Alan Carter looked down the hallway, establishing that there was no one around. He nodded to Lucas, who with Darren, quickly entered the water recycling area, then he walked further down the hallway with Sarah, Fraser and Lance in tow. Alan indicated the door reading "Agriculture Stores" and Sarah and Lance entered it. Fraser and Carter continued moving through corridors until they saw the main computer room. Together, Carter and Fraser entered the room, closing the door behind them.
Natarak laughed as she recalled the mortified look on Helena Russell's face as she left Koenig's office. The human had bought herself far more than she had bargained, and in the end, the game had become more rough than Russell had anticipated. She felt the strong, angry emotion from Koenig's essence, and her laughter rolled through his mind.
"Now, Commander, you really must learn to let go. It was just a game. I'm sure the way I used your mortal body didn't hurt her....too much."
The laughter echoed again through his consciousness, and John Koenig felt lost. He had no control over his mind, body, what he said, what he did.... there was only a small corner in which Natarak allowed him to exist, tormenting him with her behavior. The threat of harm to Helena was the only reason he had remained dormant; but at this point, he doubted that he would be able to have any affect on her in any case. He was weak and tired, and knew he would be unable to stand any more of the agony that was hers to dispense.
The beep of a communication grabbed his attention. Natarak punched a button on the console, and Victor Bergman's face filled the screen.
Koenig's voice was cautious, "Yes professor?"
"John, I feel I owe you an explanation regarding last night. And an apology. I can't begin to tell you how awful I feel; I didn't know what I was doing. Can you come to my quarters for a short time?"
Through Koenig's eyes, Natarak studied the professor; he was up to something, she knew.
Koenig smiled at Bergman, "Yes, we should clear the air. I'll come by in about ten minutes or so."
"Thank you, John."
The screen went blank, and Natarak looked within.
"Tell me what he's up to, Koenig. Tell me, and I'll consider ending his life quickly instead of dreadfully slowly. You know, I had forgotten how much fun it was to feel all of these sensations."
John remained silent, and his essence felt searing pain. He wondered if he'd be able to hold out....
Helena ran as fast as she could to her quarters, tears rushing down her face. She had never felt such primitive emotions from John; his touch had been almost barbaric, as if he was from another time, another place. The doors to her quarters slid open and closed quickly, and Helena could feel her heart pounding against her chest as she leaned against the solid steel of the bulkhead. It wasn't John. My God, was he dead? Or worse, what if he was somehow locked inside of himself, able to witness everything that was said or done, but unable to stop any of it! Helena closed her eyes in terror. And the sorrow was too much for her. Sobs of hurt, pity, and fear crashed through her in giant waves of grief, and she sank to the floor. Victor was right; he was right, and she didn't know how she could help John, or if she could help him at all. He might well be dead; dead or held prisoner within his own psyche, at the whim of some being who would destroy everything John held dear, by his own hand.
And in that moment, Helena understood what had pushed Victor Bergman to the brink of ending John's life. It had been out of compassion and love. She wondered if she too loved John Koenig enough to be willing to set him free, knowing that she would have to continue on without him; she prayed that she would not have to make such a choice.
Victor sealed the letters in two envelopes and scribbled names on them. He turned to the young woman standing across the table from him.
"Sandra, I'd appreciate it if you'd deliver these for me."
Benes looked at the envelopes before tucking them into her belt, "Of course, Professor, it's not a problem." She looked at him closer, concern filling her eyes, "Is there anything else, you seem.... unsettled."
He smiled at her, "No Sandra, thank you. I'm just antsy from being cooped up in here, that's all."
"I'm sure it won't be forever."
He shrugged, "One hopes not, my dear."
The door slid opened, and Koenig stood in the doorway. He looked at Benes.
"Sandra?"
"Excuse me, Commander, I just dropped by to see if the Professor needed anything. I'm on my way back to Main Mission now."
"Very well."
The young officer walked past Koenig and the door slid closed behind her. John smiled benevolently at the older man before him. Victor simply stared at him.
"Well?"
Bergman studied Koenig a moment longer before speaking, then finally, he smiled.
"I wondered whether or not you'd actually show."
"Really."
"Yes. You see, on the one hand, I figured your curiosity would get the best of you, but on the other, I thought your fear might keep you away."
"My fear? Of you?"
"Certainly."
Victor smiled at Koenig, and the latter found the smugness annoying.
"Why should I be afraid of you? Because you tried to kill me last night, while I lay unconscious?"
Victor laughed, "Touché! But you and I both know that I was carrying out the request of my closest friend, and you are most definitely not John Koenig." Victor moved over to sit on the couch, keeping his demeanor relaxed, "I would like very much though, to know who you really are."
Koenig frowned, although there was still a slight smile on his lips, "Your mind is seriously touched, Victor, for I am Commander Koenig. You can run any test you think of and it will tell you that I have his DNA, his brain wave patterns, every scar, cap and fault."
Bergman laughed, "Oh, I know that, but inside, that which makes John Koenig special, unique, that is now different. But then, that's not something one can measure, is it? Except to know a man's behavior, his likes, dislikes; to know his mind - a close friend can spot the most infinitesimal change, and begin to question why. It's only a matter of time that you will be found out. John's in there somewhere, I know that he is; and he will find a way to trip you up. Perhaps he already has made you say or do something that is out of character. What do you think, have you been careful enough?"
Victor could see the anger working on the man's face. He needed only to provoke him a tiny bit further, and this being would unleash its power on him full force. Victor knew his death would serve to unmask this impostor, and he hoped it would give John the chance he needed to exert his will and overcome it. Bergman stood, and walked closer to Koenig, crossing his arms in front of his chest, as though taking stock of the man in front of him.
"Hmmm.....how long has it been since you've taken a human form? A hundred years? A thousand? Has it been long enough that the basic needs of carbon-based life takes you by surprise? Eating, sleeping, interaction with other people...sex? Are you able to control your primitive instinct, or is the baser nature of man overriding your intellect?"
Koenig hissed at him, "You have no idea what wrath you will bring down upon yourself, Professor Bergman."
Victor laughed, further infuriating the being, "Will you crawl into my mind now? Is that all you have in your bag of tricks? Is it all smoke and mirrors, or do you feel anything that is human?" He could see it wouldn't take much more, he leaned closer, smirking, "I'll bet you can't feel anything.... any normal man would have taken my head off by now...."
"And so I shall, Professor, and so I shall...."
The man who looked like Koenig started toward Victor, his intent clear. As Bergman moved back, John's face contorted as though in tremendous pain.
His voice was strained, but it was definitely John Koenig, "V-vic-tor.....get out! Run!"
Koenig shook his head clear, and threw himself at the smaller man, knocking Bergman to the floor. He picked the older man up, and threw him into the wall, Victor's head connecting painfully against the bulkhead. The large commander grabbed Bergman again, and launched blow after blow to his face and midsection. Victor tried to defend himself, but he was no match for Koenig's stature, age and physical condition. His last thought was of John, and how he wished this would set him free.....