Another Night at the Movies

"This is getting to be a regular thing," said Betty, grabbing a handful of popcorn as the previews began. "Movie night!"

"Except that the movies are also reality," added Inquirer, not wanting any of them to forget that.

"Movie night, huh?" said Ragan, ignoring her. "That reminds me... When are we gonna get to watch those Blake's 7 tapes?"

"Are you still on about that?" said B'ellanna, rolling her eyes.

Betty gave a little mock-shiver. "You want to find yourself in a crossover with that universe?"

Her "sister" smiled back at her. "I dunno... Given immortality and magical powers, I think I might actually survive..."

"Shh!" said Gilmuriel. "The movie is starting!"

They all watched attentively as the murder scene was played out... followed by Zavitz's discovery of the videotaped evidence... and his death...

"Geez," whispered Betty. "This is... eerie. Watching this stuff happen on the screen -- on a movie -- when we just saw it -- well, a version of it -- with our own eyes..."

"I suppose it cannot help but be a bit... unnerving," said Sigin, "to realize that one's own reality is merely fiction somewhere else."

"You know," mused the Doctor, "I once encountered a culture who believed that all humanoid creativity is ultimately traceable to subconscious glimpses of events in alternate universes. Perhaps there is something to that theory, after all."

They lapsed into silence, as the rest of the movie played itself out.

When it was over, Betty gave another shiver, this time for real. "And this is happening in my universe?" she said in a low, horrified voice.

"I'm afraid so," said the Doctor. There was a look of disgust on his face. "An unforgivable curtailment of individual privacy. I've seen it on too many planets. It's always rationalized in the name of the greater good of society, but it never leads to anything but oppression and misery."

A moment passed while they all considered this.

1. "The question," said E'eysha, breaking the silence at last, "is: what are we going to do about it?"

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