"Peter, this is Preyseeker," Evans said, indicating the Echthroi on her right, "and Memorykin. They're going to put us in contact with the rest of the Echthroi so we can all talk. It may be a little disorienting at first, but I think you'll find it interesting."
He glanced sideways at Blackheart. "Okay." The Echthroi leaned down and pressed her cheek against his. He saw white static that gradually faded to a mostly blue background.
>I/We/They greet you, one-known-as-Peter-Sees-With-The-Mind.> A host of voices spoke to him. Although he couldn't see his own body, Peter could see the soft blue "background" that rippled around him. As the voices spoke, lights in the blue pulsed to the rhythm of their speech.
>What the—this is like talking to the Borg.>
>Question/Borg?> the voices asked.
A scene from one of the Star Trek episodes dealing with the cybernetic Borg suddenly appeared before Peter's "eyes". >They're fictional characters that consist of biological beings enhanced by mechanical appendages,> explained a voice belonging to Miranda Evans. The voice had no gender indicators at all, but Peter knew it was hers. The scene vanished, replaced by blue, watery surroundings with the lights gliding through it. A persistent chorus of whispers played in the background. >Peter? Are you all right in here?>
>Uh, yeah.> He wasn't sure if he answered with his voice, or his mind, or both, but he could see a white ripple spread out into the blue from his position.
>Good. This is what it looks like in a collective Echthroi mind-link. Or at least, this is the way the human mind tends to interpret it. Please don't ask why — I don't know. The current theory is that it has something to do with our biology and perception.>
>Is that why you sound like that?> Peter asked.
He could feel her amusement. >Yes. Do you know how, when you read something, there's a voice in your head that kind of speaks the words aloud? It doesn't sound like you, but it's still your voice, isn't it?>
>Yeah, I think I know what you mean.>
>That's what's going on here. This is one reason it's easier on a human to have another human in the link the first few times in. I can explain things in terms you'll understand, and provide points of reference. I act as a cross between an anchor and a template, so to speak.>
>Those lights—> he began.
>Those represent the individual Echthroi in the link,> Evans explained. >Some are physically present around us, but many are back in the Echthroi's territory, in the region where we can't go because of their environment. The Echthroi are naturally telepathic among themselves, but they need physical contact with a human to speak to us mentally. Their bodies produce chemicals that allow this to happen. It's very convenient when you need to communicate, but the drawback is that the chemicals are toxic if they build up beyond a certain level in the human body. So we don't have much time. I've built up something of a tolerance over the past few years, but I've been pushing it lately, and you're just doing this for the first time. There are things we need to show and tell you, but our time is limited, all right?>
>Sure.>
A moment later his mind recoiled from the half a dozen images that bombarded him; in the blink of an eye, the images swept past and only one image passed before him. Or perhaps it was a series of images taken from several individuals and strung together, he wasn't sure. He experienced the sounds, sights, smells and sensations of the Echthroi as refugees. Crowded together in a hold filled with the liquid of the world on which they had lived, as many of them as the room could safely hold, other ships traveling nearby, piloted by other races of beings as the ships scattered to avoid detection by the Enemy, minds crying as—
A jump forward in time. Peter's mind "flinched" in surprise; the sights and other sensations faded back to the blue. >What happened?>
>Most of their people were killed when their planet was destroyed,> Evans' "voice" explained. >Trust me, you don't want to experience the full sensation of that. We've had a couple of contact people driven to attempt suicide, it's that powerful.>
Peter "shuddered". >Okay. I'll take your word for it. I'm sorry,> he told the Echthroi. >I know what it's like to lose people you love.>
A sensation of bewilderment swept through him. >Many humans have said this,> Blackheart said. >The dead are not lost. They are—>
The sensation/concept that flowed from the Echthroi was a meaningless jumble in Peter's thoughts. >I didn't—>
>I know. It doesn't translate well,> Evans told him. >We think the Echthroi may have contact with the dead members of their race. Some of the lights we are seeing may belong to the deceased.>
>Whoa! That's—that's—>
>Yes. Unfortunately we don't have time to explore it. I'm starting to feel unwell, and if you don't, I suspect you will soon. Please, let's keep moving.>
The "explanation" of the Echthroi's arrival on Earth continued. The ships landed—
>Skip that, please,> Evans directed. >Irrelevant. Show him why you use these exterior tunnels.>
The Echthroi had adapted to a new environment and formed new habits, but old traditions still had their place, too. A picture of the adults, swimming in groups in the tunnels of their habitat that led to the outside world...
>Three genders?> Peter asked excitedly.
>Yes.> There was an amused note in Evans' "voice". >We call them "male", "female", and "other". Original, huh?>
Peter laughed with a ripple of white light.
>Twice during the year, the Echthroi venture outside their territory. During the autumn, the adults use the water tunnels for mating purposes, and during the spring, now, the young Echthroi swim up the tunnels and return to the places where they were spawned. The adults come out to collect them,> Evans explained.
>We believe our young must be strengthened by adversity,> Blackheart's "voice" took up the narrative, >so the eggs are allowed to travel throughout the tunnels, where they hatch and the young have to survive the following year. The little ones you've seen today are over a year old. At this point they've developed to the stage where they can actually leave the water. Unfortunately, they are rather—> she paused, and the Echthroi lights seemed to quiver as the aliens searched for the right word — >animalistic, and it is dangerous for humans to be down here until the young have made contact with us. So all humans remove themselves from the tunnels for the two weeks of the Gathering. We need to form a telepathic link with the young in order to awaken their sentient minds; afterwards, the young become very much like human children — they're curious about everything, and begin learning our behaviorisms and culture.>
Peter "jumped" as an image of a young dragon swam toward him; the blue faded to black. Evans explained, >The Echthroi say they've always been aware of the presence of the dragons, but this year there were suddenly more of them, and they were becoming aggressive, attacking not only the Echthroi young and their usual prey of rats and fish, but people as well—Echthroi adults and even the colony of mutants living down here.>
>Mutants live down here?>
>A lot of unusual life forms live down here.> Evans' mental voice had a wry tone. >Intelligent and otherwise.>
>Yeah, about that.> Peter called up his hazy memory of the large, shadowy thing he had seen when he had encountered Curt Conners in his reptilian form. The Echthroi minds hovered around it; their mental "voices" whispered in the back of his consciousness.
>I/We/They don't recognize it,> the aliens admitted finally. >Human perception is limited. I/We/They—> here the pictures and "voices" conveyed concepts that Peter didn't understand.
>The Echthroi have senses humans don't — even the telepaths don't understand everything the Echthroi show us,> Evans explained.
>Are you telepathic?> Peter asked.
>Not under normal circumstances, no,> Evans replied.
>How come you're in the mind-link instead of a telepath, then?>
Evans paused. >The Echthroi specifically asked that our telepathic contacts not be used. I'm not sure why. I think there are mental barriers that natural telepaths have that non-telepaths don't. And I'm sorry, but we really need to wrap this up. Peter, I need to be able to go back and tell General Fury that your memories have either been erased, or bound,> Evans told him. >Otherwise there's the possibility of an information leak of epic proportions. We keep the Echthroi a secret for a number of good reasons—you've seen the reaction to the existence of mutants, you can guess what would happen if people discovered the existence of extraterrestrials.>
>What do you mean by "bound"?> Peter asked.
>I/We/They can use the chemistry/electricity of your mind to prevent you from revealing this knowledge to anyone, through voice-talk or picture-talk or mind-talk,> the Echthroi answered him. >You will remember all we have shared with you, but will be unable to pass this to anyone. I/We/They will use Miranda-Who-Sees-With-The-Mind as a stimulus—you will be able to exchange this with her, but with no one else.>
Peter struggled with the unfamiliar speech patterns. >So Ms. Evans will be like a memory trigger—when I see her, we'll be able to discuss this, but if she's not around, I'll remember but not be able to tell anyone?>
The blue rippled around him. Finally the light that represented Blackheart flickered and her "voice" said, >Yes. There will come a time when I/we/they will release you from this, but it is the safest to do this for now.>
>You can even keep people from reading this in my mind?> Peter asked.
>Yes. This will be—> the collective voice hesitated over the words >—transparent to anyone who speaks-with-mind. >
>Wow.> At least this way, he'd still have the memories, even if he couldn't share them. >Yeah, okay, I'll agree,> Peter said. The lights closed in around him, and passed through him. The memories he had of the Echthroi, their biology, their history ran through his mind; the lights picked the memories up and did a whirling "dance" with them. Dance? thought Peter. That's not right. But it was the only word that he could find that even remotely described the sight and sensation. At last the memories "settled" into his mind, and the Echthroi minds circled them closely, forming a "sphere" around them. The memories were still there, and he could "feel" them in his mind, but there was a barrier that he had to push through to play them back.
The lights circled around him and passed through him again. Something else in his mind changed. >What—> he began.
>We have given you a gift, Peter-Who-Sees-With-The-Mind,> Blackheart told him. >We have caused your other self to be transparent to any who can touch your mind.>
>My other self?>
For a moment a vision of himself in his Spider-man costume rippled in the blueness before him. >This will be your secret, shared only by those in the link,> Blackheart explained. >You can tell others, but no one will be able to take this from your mind.>
>That's handy,> Peter thought. >Thank you, Blackheart, and everyone.>
>The time is ending, Peter,> Blackheart told him, the "Sees-With-The-Mind" part of his name only an echo in her thoughts. >You must go, before you and Miranda absorb too much of our chemistry and become ill. Swim strongly. Thank you for what you have done for me/us/them.>
>You're welcome,> Peter replied. The blue faded to black, leaving only the lights swirling before him; at last they faded away as well.
Blackheart drew her face away from his. Peter blinked, disoriented by the change from surreal blue and talking lights to the darkness of the tunnels. Evans opened her eyes and drew away from Memorykin, then leaned forward to lower her head below knee-level.
"You going to be all right?" Peter asked.
"Well, I suspect I'm going to spend time on sick leave," Evans replied weakly, sitting back up. "But yes, once the chemicals work their way out of my system, I'll be fine." She picked up her hand-held computer and began tapping keys. "I'll have the security system let you out. Take the door across there—" she nodded at the far wall "—and go up the stairs. They'll let you out at an elevator. Just press the button and take the lift to the top floor. It's actually part of the legitimate city-run portion of the sewer systems, but you can't get down here from the surface. The elevator only comes this far down if you call it down from the station on the floor above us. There should be someone up there who can tell you which hospital they've taken Ben Urich to."
"Thanks." Peter paused for a moment. "You told Ben Urich you were a librarian."
"Mr. Parker, do I look particularly stupid to you?"
"Uh, no, ma'am."
"Then why would I tell a reporter that I work for S.H.I.E.L.D.? Kind of just begging for trouble, wouldn't you say?"
Peter winced. "Yeah, I guess so."
Evans smiled. "I really am a librarian. I have the Master's Degree to prove it. I organize, store, retrieve and provide information for patrons, just like everyone else in my field." She nodded at the aliens around them. "It just so happens that some of my patrons come from other planets, and the rest of them work in espionage." Peter grinned. "Thanks for your help, Spider-man." The Echthroi around her nodded in the human manner.
"Yeah. You're welcome. Thanks for letting me keep... everything."
"Might be worth giving a thought to a career with us," Evans suggested.
"Uh, yeah. I'll keep it in mind."
"See you at the paper, Mr. Parker."
Peter pulled on his mask, nodded good-bye to the group, and left the medical area. A minute later, Gerry Dixon peered around the barrier. "It's done?" he asked.
Evans nodded. "Everything's safe."
Memories bound, Blackheart added.
"Good." Dixon dropped into the vacant chair and leaned back wearily. "One more. I hope."
"Thor will come back, Gerry. He promised the Echthroi in the first contact meeting. They believe him."
"Let's hope they're right."
We explained. He agreed, Memorykin signed.
Dixon grimaced. "People lie, Memorykin."
We know, Memorykin replied. Seeing Dixon's scowl, he added, We had contact with other species. Chitauri-Enemy lied. So did others.
"I'm not going to ask if present company is excepted. Ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies." The Echthroi around him made a puzzled-sounding hrrrrrr? noise. Dixon smiled wryly and turned back to Evans. "How're you doing?"
"As well as can be expected under the circumstances."
"I should call for one of the other contacts to come down and get into the link."
"No. I can do this. I'm not sure he'll agree to anyone else in there after this."
Dixon scowled. "I bet that he'd agree you shouldn't go in again."
"Gerry, I will be fine. I can do this. I'll just keep it short." Seeing the look on Dixon's face, she added, "Really, really short. And afterward I promise I will actually let the medical people do their magic and not argue with any of them."
"Even you would be hard-pressed to argue with someone if you're dead."
"You worry too much."
"It comes of having teenaged daughters."
Evans chuckled weakly. "Give me five minutes, and I'm out of there."
Dixon's gaze shifted. "Blackheart?"
The Echthroi's hands signed, We will make sure she leaves the link before she gets too sick.
"Okay," Dixon said grimly. "I'm taking you at your word on this, Blackheart."
Echthroi do not lie, Blackheart replied. Miranda belongs to us. We don't want her hurt.
Light flashed outside the barrier; the Echthroi reflexively covered their eyes. A moment later Thor leaned into the medical area from the outside. "I believe I have an appointment," he said quietly.
"I seem to remember putting you on the schedule," Evans remarked, unfolding her arms and sitting up straighter in the chair. Dixon rose to give Thor the extra chair, and left without a word.
Thor stooped to lay Mjolnir on the floor, then sat down beside it and looked up at her. "I can do this without you in the link if you're not feeling well."
"Oh, no, I insist. I'm just such the eternal busybody, have to know what's going on at every moment," Evans drawled. "Besides, this is one of the perks of my job — alien mind-linking. Just think how jealous all the sci-fi fans on the planet would be if they knew."
Thor gazed at her for a moment, then smiled. "All right." Blackheart crouched beside him; Memorykin leaned over Evans and pressed his cheek against hers.
>If nothing else, I owe you for the ride back to New York,> Evans remarked as the blue field and background whispering settled around them.
>It was the fastest way back here. I did it more for the Echthroi's benefit.>
>I really, really hate flying, so despite the bruising of my ego there, I still feel I owe you a favor. Anything short of providing classified information or sex.>
She could feel the bewilderment through the link. >Classified information I can understand, but...>
>Trust me, Thor, you don't want to go there. Just keep the offer in mind. We can't stay long in the link. The Echthroi already explained the need for binding these memories.>
>Because they sense the Chitauri on Earth and need to keep this colony a secret, yes.>
>You might want to ask them to completely block the memories temporarily instead.>
>Why?>
Evans replied, >If I can tell General Fury that you don't remember any of this, that the Echthroi have blocked your memories, he can't use this as leverage to make you sign with the Ultimates.>
>I've already given Fury my answer on that.>
>Thor, listen to me.> Evans' mental "voice" was weary. >I haven't worked directly with Fury more than handful of times, but the impression I get is that he sees people in one of three groups — neutral, controllable, and threats. People who have no impact on S.H.I.E.L.D. or its mandates are neutral, and therefore ignorable. People who work for S.H.I.E.L.D. or one of its sister agencies are controllable. Anyone powerful enough to have an impact on S.H.I.E.L.D. or its policies, but isn't controllable, is a threat.
>As someone who easily fits the definition of 'superhuman', you're out of the neutral category automatically. You're not under S.H.I.E.L.D. control, so that makes you a threat. If you don't sign with us, Fury is going to try to either blackmail you into joining or eliminate you.>
>I'm not afraid of Fury, Miss Evans.>
There was a pause. >Maybe you should be, Mr. Golman.> A ripple of color ran through the blue surrounding them as both Thor and the Echthroi reacted to her words. >Don't be so surprised. I'm one of the people who compiled your dossier for S.H.I.E.L.D.>
>Why are you telling me this?>
>As weird as this sounds, these people are my friends, and my responsibility. Their safety is important to me. You came here to help them out without expecting any sort of compensation. I don't think you deserve to be manipulated like this.>
>You told me you had no authorization to contact me.>
>And that's the honest truth. But I've been with S.H.I.E.L.D. for almost 10 years. I know how things work. If Fury hadn't wanted me to contact you, I would have been stopped before I got to the airport. This was very convenient bait to get you involved with a S.H.I.E.L.D. project. Don't get me wrong—this was a legitimate situation. We needed you here. And S.H.I.E.L.D. isn't the Evil Empire. But I can understand why you might see it that way. So the memory block is the best way out I can think of right now.>
>We can set a—> Blackheart paused, searching for a word, >—trigger to release the memories. An event, a word, will remove the block and allow the memories to return. The Chitauri-Enemy grows in strength. A battle looms. We must not be found yet.>
>How many people know about the Chitauri?> Thor asked.
>Only a handful,> Evans replied. >Agents with very high-level classification and a direct need-to-know status.>
>So no one's likely to mention them casually.>
>Not at all.>
>That can be the trigger, then. The word "Chitauri". It's only likely to come up if I'm in a S.H.I.E.L.D. operation involving them.>
The whispering grew in tone in the background.
>That seems likely,> Evans replied.
>We can do this,> Blackheart responded.
>When you're done, give him a destination to go to, Blackheart,> Evans suggested. >If he doesn't remember any of this, there's really no point in him staying here. And it would be a lot simpler if he didn't have to deal with Gerry or any of the rest of us.>
>He can choose a place before we block the memories,> Blackheart said.
>When you get your memories back, drop into my office anytime,> Evans told Thor. >I still owe you. Memorykin, I need to leave.> A moment later, Evans' light disappeared from the blue.
Memorykin grasped her arm as Evans rose unsteadily to her feet and stumbled toward the barrier opening. Evans paused, leaned down and laid a hand on Thor's shoulder. Bringing her mouth close to his ear, she murmured, "Thank you," and moved on.