Author's Note: And we get some answers.

Anyone think they know who Theresa is, yet?

Enjoy!

"It's you," said Erodz. He gave an insane little laugh. "I feel the heat from your green energy, Seo. You burn like the sun."

"He keeps saying that," Seo complained, walking over to him and propping him up. "It's very annoying."

"You won't control me!" said Erodz, trying to flail against the restraints. "I know your secret. I worked it out. Hesero, you said. But I looked up the records for Hesero. I saw what happened there. You have their power!"

"Whose power?" Seo asked, very slowly and deliberately, as if talking to a very stupid child. "What happened on Hesero? What are you talking about?"

"It shouldn't be possible," Erodz continued. "But you used the power. I can feel it in my mind! You used it, and now I want to use it, too! I'm going to take it from you, and—"

"Forget Hesero," Jenny interrupted. "What happened the last time you met Seo? Can you answer that?"

Erodz stopped laughing.

His whole face going pale.

"Yes," he said. "I remember. I remember… what she did to me…"

Erodz knew his troubles had all begun with… her.

That horrible woman with the sunglasses!

Everything had been going fine — no, better than fine! Choice-Leader Erodz had full control of Tryxoi 7, his people obeyed him, and his guards were over-eager to prove themselves by performing horrible cruelties before he ever even asked. The guns and weaponry were all at his disposal, and there was no way anyone could fight back.

Then she arrived.

Seo.

With her peaceful demonstrations and strategic sabotage. Her stories of hope and freedom infecting his people's minds!

He'd sent people out to kill her at least fifty times, but for some reason, no one could! Anyone he sent after her abandoned him and joined her side. It happened over and over again, and Erodz couldn't work it out!

"I'm going to hunt her down and kill her myself," Erodz promised. Slamming his fist down on the arm of his chair. "I'm going to look into her eyes as she dies, and watch that hope drain out of her completely. Make sure the last thing she sees is me, triumphant, rejoicing in her blood!"

"Yeah, I heard you had women-issues," came the voice from not far away.

Erodz jerked his head up in sudden alarm.

There she was.

Leaning against the far wall, nonchalant, her sunglasses perched on the top of her head, her dark eyes boring into him.

"Guards!" Erodz shouted. "Soldiers!"

"Your guards are all asleep," Seo replied, coolly. "At my suggestion." She flipped her sunglasses down from the top of her head, and they settled on her nose. Their lenses turning transparent and…

And…

Compelling.

Drawing Erodz in. Like he needed to look at them.

"Hypnotic strengtheners," Seo said, advancing towards him, tapping the glasses. "Do you like them? What am I saying — of course you do! Because I said so!"

"I… like…" Erodz found himself saying.

No.

No! He was the mighty Erodz! He would not be subjected to silly mind-games!

"You will never cause my downfall, devil-woman!" Erodz shouted. Grabbing up a gun and aiming it right at her. "I am Choice Leader Erodz. No one can control me."

Seo froze.

Put her hands up in the air.

Erodz felt a smile spreading across his face. "I'm going to enjoy this," he said. Pressed down on the trigger. "Very much."

"Listen: freeze."

The command came from Seo's lips, but it was… different, somehow. The demand rattled through Erodz as if it had physically struck him, as if every syllable was tearing through his mind and making him… tremble.

Terrified.

He wanted to press the trigger. Wanted to kill her dead.

But he found he physically couldn't do it.

"I'm not the devil, Erodz," Seo said, back to her normal voice, as she flipped up her sunglasses to the top of her head, again, and proceeded forwards. Heels clicking against the marble floor. "I'm God. You can feel that, can't you?"

Erodz didn't know what she was. But he felt something from her command, something still lingering. Something big and empty that terrified him.

"What… what have you…?" Erodz said.

Seo shrugged, as she stepped just in front of him, and took the gun from his frozen hands. "A trick I picked up on Hesero," she replied. She disarmed the gun, and took it to pieces. "I've been using it on all you great big bullies in this section of the galaxy, but then… I noticed some unpleasant side effects lingering in some of the population after I left." She tossed the useless gun parts over her shoulder. "Thought I'd try straight hypnosis this time. But it looks like you're too pig-headed for that to stick."

"You can't manipulate me," Erodz hissed. "When my guards wake up, they will find you and massacre you! I will rejoice in the sight of your blood, and…"

"Sadistic, evil, barbaric, and completely nuts," Seo reflected. She gave a small shrug. "And that's why I have to do it this way. No matter what the risk. Because you are — hands down — one of the worst people I have ever met across the universe. And you shouldn't be ruling anyone."

"You're going to overthrow me?" said Erodz. "Begin a revolution?"

Seo grinned, her dark eyes flashing. "No. You're going to do that for me."

Erodz felt his blood run cold. "You can't—"

"Listen," Seo demanded, in that voice that tore through Erodz. "When I snap my fingers, you will change. You'll give up your position as dictator, and organize a democratically elected government in its place. The elections will be fair — you will be the one to make sure they're fair. After that, you will retire, start doing charity work and community service, and never engage in the political arena ever again."

Erodz wouldn't.

He just wouldn't! He'd never do something like that! He'd never, ever…!

Then Seo snapped her fingers.

And Erodz did all of it. He couldn't stop himself. He was working on automatic, his mind gripped with a holy terror, a dread he couldn't shake off…

Jenny stared at Seo, her jaw dropping. As she heard Erodz's story.

"But what happened on Hesero?" Seo asked Erodz, again. "What did I mean?"

"The power!" said Erodz. "You used the power. I figured it out, you see. I remembered what you'd told me. Side effects in the population. The terror. The emptiness." He gave another insane laugh. "It was you, Seo! They were all afraid of you! That's why they believed it, when I told them. Because you'd caused it in the first place!"

Jenny stepped forwards. "Seo caused this 'emptiness' people keep feeling? This blind terror?!"

"Holy terror," Erodz confirmed. "People do whatever you say. Seized by holy terror and holy dread. Just like the others did on Hesero!"

Seo looked like she wanted to rip out her own hair. "Just like who did on Hesero?!" she shouted.

"The Scourge," said Alan, walking into the room. He put his hands into his pockets. "It sounds to me like… he must be talking about the Scourge. Only thing that makes sense."

Jenny and Seo spun around.

And froze, when they saw Alan.

"Hesero," Alan muttered. Musing it over. He gave a small laugh. "Got to admit. I really wasn't expecting that."

"How'd you get out?" Jenny growled, her fury rising.

"And how do you know what happened in my future?" Seo added. She put her hands on her hips. "Have you met me? And…" with a wince, "I didn't snog you, right? Drusilla said I snogged her, in my future. Something about… yo-yos. And Daleks."

Alan raised his hands. "Actually, I know about Hesero from your future-companions," he said. He turned to Jenny. "Both of yours."

Seo and Jenny looked at one another.

Then back at Alan.

"Explain," said Jenny.

"Look, it's a bit complicated," said Alan, with a sigh. "But the long and short of it is… when you're both a lot older, you," pointing at Seo, "will wind up with a boy companion. And you," pointing at Jenny, "will wind up with a girl companion. The two of you will get into trouble, together, and the companions will meet. Fall in love. And wind up getting married."

Both sisters frowned.

"I know the couple," Alan explained. "They're quite nice. We have tea every other Sunday, together. Catch up on Earth Empire news and events. Exchange stories of the mad times we had, fighting monsters with our not-quite-human time traveling friends."

Jenny fidgeted, uneasily. "I shouldn't be hearing this," she said. "Really shouldn't be hearing this. I don't want to know my own future."

"Why not? I think it's brilliant!" said Seo, beaming. "We become adventuring, world-saving match-makers in our old age!"

"Hesero was where… the couple… had their wedding," Alan continued. "It was also where the two of you wound up having to rescue them from some eighth-dimensional beings called the Scourge."

"The Scourge," Jenny repeated.

"Yes, they're… insect-like creatures, by all accounts," Alan explained. "Once upon a time, they tried to invade the universe en masse, apparently, but were stopped by a time traveler and his friends, Bernice and Ace. The Scourge are now only strong enough to make the occasional hop into our reality, grab themselves a couple of humans, bring them back across the dimensional chasm, and torture them — as was done on Hesero. The Scourge feed off the pain and fear their victims feel."

"A hell dimension!" Seo cried. "Oh, I know all about hell dimensions. Mom's told me stories!"

"But that's not the important bit," Alan insisted.

Jenny waited for it.

"The… couple I know," said Alan. "Your future companions. They told me about a rather unique ability the Scourge have. Apparently, the Scourge can control people using a sort of 'holy terror' that's ingrained into their voices. If, for example, they say, 'Listen: put your finger in your ear', or 'Listen: you will resign power at once,' you'll have to do it. Not even the strongest mind can fight it."

"Greater than hypnosis," said Erodz. "Greater than god! Powers of the devil itself."

"Yes. I never made the connection between that and this, before. But if he mentioned Hesero…" Alan gestured at Erodz. "Well. It sounds to me like Seo learned from her meeting with the Scourge. And picked up some of their tricks."

Seo's eyes went wide. "I can do things like that?!"

"It sounds impossible to me," Jenny muttered. "If these beings are eighth dimensional, then of course you and I couldn't…"

"Oh, I'm impossible in all sorts of ways!" Seo cut in. She cleared her throat. Then, in her deepest voice, commanded, "Listen: take one step forwards."

No one moved.

Seo's face fell. "Well… maybe it's something people can only do when they're old," she muttered.

"So… that's the whole story?" Jenny said, turning on Alan. "You and your chums — our future companions — were infiltrating the cult so you could use it as a trap to ensnare Seo's future-self, at which point you'd bundle her out of there and get her to tell you what she did to cause the emptiness and how to undo it, and… what? None of you thought I'd show up with the past-version, instead?"

"That's the long and the short of it," Alan muttered, with a sigh. He looked up at Jenny. "I really am sorry. But I was doing it with the best of intentions."

"Rubbish."

Alan frowned. "I'm sorry?"

"Rubbish!" Jenny snapped. She stalked forwards, eyes narrowed. "I recognized your little friend, Alan. This… 'Theresa' of yours. I've seen her all across my past. So unless my future companion has gotten her hands on a time machine and set out to purposely ruin my life… you're lying. About all of it."

Alan seemed completely taken aback.

"Ruin your life?" he said. "What are you talking about?"

"The refugee camp?" Jenny prompted. "The lost plains of Varor? Oh, how about the death of Chvorin on Erpole! You remember Chvorin. Our friend."

Alan clearly did.

"That… doesn't have anything to do with anything!" Alan insisted. "Look, Jenny, your sister has just caused twelve star systems to worship a murderous, psychotic maniac — and we have no idea how many or what other planets she's affected like this. Believe it or not — this isn't about you!"

"Listen: stick your finger up your nose," Seo tried, again.

No one obeyed her.

"So… let me get this straight," Jenny said, ignoring Seo. "One day, someone turned up in your life, out of the blue! Claimed to be my future-companion. And you believed her?!"

"It's more complicated than that," said Alan.

Jenny gritted her teeth. "Yes, that's what you always say," she replied, "when you're justifying your actions around beautiful women who aren't me. You bloody idiot!"

"Listen: stop fighting," Seo attempted, again, using a slightly different tone of voice.

"This coming from the person who kept saying I was 'like a brother'," Alan retorted, pointing at Jenny. "The woman who refused to take things further than just hand-holding and cuddling, but still became outraged at the thought of my fancying anyone else!"

"So you'd rather I'd just left you to be seduced by the Plotaran Blood Drinker in the hologuise?!" Jenny threw her arms into the air. "Fine! All right! Next time I notice you're about to be brutally murdered by someone you're chatting up at a pub, I'll be sure to look the other way."

Seo sighed.

Slumped down, beside Erodz.

"At least people will listen to me at some point in my future," Seo told the captive beside her. "Perhaps that's what drives me mad. Makes me think I'm… God." She gave a small laugh. "God?! Just look at me now! I can't even break up a fight between two people who actually really fancy one another."

"Why?" said Erodz.

Seo paused. Turned to him. "I'm sorry?"

"Why?" Erodz repeated. "Why are they fighting? How do you know they fancy one another? Why can't I see and is it ever going to wear off? Am I ever going to see, again? Why can't I stop myself from doing whatever you want me to do? How come I know you're the same person when you look, sound, and act completely different? What's…?"

Seo jumped to her feet. Hand over her mouth.

"But you sound like Xander!" Seo cried. "After I failed to hypnotize him! What if…?" Her mind raced, suddenly overcome with a brilliant idea. "Erodz! Do you still feel it? That emptiness?"

"I…" Erodz frowned. "No. I don't." Paused. Then, with a cruel laugh, added, "I'm not afraid of you, anymore. You harpy. And I'm going to slaughter you. String you up and drain you of every inch of blood, until you're pleading for an end and you know that only I can give you—"

"Then it worked!" Seo said, jumping and clapping, excitedly. "I can reverse it! Like what I was trying to do with the Master's psychic signal, back before the Valiant! Set up some sort of psychic network, and all I have to do, to cancel out the signal… is to just be really rubbish at sending it, in the first place!"

"…left your dirty socks all over the flat!" Jenny was shouting at Alan. "Do you have any idea how disgusting that is?"

"They weren't dirty, they were clean," Alan snapped. "I was laying them out to dry!" He put his hands into his pockets. "And it was my flat, anyways. Or are you forgetting that you seemed to consider me a source of rent-free living quarters?"

"You utter prig!" said Jenny. "Do you have any idea what I was going through—?!"

Seo raced into the center, shoving the two apart. "All right! Interrupting sister alert!" She pointed at herself. "Everyone pay attention to me, now! Thank you."

Jenny and Alan kept glaring at one another.

But didn't say a word.

"While you two were talking about socks," Seo explained, "I've been extremely clever. Worked out exactly how to reverse all the effects of my future-self's brainwashing, and restore everyone to their former selves." She gestured at Erodz. "Observe!"

"I'm going to put my hands around your throat and squeeze the life out of you," Erodz was continuing, as if Seo had never interrupted him. "You miserable little wretch. You stole my power and replaced it with a flimsy little democracy! I'm going to love tearing you—"

"See?" said Seo. "Right back to his normal homicidally insane, evil-dictator self. With none of the bits about emptiness or holy terror!" She grinned, bouncing on her toes. "I just need to set up a psychic satellite system like the Archangel Network. Like the Master did, when he took over the Earth! That'll give me enough range to cover everyone that the future, much-more-powerful version of me has already mucked about with."

Alan hesitated.

But Jenny was already thinking up ways to make it happen. "I could use the satellites already in orbit," she said, rushing over to a table and brushing aside papers, scribbling across the surface. "Intensify and amplify the psychic field of the planet. Force a sort of focused…"

She continued to ramble, faster than anyone but Seo could follow.

Alan backed away. Confused.

"Does this mean… she forgives me?" he asked Seo, in a whisper.

Seo thought a moment. "Not yet," she decided. Looked back at Alan. "But give it time! Butterfly flaps do turn into hurricanes, eventually, you know."