. The Monolith was floating horizontal a couple hundred yards above them. “It up here!” Theo pointed.

The Monolith started to fall slowly towards the group. Theo stared up into the fold opening as it came close and closer. “It's coming down! everyone get under that opening.”

The commandos backed up to Theo's position until they were shoulder to shoulder. They were still blasting off rounds when the Monolith slammed into the ground.

--------------------

“Thanks, Dr. Fleming for taking me with you.” Beth said.

Barbra checked for oncoming traffic and made her turn, not till she drove the car between the lines did she look to Beth. “It's no problem, in fact I want thank you for telling what happened I might of not known where they took her.”

“Yeah, no problem.” said Beth.

Beth spent a few minute looking out the window, watching all the boring scenery. Identical house after identical tree scrolled by her. She yearned for more than what those houses could provide. Beth thought what she was feeling is what a Dr. Who companion would feel after stepping into the Tardis. She felt like the improbably huge universe was available to her now. And her universe was getting bigger, time travel, alien planets, and a Stargate; what other science fiction inventions will become real in the near future? she asked herself. 'Yup, I'm a Dr. Who companion now, except I'm falling for Miss Who.' Beth said to herself.

Her musings fell onto Theo, what were they having her do now? She was a victim of that thing, what do they expect her to do? All that bullshit Theo has had to put up with, How is she dealing with it? Debra's comment about thoughts of suicide fired through Beth's brain, Is she still thinking that way? Beth could imagine the feeling of hopelessness, despair, and not being loved coursing through the mind of a person contemplating suicide. She hoped Theo wasn't thinking similarly, how could she make sure that would never happen?

“Did you keep her hair?” Beth asked.

“Ahh, yes I do think we kept samples of her hair, why?”

“We could get some of Theo's DNA and compare it with the hair samples, prove she is Theo.”

“I'm sorry that wouldn't prove conclusively that Theo is who she is.”

“Why?”

“The 'Alien' half and the human half of the hair don't blend, We put it under a electro microscope and found there is a perfect division between them, it's like some one glued the pieces together at the atomic level.”

“Oh...” Beth deflated.

Barbra tried to raise Beth’s hopes up. “Don't worry about it, proving she is Theo isn't too critical we just need to find a way for her to get out of that cell for good.”

“Yeah” Beth said.

--------------------

Stairs, Beth was walking back up the stairs to the Monolith. Through the first door was the reception room. It was more of a hallway than a room, it sat perpendicular to the 'sharp' end of the Monolith. You signed in here and got your key badge for the other doors in lab. At each end of the room where large double doors to either the north lab or south lab. To the south Beth saw two MPs standing guard at the door, 'Oh I wonder where the business end is?' Beth thought.

Barbra moved up to the reception desk and flashed her credentials. A minute of discussion later, Barbra was pointing to Beth waving her over.

“You need to sign in for your guest pass.”

Beth filled out the two page document and signed with a flourish. With a fancy new necklace Beth and Barbra approached the guards, She let Barbra do all the talking. They passed by with little fight and entered the room she was locked in for a month. It wasn't as boring now, to Beth it was like a little piece of the trading floor. She followed Barbra through the crowd to Director Farris, If Beth squinted she was sure he would look like her’s and every other person's uncle.

“Ah, Dr. Fleming, I actually wanted to talk to you, Ms. Nasso if you would excuse us.” Farris said, sounding very courteous.

Beth was bit distracted by search for Theo, so it took a moment for her to respond “Where's Theo?”

“Through the fold, two and half hours now.” Farris replied while looking at his watch.

Farris escorted Barbra away to talk as Beth stood here looking at the commotion. Almost two days, Theo has been gone for two days on that desert planet. Theo's trip wouldn't be anything like her trip she knew. Beth remembered sitting by the Monolith waiting, until the star started setting. She didn't want to search an alien house in the dark, so she hiked down and made it there while the star was still shining on the structure. It was taller than she first thought, maybe three stories high and as big around as a six bedroom house. It was dim inside, but not as dim as it should have been. It wasn't until morning that Beth noticed the pin pricks of light dotted all over the ceiling from the alien fiber optic line threaded into the shelter. Beth used her remaining daylight to search the house, she didn't want to begin sleeping with something else tonight.
There were steps all the way up to a third floor, the steps were large, two foot by five foot and two feet high, big alien or big feet, Beth didn't know. Most of the rooms were barren, no furniture to speak of just piles of black sand. The rooms at each edge of the fin had a flue and fire pit and one of those rooms had a device half buried in the sand. It was the size and shape of a large pizza but made out of a ceramic that wasn't stiff and rigid. One side had a black on black finish, it didn't reflect her image or any light that hit it. The illusion of a deep nothingness was broken by the scuff and scratch marks on the surface. Beth found a corner to sit in and fiddle with what she called the iPod of the gods. She played with it until the local star light was gone and now only the million plus old light lit the desert.

Yawning, Beth stopped the tinkering and found somewhere to sleep, it was getting cold and she hadn't found any blankets. Finding a large pile of sand in one room Beth figured it would retain some of her body heat, so she dug a hole and buried herself up to her neck. She twitched and jerked a lot that night, She thought is was the consequence of not being able to toss and turn in her sand bed. The next morning Beth was stiff and tired and thirsty, She debated about whether to stay here or wait by the Monolith, sweating to death outside didn't appeal to her. She found a corner to sit in on the ground floor and waited until he came. Midday she heard him call out, Theo made it and was coming for her. She had yelled out for him but he didn't respond and never came. More hours later and Beth was out of it, she heard a girl call out. She didn't even remember what she said to the girl when she came to the rescue.

Barbra and Farris where still talking when people started to fall out of the fold. Theo was sandwiched between a half a dozen jar heads and looking worn out.

“Theo!” Beth waved.

The blank face on Theo dropped and was replaced with a grin as she noticed Beth. She wove her way through the crowd and wrapped her arms around Beth and squeezed tight.

“You ruined my princess top.” Beth said.

“Payback, my name is princess now thanks to you.” Theo grumbled.

“Oh boo hoo, it must have been horrible.” Beth giggled.

Theo giggled into Beth's shoulder and paused a moment in Beth's arms. “I can see now.”

“I noticed.”

“I kinda reset when I went through the fold, and I managed to control it before it made me blind again.” Theo said as Beth rubbed her back. “I used it to help find those missing guys, then bugs attacked and everyone went eighty's action movie, it was nuts.”

“Seriously?”

“Ha yeah, Ford there said he didn't have time to bleed.”

“Awesome.” Beth swooned.

Theo giggled again into Beth's neck and then sighed “They were probably right in calling me princess, I was a whiny brat. I wonder if I would of acted the same way before this happened to me?”

“I...” Beth paused realizing the question, intentional or not, was a trap, a no right answer question. She spared Theo's feelings and just patted her on the back, in Beth's mind though she answered the question: No, you've changed.

“I, I want to go back into the fold, I want to find that alien, I want to ask her why.” Theo mumbled.

“Okay, what do you think she'll tell you?”

“I...” Theo's response was drowned out by shouting and the sound of guns being cocked.

--------------------

Farris took a break from their conversation to talk to the leader of the search team. Barbra watched as the man named Gibson talked to Farris in hushed tones while sneaking peeks at Theo when he could. 'This isn't going to be good.' Barbra thought gravely. Farris slapped Gibson on the shoulder and shook his hand then made his way over to Barbra.

“Mr. Gibson there told me something about 'Theo'.” Farris told her.

“What?” Barbra sighed.

“The Monolith followed her.”

“What!?” She hissed.

“It followed her through that desert and into a forest, and when they were under attack it swooped over them and dropped the fold opening on them. He said they might not have made it out if that didn't happen. So now will you look into what I asked?”

Barbra looked to Theo, she was hugging Beth and looking sympathetic. “Fine, I'll do it.”

“That's all I ask, it's not like I think she is evil, Doctor, I just want to find out what’s happening...” Farris words died in his mouth as he saw Barbra’s jaw unhinge in shock. He turned to to where Barbra was looking, coming out of the fold was an identical copy of 'Theo' clothes and all.

“Freeze!” an MP yelled.

The copy put her hands up. “Okay, okay.”

“Who are you?” Farris demanded.

“Theo.” She answered.

Farris pointed at the Theo who had her back turned and was still embracing Beth. “Who is that then!?”

“Me.”

Beth stared in shock at what she was seeing, a shameful thought passed through her head. 'What am I hugging right now?' She pushed that thought out of her brain and pried Theo away from her and spun her around.

“What the fuck!” everyone turned to Theo as she cried out.

The copy looked to Theo. “You said you wanted to go ask her why just now, didn't you?”

“...” every word was caught up in Theo's throat.

“Well, I went and asked her, I just, I just got back too early.” The copy sounded embarrassed.

The copy let that digest before saying. “I can prove I'm Theo.”

“No! I'm Theo!” Theo yelled.

The copy smiled. “Don't worry I can prove that both of us are Theo. Director Farris, may I try?”

“As long as you stay right there.” He ordered.

“Sure thing, Theo go over to the Director and whisper a password to her. Anything you like, make it as complicated as you want.”

Theo untangled her hands from Beth's and slowly walked over to Farris while keeping her eyes on her copy. Farris gave her an uncertain glare, he covered his mouth and whispered into her ear.

“Golf Oscar Bravo Echo Alpha Romeo Sierra, did you grow up in Chicago, chief?.” The copy said.

Farris and Theo gave her a brow raise, “Don't mind doing that again?” Farris asked.

“I knew you would say that.”

“Cut the shit, and just do it.” Farris barked.

“Sorry, give me something to write on please.”

A pad and pen was thrown to the copy as Ford step forward. “You mind if I try, sir?”

Farris sighed. “Sure, knock yourself out.”
Ford leaned down and was about to whisper his words into past or future, he wasn't sure which one.

The copy blushed and closed her eyes in embarrassment and spoke before Ford could. “I'm a pretty little fairy princess.”

Ford laughed out loud as the crowd chuckled, Theo's face turned a deep purple and she hit Ford in the arm. “You asshole.”

The novelty quickly became apparent and so a queue formed in front of Theo.

The copy pointed to the line. “I'm not psychic, I only know your passwords up to Beth, Sorry everyone behind her.”

With a collective 'ah shucks' half the queue disengaged and returned back into the crowd. The rest took their turns whispering into the loop of time-space that was connected to Theo's ear. The copy would alternated between saying the password out loud or writing it down minute before the password was given. Beth was paying close attention to Theo's copy now, and she noticed the copy was blushing and getting antsy the nearer Beth got to her turn. Beth felt like the copy was telegraphing her emotions perfectly, she knows what I am going to say. Beth had to say it now, she leaned close to Theo while keeping her eyes on the copy.

“- ----- - ---- ---.” She whispered.

Theo spun her head to Beth with a shocked look as the copy rocked side to side on her heels. Beth could see the deep purple color flush over the copy's face, her lips were pursed she didn't want to say it.

“What did I say?” Beth asked with a smirk.

“Ahh... it's kinda of hard to remember, the time travel and all.” The copy bullshitted.

Beth slapped Theo in the face, it was the kind of slap someone would give to a heavy sleeper. “Why won't the you over there say it, Theo?” Beth asked with her puppy dog eyes.

“It's embarrassing.” Theo mumbled.

“Fine, I won't embarrass you.” Beth pouted.

“It's about now when we go through the fold and talk to her.” The copy said.

“Yeah, Mr. Farris, would you mind if I went through the fold?” Theo asked.

“The universe might be destroyed by a time paradox if you don't let her go.”

“On one condition, a full debriefing I want every detail.”

“Deal.” the copy said.

“Go ahead then.”

It was like a prisoner exchange as Theo and her double traded places in the room. As they neared each other the Copy spoke up. “You remember Time Cop? When the bad guy touches his future self and is unborn or some shit.”

“I...” Theo managed to say it before her copy grabbed her making her scream. Was she going to melt now? Nope she just made the crowd laugh.

“God, you asshole! Don't do that shit.” Theo said with raised voice.

“Sorry, It was tradition I was told.” The copy said.

They stood in each other's place now, you couldn't tell though if you hadn't seen them switch. Beth eyeballed the Theo in front of her. “Are you the evil twin?”

The Theo chuckled and looked over her shoulder. “This is your cue to go, I shouldn't say anything more until you leave.”

“Okay, see you in a bit, Beth...” Theo shook her head. “Never mind.” she smiled.

--------------------

Theo was floating halfway through the squeezed space when she felt a tug. She was thinking about the best questions to ask and how angry she should be when the pull of gravity sent her through the wall of the corridor. It didn't feel like falling, there was no wind... nothing to resist her directionless plummet. She had no reference point in the white abyss she was in, she couldn't even tell if she was moving anymore. The abyss dimmed and became patchy and soon the blobs of white dimmed until they focused into the stars that surrounded her. She was back in that nebula again, alone floating in space.

Where was she? Was she in some remote part of the universe? Or was she in some part of the Monolith? More questions for the girl, wherever she was.

“Hello again, Theo.” Her own voice called out to her.

The alien girl turned and twisted into reality, fifteen feet or so from Theo. She was what Theo saw every morning in the bathroom mirror, beautiful but alien. Her image finally stopped warping and bending, she was smiling. “How's life been?”

--------------------

Thanks to DJKauf for editing.