Chapter 19

"What the hell is taking Keller so long?" Ed said, banging his fist on the helm console, making Kat flinch. He pointed up at a monitor. "He withdrew the umbilical tunnel, then connected it again… What is he doing!?"

Kat knew now it was futile to suggest going back, but she wondered if she could use this distraction to sneak off the Velikan. Any consequences for her actions would be better than staying with Ed now.

A voice behind them startled them both.

"Lieutenant. Ensign."

Kat jumped and Ed raised his hand, ready to use his abilities, both of them turning to see Dr. Heidelburg standing in the bridge's hatchway, his own hands raised passively.

"Please, don't do this," said Heidelburg. "I know what you must be going through, but you are unique. Don't-"

"You know nothing, old man!" Ed shouted, surprising both Kat and the doctor. "You just want to keep us in a cage! No one tells me what to do any more!"

"Okay," said Heidelburg, keeping calm. "You won't be locked up, we don't have to do any more experiments, but please just come back to the base. You are much too important to lose."

Just then, Kat had another vision - a glimpse of something happening concurrently nearby.

Colonel Kostopoulos signalled to Threv, Kat's friend from the gym, to get ready. They both checked their phase rifles.

Kat realised this was taking place just outside the hatch behind Heidelburg. This time, she felt no need to alert Ed to what was happening. She kept quiet while he laughed, hoping this would all be over soon.

"You're right; I am important, Doc," said Ed. "I'll show you! I'll show everyone!" He was rambling now, but then his expression flashed with focus. "You're not alone!"

Ed must have read Heidelburg's mind, Kat realised with dread.

Whatever his source, Kostopoulos and Threv chose this moment to dive through the hatch.

Before either of them could fire, however, their rifles flew out of their hands and hovered in the air in front of them, slowly revolving so that the emitters faced their owners. Both MACOs raised their hands in surrender.

"Stop! Please!" shouted Heidelburg. "They were only here as a precaution."

Ed laughed again. "You think they can stop me? You see how powerful I am!" He closed his eyes and each rifle fired a blue bolt into his captives, dropping Kostopoulos and Threv to the deck.

"No!" Heidelburg shouted in vain.

Kat withdrew into the corner, her hands over her eyes. Why wouldn't this nightmare end?

Ed dropped his arms, and the rifles clatter to the floor. "Get on your knees," he said firmly to Heidelburg.

The old man clutched his head, as if in pain, but obeyed Ed.

"My mind-control powers have advanced as well, you see," said Ed as he slowly approached Heidelburg. "You cannot resist. I am superior!"

Heidelburg's eyes flicked to Kat, still cowering in the corner.

I know you can hear me.

Kat did hear the words - Heidelburg's voice, clear as crystal - in her head. She must be reading his thoughts and the doctor was gambling on it. Her subdued reaction was his confirmation.

You are just as strong as he is. You always have been.

Ed reached down and Kostopoulos' sidearm slid out of her holster along the deck, stopping in front of the kneeling Heidelburg.

I know you don't want this. I know he made you do it. Just like he's always told you what to do.

"Pick it up," Ed commanded.

Heidelburg kept his eyes on Kat, but followed Ed's instructions with visible reluctance, the phase pistol cradled in his bony hands.

I can't resist him, but you can. I know you can.

"Set it to kill," said Ed. "Put it against your head." Again, Heidelburg was powerless to oppose him and did as instructed.

Kat tried to slow her breathing as she considered the treatment Ed had given her over the years. Every negative comment about her appearance. Every question about her activities when they were apart. Every angry outburst. Every insinuation that he was better than her. Every accusation that his failures were her fault, or someone else's. She had made too many excuses.

No more.

Ed stood over Heidelburg, smug. "I don't want you making anyone else like me. So, Doctor Frankenstein… How does it feel to have created a monster?"

"You were always a monster, Ed."

He turned to see Kat standing at the other end of the bridge. She was different now; she did not shy away from him, standing tall and staring him right in the eyes.

"And you're not in charge of me any more." She waved her hand, and the phase pistol flew out of Heidelburg's grip, hitting off the wall and onto the deck.

Ed just chuckled. "Oh, you think you can stand up to me, Kat? You're mine! You've always been mine, and you will do what I say." He stretched out his arm to her. "Now, kneel."

Kat felt him pressing against her mind, her new senses highlighting the feeling and ensuring she could resist. Her lack of reaction clearly upset Ed.

"I see it now," she said. "You're just sad and pathetic. You need people to obey you, you need to control your own little world, you need an excuse for your failures, because you can't accept that you're the problem."

"Shut up, you bitch!" he shouted. He threw his arms up, sending a telekinetic shockwave towards her.

Kat instinctively raised a mental barrier of some sort, protecting herself from his impact.

"No, Ed," she said, holding back years of suppressed rage. "Now it's your turn to obey me!"

She quickly raised her own arms, pouring all her anger out. Another telekinetic wave radiated out, this time from her, but Ed also defended himself. Heidelburg was caught in the psychic blast, however, and fell aside.

"You think I cared about you!?" Ed shouted. "You were just a thing to me! I kept you around out of pity!"

He lashed out again, and Kat found it harder to resist the impact this time. He didn't let up either, it was like a constant, crushing pressure on her, as if sinking beneath deep water.

Straining both her mind and body, Kat unleashed her own barrage towards Ed, who also stood his ground with effort.

Instruments on the control panels behind her started to break and explode under the relentless storm of pure force. Behind Ed, her own force had slammed the hatch shut and pushed the still-stunned MACOs aside.

"You're… the one… who was… pitied," she said through gritted teeth. She felt blood trickling out her nose as she kept up both the psionic attack and defence.

The two of them stood, a short distance apart, arms outstretched towards each other, straining for their lives. It would have appeared ridiculous to an outside observer if it weren't for the damage they were causing around them - the walls were starting to groan under the stress.

"I… stayed with you… because I felt… sorry for you!" Kat shouted. This was the first time she had ever raised her voice to Ed.

Ed now seemed to be under much more strain, his nose starting to bleed as well.

"Well not any more!" she declared.

Sensing his weakened state, Kat reached out as if grabbing something. Ed's barrage immediately ceased as he reach for his throat, which Kat was now constricting via intense concentration.

"I'm not your victim now, Ed," she said, staring into his bulging eyes. "You're mine."

She paced towards him as he gasped and struggled. He sunk to his knees and she stood over him.

"How does it feel? To be helpless? To be afraid? That's what I had to endure every day since I met you."

Despite her anger, tears now formed in her eyes. As much as Ed may deserve it, she had never wanted to be violent towards him - or anyone. She really did pity him, and that had kept them together for too long.

Yet she couldn't stop herself tightening her telekinetic grip on his throat. Was she becoming as cruel as him? Was he also to blame for this? How far was she prepared to go?

She would never know.

A blue bolt struck Ed, turning him limp. In her surprise, Kat released her grip on him. She looked to the source of the bolt and saw Dr. Heidelburg clutching the discarded phase pistol.

He held up the weapon as if in apology. "It… It's set to stun…"

Kat looked back to Ed's crumpled form. Whatever happened now, she was finally free of him.

She collapsed onto the deck and began to cry.