Waiting

[Altamira Vazquez]

Somewhere, Altamira had gotten hold of a small, red rubber ball.

She threw it against the bulkhead in her quarters, and watched as it bounced back perfectly to her hand.....as it had done the last several thousand times.

[Narrator]

The little chimey-thing that the computer did when someone 'knocked' on her door rang. Mira apparently had Cardinal Raker calling upon her.

[Altamira Vazquez]

"Enter," she said, throwing the ball again.

[Narrator]

The door opened, and Raker stepped into the doorway, bowing slightly to her. "Phoenix," he greeted her. He observed her for a few moments as she threw the ball, then coughed slightly. "Would I be incorrect if I assumed that perhaps you might like some... other form of recreation while we travel?"

[Altamira Vazquez]

"I require the journey to be over, and that is all," she said, coldly.

She blinked.

"I'm sorry---what did you have in mind?"

[Narrator]

"I am afraid that our spiritual pursuits tend to require quite a lot of focus, so that our recreational facilities are rather meager," he said, and she could get the sense that he meant 'nonexistent,' "But we do have a library built into an observation dome. I could grant you access to its resources. It would, at least, be a diversion for the meantime." And, naturally, an aid in 'knowing what she didn't know about space,' but he was too polite to say that, too.

[Altamira Vazquez]

"I suppose, if it would not offend too many people, I could use the walk."

[Narrator]

"Of course it would not. I would imagine that your quarters would grow dull after a fashion."

[Altamira Vazquez]

"You would imagine correctly."

[Narrator]

"Then please, by all means, come with me," the Cardinal said, turning to lead her down the hallway.

[Altamira Vazquez]

Altamira followed a step behind, looking around at every noise and every dark corner.

[Narrator]

Altamira would come across nothing more sinister than a low-ranking crewman trying to sneak off of his shift for a nap as they made their way to the observation dome.

Once there, Mira would find herself under what seemed to be a glass dome (but must have obviously been some other material) that opened directly into space, giving a remarkable view of space as they passed through it. All around her were terminals and books, as well as various off-duty people perusing them, but they were few and far between.

[Altamira Vazquez]

"And this is safe for you?"

[Narrator]

"Absolutely safe. The fields will hold our atmosphere in, as surely as this craft maintains its course," the Cardinal said as he looked around. The room was rather artfully set up, and like libraries on planets, was arranged and decorated to be a rather relaxing place.

[Altamira Vazquez]

"And the ship maintains its course well, is what you're saying?"

[Narrator]

The Cardinal nodded. "The ship and our faith have been tested many times, and neither have faltered," he said.

[Altamira Vazquez]

"You keep talking about this 'faith'. What the hell is it?"

[Narrator]

"Our faith empowers us. The Avatar taught us how to focus our belief, and that of our followers, and make it into something tangible, something observable. If we believe it, it is true. For example, when we found you, we believed that your shields would fail, and they did. And we believed that we should return to our vessel, and so we were. Similarly, the Skrulls refused to believe that they should be saved by us, making us unable to bring them aboard through faith."

[Altamira Vazquez]

"The shields failed because the Phoenix smashed through them," she corrected.

[Narrator]

The Cardinal shrugged. "Possibly. If you did it, or if my Bretheren did it, the point is that it could have," he said, not wishing to argue. "We Believe, and it is."

[Altamira Vazquez]

"Then believe this. Believe you'd better get me the hell off this ship as soon as possible, or I believe you will regret it."

[Narrator]

The Cardinal arched an eyebrow. "We released you from your prison. Or aided your departure from it, however you see it. We are giving you passage back to your planet with all possible haste," he said evenly. "We are doing what we can to make this journey as bearable for you as we are able. Why, pray tell me, do you feel the need to lay threats at us when we have been doing all that you ask to aid you?"

[Altamira Vazquez]

"Oh this is not a threat. This is a reality. This is what happens when people spend to much time around the Chaos-Bringer. I bring nothing but misfortune to those I am around. This is not a threat--this is a warning. You should have left me in the middle of space."

[Narrator]

"If that is what you believe, then that is what will be. It is easy to destroy... it is much harder to create or to heal. Only one who truly believes in themselves can do it."

[Altamira Vazquez]

"You're not familiar with me, are you."