Touch of Danger (Three Worlds)

by Strickland, Carol A.

  “Oh, sorry,” she told it and moved out of its way. It now continued on its path until it came to rest in an orderly fashion, right angles to a walkway through the lab, perfectly spaced from its neighbor equipment.

  Instant house-cleaning by an overgrown sorcerer's pancake. Maybe she was still dreaming? How much would something like this cost, so she could get one? The cats would certainly hate it. She wondered if it could clean litter boxes and cat barf. Worth its weight in gold, if it could!

  (And where could she get some real pancakes around here? She was starving!)

  Back beyond where Wiley and Jae were passed out was a little nook of a room, an intimate place with an upholstered bench that ran around three sides of an oval table. The room's walls held neat linear indentations. When she used her imagination in conference with her guides, they showed her that the lines marked some version of a microwave and fridge. This room was a break room. Too bad that she had no idea how to get to the food.

  So she tiptoed back past Wiley and Jae to return to the main room. Why hadn't at least one of them gone home? Oh right, they were in quarantine. No one could leave. How long would it last?

  Lina remembered reading that when people first went to the moon and returned, they'd been kept in quarantine for a month in case they'd picked up a space virus. Of course they had no idea what to quarantine for. People would know about Terran diseases here, if Lon were a member. But he was invulnerable; did he ever get sick?

  Should she expect to stay here for a month? If she ported them back, would they have to stay someplace for another month on Earth? If Lon were a member here, how did he operate without going into quarantine all the time? It was rare that he didn't make the news every few days.

  Lina ached for information about everything. Ignorance frustrated her.

  A glow from a cluster of small, colored squares along the near wall caught her eye. **Internet,** her guides whispered.

  Walking along the wall with its long desk surface, she muscle-tested herself every few feet. She clicked her right thumb against a cage made of her left-hand fingers while asking if she were near a monitor, but every time her thumb broke through to signal “no.” The results couldn't be trusted. Muscle test wouldn't work if her hand was injured. Idiot.

  “Computer,” she asked tentatively, “is there a terminal here?”

  #No.# She jumped at the voice next to her. She couldn't tell if it was male or female.

  “Can you tone down the volume? I don't want to wake the others.”

  #Volume control on low,# it whispered.

  “That's better.” Damn. Had she mis-heard her guides? Maybe she was just too cocky after the events of the day. Psychic anything was usually far from 100% accuracy. “Is there a station along here where I could connect into something like the Internet back home?”

  #Yes.#

  Great, a computer who wanted to play twenty questions. “Do I just call you computer? Do you have a name?”

  #Computer.#

  “All right. Computer, please show me where this communication station is.” Four feet away along the table, a rectangle of blue light appeared. It hung some three inches away from the actual wall.

  She rolled a chair down to sit in front of the screen. “Can I get a medical update on Londo?”

  #That information is classified security level triple-five.#

  “Still? Look, I was one of the people working on him. I'm going to be working on him some more. I need to know.”

  #That information is classified security level triple-five.#

  She stifled a curse. “Okay, it's not your fault you had a paranoid programmer. But you better watch it or I'll pull a 'Captain Kirk and the Cosmic Computer' maneuver on you. 'Norman, coordinate,' but you don't have Norman. Won't you regret that!”

  The sigh of defeat Lina finally gave her situation sounded more like a groan. “Can I just access some information? Please?”

  #Restricted files call for Legion membership and suitable security rank.#

  “I don't want any restricted files. I want general, everyday information.”

  #Subject?#

  “Um. Valiant, for one. Wilder Mem-Bazer. Jae…Rallene. Ah, Aff… Affiliated Planets Legion.”

  #Affiliated Systems Megaforce Legion.#

  “Right, that one. And Sarastor.” Since she couldn't read whatever language they had Out Here—the computer called it “Pan-Lingua,” or “Lingua” for short—she was delighted to discover that everything could be translated into English.

  #First subject?#

  “How about the Mega-Legion?”

  #Affiliated Systems Megaforce Legion.#

  “Yeah. History, mission, whatever you have. General overview, if you would.”

  The computer beeped twice and the screen lit up with writing that scrolled comfortably without her lifting a finger. Occasionally it would dissolve into startling 3-D video clips of paraheroes doing various heroic things: battles with criminals, rescues from natural disasters, the building of this headquarters two hundred forty-seven years ago, flashy glamour shots of the current membership.

  Ooh—there was Londo. The screen changed to another member before she could fully appreciate the photo.

  She did a slap-dash Reiki healing on herself as she studied, resting her hands together on her blistered, slime-covered skin and moving them as the energy lowered, to strengthen again over a new area of her body.

  There were almost 500 members, or Legionnaires, so she didn't even try to learn who everyone was. Members were not only paras, but megaparas. Five hundred megaparas. Imagine! Earth had less than ten.

  She recognized Jae Rallene. He went by the name “Neutrino”—a full Legionnaire, not merely Wiley's assistant. Wiley was just Dr. Mem-Bazer. Apparently “Five-Minds” was lurid enough for his parahero name, though come to think of it, Lina doubted that any parent would name their baby “Five-Minds.” Wiley had probably adopted his hero name as his legal one to be efficient.

  **Change your name,** her guides told her.

  “Now you’re just being silly,” she replied as she resumed her studies.

  The Megaforce Legion served the Affiliated Systems, over 600 worlds (and giant artificial satellites! But darn it, no Dyson spheres or even ringworlds) in just under 400 star systems, which was the vast majority of the civilized worlds in this sector of the galaxy. Wherever the heck this sector was.

  The organization consisted of both military and civilian personnel in a pseudo-paramilitary organization. It stepped in when local government was too overwhelmed to handle an emergency. It was held in highest regard by the populace, and for good reason: they had pulled off some amazing feats over the years, had helped millions if not billions of people.

  Feeling pressed for time, she switched from that subject to glance at quick entries on Wilder and then Neutrino. Oh—his entry mentioned Feith. It was Jae's home planet, it seemed. So what could it mean that Feith was inside him? Maybe it was one of those crazy guide things, where they didn't make much sense. She was going to ask for further information, but decided instead to see how far she could go on the other subjects before she came back.

  Valiant. Nice footage, woof! Apparently he was very active off-Earth. How in the world did he have time for it all? Lon was considered the most powerful Legionnaire.

  The puter noted his high Q scores for public approval both inside and outside the Legion. He was captain of an Alpha Team, which sounded important, and Lina recalled the same listing for Jae. Lon had been nominated a couple of times for Legion Commander, but he wasn't eligible. A commander was required to be a full-time member, which he was not. It didn't help that Lon came from Earth, which apparently was not in the Mega-Legion's sector.

  And yet he was as renowned here as he was at home. The listing of available information on Lon went on and on. It was as if she'd Googled “sex.” There must be a billion entries.

  Londo was beyond famous. He was historic. Generations from now his name would still be mentioned
every day. Maybe he'd engender his own myths and folk tales. Maybe some people would think he was a god.

  It would be easy to picture Maximus as Zeus and Valiant as Hercules. While Maximus stayed in the clouds with his lightning, commanding the other gods, Valiant walked among humans.

  He'd walked beside her.

  Those distant future people would never hear a whisper of Lina O'Kelly's name.

  She got up to check on Londo again and to go to the bathroom to wash the sticky stuff off her face. There she paused and stared at her lumpy, mottled condition. It was still almost impossible to see Lina within the charred mess. A prominent patch of blisters on her left cheek resembled Australia. Angry-looking cuts added multiple Rings of Fire around the continent, especially toward New Zealand. The same condition on her legs and arms made it seem as if blister-ivy had grown all over her.

  Perhaps she'd best leave the goop on.

  Yesterday she'd felt like she could have healed anything. Well, anything named Londo. The emergency had plugged her firmly into a rare psychic “zone,” though the earlier deep communion with his cells certainly helped her know the way his body worked.

  Could she do the same for herself? She made a face at the mirror. Psychic healing wasn't recommended for most emergency situations. It was a gently holistic manner of gradual healing. Yesterday had been a fluke, a miraculous exception.

  Wiley had helped bring Londo along and he'd done an amazing job on her so far. She flexed her left arm. It was stiff, and she knew where the major nerves lay, for they felt like double-pointed needles inside her muscles. Still, it was lots better than waking to find it amputated. Or not waking at all.

  She decided she'd handle the metaphysics and let Wiley continue with his biophysics.

  Lina returned to the computer screen and brought up information about Sarastor. Sleepily she began to satisfy her curiosity about this friendly planet. The overview was written from a touristy point of view with many videos about governmental areas (Sarastor was the capital of the Affiliated Systems, or AffSys, which didn't sound so hissy before her floating marble translated it), and a lengthy section extolling the presence of the Mega-Legion's headquarters. After a while she chose a couple more subjects, one of which was very important, but she dozed off in fits and starts before she could finish them.

  Chapter 9

  Wiley found Lina in the morning. She'd taken the blanket and pillow from her makeshift bed and had slept on the floor next to Londo, just out of reach. Wiley scanned her and frowned, then gestured at his screens to note the situation on her med record. Crossing the room, he touched some points on the wall monitor screen she'd used to see for himself what she'd been accessing during the night, though Jae had already written up a quick report of his own on the matter.

  Obviously she was trying to get her bearings here. She'd looked at info about Valiant. After a moment's consideration, he decided that might make sense as well. She'd wanted to know about Sarastor, and here was a request for information about Sarastor's weather control system. She'd asked if there were really a need for it and what it would take to have the authorities shut it down. Interesting.

  There'd been a request for information on biocleaning. She would be concerned about getting out of quarantine as quickly as possible. He had to smile at the last subject she'd covered: birth control methods with a specific query for something called a “morning-after pill.” Sensible. Nothing to worry about concerning an attempt to get sensitive files from the Legion computer. Requested subject matter also seemed to confirm a Terran point of view.

  Bare-feet sounds on the laboratory floor behind him told him she was up and about. “Your bed was programmed for healing,” he said without turning around. “I didn't think about programming the floor.”

  “Sorry. I didn't know. I was worried that Lon might wake up and need something.”

  “He slept the night through. I can prepare a shot for you, if you wish.”

  Lina blushed when she saw that he was referring to the birth control screen she'd been reading. With the blanket wrapped around herself and her pillow tucked under one arm, she tried to pat her crazy hair into place. “I suppose I do want one, if you could. Thank you. How's Lon?”

  “I'm curious to see what you think about that.”

  “He's still badly out of balance, probably weak as a kitten—well, maybe a cat. He needs to sleep undisturbed for a few more hours. And Jae needs to tone down that blood production. He's got happy bones working like heck, but I think Londo needs all his systems easing back to normal now that the danger's over.”

  Two of Wiley's minds smiled to the others. Yes, this was going to be an interesting book, despite it being a Terran technique.

  Lina continued: “If I were you I'd put on some soft classical music, like Pachelbel's Canon. He should drink lots of pure water. Absolutely no stimulants; he should sleep as much as he can. And a massage couldn't hurt.”

  “I don’t know anything about the music item, but that last is definitely out of the question. He is Valiant.” Wiley paused. “Unless you can supply the massage.”

  “I can, as long as my arm stays with me. Whatever you did has done wonders, but it still doesn't quite feel all there.”

  “We'll work on that today.”

  She tucked the blanket back on her lab bed and tried unsuccessfully to fluff the pillow. “It's not everyday that I get a hole blown through me. I'm very lucky that y'all were able to do anything for it. Thank you very much.”

  Wiley gave her a half-nod. For a Terran barbarian she was surprisingly polite. He'd have to keep watch for other un-Terran-like behavior. The woman could well be a sleeper agent. “It's no problem,” he said, “especially since we have time to spare right now. As long as you're awake, come along with me while I prepare your shot. We won't wake the others. I have some questions for you.”

  She chuckled and followed him. “I take it there's no tradition of psychic healing here?”

  “Many rumors and traditions from the distant past, but nothing that's ever been proven to work. Are you a doctor on Earth?”

  She had to stifle her snort. “Heavens, no! Heck, it's only been fifty years or so since the medical profession admitted that nutrition had anything to do with health. Everyone just wants to give you a shot to cure anything instead of preventing it in the first place. Pretty stone knives and bearskins to you, I should think.”

  “I can understand shots,” Wiley said, though he'd have to puzzle through the “stone knives and bearskins” reference later.

  His central console was the windscreened desk where he and Jae had watched her work, but he chose to lead her to another station. He kicked through the debris to make a spot where they both could stand, and then moved his left hand in the air strangely, wiggling his fingers. To Lina it didn't seem to be an affectation but something deliberate. Then he took a hypo handle and pressed it against an indentation at the side of the counter.

  He wore plain gold rings on all his fingers, two on each thumb. Lina noted that same iridescent ring that Jae wore was on his right hand, middle finger.

  Wiley explained as he waved the hypo over her good arm, “This isn't just a morning-after solution. It's good for a year. Will that be enough?”

  Lina opened her mouth and nothing came out for a beat. Wiley was assuming a long-term affair. Between the legendary Valiant and Lina Nobody?

  But how long would it last? Could she pray for it to go on as long as a year? Lon had to get tired of her sometime. “I have no idea,” she admitted. “I— This just happened from out of the blue. At first I thought it would be just until his powers came back.” She tried to shake away the sudden, suffocating cloud of doubt.

  “It's reversible, if you ever want to,” Wiley told her.

  The outrageousness from so many angles made her laugh. “Me— a mother? I don't think so. I'm not the mother type.”

  “Even for a child of Valiant?”

  “What has he been telling you?” Suspicion knifed throug
h her. Had Londo been bragging about his prowess? Had he been telling sex stories to his buddies?

  Wiley shrugged his shoulders and examined two screens.

  “I'll kill him. What did he say about me? Or has that been classified, too?”

  “I doubt if you'd be able to access it. And you should know that it's illegal to threaten the life of a Legionnaire.” Wiley looked like he enjoyed the strangled sound she made.

  Change subject before she said something that would get her deeper into trouble! “Okay. Okay. So… If you don't mind me asking, which eye do I look at?”

  “Say again?” One of Wiley's eyes maddeningly turned to the left to examine her while the other remained focused on the first screen.

  “They aren't coordinated well,” Lina said. “I mean, first one looks at me and then it's off on its own and the other looks at me, and then neither does. Londo says I have to start looking people in the eye, but your eyes keep switching back and forth. I hope I'm not rude, that it's not a medical condition or—”

  “I have five minds,” Wiley said, returning his complete attention—or was that attentions?—to his screens.

  “And two eyes.”

  “I can utilize visuals from two separate bio sources,” he told her.

  “Only two? That must be boring for the other three minds.”

  “With only two eyes,” Wiley clicked a ring against the tabletop, “I've added three computer links and two direct digital broadcast receivers to my senses with optional analog transition. I can pick and choose from seven source modes, and am considering adding enhanced visuals to my ocular nerves this coming year, which will give me nine total.”

  “But do you get HBO?” Lina asked.

  “Hm?” Wiley began to turn to her.

  “Bad joke. Sorry. I take it you don't drive? I mean, depth of field must not kick in when you do the roving eye routine.”

  “Since I don't go out on many missions I don't require three-dimensional sight,” he said. “When I need it, I coordinate eye movements. That also allows me to concentrate on the mission at hand with an extra mind.”