Mo Cat: I sorry for not responding in the last chappie! I sped, I sorry! :P thanx for all the compliments! Unfortunately, one can't play music during a fanfic. :(
Iara: I didn't respond to you either! I sorry! That's great that you're enjoying this; I live to serve! Well, I guess chap 16 will happen next! :P
Prin69: I did this just for you, let me simply say: DOUBLE THE RHADE! Who the hell is Ned Flanders? I sent you an e-mail yesterday 'cause I was bored; plz don't shoot me!
A/N: I'm on a normal computer again! HOORAY! Just to clear up some confusion: Terla is a doppelganger from the Forgotten Realms, NOT in ANY WAY connected to (bleck!) Star Trek. All spells are from the Realms as well. I was watching Star Wars: A New Hope over the weekend, so I is sorry if a certain Nietzschean is reminding you of Obi-Wan Kenobi! And some of the lines are kinda corny, but hey! Whadda'ya expect from me? Extra-long to make up for my laziness w/ the last two chappies!
Chapter 16
Beka could feel something, like the air was slowly getting heavier, charged with energy that was slowly building. She gasped for breath as the energy grew, and grew until the very air seemed to shimmer.
Terla suddenly pointed her hands at the carved runes, crying out a loud exclamation that seemed to focus all the energy straight at the bulkhead.
The carved runes around the large circle began to glow with a multitude of colors; many of which Beka suspected even Andromeda would have a hard time finding out what color they were. A small, reflective silver dot began to grow in the middle of the oval while the runes spun around it. The dot expanded until it encompassed the entire oval. All at once the runes stopped glowing and spinning and the energy wavered and disappeared.
Beka let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding and looked at Terla, who was massaging her fingertips.
Terla looked calmly at the crew. "Teleportation spell," she said as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "I'll cast a spell so you can see the Slipstream core while I am there. I won't let you down, even though I know you still don't trust me," she said firmly, casting a pointed look at Harper and Dylan. She proceeded to wave her hands at the opposite wall, releasing a fist-sized blob of goo that began to grow on the bulkhead.
"What's that?" Harper asked, staring apprehensively at it as it grew to be about the height of the viewscreens in the Command Deck.
"It's like a viewscreen," Beka said. "Trust me, I should know."
Harper didn't ask. "Give me nice, simple electronics any day."
Terla took a pouch from one of her many pockets. "This is pixie dust. All clichés aside, it will make me invisible." She took a small handful and flung it into the air above her. As she faded from sight, she said; "Watch the viewer; I think you will be surprised." The portal flashed, indicating the doppelganger had stepped through.
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Beka stood in front of the 'viewscreen.' She saw Rhade standing with his back to them, piloting the 'Stream. She blinked in surprise, suddenly seeing a Nietzschean male wearing a uniform like Dylan's, except with a red shirt and beige pants. His footsteps made no sound as he walked toward Rhade. Gaheris Rhade Beka thought. Way to go, Terla.
"Telemachus Rhade," Gaheris said, standing with his hands clasped behind his back, feet spread apart. "Out of Majoram by Rhade."
Telemachus turned in surprise at hearing his own voice, then turned back to piloting. "You are a hologram," he said robotically. "Trying to keep me from fulfilling my mission."
"A hologram?" Gaheris asked, looking down. "Hm." He looked up, eyebrows raised. "Then I assume the memories of your past are holograms as well?"
"Extraneous information," Telemachus responded. "Unimportant to the completion of my mission."
"You are repeating my mistakes," Gaheris said. "Why? You have been given a chance to serve on one of the most powerful warships in the Known Worlds. Do not waste it as I did."
Telemachus's shoulders slumped. "I don't know what to believe anymore," he said. "Everything I think is truth seems to contradict itself."
"Then you must do what you feel is right," Gaheris replied, moving to stand next to Telemachus, hands still at the small of his back.
"Do what I feel is right?" Telemachus laughed, bordering on hysteria. "What is right anymore?" At this point I don't even know which way is up."
"You are confused, that is understandable," Gaheris nodded. "Then I will tell you what right is. Right is loyalty, right is trustworthy, right is rejecting what Pish has told you."
"But what has Pish told me?" Telemachus countered. "I can't even tell the difference anymore."
"Trust me," Gaheris said simply.
"Trust you?" Telemachus snorted. "For all I know you're that shape-shifting bitch Terla."
"I can help you, Telemachus," Gaheris said. "You have nothing to loose-"
Dylan suddenly reached for his wrist-comm. "Karaki!" he barked. "Get ready to take Slipstream control."
"Aye-aye."
Beka turned back to the drama unfolding on the screen.
"-And everything to gain," Gaheris continued. "Your life could be regained in an instant, at no cost to yourself. Return piloting control to the Command Deck, and you have my word that I will remove the indoctrination."
Telemachus hesitated, then reached and tapped something on the waist-high screen.
Andromeda wildly careened off the Slip corridor(?), and Beka could faintly hear someone swearing in all the way in Command. "Warn a girl before you fucking release the fucking control, goddammit!" was a small sample as Karaki brought the ship under control.
Sparks flew in the background as Telemachus stood opposite Gaheris, like some sort of distorted mirror. (A/N: wouldn't that be a cool scene in the episode? Sorry for interrupting, back to the story!)
Gaheris reached out and touched Telemachus's forehead. The result was immediate. Telemachus reacted as if struck by lightening, limbs jerking like some deformed puppet. He collapsed, motionless, to the floor. Gaheris turned as if he knew exactly where the viewscreen was, saluted, and disappeared.
Terla tumbled out of the portal in the form of Liara, white and shaking.
"What did you do?" Dylan demanded, helping her to her feet.
"Nothing," Terla said matter-of-factly.
"What are you talking about?" Harper asked, brow furrowing. "I saw you with the whole Gaheris imitation. Good job."
"I love compliments," Terla responded, shaking her head. "But it-wasn't-me."
"What are you saying?" Beka asked, crossing her arms.
"The way I see it, there are four options," Terla said, and began ticking them off her fingers. "A- you have someone with a hologram projector. B- we're all crazy. C- there is another shapeshifter-wizard as powerful as I on board. Not likely, but possible."
"And the fourth?" Trance asked, looking as though she already knew the answer.
"You have a ghost," Terla said calmly.
"A ghost," Harper repeated dully.
"Well that's just great," Dylan said sarcastically.
A/N: Heeheehee, DOUBLE THE RHADE!!! :P