Time After Time
by Nicola Mody
"Avon!" Vila screwed up his face, which was almost as pale as the pillows he lay against. "Why Avon?"
"Quite," said Avon. "Why me?"
"Because," Orac said in an irritated voice, "he is the best match on Gauda Prime and he possesses a spare kidney."
"And besides, you're the one who brought us here to get shot," Vila said resentfully.
"As logical as ever." Avon turned to Orac. "What makes you think I am the best match?"
"You are his brother."
"I most certainly am n--" Avon stopped.
"You were adopted into an Alpha family as a small child, were you not?"
He'd been six. Avon bit his lip, remembering his real Mummy with long blonde hair, and a laughing baby brother.
"Not only that," Orac said smugly, "but you are his father."
"WHAT?" they both shouted. Vila tried to sit up, and Avon went white.
"You do remember the time travel experiments we did during night watches on the Liberator, Avon? You went back 33 years as I recall, and--"
"Tracy," Avon whispered.
"That was my mum!" Vila glared at Avon. "How could you! My own brother!"
"Half brother," Avon said, trying to hold on to his dignity. "We have different fathers."
"Actually," said Orac, "remember when you went back five years before that?"
"Quite," said Avon. "Why me?"
"Because," Orac said in an irritated voice, "he is the best match on Gauda Prime and he possesses a spare kidney."
"And besides, you're the one who brought us here to get shot," Vila said resentfully.
"As logical as ever." Avon turned to Orac. "What makes you think I am the best match?"
"You are his brother."
"I most certainly am n--" Avon stopped.
"You were adopted into an Alpha family as a small child, were you not?"
He'd been six. Avon bit his lip, remembering his real Mummy with long blonde hair, and a laughing baby brother.
"Not only that," Orac said smugly, "but you are his father."
"WHAT?" they both shouted. Vila tried to sit up, and Avon went white.
"You do remember the time travel experiments we did during night watches on the Liberator, Avon? You went back 33 years as I recall, and--"
"Tracy," Avon whispered.
"That was my mum!" Vila glared at Avon. "How could you! My own brother!"
"Half brother," Avon said, trying to hold on to his dignity. "We have different fathers."
"Actually," said Orac, "remember when you went back five years before that?"