"Are you sure you're okay? I thought you'd be happy they let you come to the party," he chuckled. "I even made homemade macaroni and cheese, just like home."
Lyllandra stopped walking in the hallway, letting a security officer and some others pass by.
"...just like home. Tim," she turned to him, "it's time I go back home."
"Shhh, not here," He pulled her to the left where a corridor was bustling with cooks and replicators. "They'll hear you." Tim looked up and down the hallway, and then sighed when he felt no one was watching, or listening.
"You have to trust me. Once the party's over, and we're close enough, then we'll..." a cook ran by with a plate filled with squirming Filden Gagh. Tim smiled "at least Lt. Worf will be happy tonight."
Lyllandra turned her head feeling sicker than ever. The hallway was spinning before her and she had to swallow several times to keep from re-tasting her Long Island Iced Tea. As she clutched onto Tim's arm for support, she was hit with a gust of warm air and suddenly she was alone.
Light broke through her darkness and she awoke on a beach. Several people were playing in the water, and Lyllandra sat up to regain her sense of location. This was the diplomatic ocean planet of Pacifica, where she first met Tim several years ago. A prank played on a Romulan here, on this very beach, caused her capture and sentence to their prison camp. A shudder ran down her spine at that memory.
Tim came up to her and laid out a plate of food. "This is my latest re-recipe," he held out a plate of pasta covered in a florescent yellow sauce.
"What is that?" Lyllandra squinched her nose.
"You don't remember macaroni and Cheese? Didn't you ever have that on Earth? It was an American past time," he laughed and started to serve it out.
Even then, he was light hearted. After all, he did live for his catering. Lyllandra closed her eyes to enjoy the sun, and when she opened them again, she was back on the Enterprise.
"I can't wait, I have to go now." She started to rise, and noticed she was back in her quarters.
"The guards found you roaming the halls and brought you here. One moment you were next to me, and then you disappeared. What happened?" he was less jovial this time.
"I returned to the past, somehow," she looked at her hands as if she never saw them before. "Tim, can you help me?"
"If the time is now, so be it." He smiled. "Though I don't think you'll be needing that escape pod any more. Come, let's go to the window. It will be easier if you can view the planet itself."
Lyllandra left the chair she was in and slowly looked out her window. Suddenly, she felt sorry for all the trouble caused aboard the Enterprise. The room that was meant to be a prison was convenient. She had a private bathroom, a replicator with an extensive menu of Earthen delights, and a window. Tears filled her eyes, but it was hard to say if they were caused by her nearness to freedom, or for the pain she caused on the ship.
"No matter..." she whispered as she held her hands up to the glass.
Tim was busy jamming the door frequency so that the guards couldn't come in. It proved difficult - one wrong entry and the alarm would sound - but in the end it was finished. He joined her at the window and carefully readjusted her arms.
"Remember like I showed you on Pacifica. Hold it in your hands and meld your mind around it... Go on."
Lyllandra nodded and watched the Earth. As always, nothing happened at first. The great globe of green, white, and blue just stared back at her until she felt comfortable enough to open up. Her mind relaxed and that's when the mountains brushed against her hands. She could feel the cool water in her toes and an unforgiving sun on her forehead. As the sounds of people began to fill her ears, her heavy eyelids closed and she began the transfer.
"Unauthorized entry, please use higher security clearance" the computer chimed behind them.
Someone started pounding on the door. "We know you're in there Miss Wyntir, release the barrier!"
Tim cooed her on "remember the mountains, the grass, the trees... don't stop until you're there Lilly..." He placed his hands on her shoulders, giving her strength.
Tears ran down Lyllandra's face as she reached out further and further.
"I'm home!!" she mouthed, though no one on the ship heard. Three guards burst through the door, shouting silently towards her. One reached for his phaser, but the Lieutenant that spoke with her earlier reached his hand out and shook his head. They all watched as Lyllandra and Tim faded from the room.
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