Look Before You Leap

Zine
Title:	Look Before You Leap
Publisher:	Ruff and Ready Press
Editor(s):	Michael Ruff
Date(s):	1991-92
Series?:
Medium:	print
Genre:	gen
Fandom:	Quantum Leap, one issue contains much Star Trek:TNG and a bit of Star Trek: DS9
Language:	English
External Links:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Look Before You Leap is a gen Quantum Leap fanzine.

Issue 1

front cover of issue #1, Doranna Shiner

back cover of issue #1, details from interior art, several artists

Look Before You Leap 1 was published in 1991 and contains 130 pages.

It has 14 illustrations by Doranna Shiner, Anne Muscarella, Yvonne Bowhay, Carol Salemi, and Juanne Michaud.

This zine was a FanQ nominee for Best QL Zine.

From an ad in Zine Scene:

An all QL zine featuring more adventures with Sam and Al. Includes the works of Rebecca Reeves, who takes Sam on Vacation; Sheila Paulson builds an adventure story about a psychic's assistant; Michael Ruff writes about Sam involved in the world's oldest profession; Autumn Lee has Sam bird sitting; Anne Muscarella pens the short story "Just a Renaissance Man" and Louann Quails further develops the M.I.A. episode with a touching dream sequence. More from S. L. Schneider and Sara Arnold.

• The Trial of Tommy Kinneson by S.L. Schneider (3)
• Outside the Imaging Chamber by Louann Qualls (17)
• And So It Goes by Louann Qualls (19)
• Vacation by Rebecca Reeves (25)
• Renaissance Man by Anne Muscarella (35)
• Attila by Sheila "Autumn Lee" Schneider (49)
• St. Norma by Michael Ruff (59)
• What Dreams May Come by Sara Arnold (75)
• The Psychic II by Sheila Paulson (91)

• 

  from issue #1, Anne Muscarella

• 

  from issue #1, Anne Muscarella

• 

  from issue #1, Carol Salemi

• 

  from issue #1, Anne Muscarella

• 

  from issue #1, Anne Muscarella

• 

  from issue #1, Juanne Michaud

• 

  from issue #1, Juanne Michaud

• 

  from issue #1, Yvonne Bowhay

• 

  from issue #1, Carol Salemi

• 

  from issue #1, sample text

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1

Al cries: 0

Sam cries: 1

They hug: 0

128 pages, perfect bound sub-20. 12-polnt courier, xerox on cardstock covers. With the exception of a couple pieces by Salemi. the artwork is awful.

Two out of five stars. The art is largely awful, but the stories are OK so I can ignore the pictures. "The Psychic" by Sheila Paulson is the one standout story here, along with two shorter pieces by Louann Qualls.

My first impression of this zine was not positive. The art is mostly amateurish (is that a word?). People look stiff and awkward, details are overworked and proportion is sometimes seriously off. I am beginning to think that most artists do zines until they've refined their work, and then start doing stuff just to sell. Or maybe I'm just in a cynical mood.

I did not think the writing was as amateurish as the art. but it’s not exactly polished either. I almost said the tone of the zine is dark, that's not true although it is a little heavy. Not heavy as in preachy (a bit of that too), heavy as in lacking the light, more witty touch I prefer. By witty I do not just mean humor, although that is a great part of it. but interesting and clever phrasing and imagery that doesn't feel artificial. A fine line, but a joy when done right.

Many of these stories are just ideas, not really fleshed out. "Sam as a hooker! Sam dealing with an obnoxious parakeet! Sam at a Renn Faire!" Well, the show does that too, in the tag/opening. But then the show goes on to give us people and situations we really care about, while a lot of these stories do not. They read to me like early efforts - lacking depth, or in some cases, lacking the skill to convey the depth they're trying for.

If you just want someone who shares your love of the show and don't mind when their enthusiasm exceeds their skill, give this one a try. If you demand excellent writing and strong characters, most of these stories won't do much for you.

The first story, "The Trial of Tommy Kinneson," is pretty standard, tending toward cliched phrases. There are some interesting twists in the subplot, wherein Al falls madly in love with a woman who actually has a personality.

"And So It Goes" deals with Sam's reaction to the end of "M.I.A." as he realizes what he's forced Al into. It left me feeling dissatisfied. Nothing new is revealed about the characters, and nothing seems resolved -unless the last paragraph is supposed to link into another episode and I'm not making the connection. The author seems to believe Sam feels (or ought to feel) guilty about forcing Al to go in to see Beth, but doesn't go into why he did it initially or why he felt it a bad idea after doing it, nor does she resolve the guilt. Lots of pretty colors, I admit, but they never really became a picture for me.

My first reading of 'Vacation" was. I think, tainted by the illo. It looks like the artist used Barbie and Ken dolls as models for the bodies and I'm not sure what for the heads, and it made me cringe a bit. Avoiding the art for the second go-round, I managed to get into the rhythm of the story (slow) and rather enjoyed it. It's another explanation of "How Sam survives all this." A viable solution, I suppose, although it really creates more questions than it answers.

"Renaissance Man" takes place at a Renn Faire, but I'm not sure why, since the author tells you some of the things that happen at a Renn Faire but doesn't really take advantage of the environment or give you the feel of it. Sam rockets around acting completely on impulse, and I felt he was a touch out of character. The author points out that what he's doing is not natural to him, but I think he would have agonized a bit and perhaps gotten to know the people he was dealing with better before manipulating them so crudely. Definitely not his normal style.

"Attila" involves acute canary named Attila who nips people, and Sam in a leg cast. There's no real character interaction and he solves the problem in a straightforward fashion. I'm a straight-ahead action fan myself, but gee whiz, kids, if you don't care about the characters it doesn't matter who is going to get offed. Sad but true. In "Attila", if Sam doesn't solve his problem at least 7 people are going to die - but since we only meet two, and those two very briefly, we never get to know any of them enough to care. The pull just doesn't exist.

"St. Norma" is a double damsel in distress story, with Sam convinced he's supposed to help a young girl runaway and Al convinced Sam's supposed to be saving the hooker whose body's he's inhabiting. If you like the 'hooker with the heart of gold' routine, I suppose you’ll like this one.

"What Dreams May Come" seemed a lecture on euthanasia -an entirely emotion-based argument (although I admit I agree with Sam's final decision). Ziggy refuses to tell Sam what originally happened, which is a cheat, I think, since the only reason he won’t is the author's convenience. In deciding whether or not to pull the plug' Sam's also supposed to be reconciling himself with his interfering in other people's lives, but it didn't work for me.

The Psychic" is the most solid story in this zine. Sam and Al are in character, the original characters are interesting and involving enough (i.e., I had the plot figured out early on but still enjoyed the story), possibly because t h e author gives herself time to flesh them out a bit before things get serious. It's a damsel in distress' plot, with the added twist that if the girl dies, the 'psychic' of the title ends up committed. The psychic is Sam's character's aunt, an appealing woman who can sense Al while in the trance state. Probably the best story in the zine.

This zine is attractively packaged, with a “perfect” (i.e., glued rather than spiral) binding, artwork by Doranna Shiner, Anne Muscarella, Carol Salemi, Juanne Michaud, Yvonne Bowhay, and poetry by Louann Qualls. Stories include:

“The Trial of Tommy Kinneson,” by S.L. Schneider: Sam Leaps into Tommy Kinneson, a prison inmate on death row. Al enlists the help of Anja Theissman, the scientist who developed the Imaging Chamber, to save Sam’s life. The Al/Anja angle was intriguing, and I wish it had been developed a bit more.

“And So It Goes,” by Louann Qualls: While Sam waits for Al to encounter Beth at the end of the MIA Leap, he has a vision--or rather a nightmare--in which he confronts his feelings about killing four people (in the MIA, Honeymoon Express, and Her Charm Leaps), and about refusing to help Al recover Beth. This was a well-written, thought-provoking piece.

“Vacation,” by Rebecca Reeves: Sam finds himself on a dream vacation in Hawaii, wondering what, if anything, he’s supposed to fix. While the conclusion of this story is obvious from the start, it’s a cute idea, and Ms. Reeves has some fun with giving Sam a well-earned break.

“Renaissance Man,” by Anne Muscarella: Sam Leaps into a participant in a Renaissance Festival, and must convince a woman that he (or rather, Sam’s host) is not the right man for her. He does this by acting, as Al would say, “like a real nozzle”. I can’t imagine Sam treat- ing a woman as badly as he treats Maggie in this story, even for her own good. His behavior seemed completely out of character. I also found the other characters in the story didn’t have much depth; I really didn’t care much about what happened to Maggie and George.

“Attila,” by Autumn Lee: Sam Leaps into a young man left in charge of a vicious canary when the bird’s owner mysteriously disappears. While the story begins promisingly, and Sam’s misadventures with the foul fowl are amusing, I thought the bird owner’s plight was rather hurriedly dealt with.

“St. Norma,” by Michael Ruff: Sam lands in a tricky predicament when he Leaps into a prostitute. Al claims Sam’s mission is to prevent the hooker from being murdered by her pimp, while Sam believes he is supposed to convince a teenage runaway to return home. While I was intrigued with Sam’s dilemma, I wish the characters had been developed a little further. I also wasn’t entirely convinced that the runaway’s home environment was worth returning to.

“What Dreams May Come,” by Sara Arnold: In this touching, well-written story, Sam is haunted by nightmares about his Leaps while he tries to decide how to help a young woman who is in a coma. Ms. Arnold does a good job of portraying Sam’s insecurities and fears about the consequences of his Leaps.

“The Psychic,” by Sheila Paulson: Sam encounters a psychic who predicts the murder of a young woman. He must prevent the girl’s death, while finding out who has been harassing the psychic. I’ve read several of Ms. Paulson’s stories, and although this one was okay, it wasn’t as good as some of her others.

Overall, this is a pretty decent zine, with two very good stories (And So It Goes and What Dreams May Come) that provided insightful explorations of the moral dilemmas Leaping creates for Sam. There was only one story I didn’t care for at all (Renaissance Man). The other tales generally had good concepts, and interesting plotlines, but in several cases I wished that the characters had been fleshed out with a bit more detail.

It was a very well done zine and I look forward to the second one, which I'm sure you'll do. It's only a matter of time. LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP had several good stories but I especially Like The Psychic and Attila.

I have to be somewhat unbiased here because I did write one of the stories.

Well, I can certainly start by saying I loved the cover by Doranna especially the expression on Sam's face. I can’t draw worth beans but I do like to see great art & there seems to be a lot of very good artists in fandom. Carol Salemi's drawings were also very good, particularly pgs 63, 90 & 111. I also liked the one on pg 50 by Anne Muscarella.

As an editor you can be commended on the layout, the binding (wish I'd had access to that process for INPUT) and the clearly readable print. It's so much nicer to read a zine when you can actually READ it.

It's always so hard to pick out one's favorite story or stories. It usually depends on how I feel at the moment, or something about one of them that strikes my fancy for a particular reason. I must admit that Sheila Paulson's The Psychic was the one that jumped out at me, but I usually Love Sheila's work anyway. She has such away with words & always seems to write stories that would be easily filmed as one of the episodes. I also enjoyed your own story St. Norma. Lucky for Sam he didn’t leap in just a little earlier!! I thought it was a nice touch having the pimp named 'Big AL.' The story was also touching & I felt for Sam/Norma at the very end. As we've recently seen in the episode about the electric chair, the producers obviously feel it's possible for Sam to Leap just before death kicks in.

Well, I could go on and on but suffice to say I was pleased with the finished product and it was a most enjoyable read—doubly so as I didn't feel too great to begin with. As Al might say, "You done good, Michael."

Doing a LOC on a postcard does seem a bit tacky, but I'm rather pushed for free time this week! I just wanted to drop you a Line and let you know that I thoroughly enjoyed LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP. It was easy on the eyes print-wise and nicely bound. I especially liked the stories, And So It Goes, St. Norma, What Dreams May Come, and The Psychic. Oh, and Carol Salemi’s art is great— particularly pages 63 and 111...nice facial expressions! Oh yes, and congrats to your proofreaders too —they did a great job. I hope to see more QL zines from your press in the future! Perhaps by then, I can turn out less skimpy LOC's!

I enjoyed your zine, LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP. My two favorite stories. Vacation by Rebecca Reeves (loved the bit where Al suggests that maybe Sam is just here for a change to have a good time, Al and. Sam exchange glances, then say in unison: "Naw." What a hoot!) and St. Norma by you. Actually, I liked this one the best—for not only was it a very good story, plus it treated its characters sympathetically, including hookers — a thing not all writers want to do — but the ending, plus all of its ramifications really got me thinking. A really disturbing story which means that I LOVED it! I've seen too many stories where they had a good idea and started off well, but fizzled out, in the fanwriter's zeal to give a happy ending. Bleech!

Is there a chance that LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP II will feature a second story by you? Also, have you thought of going into science fiction writing professionally? You have what it takes.

Another story I liked was Sheila Paulson's The Psychic. I liked the idea of someone else who's able to hear Al, she had a lot of fun with it!, plus she gave a plausible reason why this happened. However, the story had a few problems, glitches that might have been easily cleared up if Sheila had done a little more research or talked with fans who were of the right age. For starters, it wasn't clear to me, the reader, as to which Kennedy was running for political office—John F. Kennedy or Bobby Kennedy for nowhere as I can recall, did any of the posters, whatever, list candidate Kennedy by a full name. Now I realize that perhaps not as many people know this, but when Bobby Kennedy was running for the presidential primaries this was a big thing—in some areas even more of a big thing than when John F. Kennedy was running. Maybe people don't remember this about Bobby now, since it seems all folks can talk about is his untimely death at the hands of an assassin. Secondly, when John F. Kennedy was running for president, and later, when he was in the White House, he wasn't called "Kennedy." When he was alive, people, including campaign organizers, called him by his initials—"JFK."

Normally I let these little glitches slide past me, but this time my enjoyment of this fine story was marred by the fact that I couldn't figure out which Kennedy the author was talking about. Since I couldn't figure out which Kennedy she was writing about, I couldn't fathom which time period Sam was supposed to have ended up—1960 or 1968. The fact that Paulson had one character describing another as wearing, "tight jeans and low cut blouses"—a type of dress which didn't become common until the late 60's early 70's only adds to the confusion.

Before I forget, Juanne Michaud's rendering of Sam in hot pants is my favorite. Sam's expression and body language in this illo (p.58) is priceless! I also like the way Al was all dollied up in Salemi's illo on p. 63.

LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP I was a good zine. Keep up the good work!

The cover on LBYL was probably the best I've seen on a QL zine. You have great taste.

I loved the zine LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP. Good stories. I especially liked St. Norma. There are a million questions QL gives rise to like: Is Sam's essence in the host's body, or is Sam there and people see the host's aura? They've given it to us both ways. Do the people Sam jumps into remember everything after they leap home? What about the children? Are they considered to have overactive imaginations? Sam leapt into a blind man & wasn't blind. Then the camera bulb exploded in his face & he was. This presents two possibilities. 1) The blind man's blindness was

not physical. 2) Sam can be injured—or...what?

This show drives me nuts! And I love it!

I LOVE LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP! I wish the stories were actual shows.

I’ve just finished reading LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP. Nice cover illo by Doranna Shiner, and I Like Salemi's style throughout.

I'm not crazy about the layout of the zine; having the title and author in boldface above each page seems obstructive.

The Trial of Tommy Kinneson had a more interesting subplot than main plot. I Liked Anja and was sorry to see her die. We've seen it both ways in QL — Sam being able and unable to change history. It makes you wonder, who's deciding, and why.

Nice poem by Louann Qualls. I really like her work. Good choice of typeface for it, too.

Excellent, spooky story in And So It Goes. I'm glad she chose to do this one, as I had wondered what two people Sam had killed when I saw the Indian episode originally. It's good to see the killing he is forced to do to effect and bother him — that makes the difference between a man and a monster.

Vacation was cute, even if it left the central question—who's running this show? — unanswered.

I didn't care for Renaissance Man. Neither Sam not Al seemed to be in character, and the mock court was a) illegal and b) stupid.

Attila had many cute aspects. The author seemed to have close personal experience of little yellow mobsters—er, canaries. I wasn't crazy about Al using 'taking advantage of' as a euphemism for kidnapping, forced drugging and gang rape, or Sam going out to ’stop her'. Stop her? She’s the victim, not the perp. I don't see either Sam or Al as being this crass or chauvinistic, as they are both here and in St. Norma.

What Dreams May Come is well-written but sad. What happened to the dreams? And The Psychic tied in several subplots skillfully and with a wealth of background detail.

As far as LBYL #2 goes, I don't know that I’d be interested in buying a copy. All of the stories in #1 were written at least competently and had a plot—this is an advantage. But there was a pronounced dark cast to the zine. A lot of the woman in this zine were killed, raped, abused and violated. It left a bad taste in my mouth, and I'm not sure I'd care to have it repeated.

Issue 2

front cover of issue #2, Kate Nuernberg

back cover of issue #2, Juanne Michaud

Look Before You Leap 2 was published in 1992 and has 140 pages.

The art is by Kate Nuernberg, Anne Muscarella, David Lawrence, Juanne Michaud, Cindy Barnard, Doranna Shiner, and Nola Frame-Gray.

From an ad in FYI Adzine:

LBYLII is the follow-up to one of the original, highly popular, Quantum Leap zines. Issue #2 features a Kate Nuernberg cover, and some of the finest writers in QL fandom. Rebecca Reeves brings us Sam as a corporate tycoon who must correct the man's home life, by dealing with his wife who knows he is not her husband. Sam also finds himself in the bodies of an aging violin virtuoso who must convince a young musician to pursue his work with quantum physics; the henchman of a maniacal killer, where he must kill the killer in order to leap; in the body of a lonely male model, where Sam must unite him with his wife-to-be; as a man with a musical dream; as a famous actor trying to save his wife and his show; even as a gay man trying to prevent a mistake of a friend (a topic even the show was afraid to handle—no slash) and into a teacher who learns a lesson from a student with a terminal illness. Al's stories include: a visit from Sam in a "dream", where Sam tells Al how to save him on one of his leaps; and Al's reunion with Theresa, the little girl from ANOTHER MOTHER.

From the editorial:

First off, I’d like to thank you for your interest in LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP, and now LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP II. It is hard to believe how popular these zines are. Thanks again.

And special thanks to all that helped put together this second edition, especially to all the writers and artists. Sara Arnold was tremendously helpful providing her proof¬ reading skills, Jerry Cunningham was invaluable by helping with typing, and my writers group, Sara, Anne Muscarella, Lorraine Bartlett, and Doranna Shiner were an inspiration.

But the biggest thanks goes to the writers and artists; without you this zine could not be possible.

Also from the editorial:

One final note, as I get on my soapbox: Quantum Leap is not the perfect show in terms of continuity, even down to the simple question of body vs. soul/aura, So far, the show has given us ample ammunition to defend each position. It is for that reason that I would ask you to be open to both opinions, both here in this zine and with the show itself.

As you will read in this zine, the authors sometimes differ in their interpretations of body vs. soul. (Or even in their interpretations of the waiting room.) So far, neither has been proven right or wrong. Just keep an open mind, and I guarantee you'll enjoy these stories.

One final note of frustration that I would like to pass on to you. Sometimes a writer has a brilliant idea and builds a wonderful story around it, only to find that the series has already thought of the concept and produced an episode. Well, in many cases, the writer's stories were written first, and are still worth reading. It happened in where the series also produced a death-row inmate story. And it happened again here. Luckily, the stories are very different, and I hope you’ll enjoy them just as much.

• Editorial by Mike (2)
• Letters of Comment (3)
• Rooms and Pictures by Scott Tilson (7)
• A Promise Kept by Shari Ramseur (25)
• Windmills by Heidi Sanchez (31)
• Orange Blossom Special" by Sheila Schneider (38)
• A Lesson Learned by Paul Coppini (50)
• Dreams of Substance by Shannon O'Connor (61)
• Genie With the Light Brown Hair by Anne Muscarella (This is an RPF that includes Jonathan Frakes of Star Trek: THG) (74)
• Killer by Michael Ruff (86)
• A Man With a Porpoise or Swims with Dolphins by Donna Hull (98)
• Straight and Narrow by Michael Ruff (This story deals with Sam leaping into a gay man, one topic is AIDS.) (1993 FanQ nominee - Favorite QL story) (110)
• The Kingford Dynasty by Rebecca Reeves (1993 FanQ nominee - Favorite QL story) (127)

• 

  from issue #2, Nola Frame-Gray

• 

  from issue #2, Anne Muscarella

• 

  from issue #2, David Lawrence

• 

  from issue #2, Juanne Michaud

• 

  from issue #2, Cindy Barnard

• 

  from issue #2, Doranna Shiner

• 

  from issue #2, Doranna Shiner

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 2

Three out of five stars... cartoons and some cute stories, including yet another where Al visits Theresa Bruckner.

• "Rooms and Pictures" - Scott Tilson. Sam is a model - but at least he's male! oh why couldn't they have filmed *this* swimwear shoot! Plus Al's conversations with John in the waiting room. Between them can they help a young artist stick with her work?
• "A Promise Kept" - Shari Ramseur. Another Theresa Bruckner story, her mom really did take her to a "baby shrink", so she eventually decided that she had invented her visiting angels to replace her absent father. A visit from Al shows her otherwise.
• "Windmills" - Heidi Sanchez. Sam gets Martan Tanner cast as Don Quixote.
• "Orange Blossom Special" - Sheila Schneider. Another music career story.
• "A Lesson Learned" - Paul Coppini. Sam's a teacher again, but this time his biggest concern is a terminally ill student.
• "Dreams of Substance" - Shannon O'Connor. Was Al dreaming or did he really get a message from Sam about the next leap?
• "Genie With the Light Brown Hair" - Anne Muscarella. Sam's an actor, headed back to his west coast job after a weekend at home.
• "Killer" - Michael Ruff. Sam leaps into a thief, but his partner has moved on to murder.
• "A Man witha Porpoise" - Donna Hull. or "Swims with Dolphins" :-) Sam leaps into salt water, literally.
• "Straight and Narrow" - Michael Ruff (1993 FanQ nominee - Favorite QL story). Sam gets beaten up outside a bar and learns about an incident in Al's past.
• "The Kingford Dynasty" - Rebecca Reeves (1993 FanQ nominee - Favorite QL story). Yet Another "Sam falls in love and wants to stay" story.

This fanzine had a lot to live up to after I took in the cover. It featured drawings by Kate Nuernberg— depicting moments from "Shock Theater" — which are fabulous. While not all of the stories were up to the challenge, all of the tried valiantly.

The first story is "Rooms and Pictures" (Scott Tilson) and in it Sam leaps into a male model and is responsible for getting the model together with a shy make-up girl. This was not one of my favorites, but it was fun reading about Sam's embarrassment at being a "sex object" and there are some interesting bits back at the project between Al and the leapee. Not great, but not a bad story either.

Next comes "A Promise Kept" (Shari Ramseur) which deals with Al finding Teresa Bruckner from "Another Mother" to keep his promise of his return. This is a good story, although the main thread concerns the idea that Teresa is in love with Al and that bothered me a little. Once I got used to it, though, I enjoyed the story. And it's always a nice change to see Al's life apart from Sam.

"Windmills" (Heidi Sanchez) is a stay based on a song by Harry Chapin entitled "Mr. Tanner." I really enjoyed this piece, where Sam leaps into the owner of a dry cleaning shop with musical aspirations. It is very realistic and all of the characters are handled with great expertise. And from what little I know of the song, the story is true to that as well. A great story.

"Orange Blossom Special" (Sheila Schneider) finds Sam in the persona of an older musical diva who needs to get her protégé to decide to go to college instead of the road. This is not a bad little story. My only problem with it was that the protégé is theorized to perhaps be the key to getting Sam home, but when the leap is successful, the author never determines whether or not this was true. Other than that the stay holds together pretty well.

"A Lesson Learned" (Paul Coppini) deals with the concept of treating someone who's different, in this case a teenager with cancer, like everyone else. It's an interesting concept, but the author doesn't quite give the characters enough depth for the point to have much impact. I did, however, find it interesting to read of Sam's struggle to cope with "his" job — that of a high school English teacher.

“Dreams of Substance” (Shannon O’Conner) was my favorite story in this zine. Sam appears to A1 in a dream (or was it?) and tells him of something he must do to save the time traveler’s life. The author has a wonderful grasp of both of the main characters and the story moves well and kept me guessing about the “dream” right to the end. A fantastic story.

I really enjoyed “Genie with the Light Brown Hair” (Anne Muscarella) as well. Sam leaps into an actor who must keep his girlfriend from hopping on to a plane headed for disaster. The characters are handled nicely and the ending had a twist I never even suspected (though I expect there may be others who would have caught on more quickly). A very nicely done story. “Killer” (Michael Ruff) has Sam leaping into the accomplice of a murderer. The story was a little graphic and dark for my tastes, although Sam’s moral dilemma— focusing on whether he should kill the “killer “or not — running throughout the story is very intriguing and made the story readable, if not totally palatable.

“A Man With a Porpoise” (Donna Hull) puts Sam into the life of a marine biologist, and he really has fun with it He’s there to keep a couple together and does a very realistic job of it A nicely put together story, with some nice moments between Sam and Al to round it all out.

“Straight and Narrow” (Michael Ruff) deals with the gay issue in a slightly different way than the show did this past season. This time Sam has to help a young man accept his homosexuality. The subject matter is tastefully handled— though some might find it difficult to read— and there are even some interesting twists that help keep the story alive.

Finally comes “The Kingsford Dynasty” (Rebecca Reeves). In this story, Sam is in the shoes of a very powerful and wealthy man with a very unhappy wife. Sam is there to help the wife find happiness she never finds in her original history. This is a fabulous story, with Sam being given a chance to be himself with a woman who seems to realize this is no longer her uncaring husband. I enjoyed all of this story tremendously, save for the last few pages, which I had a slight problem with (so did Sam!), but it didn’t overshadow the rest of this wonderful work.

All-in-all, for the fairly low price (relatively speaking) this is not a bad zine. "Windmills," "Dreams Of Substance," "Genie with the Light Brown Hair,' and "The Kingsford Dynasty" were worth $12 by them selves, and the others are interesting, if nothing else. So if you're looking fa something a little less costly, this zine if definitely something to consider.

Issue 3

cover of issue #3, Michael Ruff

flyer, click to read

Look Before You Leap 3 was published in 1993 and contains 140 pages .

The art is by Juanne Michaud, Mel Vararoutsos, David Lawrence, and Michael Ruff.

• Kindred Spirits by Gary Himes ("Sam leaps into a nun at the same orphanage Al grew up in, at Christmas time. Both Al and Sam discover the 'true meaning' of Christmas.") (5)
• A Little Miracle - Part 2 by Lynn Hill ("Lonely during the holidays, Sam arrives to comfort him. But Al can touch him!") (22)
• Forget by Scott Tilson ("After leaping into a southern, female police officer, Sam struggles to forget the powerful trauma he experienced during the leap.") (26)
• The Leap Back: Donna (37)
• Tom-Cattin' Around by Sheila Schneider ("Sam leaps into a Broadway actor in a very feline musical and into a very 'catty' love triangle.") (39)
• Remembering Beth (45)
• The Wall by Tracey E. Finifter ("A sentimental Al visits the Vietnam Memorial.") (46)
• Leap To Destiny by Rick St. Clair ("A story about Sam leaping into an incest victim. (49)
• Crossed Computers by Michael Ruff ("Sam leaps into a familiar futuristic computer and wonders if he'll ever get his body back.") (69)
• An Illogical Leap of Faith by Juanne Michaud ([[RPF, includes NBC executive Stanley Freedman - "Sam has to make sure a network executive cancels a popular t.v. show to preserve science fiction history.") (80)
• Life Is But A Dream by Michael Ruff ("When Sam wakes up in his own bed, he tries to discover if all his leaps were dreams.") (84)
• It's About Time by Rebecca Reeves ("Sam meets up with a very mysterious old man who possibly has the power to send Sam home.") (88)
• Someone To Watch Over Me by Shari Ramseur ("After Al's death, Sam tries to cope with the loss of his friend. Luckily, he will get some help.") (97)

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 3

This collection of eleven stories opens with “Kindred Spirits,” by Gary E. Himes. Two days before Christmas, Sam finds himself dressed in a habit, as a nun at the orphanage where Al was raised. In a Leap that evokes unpleasant memories for Al, Sam’s mission is to prevent a little boy from running away. This was a really enjoyable story, with dialogue between Al and Sam that read like one of the series’ better scripts.

In contrast, “A Little Miracle, Part 2,” by Lynn Hill, another Christmas story, doesn’t come off nearly as well. Taking place immediately after the Leap in A Little Miracle, the tale has Sam returning home briefly to visit Al and wish him a Merry Christmas. The dialogue seems too stiff and sentimental (okay, mushy!) to be authentic Sam-and-Al bantering.

“Forget, “ by Scott Tilson, is a creepy, rather unsettling story that raises more questions than it answers (I mean that as a compliment). The Leap, in which Sam is a policewoman whose son gets kidnapped, is framed by two scenes in which a mysterious being, disguised as Al, tries to help Sam deal with the emotional trauma of the Leap. However, this being only has platitudes and amnesia to offer as solutions to Sam’s troubling questions about pain and in- justice. Mr. Tilson uses a lot of good descriptive imagery throughout this dark story (which is unfortunately somewhat marred by some distracting problems with grammar).

Sheila Schneider sends Sam “Tom-Cattin’ Around” in more ways than one when she Leaps him into an actor in the musical “Cats”. Sam has to deal with a jealous husband and a deceived lover while trying to remember his lines, stay on key, and avoid falling on his face during the performance. The story has an interesting plot twist at its climax, and a creepy, but neat ending. However, it seemed a bit rushed. I wish the characters had been developed better.

“The Wall,” by Tracy E. Finifter, isn’t really a story so much as a short vignette in which Al is inspired by meeting Ron Miller (in the Nowhere to Run Leap) to visit the Vietnam War memorial in Washington, DC. Ms. Finifter’s description of Al’s reflections at the Wall makes for a nicely written, thoughtful piece.

Rick St. Clair takes on a tough issue in “Leap to Destiny”. Sam Leaps into Joey Freeman, a young man who tries to commit suicide after enduring years of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse from his parents. Mr. St. Clair handles Joey’s dilemma sensitively, but I found his style rather awkward, and I was uncomfortable with the ending, which resolved things a little too neatly. I thought that Joey’s father got off far too easily, and his sudden conversion was hard to believe.

In “Crossed Computers” (by Michael Ruff), an abortive retrieval attempt lands Sam inside Ziggy. Mr. Ruff has a lot of fun exploring Ziggy’s reactions to being human and with showing the computer’s reluctance to return to its electronic universe.

Sam makes an “Illogical Leap of Faith” (by Juanne Michaud) when he finds himself in the life of NBC executive Stanley Freedman, poised to make the decision of whether or not to cancel Star Trek. This is more of a sketch than a real story, since it consists only of dialogue, without any descriptive writing whatsoever, but it contains some cute tongue-in-cheek conversation between Sam and Al. Star Trek aficionados will need a good sense of humor to read this one.

Sam wonders if “Life Is But a Dream“(by Michael Ruff)--or at least, if his Leaps have been but a dream--when he wakes up at home to find that no one else--including Al--knows anything about his Leaping. I usually don’t care for dream stories, unless a dream sequence is used in the context of a larger plot, but this one actually works.

In “It’s About Time,” by Rebecca Reeves, Sam finds himself in the cluttered sitting room of a mysterious old man who seems to be none other than Time himself. The old man gets Sam to reflect on his life both before and after Leaping, and concludes with an intriguing suggestion which hints at a sequel. This is a thoughtful piece with some good descriptive writing that brings up a number of questions about what (or who) causes Sam to Leap.

“Someone to Watch Over Me,” by Shari Ramseur, is an epilogue to the series. Now that he’s finally home, Sam finds himself at a crossroads in his life after the death of his best friend. Al appears to Sam as a ghost to help him find a new direction in his life, and to discourage him from returning to Leaping. Although there are some sentimental moments, Ramseur uses some good characteristic Al-Sam banter to prevent their dialogue from getting too mushy.

The collection also includes two nicely done, bittersweet poems by Melissa Mastoris: “The Leap Back--Donna”, and “Remembering Beth”.

Look Before You Leap III is a handsomely presented volume, with some nice artwork by Juanne Michaud, Mel Vavaroutsos, David Lawrence, and Mi- chael Ruff. Mr. Ruff’s portraits of Sam and Al are particularly good, and Mr. Lawrence’s sketch of Sam captures his “Oh, boy!” expression just perfectly. Endnotes about each of the contributors are a welcome addition.

Overall, this is a pretty good collection, with a number of stories that raise intriguing, and sometimes unsettling, questions about Sam’s Leaps. However, in several instances, I wished the writers had taken the time to make their characters more well-rounded.

Issue 4

front cover of issue #4, Kate Nuernberg

back cover of issue #4, Mel Vavaroutsos, was also made into a fannish t-shirt

flyer, click to read

Look Before You Leap 4 was published in 1994 and contains 172 pages.

• Reforging the Dream by Lynn Hill. Consequences of meeting Albert the bartender multiply, and Sam and Al must deal with them, including a hit and run accident involving Al's daughter. (4)
• Double Trouble by Linda McCoskey. Sam leaps home, but as a sixteen year old, and the Sam in the past is shot. What happens if he dies? (19)
• Amazing Woman, poem by Melissa Mastoris (30)
• All Things Considered by Sheila Schneider. Divorce questions arise when Sam leaps into a single woman trying to help her married friend. (32)
• Two Lives, poem by Melissa Mastoris (38)
• The Leap In Between by Jeanne Bianco. The entity guiding Sam's leaps takes the time to help Sam deal with his adventures, while saving a young woman from destroying herself. But why can she hear Al? (40)
• A Special Visit by Martha Pepelinski. Did Sam die and go to heaven? If not, why can he speak to a departed loved one? (54)
• Hide and Seek by Patricia Poole. A curious former leapee shows up at the doorstep of Project Quantum Leap, and sneaks in, determined to know the truth. (56)
• To Right the Unrightable Wrong by Martha Pepelinski with Tamara Stone. A young woman who idolizes scientist Sam Beckett will be killed unless Sam, in her sister's body, can prevent the murder. But what happens when he has to meet up with Dr. Beckett? (71)
• Missing Link by Aimee Marie Helton. Sam and Al take a camping trip to help relieve the pressure of a stalled Project Quantum Leap. (86)
• Prisoner by Cheryl Belluci. Sam leaps into a man bound and gagged. Will Al be there to help keep Sam sane? (93)
• Last Walk, poem by Melissa Mastoris (96)
• Leaping Back From the Dead by Michael Ruff. Sam leaps into a corpse -- but is there more to being dead? (98)
• Briefcase Blues by Patricia Poole. A female divorce attorney's life presents Sam with the dilemma of how to deal with one of her distraught clients. (106)
• Titus & the Laws of Physics by Aimee Marie Helton. A young rich girl, with lots and spunk and charm, turns Sam's life upside down, until he realizes he knows her... from the future. (130)

• Epilogue by Rick St. Clair (168)

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 4

This collection includes a couple of post-Mirror Image stories, starting with Lynn Hill’s “Reforging the Dream,” which attempts to resolve the temporal paradoxes Sam created by reuniting Al and Beth--the most significant paradox being that Sam and Al’s friendship might never have developed if Al had been a happily married man. Al the bartender, Angela, and Zoey watch over the re-shuffling of events in Sam and Al’s lives. I wish the story had been expanded into novella length, as the author introduced a lot of really neat ideas that I wanted to see explored further.

On the other hand, I didn’t feel there was much point to “Double Trouble,” by Linda S. McCoskey. Al tries to prevent Sam from being shot in a hunting accident when he Leaps back home in 1969. While I won’t reveal the ending, I found it extremely disappointing.

In Sheila Schneider’s “All Things Considered,” Sam Leaps into a secretary whose friend is contemplating a divorce. Sam tries to prevent the divorce while also helping his host to meet a potential suitor. This story fell flat for me. I didn’t feel there was any sense of urgency about Sam’s dilemma, so I found it hard to muster up much sympathy for either Sam’s host or her friend.

In “The Leap in Between,” Jeanne Bianco gives Sam a brief hiatus from Leaping, and allows him to encounter the being who has caused his travels. Then Sam Leaps into a florist whose diabetic daughter must be convinced to take better care of herself. While the opening section had some intriguing possibilities, the dialogue between Sam and God or Time or Whoever seemed somewhat stilted. The Leap section of the story didn’t work very well for me, as I didn’t feel convinced that Janet’s problem was particularly critical, and Sam didn’t seem to take an active role in trying to change her life.

On the brink of death, Sam receives “A Special Visit,” in a brief story by Martha Peplinski, which nicely resolves Sam’s relationship with his father.

A few weeks after Sam’s Mirror Image Leap, Samantha Stormer infiltrates the Quantum Leap complex, playing “Hide and Seek” (by Patricia Poole) with Project staff, until Al catches up with her. Samantha offers her assistance to the Project team and tries to instill new confidence that Sam will return home. This is a nicely done story with well-written dialogue that is fast-paced without seeming rushed In “To Right the Unrightable Wrong” (by Martha Peplinski and Tamara Spone), Sam Leaps into a model to prevent the death of the woman’s brilliant younger sister, who just happens to idolize a certain quantum physicist. I would like to have seen a bit more development of the characters in this story.

It’s 1988, and Sam finds himself stymied by a setback in the development of Project Quantum Leap. He and Al take a camping vacation so Sam can relax and perhaps find the “Missing Link” (by Aimee Marie Helton) to get the Project’s imaging equipment to work. Al’s disgust at all aspects of the trip is comically appropriate. Ms. Helton does a nice job of playing the two characters against each other.

Cheryl A. Bellucci’s “Prisoner” is as effective as it is brief. Leaping into a kidnapped businessman, Sam finds himself bound, gagged and blindfolded. Ms. Bellucci does a good job of relating the situation from Sam’s point of view as Al tries to help the Leaper fight off the panic that threatens his sanity.

Sam Leaps into a corpse in Michael Ruff’s “Leaping Back from the Dead”-- or so it seems, until Sam discovers his host’s death has been faked in an at- tempt to escape underworld hitmen. Sam uses a clever ruse to resolve his host’s relationship with his widow. I wish the ending had given a bit more information about what happened to the widow and the “dead” man’s creditors, and I would like to have seen her character developed a bit more.

Sam gets the “Briefcase Blues” (by Patricia Poole) when he Leaps into divorce lawyer Chris Giotto, and finds he has to help a woman whose soon-to-be-ex-husband specializes in emotional abuse, while at the same time keeping Chris’s career from going down the proverbial tubes. Like Ms. Poole’s other story in this collection, “Blues” is well-written, with good dialogue and descriptive passages. I’d like to see more QL stories with the level of characterization that Ms. Poole achieves in this one. I especially liked Chris’s secretary, Sky, who was outlandish without being unbelievable.

In “Tutus and the Laws of Physics,” Sam Leaps into Kenny James, “nanny”, escort, companion, and general all-around buddy of a strangely familiar eight-year-old girl named Katie O’Keine, in this enjoyable tale by Aimee Marie Helton. Sam’s mission is ostensibly to prevent Kenny’s death in a car accident, but that goal turns out to be secondary to Sam’s growing friendship with his charge. Katie is a delightful character. Sticklers for QL lore may object to the story’s conclusion, which involves a major discrepancy with the series, but I felt the story was interesting enough to carry it off. (My one nit-picky criticism: this story could not have taken place in Boston in March. The only flowers that would bloom there at that time of year are plastic ones!)

The collection includes a “Prologue” and “Epilogue” in verse by Rick St. Clair, and three poems by Melissa Mastoris. I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen of Ms. Mastoris’s poetry so far. Although simply written, her verses neatly capture the thoughts and emotions of QL’s characters.

This is another nicely presented volume from RUFF & READY PRESS, with fine front and back cover artwork by Kate Nuernberg and Mel Vavaroutsos. I was a bit disappointed that there was only one text illustration, which was a repeat from Look Before You Leap III (a nice repeat, but a repeat nonetheless), as I’ve enjoyed most of the artwork in this series. The literary contents vary in quality, but the volume includes several fine stories that balance out the weaker ones in the collection.

Issue 5

cover of issue #5, Kate Nuernberg

Look Before You Leap 5 was published in 1995 and contains 188 pages.

It has sparse interior art by Michael Ruff. The cover is by Kate Nuernberg.

This issue contains a separate section of crossovers with Star Trek.

• The Only Words, poem by Melissa Mastoris (2)
• Teacher’s Aid, fiction by Linda McCoskey (4)
• Crossed Leap, fiction by Heidi Manzone (26)
• Helpless, poem by Melissa Mastoris (28)
• Operator’s Standing By, fiction by Tracy E. Finifter and Cheryl A. Bellucci (30)
• Wheel of Fate, fiction by Leah S (36)
• Haunted Eyes, poem by Melissa Mastoris (44)
• Déjà Vu, fiction by Linda McCoskey (46)
• The Captain’s Time by Dawn Schlosser (crossover with Star Trek: TNG) (50)
• Leap Space Nine by Michael Ruff (crossover with Star Trek: DS9) (63)
• No Escape From Reality by Terri Librande (crossover with Star Trek: TNG) (74)
• The Fire In Which We Burn Timothy Gerard (crossover with Star Trek: TNG) (110)

• 

  from issue #5, Michael Ruff

• 

  from issue #5

• 

  from issue #5, Michael Ruff

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 5

I must admit right here that I have a rather uncertain attitude towards this series of fanzines: I picked up number one, didn't like the story "St. Norma" at all, and have tried to avoid this series ever since. I did read another 'zine in this same series, but thought the stories rather flat. (That's ok; I'm sure he avoids my 'zines, too. But let's not confuse the 'zine with the editor.)

[...]

However, when I saw that this zine had a special Star Trek crossover section, I just had to get it. I have a fondness for Star Trek/QL crossovers. The one I wrote was the first one I ever saw, and I like to think I started something. Not true, but I’m sometimes in my own little fantasy world anyway.

But the other stories, first...

In "Teacher's Aid," by Linda McCoskey, Sam has Leapt into an high school teacher and environmental activist named Bob Littleton, working in a small town in Oregon in 1991. Al arrives shortly thereafter, but is very little help... a power surge at the Project has burned out some micro chips and Ziggy is having trouble picking up information. When the data finally gets loaded, Sam finds that the life he has to save... is his own. This story has a problem with pacing, and also contains some unbelievable spots. There's very little conflict until Al finally shows up with solid data. Then, and only then, does something major happen to threaten Littleton's life and environmental passion. (Remember, this is logging country, and a big issue at that time was the Northern Spotted Owl and how logging was going to be stopped.) Ok, so Sam's worried about teaching his class the next day, so what? The banter between Sam and Al is kinda cute, but I do so hate to get hit over the head with environmental figures, even if it is Dean's favorite passion. And then, only after this major thing happens does he meet the main antagonist of Jack Richards and his pal, Bushy. So while this does get a few environmental issues out of the way, it does very little to advance the plot. And the unbelievable spots? I can't believe that they couldn't find out about Bob Littleton just by a few little phone calls. This was only 1991... just why in the world couldn't someone on the Project make a few short phone calls, or maybe even surf the Web for information about Bob Littleton's fate? (The death was somewhat unusual.) And a logger named "Bushy"? *sigh* I must admit I know a contractor nicknamed "Woody" (short for Woodrow), but it just sounds like a contrived name in fiction. I'd also like to have seen the two antagonists fleshed out a lot more. Most people who argued against the logging ban were good people, concerned about their jobs. I would have liked to have seen Richards and Bushy as more than just the villains in this piece.

"Crossed Leap," by Heidi Manzone, is a short piece which cuts out way too soon. Sam finds himself in a lonely hotel room, with a squadron of police pulled up front. Only after police break into his room does he find out he's Leapt into the life of a man who he thought was a fictional character... and there it stops. Case closed. This wasn't a story, it was the first page of a story. But what was there was well written!

In "Operators Standing By," by Tracy E. Finifter and Cheryl A. Bellucci, Sam leaps into an infomercial sidekick named Sam Taylor, who is in the middle of shooting an show which gets weirder and weirder and more familiar. It's a cute premise with a kick of an ending, but I have to admit I was wondering how the past and the future got intermixed inside Sam's mind. (Read it and you'll find out what I'm talking about.)

"Wheel of Fate," by [Leah S], starts out with Sam pointing a gun at his head. He soon finds out that this is not a suicide attempt, but a game of Russian Roulette, and an even trickier game of keeping teenagers alive while saving their egos... which can be tender at that age. This is a nice little story, even if I do think that a) the Sam's "little brother" recapitulated a bit fast, and b) I would have liked to have seen a bit of a change in Sam's "father."

"Deja Vu," by Linda S. McCoskey, lands Sam on a very familiar television show set. Further explanation would spoil the story, but I thought it was cute. This only problem is that this story seems a bit truncated. But, then again, this type of story has been done a number of times, so I imagine if it were any longer, it would become boring. Still, it would be interesting to see Sam have some sort of adventure with Dean, and have Al tagging along... On to the Star Trek section... "The Captain's Time," by Dawn Schlosser, takes place on Picard's Enterprise. The Enterprise is approaching Earth when they hit a temporal distortion... natch... and are catapulted into 1999. They soon discover a Vulcan ship full of Romulans with nefarious plans towards ten-year-old Elmer Cochrane, future father of Zephram Cochrane, inventor of the warp drive. This story is divided up into small scenes, which gives it a rather scattered feeling... the scenes should be longer. And I have to wonder why a) somebody saddled a poor child with the name "Elmer" and b) why young Elmer is in school by himself... because noone comes looking when the Federation and the Romulans have their fight. And why does Ziggy thinks that Crusher and Picard should fall in love... other than misplaced romanticism? And... it's a good thing that the author didn't use the "body leaping" theory of Quantum Leap...

In "Leap Space Nine," by Michael Ruff, a retrieval attempt has failed on Sam and has placed him firmly in Rom's life on Deep Space Nine... Rom, the brother of Quark, spiritual descendent [sic] of TOS Harcourt Fenton Mudd. He learns the fine art of bartending.

basically repeating a drink request in the replicator... and while serving, observes Quark meeting with a pair of aliens he is told are Miradorns, which make him uneasy. The bulk of the story is spent in trying to contact Al, and what happens afterwards. Ok, I can believe two impossible things before break- fast, but not three. Why can the Miradorns see Sam as human, but Bashir's sensors list him as pure Ferengi? How can Ziggy connect with the Holosuite, and how does that augment Al's signal? (Ok, ok, let's pass over that, I never did figure out how Sam and Al communicated without Al being physically present, and if I think too hard, the whole house of cards will come down.) But, other than that, I thought it was a cute story, even, as with most of these, seeming a bit too short.

"No Escape From Reality", by Terri Librande, is one of the best crossovers... and the better stories... in this 'zine. The universe is being buffeted by waves of time displacement, and Picard's Enterprise has been sent to investigate. While "talking" with the Guardian of Time, a man in a white jump suit falls out of the vortex, unconscious. The Enterprise crew takes him back, and subsequently finds that he is Sam Beckett, time traveler. The Guardian announces that he's there to do something, then must be returned. Meanwhile, back at the project, Al is going nuts, and does something rash... I enjoyed this story from the start to almost the end. I did get rather confused at the end, and only with the second read-through did I figure out what had happened and how and why. I'm not sure whether that was the fault of the story or of me!

"The Fire in Which We Burn," by Timothy Gerard, was the second most enjoyable in the 'zine for me. Picard, having nightmares about the deaths of his brother and nephew, turns to the only viable option available to him, and sets up a copy of the Project on the Holodeck, complete with our favorite physicist. In the beginning, Picard is determined to Leap, but after a while...

This was a nice little short story, even if Sam and Al technically were not in this story. The Holographic Sam felt real, even though I had my doubts on how "real" the computer could make Sam, since so much time had elapsed. But that's neither here nor there.

This zine had a nice, nice cover by Kate Nuernberg, good drawings by Michael Ruff (I think they were all by him?), and very nice poetry by Melissa Mastoris. It was a diverting 'zine, if not great.

Issue 6

Look Before You Leap 6 was published in 1996 and contains 246 pages. It is a novel by by Michele Plourde-Barker called "Rosemary for Remembrance."

The cover is by Kate Nuernberg.

cover of issue #6, Kate Nuernberg

Rosemary for Remembrance is a full-length novel written by Michele Plourde-Barker with a dynamic cover by Kate Nuernberg. Piourde-Barker does an amazing job interweaving a challenging leap for Sam with a sub-plot about an attempt by Donna Elesee to bring her husband Home. It's October 1985 when Sam Leaps into Jim Martowski, a high-school English teacher. Sam's mission is to try to convince a boy named Freddy Garcia to renounce his membership in a gang. His efforts are complicated when he learns that Jim and Freddy share a secret that could prove fatal to both. Meanwhile. Donna enlists Jim's help in an effort to bring Sam Home. Will Sam be able to change Freddy's life without losing his own? And will Donna's plan succeed, or will she be forced to take a desperate risk of her own to retrieve Sam?