"Your sister is hailing us," Rios called from the bridge, "You want it in your quarters?"
A'den was visibly startled when Enid contacted him aboard La Serena. Enid didn't like talking over subspace. In his quarters he opened the channel to find his sister was in tears. She launched directly into the purpose behind her call. A notebook was missing, she didn't know where it was. That she didn't mention Narek or the man on the roof was because she hadn't been kidnapped or hurt however the notebook was missing. That was real.
"Little Bee," A'den soothed, "Papa sold some of your music a few years ago."
"What?" she signed. "Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"Maybe you forgot?" A'den suggested. He knew his sister had not been consulted. He hoped she didn't sense the deception.
"No!" she signed, "I would have never approved!" Enid paced her room. She felt as though someone had removed a limb and she was left with a bleeding wound that ached.
"He did it so that you could have options when you got older," he hated seeing his sister this upset. "He didn't mean…" He heard a cough from behind him.
"I am so sorry," Picard explained, "The door was unlocked and you didn't answer. I'm sorry to intrude." He was a bit uncomfortable that he understood the very personal exchange. What was important about her notebook? He had read that born telepaths could fixate on small problems overlooking dangers that were right under their noses.
"What is that!" A'den both saw the signs and heard the question in his head. He looked around.
"I don't understand," A'den began.
"That!" she managed a vocalization as she pointed towards where Picard stood. "You know what I'm talking about," she continued in sign, "I know you know."
"I think she's referring to me," he said with some amusement, "Is she telepathically aware at this distance?" That would beat Tam, he thought.
"This is Admiral Jean-Luc Picard, retired," A'den informed her, "that is who this is, and yes," he turned to Picard, "she has an exceptional range telepathically." At times, he added in his head. Enid's abilities were inconsistent, she could often "hear" better from greater distances. His sister usually kept tabs on people she cared about. He felt her as a presence in his mind's periphery often as he went about his day.
"But what is he?" she looked annoyed, "He looks like an old man but he can't be human." She knew what humans felt like, and this was definitely not human.
"I bet you can't sense me telepathically," Picard said good naturedly. Enid explained that she could but that he didn't feel human. "I used to be human," he explained slowly watching the girl's reaction, "I died and my consciousness was transferred into a synthetic body." The girl seemed to consider this information and nodded.
"You don't feel dangerous," she signed then stared at him, her face taking up the entire screen for a moment before she continued, "Missy says synthetics are dangerous."
"Ah, I've read Miss O'Dare's work," he made the connection between the journalist and Enid. The girls were the same age and grew up together, they must be friends, "It was a well researched article although I can't say that I agree with her conclusions." He wondered how the young woman would react to this assessment of her friends' work. He wondered what Soji's reaction was going to be to the news. She had been upset over O'Dare's articles.
"Of course you don't," Enid signed, "You are synthetic." Picard acknowledged the bias. He found the girl's honesty charming and wondered how she would get along with Elnor.
"How would you know what danger feels like?" A'den asked to change the subject.
"Fourth symphony, third movement." Enid answered quickly. A'den realized it had been a mistake to think that Enid wouldn't notice her missing sheet music. "Mrs. Helene's boyfriend."
"Your music memorializes your experiences," Picard now understood the importance of the notebooks. He wanted to learn more but the girl had moved on.
"The Fisher synths are arriving today," she said, "I want to hear what they feel like." She ended the connection.
"Diner is ready," Picard told A'den who followed him to the mess.
"I'm sorry for my sister's rudeness," A'den said after they had taken a seat.
"Oh," Picard said, "She's not the first born telepath I've met."
"Then you understand that they don't mean to be abrupt." A'den didn't know Picard. Would his sister's reaction to him endanger his chances of getting the man to help him?
"I can't believe that she can sense synthetics!" Picard was really looking forward to meeting the girl.
"I thought telepaths couldn't read synths," Agnes had not been looking forward to meeting a super powerful telepath. Between absolute candor and the humanoid lie detector she thought the trip would be uncomfortable. Not that she lied a lot. "I mean, what is that like? You have dozens of thoughts at once can't you?"
"More than that," Soji commented.
"Enid doesn't usually hear independent thoughts," A'den explained although he knew she could if she focused but it was difficult. "Her brain translates the constant barrage of peoples thoughts into music."
"Which she writes as symphonies!" Picard finished for him, "Fascinating!" Yes, it was a fascinating way of living, he could see that.
"So she always hears music in her head?" Anges was relieved at least that her individual thoughts were safe. "Talk about an earworm."
"More than an earworm." A'den said, "Enid spends her life swimming in music."
"So tell us about Ms. Helene's boyfriend?" Picard asked.
"First you have to understand that the outer colonies often attract people who are running from something," A'den began. He explained that Ms. Helene was the daughter of a sultan on a non allied world. She was running from an arranged marriage but her father had sent an assassin to make an example of his daughter. "It wasn't enough to just kill her," A'den told them, "The assassin wanted Ms. Helene to be in love with him first."
"No," Raffe shook her head.
A'den continued that Enid had a bad reaction to the man when he came to the school with a surprise lunch for her teacher. At first everyone assumed that Enid had been jealous of the someone who had her favorite teacher's attention when she threw a tantrum. "My father was called to school but by the time he got there things had escalated to a physical altercation," A'den described how Enid had sunk her teeth into the man's arm and how the man had stuck Enid across the face after dislodging her. Security arrived of course and the man was identified.
"It must be nice to know when someone is dangerous," Soji stated flatly. She hadn't been able to tell that Narek was planning all along to kill her and despite her heightened senses she still couldn't tell for sure if someone was sincere or not.
"Given how Enid's life is about to change," A'den concluded, "I'm glad she has that ability." The conversation drifted to the arrival of the Fisher synths and the uproar that had enveloped the settlement over the event.
"I wonder what Enid will make of them," Picard mused.
"I doubt she will sense them at all," was A'den's hypothesis. "The Fisher's wouldn't have asked for a sentient workforce." He outlined the vile history of the Fisher mine.
"The development of sentience can be unpredictable." Picard said, "Sometimes it develops when it isn't expected." He launched into a long winded account of how Data had been the one to discover that tools called Exocomps had developed into a sentient life form. "The Fishers might get more than they bargained for."
Mr. Fisher considered transporting his synthetic workforce from the cargo ship that delivered them to the mine but he could not resist the opportunity to publicly stick it to Ni'ael so he decided to march them down Station Road directly in front of the checkpoint. A crowd of settlers gathered along the route. A few Romulans miners gathered near the checkpoint or within the diner. Missy and other leaders were on a platform in the center of the intersection talking while Federation New's drones hovered above the swarm.
Enid tried to work her way to the front of the throng so she could get a good view of the new arrivals. This was no easy feat for the slight girl who kept getting jostled backwards. Once she even fell which caused her a moment's terror until she felt a strong hand take hold of her upper arm and lift her out of the melee. It was Narek.
"Are you alright?" he whispered in her ear anxiously. She nodded but was too tightly packed in to sign. Why was this man suddenly all over the place?
I need to get closer! She thought to him hoping he could hear her. She was delighted when he pulled her by the arm through the mass of people to a spot outside the diner. It took control for Narek not to panic when the girl's head did not reappear from the crowd. He reasoned the building might offer her some protection but was now worried she'd be crushed against the building. He looked around, maybe he could find her some place safer.
Heiko made his way through the crowd, "What are you doing?" he said through his teeth glancing up at the Federation Drones. "Get out of here." Seeing her dear counselor, Enid beamed broadly and gave him a hug. She nestled into his side and waited for the synths.
Fisher had ordered fifty synthetic workers that now marched in unison down Station Street. They were not sentient, Fisher didn't want to deal with vacations and sick days. If one was destroyed, he didn't want to deal with widows or orphans. He led the procession with his sons. Jimmy Fisher glared at Enid as he passed. She had found that the Fisher boy's thoughts towards her had become more and more aggressive. She pressed herself closer to Dr. Hanson. A move that pleased the young Fisher but Dr. Hanson frowned as he watched the exchange between the two young people. He suspected that Jimmy Fisher had found a new way to torment Enid.
The synths were organized into rows of five and dressed in the mine's grey work uniform. Onlookers froze in the wake of the stomping footfalls. The beings had gold skin and yellow eyes but no hair. Enid wondered if they had teeth. To Enid's ear, they had a percussive quality shaking the ground as they passed. She spun around, no one else seemed to notice the ground moving. The drums grew louder making her dizzy. I should sit down a bit, she thought as Heiko caught her in his arms. He had been watching the girl's distress. He looked for someplace to take the girl who had wrapped her arms tightly around the man's neck and buried her head into his shoulder. The pounding was growing louder in her mind. Judging that the diner was too packed Heiko looked down the street. Raelyn popped out the side door of the diner that opened on Station Street and gestured. Inside the building, Raelyn motioned for him to take her upstairs to the apartment she shared with her husband.
"What happened?" she asked as Hieko placed her on the floor.
"Grab those cushions," Heiko ordered. He propped up Enid's feet. Enid was shaking vigorously by now. "And a blanket!"
"Was she ill?" Raelyn draped a blanket over the girl while Heiko placed a cushion under her feet.
"She did take a tumble earlier," he checked her pulse.
"Did she hit her head?" Raelyn knelt and checked Enid's hairline for injuries. "Should we call the medics?" Enid coughed and emptied the contents of her stomach. Hieko turned her sideways until she stopped. Raelyn brought her a towel and some water to clean her up.
"S-s-s-s," Enid started.
"Oh, no," Raelyn said, "Don't worry about anything, just take it easy." Heiko slipped a cushion under her head. There was a soft knock at the door. Heiko got up. Pulling a disrupter from his coat he opened the door a crack then relaxed.
"Get in," he said.
"What happened?" He wasn't used to almost losing his asset three times in one day.
"She's suffered some sort of shock," Raelyn said. "She doesn't appear to be hurt." Enid tried to sign but was too weak. She was too weak to try telepathy either so she just closed her eyes. She contemplated the synths. Picard had felt wholly different from those abominations that marched past the colony.
"Water," Enid said. She needed to get the taste out of her mouth. Narek and Heiko each took an arm and helped her to a chair. Heiko paced the blanket over her lap. Raelyn brought her water steadying it as Enid took a sip. She signed, "Thank you," weakly. Narek knelt in front of her and scanned her with a medical handheld.
"Have you eaten since this morning?" He squeezed her hand gently. Enid retraced her steps in her mind. It had been a long day. She learned that her mother tried to kill her, she was almost kidnapped, and papa sold her sheet music. She shook her head and closed her eyes allowing the tears to fall uninhibited. Seeing this, Narek pressed, "Enid?" He touched her face lightly wiping her tears.
"She barely touched her breakfast," Raelyn offered.
Narek confirmed that her blood sugar was low. Raelyn brought him a green beverage that he took and pressed to her lips. She took a sip, made a face and recoiled. It was jonar, a nutrient rich concoction that was familiar to every Romulan child. Narek smiled at her reaction, "No one drinks this for it's flavor, " he placed one hand behind her head steadying it and offered it to her again, "You'll feel better," he insisted.
She complied. The substance wasn't as horrible once it started going down. It worked quickly at least, she thought as her head cleared. "Sorry," she signed, "I need to go."
"Give it a few more minutes," Narek urged.
"No," Enid shook her head. At the moment she wanted to put distance between her and this man. She wanted to go home, back to her room where she could guard her remaining sheet music but knew this strange Romulan wouldn't allow it. Who put him in charge anyway? How did he know about her mother? Could he be lying? How could she find out? Missy was the one that Enid usually turned to for these types of questions. Maybe she'd have time for her now the rally was over?
"I'll walk you to the rectory in a bit," Heiko suggested, "Just give it a few minutes."
"No," Enid attempted to stand but the ground shook again. She looked incredulously at the people in the room, "how did they not feel this?" She wondered. The three people seemed to have no difficulty standing. She dropped to her knees and pressed her head against the carpet. "They don't feel it because it's not real," she thought. She had visions before, usually Papa helped her make sense of them. Papa wasn't here though and she would have to sort this out herself. What had Papa told her about waking nightmares? She needed to relax and let it play out. It was always painful to resist. Papa always instructed her to measure her breathing. In 1, 2, 3,….Out 1, 2. She had to make her breaths last to the count of 5 she knew and tried again. In 1, 2, 3, 4….Out 1, 2, two and a half. Try again, in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, out 1, 2, 3, 4, closer.
"Bad, bad, bad," Enid repeated.
"What is bad?" Narek asked. This was the third time Enid had said something bad was coming.
Time was difficult for Enid. Papa always told her to look around for an indication of time. It was sort of dark, not night but either early morning or evening. There was snow falling so she reached out to touch the flakes. It wasn't snow but looked like snow. She saw the diner so she went in. The clock...It was analog...she had never mastered that skill. Damn, the dream was gone.
Placing her right hand over her left she gestured for paper. When she got only puzzled looks from the people in front of her she repeated the gesture with more emphasis and finally reached for her backpack and retrieved her notebook. She sketched out a clock with hands drawn at 5:55. From the Romulans perspective they witnessed the dark eyed girl fall to her knees then plant her head on the floor. They saw her extend her fingers one by one as if counting. Then she stood and walked about the room with her hands cupped as if catching something invisible from the air around her. Then she inexplicably started this odd clapping. Finally the girl, looking frustrated, reached her arm out to catch her backpack which hurled itself towards her and retrieved a notebook. She sketched out a clock then sat back on the couch and rubbed her temples. Heiko took the image of the clock and handed it to Narek.
"Is this morning or night?" Heiko asked Enid. Dark circles had formed under her heavy lids. The girl shrugged, it had been impossible to tell. Usually at this point, Papa would make her sleep. If Papa were here, he'd take care of it for her. The thought that Papa wasn't there to help her suddenly terrified Enid.
"Papa," she said. She needed Papa to fix this. He had always made her feel better after a waking nightmare. She rested her head on the arm of the couch, "Papa, papa, papa," she repeated.
There was a loud knock at the door. Both Heiko and Narek drew their disrupters. Heiko went to answer the door while Narek stood in the hallway leading to the bedrooms, his weapon trained on the door.
"Who is it?" Heiko called through the door.
"Rone!" He pounded the door again, "I know she's in there!" The young medic pushed into the room as soon as Heiko cracked the door. He strode directly to where Enid was on the couch taking the spot next to her. Enid immediately clung to the man, climbing into his lap, wrapping her arms around him and burying her head in his chest. He stroked her hair and glared at the three people in the room. He knew Dr. Hanson and Raelyn but what were they doing with this Tal Shiar agent that Missy had interviewed? "Enid we need to go." He sensed danger for his future bride. Now that he was in the room with Dr. Hanson and two other Romulans, he realized that Dr. Hanson was not human. Not human at all. He tried to control his expression. All those years that Enid confided in Dr. Hansen! What would the Tal Shiar do with all that intimate knowledge? Her fears, her hopes, he pictured it was all part of some Tal Shiar dossier.
"Wait," Narek said, "We need to know more about what is coming." The Romulan tried to make eye contact with Enid, to engage her somehow but Rone blocked his view.
"It's just a waking nightmare," Rone said, "She has those sometimes." He pulled Enid to her feet, "Thank you for looking after her," He nodded to Raelyn and Heiko. He glared suspiciously at Narek.
"You don't believe that and neither do I," Narek stated coldly blocking their path.
"I don't care what you believe," Rone knew this was dangerous but if they were going to simply kidnap Enid, they would have by now so he assumed they needed her cooperation. He guessed that he was safe for now, he just had to get her out of this apartment. Enid, please, he pressed her telepathically. She complied, allowing Rone to guide her past Narek and from the apartment. The two men exchanged hostile glances as the couple passed.
"You can't keep her safe!" Narek called to Rone as he and Enid descended the stairs to the street, "She's in danger here!"