Chapter 6:
Meanwhile, at an building reserved for studies of the paranormal, An elderly man fussed around, peering through a microscope, and taking notes. A well meaning man, he sought to find the answers to the mysteries of the mind. Near him, to his left, was a door out into the hallway of the center. Across the topmost center, a golden rectangle was engraved with his name. "Dr. Kerns, Ph.D." It was fairly quiet, throughout the building, due to it being a late hour. The only sounds were the soft voiced comments to himself that could be heard within his semi-cramped office, cluttered with lab equipment, and a big pile of notes scattered throughout.
He muttered to himself, "Hmmm. I know I'm so close, to finding the genetic component of psionics. Yet I am so far. It could revolutionize science as we know it. The ability to heal people, just at your fingertips without using scalpels. The possibilities..."
Shaking himself out of his reviere, he blinked, gazing at his copious notes. He glanced at the clock, taking his glasses off, rubbing the bridge of his nose wearily. He hefted his body off his stool, and stretched momentarily, feeling his bones crack with a satisfying pop.
"Now if I could isolate that gene...", was his whispered comment to no one in particular. He knew it'd be a lifetime's work. Maybe Jonas could continue the work in the future.
Back at South Taphini - The Ship's Interior Chamber
Megabyte sat on one of the base platforms, deep in private thought. Adam gazed at the Ship's Central Spire, with a thoughtful look, and questions that drove his mind to seek unattainable questions. After a prolonged silence, Adam sighed, coming to a decision.
"Ok. We have a lot of questions to answer." He ran his fingers through his long hair, with frustration in his eyes. He gazed at Megabyte, sitting in a subdued manner. He continued impatiently. "Megabyte! Snap out of it."
Megabyte blinked, and looked up at Adam with questions in his face. "What was that?"
Adam exhaled softly. "I have NO idea. That was definetly a different teleport." He looked at his watch, and cursed softly. "Ami's still sleeping. We can't do anything about it until tomorrow. You look exhausted, Megabyte." The redheaded TP protested weakly, but was silenced by Adam's quiet reply. "We can't do anything tonight. We'll have to inform the others. Is Jade awake?"
Megabyte shook his head silently. Adam nodded. "Okay. I guess we'll convene here tomorrow. I'll let you know then."
Megabyte got to his feet, with a weary nod, closing his eyes and then vanished into thin air with a burst of light. Adam stood there, gazing up at the Ship's pulsating core, in puzzlement, and exhaustion. A thought weighed down his mind. "Where did you come from, Jonas? Why are you different than us?"
When Adam didn't get an answer, he covered up with a blanket, laid down on one of the platforms in another nearby room, and fell fast asleep. His dreams were not peaceful, yet they were not nightmarish. Dreams plagued Adam the whole night, and every one was about Jonas.
The Ship's Core pulsated, keening quietly, as if it had an answer, but couldn't give it in words.
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The next morning, I awoke, sleepily and blinking, snuggled into my blankets, thinking, "Wow, that was a really weird dream." I sat up reluctantly, wanting to sleep in further, but I knew today was Saturday. No School. I stretched, with a loud yawn. I gazed around my room, which was a mess. I thought to myself, "I suppose I should clean up today."
My bathrobe was slung over the chair near my desk, which was the opposite facing direction of the bedroom door. There was a theme in this room. Sloth. As if a whirlwind breezed its way through the room. A window across from my bed was spread open, to admit the sunshine as it streamed into the room. Idly thinking that I needed the bathrobe to put on, yet didn't want to get out of my comfortable bed, the blue teddy bathrobe floated over to me. My eyes widened. My first uttered words were, "So it wasn't a dream!" I quickly wrapped myself in the bathrobe, on my way downstairs, to have breakfast. I didn't know what I wanted to do now.
I knew that I was a Tomorrow Person, and it wasn't a dream. Yet... why? I didn't really ask for these abilities, yet I was comfortable having them, due to having weird things happen all my life.
Due to this observation, I knew I had to find out who I was. The best place would be where I had found the others. The "Ship", as they called it. There, I'd find the answers. It just felt right, to the core of my being. But, first, I'd spend a few hours with my Dad. We always spent quality time together on Saturday mornings.
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A hour later, back at the Ship, Adam was stirring off the vestiges of an uneasy dream. He blinked awake, and immediately contacted Megabyte, Ami, and Jade.
Hey guys? Mind coming over? Jonas, if you can hear me, we need to talk -
Adam frowned. There was no response whatsoever from Jonas, which disturbed him.
The other three TP's chorused with a thought of assent toward Adam.
What's going on? Megabyte filled me in this morning? Is everything alright?
Doubt filled Adam's mental voice. I don't know. Just something's very different.
Three figures materialized in an implosion of white air. The two girls immediately clamoured for Adam's attention with questions. Adam raised a hand, and demanded, "Quiet!" The girls quietened down uncharacteristically. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. He looked at Megabyte, who shrugged, but just simply said, "I thought Adam should explain what happened. I saw it with my own eyes, and still don't believe it myself."
The blonde TP finally had it with the other two males. "That's enough dodging! Tell US what happened." She crossed her arms, in a frustrated expression.
Adam was at a loss for words to start. A thought occurred to him. "Let's Mind Merge. It'll get us all updated faster."
As all four TP's lined up, Megabyte, with a concerned look, Ami with a puzzled expression, Jade with impatience, and Adam profoundly troubled, laid each of their palms outward. A purple sphere began to form inside the circle, enlarging, as all four linked their minds together, searching Adam's and Megabyte's memories.
Memories flooded their minds, disjointed and jumbled until a series of images began to form.
Jonas asking how to get home, Adam suggesting to relax. Jonas' successful teleport. A wind swirling around Jonas' departure, filled with sand, and settling as his teleport ended.
That last sight shocked Ami and Jade to speechless, mind or voice, with gaped mouths. That shattered the mind-merge flinging the four a step backwards, staggering.
Adam nodded grimly. "Now you see. I have no idea what's going on."
The Ship's Light began to glow brighter and all of the TP's had a sensation of needing to mindmerge with the Core. They looked at each other with puzzlement. Adam looked thoughtfully up at the Pillar. "I guess the Ship wants to tell us something?"
Ami looked at Adam with eyes that were filled with doubt. "Are you sure? We've never done anything like that." Silence met Ami's question.
Jade was the one to speak up, surprising them all. "So what if he has a different teleport. He's just one of us. Let's do it!"
Megabyte laid a hand on Jade's shoulder. "Let's not be that hasty, squirt."
She growled, shaking his hand off, and looked at Adam earnestly.
Adam looked at Jade with interest. "Why are you so insistent, Jade? Is there something we missed?"
Jade's eyes were filled with mercurial confusion. "I don't really know, but I just have a feeling that the Ship KNOWS what's going on. Jonas BELONGS here, as any of you and I do."
Adam's feeling was to try something else first, but he also knew that they all treated Jade as a kid, and not an equal TP ... not yet. But as Adam looked into her stormy eyes, he realized with an insight that Jade wasn't an kid anymore, not quite. Young, yes, but also mature at times.
"Alright. We'll try it.", was his final spoken comment. The others nodded solemnly, while Jade grinned softly.
They arranged themselves around the Ship's Pillar, with its glow illuminating the doubt and the nervousness that ran through their minds. As the four linked again, the Ship's Light began to hum and shine brightly, illuminating the Interior Chamber so brightly they could not see each other, other than that images that flooded their minds.
Images of past Tomorrow People, who wielded flame, water, earth, and wind. A TP holding a flame in his hand lighting a fire. A strong feeling of nonviolence swept through the foursome. Disjointed words could be heard in their minds. Elementals. Same. Tomorrow People. Same Kind. Elementals. Jonas stood out in the images, with an element in his hand.
Yet the Ship did not let go of the merge. The Ship took control of their minds, and absorbed their language, and finally spoke back. A metallic voice spoke, with a dry tone, inside their astonished minds.
I am glad I finally learned your language. I have waited so long, Adam, Jade, Ami, and Megabyte. Jonas...is a new breed.
Megabyte finally got a wordless thought out. What? You mean he can do the wind thing? Why is he different?
He is merely different in ability, but in heart, he is one of you. An Elemental Tomorrow Person.
Jade spoke out in surprise, A what?!
The Ship sent out reassurance in its emotion. An Elemental Tomorrow Person. A person capable of handling a particular element of nature. They are sensitive to telepathy. Although they can become used to your particular method of communication...however, at first it will be difficult. However, due to my incomplete databanks, I can also help Jonas adjust, but the other information, regretfully I do not have.
The Ship's mental feel began to weaken. I can still talk to you in words, but this mind merge is draining my energy more than I had anticipated. With that the Ship suddenly loosened its hold on the four TP's, who broke the merge with stunned silence, and a stagger backwards.
The Ship's empathic tone was regretful.
I am glad to communicate, but I regret my actions, with learning your language.
Jade sent a reassuring feeling toward the Ship's Core in forgiveness. "We're fine. Just stunned, and surprised." The Ship's Light pulsed warmly.
Adam was still glancing at the Ship's pulsing light, in wonderment. "There's so much we don't know..."
Ami nodded, with a smile. "But it holds interesting questions..."