The Uninvited - Part 1
An Earth - Final Conflict story by Tina Price
(TinaP@prodigy.net)
Preview: It is a sad day for the closely-knit band of Washington resistance fighters, as they come together to mourn the passing of a friend, but it is also a time of learning for one who is new to this custom.
Disclaimer: Earth - Final Conflict, all characters and images therein are the property of the Tribune Entertainment Company. Several characters appearing in this story are my own creation. Any similarity with anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.
Authors note: This story takes place immediately after the episode entitled, "Destruction". My other stories should be read first. This story is based upon my own idea of what is happening in the EFC universe. I am in no way receiving 'privileged information'. As always, advice, criticism and kudos are always welcomed. Please contact me at the above e-mail address.
The Uninvited
Part 1
By Tina Price
"Jonathan, remember what you promised us," Lili warned, as she
helped the Liberation leader with his tie. "When Boone shows up with his
guest, you're NOT to start a confrontation."
Doors rolled his eyes.
"I'll mind my manners at the ceremony," he rumbled. "I know
Sahjit would want it that way, but I'm not about to pass up the opportunity to
ask our friend some important questions afterwards."
"Just remember that the
only reason we're able to have a traditional ceremony is because 'our guest'
took care of things with the local authorities - at some risk to himself. If
word gets back to Zo'or about it, he could be facing serious censure. The least
you can do is to be civil!"
"Oh, I'll be civil all
right - but that doesn't mean I won't be making my position clear. He may be
Boone's friend...and he may have weaseled his way into yours and Augur's good
graces as well, but that doesn't automatically put him in the 'right'."
Doors shrugged his jacket on. "Nor does it mean that I'm about to welcome
him into our group with open arms. If he wants a place with us, he's going to
have to prove himself, and it's going to take a hell of a lot to do that, in
light of who and what he is!"
Lili opened her mouth to snap
at him, but he held up a forefinger in front of her face.
"I know you don't think
it's fair, Lili, but that's the way it is. We cannot afford to trust him too
easily!" Without giving her a chance to respond, he turned and headed out
into the conference area where the rest of the Liberation group was gathered.
Fighting down the urge to throw
something, Lili picked up the extra woman's coat she had brought along and
followed.
"OK people!" Doors
addressed the group. "Our limos have arrived - It's time to head up to the
church."
Four at a time, they took the
lift up to the church's basement, and from there moved into the Main vestibule.
By the time Lili made her way
into the church, everyone was heading outside to the waiting limos. Doors, already
wearing his wig and false beard - the only way he could appear in public these
days - offered his arm to Dr.. Juliette Belman and together they fell into step
behind the others.
Augur stood by the door and
offered her his arm as she drew even with him.
"Are we riding
together?" she asked as she took it.
"I assumed so," he
said as he leaned his head closer to her ear. "...but, if you had other
plans..."
"Like riding alone with
Doors? Get real!"
"Belman's with him."
"Yeah, but she doesn't
count - she's his mistress for goodness sake!"
"So, you're saying that
you only welcome my company because at heart you're terrified of our
boss?" Augur actually stuck his bottom lip out in a pout.
"You know that's not
true," Lili whispered as she squeezed his arm. "I've never been
afraid of our boss!"
Augur frowned.
"...and I have a thing for
smart men..." She added.
Augur did a double-take before
breaking into a grin and leading her to Doors' limo.
Five minutes later, seven black
limos pulled away from the church, headed for the Hindu Temple where Sahjit was
laid out.
It was a sight that made many
on the street stop and stare, guessing that the procession was to honor a
person of some importance or high social standing.
Staring out her tinted window
at the bystanders, Lili wished she could set them straight. Sahjit had indeed
been someone of great importance - a hero, whose deeds would never be known by
the general public he had fought to protect.
"The coast is
clear," Boone announced outside Da'an's private quarters. He had just
walked up the central core and was confident that they wouldn't encounter
anyone in the next few minutes. Dupree was standing watch at the front
entrance, and he wouldn't pose any sort of problem.
When the companion stepped out
into the corridor, the implant gaped.
Once again, his Taelon friend was
disguised as a human female - a woman he had previously named Dana Dessierre.
The illusion had him dressed in a simple, tailored, black dress and wearing
black hose and high heels.
The Companion's altered
appearance was enough to rattle even Boone, who had seen him like this once
before.
"Are we ready?" Boone
finally asked as Dana stared at him expectantly.
Da'an nodded. "Am I
appropriately attired?" he asked.
"You bet." Boone
realized he was still gaping at his friend and mentally shook himself.
"It's still hard to believe that this is all a hologram," he
commented, as he felt Dana's arm. Sure enough, the companion's usual mesh
outfit could be felt, although he appeared to be wearing a wool blend dress.
Boone himself, was wearing a
black suit and a black overcoat. He had a warm wool scarf around his neck.
"I hope Lili remembered to
bring that coat - it's turned cold and blustery out there."
"I will survive without
it," his friend assured him. "Now, I am anxious to walk, unknown,
among your people..."
"I take it that you've
ensured that you won't be missed?"
"As per your
recommendation, Agent Sandoval is in Great Britain, overseeing the impending
visit by Kha'rha and Agent Beckett." Dana smiled in a way which brought an
answering smile to his implant's face. "As for Zo'or, he will be tied up
in New York for the rest of the day."
Deeply disturbed by the effect
his friend was having on him, Boone merely nodded and silently accompanied the
disguised Companion out to a waiting taxi cab. Once inside, he leaned back into
his corner of the rear seat and watched in amusement as Dana attempted to take
in all of the passing scenery. 'How different it must be for him...her, to see
this world from the point of view of its native inhabitants, rather than from
the lofty heights of a shuttle or the embassy itself,' he thought.
The rest of the trip was spent
in silence, with Boone content to simply sit and watch his companion's
enjoyment of the ride.
Some of the limos were still
pulling up to the curb in front of the Temple where they would bid Sahjit farewell,
when Lili saw Boone's cab pull up. She quickly gave Augur's arm a tug in order
to draw his attention to their otherworldly guest's arrival.
Determined to surround Da'an
before Doors could confront him, they started over. Fortunately, only a select
few mourners had been informed of their guest's true identity - making an ugly
scene unlikely.
Boone had just finished helping
Da'an out of the cab when they arrived.
"Glad you could make
it....Dana," Lili greeted as she handed the coat over to the woman. She
couldn't help but stare in amazement at the illusion in front of her.
"I too, am saddened by
Dr.. Jinnah's passage," the companion replied as Boone helped her shrug
into the coat. "Although I did not know him well personally..." Here
she lowered her voice. "...I knew much about him from Boone's
memories." The would-be woman paused as though deep in thought before
speaking again in her soft voice. "I thank you for sharing this private
time in your lives with me, that I might better understand human grief."
Lili and Augur nodded their
understanding, but before they could say anything, Boone interrupted.
"We'd best be moving
along," the tall security chief prompted. "Everyone's already
inside."
Together, the four of them
entered the building, stopping to remove their coats in the foyer, next to the
coat room.
"What is the purpose
behind donning a coat, if one is going to remove it so quickly?" Dana had
asked, causing Lili to stifle a laugh.
"I wasn't thinking,"
the embarrassed implant replied. "It was just one of those ingrained
actions - You see a woman out in the cold holding her coat...and you help her
into it..."
"I see..." Dana's
expression showed that she clearly didn't.
Together, the four of them
entered the Temple.
Sahjit was laid out in
splendor, with his family and Rayna in attendance. Their friend's body smelled
of fragrant sandalwood and was decorated with flowers and garlands. His face,
so serene in death, was sprinkled with a fine powdering of gold dust, as were
parts of his hair.
As they moved to gather about
Sahjit with the others, Boone noted the semi-hostile stare that Doors was
directing toward Da'an and intentionally offered the companion his arm.
Apparently familiar with the gesture, or perhaps imitating Lili, whose own hand
was still on Augur's arm, the disguised Taelon took the offered limb and looked
pointedly back at the flabbergasted millionaire.
Belman nodded at them, as she
stifled an amused look.
An absolute hush fell over the
gathering as the Temple's spiritual leader, Sunjab Soni, moved to take his
place at the head of the casket and began his blessing.
Da'an kept his head lowered
as did most of those around him, but he also glanced furtively at these humans,
who had gathered to wish their friend farewell.
The look of grief was
everywhere around him. He had no trouble recognizing it, for he himself was
still capable of the emotion
Some of the women were sobbing
openly, while others merely dabbed at their eyes. Lili, herself, cried silently
as her tears fell to the floor beneath her bent head. Now and then a man would
wipe away tears which he didn't wish the others to see. Boone himself made no
such attempt to hide the few tears which slowly ran down his face and dripped
onto his collar. Some, like Augur, stood stoically, but the tightness around
his mouth, along with the twitch in the muscles of his jaw, were enough to give
him away.
The Companion took all of it
in, and yet, he still found such intense suffering difficult to fathom.
Grieving for the death of an entire species, and most especially of one's own
race, was something he could understand. To grieve so for an individual...was
beyond him. Without individual death, there was no evolution - no life.
Each individual had to make the
journey into the void. It was a part of life itself. Did these beings not
believe that they would one day be rejoined with those who went into the void
before them? Did not most human religions teach about a life beyond death?
Perhaps humans were so affected
by death because of their own, very short life spans. ...Perhaps it was the
inevitability of their own passage which they truly mourned?
As he pondered these things,
Mr.. Soni led some purificatory scriptural chants, joined by Sahjit's family
and Rayna. Once a few last rituals had been completed, he stepped aside and
allowed Rayna Armitrage to take his place. Boone had mentioned that she had
bravely volunteered to give the eulogy, despite the mental anguish such a task
placed upon one who was already grieving. She had been Sahjit's true love, and
he hers, but fate had constantly conspired to keep them apart.
Rayna dried her eyes, and in a
strong, determined voice, began to talk about the Sahjit she knew and loved.
Beside Da'an, Boone tensed and
stared directly ahead as though at nothing. In that instant - as Boone's CVI
kicked in and brought back the memories of his beloved wife's death - the
emotions and images flowed through their bond and into the companion as well.
Suddenly, Da'an was William
Boone...
His head was killing him!
Leaning his forehead against
the cool file cabinet beside his desk, William Boone rubbed the back of his
neck. He had been putting in a lot of overtime into the attempt to uncover who
had been behind the attempted assassination of the North American Companion
several days ago. Although the Companion's people had not put any pressure on
the department to solve the case - in fact, they claimed that their own
personnel were looking into it - Boone's sense of justice demanded that he do
everything he could to prevent a reoccurrence. Nobody was going to try such a
thing in his town without him doing his best to bring them in!
"Here, Chief," came
the voice of Linda Treymore, the junior-most member of his staff.
He turned to find her holding
out a bottle of Ibuprophen. "Thanks," he sighed, as he took it from
her. Downing four caplets with his cold coffee, he stood and handed the bottle
back to her.
"I'm gonna call it a
night," he announced. "Call me if Bob comes back with any useful
information."
"You bet." Linda
smiled and returned to her desk.
Throwing a few things into a
briefcase, Boone headed down the hallway towards the elevators. Katie would be
home by now cooking dinner. By the time they had eaten, his headache would most
likely have eased off and she and he...
Boone's half-formed smile
vanished as the elevator doors opened, spilling out a haggard-looking Robert
Morovsky. He and Bob had a long history together, having started out as
partners on the bad side of town.
One look at Bob's face was
enough for him to know that something tragic had occurred.
"What is it?" Boone
asked grimly. As he noticed the other cops pointedly heading down the hall in
the opposite direction, while glancing back over their shoulders, his stomach
began turning circles.
Bob threw an arm around his
shoulders and steered him back towards his office. "It's not good,
Will," his friend admitted. Best we went into your office."
As they entered, Bob pulled him
down, to sit on the couch next to him. He seemed at a loss for words.
"Kate?" Boone's voice
sounded small and strained even to his ears.
Tears actually began to well in
Morovsky's eyes. "God, Will! I'm so sorry!"
For a moment it was as though
the whole world had ceased to exist. There was no sound, no color, no motion.
All that existed was the incomprehensible knowledge that the best part of his
life was suddenly gone....
He didn't come back to reality
until Bob began shaking him by the shoulders, and even then, all he could do
was stare at him in confusion for what seemed like an eternity.
"How?" he croaked.
"She lost control of the
vehicle and it apparently exploded..."
"Where is she? I have to
see her!" He jumped to his feet and started for the door.
Bob quickly caught him by the
arm. "Will!"
Boone struggled to free
himself. "It's not true! It can't be true! I just saw her!" Suddenly
calm, he looked his friend in the eye. "I have to know for sure...I won't
believe it until I see her..."
"You don't want to do
that," his friend tried to sooth him. "We have a positive ID. You
don't want to see her like this, Will."
A veteran, who had spent his
share of time in morgues, Boone was adamant about the visit and nothing Bob
could say would dissuade him from it.
The next thing he could recall,
he was standing next to an open morgue drawer, staring at the sheet-covered
form which lay upon it. Morovsky stood silently at his side, his eyes pleading
with his friend not to go through with it.
With a flick, and before he
lost his nerve, Boone uncovered the upper torso.
His eyes took in the chared
flesh, the few clumps of unburnt hair which were the exact color as Kate's, the
teeth protruding from retracted lips, one of which had the familiar, endearing
chip... He looked down at the undamaged left hand. Although the rings had been
removed, the cut she had suffered while pulling a nail from the deck the day
before was instantly recognizable.
"NO!...NOooo....." He
fell to his knees as the truth finally burned itself into his mind - the
realization that there was no hope - that this was indeed what remained of his
mate.
Bob helped him up and hugged
him as he sobbed.
There were odd, disjointed
memories of his friend somehow getting him home. Bob had stayed the night -
sleeping out on the couch and never realizing that Boone slept not at all. It
had been days before he finally slept, dropping into a deep, comatose state and
dreaming dreams of Kate...
The funeral had been almost
surreal - as though he were on the outside, looking in at a scene other people
were playing out.
He remembered standing next to
the freshly closed grave and staring at the flowers for hours after most
everyone else had left. Bob had been there still - a shadow in the background,
silently standing guard over his friend.
...Then there were the hours,
days...weeks of emptiness. Even with everything which had happened to him after
agreeing to serve both the Companions and the Liberation, the large, empty spot
in his heart had threatened to overwhelm him. Very little phased him during
that time - he was an emotional wreck at home and a cold, unemotional thinker
at work.
It was probably the only thing
which had allowed him to successfully carry on the charade which was his new
life. He had no qualms about test driving his new CVI - reading book after book
during his free time and testing the limits of his new mental abilities during
the day. It had certainly made him seem a true implant... Even his new
watchdog, Lili, had looked at him as though he were some sort of alien at
first.
Even now, nearly a year later,
Boone missed Katie. He missed her when he awoke to find himself alone in the
bed they had shared. He missed her when he came home to an empty house. He
missed receiving personal phone calls during the day...
Oh, hell...he just missed her.
Although he no longer actively looked for her, her absence was still keenly
felt.
If it hadn't been for his
intense curiosity with regard to the Taelon's agenda....If he hadn't begun what
had started out as an unusual and very oblique friendship with Da'an...
Da'an and Doors. Companions and
Liberation. Secrets and yet more secrets.
These were what motivated him
these days...
As suddenly as it had begun,
the CVI induced introspection ended.
Da'an looked at Boone's profile
and saw him blink as he returned to the here and now. Suddenly aware of the
pain his implant kept hidden, he gave Boone's arm a small squeeze of
reassurance.
Perhaps realizing that he had
been found out, Boone quickly turned his attention back to Rayna, who was
finishing up her eulogy.
Looked about him, Da'an finally
began to comprehend the sadness he saw. These mourners...they were grieving for
themselves. They were grieving for their aloneness, not for the deceased. They
had no commonality - no linkage of the mind to sustain them through this
transitory time.
Unlike Taelons, who could
always feel their fellows through the mental link they all shared, a human's
friends and family, when not physically present, lived only in their memories.
Separation from their loved ones was endured only because of the promise of
seeing them again. Once that promise was gone, all that remained was
memory...and a large, empty void.
Turning his attention back
toward Rayna, Da'an listened carefully to her words, determined to cultivate
further understanding.
With the ceremony over, the
guests milled about the temple. One by one, they talked with the Jinnah's,
expressing their condolences and wishing them well. Rayna, who had already been
surrounded and supported by her friends in the days since her 'rebirth' and
Sahjit's death, was embraced by nearly everyone and reminded that she was a
part of their family.
Eventually, Boone and Dana made
their way over to her. Without a word, the tall security chief opened his arms
to her and she instantly stepped into his embrace.
"Thank-you, Will,"
she sniffed as she held on tightly. "If it weren't for you...for all the
risks you took for us..."
"Hush," he said, as
he lifted her chin and met her eyes. "I only did what any of you would
have done for me."
"That's the point,"
she replied, as she wiped her tears away with a finger. "Very few people
would have done what you did. You're the only one capable of standing up to
Jonathan. Despite the way things turned out, I want you to know that I'll
always be there for you if you need me. I don't care what Doors says - I'm on
YOUR side."
Boone released her as she
stepped back a pace and the look of pity on his face was tempered by admiration
for her strength of character. "I'm glad you've chosen to remain with
us," he said. "If there is anything you need, please, please don't
hesitate to ask."
"I won't, because, unlike
so many who have told me that today, I know you mean it." Rayna finally
turned towards the woman standing next to them. "I want to thank you,
too," she told the Companion. "Everyone told me how you saved Sahjit
from Zo'or and then turned around and saved Will and Lili. I want you to know
that I trust you." She held her hand out to the Taelon.
Da'an reached out hesitantly to
take it, but as their fingers brushed, they both flinched and withdrew their
hands.
"I am sorry," the
Taelon said, in a barely audible tone. "You and I cannot touch. Our forms
are incompatible."
Rayna looked at Boone, who
leaned closer to Dana. "Are you saying that touching her is dangerous for
you?"
"The probe belongs to our
most deadly enemy. Any replicant which it manufactures, is designed to be
anathema to us. It makes it very difficult for an unsuspecting member of my
race to survive an encounter with one."
Boone instantly straightened up
and stared at Rayna in shock. Da'an had just come right out and told them a way
in which Taelons might be destroyed. From the way Rayna pointedly looked across
the room at Doors, he knew she had grasped the significance of the statement as
well.
"I think we'll keep this
to ourselves...for now," he commented, as Doors himself approached.
Rayna nodded her agreement.
"Well, who do we have
here?" Doors walked around Dana, giving her a critical once-over.
"Decided to come on out and visit the natives, eh?"
Boone stepped forward and
loomed over the industrialist in an intimidating manner.
"Back off,
Commander," Doors hissed under his breath. "I'm not about to cause a
scene - I just have a few things I need to say to our guest."
Da'an's human guise assumed a
defiant posture, and he did not retreat or back down when Doors stuck his face
only inches from his own.
"First off," Doors
rumbled. "I don't trust your people. I know they're here with no good
intentions, and I will do everything in my power to expose their hidden agenda
and rid this planet of them." Here he straightened up and moved a
step away. "Be that as it may, I have to acknowledge the fact that you
rescued Boone and Marquette...at some risk to yourself, and you did get Sahjit
away from Zo'or - even though you had another motive to do so." Doors
checked his wig with one hand. "Perhaps, in time, we'll be able to work
together towards a common goal, but I think you know that until the truth is
out, that such a joint venture cannot occur."
At first Da'an and Doors simply
stared at each other, until it seemed that the uncomfortable silence would end
their impromptu meeting. As Doors began to turn, intent on moving away, the
Companion spoke.
"I...understand your
position," he admitted. "...however, you must remember that
governments do not always act in the best interests of their people."
Boone blinked twice when he
heard the Companion speak his own words verbatim.
"The Synod does not speak
for all Taelons with its actions. There are many among my people who oppose
what is occurring here," Da'an continued. "Before you strike out
blindly at us, you must remember that you may be destroying your own
supporters, and shifting the balance in the Commonality for the worse. If you
strike out at us, take care to strike only at those who are your enemy."
Da'an laid a hand upon Boone's shoulder. "Listen to Boone in this. let him
be your conscience, for he wants what we both want."
"And what, pray-tell, is
that?" Doors tried to sound unimpressed, but Boone could see that Da'an
had struck a chord.
"Life," Da'an
responded. "Life for both our peoples."
With an incredulous look upon
his face, Doors turned and moved back toward his lady friend.
Rayna actually smiled at the
pseudo-woman next to her. "I believe you've actually managed to
rattle him." She turned to include Boone. "Please excuse me. I
must speak with a few more people."
"Of course," Boone
nodded.
Together, he and Dana watched
her wander off towards Lili and Augur.
"Boone," Da'an's
voice had an urgent tone to it.
"Hmmm?"
"Did you not make the
observation that Jonathan Doors is much changed from what he once was?"
Boone nodded. "Yes. He's
almost robotic nowadays."
"Dr.. Belman is now his
mate?"
"Not exactly," the
implant replied with an amused expression. "More like his illicit
lover."
"I believe that I know why
Mr.. Doors has changed," Da'an replied, giving him a sideways look. As
Boone opened his mouth to ask the predicted next question, the Companion waved
a hand. "This is not the place to have such a discussion," he
replied. "We will talk of it later."
Before Boone could say
anything, Lili appeared beside them.
"Everyone's starting to
leave," she observed.
"Will we not be present at
his pyre?" Dana asked.
"The family will accompany
Sahjit's body to the crematorium. They'll be taking his ashes back to Great
Britain with them later this week," Boone explained.
"We're all meeting at the
Underground later," Lili continued, turning to face Boone. "Can I
count on you to be there?"
"What is this
'underground'?" Dana asked, tilting her head.
"It's a bar and restaurant
where some of us gather together," Boone explained. "It was Sahjit's
favorite place - apart from HQ, that is." As Dana digested the
information, Boone turned back to Lili. "When are we meeting? I need to
get 'Dana' here, home first."
"We decided on eighteen
hundred hours - so that we could get some dinner first."
Boone turned towards his
friend, intent on asking him if being returned to the embassy before then was
acceptable, but before he could say anything, the Companion spoke.
"I would be appreciative
of the opportunity to accompany you to the Underground," he announced,
turning his large eyes upon the tall implant.
"Isn't that a little
risky?" Boone asked. "The chances of you being missed..."
"William, I may not
leave my earthly prison again for many months, if at all. Would you deny me
this opportunity to be among your friends?"
Boone smiled. "Of course
not." Turning back to Lili, he spoke again. "We'll both be there."
"You two are going to have
three hours to kill," she pointed out. "What'll you do?"
Boone glanced at Dana.
"We'll think of something."
"Need a ride?"
"Could you drop us off at
my place? I need to change and swing by the office."
"That's not a problem. Why
don't you call a cab while I tell Augur that I need to run a few errands?"
"Will do....Where exactly
did you leave the shuttle?"
"It's behind the church -
in the Rectory yard"
Boone watched as she moved away
and removing his global from his jacket, quickly called a taxi. He closed the
global and placing a hand on Da'an's back, steered him towards the coat room.
"Come on Dana," he laughed. "We have a taxi to catch."
Lili made a quick explanation
to Augur and took her leave of the Jinnah's. As she turned and started towards
the coat room, she saw Boone place his hand on Dana's back and shepherd her in
the same direction. Coming to a stop and putting her hands on her hips, she watched
them wander off.
"This ought to be an
interesting evening..." she sighed.
A short time later the three
of them approached the hidden shuttle. The rectory yard was circled with a high
privacy fence and many tall, old trees. Those who lived or worked nearby
probably believed the priests who lived there to be on very good terms with the
Taelons, but the shuttle's presence was otherwise unknown to passersby.
"Listen, Lili...I need to
talk with Da'an for a minute..." Boone said, as they entered the yard.
"Not a problem. I'll go
ready the shuttle." She quickly headed off..
Boone led Da'an over to the
fence, next to a statue of St. Frances. After a moment's hesitation, the
implant moved to stand before his companion. He had been thinking about his
friend's words at the Temple and was pretty sure that he knew what the was
about to hear.
"Doors is an implant,
isn't he?" he asked.
"He is."
"My God! I should have
realized this myself! Everything pointed to it!" Boone ran a hand through
his wavy, auburn hair. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"When Mr.. Doors turned up
alive and leading an organized liberation movement, I knew that his CVI had
been replaced," Da'an admitted. "Recently, I surmised that one of his
people had altered the replacement implant so that he, like yourself, had free
will."
"But he doesn't?"
Da'an looked at him obliquely,
giving the impression that he was ashamed of something. "Mr.. Doors
volunteered to be the first human implanted with a CVI, however, he was not
made aware of the motivational imperative which would accompany his newly
heightened abilities..."
Boone grasped his friend's arm,
horrified once again by the cruelty the Taelons were capable of. "Did you
know? Did you keep this from him?" his voice shook with outrage.
Da'an pulled his arm away.
"I was not in favor of withholding such information!" he replied
indignantly. "Up until his implantation, Jonathan was a cooperative and
friendly ally." The companion walked a few steps away and turned his back
to the implant. "I had no choice but to honor the Synod's decision in the
matter."
Boone sighed and approaching
his friend, placed his hands on his shoulders. Da'an allowed the contact.
"I'm sorry," he said,
contritely. "I know you oppose the imperatives...It's only that I still
get so upset at the thought of such...slavery!"
Da'an turned around to face
him. "Doors' implant would have begun to break down at the time that his
death was staged," he offered. "At the time, we did not know that the
CVI's would have a maximum functionality of three years."
"So, he somehow was set
free long enough to hook up with Belman and some old associates and stage his
own death," Boone added. "The CVI allowed him to do what James Pike
later did - appear clinically dead!"
Da'an nodded. "Now that I
know it was Dr.. Belman who re-engineered your CVI, I assume that Jonathan was
her first such attempt at the procedure." He looked down at the ground and
blinked rapidly several times, giving the impression that he was upset. Finally
he met Boone's eyes once more. "Until today, I assumed that she had
disabled his imperative. Now, I can only assume that her anti-viral program was
still in its crude, experimental stage. She was able to re-implant him,
however..."
"She wasn't able to
over-ride the imperative," Boone added. "All she could do was change
it?"
Da'an nodded. "You never
received an imperative, so replacing your CVI with another non-imperative
version would prove simplicity itself. Once an imperative is implanted,
disabling it along with the rest of the CVI...is very difficult." The
Companion blinked rapidly. "I assume that she reprogramed Doors' own
imperative so that he was motivated to fight my race and restore the Earth to
it's people."
"The poor bastard..."
Boone's jaw set. "Augur! She had to have had Augur's help!" He stared
at his friend. "He's known all this time and kept it to himself!"
Da'an touched Boone's shoulder.
"Come, Lili will be wondering what we discuss."
"Da'an...Doors wasn't
given a CVI which included the reasons behind the Companion's arrival here on
Earth, was he? Does he know anything at all about it? Is there something he's
been withholding from us?"
"He was our first implant,
but he was a volunteer - not one of our chosen operatives. We felt it unwise to
risk so much so quickly."
A very pale-looking Boone fell
into step behind the Companion.
"That must really stick in
his craw..." the security chief muttered.
"Boone...I would not give
this information away just yet. It may be best if Doors does not suspect that
you know of his predicament."
"I'll keep that in
mind," he said in a distracted tone as they approached the shuttle.
Inside, he could see Lili watching them curiously.
"OK, what's
wrong?" Lili's voice brought Boone back to the here and now. They were in
transit to his home and she had apparently engaged the auto-pilot, since she
was now swiveled around to face him.
"Huh?"
"You and Da'an have been
sitting back there ignoring everything I've said," she huffed. "Are
you going to tell me what this is all about?"
Boone glanced over at Da'an,
who was watching him from the corner of his eyes, through lowered lids.
"It's nothing Lili,
really," he lied. "Just something I need to work out for
myself."
"In that case, I'll be
meeting you at your office at five thirty," she huffed, turning back to
her display.
Ten minutes later, Boone
unlocked the front door of his home and followed Da'an inside. Digging his
keys, global, wallet and ID out of his pockets, he placed them upon the table
next to the doorway.
Noting that Da'an was watched
him with interest, he smiled.
"I'll only be a few
minutes," he remarked. "Please feel free to roam around."
Da'an watched as his friend
moved through the living room and turned down a hallway. As soon as he heard
the bedroom door close behind the implant, he himself entered the living room
and moved out into a sun room at the rear of the house. There, he found a plant
stand holding no less than ten potted flowering plants. From his extensive study
of the flora of this planet, he knew them to be various species of orchid.
They were beautiful.
Turning of his holographic
disguise and reaching out a hand, he gently touched one of the delicate petals.
William had taken exceptional care of them since his wife's death. Nurturing
such fastidious plants was no mean feat, and his implant had, no doubt,
dedicated much time to the task.
There were several books on the
shelf near the wicker furnishings, all of them about growing and caring for
orchids. Crossing the room, Da'an plucked one from its spot and opening it,
browsed the pages.
"Find anything of
interest?" Boone asked from the doorway. He had changed into brown slacks
and a green shirt and was in the middle of knotting his tie.
Da'an closed the book and
placed it back on the shelf. "...Your orchids are beautiful," he
commented.
Boone moved closer.
"Thanks. They were my wife's. I think she would have wanted me to give
them away if I wasn't willing or able to care for them myself."
"You still grieve for
her," the Companion stated. "I felt it very strongly at the
Temple."
Boone looked startled. "It
amazes me how much you can pick up through our link," he finally said.
"We were in contact with
each other...and you were broadcasting quite loudly," Da'an
explained, and then hesitated before again speaking. "William..."
Boone raised an eyebrow and
waited.
"Will you ever let her
go?"
The human's face clouded over.
"What do you mean?"
"You must eventually allow
her to rest," the Taelon said, as he took hold of Boone's hand. "Let
go of your memories and live again - I believe it is what she would have
wished."
"That's kind of difficult
to do when I possess a CVI which brings it all back in perfect
clarity," he snapped. "My situation is a complete nightmare!"
The anger passed almost as quickly as it had materialized. Boone squeezed
Da'an's hand gently. "Perhaps one day..." he offered, withdrawing his
hand. Noting the sad look upon his friend's face, he gestured towards the
living room. "Come on. Let's get going," he urged.
"William, you know that
I..."
"I know," Boone
interrupted him. "I know you care." Taking pity on the
Companion, who was beginning to look like he was wilting, he sighed and gently
ran the backs of his fingers down Da'an's cool cheek. "I care, too.
Just...stay as you are. Be my friend. Don't give up on me, alright?"
Bringing his face down closer to Da'an's, he smiled.
With a small smile, Da'an
inclined his head. "Never would I do that," he assured, as he
reactivated his device.
"Good. Now let's get over
to the office. We'll take my car - I'll give you a nice tour of the city along
the way."
An hour later, Boone sat at
his desk sipping a cup of coffee he had picked up along the way, and finishing
his paperwork. Now and then he would pause to glance across the office at his
Taelon guest.
Having been to Boone's office
on more than one occasion, Da'an was already familiar with most of the
surroundings. He had taken two turns around the room and come to a stop before
the large virtual glass windows
. He seemed almost to have fallen into a
trance before them, so content was he to simply stand and watch the traffic
below.
"Enjoying that view, are
we?" Boone finally asked.
Da'an turned just enough to be
able to glance back at him. "It...is refreshing in its
unfamiliarity," he offered.
"I see," Boone
replied as he put his feet up on the desk and leaned back with his hands behind
his neck. "I always wondered how you could tolerate spending most of your
days and nights in the embassy. Now I see that you only just tolerate it."
"I have been told that my
penchant for exploration is a character flaw," the Companion smirked.
"Most of my people find such restriction to be no great burden."
"I remember you telling me
that you disliked the mother ship...and you WERE in an awfully good mood after
spending a day in the mountains with Lili..."
"Not an ideal outing,
perhaps...but an outing none the less."
Boone smiled. "Maybe we
can arrange for you to have a few days out each month," he offered, as he
returned to his computer screen. A second ticked by and he glanced up to see
his friend smiling.
Though he said nothing, Da'an
seemed tremendously pleased by his suggestion.
Turning back to his paperwork,
Boone allowed himself a small smile as well, unaccountably happy at the small
joy he had brought his friend.
Not twenty minutes later, he
pushed himself away from the desk and stood up, catching the Taelon's
attention. He looked at his watch. It was five fifteen, nearly time for Lili to
make an entrance.
"You have finished your
work?" Da'an inquired, as he moved to stand next to the tall security
chief.
"Yep - all caught
up," he answered, as he began tossing his things in his briefcase. Just
then the sound of the com system caught his attention. His friend, Morovsky
appeared on the screen.
"Good! You ARE back!"
the Police Chief exclaimed.
"What's wrong?"
"I have a major mystery on
my hands and was wondering if you wanted to lend us the use of those enhanced
abilities of yours...Besides, it's one of your old 'projects'."
Boone flinched when he heard
his friend use that term. He had been labelled a do-gooder during his early years
on the force because of the people he had personally attempted to help. It was
a habit he still engaged in and he still resented it when his old peers
referred to those people as his projects.
"Who is it?" he
finally asked, in a tired manner.
"Susan McNally,"
Morovsky answered. "She was found dead in an alley yesterday. I just
received the coroner's initial report. Believe me - it's a fascinating
one."
Boone slammed one of his books
down on the table. "I'll be right in," he replied, before cutting the
link. When he looked up, Da'an was standing close to him. "Listen, if you
like, I can have Lili come and bring you home...or to the party. I'm sure she
wouldn't mind."
"Your duties include
watching out for my well-being, do they not?" Da'an tilted his head as if
challenging his implant to try and get rid of him.
"Point taken." Boone
immediately called Lili and told her that he would be late. "I'll call
when we're ready," he added.
"OK, but don't keep
everyone waiting too long. The party just wouldn't be the same without your
stories."
He snorted. "As I recall,
you've always got a few good ones to tell as well."
"Yeah, but I just don't
have the same style!" She cut the link.
Noting the interested look
being turned on him by Da'an, he cleared his throat. "Come on," he
grumbled as he led the way out.
It was less than a ten
minute ride to the police station. Boone parked the car and began to sprint up
the front steps before he remembered that his companion was less agile.
Stopping on the fifth step, he waited for Da'an to draw even with him.
"Sorry," he muttered
at the annoyed look he received.
Once inside, they took the
elevator up three floors and Boone quickly led the way into the office which
had once been his.
"Ok, Bob," he greeted
his friend, as he threw his coat on the old couch and turned to help Dana with
her own. "Let's have it."
Bob was staring at the
disguised Companion. "Don't tell me that YOU have a DATE?"
"You know better than
that." Boone's tone was low and serious.
"Let me guess...Bodyguard
assignment?"
"You could say that,"
the security chief replied as he glanced at Da'an.
"Hope she has a strong
stomach." Bob passed over the case file.
Boone and Da'an exchanged
looks. "...I don't think that will be a problem," Boone muttered.
Opening the file, he began scanning over its contents as only an implant - or a
Taelon - could. Da'an read it over his arm.
Susan had been found in the
alley behind a dumpster the previous afternoon. She had been fully clothed,
with her untouched purse by her side. There had been no apparent cause of death
when she was first examined at the scene. Little in the way of evidence had
been found.
The forensics report listed
some strange, membranous bits of material taken from her hair. They still had
not been identified, although they were in fact, organic.
The coroner's report included
the laboratory results for tests conducted upon the victim's vitreous humour,
blood and cerebral spinal fluid.
The victim had been in good
health and pregnant at or within two weeks of her death. Her red blood cell
count, platelet count and coagulation tests were all consistent with a
condition called DIC, or disseminated intravascular coagulation. It appeared
that a massive hemorrhage had triggered the episode, in which the body's blood
clotting mechanism goes berserk. Clots begin forming in the body's blood
vessels, rather than at the sight of the bleed. As the clotting progresses,
causing tissue and organ damage, all the clotting factors are used up - making
the hemorrhage itself worse.
Only prompt, early treatment
could have prevented Susan's death, and even then, it would have been touch and
go.
The autopsy findings were
startling.
Susan's uterus had been
removed, and yet there was no evidence of a surgical incision anywhere on her.
Her abdomen had been filled with blood and she had apparently also bled
vaginally, and yet the tissues at the site of the missing organ, though raw,
showed clear signs that they had already begun to healed over.
Examination of her ovaries had
confirmed that she had been pregnant within twenty four hours of her death.
Boone's gaze shifted over to
Da'an. The Taelon stared back.
"Can I see Susan's
personal file?" Boone asked.
Morovsky immediately handed it
over.
When Boone had first met Susan,
she had been caught shoplifting. The mother of two small children, and with a
husband who had recently left her for another women, she was a basket case.
Worse than that - she had no appreciable income. After months on welfare, she
had developed a craving for some new clothes, and unfortunately attempted to
lift them from a local department store, where she had been caught.
Boone had been the officer who
showed up at the store. Seeing how inconsolable she had been, he had taken pity
on her. Although he did indeed take her down to the station, he worked out a
deal for her with the store and they agreed not to prosecute, so long as she
never returned.
Two months later, Morovsky had
brought her in for a second shoplifting offense, and this time she had been
prosecuted and ordered to undergo group counseling for a year. During that
time, Boone often stopped by to see how she and the kids were getting along and
to offer encouragement.
Unfortunately, Susan's troubles
hadn't ended there. Her husband filed for divorce, and despite the fact that he
hadn't helped to support her or the children in over twenty months, he was
awarded full custody of both children on the basis of her criminal record . She
began calling her ex at all hours of the day and night and had mailed
threatening notes to his girlfriend. The behavior had escalated to trespassing
and finally to breaking and entering.
Within two months, the
ex-husband had obtained a restraining order, which she promptly violated,
landing her in jail. By the time she was released, the ex had moved away - to
Great Britain.
It was at this point in time
that Boone lost track of her.
Susan's file showed that she
had continued her downward spiral, eventually landing herself in a mental
hospital, where she had remained until just three weeks ago, when she had been
transferred to...
"Oh, my God..." Boone
breathed. "She was transferred to The Vandewater Institute!"
Da'an leaned close and
whispered. "Seal the file. The case is now our business..."
Boone looked uneasily up at
Morovsky. "Bob, I'm very sorry about this, but I'm afraid that I'm going
to have to confiscate these records. This has just become Companion
business."
A half an hour later, Boone
unlocked the car door for Da'an and walking around to his side, got behind the
wheel. With a sigh, he gripped the steering wheel and leaned his head against
his hands.
Bob had been understandably
upset with him and the two of them had exchanged some heated words with Bob
finally flinging the rest of the paperwork at him.
"You were supposed to help
me out with this, Will, not commandeer the case!" he had accused.
"Look, I'm head of Taelon
security. I'm only doing my job," he had grimaced at the his own words.
"Couldn't you have just
left that at your office for once?"
"Bob...I'm an implant now
- you know that. I really don't have the luxury of choice anymore."
His words must have hit a
chord, because his friend had turned a pitying look on him. "I'm sorry,
Will," he had said softly. "Sometimes you seem so much like your old
self that I forget..."
Without a word, he had gathered
everything up and moved to another office to make the few phone calls necessary
to ensure that the case was officially transferred to him.
Lifting his head from the
wheel, he started the car and turned to the companion next to him. Da'an was
watching him as though he had no idea what to do or say next.
"It seems that we've
stumbled onto yet another victim of Zo'or's 'project'," he stated.
"So it would seem.
However, I require further proof before I may bring this before the
Synod," the Taelon cautioned. "We must determine how and when she
left the Vandewater Institute."
"And whether or not she
was the only patient 'tampered' with." Boone stared at his friend.
"Da'an...it might be best to allow Bob to work on this after all. The
project is eventually going to be exposed. Better that it be now, before there
are more tests and more abused humans."
The alien turned a forbidding
look upon him. "Such a suggestion cannot be entertained at this point. Our
entire purpose in being here - our very existence - would be jeopardized if the
human populous learned of this now."
"What will the human
populous' reaction be if they find out a year from now. Think of how many more
lives will be lost or ruined!" Boone tried appealing to his companion.
Da'an turned away and stared
out the front window. When he spoke, his voice was distant and chilly.
"Do as I have asked of
you," was his only response.
With a stoney look on his face,
Boone threw the car into drive and roared out. After hanging a right onto a
main thoroughfare, he pulled out his global and flipped it open. A moment
later, Lili's face appeared on the screen.
"What's wrong?" she
asked, alarmed by the look on his face.
"Nothing," he sighed.
"We're on the way back to the office. Why don't you meet us there?"
"Be there in ten."
Lili signed off.
Boone drove the rest of the way
to his office in silence. Although Da'an's refusal to acquiesce had hurt, he
knew that it wasn't anything personal. It was simply the Companion's nature to
take the safest course and withdraw when undecided about an issue. He knew
better than attempt arguing his position - Da'an was not above stubbornness.
The Taelon would remember what he had said and eventually get back to him on
it.
As soon as they had
re-entered his office, Boone sat at his desk and began dredging up information
from his computer. As Chief of Security and Interspecies Relations for the
Taelon's, he had instant access to nearly any official documentation -
including those of the Vandewater Institute. It took him less than three
minutes to print out several pages of relevant information.
"Here you go," he
said, handing them over to Da'an, who had been sitting silently in a chair on
the other side of the desk. As the Companion accepted the pages and looked them
over, Boone summarized. "There were two other arrivals at the Institute
the day that Susan was admitted. Both of them were women. Both of them were
transferred from other mental institutions. All three of them arrived together,
via a transport van leased by a company named Health-Go-Round. They were
heavily sedated."
Boone leaned back and rubbed
the bridge of his nose and his temples - he had another headache.
"The really interesting
part of this, is that all three women were discharged early on the day that
Susan was found dead," he continued. "All three were supposedly
transferred out by the same transport company." Boone rubbed his neck.
"Have you been able to
procure any information about the transport company?"
"No." Boone continued
rubbing his temples. "I'll have to get Augur to check into it tomorrow."
He watched as Da'an placed the papers down next to his briefcase and rose to
his feet. Walking around the desk, he came to a stop beside him.
Without a word, the Companion
reached out and gently placed a hand on either side of Boone's head. Immediately,
the security chief's headache vanished and he felt himself relaxing as a warm
sense of tranquility settle over him.
"I don't know what you're
doing," he sighed. "...but I'll give you until tomorrow to stop
it..." Looking upward, he saw that there was a rare, tender look upon the
Taelon's face.
"You are not sleeping
enough," the disguised alien chided.
"Can't," was his
one-word answer. He was too content to say more.
"Later, we will..."
Before Da'an could complete the sentence, Lili arrived via the lift from the
shuttle pad. Da'an immediately broke the contact and stepped back, as Boone sat
up and gathered his things together.
"Is everything Ok?"
The shuttle pilot asked as she gave Boone a strange look.
"Lili, if I hear you ask
me that one more time today..." Boone threatened as he gathered up
the coats and started for the lift with Da'an right behind him.
"You'll what?" she
challenged.
"I won't buy you a
drink." The closing lift door blocked out anything else which might have
been said.
As the three of them entered
'The Underground', there came a chorus of voices shouting, "Boone's here!"
and "Hey Will finally made it!"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm here
already..." Boone tried to calm Jimmy, one of the techs. He had obviously
had a few too many and was literally trying to yank Boone's coat off him.
"Is this the reason your
late?" Jimmy asked as he looked Dana up and down. "Wow! It's a wonder
you even showed up!"
Boone could feel his face
turning red. A glance at Da'an showed that the companion actually looked
pleased by the backward compliment he had received.
"Jimmy," Boone
laughed. "You'd better quit while you're ahead Get back in there and have
some coffee, will ya?"
Patting Boone on the back,
Jimmy headed off toward the rest rooms.
Lili stopped laughing long
enough to point towards the bar. "The gang's moved over there," she
snickered.
"I'll join them
later," he responded. "Right now I need to get something to eat or my
skrill's going to leave me."
"Mind if I join
you? I haven't actually eaten yet either."
"The more, the merrier."
Boone leaned closer. "Think you can convince Augur to join us later? I
really need him to look at something."
Lili glanced towards the bar,
just as Augur himself moved into line of sight. He was obviously looking to see
if she was back yet. "He'll be right over," she answered as she waved
for him to join them.
After being seated by the
hostess at a large corner table, Boone handed an index card with
Health-Go-Round written on it over to Augur.
"What's this?" the techno
wizard asked, as the waitress arrived.
"A transportation company
which I need you to research for me." Boone looked over the menu, intent
on inhaling a thick steak.
"What do you need to
know?"
"Everything."
"What can I get for you
tonight, Will? Lili? Augur?" their waitress asked.
"I'll have a spinach
salad," Lili chirped.
"I already
ate," Augur answered, "but I wouldn't mind a small side salad.
Vinaigrette dressing."
Boone was all set to order his
steak when he noticed Da'an looking at a fellow diner's roast beef with a mild
expression of disgust.
"Will?" the waitress
prompted.
"I think I'll have the
Maki assortment with a salad on the side," he quickly amended.
"What kind of dressing?"
"Ginger, please."
"Anything to drink?"
"I'll have a pint of
Newcastle." He leaned toward Da'an. "You want anything?" he
asked with a twinkle in his eye.
"No...thank you,"
Dana whispered.
"Dana here would like the
steamed vegetable plate and a pint of Newcastle," he told the waitress, as
Da'an stiffened in surprise.
"Kay! I'll get right on
that." The waitress hustled off. She had always treated them well...but
then again, they had always tipped her well.
"Boone." Da'an
whispered. "You know that I am incapable of eating..."
"It's only to keep up
appearances," the implant answered with a smile. "Your portion is
actually going to go towards appeasing my skrill."
Da'an felt very fortunate to
be allowed to share in the social customs of the humans he had come to know,
deriving a very real satisfaction in the knowledge that the last Taelon to do
such a thing had been his parent, Ma'el.
Boone had eaten and chatted
around the dinner table with his friends, careful to include Da'an in most
conversations. The implant had obviously been very hungry, as he had quickly
finished his food and the plate which had been set before his Companion.
Afterward, they had lingered at the table, talking quietly about Sahjit until
the conversation had finally dissolved into a morose silence.
Finally, they had stood and
made their way to the bar area.
Da'an had been impressed with
the number of people who had immediately greeted his implant, and he quickly
realized that it had more to do with the human's personality than with his rank
in the organized Liberation. These people truly liked and respected the large
security chief.
The rest of the evening had
flown by as Da'an observed the humans drinking, talking and playing.
At one point Boone had been
called upon by Lili to tell them all a story about one of his adventures during
the S-I war. He had seemed almost embarrassed, but with everyone raising their
voices to demand his story, he had finally stood before the bar and told his
tale.
Da'an had found himself
captivated along with the rest of the humans as Boone told a story which was at
once amusing, sad and cautionary. Afterwards, the bartender had bought the
storyteller a pint and the others had applauded and cheered the self-conscious
implant.
Augur had gone to the bar to
tell a story of his own. Seated next to Lili, Da'an had clearly heard two women
at the table behind them discussing Boone.
"Jeannie..." had come
the first voice. "Close your mouth and sit up. You're practically
drooling!"
"I can't help it,"
Jeannie had answered. "He's really something!"
"Hmmm. He is an awfully
nice guy, but a bit too rugged-looking for my taste..."
"Are you crazy, Doris?
He's got it all! Looks, build AND brains! Not to mention the awfully-nice-guy
part!"
Doris had snorted. "Forget
it. His wife died less than a year ago - He won't so much as look at
you...Besides, he's a Taelon implant."
"I've heard that the
Taelons did something to him," Jeannie had admitted in a lower tone of
voice. "Augur told Darla that he's no long capable of any strong
emotion....What a shame..." she had sighed.
Da'an had blinked and glanced
quickly behind him. These women were clearly not members of the liberation, he
had thought. They must be frequent patrons of the Underground.
"Hmmm. I'm not so sure
that Augur was entirely right," Doris had responded. "After all,
Boone did bring a date with him."
"What?!" Jeannie had
sat up straight and looked around the room. "I thought you said that he
was still missing his wife!"
"I suppose that she could
be his sister..."
"Where is she?"
Jeannie had hissed.
Just then Boone had returned to
their table along with Augur and Da'an had felt an unreasonable smugness at the
huffing he heard behind him.
Later on, while Boone was
teaching him how to play darts, he had overheard several people discussing him
and speculating upon whether or not he and Boone had an attachment. Indeed they
did - but not in any terms the others would understand...
Boone himself didn't yet acknowledge
the strength of their growing bond, however, Da'an knew the day was coming when
he would need to confront the truth...
It was well past one in the
morning when Boone led the now, undisguised Da'an, up the corridor to his
chamber.
"Please stay a
while," the Companion asked, as he gestured for his implant to proceed him
into the room. After they had both entered, he closed the door behind him and
moved towards the wing chairs. Gesturing for his friend to take one, he seated
himself in the other.
"I wish to thank you for
allowing me to experience a most illuminating day," the Companion began.
"I have learned much about what it is to be human."
Boone leaned forward. "You
haven't really learned all that much," he corrected.
Da'an looked surprised.
"I have learned a great deal about grief...and about how humans
gather with their friends. These are things which Taelons do not comprehend.
They hold no place in our society."
"Perhaps you have made a
good start, then," Boone relented.
Da'an studied his implant's
haggard-looking face for a moment, unhappy with what he was noticing.
"Boone, you cannot
sleep?"
"I rarely get even two
hours a night," he sighed. "It began after I received the CVI, and
it's continually gotten worse since then. I was wondering if it was my skrill,
since I've never dreamt with it."
Da'an held out his hand. "Please,
allow me to commune with it."
With a raised eyebrow, Boone
rolled up his sleeve and held his arm out to his companion, who gently placed
his hand upon the back of Condor's abdomen. Condor lit up brightly, hissing
almost subliminally as he also made his displeasure known to his host mentally.
Boone turned a shade paler at the anger being directed his way.
Da'an quickly withdrew his
hand. "Your skrill is but a small part of the problem," he responded,
in a shaken tone. "As you are aware, they retain a dislike for my
kind...and your skrill retains far more sentience than I am comfortable with.
Our bond displeases it."
Boone looked floored. Bringing
his arm up before him, he eyed his skrill, which was placid once more.
"Opinionated are we?" Rolling his sleeve down again, he turned his
attention back to his friend.
"What's causing the
'large' part of my problem?" he asked, afraid of the answer he would
receive.
Da'an gave him a sad look.
"You, yourself, are the problem," he said quietly.
"Me?"
The Taelon nodded. "You
fear confronting what has... and is happening to you," he explained.
"Even as your subconscious mind attempts to work through the quandary by
way of your dreams, you refuse to succumb to them."
"I don't regret..."
he began, but was interrupted.
"You regret what your life
has become." Da'an touched his arm. "You regret decisions made -
decisions which cost you...much..."
Boone stared at him in horror.
"Are you saying that I'm seriously messed up... That I need a
psychiatrist?"
"No...I am saying that you
need to face your fears - and that I am willing to help in this." Seeing
the doubtful look on the tired implant's face, Da'an explained. "Share
your dreams with me - through our link... and the peace of mind you felt with
me while we were in your office, shall be yours again."
"Yeah, but at what
cost?" the leery security chief asked.
Da'an seemed surprised that
Boone hadn't guessed. "The truth is the cost," he answered.
"...and I will be there to help you find it."
There was a moment's silence.
"Perhaps later,
Da'an." Boone sighed and breaking contact with his friend, leaned back in
his chair again. "Tell me something...Will you provide Dr.. Belman with
the means to remove Doors' motivational imperative?"
Da'an stood, blushing with what
appeared to be confusion, and faced Boone's chair. "That, I will not
do."
"Why not? It seems that
without his single-minded devotion to destroying your people, that you'd be
better off."
"You are incorrect in your
supposition, Boone," the companion chided. "It would be best for
Doors, but worse for my people." Seeing Boone's questioning look, he
clarified. "The best thing which can be said about Door's imperative...is
that it smothers his creativity."
They stared at each other for a
minute, as Boone digested the explanation.
"I see..." he
answered, wide-eyed. Forcing himself to rise to his feet, he inclined his head
ever so slightly and started for the door. "I need to get going on that
investigation," he said. "I'll be back when I have more to tell
you."
Da'an nodded and watched as his
friend exited, a troubled look upon his face...
Boone had the on-call
shuttle pilot fly him back to his office. Ever since Katie's death, he had
spent as little time home as possible, shunning the place and instead living out
of his office. He did return now and then to sleep for a short while and get
cleaned up, but he was also known to catch a few hours sleep in his favorite
office chair, and the floor below his office had a small gym complete with
shower room.
He had to face it - if it
weren't for the care Katie's orchids required, he probably wouldn't go home
again. Da'an was right - he had a problem, and he would have to deal with it
sooner or later. For now, he preferred not to think about it. He had other, more
important things to take care of first....and he wasn't sure that he wished his
Companion to help him.
That feeling of bliss...of
utter tranquility...when Da'an had eased his headache...The sensation was as
addictive as any drug, and he was not convinced that any human was meant to
experience it for long periods of time. He both yearned for, and feared a
closer bonding with the American Companion. There was still so very much to
work out...and he wasn't sure that he wished to share the totality of himself -
his mind - with another being. In sharing his dreams, he would be exposing all
his insecurities and fears and doubts...
And then there was the question
of what he would receive in return. Would he be privy to Da'an's secrets? Did
the Taelon have any psychological problems, or was that strictly a human
failing? He had already picked up much of the Companion's talent for
understatement...
Boone sighed. He was being
foolish. There was no doubt in his mind that he and Da'an could teach each
other so very much! Their bonding was right, and inevitable, but that didn't
mean that he couldn't fear the unknown.
Finally making a decision, he
promised himself that as soon as he had all his evidence and had turned it over
to Da'an, he would ask the Companion to help him with his sleep disorder...
Boone punched a novel up on his
computer display and began to read...
Preferring to drive the
distance from DC to the Vandewater Institute, rather than taking a shuttle,
Boone pulled into the parking lot just before ten the following morning.
Flashing his badge at the guard
near the front door, he made his way directly to the records department, where
he barged right in and demanded access to their computer. At first it looked
like the manager was going to cause a scene, but her superior had shown up and
urged her to cooperate with the 'American Companion's implant'.
Within ten minutes, Boone had
the names of two other female patient's who had been admitted AND discharged at
the same time as Susan. Their names were Melissa Locklear and Karen Tiener.
Pulling their charts, he scanned them quickly, amazing the women who watched
him.
They, like Susan, had been
transported to and from the Institute by a Health-Go-Round van. They had both
also had positive pregnancy tests upon their admission, but unlike Susan, both
had been transferred back to their original facilities upon discharge. Melissa
had been sent back to Donner Dix Hospital in Maryland, while Karen had been
sent back to the Augustus Mental Health Clinic in DC.
Collecting the charts, Boone
rose to his feet and declared them confiscated in the name of companion
business. Within seconds of exiting the front doors, he had Lili on his global
screen and was filling her in on what he had discovered.
"I need for you to go
check on Karen," he directed, as he got in his car. "I'm on my way to
Maryland to see Ms.. Locklear."
"What am I supposed to do
when I see her?" Lili asked.
"See if she can tell you
anything at all about her 'transfer'. Feel out the situation - If you think
she's in danger, get Da'an to authorize her removal to our custody."
"OK. I'll call as soon as
I know something." Lili cut the link.
Boone threw the car in gear and
roared off.
He had a bad feeling about
this...
End Part One
