Tinga´s Ghost by Shannon Hearn
All character of Dark Angel are owned by Cameron-Eglee Productions and Twentieth century Fox.
Rated "R" for mild nudity.
***
Part 5, A new life and new choices before me...
It has been months since that Day at the school and Tinga's last appearance. But I feel that she is always around watching over me. I felt her presence around me when I gave birth to my twins. The little baby boy and girl I had were precious and I understood why Tinga made the decision she did to save her child. At that moment I realized why Tinga gave up her life to save her son. She was guaranteeing that she would live on in her son's heart and spirit even if she died. With that I had given what missions that I had done in the past a consideration that I would tell my children when they were old enough about I my past and what I had undergone. Even about telling them about what happened to Case's mom, Tinga. But it has been a couple months since that when Me, Zane and several other Transgenics help found the Transgenic Colony of Northern Point.
For an old abandoned logging slash mining town that looked like all the business had dried up and was Ghost Town, it looked like the perfect place to set up a base of operations. Between Leap and a group of X6s that Max had sent to us along with her Clone Sam. Life had gone into a slow rate of keeping things going. Though having my own personal assistant named Ralf did keep me on my toes. I felt that helping these young Transgenics through the rough times they were having in adjusting to being outside of Manticore. But seeing Ralf standing by me in her jeans and baggy flannel shirt that she felt so comfortable in, I could see that she was scared as she came towards me with a list of the names of the newer Transgenics that had showed up. The look on Ralf's face was that of concern as she was handed a PDA with a digital camera built into it.
"Brin... you said to keep my eyes open for a child with your sister's designation." There was a pause from Ralf as she scrolled through several images on the screen until she got to the image of a young X9 on the screen a little younger than Case was. "Brin I want you to met X9-656..." Then I saw the dark skin of the ghost image of my late sister Tinga came into view. What scared me was that her hair had been grown out just enough that she looked human. But it was those eyes that scared me. This was the child that Tinga had told me about in her vision all those months ago.
"Tell me how she is doing? Is she okay? Does she need any help adjusting? Did she come in with anyone?" I was so concerned about the events that I just started at the image on the screen for an eternity.
"Brin, X9-656 came in alone. She looked like she had been through a lot." Ralf said as I looked at her hair and eyes of Tinga's clone.
"She is a lot like me and the rest of the Oh'Niners." I said as I was thrown back to my memories of when I was on the run and of the hardships that I had to endure. Only if I had a mentor to guide me through the harder times of my life knowing what was going to happen to my mind and body. Understanding my first Heat cycle, my first period, and my first date. All the things in my life I wished that there had been someone to guide me through those experiences. Now Tinga had given me the chance to be a big sister to this girl if only if she would let me do so. That was when I asked Ralf where she was.
"Ralf do you know where she is at right now?" I said turning my attention to Ralf.
"The last I saw her was around the Mess Hall area..." Ralf said as she turned to me with worry in her eyes. "... But Ma'am I'm not sure that you should go alone. Given your previous history with her older counterpart and that you should spend more time with your children. This is an important time in their lives and it will never come again. You should be with them." Ralf's words started to sink in with me.
"Okay... Okay, I'll do what you said Ralf, I'll go with my kids, but I want MZ to check this kid out as my compromise, deal." I said aloud. Ralf looked at me and grinned in acceptance as she ran her fingers through her long blond hair letting the two-day-old Hicky on her neck come into view. I just looked at that mark and let out a small giggle in the process. Ralf looked at me for a moment till she realized what I was giggling at.
"Ralf you might want to put some antiseptic salve on that mark on your neck that Bullet gave you." I said as I tapped at the same location on my neck. Ralf moved her hand down to where the red and blue mark on her neck was and started to blush.
"I guess that me and Bullet have taken a liking to each other over the past year or so." Ralf said as she started to blush as we started to walk out the door.
"Yeah love is important. But remember to practice safe sex Ralf. Contraceptives are only ninety-seven percent effective. Just be close to each other between your heat cycles and you will know that he is a keeper." I said from my own personal experiences.
"Okay Brin, Now lets go visit those two lovely children of yours." Ralf said as we headed to my quarters so that I could spend some family time with my kids.
***
As we moved through the streets of the small town, I noticed that Ralf started to fidget some as we passed by the "school" as everyone called it due to it being the old school building, but with the influx of so many young Transgenics into the area, it had become a sort of gathering place for many of them as they sought to find a place where they could feel safe and locate those they had lost track of during the night of the fire. That was when I saw Case playing in the field by the school with several other Transgenics as they played a game of softball. That was until I saw the girl on the outfield. The mocha skin, the black hair, and the high cheekbones said all I needed to know. That was Tinga's Clone and she was playing a mean game of Ball as she threw a curve ball that would have won any World Series game. That and poor Bugler was thrown back from the impact.
"Ouch..." I said as I saw Bugler get up off the ground and shake his hand several times to get the feeling back into it.
"I'm Okay." He yelled as he looked at the young X9 who literally knocked him on the ground. "Whoa... you have one serious arm on you girl." He said as he moved over to see where Case was. For a young kid who Tinga asked me to save, I still felt that despite all the things I had been through in the last few months would be nothing in comparison whenever I saw Case. But I had started to forgive myself for the actions I had done. Right now I could see that Tinga's clone had started to move towards him and stand towards him. It was as if they both knew they had a biological connection to each other. Half Brother and Sister.
I knew that I would meet them later on as I knew that I would have to learn the young X9's name. Not her designation, her real true name that she would go by.
"Ralf." I said to her as we walked over to the ball field's fence. "Do you know her name?" I said shakily as Ralf walked over to me and saw that I was looking at Tinga's clone.
"Her Name is Lynn, Brin." Ralf said as I started to think more and more about how I could help this little girl out.
"Ralf, I want you to see if you can get Lynn assigned to the Smith household. I mean considering that Case is technically her half brother." I said realizing that that I wanted to make amends for the actions I have done. That was when we started to move on from the School as I started to think about my children.
An hour pasted as I sat next to Zane as we played with the twins. I had fraternal twins a little boy and a little girl, the boy I named Ben after my late brother and the girl I named Eva. If you know anything about me or the other Oh'Niners is that out of our unit several died during our childhood and I was close to my brother Ben in that he was a great story teller, when I learned of his death when I was on the run I felt my heart take a dive down so you know where I got the name Ben. My girl I named Eva after my late sister who risked her life to save Max's life when she started to have Seizures. Lydecker shot her where she stood as she attempted to hold off the personnel. Since I had seen Tinga's ghost all those months ago I knew that their spirits were out there and I wanted to honor them by naming my children after them. That was when I saw MZ coming over and sitting in a chair close to me. Her rounded Belly showed through her white dress and boy was she glowing. Whatever Jason did to satisfy her to perform that deed I did now want to know but if she was like Zane and me during the first Trimester; well snuggling in the nude with a rounded belly did make the mating urges more sensible and boy did I love being kissed on the belly button. But I digress here.
"MZ, listen I know that I have been though a lot, but could you do a ceremony for me and Zane." I said realizing that I was going to ask a dozy from her. "I want you to baptized me and a young X9 that came into town recently." I said as MZ looked at me.
"Brin, I'm not a follower of the Blue Lady; I'm a follower of the Gias and I'm not sure that it would be right." She said worried that I was going to ask her to do something she did not want to do.
"Marzena, you are the most religious person I know and the closest thing we have her to a priest. I want you to do this. I want to say to myself that I want my sins to be forgiven and I want to give one of the clones of the Oh'Niners a chance to start her life fresh, with a family." I said as I watched her chew over the decision.
"Okay, I'll do this for you Brin." She said as she looked over at my little girl Eva. "You know, I think the main reason you are doing this is to show them you can be normal and be a mother." MZ said as she reached over to caress the side of my face as I let out a soft sigh of relief. "Tinga was right, you needed to fight to get your soul back and I am with you here though the good times and the bad." She said as over the next few hours we planned the ritual down.
***
Several days had passed and I had seen Lynn several times. Despite what had happened to her, she showed a strength that I had only seen once before. I had seen that strength in her sister Tinga. She had been coping with life with Charlie and Case Smith but she was a girl and Case had started to feel that despite the familial bonds they shared. He would be a big brother to her and years later he would beat the crap out of a guy for calling her a Trannie Slut in a public place i.e. Tossing the guy through the window of the guy's car. Eva on the other hand I had to deal with the shock of her going through her first heat cycle on her sixteenth birthday. Between me barricading her in her room and giving her the talk, it was one of those experiences that a mother doesn't forget considering that I had given Lynn the same speech years earlier.
For the next few days, I realized that despite the simple ness of the ceremony I knew that I was taking a huge leap for myself. I had reconciled on part of my past and I would take the steps forward to lay a new path for myself and letting the Lopez family know that I was okay.
***
Standing by the shore of the river of Northern Point I can see Charlie, Case, and Lynn standing together in what looks like comfortable yet nice looking clothing that would probably pass for going to church in. But I notice that Lynn in her white dress looks like an Angel before me. I'm not really sure she knows the reasons why I'm going out of my way to help her, but on a subconscious level she knows it is about her clone. Charlie has tons of pictures of her around their house. Then I turn to see Zane and Ralf holding my babies, I can tell Ralf is thinking about starting a family with Bullet. The two of them are acting like how Krit and Syl used to when I was growing up. Always being there for the other. That thought reminded me that Krit and Syl had invited to their wedding in Seattle and a part of me knew that going there would reopened some old wounds but it would heal others. Mama Lopez would be proud of me doing what I'm about to do here as I turn to see MZ talking with Jason before the ceremony starts and I notice that Jason is rubbing her belly. MZ and Jason grin for a second as they realize that their little one just let out its first buzz from her belly. MZ has this glow that shows that she is going to be a great mother then MZ leaves Jason's arms and walks to me.
"Ready to start?" Marzena said as the sandals on our feet and white dresses showed that this was a major event for the two of us.
"Yes..." I said then we turned to our friends and families and MZ started the ceremony going.
"Um, everyone can I have your attention." MZ said raising her hand up and letting out a low pulse with her sonic powers to get everyone's attention. Everyone stopped talking and looked to the two of us. "Given this is the first Pentane Ceremony I have performed, I will try my best to fulfill the codes and rules of the Followers of the Blue Lady." Marzena said as she moved over to move the shawl that covered my head back so that my full head was revealed.
"We come here to bare witness for Brin in this Ceremony of Redemption." Marzena said as the small group around us quietly listened. I could feel the tension in my own body as I prepared to hear the next few lines that were spoken.
"In the life of a Transgenic, here are times that we have encounters with the spirits from the other side who we blame for causing their deaths or not being able to prevent them. Today, Brin Lee McGovern stands before us and the ghosts and spirits of those she has wronged." Marzena said as she took my hand and guided me as we walked into the river. I could feel the dress I was in starting to soak the water up as it creep up my waist. I could see that MZ's belly was showing through her dress due to her wearing a brown two-piece swimsuit underneath it. For the yellow and orange swimsuit I was wearing didn't show through all that much due to the heavy cloth of the dress I was wearing. But the coldness of the water brought back memories of the night me and the other Escapees ran away from Manticore all those years ago.
"Brin Lee McGovern, X5-359 you stand before me and those around you to state the reason you are here so that the dead can finally rest." Marzena said as I turned with her to the shore and nodded in agreement.
"I Brin Lee McGovern, Manticore X-Series Transgenic number 359 stand before you all to state the reason I am here." I said as I could feel the strange feeling come over me and I could see Tinga's ghost materialize on the shore behind everyone and she nodded her head for me to continue.
"I am here to be baptized in the waters of this river or the sins I have committed against my fellow Transgenics and members of my family. Especially for my late sister Tinga Penny Smith, for whose life I take responsibly for taking. I only wish that she will for give my actions knowing that my soul had been buried from the Re-indocrenization I had experienced. Now with it freed by her spirit, her ghost showed me the light I will strive to make this world a better place so that her family, her children and her clone will know her legacy of being free and alive in this world. When she left this world it became a little darker, but her spirit given how short of a time it was here shown a bright light on us all and made use better people because of it. I pray that the Blue Lady has her at her side and she is guiding others to where they need to be. " With that Tinga's spirit moved over to where Charlie and his family were standing and a small flower started to blow in the wind and land at the feet of her family as if she was letting her presence known to her family.
"Tinga if you can hear me, That you for putting me back on the path of light." I said as Marzena moved over and took my hand as we prepared for the next part of the ceremony.
"I Marzena, X5-478 of the Lapis series, follower of the Gias spirits have been asked by Brin to Baptize her in this stream to cleanse her soul of her sins. May the Blue Lady accept your penance for you're past actions and allow you to life free." With that Marzena slowly lowered me backwards into the water and I could feel the coldness sink in around the surface and me closed in around my head and body chilling me to the core. But I could also feel that I was being lifted up as well as Marzena took one of her hands and caressed my forehead then she brought me back to the surface as the rush of water signaled the pulling of the sins from my body as I broke the surface. I was soaking wet but I felt that I was free and had been given a new chance in life. Tinga's ghost was still standing there and I noticed that my two children were looking right at her. She blew them a kiss before turning back to me. In my head I could hear her words.
"Now baby sister you now know why I gave my life to save Case. As long as we make an impact on those around us we can make the world a better place. Now you will make a difference in the world in your own way and you already have." With that Tinga started to fade away as she reached over and touched her son Case and her cloned daughter Lynn on the shoulder as her last words echoed in my head as both children turned to see who had touched them on the shoulder.
"Be a good parent to your children and be a good aunt to mine Brin. I'll be watching." Those are words I have lived by for the rest of my life as I guide this new generation of Transgenics, Hybrids, T-Bloods and Ordinaries into this new world in which we live.
As the years have passed I have reconciled with the Lopez family and told them the truth of what I was and why I had to leave. I had the chance to say this before Papa Lopez died of cancer and he had the chance to see his grandchildren, which made him proud. I become an Aunt on both sides of the family and I still feel that Mama Lopez knew even when I was a child that I was different. But being a mother now, I always see the ways Tinga has impacted me and I'm happy to have fully rediscovery my humanity.
Thank you Big Sister for teaching me the way back to the light.
***
Brin Lee McGovern
Date: May 28, 2037
Mother of two, Oh'Nine Escapee, Ex-Assassin, and leader of the Transgenic Canadian colony of Northern Point; Yeah, that sums me up pretty much.
First page of Brin Lee McGovern's interview for the New Canadian Time Newspaper.
***
In Mythology when a mythical creature who wanted to go to heaven or join humanity; they had to perform a deed of great magnitude to gain a soul to get in. We Transgenics have earned our souls through our deeds and will with luck get into Heaven to see our loved ones that have passed on. -- Brin (Opening quote to her Autobiography 'Ghosts of Manticore')
The End