Michael Garibaldi had been only a short distance away from Earhart's when he heard the cries of panic, followed by what he sincerely hoped were not blasts from a PPG. A few minutes before that he had been informed over the link that Ivanova was drinking herself into a stupor there. After notifying the Captain, he had agreed to check on Ivanova himself: he could remember past instances when a mixture of Ivanova and alcohol had led to violence. Specifically, the parallels between this and the time Colonel Ben Zayn had gone after his friend Jeff Sinclair were too close for comfort.
Expecting a barroom brawl gone horribly awry, Garibaldi was surprised to find a distraught Ivanova being helped into a chair by the psi cop's Narn bodyguard. Also nearby were the psi cop and the Minbari telepaths. He rushed to Ivanova's side.
"What happened here?"
"There was an attack on Commander Ivanova," Lucef said quietly, so that the club's patrons would not hear. "The killer fled through the doorway where you entered moments ago."
"But I didn't see-" Michael started. "Oh, hell." He realized it was very likely that the Mindfragger had just erased his memory. Garibaldi felt for a moment as if he might throw up at the thought of it.
He lowered himself into Ivanova's line of sight. "Susan, can you hear me?"
Ivanova nodded to Garibaldi. "I'm okay."
She sounded anything but okay. Maybe she was just badly frightened, but then Michael had no idea how she had been attacked. "Have any of you had a chance to call Med Lab yet?"
"No," Collins said.
Garibaldi quickly called for medical assistance, and soon afterward Captain Sheridan entered the club. "What's happening here? I thought I heard shouting."
Collins said softly to Garibaldi, "I think you better get these people out of here first."
Garibaldi addressed the patrons, most of whom were murmuring to each other suspiciously, "All right, I want everyone outta here, right now!" Anything else like this and the psi cop could kiss her cover-up goodbye. The officers quickly filed out.
Sheridan turned expectantly to the psi cop. "Captain, he attacked from the lavatory," she said, then turned to the Narn. "Damn it, I can't believe we forgot to check in there! We would have had him cornered."
"Yeah, or maybe you were a little ticked off with Ivanova and decided to 'forget' on purpose," Garibaldi said angrily.
"If I were going to kill her, I would have done it myself a lot earlier than this," Collins said. "Besides, she's obviously fine... although that does beg the question of why."
"Indeed," Ta'Wher said, "from the profile I would have assumed it were impossible for the killer not to attack such a victim."
The psi cop crossed her arms. "Exactly. There's just no way that psycho could ignore someone who is a female authority figure and a mundane. I-" she stopped. Garibaldi suddenly became very worried. "Oh, son of a-"
That had been everyone's greatest fear, that the psi cop would discover Susan was a telepath. She had hidden it so well that Garibaldi himself had not learned of it until last year. And because she had kept her talent hidden from the Psi Corps, that made her a rogue.
What followed happened very quickly. Ivanova rose from the seat, drawing her weapon. The psi cop went for her own PPG. Moving mostly on instinct, Garibaldi went for his own sidearm.
"Susan, no!" Garibaldi did not think she had even really heard the Captain's order. Before he could finish aiming Garibaldi found a blade, stained with blood, held just below his throat. He froze.
Ivanova and the psi cop were now standing only a meter apart, both with weapons aimed at each other. Garibaldi was amazed Susan had not already fired. The Minbari telepaths had not moved, but then they were unarmed. Garibaldi did not think they could overpower the psi cop, either physically or telepathically, fast enough to make a difference.
"Very frustrating, isn't it?" Collins asked Ivanova. Her voice sounded slightly strained. "You will yourself to pull the trigger, and nothing happens. It's as if your hand has a mind of its own." So Ivanova had tried to fire, but she had not been faster than the speed of thought. The psi cop reached her free hand carefully toward Ivanova's weapon. She pushed it slightly aside and then removed it from Susan's still fingers. In her other hand, Collins' PPG never wavered in its aim toward Ivanova.
"I knew it," Susan said bitterly, her eyes filling with tears, "I knew that if I let you near me, you'd destroy my life."
"You think this is what I wanted?" Collins asked angrily. She released Ivanova from her paralyzing hold, and Ivanova lowered her arm but made no other move. "Damn it, you're probably not even a P1. And here I have to haul you in." Collins lowered her PPG. Garibaldi returned his own weapon slowly to its holster, and the Narn lowered his sword.
"I won't join the Corps, and I won't take the sleepers," Ivanova said. "Just kill me now." If the psi cop scanned Ivanova, she might learn of the conspiracy against President Clark. So Susan saw her own death as the only way out.
"You just don't get it, do you? I don't want to turn you in, but I don't have any damn choice! Psi cops may get a lot of leeway in interpreting the rules, but aiding a rogue in escaping the Corps is one of the only unpardonable sins. What the hell kind of traitor and hypocrite would I be if I broke that oath?"
"Didn't you also promise the Corps you would hide the existence of these murders?" Sheridan asked. "That can't happen if you turn Susan in. Now you said yourself she isn't even a P1, so she's not a threat to anyone. Just let her go."
Garibaldi was shocked to see the psi cop's eyes welling up with tears. Embarrassed, she wiped them away. "I hate this so much, I hate all of it. But P12's are so rare every one of us has to try for being a psi cop." She turned to Ivanova. "You think your tale of childhood woe is so great? At least you've met your mother. At least you haven't had your whole damn life planned out for you before you were even born!
"I suppose when you were little, you had all kinds of hopes and dreams. I had those. When I was six, I remember I wanted to be a ballerina. Isn't that a laugh, isn't that just a fraggin' adorable cliché, a little girl who wanted to be a ballerina.
"Only it's not adorable at all when you're the Psi Corps and you want the little girl to grow up to be a psi cop. I must have made the mistake of telling one of the other children about my dream, and the little snitch must have ratted me out to an adult.
"You'd think they would have recognized it as just a passing phase and let it go, but that's not how the Corps works. They want obedience now. So one day during class the Grins came for me... hell, we'd be here forever if I explained what they were, but all you need to know is one of their duties was to mete out punishment when we misbehaved. They dragged me off somewhere and I can't remember a damn thing that happened after that. All I do know is that from that day on, every time I saw any sort of performance art on a view screen I became nauseous. Hell, one time a couple years ago I chased a suspect into an opera house and I actually did throw up on myself. The worst part of it all is that even with a P12 rating I still can't find what they did to me and fix it!
"But I digress. I suppose if I have a point in all this Commander, it's that you can sit there thinking I'm some sort of evil bitch who wanted to ruin you all along, but the fact of the matter is I don't have any damn choice at all."
"You do have a choice," Sheridan said. "I've just shown you one. So what are you going to do with it?" Garibaldi noticed the Captain move his hand slightly closer to his sidearm. Michael knew if the psi cop chose wrong, he might have to go for his own PPG again, only this time stopping would not be an option.
Behind him, he heard the medical team arrive, potentially more casualties if this turned violent. "I think..." the psi cop said. "I think what the Corps doesn't know won't hurt it.
"You know, it's funny: being a psi cop was the only thing I ever thought I was any good at, but apparently I'm terrible at that too." Collins returned Ivanova's PPG to her, and then put away her weapon. The Narn followed suit.
Doctor Franklin approached. "What just happened here?" he asked, alarmed.
"We'll fill you in a minute, Doc," Michael said. "But right now I think you better have a look at Ivanova."
Ivanova hesitated for a moment with the PPG in hand before putting it away.
Once they reached Med Lab, Dr. Franklin had Ivanova sit on a table, and he began a cursory examination. The Doctor sent away the rest of his personnel so those who knew about the killer could talk freely. While Garibaldi presumably filled in Franklin on the near disaster at Earhart's, Lisa took Sheridan and Ta'Wher aside.
"Captain, you need to lock down this station immediately, before the Mindblanker escapes. Without any targets of overwhelming importance, I believe he might try to flee Earth space. If he decides to prey on a race that doesn't have any strong telepaths, there's no telling how many might die." Ta'Wher looked disturbed by this, as there were no telepaths among his people.
"As much as I wish I could let him go, you're right. This has to end here."
"I'd suggest an unknown illness has killed several lurkers, and you've decided to quarantine the station. When this is all over, you can say it was determined that the disease was not communicable, but was contracted when the lurkers ate some spoiled alien food Down Below."
"That has the advantage of fitting what most of the station knows about the attacks," Sheridan replied.
"Well, when you said yesterday that I had a lot of experience establishing plausible deniability, you were right," Collins said. "As for your security guards and officers who have seen a little more, I'll just have to trust that you can talk them into showing the appropriate discretion."
"Of course. I take it you'll be heading Down Below?"
"Yes, the Mindblanker has probably retreated there to mull his options... I'd also like you to seal off all of Brown Section under the same pretenses I just mentioned. After I go in, don't open it back up until I give the all clear."
"And if you never do give the all clear?"
"Then you can either call the Corps for help or let him escape."
Lisa considered the situation before continuing. "I'd like to bring the Minbari telepaths with me, of course. And some of your security guards, preferably the ones who were guarding Ambassador Delenn's quarters. They already know there's a rogue telepath on the loose, so there's no concern about letting out more information."
"Do you really think having any number of security guards along will help?" Sheridan asked with a touch of suspicion.
"I'll take any added distraction I can get. Don't worry, I'm sure the Minbari will keep me from 'silencing' them," Collins said archly.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that you would do anything like that."
"No, you meant to keep it to yourself," she said. "But let's not get into that again. I'd also like to talk with Commander Ivanova; it's possible she saw something useful."
Sheridan nodded, and then used his link to contact C&C about the quarantine. Lisa and Ta'Wher now returned to where Dr. Franklin was continuing his ministrations. "How is she, Doctor?"
"Physically, she's just has a few bumps and bruises, but after what's happened I'm more concerned about her mental state."
Ivanova looked up at Collins. "When he touched my mind... I can't even describe it, it was the most sick and disturbing thing I ever felt in my entire life."
Collins nodded. "I remember my first mental contact with a serial killer. Like most things, the passage of time takes the edge off, but it's not the kind of experience you ever really forget... I'm sorry you had to go through that, I was completely negligent to not be watching you more carefully."
"I guess we were too busy driving each other nuts to pay much attention to safety," Ivanova said ruefully.
"I hate to question a witness about a traumatic experience right after it happens, but there's still the possibility of more deaths if I waste any more time. Did you see anything that might help us identify the killer? We could possibly learn something from the blood on Ta'Wher's sword, but I can't wait that long before I begin searching Brown Section."
The Commander hesitated for a moment. "I... I think he took off his mask, right before he went in my mind... I'm not sure what he looked like, and I don't remember anything else until you both helped me out of the room."
Sheridan approached. "You have your quarantine, Ms. Collins. Security is closing off Brown Section. I wish I didn't have to seal so many people in there with the Mindblanker, but giving him the run of the whole station would just make this even worse."
Dr. Franklin now turned to Ta'Wher. "If you'll come with me, I'll take a blood sample from your sword."
"Of course, Doctor."
Lisa considered Ivanova's brief account. "Commander, I'm loath to suggest this, but if you concentrated on the memory and allowed me a very light scan, I might be able to see the killer. With both a face and DNA evidence, we could search the records much faster."
"No, I'm sorry, that can't happen."
"I know you're upset, Commander, but I promise you this will not be at all invasive. As long as you don't fight me, you'll hardly even notice my presence."
"I'm afraid that's still not an option, Ms. Collins," Captain Sheridan said.
"Please don't even tell me there is another secret here that is even worse than harboring a rogue telepath," Collins said, dismayed. She put her hand to bridge of her nose, as if fighting off a headache. "I can't believe anyone actually leaves this station with their sanity intact.
"Okay, I have another option that may not work, but there is no risk to any of you in trying. Commander, you can try to send the memory to me."
"I've never been able to send anything strong enough to cross any distance, or be understood by anyone other than my Mother."
Reluctantly, Lisa removed a glove. Doing so made her feel almost naked. "I'm very good at picking up faint messages, but you are right about your lack of telepathic ability. We'll need to be in physical contact." She turned to Sheridan. "Commander Ivanova would be able to sense instantly if I were abusing our contact. And you might want to consider that if I were inclined to break my promise not to scan any you, I've already had about a hundred chances to do so."
Sheridan was clearly unhappy with the situation. "Susan, is what she says true?"
"Yes, although I'm almost sure it won't work. But with so many lives in the balance, I guess we probably should try everything."
"All right, then. Let's give it a shot."
"Thank you, Captain. Commander, if the first attempt does not work, I may ask you try a few more times. If you feel fatigued or become at all disoriented you should refuse. Do you understand?" Ivanova nodded. "Please give me your hand."
After she took Ivanova's hand, Collins closed her eyes and waited for a moment. "Okay... did you just try to send something?"
"Yes."
"I definitely felt it. I think if you try one more-"
Then Lisa saw it, almost as clearly as if it were happening at that very moment. She was prone on the floor of the bathroom, feeling helpless and afraid. The killer removed his mask-
(that's impossible!!!)
-and touched her mind. Beyond the terror she felt at touching such a sick mind, there was a sense of disappointment in the force that was invading her thoughts: she was not one of them after all; there was no reason to kill her. Then the killer heard someone approach, replaced the mask, and retreated for the exit.
"That... that just can't be," Collins said, dismayed.
"What did you see?" Sheridan asked.
"It was Kevin... my intern Kevin Tang. Back home, when I thought he was killed, he must have altered my perceptions somehow. It's just- there's just no way he could have done something like that." She paused for a moment. "I suppose that's left me with more questions than answers, but it doesn't change what I have to do." She released Ivanova's hand and quickly replaced the glove.
Sheridan turned to his security chief. "Mr. Garibaldi, I want you to gather the same people you kept in Delenn's quarters, and then meet up with Ms. Collins and the Minbari telepaths outside of Brown Sector. The only other death on this station today is going to be the Mindblanker himself."
Brown Section seemed a wretched place to eek out an existence, Lisa Collins reflected. Not that Boston lacked the homeless and other tough luck cases, but the number of people who had become trapped in the darker reaches of Babylon 5 was surprising. Even worse was that she might very well have to traverse most of the place herself; the group could not simply split up to cover more ground.
Lisa was walking beside Garibaldi, with Ta'Wher immediately behind her. He was followed by the various security officers and finally the Minbari telepaths bringing up the rear. Collins hoped that by keeping telepaths at both ends of group they could avoid a costly ambush.
Although most of her concentration was focused on searching for any sign of the rogue telepath, she spoke to the security chief in a low voice. "Something's not right here, and I mean beyond all the obvious things that aren't right."
"I think I know what you mean. Usually when I hear about psi cops chasing rogues, it's the rogue who hasn't got great odds. It almost seems like this guy's got total control, the way he just disappears and reappears like he does. And here we are with almost a damn army, and I still can't say I feel all that confident."
"Exactly. Ever since this started I've been more than one step behind. I feel like I'm playing Elmer Fudd to his Bugs Bunny, if you'll pardon an obscure reference."
"You know Loony Toons?" Garibaldi asked, amazed.
"Well, yeah, although if you want to talk old time cartoons, my favorite is the Simp-"
With a loud metallic clang, a cylindrical object landed in front of Lisa. There was a hissing sound and before she could react, the corridor receded from sight and she felt herself falling.
Lisa awoke to the sound of Ta'Wher groaning, at first feeling nothing but confusion. As she became aware of the terrible pain in her head, she made a similar sound. Briefly she opened her eyes, but the light seemed so bright it was hard to keep them open.
"Congratulations. You've made it back to consciousness," Kevin Tang told her.
Instinctively, she struck at him telepathically with all the deadly force of P12 mindshredder. Her former intern blocked the attack as if it were nothing, and then smashed her own defenses as easily as if she had been a mundane. His mind clamped down on her nervous system so hard she could barely breathe, let alone move. Lisa wheezed and struggled to remain conscious. After a few moments, he loosened his hold enough so that she could breathe and speak.
"My abilities have increased even more, since I figured out how to undo the tinkering the Psi Corps did to our mutual friend," Tang told her.
"What friend?" Lisa asked confused.
"I suppose you wouldn't know. He liked MacFarlane, and he likes me, but he never really cared for you. He never contacted you directly, since he couldn't trust you."
Collins vaguely recalled MacFarlane mentioning a 'friend,' right before she had shot him. "I don't suppose you'd care to explain that." She tried to get a sense of the room, but the brightness made it very difficult to see.
"Stalling for time, Ms. Collins? Resourceful to the end I see. Unfortunately, since this part of the station was sealed off by Sheridan there isn't much chance of rescue. We have all the time in the world to chat. Neither of you can move, and all your friends are unconscious and restrained. Although the Minbari seem to be having a bad reaction to the gas."
"What gas?"
"Oh, they probably still haven't noticed its missing back at the Meta Pol Station." Lisa was nonplussed, and Tang looked puzzled at this. "You mean you honestly didn't know about the nerve gas they keep at the station? I knew they kept you out of the loop, but wow." He laughed. "After they saw how rowdy the mundanes got during the MacFarlane trial, some of your superiors ordered it for a little added protection.
"Of course, I had to lower the concentration a lot for you to survive exposure. Even with such a small amount you must be feeling some nasty side effects." He moved his hand suddenly and Lisa's gaze followed it. "I'm surprised you can see me from this distance at all. I imagine I brought enough with me to kill half the population of this station. But then if I just bleed the atmosphere rapidly in to space, I can kill almost everyone without using it. Waste not, want not." He smiled as if describing some minor piece of mischief.
"How could you-"
"Between taking all the passwords from the minds of Sheridan and Garibaldi, and all the neat security cracking equipment I also borrowed from the Corps, gaining control of Babylon 5 was laughably easy. No one's noticed yet, since I haven't done anything overt, but I can strike as soon as I please."
"Then why go after Delenn and Ivanova yourself?"
"I enjoy a good hunt, I suppose. You know how we psi cops are. I must say I was surprised by how well Ambassador Delenn was guarded. I'd expected you would have underestimated me a lot more. I really would have preferred to kill her, too.
Kevin again smiled pleasantly. "If there are no further questions?" Lisa sat silently. "Well, I can think of one thing you must be wondering: 'Why am I still alive when he could have killed me at any time?' The answer is very simple. I'd like you die knowing why you were killed, and my friend wants you to die rather slowly and painfully. You see he found it very inconvenient that-"
Lisa attempted one last, feeble attack on Tang's defenses. "That was rather disap-" he began.
Rank amateur, she thought contemptuously. All the telepathic power in the world could not make up for a lack of experience. Ta'Wher, forgotten by the killer and freed from paralysis by Lisa during the distraction, jumped to his feet and ran Kevin Tang through with his sword. Ta'Wher caused even more damage removing the sword, and a disgusting mess of internal organs slid out of Kevin's midsection. He collapsed with a look of surprise on his face.
"The sword is mightier than the PPG," Ta'Wher proclaimed. "As I've maintained all along." He shook his head slightly, still fighting off the effects of the diluted nerve gas.
"Well, okay, so he took away my weapon, but did not take you seriously enough to bother taking your sword." Lisa sat up and, after feeling the increased pain in her head, regretted it. "That doesn't mean that swords are superior to PPGs."
"And yet, here I stand with the dreaded Mindblanker vanquished before me."
"We've had this argument a million times, Ta'Wher: just because you've had such a run of luck with a pointy piece of metal doesn't make it better than technology several millennia more recent." It occurred to Lisa what a ridiculous conversation she was having, but then she was a bit lightheaded and dazed. "Now help me up, we'd better find a BabCom unit. It sounded like the Minbari need medical attention." She noticed her PPG was lying next to MacFarlane and retrieved it after coming shakily to her feet.
As she was about to holster her weapon she noticed movement near Kevin Tang's body. Immediately, a powerful telepathic force paralyzed her. A small, translucent object shaped like a spider crawled out of the wound Ta'Wher had left on the corpse.
This has to be a hallucination caused by the gas, Lisa thought desperately.
Not at all, the creature 'cast to her. The touch of its mind was disturbing but familiar. Again she was reminded of MacFarlane. I'm quite real. Increases in telepathic power don't come from a vacuum, you know. I helped MacFarlane fulfill his ambitions, and with a little nudge I convinced Tang to follow the same path.
What are you? Lisa asked. But some of the pieces were finally falling into place.
I'm the end result of the Corps' little 'black project' that started all this. When I first awoke I'd been damaged by the Psi Corps' miserable scientists. I could remember nothing of my masters, except their design: evolution through conflict. After I first touched MacFarlane's mind I learned of his great hatred for the ungifted humans you call 'mundanes.' Although I wasn't able to use all of my latent abilities, I augmented his powers so he could strike at mundanes. I'd naively hoped my attacks would precipitate a war between telepaths and mundanes, but I hadn't realized at the time how common serial killers were among your people.
Your involvement set me back by several years, the creature told her with unmistakable bitterness. When you killed MacFarlane, I had no choice but to enter your body. You disgusting creature: duty and obedience frame your existence. You'd be a perfect puppet for a Vorlon, it snarled. Although I tried to influence you to follow a better path, that damn Narn kept pushing you further and further away from where I needed your thoughts to be! Filthy mundane!
The front legs of the spider-thing twitched in the air before it continued. Finally, when Kevin Tang arrived I found the perfect vessel: a greater telepath than MacFarlane, but with the same hatred for mundanes burning within him. Not only did Tang embrace my help, but as he told you, he used his abilities to unlock the rest of my powers and memories. Now I remember my masters, and my core ability to infest humans is improved considerably. You'll be interested to know that I have no telepathic powers of my own. I'm simply emitting chemical signals in order to use your own telepathic powers against you. Not bad, huh? Lisa heard the creature's laughter in her mind.
Your killing of Tang is only a minor inconvenience at this point. While I would have preferred to kill you and continue on in Kevin Tang's body, with my complete abilities I'll be able to control your mind directly. Forcing you to do my work is revenge enough. In fact, one of your first jobs will be to set a timer that will kill every living thing on this station. When the media learns that a rogue psi cop killed a quarter of a million beings, it should advance my goal of a telepath war considerably.
But as for that miserable Narn... as Kevin started to explain before you so rudely killed him, I kept the Narn alive this long because I wanted to show him a memory I found in your mind. Before he dies, I want him to hate you as much as I hate you.
Lisa struggled to regain control of her mind in vain. Please not that! But she felt herself and Ta'Wher descend into the mindscape of that transport...
2254 (Six Years Ago)
Lisa Collins stared blankly out the window of the transport, not really seeing the grey tarmac of Logan Spaceport. She had never felt so depressed or despondent in her whole life. Samantha was dead. Killed by some filthy, worthless mundane. Lisa had accepted that Sam was dead on an intellectual level, but emotionally it just did not seem to register. She had not even been able to cry at the funeral, but only sit there numbly as the Corps had put Sam to rest.
"Ms. Collins?"
Lisa looked up from her reverie and was shocked to see someone she had known previously only by pictures and reputation. She quickly stood from her seat. "Oh my- Mr. Bester! We- I, I mean I've always wanted to meet you. You've done so much for telepaths everywhere!" Although Lisa had a great deal of respect for Alfred Bester, Sam had been almost obsessed with him. Lisa remembered one time shortly after graduation when Sam, who had been more than a little drunk, had boasted that if she ever met Bester she was certainly going to seduce and bed him within hours. Well, she had put it a bit more crudely than that.
The vivid memory and the realization that Sam would never have that opportunity unexpectedly crushed Lisa. For the first time in days Sam's death seemed real. Tears streaked from Lisa's eyes. I can't believe I'm crying in front of Alfred Bester!
"I'm so sorry," she stammered.
"It's all right," Bester said soothingly. "I know you and Ms. Mathews were very close."
"We were both Cadre Prime," Lisa said, trying to recover. "We've known, I mean we knew each other for as long as I can remember."
Despite her flustered state, Lisa finally noticed what Bester was holding. "That uniform!" was all she got out before she was rendered speechless.
"Well, you'll want to have it properly fitted, but it's yours to wear. I know you technically had a couple months left in your internship, but I figured you would be in need of some good news." He smiled proudly. "Having read the reports on your recent actions, I think you more than earned it. If not for you, Mr. Foster would have undoubtedly been killed, and some rather important figures in the 'Underground Railroad' would have escaped justice.
"Also, I had Samantha Mathews added posthumously to the list of psi cops. I don't doubt that, had she lived, she would have become one best." He smiled consolingly and held out the uniform. Only now, reliving the memory six years later, did it seem to Lisa that Bester's smile did not touch his eyes.
"Thank you, thank you so much," the much younger Lisa told him. As she took uniform the emotion she felt was too much. Lisa fell back into her chair and began sobbing. Bester put a comforting hand on her shoulder, and at length she recovered. Sam, I swear I'll do right by your memory, she thought. I'm going to be the best damn psi cop that ever was.
"I suppose you are here on business," Bester finally said to change the subject.
"Yes, I am," Lisa told him, and stood. She felt some anger, and it seemed more bearable than the grief. "I want to know why that son of a bitch who killed Sam is still alive. The questioning is done, and he should be disposed of." Lisa did not believe she had left any doubt of who should do the disposing.
"Yes, that is the preferred procedure for any mundane who kills a telepath," Bester told her. "But in this case, we're going to go with a slight variation of the usual plan. As you know, your prisoner was a very important member of the Underground Railroad. Some of his fellows might just be desperate enough to ignore all common sense and attempt a rescue, especially if we make it look easy.
"However, we certainly would not want to risk the prisoner escaping if the trap should somehow backfire. So we are going to extract vengeance in a way that will leave him alive, but useless to the opposition. I'd like you to help me with this, actually."
"Lead the way," Lisa said, putting down the uniform. It was good to feel like a predator instead of prey, which was how the last few days had seemed.
Together, Collins and Bester entered a large cell nearby. The prisoner was very heavily restrained. "He'll probably attempt to claw his own eyes out after we finish," Bester explained. "In fact, within weeks his brain damage will be irreversible."
"How much of his mind do I leave intact?" Lisa asked. She was feeling an incredible surge of bloodlust. Thoughts of revenge had been the only thing that had kept her going for the last few days.
"I'll be handling that end of the procedure," Bester told her. "Actually, it's only a simple matter of getting a memory to rise continuously in his consciousness. He'll relive it every moment for the rest of his natural life. As for what that memory will be..." As if on cue, the door to the cell opened. A psi cop Lisa did not know brought in a restrained woman. Judging from the immediate, tearful reunion that Lisa found not at all touching, the two prisoners were husband and wife. "As I was saying, that memory will be of you killing his wife. It's only fair that his loss be comparable to yours." Bester smiled, and Sam's killer began pleading desperately for the woman's life.
"But... but the files don't have any mention of this woman being part of the Underground Railroad," Lisa said. "There isn't any evidence at all."
"I swear she didn't know anything!" the prisoner cried. A quick but invasive scan by Lisa confirmed this as the truth. "Please let her go, I'll tell you anything!"
"There is not a thing you could tell us that we haven't already taken from your mind," Bester said derisively to the prisoner. "And as for your wife, she aided and abetted you: a felon guilty of smuggling telepaths, as well as the murder of Samantha Mathews."
Mention of Sam was almost enough to steel Lisa's resolve. She drew her PPG and pointed it at the female prisoner. Six years in the future she would beg the creature controlling her mind to stop, to not let Ta'Wher see.
The psi cop guarding the woman stepped adroitly aside, although at less than a meter away Lisa was not likely to miss. Both the prisoners screamed and begged for mercy. Lisa hesitated again, and her sidearm wavered slightly. "Mr. Bester..."
"Go on Lisa, this is very important. We can't show them anymore mercy than they show us." He had become very tense. Lisa realized this was test, to show her commitment to the Corps. Failure would likely have dire consequences. More importantly, she felt she owed it to Sam to continue. Still, she hesitated.
Then it happened. She sensed very strongly in the room a feeling of relief. From the mundane who had killed Sam, she felt his relief. He thought Collins was not going to be able to kill his wife, and he felt gratitude toward her.
Nothing could have sickened and revolted Lisa Collins more. She was overwhelmed with rage and lost control. Her PPG fired three times. The female prisoner fell to ground, and Sam's killer screamed for Lisa to please stop. He then screamed for her to please stop again. And again. And again. He began struggling wildly against his restraints.
The psi cop who had brought in the slain woman now administered a sedative to the remaining prisoner. His screams diminished to hoarse whisper.
"Excellent," Bester told Collins. "I know the first time can be difficult for some, but you did the right thing."
Without reply, Lisa left the cell and retrieved her new uniform. She exited the transport, feeling as if she were in a dream. It was only when she returned to privacy of her apartment that she gripped her arms and began shaking uncontrollably.
2260
Well, Ta'Wher, the creature 'cast to Lisa and her friend, I hope I've impressed on you what a complete waste your last few years have been. Trying to reform a murderer such as Ms. Collins is a task for a fool. I might also mention that, as the only one of my victims to survive, killing you will give me a perfect-
By this point, the brightness that had clouded Lisa's vision previously had partly faded away. At once it seemed to return, but when the spider stopped 'casting Lisa realized that this time the light in the room actually had increased.
Then something-
(?!?impossible)
-entered the room. Lisa immediately rejected the possibility that what she saw was real, taking it for some sort of telepathic representation. Of what, she did not know. Then it spoke, either out loud or in her head.
"THEY ARE NOT FOR YOU. YOUR EXPERIMENT IS ENDED."
The spider creature squealed in her mind, and its control over Lisa's telepathic faculties vanished. She immediately raised her weapon and fired at the spider. It seemed to absorb the first blast, but subsequent shots from the PPG cracked it open. Lisa kept firing until whatever it had been was nothing more than a smear on the deck. The bright light and the presence it had heralded vanished.
All the pent up emotion from reliving her most feared and shameful memory came to the forefront. Lisa fell to her knees and began crying. "I'm so sorry... so sorry... what I did... I never wanted you to know, Ta'Wher... please, I'm sorry..." She looked up and was dismayed that Ta'Wher would not meet her gaze.
"You were correct that the Minbari might still be in danger," he said without inflection. He seemed stunned. "We had best find them and call for medical assistance immediately."
As distraught as she was, Lisa realized that all this would not finally be over until she was certain the last of Mindblanker's victims were safe. She again stood and returned to her duty.
Epilogue: 2260
Captain Sheridan had accompanied the psi cop and her bodyguard on their way to the departure gate. Part of the reason he had gone was to be courteous, but mostly he just wanted the relief of seeing with his own eyes that there would be no psi cops onboard his station anymore.
"So what will your report to the Psi Corps consist of?" Sheridan asked. Collins would not reveal to him any of the details of what had happened in Brown Section, but with the serial killer stopped and no further loss of life, John was somewhat mollified about being left in the dark.
"I think it will be my first attempt at creative writing since I left school," she told him. "You don't need to worry, Captain. After my conduct I have just as much reason to hide the truth from the Corps as you do. You know, we may not have developed any trust between each other, but we have the next best thing: mutually assured destruction. We both know things about each other that would be fatal if they came to the wrong people."
Sheridan nodded. "Although in another way, maybe that's unfortunate. In a different time and place we might have been allies. And I do want to thank you for your help."
"That's very gracious of you." They were only a short distance from the docking bay now. "Oh, before I go, was there any additional word from Doctor Franklin?"
"Yes, he told me Lucef has regained consciousness. It seems all the Minbari telepaths will make a full recovery with time."
"I'm glad to hear that. I'd stop by to visit him, but I get the impression you'd like me off the station as soon as possible."
Sheridan had to smile a little at that. "Well, that would be a rude way of putting it, but I will say that I've delayed the next incoming transport so you can depart right away."
"Thank you, Captain. You know, I must admit I am curious as all hell as to just what you people are up to here. But who knows, maybe someday you can tell me."
"Anything is possible, I suppose. Good-bye, Ms. Collins."
"Good-bye, Captain."
The Narn simply bowed to John and followed the psi cop away.
Lisa Collins sat alone in the control room of the ship, watching the chaos of hyperspace beyond the viewports. Emotionally, she felt like a wreck. She fretted over what Ta'Wher might be thinking. He had been almost completely silent since the incident in Brown Section. Was it because of what he learned about her, or was it the inexplicable, impossible things they had seen? There was a time once when having a question about a mundane would mean scanning him, but now going into Ta'Wher's mind without permission seemed like it would be just as terrible a betrayal as if she were to shoot him dead.
She wondered if he would finally leave her and try to return to his homeworld? Beyond how dangerous that would be for him, Lisa was disturbed by the thought of being truly alone again, like she had been after she had lost Sam.
Sam... It was hard to believe, but Lisa had given her once best friend hardly a thought during most of the intervening years between now and her death. Lisa had not even mentioned her to Ta'Wher. After the terrible thing she had done to avenge Sam's death, she had just pushed it all away and refused to think about it. She realized now that if she had confessed what had happened to Ta'Wher herself instead of hiding it for so long, she would not have jeopardized her friendship so badly. Or perhaps he would have been repelled either way; there was no way to know for sure.
But she had realized there was one thing she had to do. Lisa moved over to the communications station and prepared to dictate a message. "This message is to the Beta Colony Prison Facility, its subject heading should read 'Permission for Disposal.' Attach my applicable security codes and prepare for high level encryption." After a few moments the computer replied that it was ready. "Begin message: To Whom It May Concern... Regarding a prisoner in your facility, serial number..." It only took a few moments for Lisa to remember and repeat the number representing the mundane she had helped lock into a torturous existence six years ago. "...By the now the prisoner's brain damage has long since passed beyond anything that is reversible, and there is no possibility of extracting additional data. As I am aware that you are under a great deal of budgetary pressure, I hereby release you to dispose of the prisoner at your earliest convenience. End message and insert standard closing."
"Text message prepared," the computer told her.
At least that poor bastard, or what little was left of him, would finally be able to find an end to suffering. Lisa almost wished for such a release herself. "Send to Beta Colony Prison Facility."
"Sending."
Lisa realized that she could not continue on like this much longer. Someday soon she would have to leave the Psi Corps, or die in the attempt. Lisa was so frightened by the prospect of life outside the Corps that she was not even sure which outcome was more desirable. All she knew for certain is that from that point on, she would be nothing but a traitor.
Expecting a barroom brawl gone horribly awry, Garibaldi was surprised to find a distraught Ivanova being helped into a chair by the psi cop's Narn bodyguard. Also nearby were the psi cop and the Minbari telepaths. He rushed to Ivanova's side.
"What happened here?"
"There was an attack on Commander Ivanova," Lucef said quietly, so that the club's patrons would not hear. "The killer fled through the doorway where you entered moments ago."
"But I didn't see-" Michael started. "Oh, hell." He realized it was very likely that the Mindfragger had just erased his memory. Garibaldi felt for a moment as if he might throw up at the thought of it.
He lowered himself into Ivanova's line of sight. "Susan, can you hear me?"
Ivanova nodded to Garibaldi. "I'm okay."
She sounded anything but okay. Maybe she was just badly frightened, but then Michael had no idea how she had been attacked. "Have any of you had a chance to call Med Lab yet?"
"No," Collins said.
Garibaldi quickly called for medical assistance, and soon afterward Captain Sheridan entered the club. "What's happening here? I thought I heard shouting."
Collins said softly to Garibaldi, "I think you better get these people out of here first."
Garibaldi addressed the patrons, most of whom were murmuring to each other suspiciously, "All right, I want everyone outta here, right now!" Anything else like this and the psi cop could kiss her cover-up goodbye. The officers quickly filed out.
Sheridan turned expectantly to the psi cop. "Captain, he attacked from the lavatory," she said, then turned to the Narn. "Damn it, I can't believe we forgot to check in there! We would have had him cornered."
"Yeah, or maybe you were a little ticked off with Ivanova and decided to 'forget' on purpose," Garibaldi said angrily.
"If I were going to kill her, I would have done it myself a lot earlier than this," Collins said. "Besides, she's obviously fine... although that does beg the question of why."
"Indeed," Ta'Wher said, "from the profile I would have assumed it were impossible for the killer not to attack such a victim."
The psi cop crossed her arms. "Exactly. There's just no way that psycho could ignore someone who is a female authority figure and a mundane. I-" she stopped. Garibaldi suddenly became very worried. "Oh, son of a-"
That had been everyone's greatest fear, that the psi cop would discover Susan was a telepath. She had hidden it so well that Garibaldi himself had not learned of it until last year. And because she had kept her talent hidden from the Psi Corps, that made her a rogue.
What followed happened very quickly. Ivanova rose from the seat, drawing her weapon. The psi cop went for her own PPG. Moving mostly on instinct, Garibaldi went for his own sidearm.
"Susan, no!" Garibaldi did not think she had even really heard the Captain's order. Before he could finish aiming Garibaldi found a blade, stained with blood, held just below his throat. He froze.
Ivanova and the psi cop were now standing only a meter apart, both with weapons aimed at each other. Garibaldi was amazed Susan had not already fired. The Minbari telepaths had not moved, but then they were unarmed. Garibaldi did not think they could overpower the psi cop, either physically or telepathically, fast enough to make a difference.
"Very frustrating, isn't it?" Collins asked Ivanova. Her voice sounded slightly strained. "You will yourself to pull the trigger, and nothing happens. It's as if your hand has a mind of its own." So Ivanova had tried to fire, but she had not been faster than the speed of thought. The psi cop reached her free hand carefully toward Ivanova's weapon. She pushed it slightly aside and then removed it from Susan's still fingers. In her other hand, Collins' PPG never wavered in its aim toward Ivanova.
"I knew it," Susan said bitterly, her eyes filling with tears, "I knew that if I let you near me, you'd destroy my life."
"You think this is what I wanted?" Collins asked angrily. She released Ivanova from her paralyzing hold, and Ivanova lowered her arm but made no other move. "Damn it, you're probably not even a P1. And here I have to haul you in." Collins lowered her PPG. Garibaldi returned his own weapon slowly to its holster, and the Narn lowered his sword.
"I won't join the Corps, and I won't take the sleepers," Ivanova said. "Just kill me now." If the psi cop scanned Ivanova, she might learn of the conspiracy against President Clark. So Susan saw her own death as the only way out.
"You just don't get it, do you? I don't want to turn you in, but I don't have any damn choice! Psi cops may get a lot of leeway in interpreting the rules, but aiding a rogue in escaping the Corps is one of the only unpardonable sins. What the hell kind of traitor and hypocrite would I be if I broke that oath?"
"Didn't you also promise the Corps you would hide the existence of these murders?" Sheridan asked. "That can't happen if you turn Susan in. Now you said yourself she isn't even a P1, so she's not a threat to anyone. Just let her go."
Garibaldi was shocked to see the psi cop's eyes welling up with tears. Embarrassed, she wiped them away. "I hate this so much, I hate all of it. But P12's are so rare every one of us has to try for being a psi cop." She turned to Ivanova. "You think your tale of childhood woe is so great? At least you've met your mother. At least you haven't had your whole damn life planned out for you before you were even born!
"I suppose when you were little, you had all kinds of hopes and dreams. I had those. When I was six, I remember I wanted to be a ballerina. Isn't that a laugh, isn't that just a fraggin' adorable cliché, a little girl who wanted to be a ballerina.
"Only it's not adorable at all when you're the Psi Corps and you want the little girl to grow up to be a psi cop. I must have made the mistake of telling one of the other children about my dream, and the little snitch must have ratted me out to an adult.
"You'd think they would have recognized it as just a passing phase and let it go, but that's not how the Corps works. They want obedience now. So one day during class the Grins came for me... hell, we'd be here forever if I explained what they were, but all you need to know is one of their duties was to mete out punishment when we misbehaved. They dragged me off somewhere and I can't remember a damn thing that happened after that. All I do know is that from that day on, every time I saw any sort of performance art on a view screen I became nauseous. Hell, one time a couple years ago I chased a suspect into an opera house and I actually did throw up on myself. The worst part of it all is that even with a P12 rating I still can't find what they did to me and fix it!
"But I digress. I suppose if I have a point in all this Commander, it's that you can sit there thinking I'm some sort of evil bitch who wanted to ruin you all along, but the fact of the matter is I don't have any damn choice at all."
"You do have a choice," Sheridan said. "I've just shown you one. So what are you going to do with it?" Garibaldi noticed the Captain move his hand slightly closer to his sidearm. Michael knew if the psi cop chose wrong, he might have to go for his own PPG again, only this time stopping would not be an option.
Behind him, he heard the medical team arrive, potentially more casualties if this turned violent. "I think..." the psi cop said. "I think what the Corps doesn't know won't hurt it.
"You know, it's funny: being a psi cop was the only thing I ever thought I was any good at, but apparently I'm terrible at that too." Collins returned Ivanova's PPG to her, and then put away her weapon. The Narn followed suit.
Doctor Franklin approached. "What just happened here?" he asked, alarmed.
"We'll fill you in a minute, Doc," Michael said. "But right now I think you better have a look at Ivanova."
Ivanova hesitated for a moment with the PPG in hand before putting it away.
Once they reached Med Lab, Dr. Franklin had Ivanova sit on a table, and he began a cursory examination. The Doctor sent away the rest of his personnel so those who knew about the killer could talk freely. While Garibaldi presumably filled in Franklin on the near disaster at Earhart's, Lisa took Sheridan and Ta'Wher aside.
"Captain, you need to lock down this station immediately, before the Mindblanker escapes. Without any targets of overwhelming importance, I believe he might try to flee Earth space. If he decides to prey on a race that doesn't have any strong telepaths, there's no telling how many might die." Ta'Wher looked disturbed by this, as there were no telepaths among his people.
"As much as I wish I could let him go, you're right. This has to end here."
"I'd suggest an unknown illness has killed several lurkers, and you've decided to quarantine the station. When this is all over, you can say it was determined that the disease was not communicable, but was contracted when the lurkers ate some spoiled alien food Down Below."
"That has the advantage of fitting what most of the station knows about the attacks," Sheridan replied.
"Well, when you said yesterday that I had a lot of experience establishing plausible deniability, you were right," Collins said. "As for your security guards and officers who have seen a little more, I'll just have to trust that you can talk them into showing the appropriate discretion."
"Of course. I take it you'll be heading Down Below?"
"Yes, the Mindblanker has probably retreated there to mull his options... I'd also like you to seal off all of Brown Section under the same pretenses I just mentioned. After I go in, don't open it back up until I give the all clear."
"And if you never do give the all clear?"
"Then you can either call the Corps for help or let him escape."
Lisa considered the situation before continuing. "I'd like to bring the Minbari telepaths with me, of course. And some of your security guards, preferably the ones who were guarding Ambassador Delenn's quarters. They already know there's a rogue telepath on the loose, so there's no concern about letting out more information."
"Do you really think having any number of security guards along will help?" Sheridan asked with a touch of suspicion.
"I'll take any added distraction I can get. Don't worry, I'm sure the Minbari will keep me from 'silencing' them," Collins said archly.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that you would do anything like that."
"No, you meant to keep it to yourself," she said. "But let's not get into that again. I'd also like to talk with Commander Ivanova; it's possible she saw something useful."
Sheridan nodded, and then used his link to contact C&C about the quarantine. Lisa and Ta'Wher now returned to where Dr. Franklin was continuing his ministrations. "How is she, Doctor?"
"Physically, she's just has a few bumps and bruises, but after what's happened I'm more concerned about her mental state."
Ivanova looked up at Collins. "When he touched my mind... I can't even describe it, it was the most sick and disturbing thing I ever felt in my entire life."
Collins nodded. "I remember my first mental contact with a serial killer. Like most things, the passage of time takes the edge off, but it's not the kind of experience you ever really forget... I'm sorry you had to go through that, I was completely negligent to not be watching you more carefully."
"I guess we were too busy driving each other nuts to pay much attention to safety," Ivanova said ruefully.
"I hate to question a witness about a traumatic experience right after it happens, but there's still the possibility of more deaths if I waste any more time. Did you see anything that might help us identify the killer? We could possibly learn something from the blood on Ta'Wher's sword, but I can't wait that long before I begin searching Brown Section."
The Commander hesitated for a moment. "I... I think he took off his mask, right before he went in my mind... I'm not sure what he looked like, and I don't remember anything else until you both helped me out of the room."
Sheridan approached. "You have your quarantine, Ms. Collins. Security is closing off Brown Section. I wish I didn't have to seal so many people in there with the Mindblanker, but giving him the run of the whole station would just make this even worse."
Dr. Franklin now turned to Ta'Wher. "If you'll come with me, I'll take a blood sample from your sword."
"Of course, Doctor."
Lisa considered Ivanova's brief account. "Commander, I'm loath to suggest this, but if you concentrated on the memory and allowed me a very light scan, I might be able to see the killer. With both a face and DNA evidence, we could search the records much faster."
"No, I'm sorry, that can't happen."
"I know you're upset, Commander, but I promise you this will not be at all invasive. As long as you don't fight me, you'll hardly even notice my presence."
"I'm afraid that's still not an option, Ms. Collins," Captain Sheridan said.
"Please don't even tell me there is another secret here that is even worse than harboring a rogue telepath," Collins said, dismayed. She put her hand to bridge of her nose, as if fighting off a headache. "I can't believe anyone actually leaves this station with their sanity intact.
"Okay, I have another option that may not work, but there is no risk to any of you in trying. Commander, you can try to send the memory to me."
"I've never been able to send anything strong enough to cross any distance, or be understood by anyone other than my Mother."
Reluctantly, Lisa removed a glove. Doing so made her feel almost naked. "I'm very good at picking up faint messages, but you are right about your lack of telepathic ability. We'll need to be in physical contact." She turned to Sheridan. "Commander Ivanova would be able to sense instantly if I were abusing our contact. And you might want to consider that if I were inclined to break my promise not to scan any you, I've already had about a hundred chances to do so."
Sheridan was clearly unhappy with the situation. "Susan, is what she says true?"
"Yes, although I'm almost sure it won't work. But with so many lives in the balance, I guess we probably should try everything."
"All right, then. Let's give it a shot."
"Thank you, Captain. Commander, if the first attempt does not work, I may ask you try a few more times. If you feel fatigued or become at all disoriented you should refuse. Do you understand?" Ivanova nodded. "Please give me your hand."
After she took Ivanova's hand, Collins closed her eyes and waited for a moment. "Okay... did you just try to send something?"
"Yes."
"I definitely felt it. I think if you try one more-"
Then Lisa saw it, almost as clearly as if it were happening at that very moment. She was prone on the floor of the bathroom, feeling helpless and afraid. The killer removed his mask-
(that's impossible!!!)
-and touched her mind. Beyond the terror she felt at touching such a sick mind, there was a sense of disappointment in the force that was invading her thoughts: she was not one of them after all; there was no reason to kill her. Then the killer heard someone approach, replaced the mask, and retreated for the exit.
"That... that just can't be," Collins said, dismayed.
"What did you see?" Sheridan asked.
"It was Kevin... my intern Kevin Tang. Back home, when I thought he was killed, he must have altered my perceptions somehow. It's just- there's just no way he could have done something like that." She paused for a moment. "I suppose that's left me with more questions than answers, but it doesn't change what I have to do." She released Ivanova's hand and quickly replaced the glove.
Sheridan turned to his security chief. "Mr. Garibaldi, I want you to gather the same people you kept in Delenn's quarters, and then meet up with Ms. Collins and the Minbari telepaths outside of Brown Sector. The only other death on this station today is going to be the Mindblanker himself."
Brown Section seemed a wretched place to eek out an existence, Lisa Collins reflected. Not that Boston lacked the homeless and other tough luck cases, but the number of people who had become trapped in the darker reaches of Babylon 5 was surprising. Even worse was that she might very well have to traverse most of the place herself; the group could not simply split up to cover more ground.
Lisa was walking beside Garibaldi, with Ta'Wher immediately behind her. He was followed by the various security officers and finally the Minbari telepaths bringing up the rear. Collins hoped that by keeping telepaths at both ends of group they could avoid a costly ambush.
Although most of her concentration was focused on searching for any sign of the rogue telepath, she spoke to the security chief in a low voice. "Something's not right here, and I mean beyond all the obvious things that aren't right."
"I think I know what you mean. Usually when I hear about psi cops chasing rogues, it's the rogue who hasn't got great odds. It almost seems like this guy's got total control, the way he just disappears and reappears like he does. And here we are with almost a damn army, and I still can't say I feel all that confident."
"Exactly. Ever since this started I've been more than one step behind. I feel like I'm playing Elmer Fudd to his Bugs Bunny, if you'll pardon an obscure reference."
"You know Loony Toons?" Garibaldi asked, amazed.
"Well, yeah, although if you want to talk old time cartoons, my favorite is the Simp-"
With a loud metallic clang, a cylindrical object landed in front of Lisa. There was a hissing sound and before she could react, the corridor receded from sight and she felt herself falling.
Lisa awoke to the sound of Ta'Wher groaning, at first feeling nothing but confusion. As she became aware of the terrible pain in her head, she made a similar sound. Briefly she opened her eyes, but the light seemed so bright it was hard to keep them open.
"Congratulations. You've made it back to consciousness," Kevin Tang told her.
Instinctively, she struck at him telepathically with all the deadly force of P12 mindshredder. Her former intern blocked the attack as if it were nothing, and then smashed her own defenses as easily as if she had been a mundane. His mind clamped down on her nervous system so hard she could barely breathe, let alone move. Lisa wheezed and struggled to remain conscious. After a few moments, he loosened his hold enough so that she could breathe and speak.
"My abilities have increased even more, since I figured out how to undo the tinkering the Psi Corps did to our mutual friend," Tang told her.
"What friend?" Lisa asked confused.
"I suppose you wouldn't know. He liked MacFarlane, and he likes me, but he never really cared for you. He never contacted you directly, since he couldn't trust you."
Collins vaguely recalled MacFarlane mentioning a 'friend,' right before she had shot him. "I don't suppose you'd care to explain that." She tried to get a sense of the room, but the brightness made it very difficult to see.
"Stalling for time, Ms. Collins? Resourceful to the end I see. Unfortunately, since this part of the station was sealed off by Sheridan there isn't much chance of rescue. We have all the time in the world to chat. Neither of you can move, and all your friends are unconscious and restrained. Although the Minbari seem to be having a bad reaction to the gas."
"What gas?"
"Oh, they probably still haven't noticed its missing back at the Meta Pol Station." Lisa was nonplussed, and Tang looked puzzled at this. "You mean you honestly didn't know about the nerve gas they keep at the station? I knew they kept you out of the loop, but wow." He laughed. "After they saw how rowdy the mundanes got during the MacFarlane trial, some of your superiors ordered it for a little added protection.
"Of course, I had to lower the concentration a lot for you to survive exposure. Even with such a small amount you must be feeling some nasty side effects." He moved his hand suddenly and Lisa's gaze followed it. "I'm surprised you can see me from this distance at all. I imagine I brought enough with me to kill half the population of this station. But then if I just bleed the atmosphere rapidly in to space, I can kill almost everyone without using it. Waste not, want not." He smiled as if describing some minor piece of mischief.
"How could you-"
"Between taking all the passwords from the minds of Sheridan and Garibaldi, and all the neat security cracking equipment I also borrowed from the Corps, gaining control of Babylon 5 was laughably easy. No one's noticed yet, since I haven't done anything overt, but I can strike as soon as I please."
"Then why go after Delenn and Ivanova yourself?"
"I enjoy a good hunt, I suppose. You know how we psi cops are. I must say I was surprised by how well Ambassador Delenn was guarded. I'd expected you would have underestimated me a lot more. I really would have preferred to kill her, too.
Kevin again smiled pleasantly. "If there are no further questions?" Lisa sat silently. "Well, I can think of one thing you must be wondering: 'Why am I still alive when he could have killed me at any time?' The answer is very simple. I'd like you die knowing why you were killed, and my friend wants you to die rather slowly and painfully. You see he found it very inconvenient that-"
Lisa attempted one last, feeble attack on Tang's defenses. "That was rather disap-" he began.
Rank amateur, she thought contemptuously. All the telepathic power in the world could not make up for a lack of experience. Ta'Wher, forgotten by the killer and freed from paralysis by Lisa during the distraction, jumped to his feet and ran Kevin Tang through with his sword. Ta'Wher caused even more damage removing the sword, and a disgusting mess of internal organs slid out of Kevin's midsection. He collapsed with a look of surprise on his face.
"The sword is mightier than the PPG," Ta'Wher proclaimed. "As I've maintained all along." He shook his head slightly, still fighting off the effects of the diluted nerve gas.
"Well, okay, so he took away my weapon, but did not take you seriously enough to bother taking your sword." Lisa sat up and, after feeling the increased pain in her head, regretted it. "That doesn't mean that swords are superior to PPGs."
"And yet, here I stand with the dreaded Mindblanker vanquished before me."
"We've had this argument a million times, Ta'Wher: just because you've had such a run of luck with a pointy piece of metal doesn't make it better than technology several millennia more recent." It occurred to Lisa what a ridiculous conversation she was having, but then she was a bit lightheaded and dazed. "Now help me up, we'd better find a BabCom unit. It sounded like the Minbari need medical attention." She noticed her PPG was lying next to MacFarlane and retrieved it after coming shakily to her feet.
As she was about to holster her weapon she noticed movement near Kevin Tang's body. Immediately, a powerful telepathic force paralyzed her. A small, translucent object shaped like a spider crawled out of the wound Ta'Wher had left on the corpse.
This has to be a hallucination caused by the gas, Lisa thought desperately.
Not at all, the creature 'cast to her. The touch of its mind was disturbing but familiar. Again she was reminded of MacFarlane. I'm quite real. Increases in telepathic power don't come from a vacuum, you know. I helped MacFarlane fulfill his ambitions, and with a little nudge I convinced Tang to follow the same path.
What are you? Lisa asked. But some of the pieces were finally falling into place.
I'm the end result of the Corps' little 'black project' that started all this. When I first awoke I'd been damaged by the Psi Corps' miserable scientists. I could remember nothing of my masters, except their design: evolution through conflict. After I first touched MacFarlane's mind I learned of his great hatred for the ungifted humans you call 'mundanes.' Although I wasn't able to use all of my latent abilities, I augmented his powers so he could strike at mundanes. I'd naively hoped my attacks would precipitate a war between telepaths and mundanes, but I hadn't realized at the time how common serial killers were among your people.
Your involvement set me back by several years, the creature told her with unmistakable bitterness. When you killed MacFarlane, I had no choice but to enter your body. You disgusting creature: duty and obedience frame your existence. You'd be a perfect puppet for a Vorlon, it snarled. Although I tried to influence you to follow a better path, that damn Narn kept pushing you further and further away from where I needed your thoughts to be! Filthy mundane!
The front legs of the spider-thing twitched in the air before it continued. Finally, when Kevin Tang arrived I found the perfect vessel: a greater telepath than MacFarlane, but with the same hatred for mundanes burning within him. Not only did Tang embrace my help, but as he told you, he used his abilities to unlock the rest of my powers and memories. Now I remember my masters, and my core ability to infest humans is improved considerably. You'll be interested to know that I have no telepathic powers of my own. I'm simply emitting chemical signals in order to use your own telepathic powers against you. Not bad, huh? Lisa heard the creature's laughter in her mind.
Your killing of Tang is only a minor inconvenience at this point. While I would have preferred to kill you and continue on in Kevin Tang's body, with my complete abilities I'll be able to control your mind directly. Forcing you to do my work is revenge enough. In fact, one of your first jobs will be to set a timer that will kill every living thing on this station. When the media learns that a rogue psi cop killed a quarter of a million beings, it should advance my goal of a telepath war considerably.
But as for that miserable Narn... as Kevin started to explain before you so rudely killed him, I kept the Narn alive this long because I wanted to show him a memory I found in your mind. Before he dies, I want him to hate you as much as I hate you.
Lisa struggled to regain control of her mind in vain. Please not that! But she felt herself and Ta'Wher descend into the mindscape of that transport...
2254 (Six Years Ago)
Lisa Collins stared blankly out the window of the transport, not really seeing the grey tarmac of Logan Spaceport. She had never felt so depressed or despondent in her whole life. Samantha was dead. Killed by some filthy, worthless mundane. Lisa had accepted that Sam was dead on an intellectual level, but emotionally it just did not seem to register. She had not even been able to cry at the funeral, but only sit there numbly as the Corps had put Sam to rest.
"Ms. Collins?"
Lisa looked up from her reverie and was shocked to see someone she had known previously only by pictures and reputation. She quickly stood from her seat. "Oh my- Mr. Bester! We- I, I mean I've always wanted to meet you. You've done so much for telepaths everywhere!" Although Lisa had a great deal of respect for Alfred Bester, Sam had been almost obsessed with him. Lisa remembered one time shortly after graduation when Sam, who had been more than a little drunk, had boasted that if she ever met Bester she was certainly going to seduce and bed him within hours. Well, she had put it a bit more crudely than that.
The vivid memory and the realization that Sam would never have that opportunity unexpectedly crushed Lisa. For the first time in days Sam's death seemed real. Tears streaked from Lisa's eyes. I can't believe I'm crying in front of Alfred Bester!
"I'm so sorry," she stammered.
"It's all right," Bester said soothingly. "I know you and Ms. Mathews were very close."
"We were both Cadre Prime," Lisa said, trying to recover. "We've known, I mean we knew each other for as long as I can remember."
Despite her flustered state, Lisa finally noticed what Bester was holding. "That uniform!" was all she got out before she was rendered speechless.
"Well, you'll want to have it properly fitted, but it's yours to wear. I know you technically had a couple months left in your internship, but I figured you would be in need of some good news." He smiled proudly. "Having read the reports on your recent actions, I think you more than earned it. If not for you, Mr. Foster would have undoubtedly been killed, and some rather important figures in the 'Underground Railroad' would have escaped justice.
"Also, I had Samantha Mathews added posthumously to the list of psi cops. I don't doubt that, had she lived, she would have become one best." He smiled consolingly and held out the uniform. Only now, reliving the memory six years later, did it seem to Lisa that Bester's smile did not touch his eyes.
"Thank you, thank you so much," the much younger Lisa told him. As she took uniform the emotion she felt was too much. Lisa fell back into her chair and began sobbing. Bester put a comforting hand on her shoulder, and at length she recovered. Sam, I swear I'll do right by your memory, she thought. I'm going to be the best damn psi cop that ever was.
"I suppose you are here on business," Bester finally said to change the subject.
"Yes, I am," Lisa told him, and stood. She felt some anger, and it seemed more bearable than the grief. "I want to know why that son of a bitch who killed Sam is still alive. The questioning is done, and he should be disposed of." Lisa did not believe she had left any doubt of who should do the disposing.
"Yes, that is the preferred procedure for any mundane who kills a telepath," Bester told her. "But in this case, we're going to go with a slight variation of the usual plan. As you know, your prisoner was a very important member of the Underground Railroad. Some of his fellows might just be desperate enough to ignore all common sense and attempt a rescue, especially if we make it look easy.
"However, we certainly would not want to risk the prisoner escaping if the trap should somehow backfire. So we are going to extract vengeance in a way that will leave him alive, but useless to the opposition. I'd like you to help me with this, actually."
"Lead the way," Lisa said, putting down the uniform. It was good to feel like a predator instead of prey, which was how the last few days had seemed.
Together, Collins and Bester entered a large cell nearby. The prisoner was very heavily restrained. "He'll probably attempt to claw his own eyes out after we finish," Bester explained. "In fact, within weeks his brain damage will be irreversible."
"How much of his mind do I leave intact?" Lisa asked. She was feeling an incredible surge of bloodlust. Thoughts of revenge had been the only thing that had kept her going for the last few days.
"I'll be handling that end of the procedure," Bester told her. "Actually, it's only a simple matter of getting a memory to rise continuously in his consciousness. He'll relive it every moment for the rest of his natural life. As for what that memory will be..." As if on cue, the door to the cell opened. A psi cop Lisa did not know brought in a restrained woman. Judging from the immediate, tearful reunion that Lisa found not at all touching, the two prisoners were husband and wife. "As I was saying, that memory will be of you killing his wife. It's only fair that his loss be comparable to yours." Bester smiled, and Sam's killer began pleading desperately for the woman's life.
"But... but the files don't have any mention of this woman being part of the Underground Railroad," Lisa said. "There isn't any evidence at all."
"I swear she didn't know anything!" the prisoner cried. A quick but invasive scan by Lisa confirmed this as the truth. "Please let her go, I'll tell you anything!"
"There is not a thing you could tell us that we haven't already taken from your mind," Bester said derisively to the prisoner. "And as for your wife, she aided and abetted you: a felon guilty of smuggling telepaths, as well as the murder of Samantha Mathews."
Mention of Sam was almost enough to steel Lisa's resolve. She drew her PPG and pointed it at the female prisoner. Six years in the future she would beg the creature controlling her mind to stop, to not let Ta'Wher see.
The psi cop guarding the woman stepped adroitly aside, although at less than a meter away Lisa was not likely to miss. Both the prisoners screamed and begged for mercy. Lisa hesitated again, and her sidearm wavered slightly. "Mr. Bester..."
"Go on Lisa, this is very important. We can't show them anymore mercy than they show us." He had become very tense. Lisa realized this was test, to show her commitment to the Corps. Failure would likely have dire consequences. More importantly, she felt she owed it to Sam to continue. Still, she hesitated.
Then it happened. She sensed very strongly in the room a feeling of relief. From the mundane who had killed Sam, she felt his relief. He thought Collins was not going to be able to kill his wife, and he felt gratitude toward her.
Nothing could have sickened and revolted Lisa Collins more. She was overwhelmed with rage and lost control. Her PPG fired three times. The female prisoner fell to ground, and Sam's killer screamed for Lisa to please stop. He then screamed for her to please stop again. And again. And again. He began struggling wildly against his restraints.
The psi cop who had brought in the slain woman now administered a sedative to the remaining prisoner. His screams diminished to hoarse whisper.
"Excellent," Bester told Collins. "I know the first time can be difficult for some, but you did the right thing."
Without reply, Lisa left the cell and retrieved her new uniform. She exited the transport, feeling as if she were in a dream. It was only when she returned to privacy of her apartment that she gripped her arms and began shaking uncontrollably.
2260
Well, Ta'Wher, the creature 'cast to Lisa and her friend, I hope I've impressed on you what a complete waste your last few years have been. Trying to reform a murderer such as Ms. Collins is a task for a fool. I might also mention that, as the only one of my victims to survive, killing you will give me a perfect-
By this point, the brightness that had clouded Lisa's vision previously had partly faded away. At once it seemed to return, but when the spider stopped 'casting Lisa realized that this time the light in the room actually had increased.
Then something-
(?!?impossible)
-entered the room. Lisa immediately rejected the possibility that what she saw was real, taking it for some sort of telepathic representation. Of what, she did not know. Then it spoke, either out loud or in her head.
"THEY ARE NOT FOR YOU. YOUR EXPERIMENT IS ENDED."
The spider creature squealed in her mind, and its control over Lisa's telepathic faculties vanished. She immediately raised her weapon and fired at the spider. It seemed to absorb the first blast, but subsequent shots from the PPG cracked it open. Lisa kept firing until whatever it had been was nothing more than a smear on the deck. The bright light and the presence it had heralded vanished.
All the pent up emotion from reliving her most feared and shameful memory came to the forefront. Lisa fell to her knees and began crying. "I'm so sorry... so sorry... what I did... I never wanted you to know, Ta'Wher... please, I'm sorry..." She looked up and was dismayed that Ta'Wher would not meet her gaze.
"You were correct that the Minbari might still be in danger," he said without inflection. He seemed stunned. "We had best find them and call for medical assistance immediately."
As distraught as she was, Lisa realized that all this would not finally be over until she was certain the last of Mindblanker's victims were safe. She again stood and returned to her duty.
Epilogue: 2260
Captain Sheridan had accompanied the psi cop and her bodyguard on their way to the departure gate. Part of the reason he had gone was to be courteous, but mostly he just wanted the relief of seeing with his own eyes that there would be no psi cops onboard his station anymore.
"So what will your report to the Psi Corps consist of?" Sheridan asked. Collins would not reveal to him any of the details of what had happened in Brown Section, but with the serial killer stopped and no further loss of life, John was somewhat mollified about being left in the dark.
"I think it will be my first attempt at creative writing since I left school," she told him. "You don't need to worry, Captain. After my conduct I have just as much reason to hide the truth from the Corps as you do. You know, we may not have developed any trust between each other, but we have the next best thing: mutually assured destruction. We both know things about each other that would be fatal if they came to the wrong people."
Sheridan nodded. "Although in another way, maybe that's unfortunate. In a different time and place we might have been allies. And I do want to thank you for your help."
"That's very gracious of you." They were only a short distance from the docking bay now. "Oh, before I go, was there any additional word from Doctor Franklin?"
"Yes, he told me Lucef has regained consciousness. It seems all the Minbari telepaths will make a full recovery with time."
"I'm glad to hear that. I'd stop by to visit him, but I get the impression you'd like me off the station as soon as possible."
Sheridan had to smile a little at that. "Well, that would be a rude way of putting it, but I will say that I've delayed the next incoming transport so you can depart right away."
"Thank you, Captain. You know, I must admit I am curious as all hell as to just what you people are up to here. But who knows, maybe someday you can tell me."
"Anything is possible, I suppose. Good-bye, Ms. Collins."
"Good-bye, Captain."
The Narn simply bowed to John and followed the psi cop away.
Lisa Collins sat alone in the control room of the ship, watching the chaos of hyperspace beyond the viewports. Emotionally, she felt like a wreck. She fretted over what Ta'Wher might be thinking. He had been almost completely silent since the incident in Brown Section. Was it because of what he learned about her, or was it the inexplicable, impossible things they had seen? There was a time once when having a question about a mundane would mean scanning him, but now going into Ta'Wher's mind without permission seemed like it would be just as terrible a betrayal as if she were to shoot him dead.
She wondered if he would finally leave her and try to return to his homeworld? Beyond how dangerous that would be for him, Lisa was disturbed by the thought of being truly alone again, like she had been after she had lost Sam.
Sam... It was hard to believe, but Lisa had given her once best friend hardly a thought during most of the intervening years between now and her death. Lisa had not even mentioned her to Ta'Wher. After the terrible thing she had done to avenge Sam's death, she had just pushed it all away and refused to think about it. She realized now that if she had confessed what had happened to Ta'Wher herself instead of hiding it for so long, she would not have jeopardized her friendship so badly. Or perhaps he would have been repelled either way; there was no way to know for sure.
But she had realized there was one thing she had to do. Lisa moved over to the communications station and prepared to dictate a message. "This message is to the Beta Colony Prison Facility, its subject heading should read 'Permission for Disposal.' Attach my applicable security codes and prepare for high level encryption." After a few moments the computer replied that it was ready. "Begin message: To Whom It May Concern... Regarding a prisoner in your facility, serial number..." It only took a few moments for Lisa to remember and repeat the number representing the mundane she had helped lock into a torturous existence six years ago. "...By the now the prisoner's brain damage has long since passed beyond anything that is reversible, and there is no possibility of extracting additional data. As I am aware that you are under a great deal of budgetary pressure, I hereby release you to dispose of the prisoner at your earliest convenience. End message and insert standard closing."
"Text message prepared," the computer told her.
At least that poor bastard, or what little was left of him, would finally be able to find an end to suffering. Lisa almost wished for such a release herself. "Send to Beta Colony Prison Facility."
"Sending."
Lisa realized that she could not continue on like this much longer. Someday soon she would have to leave the Psi Corps, or die in the attempt. Lisa was so frightened by the prospect of life outside the Corps that she was not even sure which outcome was more desirable. All she knew for certain is that from that point on, she would be nothing but a traitor.
