Kala felt her face grow warmer. ~Y…Yatr… Yatrell, I’m happy you’re healthy, and can wake soon.~
She tried to change the subject. This wasn’t where she saw things going, although part of her enjoyed his words and wished his touch was real.
~Kala, please just relax. I wish we were on Dentonia. I could show you some amazing sights, and some incredible night skies.~ His eyes never left hers as he spoke, and he didn’t remove his hand from her face.
~That sounds beautiful.~
~None of it is as beautiful as you are.~
Yatrell heard the words fall so easily from his mouth. Words he had used for other women. Not one of them ever truly cared for him, nor had he cared for them as he cares for…
Kala was overcome by anxiety. She was nervous, shaken, and uncomfortable. She was not at all certain where to go next. ~I … I should get back. I’m needed. I have to prepare.~
Her image blushed deeply, and her hearts raced.
Drawing his hand back, he kept his eyes locked with hers. ~Prepare? For what?~
~I’m also a touch telepath. I can draw information from a person by simple skin to skin contact. I’ve been asked to speak to Greshna again. It will be on my terms.~
~The Ven woman who hospitalized you?~ Yatrell was concerned.
~Yes. Well, it was more the overexertion of my new ability that put me in the hospital, but the doctors don’t fully understand that, and those of us who do, are keeping it quiet.~
Yatrell’s concern became obvious, ~Are you sure this is something you’re ready to do?~
She shook her head, ~No, Konair, I’m not.~ Her hearts froze. She skipped a breath, and realized what she just said. Her Konair… her hearts missing half and joy. Him? Quickly trying to act as if it didn’t just slip from her she continued. ~I will be. I’ve a touch telepath to teach me and Lt Palrion is trying to obtain a transfer to the Reverence as well.~
The hint of a smile slipped from his lips as she continued. Yatrell was distressed at the prospect she would end up in the medical bed or worse, but he understood that during war, risks had to be taken. ~You’ll keep in contact with me before you go in? And when you’re done with your interaction?~
She felt a real smile cross her lips. Appreciating his concern she gently projects, ~Yes. If you wish it, I will.~
~Good. I look forward to it. If anyone can handle the Ven, I no longer doubt you’re the person to do it.~ He felt a shift to his body, and looked at her with his perceived form. ~Kala, I think I need to go now. So do you. Please, return soon. I’ve been missing you in the silence.~
~I’ll be back often, until you no longer need me, I promise.~
Yatrell smiled at the thought. As his perceived body faded he projected gently, ~I will always need you.~
With that, he was gone. Soon thereafter they were alone in their own minds again.
She opened her eyes and looked around the room. Her roommate was sitting on the couch, grinning like a cat. Innocently and confused she smiled back at Henessa.
“What? What did I do?”
“You weren’t meditating, that’s what. The stone is clutched tightly in your palm, and you kept smiling. At times, you mumbled. You weren’t meditating.” Henessa looked at her friend and added, “Oh, and you blushed, rather deeply.”
Kala’s gaze moved to the stone and her mind went back through the conversation, and she fumbled her next words, “Right. I… I mean I…” She sighed.
“So, how’s Yatrell?” Henessa asked drawing out his name in the most dramatic fashion.
Kala’s face turned a deep shade of red, and her pulse quickened once more. “He’s better than a month ago.”
“Judging by the expression on your face, he’s a lot healthier. His mind is back to where it should be, and I’d bet he’s been rather grateful for your help?”
Confused, Kala looked up at her, wondering if she had been able to break past her psionic blocks, and read her mind and the link. “You… hu?”
Henessa laughed, “It was a lucky guess based on your reaction to everything. Seriously, I’m really glad that you two were able to figure out the mysteries that resulted in his psionic lobe’s extensive damage.”
Relieved, Kala nodded, “Me too. What we couldn’t repair telepathically, his doctor should be able to find, or he can direct him to.”
“That’s good to hear. Now, I’m getting ready. I have an official date tonight.” Henessa stood, and walked into their bathroom.
Kala watched her with a grin. While Henessa was preparing to leave, Kala took her medical study materials into her room and sprawled them out on the bed. Submerging herself in the research completely filled her evening. Soon, hours had passed. Henessa and Merx were returning from their date, and Kala realized sleep was looming. She cleared her things, and stretched out. Before long she was dreaming about her conversation with Yatrell.
~*~
Her touch telepathy practice began with aggressive intensity the following morning. The challenge Kala faced was being able to get past Maddux’s tricky hiding methods. He knew ways of deceiving her mind into thinking there was no actual connection. Even as she came to expect this, he was still effective.
Over the coming days, both Kala and Maddux found this daunting, as little efficient progress was achieved. Then he changed his approach. Instead of challenging her to find the answers on her own, Maddux told her how to do it herself. This applied to all aspects of her touch telepathy lessons in the short time frame they had to work with.
By the end of the two week window, she had made significant progress to the point of slightly better than modest control. Naturally, this was still concerning. Kala already had significant knowledge about other forms of telepathic manipulation, protection, and aggressive tactics. This left them reason to believe, and hope that she was remotely prepared to face a Turaant Level Ven.
When the day came to finally greet Greshna with the information she obtained from the moments they were in contact, Kala woke early. She contacted Yatrell as agreed.
~Hello, Yatrell.~
Still in a near comatose state, he felt his face lift hearing her voice. That changed when he realized what day it was. ~It’s time isn’t it?~
Calmly she projected, ~It is, but I believe I’m ready.~
~If you think so, then you are. Stay guarded. Don’t forget her efforts will be difficult to grasp. She will try to turn you into a pawn to help her, if the chance arises.~
~I know, Yatrell. My touch telepathy teacher is quite skilled, and he’s taught me much. I’ve learned more than he’s taught, and I am ready.~
~Be careful. I’ll talk to you in a few hours.~
~Of course. In a few hours.~ She withdrew from his mind.
She relaxed on the floor, and found meditation easy to achieve. When her door chime finally rang, she was at a personal calm unlike she was normally able to obtain. Lieutenant Commander Dak Palrion stepped into her quarters, and instantly knew she was as mentally ready as she could be for what was to come. He smiled briefly, and then the seriousness of what was coming sank in.
“Are you ready, Private?”
“Yes, Sir.” Kala stood at near attention, looking at her teacher, mentor, and friend. “I’m ready for whatever she thinks she has.”
“Good. The captain wants a full report in a few hours, so we should go.”
He walked out of the room with Kala paced behind him. As they walked the length of the hallway together, Kala realized she’d been training so intensely since she left her medical hold, she hadn’t taken in her surroundings. Moving through the halls, she noted the difference between the training vessel and the Reverence. The lighting seemed to be built flush into the walls, unlike what was on the training vessel. It reminded her of what was called track lighting in that it was the full length of a section between security bulkheads.
Each security bulkhead was barely noticeable, as it traced like a seam from floor to ceiling and back again. Tiny, barely visible, shield emitters dotted ever
y seam. Each section could be closed off with force fields, for various reasons. At the end of the hall, the pale green lift doors opened silently for them and when they approached. Once inside, Palrion only gave a voice command, and the lift descended into the deepest recesses of the massive ship.
Just before the lift doors opened, Lieutenant Commander Palrion ordered the lift to pause. He shoved his hand in his pocket and turned to Kala. “I have something that we know will help you through this process. Keep it tucked under your uniform, and no one will even know it’s there.”
Kala looked at him confused, until he lifted a long leather cord from his pocket with a smooth, flat and oval version of her listening rock. She smiled, thanked him and allowed him to secure it around her neck. She then tucked it into her uniform. Once he was certain she still appeared in uniform, he ordered the doors to open.
Together, they stepped out into a corridor of a similar design as the secured one on the training vessel. The path between the lift and the security room was a walk way that could move but had been shut off. When it moved, it moved away from the lift. Looking up at the walls, which were just slightly further apart than two people walking side by side, there were multiple lasers emitters on either side. The emitters were placed at varying points and heights. Above the door of the lift was the equipment for a relocation transmission.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward, and walked into the security facility. Here, the cells lined the walls, ten deep on either side. Force fields held the prisoners in. Some were Xenonian. Others were from a variety of other species. All of them qualified as prisoners of war, and what was done with them would be up to the captain. That wasn’t her concern, however.
Only one prisoner held her attention, and she was in the maximum level security cell. After noting two security people departing for shift change, she glanced at Lieutenant Commander Palrion before continuing. She approached the security desk.
A large obese older woman pulled herself from the chair, and wobbled over to the counter. “Whatdoya want?”
Kala looked at the older woman’s rank, and demeanor. She relaxed her blocks, and took a moment to listen before selecting how to respond. “I’m here to see the Turaant Level Ven in confinement.” She kept her tone even and her confidence clear, but not overbearing.
Lieutenant Commander Palrion stood next to Kala, and reviewed the woman’s rank. “Private First Class?” Her age and rank comparison took him by surprise. “Drop the psionic barrier when she enters the cell. Replace the field when she exits.”
“Idonna care whata rank you are. Imma not letting that Ven into my mind.” The older woman leaned heavily on the desk, and just stared at them. “Imma not sure the girl should be in the room with a Turaant.”
“She’s the reason we know the Ven is a Turaant.” Annoyance coated Palrion’s voice. “This is a direct order.” He looked at Kala, “Private, stand before the far cell.” He returned his attention to the woman behind the counter, and waited for Kala to be in place. In his most authoritative voice, he commanded, “Drop the shield, and let her enter the cell. Raise the shield, and drop the psionic barrier once she’s in.”
“Imma filein a formal complaint. She ain’t ready. She’s too small to deal with ‘em people.”
The woman then complied with the Lieutenant Commander’s orders. She then acknowledged two more security members entering the room. While they checked in, she intentionally ignored Palrion, and focused on the team members instead, bringing them up to date with her opinion of the situation. Palrion stood there in silence, clearly annoyed, but more concerned with Kala than with the security woman’s ignorant behavior.
Kala waited for the force field holding the prisoner to drop then stepped inside and quickly it raised again. When she felt the psionic barrier drop, she sat across from Greshna, and projected calmly, ~Hello again.~
The Ven woman leaned back on the slab that was called a bed, “What would you like girl?”
~You read me easily. Are you out of practice now?~
Greshna just stared at Kala for several minutes before finally speaking again, “No. I didn’t know you were a touch telepath, but anything you think you know will not be clarified here.”
Kala nodded. “Of course not. I wouldn’t expect it to be.”
Kala adjusted her telepathic barriers to become deceptively open. She designed the perception to lead Greshna to only hear what Kala wished for her to hear. She had some difficulty, but it was an important skill taught to her by PFC Maddux.
Greshna grumbled, “Then why are you here?”
Kala projected, ~Simply to inform you of what we know because of that contact, and what I’ve shared with the captain. She has informed our Senate. They now believe you to be an exceptional captive, and would like us to deliver you to one of our prison planets. Evidently, there is some special means of dealing with Turaant Level Ven that I’m unaware of.~
Greshna remained silent.
Kala projected, ~We know your rank. We know about the Children of Promise, and we are aware of your actual mission.~
Greshna refused to respond.
Kala continued, ~We have spoken to the Xenonian Captain who broke up the research all those years ago. We are aware of the original goal, and how they went about rescuing numerous children involved in your research. We also know where they are.~ Kala watched for a reaction, but wasn’t surprised when she didn’t receive one.
Greshna listened as she spoke, options running through her mind. Memories of the experiments, and the children she cared for surfaced clearly. She stared into Kala’s eyes and leaned forward. ~You’re a projective telepath, an empath and a touch telepath? Have you any other abilities, Green Eyes?~
Kala shifted in her seat, not enjoying the change of emotion she was sensing. “No.”
Hearing Kala’s voice out loud gave Greshna reason to smirk, “How old are you girl?”
Kala’s voice was calm, and her tone was controlled, ~My age is irrelevant to this conversation.~
“You already know, don’t you?” Greshna searched past her telepathic manipulation, finding the depth of the issue, inside her psyche. Her eyes danced as she spoke, “Yesssa. You do know. You know no one here will ever understand you, don’t you, child?”
Kala did her best to remain unfazed by the comments, ~I am a welcomed part of this unit, thank you.~
Greshna continued to push, ~You hid yourself all of your life… well, until a few years ago. Then you met another. A chance conversation. Didn’t it surprise you that you could reach across the universe with your mind?~ She stood up, and walked over to where Kala was sitting, ~Only a Child of Promise could do that. You’re not any child of promise though. Your age puts you about the same as my Green Eyes. It puts you the same as the most unique and susceptible. Ah, part one.~
It was Kala’s turn to remain silent.
Greshna studied the young Xenonian woman before her. “If I am correct, and you’ve confirmed enough for me to believe it, you may have many more abilities yet unleashed. I can help you find them. I can help you harness them, and hone them to perfection.”
Kala continued to remain silent.
~Is he a Child of Promise too?~
Sharply Kala snapped, “No. He’s just a Dentonian who happened to hear my projected thoughts. There is nothing unique about him.”
Greshna’s smirk widened into a smile, deceptively, “No, of course there isn’t.” Debating on her next approach, she watched Kala’s reactions, carefully. ~You know that my brother is badly injured, don’t you?~
“Yes.”
~Kala, you have the knowledge to save him. As do I. I need to be with my brother.~
“You need to remain in your cell.” Kala stood and moved around the Ven woman and toward the force shield and stopped.
~Kala of Xenonia, you are a Child of Promise. I know I can prove it. You were subliminally programmed to respond to my commands.~
Kala turned on her heal, and glared into the smaller woman�
�s eyes.”I’ll do no such thing! I am Xenonian. I am a member of this crew, and a slave no more!”
~Tural’shurl.~ Kala stood straight up, and looked at her, expressionless. Greshna smiled. ~Now, little Green Eyes, let’s get off this disgusting ship of inferiors.~
Kala stood next to the shield again, her hand waved to get the attention of the security woman. When the shield was dropped, both Greshna and Kala stepped through.
She walked next to the prisoner until they reached the security desk, “We are departing Reverence now.” Her voice was impassive as was her expression.
Kala walked toward the door. The two security members who outranked the desk clerk, moved in her path. Kala curiously stared at the security pair, in silence. To those around her, it was clear she was waiting for something. One grabbed her arm, forcefully and she didn’t respond. Palrion tried to address her, but received no response.
Greshna moved swiftly to disarm one of the men. After a brief altercation, she used their weapon to kill both guards in their way. Satisfied with her success, she turned to Kala and nodded toward the door again. The older heavy security officer activated the brig level escape prevention measures, and the ship wide alarm.
Lieutenant Commander Palrion quickly grabbed Greshna by the shoulders. He shoved her against the nearest bulkhead and growled, “I don’t know what you did to her but you had better release your hold on my student, now!”
The security woman meandered toward Kala and raised her weapon, “Stop right there, Missy!”
Kala turned to face her. “Stop where? You are not caretaker.” She stared at the raised weapon, and then at Greshna who was pinned at the wall. “You sir, release my caretaker.” It was not the conviction of an order, but rather the same emotionless tone.
Greshna grinned as Kala spoke, and she spit in Palrion’s eyes. “You heard the child, release me!”
The Ven invaded the Xenonian’s mind, and fiercely attacked him, creating levels of pain that stemmed from intense to excruciating. Palrion had no choice but to release her as he doubled over. Greshna stood over him as he dropped to the floor, writhing from the torment she’d caused. When she was standing on her own again she turned to Kala.
Nebula Nights: Love Among The Stars Page 116
