Susan's face was an unreadable mask as she watched the black Psi-Corp shuttle entering the Rasputin's shuttle bay. She didn't want to be here to greet the Psi-Cop, but soon realised that staying away would have been even more suspicious. Being this close to a Psi-Cop was certainly not the way she would have hoped to spend an afternoon. In fact, she could probably think of a thousand things more pleasant that she could image doing right now.
Back on Babylon 5, everyone else had been as suspicious of Bester as she was, especially after the first incident involving him, but here she was alone. Some among her crew and command staff may not like telepaths, but they were still not going to go against Earthforce regulations. Therefore, Susan found herself standing alone in the shuttle bay, preparing to meet someone who with a single thought could ruin her entire life.
It was late afternoon by the time the shuttle from Mars had arrived, and for a moment Susan had thought about claiming she was asleep and sending someone else to meet with the Psi-Cop. That would only be putting off the inevitable though, and she had to face her fears eventually. She could only hope this Psi-Cop was not like Bester, and was someone who obeyed the rules of the Corp, which clearly stated no illegal scans.
The door of the shuttle open and a longhaired Asian woman walked down to meet her. "Captain Ivanova?" the woman asked cautiously. After Susan nodded, she continued. "I am Sarah Chang, Psi-Corp rating P12. I am here to examine the recent conduct of Mr. Anderson." She held out her hand for Susan to shake.
Susan refused to shake hands with the Psi-Cop instead asked coldly, "and exactly what is Mr. Anderson supposed to have done?"
Sarah withdrew her hand, a little annoyed. Bester had informed her that Ivanova was bound to be a little difficult; something about her mother if she remembered correctly. However, she had thought the Captain would at least be civil. She opened her mind and could feel the hatred and fear being broadcast at her so strongly, that for a moment she thought the Captain was actually sending it directly into her mind. She dismissed that idea though, realising that the feelings the Captain felt for telepaths were unusually strong, and she was just not used to such powerful hatred.
Realising that she hadn't reposed to the Captain's question yet, Sarah hurried to answer her. "We are not sure he has done anything yet Captain," the Psi-Cop replied. "We are simply investigating his disappearance at the moment."
"I do not see how we can help you out there," Susan said. "After all, he is no longer on board."
Sarah smiled. "I would like to investigate his quarters for clues about his destination. Then I will speak to his assistant, as well anyone else who had contact with him, yourself included."
"I had nothing to do with him, Ms. Chang," Susan said. "As for everyone else you can speak to them, but I don't want you conducting illegal scans on anyone, I had trouble with your kind on Babylon 5."
"You mean Mr. Bester?" Sarah asked, still smiling. "He told me he knew you."
Susan stared suspiciously at the telepath. "You know Bester," she asked.
Sarah nodded. "Only in passing, of course, I work in the same department as him on Mars. Why is there is problem with Mr. Bester."
"Nothing that need concern you Ms. Chang," Susan replied firmly. "You will have my cooperation here as long as you stay within the rules. Break them, I will have you thrown off my ship so fast it will make you head spin."
"Understood Captain," Sarah said with a brief nod, "Now if you will excuse me I will begin my investigation."
Ivanova nodded and stood aside, allowing the telepath to continue towards the lifts leading to the upper decks. Sarah gave her another smile, one she thought was comforting, but the captain obviously only thought was condescending. 'Oh well,' she thought to herself as she walked toward the exit. Obviously there was something upsetting the Captain, and if it involved Mr. Bester then she could probably understand what Ivanova was going through.
She was the latest in a long line of assistants Bester had gone through over the years. Some had died. Others had disappeared, while the rest had retired, worn out after just a few months. Sarah had looked on the posting though as an opportunity. She had only just turned twenty, so for a young telepath like her to be posted such an important position was quite an honour. Perhaps Bester had sensed something in her when they had first met last year, which might explain why he had requested her, but no matter the reason, she was determined to do the job well.
So far, her efforts had not been that successful though. The investigation of the dead telepath on Mars had drawn a complete blank. Then, during her second mission as Bester's assistant, Kiel had escaped during her watch. Still Bester had not seemed too upset, but then she had been unable to really tell what he was feeling, his blocks too strong for her to penetrate without being noticed.
Sarah smiled as she thought about what Captain Ivanova has said about her not being allowed to scan anyone. Obviously, the Captain thought she was able to prevent her abilities from working somehow. As a P12, her telepathic abilities were so strong that it was almost impossible to block out thoughts that were directed at her. Even with the powerful blocks she raised in her mind, the thoughts of normals trickled through regardless. She could block others from reading her mind but not stop herself from scanning the surface thoughts of others.
Of course, she was not actually scanning them, just noticing thoughts directed at her, and their feelings. If she chose to, she could go deeper, but that would definitely be breaking the laws, and something she didn't want to do yet, especially given the way the Captain obviously felt about telepaths. Sarah shuddered slightly as she imagined what might cause someone to have so much hatred for telepaths. Bester had mentioned something about Ivanova's mother, but had not gone into details. No matter what it was, Sarah could not imagine hating someone so much.
A gentle mental probe against the blocks she had erected inside her mind snapped Sarah's attention back to her surroundings; someone was trying to scan her! The Psi-Cop looked around quickly and her eyes soon fell on a blonde woman dressed in the green uniform of the Psi-Corp military adviser leaning casually against a large crate near the lifts. Realising that this must be Anderson's assistant she made her way across the cargo bay to greet her.
"Ms. Winters?" she asked, reaching the other telepath's side.
Talia looked at Sarah as if the Psi-Cop was something she had just scraped off her shoe. "And you are?" she asked, sounding a little bored.
Sarah opened her mind a little to scan the other woman's mind, knowing that while she had easily detected Talia's attempt, she should be able to enter the other woman's mind without being detected. To her surprise, she couldn't sense the Talia's thoughts. It was as if Talia's mind was completely blank and empty.
"I am Sarah Chang," she said at last, concerned by what she had discovered. "I am attached to Psi-Corp on Mars and I am here to investigate the disappearance of your superior Mr. Anderson."
"Has he disappeared?" Talia said innocently. "I wondered why I hadn't seen him around for the past few days."
"Yes he has," replied Sarah, a frown beginning to creep across her face. "And I would like your assistance in finding out what has happened to him."
"I am a little busy," Talia replied with a yawn. She looked across to where Ivanova was talking to one of the Rasputin's maintenance crews. "I have someone I want to talk to."
"I am not sure Captain Ivanova wants to talk to you," Sarah said. "The feelings I picked up from her when we met were very strong. I don't think she likes telepaths that much."
"I know," Talia said with a bright smile.
"Well I need your assistance," Sarah said, growing a little annoyed by now. "I have to meet with someone else on this ship, and I want you there as well so I don't have to repeat my orders."
"Sorry," Talia said. "I am too busy." She then turned and began to walk away.
Sarah quickly recalled the password given to her by Bester and sent it into the other woman's mind. She hadn't wanted to do this, but she also needed Ms. Winter's assistance. Talia froze when the Psi-Cop's mental order pounded into her brain and she turned around slowly and walked back to Sarah's side. The Psi-Cop smiled, "Now that is decided we can continue. Are you ready to assist me now."
"Yes," Talia responded, her voice sounding a little strained. "There was no need to be so insistent."
"Well I need your assistance and I don't have time for any stupidity," Sarah replied. "Now lets go."
Talia nodded and followed the Psi-Cop into the lift, any thoughts of rebellion forgotten. The password the Psi-Cop had sent into her mind made it extremely painful for her to disobey any command sent by the same person. With a sigh, she decided that the task Anderson had given her would have to wait until later. Until she was given leave to return to her normal duties, she had to do what the Psi-Cop ordered.
The Psi-Cop exited the lift on the main access deck that ran the whole length of the ship. To Talia surprise, they didn't head towards the transporter that would take them down the length of the vessel, but instead down the corridor that led to the section set aside as a sickbay. "Where are we going," she asked Sarah.
"We are going to meet someone," was the reply.
"Who," Talia pushed.
There was no reply though, as the Psi-Cop stopped and waited until a short, balding man wearing a white coat and gold-rimmed spectacles pushed his way past, heading along the passage they had just come down. "What a strange mind," Sarah said after he had passed and was out of earshot.
"That is Dr. Kozlowski," Talia informed her. "He is a little unusual."
"I don't think I have ever seen a mind so disorganised and cluttered," the Psi-Cop said, watching the retreat back of the doctor as he turned round the corner and headed down the passage that lead towards engineering. "Sensing his thoughts is like looking into a vast pile of hay and trying to find a tiny, tiny needle. Have you scanned him before?"
Talia nodded. "Several times. I have had no luck either. He is constantly thinking about so many different facts and fantasies at once that it is possible to detect the reality from the false."
"Most unusual," Sarah muttered to herself as she resumed walking toward the sick bay. Perhaps if she had the time later she would examine the doctor a little closer, it might make an interesting article in the weekly Psi-Corp journal. She had always wanted to have something published there, and a detailed study of Kozlowski's mind might just be interesting enough to get her writing into the journal's pages.
She was still thinking this over when she walked into sickbay. The small collection of doctors and nurses suddenly found themselves needed elsewhere as soon as she entered, obviously noticing the black uniform. Sarah felt a stab of annoyance at their actions. 'Didn't they realise that she was only there to protect them, she thought angrily as her eyes swept around the room looking for Bester's agent. Seeing of no sign of the face from the file she had been given, Sarah grabbed the closet nurse. "Where is Dr. Amanda Taylor," she asked, a little harsher than she had intended.
The nurse quickly pointed a trembling finger towards a door on the other side of the room. Sarah looked at Talia, who was still standing near the door, a look of amusement on her face. "Follow me," she said. Talia nodded and the two telepaths crossed the room and opened the door leading into the doctor's private office.
"Doctor Taylor," Sarah called, seeing the doctor sitting in a chair at the far end of the laboratory they had just entered. When the woman did not answer, Sarah crossed the room and put her hand on the doctor's shoulder. "Doctor Taylor," she said again.
"I don't think she is going to answer you," Talia said, reaching down and spinning the doctor's chair around to face them. "I couldn't feel her thoughts when I entered, so I knew something was wrong."
Sarah was annoyed at herself for not noticing the same, but considering that she kept the walls in her mind so high that she didn't accidentally pick up the thoughts of normals and other telepath's, it was not surprising. "Damn," the Psi-Cop swore. "It looks like she is dead. Cordon off this whole section Ms. Winters, while I call the Captain. Try and find Dr. Taylor's assistant on the way back, I'm going to need a doctor to examine her."
Talia nodded, and walked out into the main sick bay area. Sarah cast her eyes over the dead doctor. 'So much for Bester's agent,' she thought. There did not appear to be anything in the way of visible injuries, but there was a thin trickle of blood running from the doctor's nose. With a sigh, she realised that no only did she have a missing renegade, but now also a dead Psi-Corp agent, Bester was not going to be happy.
These thoughts on her mind she tapped her link. An anonymous voice answered her summons. "Yes," it asked.
"Get me Captain Ivanova," she ordered. "And make it quick."
The link beeped once again and this time the tired voice of the Captain answered, "Ivanova here."
"Captain this is Sarah Chang. I need you in sick bay as soon as possible, there has been a murder."
"Who?" Ivanova asked.
"Your chief medical officer, Doctor Amanda Taylor."
"I will be right there," was the Captain's response.
The link then went dead and Sarah went back to her examination of the body. She was about to go and summon one of the other doctor's when Talia returned, dragging a slightly nervous looking man, dressed in the bluish-grey of the medical staff, behind her. The man's face went white, which must have been very difficult considering his well-tanned skin, at the sight of the dead woman.
"What... What happened," he asked.
"That is what we want you to find out doctor," Sarah informed him, stepping aside so he could look at the body.
"Of course," the doctor replied, hurrying over to examine Amanda's body. He poked and prodded for a couple of minutes before looking up into the Psi-Cop's expectant eyes. "Umm I don't know. I will have to do an autopsy to be sure. There are several possibilities, but I can't tell for sure without an autopsy."
Sarah nodded. "You had better begin then doctor, and I want the results sent to me as soon as possible."
He nodded and rushed off to get someone to help him take the dead doctor's body away to an examination table. Sarah turned to Talia. "Well this is annoying," she said. "I was planning on having Dr. Taylor assist us in looking for Mr. Anderson, and now I have to look for her murderer, as well as Anderson."
"My money is on the Captain," Talia replied, noticing that Ivanova had just arrived. "After all we all now how much she hates telepaths, or at least most telepaths." She paused and stared and Susan with a smile. "Isn't that right Captain?"
"Isn't what right?" Susan asked as she entered the room, looking annoyed and shocked at the same time at seeing Amanda's dead body. " What the hell happened here?"
"We don't know yet Captain," Sarah replied, shooting a glare at Talia to try to keep her quiet. We just arrived to speak to Dr. Taylor, but someone it seems had already been here and we found her like this."
"Well not quite like this," Talia cut in with a chuckle. "She was facing the other way when we found her."
Both Ivanova and Sarah glared at her this time, Sarah annoyed at the interruption, and Susan a little shocked that anyone could find someone's death amusing. With a slight look of disgust on her face, Susan turned back to look at the Psi-Cop instead. "Do you have any idea what she died of?" She asked.
Sarah shook her head. "Not yet," she replied. "It looks like we will have to wait until an autopsy. But I would like to begin the investigation at once."
"You?" Susan said, a little confused. "Wouldn't this be something best left to Major Logan, who is after all in charge of security on board the Rasputin?"
"I am more experienced," Sarah replied, not really wanting to tell the captain that Bester had put a Psi-Corp agent on her ship. She could already imagine what reaction that piece of news would get. "Besides this Major Logan is not a telepath, and I will be needed one way or the other, so I might as well be involved from the beginning."
"What about your mission to find Mr. Anderson though?" Susan argued, not wanting the telepath to stick around any longer than necessary. "Surely that takes precedence over the murder of one of my staff, assuming it was a murder."
"Yes, but this may be related to my mission, and I am sure my superiors will not mind me remaining here a while longer to investigate this murder, if, as you said, it is in fact a murder. It may be natural causes, although I doubt that very much."
Susan reluctantly agreed, realising that she was unlikely to get rid of the Psi-Cop that easily. "Very well Ms. Chang," she said. "But until we know for sure this is murder I don't want you running around arresting anyone and everyone just on suspicion. And if you do need to arrest anyone on board, then Major Logan will provide a security team to assist."
"I will try to contain myself Captain," she said with a faint smile. Then she noticed the doctor she had spoken to earlier returning with a stretcher and three nurses and motioned everyone to stand out of the way. After Amanda Taylor's body had been carried off, she turned back to the Captain. "The autopsy will likely take some time," Sarah told Susan. "So, seeing it is already quite late, I might get some rest first and begin my investigation later. Until then though, I want this whole section sealed off, and everyone who is in the sick bay held for questioning, including the medical staff currently on duty."
Susan nodded. "I will get Major Logan to assign several marines to secure the medical bay. If you need anything else then let her know."
"I think that will do for now Captain," Sarah replied.
Susan nodded and hurried out of sickbay, with on final look in the direction of dead doctor. Talia watched her leave and then leaned over to Sarah. "What did I tell you," she whispered, just low enough so that the others in the room could not hear her. "There goes a guilty woman if you ask me."
"I think I will wait until the autopsy is finished first," Sarah replied coldly, annoyed at the way the other woman was treating the Captain. There was probably something more here than she could see at first glance, but there was no need for Talia to treat Ivanova so badly. She would have to keep an eye on her while she was here.
"As you wish," Talia said with a shrug. "If you ask me though, you are wasting your time. The Captain is obviously guilty."
Noticing the stares of some of the medical staff, Sarah frowned and turned to Talia. "Shut up," she said bluntly. "Or I will have to do something I don't really want to."
Talia was about to open her mouth again when she remember the way Sarah had controlled her down in the shuttle bay and nodded, subdued for the moment. The Psi-Cop looked pleased that Talia had finally learned her place and ordered the other telepath to follow her as she headed for the deck set aside for the quarters of the command staff. It would be sometime before the autopsy was complete, so that gave her some time to examine Anderson's quarters and think. She didn't really want to have to tell Bester what had occurred yet, that could wait until she was sure of what had killed his agent.
Besides, as she had told the Captain, it was late, and back on Mars, it would be the middle of the night. Bester could wait until tomorrow when she knew more, and he wouldn't be upset about her waking him in the middle of the night. Instead, she turned her thoughts inwards, trying to determine who could have killed the Psi-Corp agent. Talia was correct in thinking that Captain Ivanova was a possible suspect, but then until Sarah knew more about the Rasputin's crew so was everyone else on board the warship.
Anderson walked quickly down the wide passage that led to the command deck of the Enlightener, as Kiel was now insisting that the warship be called by its crew. The command section, as well as the main weapon itself had been completed months ago, but it had unfortunately not been ready to use during the civil war. That had been something of a sore point for Kiel, as it had set his plans back by nearly six months. Still everything was now nearing completion, and even without the new destroyers that President Clark had originally promised as an escort, it was a mighty weapon.
Nodding to the two soldiers who stood guard, PPG rifles slung casually over their shoulders, he made his way onto the bridge. It was empty at this time on night, with only Kiel and one of their alien allies present. The rest of the crew, almost exclusively human, were probably resting, except for those in the fighter control section two decks below the bridge, who were always on standby to launch the fighters in case of another attack.
Of course, the ancient transport that had attempted to scout the Arisia system hardly comprised what Anderson would have called an attack. Kiel had been very concerned though, and had made Anderson contact all their remaining agents inside Earthdome and the Psi-Corps to see what was going on.
"Well," the former Psi-Cop asked, seeing his assistant hurrying up the ramp towards the commander's seat.
"Nothing," Anderson replied. "None of our agents has reported anything out of the ordinary. There have been no major fleet movements in the past few days, and from what they could tell the transport was not on an official mission from Earthforce."
"Hmmm," Kiel murmured to himself. "It may have been just an accident then. Perhaps the transport jumped here for some other reason."
A whisper from beside him drew both telepath's attention and they turned to look at the grey skinned alien who had spoken. The creature still wore it's dark hood, as it had done every time Kiel had met it, but now it also held a round translation device of some kind, that flashed whenever it spoke. "Humans did not send vessel?" it asked.
"Not that we know of," Kiel responded. "It was Earthforce, but they didn't send it."
"They will come?" the alien queried. "Soon?"
Kiel looked at Anderson who shook his head. "I don't think so," the younger telepath said. "Our agents said that Colonel Leong has been put in charge of investigating the fighters. He is an old school officer and is suspicious of Orion VII and Vega Colony, where most raiders usually hide out, so his team is already on their way to those worlds. They know nothing of us yet so hopefully they will go missing in the jungles of Vega and never be seen again."
"Good," the alien whispered.
Kiel agreed with him. It was good that Earthforce knew nothing of their plans. This whole project had to be a surprise if it was to work. The alien had supplied the necessary technology to power the ship and the fighters, and their allies among the Centauri had supplied detailed technical plans for the weapon, which was apparently some sort of old project of the republic that they never had the money or will to complete. Now with everything in place, all they needed was another week of security. Then, with what was left of the Earth Alliance fleet spread across a wide expanse of space, it would be easy for Kiel to sneak through and attack at the heart of the Alliance.
The alien noticed his smile, but said nothing. Its plans were a little different from Kiel's, and it did not care if this project work or failed. If it worked and Kiel conquered the alliance as he planned then he would become their slave, controlled by a Keeper as the Centauri Regent now was. If it failed and Kiel died, then that would serve the alien's plans just as well. The telepath was a fool, as most humans who sought power were. He could not see past his own dreams to see the truth that was right in front of him. Had the alien been capable of doing so he would have smiled. Instead, he just stood and watched as the telepath strutted around the bridge as if he already ruled the Earth Alliance.
Nathan Kozlowski hurried back along the corridor toward the lifts. He had been in his quarters, feeding his goldfish when he suddenly remembered that he still hadn't given the Captain the information on telepathic mindwipes that she had asked for. He didn't know if it was important to her or not, but he did know that he never liked to leave anything unfinished. Rushing towards her quarters, he never ever saw her leaving the officer's dining room until it was too late and they had collided. The doctor fell to the floor and the data crystal slipped from his fingers and rolled across the floor.
"Watch where you're going," Ivanova snapped.
"Captain!" Kozlowski said with a pleased smile on his face as he collected the crystal and picked himself up. "I was just on my way to see you."
"What can I do for you, Doctor?"
He pushed the data crystal containing the information he had collected into her hands. "Here is the research I promised Captain," he said before rushing off again, not wanting to leave his latest experiment alone for too long in case it exploded and ruined his quarters.
"What," Susan said in confusion as she looked down at the data crystal sitting in her hands. By the time she looked up again, the white coated back of the doctor was just disappearing through the rapidly closing doors of the nearest lift. Shrugging she dropped the data crystal into a pocket and headed off to her quarters, reminding herself to look at it later.
However, as she walked off towards her quarters, she stepped on something that rolled away from beneath her boot. Just managing to catch herself before falling, she looked down to see a smooth sphere of white rock sitting on the metal floor. Bending down to pick it up, she realised that it must have belonged to the doctor, and had fallen out of one of his pockets when he had collided with her. She looked back in the direction of the lift again, but then decided that right now she needed to sleep, the events of the day leaving her worn out. She would give Kozlowski his pet rock back in the morning.
After making her way though her office and into her quarters, Susan pulled open the sliding doors leading into her bedroom and let herself fall forward onto her bed. It felt so comfortable and warm that she could not bring herself to get up again and remove her uniform, instead just lying there fully dressed until sleep finally claimed her.
For the first time in several nights, Susan's sleep was troubled by nightmares. Perhaps it was the death of Dr. Taylor, or maybe the presence of the Psi-Cop on her ship, but whatever the cause she was soon writhing on the bed, crying out in fear at the demons that stalked her in the night.
In her dream she was strapped to a chair as a wildly laughing Bester, joined by Talia, Anderson, and Chang danced around her waving large needles, just like the ones the Psi-Corp had used to inject the sleeper drugs into her mother. Her screams were suddenly cut short though as her phantom tormentors vanished, along with the needles and the chair. Instead, she found herself standing outside her quarters, dressed in her uniform, which was rumpled as if she had fallen asleep wearing it.
The corridor was dark, but she soon became away of a faint light coming from behind her. Turning to face the door of her cabin, she watched as a thin ribbon of light passed through the door and began to curl around her. She tried to back away, but found it was if her feet were glued to the floor, she couldn't move.
A whispering voice drifted to her, somehow distant and close at the same time. "You chose well, little singer," it said, its voice accompanied by what seemed like music. It was so beautiful and soothing that Susan could not stop herself from being caught up in its song, the memories of her bad dream washing away.
"What do you mean?" Susan asked.
"You do not remember our last meeting?" the voice asked.
"Obviously not," Susan replied, trying to turn her head to look at the ribbon of light that curled around her body. "Who are you?"
"You have already asked me that," the voice said. "Your song is still too weak," the voice said, and Susan detected a note of sadness enter the music that accompanied it. "You are not yet ready."
"Ready for what?"
"We have spoken too soon," the musical voice replied. "You cannot help me, your song must be stronger."
"I don't understand." Susan said, still trying to force her body to move.
"No…"
The voice faded away and after several long moments, Susan wondered if it had gone for good. Then it suddenly returned stronger than before. "Come," the voice said.
As it spoke, the ribbon of light around her body also began to move, drifting off along the corridor. She found herself being pulled along the corridor by the music, past the computer rooms, the lifts, and dining room and towards the bridge. She tried to resist, but her feet would still not obey the commands of her brain.
To her surprise, the doors of the bridge would not open at her approach. Annoyed she raised her hand as if to touch them, and found her hand slipping straight through the metal of the door. Her body soon followed and she fell forward, dropping down through the deck as if it were made of nothing stronger than mist. Then, just as she thought she would fall all the way through the ship, the voice returned. "Come," it said again.
She felt her fall slowing and looking around her saw the ribbon of light gliding down through the metal decks, winding around her body and then lifting her back up towards the bridge. "Your song is too weak little one," the musical voice said. "Concentrate on my song and I will guide you."
Susan looked around the bridge. She recognised the crewmembers on duty as those attached to the night watch. She tried to attract their attention, but for some reason they could not see her. " Who are you?" she asked again, turning towards the direction she thought the strange voice had come from.
A strange sense of amusement ran through her and then the voice returned. "They also asked me the same question, long ago when they were still young. I am not like you little singer, names have little meaning to me. However, if it pleases you to give me a name, you may call me The Wanderer."
"The Wanderer?" Susan asked. "What is that supposed to mean?"
A feeling of sadness came over her. "You do not understand. Your mind cannot comprehend me yet. Later, when your song is stronger, you will dsicover what you seek. Now you must follow and learn."
"But, what are you?"
A feeling of amusement rushed over her again, swamping her in its power. "You are persistent little singer. I am what I am, as you are what you are. It is impossible to explain when you are so young and cannot comprehend the song. Come, follow me, I am here to aid you."
Susan looked around her again, and was a little shocked to find the bridge drifting away, changing to a corridor that she recognised as the one that ran past all the officer's quarters. "Where are you taking me?" she asked, a little frightened.
"Your past," the voice said. "A reward for the future."
"A reward?" Susan queried, wondered what the creature, or whatever was out there, was talking about.
"You have chosen well, fought to survive instead of choosing death, as I knew you would. In doing so, you have survived the first trial, even if you do not remember it."
Susan suddenly remembered the strange dream she had while on Mars High and although she could not remember the details, she realised that whatever had happened then must have been more than a dream. Before she could ask another question though, she found herself falling for what seemed like forever. Then the ground came up suddenly below her and she crashed into a steel deck of some sort. The music of the song was gone, but instead she heard a whispered voice in the distance, almost a chant or mantra. The new voice seemed to be speaking the same phrase repeatedly, and although she was still some distance from the voice's owner, Susan could feel the pain and desperation in the voice.
Pulling herself back to her feet, Susan looked around at her surroundings. It was dark, but not dark enough so that nothing could be seen. She appeared to be in a long corridor, lit faintly by a light source that was hidden high above her. There was no sign of anyone nearby, just the long corridor and the distant chant. Deciding that she might as well at least find out what was making the noise Susan set off down to corridor.
It took her what seemed like hours, each step was like wading through syrup, but eventually the voice began to grow louder. As it did, she realised that it was familiar, although she couldn't quite place it yet. It seemed to be repeating over and over the same line from an old nursery rhyme. " Mary had a little lamb, it fleece was white as snow," the voice said repeatedly, as seemingly unending circle. Susan continued toward it.
Time passed, perhaps hours, or maybe even days, but eventually Susan reached the end of the corridor. There it widened into a chamber, where a single spotlight high above shone down on a figure sitting cross-legged on the floor, a blanket drawn up tight around its shoulders and over its head. This figure was chanting the nursery rhyme, its voice little more than a harsh whisper, no longer recognisable as male or female. Just below the chant was another noise, a faint, regular beating sound, similar to the besting of a heart.
Susan moved over to stand beside of the figure, unsure exactly what was happening. Then, mainly because she could think of little else to do, she sat down in front of the figure. "Hello," she said. The figure did not respond, and just continued chanting, the same phrase repeatedly. Susan reached up and tugged at the blanket that covered the figure, pulling it away. Below was a person she had no trouble at recognising. "Talia," she breathed.
This was not the same woman who was on the Rasputin though, this Talia was so thin her ribs stood out plainly beneath her thin dress, that had once been white, but was now so covered with dirt it appeared almost black. Her blonde hair hung lifeless from her head, and her skin was so white it appeared almost translucent. Her eyes were clenched tightly shut and only her mouth was moving, continuing it's never ending chant. Susan was afraid to touch her; afraid that she would crumble to dust so weak did she appear.
"Talia," Susan called. "Can you hear me?" There was no response though, and Talia continued to chant. Susan tried again, louder, but again there was no change. She looked around for something to help her, but apart from the blanket and Talia herself, the chamber appeared empty. Frustrated she reached out and gripped Talia by the shoulder, only lightly in case she hurt her and called out again.
This time there was a response, and Talia flinched under her touch, but as before her chant did not falter, continuing as if her life depended on it. Susan reached out again and gently gripped both of Talia's shoulders before leaning forward and calling out again, as loudly as she would dare.
Talia's chanting suddenly stopped and with what seemed like extraordinary effort her eyelids opened and almost sightless eyes peered out at her. "S... Susan?" she asked weakly.
Susan cupped her hand around Talia's face and looked at her lovingly. "Yes it's me," she said, tears beginning to form in her eyes.
"But you are dead," Talia said her eyes finally focusing on Susan's face. "She told me you she killed you. She showed me how you died at her hand."
Susan's heart wrenched at that news. "No I am alive," she tried to assure Talia. "It was I who thought you were dead."
Talia shook her head slowly, even that small effort seeming to exhaust her. "I hid," she whispered, her own eyes beginning to brim with tears. "I hid myself away in a secret place where she could not find me. She looked and looked but she could not find this place."
"Oh Talia," Susan cried. "I am so sorry. Had I known, I would have tried to get you back. I wouldn't have let them take you away from me. I would have helped somehow, instead of just letting you walk away."
Talia smiled, or at least tried to, and raised her hand to wipe away the tears that flowed down Susan's face. "I forgive you Susan," she said weakly. "You are here now, I can feel your mind touching mine, just like it did that night so long ago. I know you will help me now. You are strong, you can bring me back."
"I don't know what to do," Susan said sadly. "I don't know how to get you back."
Talia nodded. "I know." Then she looked up at the light, far above them, and shuddered. "She's still out there isn't she, just sleeping at the moment."
"It is night," Susan explained. Then a little less sure of herself she continued, "I think I am sleeping as well. There is someone… something else…"
Talia didn't seem to hear Susan's last comment instead continued speaking. "I am only free when she is asleep, free to wander her dreams to see the horrible things she thinks about, and the horrible things she had done. She likes to show me too, every time she does something mean and horrid she will think about it constantly, knowing that I can see her thoughts."
"How did you survive?" Susan asked softly. "I could not live like that."
"I don't know Susan. Somehow, part of my mind survives. I can hide here, safe from her, but not safe from her taunts. When she is awake, she sends images, horrible images to try to destroy me. That is why I had to try and shut her out, to shut everything out."
"I don't know if I can help you Talia," Susan said, her lack of confidence plainly evident in her voice. "I think this is only a dream."
"Then we should dream while we can," Talia said, smiling up at her. "As long as I know you are alive, that there is hope, I can survive." She pulled Susan closer, as if she needed her warmth. Susan didn't hesitate and slipped her arms around Talia's body, hesitating slightly as she felt the bony ribs and parchment-like skin. They seemed to lie there for hours, sharing their warmth and love.
Eventually Talia looked up, staring sadly down the corridor Susan had travelled. At the far end a bright light had appeared. "She is waking up," Talia said. "You must go. If she find you here she will destroy you." She pushed Susan away. "Hurry, you don't have much time."
"I don't know how to leave," Susan cried. However, Talia was no longer listening, instead sitting back down in the same position Susan had left her and resuming the same chant. Susan leant down and gently drew the blanket back around Talia once more before turning to face the corridor. The light was drawing closer, and Susan felt apprehension and fear begin to rise within her again as it approached.
Then the voice returned. "Come," it said again. The ribbon of light returned and wound itself once more around Susan's body, lifting her upwards any away. She found herself floating in a dark space, with a single bright light off in the distance. "My time is nearly over," the voice said. "I grow weak again."
"How do I help her?" Susan asked.
"I do not know," the voice replied. "You must seek that knowledge yourself, but know that you have within the power to do great things, if only you choose to use that power. Remain silent and your voice will never be heard, sing and you will be heard by all existence." The light in the distance grew closer. "Your time is nearly up too," the voice said sadly.
"Who are you?" Susan asked again.
"I am The Wanderer," the voice replied. "I once wandered the stars and listened to the song of the spheres. Now I am a prisoner, but I can still hear the song. Listen with me little one and learn."
Susan suddenly became aware of a distant voice. It was soon joined by another, and then another, and so on until the sound of a billion voices rang in her ears. At first, it was little more than noise, but then as more and more voices joined the first, she heard a song rising from the noise. It was song of infinite beauty, and infinite wisdom, as if every creature in the universe was singing of their joy and love all at once.
"Remember the song little one," the voice said, much weaker now. "It is a weapon and a shield. Only a few each aeon learn to hear the song, and you have within you that potential, more than any other of your kind does. Many can sing the song, but they cannot hear it. Learn to hear the song little one and none will touch you, stay silent and you will fall as so many others have fallen before you."
"Why are you doing this?" Susan said. Her voice was weakened by the memory of what she had just heard. "Why are you helping me like this?"
The voice was so dim now Susan could barely hear it. "I seek to guide you, so you may become all that you were born to be."
"Why?"
Only a faint whisper responded this time, fading away to nothingness as she listened. "You have a destiny little one. You will learn to sing and then you shall sing the song of freedom and I will be free of their influence at last. Learn to sing little one as I have need of you. I will call again when you are strong..."
Then it was gone and Susan found herself lying face down on her bed, still in the same uniform she had been wearing the previous night. "It was a dream?" she asked herself as she pulled herself up onto her elbows, confused by what had happened. She tired to get up, but sharp pain shooting through her skull forced her to lie back down again, clutching her head and moaning in agony. A thousand other hurts and pains flooded into her body, as every joint and blood vessel ached as one.
She felt as though she had not slept in a month, and could barely keep her eyes open. The pain and tiredness did not last long though and soon began to fade away. As it subsided to a distant throbbing, Susan glanced over at the vid screen to check the time, noticing that it was just five minutes before her alarm was meant to wake her. Still clutching her hands to her aching head, she sat up and stared at the screen, as if trying to will it to change time. It did, but only to indicate another minute had passed.
Sighing she ordered the computer to deactivate the alarm and hauled herself to her feet. The pain in her body was still there, but it was fading. The memories of her dream, or had it all been real she wondered, were still there as well, so vivid that she could not help but believe them. Not wanting to forget any detail this time, she concentrated, running the events through in her head, trying to understand them.
Somehow, someone, or rather something, had contacted her, from where she did not know, although she had a feeling it was from a great distance away. Susan couldn't image the mental power needed to telepathically contact her across the vastness of space. It had shown her that Talia, the real Talia this time, the one she loved, was still alive somewhere deep inside the blonde telepath's mind. If the memories were not so vivid she would have passed it off as just another dream, one among hundreds she had experienced since Talia had left.
Instead, it seemed real, but Susan wasn't sure if she could believe what her own senses had told her, especially when it had only been a dream. Tugging off her rumpled uniform, she staggered into the shower and let the warm water wash away her pains. Even if she believed her dream, she still wasn't any closer to freeing Talia, or rather no closer to knowing how to free her. However, she was determined now, Susan realised suddenly. Gone were her fears and self-doubt. Somehow, she knew it could be done, she just didn't know how. All she had to do was do what the voice in her dream had said and learn to use her abilities.
She closed her eyes and tried to remember what else the voice had said. Instead of memories a song rose up, one that filled her with life and power and washed away any remaining fears she felt. "The song of the spheres," she whispered. Then the song in her mind faded, and Susan was left feeling strangely refreshed and strong. She turned off the water and stepped out of the shower.
"I will free her," Susan said, her voice grim with determination. "Even if it takes me another two and a half years, I will free her, and no-one, not the monster they put in her head, not that Psi-Cop, or even the entire Corps will stop me."