EchoInTime

by Viola Grace

  It was the strangest girls' day out that Alara had ever had. At one point Mala mentioned, "I made your cousin's suit a few days ago, that was interesting."

  "How so?"

  "A suit that can withstand extreme heat and vibration is not something I have really had to do before."

  Alara nodded. That did sum up Tosha's talent rather nicely. "Have you heard how she is doing?"

  "She has been sent on her first assignment as a Guardsman. It is dangerous, but she and Vortex should be up for the task."

  Alara focussed on thoughts of her cousin and saw images that she couldn't understand. Fire, wind, a low squat building and an open plain. Tosha was being held with something pointed at her throat and a man in a Sector Guard uniform was bleeding on the ground.

  She raised her hand to her forehead and rubbed as the battle commenced and the man who attacked her cousin tipped into a seething cauldron of magma. "They aren't doing well. They need help--medical attention."

  Reset sat up and paid closer attention. "What?"

  "They were attacked, he was cut up. They need medical help." Alara swayed and Mala caught her. She looked into the eyes of Fixer and blinked. "I have never seen the present before."

  "It might have something to do with your blood ties. You can never underestimate your ties to your loved ones." Mala stepped back and nodded.

  "Am I done?"

  "Yes, and a lovely contrast if I do say so myself. I will change Might's uniform to match yours."

  "Might?"

  Reset answered. "Brodin. I am going to request permission to head back to Teklan. I want to be there when they get back and if Mist lets me do the flying, it should be feasible."

  The healer was out the door in a moment. Alara didn't even have a chance to thank her.

  "Okay, take a look and tell me what you think."

  Mala moved her hand and a mirrored surface took over one wall.

  "Oh, wow. I can't believe that you did this from just that simple black suit." Silver and black made up the base bodysuit, a crimson swath of armoured fabric ran from her neck to her ankles, anchored with a belt carrying a small neural disruptor and a gas gun.

  "Now, your suit has built in communicators in the neck region. They can be triggered manually or with extreme biological distress. Don't worry, sexual hormones don't set it off, so foreplay in uniform is a definite go."

  Mala was so matter off fact that Alara almost forgot to blush. "I don't…I have never…"

  The other woman laughed. "Don't worry about it. Most Dheman men are only attracted to virgins. It is part of their genetic urge to keep their race from STD's. They are also obsessed with bloodlines."

  A baritone voice came from the doorway, "And that is why we have been slowly dying out."

  Where Brodin's voice led was now Might, commander of the Teklan base and Alara was delighted that the suit was not hormone triggered.

  Chapter Ten

  To say that Brodin impressed her in his uniform was a gross understatement. Her heart pounded, her hands sweated and there was a tremor in her midsection that was very unsettling.

  "You look lovely in that uniform, Alara. Have you chosen a name yet?"

  She blinked as Mala receded behind her counter and Might approached. "I have to choose?"

  "It is customary for a Guardsman to have a code name to delineate the barrier between work and home life." He extended his hand and helped her off the podium.

  She stepped down and enjoyed the feeling of the deck under the boots that Mala had crafted. "Why are you awake?"

  "As Reset's commanding officer, she had to get my authorization to haul ass to Teklan with Mist. We will attend to the duties left to us and follow them as quickly as we can." Might gave her what she needed without asking.

  "Echo in time. That is my name. Echo for short."

  "A most suitable name for an extraordinary woman. You do look wonderful. Would you like to check your hair before we head back to the planet?"

  "Is something wrong with it?" She touched her braid and noticed that it had unravelled in several places.

  "Nothing is wrong with it, but you seem the type of woman to like to present a certain persona when telling your government to kiss your ass." He waved thanks to Mala and walked Alara down the hall.

  A small chamber was at their disposal and she quickly sat at the dressing table and took up the comb. "Thank you for letting Reset return to Teklan. I have never seen the present before, but if it is a truth and not a figment of my imagination, Tosha will need all the help she can get."

  "Talents do not evolve if you do not use them regularly. Seeing your cousin in jeopardy would be a logical expansion of your sight." He absently helped her unravel her braid and took up a brush to match her work with the comb.

  "Do you do hair often?" she looked up and saw the precise detail of his warrior braids and grinned. "I guess you do."

  "It goes with being in the Dhema military. With the intense precision of our inspections, we quickly master the braiding of hair." His hands worked her hair into sections and swiftly brushed it free of tangles.

  "Would you mind arranging my hair for me? You seem to have far more speed and dexterity than I do."

  He grinned and inclined his head, his horns gleaming brightly in the overhead lighting. "Of course, lady. Bear with me and you will be ready to speak to your people in no time."

  A wave of nerves shimmied through her. "I am not sure that I am the person to speak for the talents on my world."

  He paused with three hanks of hair held in his crimson fingers. "Who better? Out of all of the talents born to your world, you did the one thing that none have done before you."

  She watched him resume braiding and arranging her hair into graceful and sensual twists. His mastery of the medium of hair care was truly impressive. She knew dozens of women who would still be fighting to unsnarl their hair.

  She noted his pointed look in the mirror. "What was that? What did I do?"

  He grinned, his white teeth flashing, the points on the canines comforting and menacing at the same time. "You called for help."

  She took a deep breath and stood on the holo projector. Since a few riots had broken out on the surface, it had been deemed too dangerous for her to attend the meeting on the surface.

  Might had introduced her and then stood aside for her to address her own people. She had never enjoyed public speaking, but there was no getting out of this.

  "Ladies and gentlemen of Dalpha, I was born Alara J'tak. Now, I am to be addressed as Echo in Time." She hauled in another breath and remembered everything her Gran had ever told her.

  "When talents on Dalpha became visible, the governing bodies assembled and decided what to do with them. One of the first talents was a truth seer and it became obvious that it was a useful talent to have in a judicial setting. As a few more talents became visible, the government worked at getting those talents to work for them.

  "The talents did not want to go into government service. They simply wanted to live normal lives as normal citizens. That was deemed unacceptable and talents became illegal.

  "It was not due to any actions on the part of the talents. Throughout our history, there has never been a recorded case of attack or abuse by any talent. The fear instilled was simply an advertising campaign to get folks to turn in their loved ones.

  "Fear of the new and strange swept across the planet and talents were turned in for processing and they were trained to use their talents for the benefit of the governing bodies. Those who would not be processed for use in public were locked in the lab and used as test subjects.

  "These men and women are citizens of Dalpha, with the same right to protection and support as any of the other citizens. A rising genetic pattern for psychic talent is no reason to lock them away and sentence them to a life of slavery.

  "It is slavery. These citizens are removed from their homes, lives and loved ones, processed until they have no thoughts beyond service to the government of Dalpha. The
y are not paid, have no vacation time or time away from their duties. They burn out and their minds snap and those who used them to the breaking point discard them.

  "Removed from the only duty that they have been conditioned to engage in, they die soon after their forced retirement.

  "I ask the population of Dalpha to think, is this a life they want for their children? Talents develop during puberty when the body chemistry is roiling. We are an evolving species on the brink of a surge into a predominantly psychic society. This evolution cannot be restrained or restricted in any way. The Dalphaic will be a proud and magnificent species within the next four generations with or without the government's assistance.

  "The Alliance has sent the Sector Guard here to release the enslaved talents and give them the option of normal lives at a variety of colonies throughout Alliance space. If they have family members who wish to join them, they may. This exodus will remove the majority of captured talents from the positions they are holding in government, law enforcement and medical centres."

  Here was the part that she had been worrying about, but she had to push on. "If the governments of Dalpha do not immediately begin an equitable treatment of their talents, the Alliance will have no choice but to lock the planet. This will cease any interplanetary trade and create an environment of hostility for the sum of one hundred years.

  "During the period of the lockdown, the talents will be monitored from a distance and removed from the surface upon request. They will not suffer because of the actions of the Dalphaic governments. They will be given choices of where to live and occupations they may find suitable. This same offer will not be given to the standard citizens who will remain locked on their world for their lifetimes."

  Alara hated saying that last bit, but the general population had to be smacked in the face to get their attention. The threat of being locked on their own world while the freaks got to fly free might just make a difference.

  "The locking of the world will not go into play for six months and if in that six months, the government manages a training, job and retirement centre for the talents that choose to work with them, the lockdown will not occur.

  "We are all citizens of Dalpha. We went to the same schools, the same churches, parks, events, weddings, funerals and trials as the rest of you. We are not different because we were born with active genes. We are different only because a politician says so. Tell your local representatives of your experience with talents, positive or negative. Those reports will be part of the assessment of the planetary access plan."

  Alara shifted from the planned words for a final plea. "I worked in a craft shop. My cousin was a receptionist for a construction firm. Until we were forced to show our talents, we lived quiet lives doing our jobs and taking fun vacations. In one moment of saving a tour group full of strangers, my cousin was marked for incarceration. It didn't matter that she had never used her talent in public before or that lives were at stake. She was turned from a free citizen to an enslaved talent in that one moment. Because she was my cousin, I was right behind her.

  "I had no plans for my life on Dalpha, but that was because I knew my future wasn't there. I can see into timelines related to me personally. That is why the Sector Guard is here. I called them. I realize that this will cause many folks to despise me, but all futures start with a sudden choice. I made the choice to save my cousin from a life of slavery and in that moment, I sealed your fates.

  "I wish I could regret it, but I don't. Evolution is change and change is growth. You have before you a chance to make Dalpha into a bright new world. Talents are springing up every day and by incorporating their talents into your everyday lives in an equitable manner, you can all engage in a far brighter future than anyone on this planet could have imagined."

  She took another deep breath. "I appreciate your time. I hope that the people will speak for themselves in this matter and defend the talents within their own families. You cannot choose your genes, you cannot choose your family, you cannot choose your world. Take steps today to make each aspect of your life better and thereby improve the lives of those around you. Talents, evaluate your personal desires and goals in life. The Alliance will have communication terminals standing by for any and all questions in this matter, including counsellors that will help you ease into public life if that is your wish."

  Alara inclined her head with its elaborate coil of braids studded with silver clasps. "Thank you for your attention. Be welcome in the Alliance when all of your citizens can stand together."

  She smiled and stepped off the holo projector.

  When the lights flickered and the transmission sent to every city on every continent of Dalpha, the Sector Guard representatives in the com room began to clap.

  Might extended his hand and when she placed her hand in his, he raised it to his lips. "Not only a woman of talent and a true beauty, but a powerful public speaker. Is there nothing that you cannot do?"

  She grinned and slammed against him for a hug. "I can't crochet. My fingers get all tangled."

  He chuckled and rubbed his chin along the wrap of her braids. "Let's go home. I think you need to see your cousin."

  "I really, really do."

  "What do you see in our future?" His voice was low and it rumbled along her nerves.

  "A huge wedding. Sadly, it is almost all of the Sector Guard with two tiny flower girls."

  "I will start making calls."

  He didn't sound upset, there was a hum of anticipation in his tone. Alara had only the one cousin and she was also on Teklan, so that wouldn't' be too much of a problem.

  "I think this will be the first large wedding on Teklan. We have to do it right." His hands were slowly caressing her spine and her breasts pressed against the hard wall of his chest.

  She sighed happily and rubbed her cheek against his chest. "Do you have a lot of family?"

  His chuckle was rich from her vantage point. "A few. They will be very happy to attend a wedding that has me as a groom. You will meet my cousin's wife Samantha. If there had been a Sector Guard in place, I am fairly sure that she would have been in the front line and my cousin Kassil would have been right behind her."

  Chapter Eleven

  Alara was almost vibrating in her seat. Teklan base had given its clearance and they were on final approach.

  The other Teklan Guardsmen had preceded them. The governments of Dalpha had formed a council that wanted to ask pointed questions and the Alliance determined that Echo in Time was the perfect person to answer them.

  "Are you excited to see your new home?"

  "I am more excited to see Tosha. The last time I saw her she was being sucked into a swirling Vortex and taken away across the surface of the moon." Alara wove her fingers together and sat tensely in the navigator seat.

  The landing was far smoother than anything she had ever experienced. On the whole, she was very happy to have Brodin at the controls. He seemed to know what he was doing.

  "Here we are. I will call them as soon as we return to my office." He set them neatly on the tarmac and powered the shuttle down.

  Alara was fumbling with the harness when his large hands covered her own. He unbuckled her swiftly and helped her rise to her feet. His kiss wasn't a surprise. He had taken every opportunity, hallway, dark corridor and quiet moment to experiment with their deepening intimacy.

  When they parted, she grinned up at him. "Are you sure you aren't getting tired of doing that?"

  "Ever since you informed me that we are having no less than three children, starting that wave of the future has been on my mind in the extreme."

  He led her out of the shuttle and helped her down onto the tarmac. A flash of green caught her attention and she screamed, sending Brodin into a defensive spin. She left him behind and ran forward until she and Tosha were spinning in a hug.

  When they stopped, Tosha asked her, "Alara, have you had breakfast?"

  Alara looked at Brodin and he inclined his head for her to spend time with her c
ousin.

  "I will be joining you for breakfast. You can tell me how your orientation has gone. Brodin said you were not on full duty yet." She smiled at her cousin and took in the protective hovering of her partner. It was nice to see him outside his whirlwind for the first time.

  Tosha smiled "It has been interesting, but I think part of it has to be told to Brodin as a debriefing. He can catch up when he gets back to his office."

  Alara linked her arm with Tosha's on one side and Brodin's on the other. Tosha grabbed her partner and together, the foursome walked back to the base with smiles and a swing in their step.

  Alara's cousin was back with her, safe and alive. Anything else could wait until after she was settled in.

  "So, Alara, how has your talent been behaving?" Tosha asked quietly.

  "It has been fine. Evolving every day and yours?"

  "It is doing its thing with or without me." Tosh chuckled.

  Alara looked at her cousin and focused. While Shake would take a beating in her life, being assigned to some very violent retrievals, she would always return to Teklan with her partner Vortex and help Alara with her little ones. Tosha didn't have children in the future, but she was ready and willing to help Alara with her little red and green monsters.

  Tosha gave her a few peculiar looks and Alara realized that she was wearing what Brodin considered her scheming smile. "I will explain it later."

  Tosha smirked. "You always say that."

  Alara bumped her hip with her own, "And I always do. It is good to see you, Tosh." The truth of her words ran through her and it caused the smile to spread across her features again.

  She felt Brodin watching her and turned to look up at him. He knew that she was enjoying her views of the future and let her have her moment.

  She chuckled and resumed the conversation as they entered the structure that housed the majority of the base. "So, Tosha, will you be my bridesmaid?"

  Tosh's squeal echoed in the halls and caused several support staff members to freeze in their tracks.