"She is on her way. But I am afraid that she won't make it in time." Everyone spun around, it was Marchitia.
"Marchitia i suggest that you leave right now before you are in serioius trouble." RES was preparing for something.
"Well i'll think about it...NO! You followers have been a nuscience to me for too long! it's time that you behave." Marchitia was very angrey and RES could tell she was scared.
"Look, Marchtia you think that you are supior tyo everyone. You mess with peoples heads, you play games with people that they know they can't win. It look's to me as if you were the nuscience, and i belive it's time to get rid of it."
Marchtia and RES stood there for what seemed as
a very very long time, just staring.......staring.......staring.........
"Let's go!"
"Where?" Louis asked,puzzled.
"To get Morden."
"But what about Marichka...she's here, you know."
"Marichka can take care of herself, and if she can't, that's too bad. If we don't get to your mother soon..."
Louis didn't need aymore prompting, and in minutes
the two of them were in the docking bay, preparing to leave.
No one heard it when it began. They hardly noticed the deep droning vibration that seemed to come from their very centers. The followers swayed with the motion of the melody, the rhythm, a tone that reached to the very essance of their cores. It wasn't until Ammirage stepped toward the center of the circle that anyone noticed the deep rhythmic drone emanating from him. He seemed as if in a trance, his lips moving quickly forming the sounds, the words of the chant. A chant nearly as old as the universe itself. The air shimmered about him as he positioned himself facing RES with Marichka between them.
Now RES began her chant. Slightly higher in pitch to Ammirage, her rhythm to his bass notes. Their drone intertwined into a mesmirizing melody that held Marichka firmly between them. RES could feel the energy being released from somewhere deep inside her, with each new lyric, each new tonal shift, the pulse of her music brought fourth a new stronger higher level of energy. She could feel the push of Marichka against her, growing with her, but Marichka could only keep pace, and RES could feel the first glimpse of fear creeping into her adversary's thoughts.
A small bead of perspiration escaped from Ammirage's brow and trickled down across his cheek. Every neuron was focused, every muscle controlled as he brought centuries of training to a fevered pitch. Every ounce of effort was being brought into full clarity has he raised the chant to the next higher level. There could be no room for error here. This was the final test of his life, it was here or no where at all. He drew in a long slow breath, never stopping the chant, and moved it again to the next level. The full history of the generations of mage's who came before him now rested upon his shoulders in this battle.
Slowly a new light began to form to the side of the three embattled forms. Expanding and taking shape Morden found herself surrounded by the followers and standing before unfolding events. The penetrating rhythm of the chant overtook her and she found herself strangely drawn into the battle. Now her voice joined the first two and the chorus of the followers.
If Ammirage was the bass structure of the melody and RES the Rhythm, Morden now became the lead element, and the followers the chorus. The very air within the Temple now glowed in a scintillating flowing mist of harmony. Spheres of expanding energy surrounded the temple and began pulsing out into the universe. As each successive wave passed beyond the edge of temple walls time itself began to slow.
Marichka found herself locked not only with RES in her battle but now a Technomage and Morden as well. She could feel the pressure of the combined trio pressing in upon her both physically and mentally as well. Back, back into herself she was being forced, dragging her mental feet, struggling against a wall of energy that burned with its touch. Then just as she felt for sure that she was about to collapse in upon herself, she suddenly noticed a presure swelling up from deep within. Something she had never consciously felt before. A cold, evil, chilling power was beginning to rise up through the layers of inner self that she thought were her own making. Something that even she found lothsome and repugnant.
Sphere's of glowing energy now surrounded the trio fighting for Boojilion. There centered in their focus was Marichka, or at least what they thought for all this time was Marichka. Yet they could all feel the heart beat pulse of something moving outward from within her. Something not of her, not of this universe. Against their surrounding sphere's of energy there was an increasing black anti-sphere growing around Marichka.
The chant now moved to it's highest level. The very walls of the Temple began to reverberate from the melody as the pulses of energy came faster and brighter with each passing second. It was as if the center of the temple was jetting energy like a spinning pulsar. Sending ever expanding waves of energized spheres across the universe. Great armadas locked in mortal combat became frozen in time, lasar bursts became icicles locked in space, great flashes of bursting ships and piercing screams of dying creatures locked in that moment of mortality.
The universe stood still...for the first time since its creation. Everything became stuck in time...except for the battle raging within the very walls of the sacred temple. The chorus, the bass, the rhythm, and finally the lead element became one note, one pure vibration renting apart the very fabric of space and time.
Marichka lay still, possibly dead or dying, on the cold stone floor while above her the battle continued. Now in the center of the trio's focus was the pure evil that had once possessed the soul of Marichka. Its oily flowing form writhed and squirmed against the combined energies of the followers of Booji. In agony it attempted to strike out at it's tormentors.
Ammirage knew that now was the moment. He had
spent all the energy he had, every fiber, every cell had contributed to
the battle and was now spent. He had climbed to the summit with his last
breath of energy against this now visible enemy. "NOW ELRIC...NOW!"
His thoughts screamed as he felt himself drift into blackness.
Morden had other things on her mind as she saw Marichka on the floor. "<Now.>" she said softly.
"<No! She will live.>" the Shadow snapped.
"<I can't let her. Not after what she did to me and my father.>"
"<You can and you will.>"
Morden growled and lunged at the Shadow, which hit her hard across the face sending her reeling back. She pulled out a dagger and threw herself at Marichka, but the Shadow was once again there. Morden remained on the floor, face down, weeping.
"<You know she must live.>" the Shadow said.
Gwyn pressed her way through everybody until she saw what was happening. She moved to Morden and went down on her knees in front of her.
Marichka pulled herself up with the help of one of the Shadows. She looked at Gwyn and sneered, "when this is over, you will come to Zagros 7 for your next assignment. And remember, you are sworn to us. Don't think we'll forget."
Gwyn didn't say anything, just looked back at Morden.
When Marichka was gone, Gwyn spoke, "I suggest
we patch Ammirage up and get on with this before anything else goes wrong."
Now every one was there. they were patching up
Amirage and RES felt better than she ever had before in her life. Partly
because she knew that she would soon agian see her brother, when the rift
was comptley fixed. And now they were all ready they were just waiting
for the time to be right time.
"You're always worried."
"Drink this," Gwyn said, pressing a cup of very black tea into Morden's hands. Morden sipped tentatively, and felt her head clearing some what.
"What happened?" Morden croaked.
"You attacked Marichka, but the Shadows kept you off."
"I remeber now...unfortunately." Marichka grimaced. "I hope I'm not as hurt as I feel."
"Kat said it was just bruises. And you've got a nasty cut on your face, but it isn't deep."
Morden sipped her tea in silence for awhile as Gwyn fussed around the room. "Will you go?" Morden asked.
"To Zagros 7? Yes. Marichka is right, I am sworn to the Shadows." Gwyn sat on the edge of the bed and sighed. "I gave them my word, I will uphold it. But I'm sworn to the Shadows, not to Marichka."
"Is there a difference," Morden asked bitterly. "You know what she did to me, to my father?" Morden asked. Gwyn glanced away and nodded.
"You were broadcasting in your dreams. Marichka's talents amplify your thoughts, make them harder for other telepaths to ignore. She's in both of us, you know."
"How do you live with it? How can I live with it? So much darkness, so much hate...I would have killed her. Will still kill her if I get the chance."
"No, you won't," Gwyn said softly. "For two reasons. The first is that the Shadows would immediately have you executed, and then I would be forced to deal with them on my own. I'm not ready for that. The second reason you won't kill her is beacuse then her dark side wins. You ask me how I live with it? I live with it becuase every day, I think of what Marichka is, and I don't do anything that brings me one step closer to becoming her."
"You don't me well, Gwyn...perhaps I have already become her?" Morden's face was bleak as she looked at Gwyn.
"No. No, you're not Marichka," Gwyn assured her. Morden closed her eyes and sighed tiredly.
"I wish you could stay," Morden said.
"So do I...becuase now I have to give you back your dress."
"Don't forget the shoes!"
"Bugger! I was hoping you had forgotten about those."
Morden laughed, wincing as she did so.
"I'm sorry, it's cruel of me to make you laugh...I'll go and let you get some sleep. You'll feel better soon."
"Will I?" Morden's gaze was sharp and piercing. Gwyn simply squeezed her hand, and headed for the door. "Gwyn! Do you have any Valium left?"
"No," Gwyn replied, turning to face Morden. "I got rid of it all on Zha'ha'dum."
The answer seemed to reassure Morden, who smiled
weakly and closed her eyes. Gwyn stood in the door way for a few moments,
waiting until Morden was sleeping. Then she pulled the door softly behind
her, and went to check on Ammirage.
Lindaru stared quietly at the glowing sphere that held the essence of Lorien. His words had been true prophecy. The words about the key, and the last one and the last one before that. She wondered what words of advice he could conjure for them now.
She gently and carefully picked up the sphere and listened. It took a very long time before her mind silenced enough to understand what he was saying:
"That which is, is not. Be not fooled by what you perceive. Only the heart has true eyes. Beware that which seems to be what it is not."
*****
As the followers were all busy with the multitude
of tasks to prepare them for the final battle with the anti-Booji, no one
took stock of a black bucket stashed in a corner underneath some emergency
medical blankets. The bucket would bide its time.
"What now?" Neil asked.
"I thought you knew?" replied RES.
Neil just shrugged. Entilza said, "Booji will come through when he is ready. He just needs all the followers' minds focused on the rift. Time jumping has left him to weak to pass through himself."
"Okay everybody, focus." Lindaru said. "That includes you too, MB. Save the ice cream for later."
"Meow."
From beside him Garibaldi heard a groan. It was Ammirage, badly burned mentally from his encounter and with a more physical wound across his back. As he stirred back to consciousness, the odd glow that had signaled Entilza's coming appeared once again.
"Garibaldi, it's Ammirage! Wake him."
Ammirage suddenly flew up to a sitting position. The center of the follower circle crackled with energy. Everyone knew it was time, and 208 eyes focused on the bright yellow rift. Garibaldi was no telepath, so he couldn't be sure if just staring at it was enough. But he didn't think there was anything else he could do.
From beside him came a yell, a constant scream of pain, from Ammirage. Garibaldi noticed that the telepaths in the group were also contributing more than their share to the effort.
Then, from the corner, a human-sized anti-Booji walked up to the rift and prepared to hit it, closing it for all of time. Garibaldi wanted to reach out, to stop him, but there was no way he could leave his post. So they all watched as the Anti-Booji pulled his arm back and--
--at the last moment an arm shot through the hole
in space and grabbed the Anti-Booji firmly around the neck.
The anti-Booji fought against the grip, but he was held fast. Garibaldi was shocked at the strength of the arm that now held the deceiver a full foot off the temple floors. Slowly it pushed the stuggling vermin back away from the fragile rift. There was something familiar about the form that came into focus as it pressed through into the temple...it was...it was...it was ELRIC!!
The Master Technomage was glowing red as he stepped into full view. Behind him came two lines of magi's that slowly formed a circle within the followers circle. Their chanting, much lower and very different from the earlier battle seemed to draw energy into rather than pulse outward from the temple. A second rift began to appear behind the dangling figure of the Anti-Booji, still locked in the Master Mages deadly grip. The imposter's screams and vile comments were droned out by the increasing volume and vibration of the chanting magi's.
Soon the new rift was larger and beginning to open as Elric grasped the Pretender to the throne of Booji with his other hand in a very undignified place and holding him high over his head began the final Sealing Chant that would lock the Anti-Booji forever within the new rift. Then with one great heave Elric flung the helpless anti-being into the gapping maw of the red rift. A great crack was heard as the red glowing jaws snapped shut engulfing its feast and sealing forever the Pretender within its realm.
Suddenly, just as it had begun it was over. Silence now filled the room. Both rifts were no longer in sight. The great hall was still. Elric, now without the protecting red glow slowly walked towards Garibaldi. The Brotherhood of magi turned as one and carefully, ever so gently lifted the wounded Ammirage and craddled him with their soothing magic. Elric passed his hand across the grimicing Ammirage and bid him to sleep. All the pain on the wounded magi face melted away and he appeared to be resting in a deep sleep.
ELric turned to Garibaldi and the others, no one had moved. "We will take our brother to heal his wounds."
"And us?" Garibaldi asked in almost a whisper.
"This is but one small battle within a very large war. We have done our part for now. We have sacrificed one of our very best for you as The Booji had asked. We will return him, if and when he is able." With that Elric turned to leave.
"But what of Booji? When will we see him?" Demanded someone in crowd of followers. The other mumbled in aggrement.
Elric turned quickly, now angered and responded sharply. "You are not ready or worthy to meet the Great Booji!" His voice pierced them sharply. "You question his very wisdom and then expect him to come to YOUR beck and call!" "You have much to learn, so very much to learn! When you are one soul, one heart, one mind, then you will be ready to meet The Booji!"
He turned and walked toward the temple door. "And you are NOT READY YET!"
The now silent Technomages carrying the sleeping Ammirage followed their leader out of the great hall and vanished.
Garibaldi turned to Lindaru. "I think I've just been insulted."
Lindaru raised her fingers to her lips suggesting that perhaps comments at this moment were best not spoken.
Garibaldi felt a sudden uncontrollable itching
feeling come over him.
"Wherever you stand, you form a circle. A circle of followers, a circle of friends, a family. I live at the center of this circle, the combined energies of your faith and friendship give me life. Without the many of Boojism, I could not exist.
"So I see now that I have no choice. I must strike out to defend myself, to defend you, my followers, from the destructive force which plagues every universe in every timeline. Goodbye, for now, my children."
Booji's Marcus-like form raised its hands and opened its eyes. He took a moment to look at each follower in turn, and reassure their troubled faces with a gentle nod. Then he folded his arms across his chest and bowed down seemingly into himself, constricting his energies in a bright blue ball. It whirled in place for several seconds, eminating a deep hum that grew exponentially until it seemed as though it would shake the entire temple apart.
But then it burst, shooting out huge beams of saphire in seemingly random directions. The beams passed harmlessly through air, people, the ship, and flowed outward through the depths of space. The orb was at last spent, nothing remained but the imprint the bright ball had left on each of the followers' eyes. They stood in stunned silence.
***********
The religious caste Minbari huddled in their shelter, awaiting the oncoming attack. At last the thump-thumping of short-range artillery stopped and a lone Suit trooper burst through the makeshift door. He wielded a Minbari sword, stolen from a nearby archive, and swung his arm upward in preparation to strike down the closest Minbari. But as his arm was in mid-flight a firery beam came through the wall, striking the Suit right through the heart.
He yelped and fell to the ground, clutching his chest and coughing blood until he was still. When the rest of the troops came they too dropped, gasping with terror-filled eyes. It was quiet for some time, the artillery not returning, and finally the women and children crawled from their sanctuary, looking upon the new day with hope.
The attackers fell silent, the plague ripping through suit society, determined to end it now. The residents of a hundred worlds returned to the surface to rebuild, banishing resistant suits from their planets.
And the greedy corporate CEO's sat slumped in their boardrooms breathing their final breaths. They didn't care that the Boojists were rebuilding their planetoid, or that Earth was being recolonized by non-suits, or even that a strange ship had burst through a rip in time carrying dangerous people like John Sheridan and Delenn. They cared only that the empire had fallen.
It was the dawn of the Fourth Age of Suitkind.
The Age of Hiding.
"They don't need me, There fine without me. I wanted to be a leader and shouldn't have. I'll go back to Jessica and the others, they need me there, they need me at forever's end."
David sat for a moment and then turned the ship back toward the rift he opened. He never returned to the followers.
asdfasddfasdfasdfasdfasdf
It was then that they found the note left by David:
"I am leaving you now. RES now that i am gone i leave you in control of the controls and the lab on the Pulsar, i have judged you the most cappable of this task. I will miss you all and may Booji Bless you."
A silenc unlike any other had just fallen over
the followers. They won, but at what cost to themselves? They were
now losing people, usefull people, not just people friends. RES was the
only one a first o really see what was going on, thenagian whatever happened
from now on RES had privlaged information about. And she didn't want it.
"You're dead," he said almost apologetically, the offered her a hand up. Gwyn winced but picked herself up and accepted her pike back. "Let's take a break," Ranger pressed, seeing Gwyn's exhaustion. Gwyn didn't argue.
"I still can't believe it's really over. The universe is so still...it's eerie."
"I think it's great," Ranger said. "For once, we can all relax! I intend to enjoy the stillness while it lasts. Which is why I don't understand your sudden obbsession with getting beaten to a pulp," he said pointedly. Gwyn sighed.
"I'm out of shape, that's all. I haven't used a pike in years. I'm your sworn enemy now, Ranger. I need to learn to defend myself."
"I shouldn't be teaching you this. Would land us both in trouble," he observed. Gwyn nodded in assent.
"That's never bothered either of us before."
"No, I suppose not. Shall we get back to work then? Combat is over for the day, but I'll run some drills with you."
Gwyn sighed deeply, and wiped her sweat soaked
brow, but said nothing as she extended the pike. She had until Morden recovered,
then the two of them would return to Zha'ha'dum. It wasn't much time,
and Gwyn wanted to take advantage of every hour she had.
She remembered his latest words - things are not as they seem to be.
A chill ran down her spine. Was this calmness
and rebuilding only an illusion? Had that been what he had meant?
She noticed that the Shadows were a little more curt then usual. They probably knew Ranger had been training her.
The ship took her to Zagros 7. There wasn't anything left on Z'Ha'Dum. The rebuilding had begun, but it would take time. Until then, they would run things from the remains of the Ranger base they destroyed on Zagros 7.
They docked and the Shadows escorted her through the compound.
"Where is Morden?" Gwyn asked.
"With the Gaim. She did not wish to stay here." They brought her into an office, and who should be there, but Marichka. Marichka smiled, a gesture Gwyn did not return.
"They've decided to put me on the tribunal now. A position of honor to appease me so I'll sit down and be quiet. Still, I don't mind. I've decided on your next assignment." Marichka moved out from behind her desk. "Come here Gwyndolyn." she said softly.
Gwyn did move.
"Please?"
Gwyn took a step forward. But would go no further. Marichka moved to her. Gwyn backed away when Marichka reached for her face.
"Relax, Gwyn." Marichka touched Gwyn's face with both hands. Like a shot, the instinct to fight came to Gwyn, but before she could, Marichka hand tightened, pressing her fingers to Gwyn's head. Marichka's eyes widened for a moment, and the scream of the Shadows passed through Gwyn. Marichka had to keep it up for a moment, Gwyn resisted. But Marichka outlasted her. Gwyn passed out. Marichka left her on the floor as she turned and went back behind her desk.
"<Take her to the medical building. Acytlecholine
implants. It's been so long since we've had any telepaths in our ships.>"
"Good to have you back sir."
"Good to be back."
"Would you like to dock now."
"YES that would be nice."
/"sheridan and Delenn requesting to dock."\
"docking bay 3 sir"
**********************
"We will one day take over the world. Suits will be the only surviors. We are gods!!!!"
"Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!"
******************************
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!"
"good, i think she'll do nicely. A few more adjustments and we can put her in a ship."
RES sat on the Pulsar looking out the front "Window",
only this time seh screamed.
Small feet respectfully padded up behind him. A small chubby form dressed in the white cloak and tabard of the cast of Technomage Healers waited quitely for admitance into Elric's private sphere.
"How does our brother fair Master Healer?" Elric asked in almost a whisper.
"He will survive my Lord, physically," the healer paused. "But we cannot know of his...his...other......faculties." His voice trailed off.
They stood in silence for what seemed to healer a very long time. "Is there anything else you can tell me?"
"I am sorry to say my Lord, there is nothing else at this time."
"Thank you Master Healer." Elric let out a long breath. "It is now up to time, the universe and the Gods."
The focus of Elric's concern lay in a deep coma battling the demons within. The image of that red burning evil caught between the triad of warriors in temple had burned itself into the very soul of Ammirage. He fought the battle over and over again in the ethereal realm that he now floated locked within his deep fitfull sleep. Several First Level Healers cared for and pampered his wrecked and wounded body under the direct supervision of three Master Healers. They feared the worst for their brother as he lay there locked within his internal struggle.
"We must break him out of his coma brothers."
"No, Gylord, you know that is too dangerous at this point!" The tall willowy healer argued. "This is a battle that he alone must win, we cannot interfer!"
The first Master Healer now turned to the Senior of the three. "Surely Jurac, we must do something." He pleaded.
The stout Jurac, who had just returned from Elric, placed his hand upon the shoulder of the conserned healer beside him. "Tanner you must remember that even for a Master Healer there is still only so much even we can do."
Tanner lowered his voice and in almost a whisper answered. "But Jurac...we must do something...he's the first true natural magi among us... we must do something." His sad voice trailed off into silence.
Jurac backed away from the conversation and the
bedside vigil and quitely left the room. As he walked the dark earthen
passageways his thoughts drifted upon Tanner's last statement. '...the
first true natural magi..." It was true that Ammirage was the first
fully natural true magi, the supreme product of thousands upon thousands
of years of careful breeding and training. But what neither Tanner or Gylord
or any other Technomagi knew, outside of a very small inner circle of high
magi was...that there was another.
Neil stood at the entrance, fearing what he might find inside, it would take a while to clean it all up.
He placed his hand over the scanner and the doors slid silently open. "Lights on"
One by one the lights in the ceiling sprang to life, and the sight that the light produced amazed Neil. This was not at all what he had expected. The walls had been repainted, the aisles re-organised.
He walked through his store, inspecting everything, and noticing every change that had been made. The only words that left his mouth were "who...."
After about an hour he decided to go into his office and catch up on his mail, hoping that that too had been redesigned. Things had changed in the office alright, nothing was there, the walls were bare, the furniture gone. All that was left was his computer which was now standing on the floor humming vaguely, screen glowing.
Neil crouched on the floor in front of the screen at which a simple message was displayed...
"Have redecorated according to your original plans, will be watching. Take care. Galahad"
Confused Neil opened a com link to the temple "Lindaru, is there a Galahad listed as an official follower?"
"The name doesn't sound formilliar, but I'll check..
just a minute"
Once the connection was severed, she opened it and saw her three long lost first cousins who were all sisters, no less triplets!
She ran over to hug them. "Lindise, Lindaline, Lindelle!"
"Lindaru!" they all chimed simultaneously.
Soon all of Lindaru's duties were forgotten and
she escorted her cousins to Gwyn's Coffee Shop to down a dozen or so iced
coffee drinks.
"It's rather simple. What do you want?" Morden stated again. Then she saw something out of the corner of her eye. A Shadow. Morden smiled at the Gaim. "I'll leave you to think about it and get back to you, hmm?" She stood and left.
"<What's going on?>" she asked.
"<You must come to Zagros 7.>"
Morden sneered. "<No.>"
"<You're friend. Roxburgh.>"
Morden stopped. "<What about her?>"
The Shadow was silent for moment, then said one word, "<implants.>"
Morden took a deep breath and nodded. "Hold on,
Gwyn. You just need to wake up, and fight."
As expected he found him at booji's house in the video room watching tv. "Tyler, my young friend, how have you been?"
They exchanged their ideas and thoughts about the past events, telling each other what had happened to them during the long battle against the suits. Finally Neil told him anout the shop.
"... so I thought that you might know who this Galahad is?"
Tyler hesitated for a moment "He told me not to tell you but..."
"what is it?"
"well, I hadn't seen you for a long time, and I.... I thought he was you..."
"WHAT!?.... "
Tylers voice began to tremble "I'm sorry Neil.... I realy thought it was you, that's why I let him in. It wasn't until I came back to the shop during the day that I noticed the little differences. His hair was much darker, and the face looked older, wiser"
Neil's expression changed to utter amazement "It's ok Tyler, you did nothing wrong"
"but I let a total stranger totally re-arrange the shop, and when I confronted him he told me...ordered me not to tell you about him"
Neil smiled "realy Tyler, it's ok. He wasn't a stranger"
He looked up at Neil "then who was it?"
"My brother"
"Leonora told you this was suicidal. That's always been your problem, you know. You never listen to people."
The voice came from a figure studying a painting, a Picasso, and when the figure turned, Gwyn was shocked to find herself facing...herself. The Gwyn in front of the painting stared critically at Gwyn, who stood confused.
"You look terrible. You should get eat better, and get some sun."
"There is no sun on Zha'ha'dum," Gwyn replied absentmindedly, then jumped in surprise as the events of her life flashed before her eyes. Her doppleganger smiled.
"It took you long enough. The question is what are you going to do about it? After all, if you wouldn't listen to Leonora, you probably won't listen to me. Which is why you're laid out flat on a table about to be plugged into a Shadow vessel."
"I'm not afraid," Gwyn said defiantely.
"No, and that's another one of your problems! As far as your concerned, this is absolute bliss! You could stay in here and read books for eternity! That's how it works, you know! The Shadows find the one place you want to stay, want to be undisturbed, and they put you there. When the ship goes into battle, you perceive it as an enemy trying to remove from the place you want to be, so you strike out, and you destroy them, precisely, quickly, without hesitation or remorse. There is no enemy more fierce than the one protecting his home! It's the advantage of an organic brain."
"You make it sound so techincal."
"It is techincal! And don't you dare turn away from me! I've kept you alive for a long time, I'm not about to let you go now!" the figure snapped. Gwyn looked at her through sad eyes.
"I never asked you to."
"Of course you didn't! If you had ever once in your life thought to ask any one for help, you wouldn't be in this bloody mess!"
"I thought the Shadows could give me answers...I thought that whatever was after them was the same force as the anti-Booji. I didn't know the attacks were unrelated...and it's too late now."
"No, it isn't! We can still fight this. But I can't do it alone. You're to kind for the universe, Gwyn, to kind for the Shadows. But you are a fighter. If you weren't, then I wouldn't be here, and you'd be reading Tolstoy."
<<Marichka watched the procedure with satisfaction, and traced the outline of Gwyn's features. "You knew this was coming," she smirked to Gwyn's unconscious form. "You knew you would end up on a table, I saw your fear, saw the images you couldn't form becuase you've only heard the stories of what we do to unruly telepaths. And yet you came to Zagros 7 all the same. Such courage. We need courage, for the battles ahead. They're putting you in a flag ship. You should feel honored.">>
"Gwyndylon. Gwyndolyn fight. Wake up, my darling." It wasn't Gwyn doppleganger who was speaking. It was her eldest brother...it was Faber. Beside him stodd Maxwell, standing in splendid glory like a guardian angel. He reached out a hand, and drew Gwyn closer.
"You've stopped wearing the engagement ring," he observed. "That's good."
"I still have it, though. I sold most everything else, but it was all I had from you." Gwyn could not prevent the tears, she was so overwhelmed by being held once again in the arms of the man she ahd loved.
"Then go back to it," he urged.
"I don't want to. I want to stay with you. Faber?" she appealed to her older brother for help.
"You've always done the necessary thing, Gwyn. You've always done the right thing. And this isn't right, and it isn't necessary," her older brother said firmly. "We're gone, you can't change that. We aren't real, we're only memories. Staying here won't bring us back, or the others either."
"I told you she wouldn't listen to me!" Gwyn's doppleganger said. Gwyn gave a watery smile.
"I'll fight, if you promise me one thing."
"And what is that?"
"If I don't get out of here, make sure that Morden gets her shoes back."
<<"What the hell was that!" Marichka snarled at the Shadow technician as Gwyn's brainwaves suddenly spiked.
"Her telepathic activity has resumed. she's fighting
us. We need to subdue it before we can continue. It will cause substantial
delay, as it has unbalanced the implants. They will need to be recalibrated,"
the Shadow said with disapproval, as if he some how blamed Marichka. She
glared at the Shadow, who gave the equivalent of a sigh, and began chittering
rapidly to the other medics.>>
Lindaru's cousins were identical except for their favorite colors. They all had the same nearly black hair and cat like gray eyes as Lindaru. All were on the plump side and Lindaru remembered when they were little that she used to pretend she was their fourth sister - the quadruplet.
Lindaru was the name of their mother who had helped her mother through the crisis of refusing the Corps. She had held her hand through the weekly treatments up until her mother's cardiac failure at the age of 50. As a result, Lindaru's mother and father, as well as herself, were officially included in Aunt Lindaru's family on Centauri Prime.
Aunt Lindaru had been her mother's friend and that was who she had been named for when she was born. Aunt Lindaru herself died on the island of Celini several years before in her stance against the Shadows. Lindaru wondered what her godmother/aunt would think if she were alive to see that she had adopted three for herself? Aunt Lindaru had been a forgiving woman and certainly would not blame young children for such things. Now the only three remaining members of the House Of Drow were standing here in her kitchen with her and bittersweet memories stung her eyes with tears. "Aunt Lindaru . . ." she whispered out loud.
Lindise, decked out in her dress and tiara of yellow and orange hues, her long dark ponytail extending from the center of her otherwise shaved head moved towards her as an infatuated Domi followed.
"You cannot imagine how rude people have gotten on C. P.," she chattered, not noticing Lindaru's moist eyes. "Hope you don't mind that we will hang out here for a few days." Lindelle held before her what seemed to be a very thick sauce made of cheese, onions and ground up bacon.
"Looks yummy!" Lindaru said, reaching out to dip a finger into it.
Lindelle, a copy of Lindise, only in reds and greens, was showing Jesi the finer points of preparing aged spoo. Lindaline, another copy of the sisters in blues and violets, was attempting to improve on flarn while Mari giggled in conspiracy.
Lorien's words came to Lindaru again. "Things
are not as they seem." Lindaru shrugged it off uneasily and prepared
to enjoy a real family dinner and get together.
"<Such as?>" Marichka asked, genuinly uninterested in his point.
"Like being able to block you," someone behind her said. Marichka started to say Morden's name, when someone grabbed her hair and swung her hard into a a metal shelf. She took the shelf down with her. "You little..." Marichka grunted.
"Tisk tisk. Such language." She looked at the Shadow, "<unhook her. Now.>"
The Shadow did. Marichka stood and lunged at Morden,
but she froze in mid-swing. And she and Morden just stared at each other.
"That's my girl, always thinking of others!" He sobered, and clutched her shoulders, his fingers digging in painfully. "It's time to think of yourself now, do you hear me? Take care of yourself, Gwyndylon Roxburgh."
"Faber?" she asked tremulously. "Do you you forgive me? And Maxwell? And Daddy, Ellis, Jason, Matthew, Dalton...do they forgive me?" Faber's grip tightened even more.
"No! There is nothing to forgive! Nothing! Do you understand? We all would have made the same decision. The Te'luthe colony does not negotiate with terrorists, no matter the cost, and everyone on the colony knew that, and upheld that. You did right, little sister...you remeber that, hear me?"
Gwyn could only nod, sobbing, her face buried against her brother as he cradled her in his arms. Maxwell laid a hand on Faber's shoulder, and Faber transferred Gwyn over. He quieted her, holding her until the sobs had eased and the tears had stopped.
"We have to go now. Remember, Gwyndolyn. Remember it all. It's part of you, embrace it," he kissed her gently, and flashed the lopsided grin that had first captured Gwyn's heart. Gwyn watched them go, and felt a hand on her shoulder. Her doppleganger was behind her, but Gwyn did not face her.
"Don't let me fail, Rox," Gwyn pleaded, and the hand squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.
"I won't. It's going to be painful waking up, though. I don't think there will be any physical scarring, but the Shadows had the implants pretty far in, the mental trauma will still be there."
"I'm ready."
"Good. Just be careful! There is a war going on, getting caught in the crossfire could be fatal."
Gwyn nodded, stood up straight, and faced the
stairs of the library with a quiet, steady determination. As she stepped
down the first level, she felt Rox's hand fall away, and Gwyn turned in
a moment of panic. Then she felt a serenity embrace her, and Rox's quiet
strength filled her. Gwyn descended the rest of the steps. Rox wasn't gone...she
was finally exactly where she needed to be.
Will Gwyn's telepathic abilities be strong enough to overcome the effects of the implants? Why have Neil's brother Galahad and Lindaru's triplet cousins suddenly come to visit? Will Ammirage recover from his coma? Where has Lorien gone and will he ever change his mind and return? Read on in Episode 2.