It took a moment for everyone to realize the test was over. At first there was total silence then some of the spectators started to applaud. Anna turned to look at the people floating down from the catwalk and blushed at their praise. It felt too weird having people want to know about her powers. Damn did she ever feel worn out. The way she was gasping for air it was like there was an inadequate supply. In a matter of seconds Quatre was by her side wrapping his arms and around her in support. "Are you alright?" he asked gently. She was thankful he didn't try any mental contact her head might implode.
"I'm tired. That takes a lot more out of you than it looks." Soren and Sally drifted in quickly behind Quatre to check her vitals even though the suit she was wearing was already doing so.
"How are you feeling? Lightheaded? Dizzy?" Asked Soren looking at her concerned.
"A little of both." Anna said weakly. Sally snorted.
"Well it's no wonder. According to your initial readings your body is reacting like you just ran forty kilometers in eighteen seconds. No wonder you stay so thin with a metabolism like that I'd need to eat twenty-four seven." Sally had been in charge of monitoring the suit's data.
Anna felt the shift in her body that told her someone had restored gravity. She was thankful it was still only a portion of full gravity because she wasn't so sure her legs would hold at full weight right now. Quatre seemed to sense this and picked her up and walked over to a crate where he sat down and pulled her onto his lap. Soren was asking her more questions.
"So Anna can you sense anything telepathically right now?"
"Yes and no. It's kind of like your hearing after being near a loud explosion. You're aware of sound but your ears are ringing too badly to be of much use. Eventually you get it back once you recover from the trauma of overuse." Right now the minds on the resource satellite were like an annoying buzz and if she tried to focus on it the headache would feel like a mobile suit battle had taken up residency in her head. The others started over to them.
"Well that was impressive." Duo said giving her a kiss on the forehead. From the moment she met Duo he'd been treating her like a kid sister that he adopted. He was constantly checking up on her. As if Quatre, his sisters and the entire Maganac corp. weren't smothering enough. "I especially liked the part where Zechs got painted pink." The braided man commented.
"He what?" Anna asked confused only to look up and see Zechs arriving with Noin and Mila. Noin was visibly trembling trying not to laugh at her husband who was decorated from eyebrows to knees in fluorescent pink splotches. "Oh Zechs I'm so sorry! I don't have much control over such things!" the pink man held up a hand silencing her.
"It's alright I don't blame you." Then he turned in Heero's direction "You however…" Hiding behind him in his other hand he pulled out one of the discarded weapons and proceeded to shoot Heero a half dozen times with it. It would have been more but Heero recovered from the shock and dodged the rest of his shots. When he was finished Heero looked just as pink as he did and Zechs was grinning like a Cheshire cat. "I've wanted to do that for sooooo long." Several of the bystanders started to laugh.
Figuring the threat was over, Heero started to relax when he saw Zechs toss away his weapon. As soon as that happened however a slightly less pink splattered Wufei and Trowa started to shoot at him with undamaged weapons that they picked up. That sparked another round of laughter. Duo was on his knees gasping for air. "I'm sorry man… I'm sorry… that was just too priceless." He managed to choke out. "Hey Rel, too bad you got rid of that pink limo of yours now you'd have a matching husband to go with it!" That sparked another round of laughter from the people standing around. Heero tried to death glare everyone, but the fact that he looked like a pink confection ruined it. The three attackers were looking particularly smug at taking down Mr. Perfect Soldier.
"Duo I suggest you stop laughing or I might consider including you in on my revenge." Heero warned. He smiled evilly at Trowa, Wufei and Zechs his grin promising retribution.
That got the braided man to shut up but his eyes were still dancing with mirth. Anna was just glad to see them all so relaxed. Ever since her near abduction everyone had been on edge waiting for the other shoe to drop. On a few occasions people had asked her if she could foresee what was going to happen so they could better prepare. Unfortunately she had nothing concrete to give anyone. She knew something was going to happen, but there were dozens of possibilities. Add that to the stress of being confined to a floating piece of rock in space you had some very edgy people.
Sally interrupted the moment. "Well now we have all the data on how Anna's body reacts, we need to come up with something suitable for Shelby." Everyone turned and regarded the other psi woman.
"Well I don't know… did you want to see how far I can move this satellite?" She suggested. There were a few exclamations from the rest of the crowd that she would make such a boast. Sure, the satellite was just 'floating' in space, but it would still take significant force to move such a mass.
"Thank you, but no." Anna said a little testily. "The last thing we need is to accidentally drift into something if you loose control. I do have one idea. Its not very sensational, but it will work her to her limits." Shelby regarded her with a look of suspicion then fear when she realized what Anna wanted.
"Oh no. No, no, no, no, no, no…."
************
Okay Duo could admit it he was getting a little worried. Shelby had been doing her 'field test' for about five minutes now and she was starting to act a little odd.
When the test first began, she was swearing and cursing Anna's name in a dozen different languages. He was even convinced that she'd invented a few but now she'd gone very quiet. A little too quiet for his comfort. Even her mind was quiet. The only thing he could pick up was her concentration and her rapidly growing fatigue.
"Shel honey, are you okay?" he asked cautiously. She didn't look at him, but she did give him a quick, brief nod. Her concentration was stretched so far she couldn't answer him vocally.
She was drifting inside an open airlock. Floating as far as her tether would reach. The test that Anna set up for her wasn't as visually sensational as the other one but as a colony born he could appreciate it. She was in the airlock trying to use telekinesis to hold the air around her.
According to Anna it was a variation of a training method they'd used on earth where Shelby would go underwater and try and maintain an air pocket for as long as possible. Normally she could stay underwater for ten minutes, but even now he could hear her labored breathing from her space suit's comm.
A video camera had been fitted with an oxygen sensor to view the pocket of air she was holding. He was watching carefully as the pocket started to wobble. Duo could feel his love reach her limits. Finally, Shelby let out a shriek and the pocket burst venting the air into the void of space. The moment Duo felt her concentration break he hit the controls to close the airlock and retrieve her. The door took a torturously long time close but he didn't waste a second once it was closed to reach her.
"Hey baby, you okay?" He asked taking off her helmet. Her hair was suck to her face with sweat and she was still panting heavily and she didn't speak. Alarmed he called out to Soren and Sally "Hey I think something is wrong!" the two doctors increased their pace towards the pair Anna rushed up as well. Soren repeated the same questions she'd given Anna.
"Are you dizzy? Lightheaded?" Shelby raised heavy lidded eyes and nodded her head once before her eyes rolled back and her head flopped back onto his shoulder.
"Shel? Baby?" Duo's voice took on a slightly hysterical note.
"It's okay Duo she just passed out." Anna said calmly at the same time Soren said the same thing.
"Just passed out?" What do you mean she just passed out? His thoughts screamed. The lighting in the hall flickered but he ignored it he had more pressing matters. "People don't just pass out! Something has got to be wrong." He tried to keep his tone normal but he was starting to panic.
Anna's eyebrows shot up but that was the only indication she gave that anything was wrong. "Easy Duo, she just wore herself out. It's very easy to do using telekinesis. She just held on a second or two too long. She'll be fine after a little rest."
Soren came in with a handful of hypo-sprays. As soon as she got close Duo unconsciously pulled her away. "It's okay Duo these are just to help her regain her strength quicker." He allowed the injections and noted her nervousness. A second later he felt a pinch in his arm and turned to see Sally taking a blood and tissue sample from him.
"Hey who said you could be taking samples from me?" Sally didn't answer just processed the sample she took. She did look apologetic and a little concerned. Anna was the one that answered.
"I asked her to. Duo please you have to calm down or you could hurt Shelby. You're broadcasting to high." That caught his attention. "Duo are you even aware of what you just did?" What he just did? What did he just do? Heero walked up and answered him.
"We heard you. We all heard you telepathically. You said what do you mean she just passed out. We can still hear you now." The braided man was perplexed.
"I'm not sure what you mean I've been linked to Shelby's telepathy for weeks." Then he looked down at his unconscious mate and saw where they were going. How the hell could he broadcast his thoughts without Shelby's aid?
As if hearing his thoughts again Trowa spoke up. "There is no way you could have done that using Shelby in the state she's in." Sally picked up the conversation from there.
"I'm afraid he's right Duo. You're samples are showing at least twice as much csordellarion as the average person who claims they are psychic. Which means your becoming psionic yourself."
