Eyes Love & Water

by Pamela Foland

  Ben started for the transport booth, when he got there he closed the booth door. “Home.” Ben tapped the execute button.

  “I’m sorry sir, your personal data program remote is damaged or absent, if you could please specify the block, floor and number of your quarters I would be happy to comply.” The machine chirped at Ben.

  “No! You don’t get it, I want to go home. To Earth!”

  “Unable to comply.”

  “Blasted thing!” Ben felt the anger returning, and the threat that he could end up hurting somebody finally settled him on where he needed to be, “Fine, get me to Tina, Gene’s new assistant.”

  “Transport will commence in three seconds unless you chose to override, two, one...,” and Ben was standing in a store room with Tina bent to reach a low shelf. She stood and turned around with an armload of towels directly into Ben.

  “Whoa! Where’d you come from? Does Daniel need something?” Tina asked narrowly averting dropping the towels in surprise. Ben felt her eyes reading his face, “What’s wrong?”

  “Angela, she’s a, a.... I want to throttle the woman! How the heck do I get off this ride?” Ben grabbed the towels from Tina to occupy his hands thus averting a destructive outburst in the orderly storeroom.

  “I could get Gene to arrange something if you are set on leaving, but couldn't we talk it over first? I mean you really shouldn't be making life altering decisions in the state you’re in.” Tina opened the door for Ben.

  “Oh, you mean as opposed to the lengthy period of time I spent deciding to be hijacked and brought here? Or the huge span of minutes that they gave me to decide to join up?” Ben followed Tina down the hall with the stack of towels in his arms keeping his arms from violent gestures to go along with his sarcasm.

  “Way I understand it your coming here was life or death, and there wasn't really time for Daniel to even think about it hard let alone give you the time to carefully consider the options, but I get where you’re coming from there,” Tina took the top three towels from the pile and tucked them into a cupboard above a sink in the hall beside a door labeled emergency bay. Then she held the door for Ben, “I especially understand what you’re saying about getting shoved into factoring, remember you are talking to Me. The point is nobody was doing it to harm you, they were trying to act in your best interests.

  “You were a cop on your world they just acted as though they assumed you would chose to be a version of one here. That’s the real trouble with telepaths, their telepathy is also their blind spot. They assume that just because they can read minds, they know what you would want.” Tina took the remainder of the towels and tucked them into a floor to ceiling cabinet.

  Ben looked at his empty arms and at Tina, “What’s worse is that Angela yelled at me for letting Daniel get hurt, and for not telling her about her sooner! I didn't know! Nobody bothered to tell me your sister’s name!”

  Tina turned on Ben with wide eyes, “My sister? What does she have to do with anything-... Miranda is the mystery chick! You have a crush on my sister? Of all the... She’s been gone since before I was born and yet she still manages to start up the whole sibling rivalry thing!” Tina broke into a laughing fit which turned to tears. Faster than Ben could follow what was going on, Tina was in his arms wiping her eyes on his shirt. “So, are they sure it’s her?”

  Ben grabbed Tina’s shoulders and held her at arm’s length. “Not absolutely, Daniel said odds were it was her when they heard Miranda was her name. I don’t really understand it, or why Angela started screaming at me about my not belonging in the field because I hadn't told her.”

  “Let me put it this way, for whatever reason, when it comes to Sanctuary and the factors the most outrageously unlikely things tend to happen. So it would be perfectly normal for her to turn out to be my sister. I think it’s god’s way of evening the odds, the dark has us beat in numbers but we kick their butts with luck.” Tina sat on the emergency bay table and patted the mattress beside her.

  Hesitantly Ben took the seat, “Oh yeah, I’m dripping with it! That’s why I managed to nearly get Daniel killed and probably got Miranda captured and killed in the span of seconds!”

  “She was there on that world too? You run into her again on your first time out and don’t call it luck? I suppose nobody has given you a really good description of just how many potential Earths there are.” Tina waited obviously to allow Ben time to answer.

  “Nobody tells me anything, relevant. You did mention that there were a lot of worlds out there.”

  Tina nodded, “A lot times a lot, but let’s simplify, I never really did well with quantum theory. There is an entire complex devoted to trying to mathematically define, describe, predict and develop practical uses of the basic quantum calculations. I barely have a fuzzy working idea of the whole thing.

  “Let's limit the model to one choice, say whether or not to eat breakfast. There is a guy on Earth that had to decide that this morning right. Two possible choices two possible outcomes, two possible resultant life paths two alternate realities. We usually call each of those alternate realties a dimension- not quite accurate but it works. Tomorrow each of the resultant guys have the same decision, four possible outcomes four possible life paths, four new dimensions. The next morning ends with eight, after that sixteen, thirty two, sixty four... After a month there are more than two billion, just over whether or not he ate breakfast, and there are hundreds of more choices small, large and medium he makes in a day and millions of other people making hundreds of choices. Miranda could have ended up on any of those worlds, but you and she ended up on the same one.”

  Ben sat through her explanation, he’d read about stuff like that before somewhere, never thinking it had anything to do with him. It had just been scientists talking about pretty numbers, there had been murders to solve and prevent.

  “I’d say chances are you'll see her again so don’t worry, and Daniel is going to be all right too. For all we know you'll find Miranda hidden away on some obscure world on your next mission. That’s if you stick around to go on a next mission.” Tina flung Ben a wry smile. Somehow he felt enough better about things that he could see himself staying. “Now can we negotiate, after all I am related to the girl of your dreams. I don’t think you've given me a fair shot. I might just ripen up even prettier than her and wouldn't you be missing it then!” Ben tried hard to hold back an explosive laugh, until he saw from Tina’s expression that the laugh was exactly what she had been looking for.

  “There we are!” Tina smiled and leapt up from the exam table, “Now I prescribe food, rest, and relaxation. I'll insert a medical leave onto your record and instruct Bea to warn off everyone from bothering you about factoring. That everyone includes Angela! I'll leave it in place until Daniel recovers to the point he’s ready for field duty. Even with his constitution that'll take a week or so. You can do a lot of breathing in a week or so.”

  “You can do that?”

  “Heck yeah! You didn't think my position was nominal did you? Gene is training me to do this job and seeing to people in need is part of it. I have to run it by him, but he'll endorse it. He likes you.”

  “Yeah, but my problems aren't exactly medical.” Ben ran his hands through his hair.

  Tina scrunched her nose and patted him on the knee, “They’re affecting your mood, and your mood affects your health, and your telepathy is involved, and there isn't anyone who will question it. So head back to your quarters, have a nice meal, a hot bath, and get to know your roommates.”

  “Okay, but do you know my block, floor and room number, I kind of smashed Bea’s remote and don’t think it's a good idea to walk the entire way.”

  “Oh yeah, that would be a bad idea, come on I'll send you there with the med-center booth. Your rooms on the fourth year factors floor twelve, that'll get you to the transport booth in the living area, if you want to go directly to your room, just tell the booth your name.” Tina led Ben through the corridors to the transport booth closet outsi
de of Gene’s office. She opened the door tapped a sequence of keys and gestured for him to go in. “Execute.”

  Ben didn't even get to say good-bye before he was in his room. The media screen flashed the word malfunction in small red letters in the corner of the screen. Ben flinched, “Bea, I’m sorry. I shouldn't have taken revenge on your remote. Can I get a new one?” The word stopped flashing, and a fresh pin appeared on the desk.

  “I’m a computer program. I don’t take offense. I’m just pleased no organic life forms were injured,” Ben was probably imagining it but he thought Bea sounded slightly hurt.

  Ben squirmed in his own skin not sure what to say to the computer, “I’m going for supper.”

  “I will forward your messages, as long as this remote is not damaged.”

  Ben flinched and wandered down the hall to the shared multipurpose room. When he got there he found Martin, Trinny, and a boy who barely seemed old enough to have graduated from elementary school. Trinny seemed to be leading the boy around the room in a sort of orientation tour. Martin still sat in the same place in the same position and apparently stared at the same page of the same book as he had been that morning when Ben left. Ben decided that his best hope of conversation would be Trinny and the boy.

  “Hey Ben! This is Carl. He’s a little genius and he’s thinking about becoming a factor.

  Niri has taken him into her preparatory classes, and we are officially supposed to mentor him.”

  “Pleased to meet you, Carl, my name’s Ben. If you have any questions, go to somebody else. I’m new here and I probably have less of a clue than you do.” Ben smiled and held out his hand. Carl shook it and smiled back. “Trinny, what’s up with Martin? Has he moved today?”

  “Not since breakfast. He’s studying for a math test, piddling around in his eidetic memory somewhere. Don’t worry, he'll come out of it for food when he gets hungry. Speaking of which, I should show Carl around the kitchen, unless you want to give it a try Ben.” Trinny waved at the corner.

  Ben’s stomach growled, “I don’t know my way around well enough, but I’d be glad to show him how to get the food processor to work,”

  “I wouldn't mind a bite or two myself, How about you Carl?” Trinny answered.

  Carl hesitated, “I, dunno, I suppose, my mom probably won’t mind.”

  “No pressure,” Ben went to the processor and ordered up a bacon cheese burger and fries. He took the resulting tray and sat in the lounge.

  Martin stirred in his corner finally closing the book and rising. “Why good, morning- or is it, yes my nose says supper time. How’d your day go Ben? I hope your hangover wasn't too bad.”

  Ben choked on his most recent mouthful of food. “It wasn't after Bea >helped out’.”

  “Hmm, >after’, I guess you hadn't set a wakeup call,” Martin flashed Ben a grimace which quickly turned into a smile, “That smells good, I think I'll get some food before my stomach starts growling.”

  Ben took another bite of his hamburger and sighed. Tina was right his mood was much improved.

  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

  Miranda awoke unable to move. She was helpless, and she knew it. The only thing within her power was her ability to stew in her own fear. Four Djheens guarded her, one sitting in each corner. Perhaps she could have seized control of one, but four alert Djheens outnumbered and overpowered her. So Miranda sat strapped to the chair and stared at the one Djheen sitting within her frame of vision.

  Eventually Miranda felt Dichen's searing telepathic summons. By that time the drug had worn off to the point that Miranda could move her eyes and twitch her fingers, but not enough to respond to Dichen's call. Not that she would if she could. The Djheens hoisted Miranda, chair and all, then as one they teleported to Dichen.

  On arrival the Djheens slammed Miranda and the chair down. It jolted Miranda, jarring her teeth together and making her bite the tip of her tongue. She felt the pain and tasted blood. With great effort, Miranda managed to wiggle her tongue back away from her teeth. It was a good sign.

  “I wish you hadn't done that Miranda.” Miranda recognized Dichen's voice. His voice was soft and held a tenderness she had never before heard. Miranda turned her eyes to the right and saw Dichen lounging in his swivel chair. He flicked his wrist in a dismissive gesture and Miranda felt the Djheens disappear.

  “Done what?” Miranda asked while struggling against the lingering paralysis and stiff restraints.

  Dichen rose and menacingly began to circle her chair, faster than she could manage to turn her head and keep up with him. “Crossed me!” Any semblance of softness was gone from his voice, “I was your only ally. You made me look the fool! Now... you face the consequences alone.”

  Miranda felt the prick of a needle in her arm. She managed to swivel her head around. A glimpse of Dichen barely registered before she lost her grip on reality and fell into hallucination. Dragons and snowmen cavorted around her. Spiders turned themselves inside out and outside in becoming flowers and skulls. Miranda locked her eyes closed to hide from the visions. Time passed in lingering delirium, then they moved her from the chair to a stretcher. They carried her unrestrained yet subdued down corridors and through empty halls.

  With eyes closed, Miranda felt many rough hands move her from the stretcher to a table. She spit and yelled as they shaved her head. A knife slid along her skin cutting away her clothes, leaving her flesh undamaged. With a sudden fear of rape, she lashed out against her captors. The rough hands returned to hold her down. They pulled fingerless gloves on her hands. Miranda wondered why, until she felt needles in the gloves searching out her veins.

  She opened her eyes to robed men-creatures, the most maddening thing was not knowing if the demonic faces were demon or not. She saw a sensory deprivation room around her, with covered tanks sunk into the floor. She had seen a room like this twice before as a child; once to watch the placement of a strong and defiant prisoner inside, the second time to see that same prisoner, broken and quivering, removed.

  The men, eight of them, grabbed Miranda, two per appendage. Jostling and contorting they got her down into a tank. Miranda fought. She kicked, screamed and clawed at them as they secured her in the hanging harness. She gagged as they rammed a tube down her throat and plugged her nose. IV tubes dangled from the gloves. They began to fill the tank with a fluid matching her body temperature, and Miranda fought to hold on to herself. She held her eyes open as the fluid level rose, drinking in the light because she knew they would take that away. At first the fluid stung her eyes, but that didn't last. Soon the fluid had numbed her eyes and the rest of her. A small static charge passed through the liquid and it set instantly to a jell. The last thing she heard, other than her heartbeat, was the dulled clang of the vat lid slamming shut, cutting out the light.

  It wasn't long before Miranda was lost, swirling in the abyss. With nothing to fix on, her eyes drew stars and speckles out of the darkness. Though thoroughly numbed, Miranda's arms and legs itched and burned and hurt. It was probably just her brain firing randomly, but with drugs from the IVs constantly warping her sense of reality, she couldn't tell reality from nightmare. Abruptly even those artificial sensations stopped and Miranda felt like she was falling. There wasn't anything to grasp at to stop the sensation. Her heartbeat thundered irregularly. She tried to scream but couldn't around the breathing tube. So, she fell, and fell and fell.

  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

  Chapter 13

  And Who Do You Think You Are?

  -----------------------------------

  Bea’s whispered wakeup call woke Ben easily. He rose silently, and went about the morning routine he had established over the course of the last ten days. First came the shower, then Ben dressed and went to join Martin and Trinny, for coffee. Trinny had his cup ready and waiting. “Morning Ben, Martin had a class early. I suppose you’re heading to the practice range again this morning. Angela keeps asking me about you. She’s about bu
rsting with curiosity about how you’re doing. Lucky for you she won’t go against a medical hold.”

  Ben gulped his coffee and felt relieved by his ambivalence towards Angela. He had almost come to the point of accepting his situation, though extending contemplation any further in Angela’s direction would just raise his hackles again. “I’m to where I’m working consistently with the twenty pound weights.”

  “What’s the amp setting?”

  “I haven’t messed with that I keep it at the level Niri first showed me, five I think,” Ben ordered up a ham, egg and cheese bagel.

  “You could probably turn it down, a lot, if you’re up to the green targets like that,” Trinny tucked her dirty breakfast dishes back into the processor after Ben’s order arrived. “Though I’m not sure why you spend so much time there.”

  “It’s empty most of the time, and quiet, especially up here.” Ben answered telepathically and gestured towards his head with his half eaten breakfast sandwich. “One thing I don’t mind about this telepathy bit. Nobody considers it bad manners to answer back with your mouth full.”

  “Never thought about it that way, guess it’s another cultural difference I'll have to remember when I finally get out to the field. I was so little when we came here I've forgotten how it is out there among ordinaries. I guess if I end up stationed on an Earth, and who isn't the first time, I'll have to get used to being the freak.” Trinny handed Ben a napkin, waved and trotted into the elevator.

  Ben finished his sandwich and used the transport booth to get directly to the practice range, without running into anyone in the halls. It was, as usual, completely vacant. Ben grabbed his amplifier from its place on the shelf and checked that the setting hadn't been altered. Placing it carefully, Ben began warming up, lifting the target weights and moving them around on the shelves. He had three of the smallest leaping back and forth from shelf to shelf when his remote pin started twittering. Ben stopped them in midair. “Yeah, who is it?”