From her seat Miranda listened, and waited for the door to open. When it did, she took in her visitors at a glance. Usually placid, Dichen showed every mark of agitation, even possibly fear. The other man revealed by the opening door was obviously the cause for the change in Dichen.
The stranger was dark personified. His hair was the black of the afterimage seen after staring too long and too hard at a bright light. His skin, though pale as Miranda's, held the same quality as his hair. His eyes were- she avoided his eyes skipping on to take note of his crisp black shirt. It held the stiff folds of one never worn before. So did his black slacks. Her eyes fell all the way to his shoes, where she noticed that despite the fact that their high polish reflected the room, they did not reflect Dichen who stood just inches away. The dark man's shoes fascinated Miranda. She stared down at them and away from his eyes, wondering whether or not those shoes would reflect her and what it would mean if they didn't.
“Dichen, has she forgotten everything?” The man asked in a tone of command.
“Yes master, Dichen answered with his head held low, in an almost canine posture of submission.
The dark man's face distorted into an ugly smile, “I choose to name her Delilah.” Dichen pressed his lips together and nodded.
“My name is Miranda.”
The dark man glared swiftly at Dichen then turned his eyes on Miranda. She avoided those eyes at first, but then she found herself drawn to them. His black, non-reflective eyes pierced her with searing cold. She tried to look away but had lost control of even her voluntary muscles. His eyes slashed and tore at her setting every dark and dirty deed she had ever committed on continuous yet incomprehensible playback. Soon she wasn't standing. Instead, she lay trembling on the floor, spasming like a dying dog amidst her own foulness.
The dark man squatted and ran a hand through Miranda's chestnut hair. His nose wrinkled in disgust. “Have her bathed, perfumed and restrained firmly for easy access by the time I return,” He said over his shoulder at Dichen. The dark man bent low to whisper in Miranda's ear, “I'll be with you soon Delilah.” He stood and made a show of wiping his hand clean on Dichen's shirt. “See to it. She will be my bride by morning yeah or nay from her.” The dark man turned sharply and left the room, but for Miranda his eyes remained.
“Miranda, I told you, I warned you,” Dichen whispered as he left. By that time, Miranda was beyond understanding his words.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Chapter 14
Then Two Steps Back
-----------------------------------
Ben wasn't sure about this whole plan. He and Daniel had returned to the world they had so recently fled. They had found it relatively free of dark influence. The residents were quick to offer information, especially that world’s version of one of Ben’s oldest and dearest friends, Archibald Grant. Archie had, in his trademark roundabout style, told them about Miranda, and the capture of Ben’s duplicate in the final liberation battle. Somewhere during the course of that oration, through precisely aimed questions, Daniel had ferreted out the possible location of a major dark base and the possibility that the adjunct prison there might hold girl 22. From that hazy information had come this current plan.
It wasn't really much of a plan, in the conventional concept of having a prepared course of action. Daniel summed it up in a few sentences “We go. We look. Some butt is kicked, hopefully not our own. We come home, with or without our objective.” Basically the “plan” wasn't very encouraging.
Now somewhere in the middle of that dark compound, Ben kept his head low as he slunk down the corridor. Not that it really helped conceal or protect him in any way. Mainly it helped him feel more secure in a very insecure place. He could feel the evil hanging in the air like an oppressive fog.
Continuous nausea kicked away at Ben’s stomach, and trying to keep from shrinking back into himself was almost more than Ben could manage at times. Still, he was here with a purpose. Ben staggered to the wall for support and blinked back vertigo from behind his eyes. Shaking his head, Ben quickly dove down a dark side hallway to avoid sudden approaching footsteps.
“Dichen, I am not pleased, she should have been ready for me yesterday! And now you tell me I can’t have her today!” A strong male voice growled with soft tones that still managed to convey the full force of evil behind the voice. Just the sound of it forced Ben further into his concealment.
“You can have her, Master, but I doubt you want her, she keeps vomiting.”
“Give her something to stop it, or knock her out. One way or the other I want her today!” Then one set of footsteps turned abruptly and stormed back down the hall in the direction they came from.
“Yeah, right away,” The man named Dichen mumbled softly. Ben couldn't tell from the tone whether or not Dichen meant what he said. Then Dichen followed the other man.
After the mental presence of the two men had faded, Ben pulled himself together. They had come up quickly behind him with the object of their discussion probably somewhere ahead of him down the hall. Ben felt around mentally for Daniel. Finding him Ben sent a brief message, “I may have something.”
Then Ben headed down the hall, after a while he came to a barred door. Ben tapped the lock a few times trying to remember which pocket held his laser knife. Figuring it out, Ben nearly dropped it when Daniel tapped him on the shoulder. “Don’t do that.” Ben whispered sliding the knife in near the jamb cutting the locking bolt.
Daniel shoved the door open. “Sorry, you go right I'll go left.”
Ben nodded and headed through the doorway. The other side of the threshold he was struck a nearly physical blow by the misery of the prisoners. It paralyzed him and came two agonizing microns from deafening him. He searched through his mind and found the comfortable memory of silence in the practice room. Instinctively he brought those walls up around his mind and found silence enough to move.
Back in the present he headed down the right hand passage. There were doors with covered peep holes at intervals along the corridor. Ben ran quietly to the first and opened the peep hole, it was an empty cell, so were the next several. Finally he came to one that held a prisoner. She was balled up into fetal position on a pallet on the floor. Quickly Ben sliced open the lock and entered.
Ben knelt near her and saw a hint of a blue eye through her tangled hair. He reached a hand towards her. She gasped and tried to move away but her ankles were firmly chained to the bed. and her wrists were cuffed tightly together. In her scurry of movement Ben saw her face, “Miranda!”
“Miranda?” The word was trapped in playback in her mind as Ben undid her restraints. “If that is me who are you?” The question flew from her mind to his.
Ben paused, and looked deep into her eyes. Dark confusion swirled there but behind it he saw that it was definitely her. “Don't you remember Miranda?”
“No.”
“Miranda, are you sure you don't remember me?” He begged harshly.
“I don't know anything.” Miranda's eyes focused automatically on something five feet behind him.
“Miranda, I'm not here to hurt you.” Ben sensed terror through the mental wall he had placed around himself. With everything he had he tried to soothe her.
“Ben?” Miranda verbalized a half captured memory. In less time than it took her to say the name, his mental wall turned to psychic dust and a wealth of thoughts and emotions poured into Miranda's mind. She passed out but it was clear to Ben that she hadn't understood a bit of them.
Daniel rushed into the room, “Aren't you listening? I said we've got a monster baddie heading our way get your butt in gear!”
“Can our emergency 'porters handle an extra person?” Ben asked lifting Miranda in his arms.
“You'll have to hold her tightly.”
“Not really a problem,” Ben squeezed her to his chest, despite the smell.
“Is she the one were looking for?” Daniel asked reaching to activate his emergency pull.
“One of them,” Ben managed before they winked through space time to the white room.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Tina awoke suddenly to a loud buzz and the violent shaking of her bunk. Shortly her mother burst into the room, “Tina, honey, the clinic computer messenger is calling with an urgent medical emergency.”
Tina blinked and stumbled out of bed to dress, amazed that for the first time she missed being coddled. The feeling passed and she was in her room’s transport booth before her mother had made it back to bed. “Spot, send me to Gene.”
Tina materialized in quarantine room 52. Gene was huddled over one of the exam beds and Ben and Daniel hovered nearby. Angela made her appearance shortly after Tina, and beat her to the center of attention.
“What's up? Did you find her already?” Angela asked tying her robe on securely. Tina smirked; she'd managed to get there first and dressed.
“Not exactly,” Daniel answered. From reading his face, Tina could tell that he was well pleased with their discovery. The left corner of his mouth was turned up slightly, despite deep creases of concern standing out on his forehead. Whomever they'd found wasn't in good shape.
Tina searched out Ben's face. She couldn't get a good look at it without coming closer because he kept dipping his chin, and darting his focus around at different points on the floor. Without a clear look at his face, Ben's body language told Tina he was very worried about the patient, more so than Daniel. Tina gulped against a solid lump of ice threatening to form in her stomach, and stepped up to Gene's side. Tina didn't look at the table, she just stood focused on Gene.
It didn't take him long to notice, “Good girl, get the antiseptic cleansing salve from the supply cupboard. Poor thing she's scratched herself raw in places, and then there's the abrasions from the restraints.”
Tina tried to ignore Gene's mutterings. She went to the cupboard outside in the hall. Thinking the course of treatment through, Tina brought Gene the jar, a bowl of water, and some dry towels. Then she went back to get him the spray sealer and to avoid looking at the patient. She came back in to notice that Angela and Daniel had retreated to a distant corner where they spoke in hushed tones. Ben stood with his eyes fixed on the woman's face.
Tina set the spray can on the prep tray and walked to join Ben, “I told you didn't I.”
Ben nodded his head and then shook it to the side, finally managing to shift his focus to Tina's face. “What?”
“I told you, that you'd find Miranda,” Tina said finally striking up enough courage to look. That first glance was a disappointment. A tangled web of matted hair covered most of Miranda's face. Her clothes looked and smelled as though dark architects hadn't discovered the concept of toilets.
“Yeah, I guess you did. Is she going to be all right?” Ben shifted his feet around.
Tina took another long look at Miranda. Tina took advantage of her growing medical knowledge and considered Miranda's condition. All the physical wounds were superficial. They probably wouldn't even leave scars. It was the other wounds, the psychological ones Tina didn't even have a way of gauging that left the question in Tina's mind. “Gene will fix her up.”
“We should tell Neely now rather than later!” Daniel's voice rose in their corner. Angela's response was muted. Ben shook himself and went to join that discussion.
Tina rejoined Gene, helping to cleanse and seal Miranda's wounds. They were almost finished when Miranda began to stir. “No! I won't! I won't! I'm... I... I don't belong to you!” Miranda screamed at the top of her lungs and lashed out at Gene. Fortunately he had turned to pick up the sealer and her kick just glanced off his shoulder, and sent him tumbling dazedly to the floor. If it had come just a few seconds sooner she might have taken off his head.
“Uh people, problem. Ben! a little help?” Tina hollered ducking out of harm's way.
Ben was quick to leap to Tina's aid, but Miranda caught his movement out of the corner of her eye. Out of nowhere Tina felt a heavy wave of pressure, almost like underwater only her ears didn't really seem to want to pop. Ben, Daniel and Angela all slapped their hands over their ears. They staggered backwards to their knees, finally collapsing to the floor.
“I said NO!” Miranda growled as Gene attempted to sneak up on Miranda with a sedative. He went flying, flung most likely by some blast of telekinesis from Miranda.
Tina braced herself for a similar attack, with an arm over her head. Nothing happened. Tina's mind raced, Angela, Daniel and Ben were down. Only she and Gene were unaffected. It had to have been a blast of telepathic energy. Miranda had thrown Gene across the room. Tina was the only one uninjured, and she had to... calm Miranda fast, sedate her. Where was the spray sedative Gene was about to use.
Tina came out of her crouch. Miranda was crouched defensively on the exam table covering her eyes with her hands. The sedative lay at Miranda's feet. Tina slid her hand slowly, quietly and calmly to within reach of the spray. Tina had her hand poised over it, she could practically feel it in her hand, when Miranda snapped a hand around her wrist.
“Do the lights have to be so bright?”
“No, computer dim lights eighty percent,” Tina's voice shook despite herself. The lights dimmed. “Is that better?”
Miranda lowered her other hand from her eyes and snapped it back up into place. “It's still so bright.”
“Computer set lights at five percent maximum.” The lights instantly dimmed to a point barely distinguishable from complete darkness. Miranda released Tina's hand. Tina snatched up the sedative and waited; slowly her eyes adjusted to the dark. Tina was just about to use the sedative when one of the others began to stir somewhere in the fringes of the room.
The muffled sound set Miranda back on guard. A grunted, “NO!” accompanied another wave of pressure, and whomever it was grunted back into unconsciousness.
Tina knew they couldn't take much more of that, “Miranda, no one here is going to hurt you. We're here to help you.” Tina edged closer with the spray.
“You're part of them?” Miranda's voice rose and Tina knew Miranda was nearly ready to strike.
“They're my family. They aren't the dark ones. Trust me. This will let you sleep, no nightmares.” Tina held the spray near Miranda's face, well within range.
“No, they'll... I'll... I... will you help me?” Miranda's voice became so small and scared.
“If you will trust me.”
“Okay.” Tina sprayed Miranda with a generous dose of sedative and was there to catch her when she slumped.
“Lights full,” Gene's voice startled Tina, “Even I am impressed. That was very good work. Now call for backup.” Gene rushed to Ben with a scanner.
Tina felt the warm flood of pride in her chest as she stepped out into the hall. Tina depressed the button, “We need help in room 52. There are three cases of extreme telepathic overload, and a patient under sedation for psychological trauma which needs to be transported to a secure shielded room for observation.”
“And you are?” The male voice on the other end of the communications channel asked.
“Gene's assistant, Tina, who is this and why haven't you sent them?”
“Junior assistant communications technician Gruber.”
“Ahh, Binny, hi there. If at least three teams of med-techs equipped to handle telepathic trauma aren't in room 52 in two minutes, you're going to spend quite some time trying to get promoted back up to junior assistant communications technician. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, uh, Ma'am?” Binny fumbled and cut the communications channel.
Tina checked the supply cupboard. Remembered something about alpha wave modulators being good for psi-trauma. The trouble was in finding them. She hadn't gotten around to rearranging and restocking this cupboard yet and it was still disorganized according to the logic of Gene's last assistant, or possibly even the one before. Tina dug around and finally found a small box of them and ran them to Gene.
“Yeah, they m
ight work. How did you think of them?”
“I've been studying the neurological unit. They're mentioned frequently in terms of psionic pathology.” Tina checked Angela and then Daniel for a pulse, theirs were strong.
“That and sleep disorders, but not usually used for traumas like this. They should work though. They're based on suppresser technology.” Gene said pulled one out of the box and adjusted its settings. Then he pointed at Miranda, “Put it on her.” Tina sat it on Miranda's forehead and tapped the adhesion key. Miranda's expression relaxed even further.
Angela began stirring where she lay. Tina went to her and helped her sit up. “Did you get the license number on the steamroller?” Angela held her head.
“You know who it was.” Tina checked Angela's pupils, they were contracted to small circles but equally so.
“How many fingers am I holding up?” Tina asked waving two fingers in front of Angela's face.
Angela slapped away Tina's hand, “Enough to make me nauseous.”
Tina smiled and checked Daniel, who was also beginning to make an attempt to sit. “Slow, let me help.”
“Angela's okay, right?” Daniel asked while trying to get his eyes to focus.
“Fine, crotchety as ever.”
“And Ben?”
Tina glanced over at Gene. Ben had an alpha wave modulator on, and was breathing slowly and regularly, but Gene still hovered with concern. “He's still unconscious. Which of you came round while the lights were out?”
Almost at the same time Angela and Daniel answered, “Not me.” Tina flinched, that meant Ben was probably the one that got knocked for a loop twice.
The requested medical teams finally entered. They went to Gene to be briefed then split themselves between Ben and Miranda. Gene supervised Ben's team until they got him on the stretcher. Finally, Gene rose from Ben's side and joined Tina. The look on his face was grim, but Tina knew Gene well enough to know he wouldn't walk away from Ben if he was still in trouble.
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