The Prince of Slides

Template:Infobox Sliders episodes The Prince of Slides is the ninth episode of the third season for the science fiction television show Sliders. On an alternate Earth where the United States of America is a monarchy, Rembrandt carries to term the child who'll become the king.

Wade is writing in her diary (which she does mostly when Arturo, Quinn, and Rembrandt are asleep) in a hospital lobby when a pregnant woman named Danielle is wheeled in. Recognizing her from his home Earth, Rembrandt -- being called "Your Grace" by the doctors -- volunteers to help with a blood transfusion since they have the same blood type. Only when Rembrandt is anesthetized do he and the others realize that he's actually being implanted with Danielle's unborn child. On this world, a viral epidemic rendered women incapable of bearing children in their third trimester, and since this world's Rembrandt and Danielle (the Duke and Duchess of Hemmingshire) are married, the fetus is implanted into him for the remainder of the pregnancy. Arturo, Quinn, and Wade claim to be newly transferred to Rembrandt's personal staff from Buckingham Palace in order to stay close to him.

The artificial womb implanted in Rembrandt will allow him to give birth to the child in a week; unfortunately, Quinn says he'll have to miss the slide. The Duke and Duchess's servants are pleased to see him back, for the Rembrandt of this world fought with Danielle and went to be by himself. The Sliders learn that the child Rembrandt's carrying is fourth in line to the American throne. One of the Duchess' servants, Lady Mary, is especially surprised at Rembrandt's return, because she thought he'd been killed by a hired assassin. That night on the news everyone hears about a fire claimed to have been set by the "American Revolutionary Party" at Monticello that killed King Thomas and his two sons, Benjamin and Tyler. In an aside, the viewer learns Mary was responsible for that as well. Their death leaves Rembrandt and Danielle's unborn child the next ruler of America.

While Arturo stays with Rembrandt to forestall any "accidents", Quinn and Wade learn from royal security that this world's Rembrandt, Duke of Hemmingshire, retreated to the royal preserve of Camp Muir after his fight with Danielle. They persuade him (who's again played by Cleavant Derricks' twin brother, Clinton Derricks-Carroll) to return to his wife, while Danielle deduces that the Rembrandt who's bearing their child isn't her husband when he sings to the baby. (Danielle's husband is tone deaf.) Rembrandt explains who he really is, and that in his world, he never tried to get Danielle back.

With the assistance of the palace guard, Mary gets the two Rembrandts and Arturo together at Camp Muir and uses drugged tea to keep them unconscious long enough for a fire she has set to eliminate all traces of them. Back at the palace, Quinn and Wade try to find evidence against Mary. Defacing a royal portrait, they find a letter from King Thomas admitting to Mary that he cannot recognize their son, George Stennos of the palace staff, in the order of succession. In a rage, Mary, who's had George believe that he is her nephew instead, has sought to eliminate the others in line for the throne.

Upon learning this, George, Danielle, Quinn, and Wade travel to Camp Muir and fight the guards in order to rescue the Rembrandts and Arturo just in time for Arturo to help Rembrandt give birth to a baby boy by Caesarean section. Back at the palace, George is appointed Lord High Protector and Rembrandt is appointed regent until his son is of age to rule America. The Sliders step into the vortex and arrive on the front lawn of a two-story house where it seemd that a mother is about to throw her child from the rail. The scared child falls and then flies away on shoulder-borne wings.