The Uninvited - Part 1
An Earth - Final Conflict story by Tina Price
(TinaP@prodigy.net)
Preview: It is a sad day for the closely-knit band of Washington resistance fighters, as they come together to mourn the passing of a friend, but it is also a time of learning for one who is new to this custom.
Disclaimer: Earth - Final Conflict, all characters and images therein are the property of the Tribune Entertainment Company. Several characters appearing in this story are my own creation. Any similarity with anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.
Authors note: This story takes place immediately after the episode entitled, "Destruction". My other stories should be read first. This story is based upon my own idea of what is happening in the EFC universe. I am in no way receiving 'privileged information'. As always, advice, criticism and kudos are always welcomed. Please contact me at the above e-mail address.
The Uninvited
Part 1
Image is from Earth
- Final Conflict and is the property of Tribune Entertainment
"Jonathan,
remember what you promised us," Lili warned, as she helped the Liberation
leader with his tie. "When Boone shows up with his guest, you're NOT
to start a confrontation."
Doors rolled his eyes.
"I'll mind my manners at the ceremony," he rumbled. "I know
Sahjit would want it that way, but I'm not about to pass up the opportunity
to ask our friend some important questions afterwards."
"Just remember that
the only reason we're able to have a traditional ceremony is because 'our
guest' took care of things with the local authorities - at some risk to
himself. If word gets back to Zo'or about it, he could be facing serious
censure. The least you can do is to be civil!"
"Oh, I'll be civil
all right - but that doesn't mean I won't be making my position clear.
He may be Boone's friend...and he may have weaseled his way into yours
and Augur's good graces as well, but that doesn't automatically put him
in the 'right'." Doors shrugged his jacket on. "Nor does it mean
that I'm about to welcome him into our group with open arms. If he wants
a place with us, he's going to have to prove himself, and it's going to
take a hell of a lot to do that, in light of who and what he is!"
Lili opened her mouth to
snap at him, but he held up a forefinger in front of her face.
"I know you don't
think it's fair, Lili, but that's the way it is. We cannot afford to trust
him too easily!" Without giving her a chance to respond, he turned
and headed out into the conference area where the rest of the Liberation
group was gathered.
Fighting down the urge
to throw something, Lili picked up the extra woman's coat she had brought
along and followed.
"OK people!"
Doors addressed the group. "Our limos have arrived - It's time to
head up to the church."
Four at a time, they took
the lift up to the church's basement, and from there moved into the Main
vestibule.
By the time Lili made her
way into the church, everyone was heading outside to the waiting limos.
Doors, already wearing his wig and false beard - the only way he could
appear in public these days - offered his arm to Dr.. Juliette Belman and
together they fell into step behind the others.
Augur stood by the door
and offered her his arm as she drew even with him.
"Are we riding together?"
she asked as she took it.
"I assumed so,"
he said as he leaned his head closer to her ear. "...but, if you had
other plans..."
"Like riding alone
with Doors? Get real!"
"Belman's with him."
"Yeah, but she doesn't
count - she's his mistress for goodness sake!"
"So, you're saying
that you only welcome my company because at heart you're terrified of our
boss?" Augur actually stuck his bottom lip out in a pout.
"You know that's not
true," Lili whispered as she squeezed his arm. "I've never been
afraid of our boss!"
Augur frowned.
"...and I have a thing
for smart men..." She added.
Augur did a double-take
before breaking into a grin and leading her to Doors' limo.
Five minutes later, seven
black limos pulled away from the church, headed for the Hindu Temple where
Sahjit was laid out.
It was a sight that made
many on the street stop and stare, guessing that the procession was to
honor a person of some importance or high social standing.
Staring out her tinted
window at the bystanders, Lili wished she could set them straight. Sahjit
had indeed been someone of great importance - a hero, whose deeds would
never be known by the general public he had fought to protect.
"The coast is clear,"
Boone announced outside Da'an's private quarters. He had just walked up
the central core and was confident that they wouldn't encounter anyone
in the next few minutes. Dupree was standing watch at the front entrance,
and he wouldn't pose any sort of problem.
When the companion stepped
out into the corridor, the implant gaped.
Once again, his Taelon friend
was disguised as a human female - a woman he had previously named Dana
Dessierre. The illusion had him dressed in a simple, tailored, black dress
and wearing black hose and high heels.
The Companion's altered
appearance was enough to rattle even Boone, who had seen him like this
once before.
"Are we ready?"
Boone finally asked as Dana stared at him expectantly.
Da'an nodded. "Am
I appropriately attired?" he asked.
"You bet." Boone
realized he was still gaping at his friend and mentally shook himself.
"It's still hard to believe that this is all a hologram," he
commented, as he felt Dana's arm. Sure enough, the companion's usual mesh
outfit could be felt, although he appeared to be wearing a wool blend dress.
Boone himself, was wearing
a black suit and a black overcoat. He had a warm wool scarf around his
neck.
"I hope Lili remembered
to bring that coat - it's turned cold and blustery out there."
"I will survive without
it," his friend assured him. "Now, I am anxious to walk, unknown,
among your people..."
"I take it that you've
ensured that you won't be missed?"
"As per your recommendation,
Agent Sandoval is in Great Britain, overseeing the impending visit by Kha'rha
and Agent Beckett." Dana smiled in a way which brought an answering
smile to his implant's face. "As for Zo'or, he will be tied up in
New York for the rest of the day."
Deeply disturbed by the
effect his friend was having on him, Boone merely nodded and silently accompanied
the disguised Companion out to a waiting taxi cab. Once inside, he leaned
back into his corner of the rear seat and watched in amusement as Dana
attempted to take in all of the passing scenery. 'How different it must
be for him...her, to see this world from the point of view of its native
inhabitants, rather than from the lofty heights of a shuttle or the embassy
itself,' he thought.
The rest of the trip was
spent in silence, with Boone content to simply sit and watch his companion's
enjoyment of the ride.
Some of the limos were
still pulling up to the curb in front of the Temple where they would bid
Sahjit farewell, when Lili saw Boone's cab pull up. She quickly gave Augur's
arm a tug in order to draw his attention to their otherworldly guest's
arrival. Determined to
surround Da'an before Doors could confront him, they started over. Fortunately,
only a select few mourners had been informed of their guest's true identity
- making an ugly scene unlikely.
Boone had just finished
helping Da'an out of the cab when they arrived.
"Glad you could make
it....Dana," Lili greeted as she handed the coat over to the woman.
She couldn't help but stare in amazement at the illusion in front of her.
"I too, am saddened
by Dr.. Jinnah's passage," the companion replied as Boone helped her
shrug into the coat. "Although I did not know him well personally..."
Here she lowered her voice. "...I knew much about him from Boone's
memories." The would-be woman paused as though deep in thought before
speaking again in her soft voice. "I thank you for sharing this private
time in your lives with me, that I might better understand human grief."
Lili and Augur nodded their
understanding, but before they could say anything, Boone interrupted.
"We'd best be moving
along," the tall security chief prompted. "Everyone's already
inside."
Together, the four of them
entered the building, stopping to remove their coats in the foyer, next
to the coat room.
"What is the purpose
behind donning a coat, if one is going to remove it so quickly?" Dana
had asked, causing Lili to stifle a laugh.
"I wasn't thinking,"
the embarrassed implant replied. "It was just one of those ingrained
actions - You see a woman out in the cold holding her coat...and you help
her into it..."
"I see..." Dana's
expression showed that she clearly didn't.
Together, the four of them
entered the Temple.
Sahjit was laid out in
splendor, with his family and Rayna in attendance. Their friend's body
smelled of fragrant sandalwood and was decorated with flowers and garlands.
His face, so serene in death, was sprinkled with a fine powdering of gold
dust, as were parts of his hair.
As they moved to gather
about Sahjit with the others, Boone noted the semi-hostile stare that Doors
was directing toward Da'an and intentionally offered the companion his
arm. Apparently familiar with the gesture, or perhaps imitating Lili, whose
own hand was still on Augur's arm, the disguised Taelon took the offered
limb and looked pointedly back at the flabbergasted millionaire.
Belman nodded at them,
as she stifled an amused look.
An absolute hush fell over
the gathering as the Temple's spiritual leader, Sunjab Soni, moved to take
his place at the head of the casket and began his blessing.
Da'an kept his head
lowered as did most of those around him, but he also glanced furtively
at these humans, who had gathered to wish their friend farewell.
The look of grief was everywhere
around him. He had no trouble recognizing it, for he himself was still
capable of the emotion
Some of the women were
sobbing openly, while others merely dabbed at their eyes. Lili, herself,
cried silently as her tears fell to the floor beneath her bent head. Now
and then a man would wipe away tears which he didn't wish the others to
see. Boone himself made no such attempt to hide the few tears which slowly
ran down his face and dripped onto his collar. Some, like Augur, stood
stoically, but the tightness around his mouth, along with the twitch in the
muscles of his jaw, were enough to give him away.
The Companion took all
of it in, and yet, he still found such intense suffering difficult to fathom.
Grieving for the death of an entire species, and most especially of one's
own race, was something he could understand. To grieve so for an individual...was
beyond him. Without individual death, there was no evolution - no life.
Each individual had to
make the journey into the void. It was a part of life itself. Did these
beings not believe that they would one day be rejoined with those who went
into the void before them? Did not most human religions teach about a life
beyond death?
Perhaps humans were so
affected by death because of their own, very short life spans. ...Perhaps
it was the inevitability of their own passage which they truly mourned?
As he pondered these things,
Mr.. Soni led some purificatory scriptural chants, joined by Sahjit's family
and Rayna. Once a few last rituals had been completed, he stepped aside
and allowed Rayna Armitrage to take his place. Boone had mentioned that
she had bravely volunteered to give the eulogy, despite the mental anguish
such a task placed upon one who was already grieving. She had been Sahjit's
true love, and he hers, but fate had constantly conspired to keep them
apart.
Rayna dried her eyes, and
in a strong, determined voice, began to talk about the Sahjit she knew
and loved.
Beside Da'an, Boone tensed
and stared directly ahead as though at nothing. In that instant - as Boone's
CVI kicked in and brought back the memories of his beloved wife's death
- the emotions and images flowed through their bond and into the companion
as well.
Suddenly, Da'an was William
Boone...
His head was killing
him!
Leaning his forehead against
the cool file cabinet beside his desk, William Boone rubbed the back of
his neck. He had been putting in a lot of overtime into the attempt to
uncover who had been behind the attempted assassination of the North American
Companion several days ago. Although the Companion's people had not put
any pressure on the department to solve the case - in fact, they claimed
that their own personnel were looking into it - Boone's sense of justice
demanded that he do everything he could to prevent a reoccurrence. Nobody
was going to try such a thing in his town without him doing his best to
bring them in!
"Here, Chief,"
came the voice of Linda Treymore, the junior-most member of his staff.
He turned to find her holding
out a bottle of Ibuprophen. "Thanks," he sighed, as he took it
from her. Downing four caplets with his cold coffee, he stood and handed
the bottle back to her.
"I'm gonna call it
a night," he announced. "Call me if Bob comes back with any useful
information."
"You bet." Linda
smiled and returned to her desk.
Throwing a few things into
a briefcase, Boone headed down the hallway towards the elevators. Katie
would be home by now cooking dinner. By the time they had eaten, his headache
would most likely have eased off and she and he...
Boone's half-formed smile
vanished as the elevator doors opened, spilling out a haggard-looking Robert
Morovsky. He and Bob had a long history together, having started out as
partners on the bad side of town.
One look at Bob's face
was enough for him to know that something tragic had occurred.
"What is it?"
Boone asked grimly. As he noticed the other cops pointedly heading down
the hall in the opposite direction, while glancing back over their shoulders,
his stomach began turning circles.
Bob threw an arm around
his shoulders and steered him back towards his office. "It's not good,
Will," his friend admitted. Best we went into your office."
As they entered, Bob pulled
him down, to sit on the couch next to him. He seemed at a loss for words.
"Kate?" Boone's
voice sounded small and strained even to his ears.
Tears actually began to
well in Morovsky's eyes. "God, Will! I'm so sorry!"
For a moment it was as
though the whole world had ceased to exist. There was no sound, no color,
no motion. All that existed was the incomprehensible knowledge that the
best part of his life was suddenly gone....
He didn't come back to
reality until Bob began shaking him by the shoulders, and even then, all
he could do was stare at him in confusion for what seemed like an eternity.
"How?" he croaked.
"She lost control
of the vehicle and it apparently exploded..."
"Where is she? I have
to see her!" He jumped to his feet and started for the door.
Bob quickly caught him
by the arm. "Will!"
Boone struggled to free
himself. "It's not true! It can't be true! I just saw her!" Suddenly
calm, he looked his friend in the eye. "I have to know for sure...I
won't believe it until I see her..."
"You don't want to
do that," his friend tried to sooth him. "We have a positive
ID. You don't want to see her like this, Will."
A veteran, who had spent
his share of time in morgues, Boone was adamant about the visit and nothing
Bob could say would dissuade him from it.
The next thing he could
recall, he was standing next to an open morgue drawer, staring at the sheet-covered
form which lay upon it. Morovsky stood silently at his side, his eyes pleading
with his friend not to go through with it.
With a flick, and before
he lost his nerve, Boone uncovered the upper torso.
His eyes took in the chared
flesh, the few clumps of unburnt hair which were the exact color as Kate's,
the teeth protruding from retracted lips, one of which had the familiar,
endearing chip... He looked down at the undamaged left hand. Although the
rings had been removed, the cut she had suffered while pulling a nail from
the deck the day before was instantly recognizable.
"NO!...NOooo....."
He fell to his knees as the truth finally burned itself into his mind -
the realization that there was no hope - that this was indeed what remained
of his mate.
Bob helped him up and hugged
him as he sobbed.
There were odd, disjointed
memories of his friend somehow getting him home. Bob had stayed the night
- sleeping out on the couch and never realizing that Boone slept not at
all. It had been days before he finally slept, dropping into a deep, comatose
state and dreaming dreams of Kate...
The funeral had been almost
surreal - as though he were on the outside, looking in at a scene other
people were playing out.
He remembered standing
next to the freshly closed grave and staring at the flowers for hours after
most everyone else had left. Bob had been there still - a shadow in the
background, silently standing guard over his friend.
...Then there were the
hours, days...weeks of emptiness. Even with everything which had happened
to him after agreeing to serve both the Companions and the Liberation,
the large, empty spot in his heart had threatened to overwhelm him. Very
little phased him during that time - he was an emotional wreck at home
and a cold, unemotional thinker at work.
It was probably the only
thing which had allowed him to successfully carry on the charade which
was his new life. He had no qualms about test driving his new CVI - reading
book after book during his free time and testing the limits of his new
mental abilities during the day. It had certainly made him seem a true
implant... Even his new watchdog, Lili, had looked at him as though he
were some sort of alien at first.
Even now, nearly a year
later, Boone missed Katie. He missed her when he awoke to find himself
alone in the bed they had shared. He missed her when he came home to an
empty house. He missed receiving personal phone calls during the day...
Oh, hell...he just missed
her. Although he no longer actively looked for her, her absence was still
keenly felt.
If it hadn't been for his
intense curiosity with regard to the Taelon's agenda....If he hadn't begun
what had started out as an unusual and very oblique friendship with Da'an...
Da'an and Doors. Companions
and Liberation. Secrets and yet more secrets.
These were what motivated
him these days...
As suddenly as it had
begun, the CVI induced introspection ended.
Da'an looked at Boone's
profile and saw him blink as he returned to the here and now. Suddenly
aware of the pain his implant kept hidden, he gave Boone's arm a small
squeeze of reassurance.
Perhaps realizing that
he had been found out, Boone quickly turned his attention back to Rayna,
who was finishing up her eulogy.
Looked about him, Da'an
finally began to comprehend the sadness he saw. These mourners...they
were grieving for themselves. They were grieving for their aloneness, not
for the deceased. They had no commonality - no linkage of the mind to sustain
them through this transitory time.
Unlike Taelons, who could
always feel their fellows through the mental link they all shared, a human's
friends and family, when not physically present, lived only in their memories.
Separation from their loved ones was endured only because of the promise
of seeing them again. Once that promise was gone, all that remained was
memory...and a large, empty void.
Turning his attention back
toward Rayna, Da'an listened carefully to her words, determined to cultivate
further understanding.
With the ceremony over,
the guests milled about the temple. One by one, they talked with the Jinnah's,
expressing their condolences and wishing them well. Rayna, who had already
been surrounded and supported by her friends in the days since her 'rebirth'
and Sahjit's death, was embraced by nearly everyone and reminded that she
was a part of their family.
Eventually, Boone and Dana
made their way over to her. Without a word, the tall security chief opened
his arms to her and she instantly stepped into his embrace.
"Thank-you, Will,"
she sniffed as she held on tightly. "If it weren't for you...for all
the risks you took for us..."
"Hush," he said,
as he lifted her chin and met her eyes. "I only did what any of you
would have done for me."
"That's the point,"
she replied, as she wiped her tears away with a finger. "Very few
people would have done what you did. You're the only one capable of standing
up to Jonathan. Despite the way things turned out, I want you to know that
I'll always be there for you if you need me. I don't care what Doors says
- I'm on YOUR side."
Boone released her as she
stepped back a pace and the look of pity on his face was tempered by admiration
for her strength of character. "I'm glad you've chosen to remain with
us," he said. "If there is anything you need, please, please
don't hesitate to ask."
"I won't, because,
unlike so many who have told me that today, I know you mean it." Rayna
finally turned towards the woman standing next to them. "I want to
thank you, too," she told the Companion. "Everyone told me how
you saved Sahjit from Zo'or and then turned around and saved Will and Lili.
I want you to know that I trust you." She held her hand out to the
Taelon.
Da'an reached out hesitantly
to take it, but as their fingers brushed, they both flinched and withdrew
their hands.
"I am sorry,"
the Taelon said, in a barely audible tone. "You and I cannot touch.
Our forms are incompatible."
Rayna looked at Boone,
who leaned closer to Dana. "Are you saying that touching her is dangerous
for you?"
"The probe belongs
to our most deadly enemy. Any replicant which it manufactures, is designed
to be anathema to us. It makes it very difficult for an unsuspecting member
of my race to survive an encounter with one."
Boone instantly straightened
up and stared at Rayna in shock. Da'an had just come right out and told
them a way in which Taelons might be destroyed. From the way Rayna pointedly
looked across the room at Doors, he knew she had grasped the significance
of the statement as well.
"I think we'll keep
this to ourselves...for now," he commented, as Doors himself approached.
Rayna nodded her agreement.
"Well, who do we have
here?" Doors walked around Dana, giving her a critical once-over.
"Decided to come on out and visit the natives, eh?"
Boone stepped forward and
loomed over the industrialist in an intimidating manner.
"Back off, Commander,"
Doors hissed under his breath. "I'm not about to cause a scene - I
just have a few things I need to say to our guest."
Da'an's human guise assumed
a defiant posture, and he did not retreat or back down when Doors stuck
his face only inches from his own.
"First off,"
Doors rumbled. "I don't trust your people. I know they're here with
no good intentions, and I will do everything in my power to expose their
hidden agenda and rid this planet of them." Here he straightened
up and moved a step away. "Be that as it may, I have to acknowledge
the fact that you rescued Boone and Marquette...at some risk to yourself,
and you did get Sahjit away from Zo'or - even though you had another motive
to do so." Doors checked his wig with one hand. "Perhaps, in
time, we'll be able to work together towards a common goal, but I think
you know that until the truth is out, that such a joint venture cannot
occur."
At first Da'an and Doors
simply stared at each other, until it seemed that the uncomfortable silence
would end their impromptu meeting. As Doors began to turn, intent on moving
away, the Companion spoke.
"I...understand your
position," he admitted. "...however, you must remember that governments
do not always act in the best interests of their people."
Boone blinked twice when
he heard the Companion speak his own words verbatim.
"The Synod does not
speak for all Taelons with its actions. There are many among my people
who oppose what is occurring here," Da'an continued. "Before
you strike out blindly at us, you must remember that you may be destroying
your own supporters, and shifting the balance in the Commonality for the
worse. If you strike out at us, take care to strike only at those who are
your enemy." Da'an laid a hand upon Boone's shoulder. "Listen
to Boone in this. let him be your conscience, for he wants what we both
want."
"And what, pray-tell,
is that?" Doors tried to sound unimpressed, but Boone could see that
Da'an had struck a chord.
"Life," Da'an
responded. "Life for both our peoples."
With an incredulous look
upon his face, Doors turned and moved back toward his lady friend.
Rayna actually smiled at
the pseudo-woman next to her. "I believe you've actually managed to
rattle him." She turned to include Boone. "Please excuse
me. I must speak with a few more people."
"Of course,"
Boone nodded.
Together, he and Dana watched
her wander off towards Lili and Augur.
"Boone," Da'an's
voice had an urgent tone to it.
"Hmmm?"
"Did you not make
the observation that Jonathan Doors is much changed from what he once was?"
Boone nodded. "Yes.
He's almost robotic nowadays."
"Dr.. Belman is now
his mate?"
"Not exactly,"
the implant replied with an amused expression. "More like his illicit
lover."
"I believe that I know
why Mr.. Doors has changed," Da'an replied, giving him a sideways look.
As Boone opened his mouth to ask the predicted next question, the Companion
waved a hand. "This is not the place to have such a discussion,"
he replied. "We will talk of it later."
Before Boone could say
anything, Lili appeared beside them.
"Everyone's starting
to leave," she observed.
"Will we not be present
at his pyre?" Dana asked.
"The family will accompany
Sahjit's body to the crematorium. They'll be taking his ashes back to Great
Britain with them later this week," Boone explained.
"We're all meeting
at the Underground later," Lili continued, turning to face Boone.
"Can I count on you to be there?"
"What is this 'underground'?"
Dana asked, tilting her head.
"It's a bar and restaurant
where some of us gather together," Boone explained. "It was Sahjit's
favorite place - apart from HQ, that is." As Dana digested the information,
Boone turned back to Lili. "When are we meeting? I need to get 'Dana'
here, home first."
"We decided on eighteen
hundred hours - so that we could get some dinner first."
Boone turned towards his
friend, intent on asking him if being returned to the embassy before then
was acceptable, but before he could say anything, the Companion spoke.
"I would be appreciative
of the opportunity to accompany you to the Underground," he announced,
turning his large eyes upon the tall implant.
"Isn't that a little
risky?" Boone asked. "The chances of you being missed..."
"William, I may
not leave my earthly prison again for many months, if at all. Would you
deny me this opportunity to be among your friends?"
Boone smiled. "Of
course not." Turning back to Lili, he spoke again. "We'll both
be there."
"You two are going
to have three hours to kill," she pointed out. "What'll you do?"
Boone glanced at Dana.
"We'll think of something."
"Need a ride?"
"Could you drop us
off at my place? I need to change and swing by the office."
"That's not a problem.
Why don't you call a cab while I tell Augur that I need to run a few errands?"
"Will do....Where
exactly did you leave the shuttle?"
"It's behind the church
- in the Rectory yard"
Boone watched as she moved
away and removing his global from his jacket, quickly called a taxi. He
closed the global and placing a hand on Da'an's back, steered him towards
the coat room. "Come on Dana," he laughed. "We have a taxi
to catch."
Lili made a quick explanation
to Augur and took her leave of the Jinnah's. As she turned and started
towards the coat room, she saw Boone place his hand on Dana's back and
shepherd her in the same direction. Coming to a stop and putting her hands
on her hips, she watched them wander off.
"This ought to be
an interesting evening..." she sighed.
A short time later the
three of them approached the hidden shuttle. The rectory yard was circled
with a high privacy fence and many tall, old trees. Those who lived or
worked nearby probably believed the priests who lived there to be on very
good terms with the Taelons, but the shuttle's presence was otherwise unknown
to passersby.
"Listen, Lili...I
need to talk with Da'an for a minute..." Boone said, as they entered
the yard.
"Not a problem. I'll
go ready the shuttle." She quickly headed off..
Boone led Da'an over to
the fence, next to a statue of St. Frances. After a moment's hesitation,
the implant moved to stand before his companion. He had been thinking about
his friend's words at the Temple and was pretty sure that he knew what
the was about to hear.
"Doors is an implant,
isn't he?" he asked.
"He is."
"My God! I should
have realized this myself! Everything pointed to it!" Boone ran a
hand through his wavy, auburn hair. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"When Mr.. Doors turned
up alive and leading an organized liberation movement, I knew that his
CVI had been replaced," Da'an admitted. "Recently, I surmised
that one of his people had altered the replacement implant so that he,
like yourself, had free will."
"But he doesn't?"
Da'an looked at him obliquely,
giving the impression that he was ashamed of something. "Mr.. Doors
volunteered to be the first human implanted with a CVI, however, he was
not made aware of the motivational imperative which would accompany his
newly heightened abilities..."
Boone grasped his friend's
arm, horrified once again by the cruelty the Taelons were capable of. "Did
you know? Did you keep this from him?" his voice shook with outrage.
Da'an pulled his arm away.
"I was not in favor of withholding such information!" he replied
indignantly. "Up until his implantation, Jonathan was a cooperative
and friendly ally." The companion walked a few steps away and turned
his back to the implant. "I had no choice but to honor the Synod's
decision in the matter."
Boone sighed and approaching
his friend, placed his hands on his shoulders. Da'an allowed the contact.
"I'm sorry,"
he said, contritely. "I know you oppose the imperatives...It's only
that I still get so upset at the thought of such...slavery!"
Da'an turned around to
face him. "Doors' implant would have begun to break down at the time
that his death was staged," he offered. "At the time, we did
not know that the CVI's would have a maximum functionality of three years."
"So, he somehow was
set free long enough to hook up with Belman and some old associates and
stage his own death," Boone added. "The CVI allowed him to do
what James Pike later did - appear clinically dead!"
Da'an nodded. "Now
that I know it was Dr.. Belman who re-engineered your CVI, I assume that
Jonathan was her first such attempt at the procedure." He looked down
at the ground and blinked rapidly several times, giving the impression
that he was upset. Finally he met Boone's eyes once more. "Until today,
I assumed that she had disabled his imperative. Now, I can only assume
that her anti-viral program was still in its crude, experimental stage.
She was able to re-implant him, however..."
"She wasn't able to
over-ride the imperative," Boone added. "All she could do was
change it?"
Da'an nodded. "You
never received an imperative, so replacing your CVI with another non-imperative
version would prove simplicity itself. Once an imperative is implanted,
disabling it along with the rest of the CVI...is very difficult."
The Companion blinked rapidly. "I assume that she reprogramed Doors'
own imperative so that he was motivated to fight my race and restore the
Earth to it's people."
"The poor bastard..."
Boone's jaw set. "Augur! She had to have had Augur's help!" He
stared at his friend. "He's known all this time and kept it to himself!"
Da'an touched Boone's shoulder.
"Come, Lili will be wondering what we discuss."
"Da'an...Doors wasn't
given a CVI which included the reasons behind the Companion's arrival here
on Earth, was he? Does he know anything at all about it? Is there something
he's been withholding from us?"
"He was our first
implant, but he was a volunteer - not one of our chosen operatives. We
felt it unwise to risk so much so quickly."
A very pale-looking Boone
fell into step behind the Companion.
"That must really
stick in his craw..." the security chief muttered.
"Boone...I would not
give this information away just yet. It may be best if Doors does not suspect
that you know of his predicament."
"I'll keep that in
mind," he said in a distracted tone as they approached the shuttle.
Inside, he could see Lili watching them curiously.
"OK, what's wrong?"
Lili's voice brought Boone back to the here and now. They were in transit
to his home and she had apparently engaged the auto-pilot, since she was
now swiveled around to face him.
"Huh?"
"You and Da'an have
been sitting back there ignoring everything I've said," she huffed.
"Are you going to tell me what this is all about?"
Boone glanced over at Da'an,
who was watching him from the corner of his eyes, through lowered lids.
"It's nothing Lili,
really," he lied. "Just something I need to work out for myself."
"In that case, I'll
be meeting you at your office at five thirty," she huffed, turning
back to her display.
Ten minutes later, Boone
unlocked the front door of his home and followed Da'an inside. Digging
his keys, global, wallet and ID out of his pockets, he placed them upon
the table next to the doorway.
Noting that Da'an was
watched him with interest, he smiled.
"I'll only be a few
minutes," he remarked. "Please feel free to roam around."
Da'an watched as his friend
moved through the living room and turned down a hallway. As soon as he
heard the bedroom door close behind the implant, he himself entered the
living room and moved out into a sun room at the rear of the house. There,
he found a plant stand holding no less than ten potted flowering plants.
From his extensive study of the flora of this planet, he knew them to be
various species of orchid.
They were beautiful.
Turning of his holographic
disguise and reaching out a hand, he gently touched one of the delicate
petals. William had taken exceptional care of them since his wife's death.
Nurturing such fastidious plants was no mean feat, and his implant had,
no doubt, dedicated much time to the task.
There were several books
on the shelf near the wicker furnishings, all of them about growing and
caring for orchids. Crossing the room, Da'an plucked one from its spot
and opening it, browsed the pages.
"Find anything of
interest?" Boone asked from the doorway. He had changed into brown
slacks and a green shirt and was in the middle of knotting his tie.
Da'an closed the book and
placed it back on the shelf. "...Your orchids are beautiful,"
he commented.
Boone moved closer. "Thanks.
They were my wife's. I think she would have wanted me to give them away
if I wasn't willing or able to care for them myself."
"You still grieve
for her," the Companion stated. "I felt it very strongly at the
Temple."
Boone looked startled.
"It amazes me how much you can pick up through our link," he
finally said.
"We were in contact
with each other...and you were broadcasting quite loudly," Da'an
explained, and then hesitated before again speaking. "William..."
Boone raised an eyebrow
and waited.
"Will you ever let
her go?"
The human's face clouded
over. "What do you mean?"
"You must eventually
allow her to rest," the Taelon said, as he took hold of Boone's hand.
"Let go of your memories and live again - I believe it is what she
would have wished."
"That's kind of difficult
to do when I possess a CVI which brings it all back in perfect clarity,"
he snapped. "My situation is a complete nightmare!" The anger
passed almost as quickly as it had materialized. Boone squeezed Da'an's
hand gently. "Perhaps one day..." he offered, withdrawing his
hand. Noting the sad look upon his friend's face, he gestured towards the
living room. "Come on. Let's get going," he urged.
"William, you know
that I..."
"I know," Boone
interrupted him. "I know you care." Taking pity on the Companion,
who was beginning to look like he was wilting, he sighed and gently ran
the backs of his fingers down Da'an's cool cheek. "I care, too. Just...stay
as you are. Be my friend. Don't give up on me, alright?" Bringing
his face down closer to Da'an's, he smiled.
With a small smile, Da'an
inclined his head. "Never would I do that," he assured, as he
reactivated his device.
"Good. Now let's get
over to the office. We'll take my car - I'll give you a nice tour of the
city along the way."
An hour later, Boone
sat at his desk sipping a cup of coffee he had picked up along the way,
and finishing his paperwork. Now and then he would pause to glance across
the office at his Taelon guest.
Having been to Boone's
office on more than one occasion, Da'an was already familiar with most
of the surroundings. He had taken two turns around the room and come to
a stop before the large virtual glass windows
. He seemed almost to have fallen into
a trance before them, so content was he to simply stand and watch the traffic
below.
"Enjoying that view,
are we?" Boone finally asked.
Da'an turned just enough
to be able to glance back at him. "It...is refreshing in its unfamiliarity,"
he offered.
"I see," Boone
replied as he put his feet up on the desk and leaned back with his hands
behind his neck. "I always wondered how you could tolerate spending
most of your days and nights in the embassy. Now I see that you only just
tolerate it."
"I have been told
that my penchant for exploration is a character flaw," the Companion
smirked. "Most of my people find such restriction to be no great burden."
"I remember you telling
me that you disliked the mother ship...and you WERE in an awfully good
mood after spending a day in the mountains with Lili..."
"Not an ideal outing,
perhaps...but an outing none the less."
Boone smiled. "Maybe
we can arrange for you to have a few days out each month," he offered,
as he returned to his computer screen. A second ticked by and he glanced
up to see his friend smiling.
Though he said nothing,
Da'an seemed tremendously pleased by his suggestion.
Turning back to his paperwork,
Boone allowed himself a small smile as well, unaccountably happy at the
small joy he had brought his friend.
Not twenty minutes later,
he pushed himself away from the desk and stood up, catching the Taelon's
attention. He looked at his watch. It was five fifteen, nearly time for
Lili to make an entrance.
"You have finished
your work?" Da'an inquired, as he moved to stand next to the
tall security chief.
"Yep - all caught
up," he answered, as he began tossing his things in his briefcase.
Just then the sound of the com system caught his attention. His friend,
Morovsky appeared on the screen.
"Good! You ARE back!"
the Police Chief exclaimed.
"What's wrong?"
"I have a major mystery
on my hands and was wondering if you wanted to lend us the use of those
enhanced abilities of yours...Besides, it's one of your old 'projects'."
Boone flinched when he
heard his friend use that term. He had been labelled a do-gooder during
his early years on the force because of the people he had personally attempted
to help. It was a habit he still engaged in and he still resented it when
his old peers referred to those people as his projects.
"Who is it?"
he finally asked, in a tired manner.
"Susan McNally,"
Morovsky answered. "She was found dead in an alley yesterday. I just
received the coroner's initial report. Believe me - it's a fascinating
one."
Boone slammed one of his
books down on the table. "I'll be right in," he replied, before
cutting the link. When he looked up, Da'an was standing close to him. "Listen,
if you like, I can have Lili come and bring you home...or to the party.
I'm sure she wouldn't mind."
"Your duties include
watching out for my well-being, do they not?" Da'an tilted his head
as if challenging his implant to try and get rid of him.
"Point taken."
Boone immediately called Lili and told her that he would be late. "I'll
call when we're ready," he added.
"OK, but don't keep
everyone waiting too long. The party just wouldn't be the same without
your stories."
He snorted. "As I
recall, you've always got a few good ones to tell as well."
"Yeah, but I just
don't have the same style!" She cut the link.
Noting the interested look
being turned on him by Da'an, he cleared his throat. "Come on,"
he grumbled as he led the way out.
It was less than a ten
minute ride to the police station. Boone parked the car and began to sprint
up the front steps before he remembered that his companion was less agile.
Stopping on the fifth step, he waited for Da'an to draw even with him.
"Sorry," he muttered
at the annoyed look he received.
Once inside, they took
the elevator up three floors and Boone quickly led the way into the office
which had once been his.
"Ok, Bob," he
greeted his friend, as he threw his coat on the old couch and turned to
help Dana with her own. "Let's have it."
Bob was staring at the
disguised Companion. "Don't tell me that YOU have a DATE?"
"You know better than
that." Boone's tone was low and serious.
"Let me guess...Bodyguard
assignment?"
"You could say that,"
the security chief replied as he glanced at Da'an.
"Hope she has a strong
stomach." Bob passed over the case file.
Boone and Da'an exchanged
looks. "...I don't think that will be a problem," Boone muttered.
Opening the file, he began scanning over its contents as only an implant
- or a Taelon - could. Da'an read it over his arm.
Susan had been found in
the alley behind a dumpster the previous afternoon. She had been fully
clothed, with her untouched purse by her side. There had been no apparent
cause of death when she was first examined at the scene. Little in the
way of evidence had been found.
The forensics report listed
some strange, membranous bits of material taken from her hair. They still
had not been identified, although they were in fact, organic.
The coroner's report included
the laboratory results for tests conducted upon the victim's vitreous humour,
blood and cerebral spinal fluid.
The victim had been in
good health and pregnant at or within two weeks of her death. Her red blood
cell count, platelet count and coagulation tests were all consistent with
a condition called DIC, or disseminated intravascular coagulation. It appeared
that a massive hemorrhage had triggered the episode, in which the body's
blood clotting mechanism goes berserk. Clots begin forming in the body's
blood vessels, rather than at the sight of the bleed. As the clotting progresses,
causing tissue and organ damage, all the clotting factors are used up -
making the hemorrhage itself worse.
Only prompt, early treatment
could have prevented Susan's death, and even then, it would have been touch
and go.
The autopsy findings were
startling.
Susan's uterus had been
removed, and yet there was no evidence of a surgical incision anywhere
on her. Her abdomen had been filled with blood and she had apparently also
bled vaginally, and yet the tissues at the site of the missing organ, though
raw, showed clear signs that they had already begun to healed over.
Examination of her ovaries
had confirmed that she had been pregnant within twenty four hours of her
death.
Boone's gaze shifted over
to Da'an. The Taelon stared back.
"Can I see Susan's
personal file?" Boone asked.
Morovsky immediately handed
it over.
When Boone had first met
Susan, she had been caught shoplifting. The mother of two small children,
and with a husband who had recently left her for another women, she was
a basket case. Worse than that - she had no appreciable income. After months
on welfare, she had developed a craving for some new clothes, and unfortunately
attempted to lift them from a local department store, where she had been
caught.
Boone had been the officer
who showed up at the store. Seeing how inconsolable she had been, he had
taken pity on her. Although he did indeed take her down to the station,
he worked out a deal for her with the store and they agreed not to prosecute,
so long as she never returned.
Two months later, Morovsky
had brought her in for a second shoplifting offense, and this time she
had been prosecuted and ordered to undergo group counseling for a year.
During that time, Boone often stopped by to see how she and the kids were
getting along and to offer encouragement.
Unfortunately, Susan's
troubles hadn't ended there. Her husband filed for divorce, and despite
the fact that he hadn't helped to support her or the children in over twenty
months, he was awarded full custody of both children on the basis of her
criminal record . She began calling her ex at all hours of the day and
night and had mailed threatening notes to his girlfriend. The behavior
had escalated to trespassing and finally to breaking and entering.
Within two months, the
ex-husband had obtained a restraining order, which she promptly violated,
landing her in jail. By the time she was released, the ex had moved away
- to Great Britain.
It was at this point in
time that Boone lost track of her.
Susan's file showed that
she had continued her downward spiral, eventually landing herself in a
mental hospital, where she had remained until just three weeks ago, when
she had been transferred to...
"Oh, my God..."
Boone breathed. "She was transferred to The Vandewater Institute!"
Da'an leaned close and
whispered. "Seal the file. The case is now our business..."
Boone looked uneasily up
at Morovsky. "Bob, I'm very sorry about this, but I'm afraid that
I'm going to have to confiscate these records. This has just become Companion
business."
A half an hour later,
Boone unlocked the car door for Da'an and walking around to his side, got
behind the wheel. With a sigh, he gripped the steering wheel and leaned
his head against his hands.
Bob had been understandably
upset with him and the two of them had exchanged some heated words with
Bob finally flinging the rest of the paperwork at him.
"You were supposed
to help me out with this, Will, not commandeer the case!" he had accused.
"Look, I'm head of
Taelon security. I'm only doing my job," he had grimaced at the his
own words.
"Couldn't you have
just left that at your office for once?"
"Bob...I'm an implant
now - you know that. I really don't have the luxury of choice anymore."
His words must have hit
a chord, because his friend had turned a pitying look on him. "I'm
sorry, Will," he had said softly. "Sometimes you seem so much
like your old self that I forget..."
Without a word, he had
gathered everything up and moved to another office to make the few phone
calls necessary to ensure that the case was officially transferred to him.
Lifting his head from the
wheel, he started the car and turned to the companion next to him. Da'an
was watching him as though he had no idea what to do or say next.
"It seems that we've
stumbled onto yet another victim of Zo'or's 'project'," he stated.
"So it would seem.
However, I require further proof before I may bring this before the Synod,"
the Taelon cautioned. "We must determine how and when she left the
Vandewater Institute."
"And whether or not
she was the only patient 'tampered' with." Boone stared at his friend.
"Da'an...it might be best to allow Bob to work on this after all.
The project is eventually going to be exposed. Better that it be now, before
there are more tests and more abused humans."
The alien turned a forbidding
look upon him. "Such a suggestion cannot be entertained at this point.
Our entire purpose in being here - our very existence - would be jeopardized
if the human populous learned of this now."
"What will the human
populous' reaction be if they find out a year from now. Think of how many
more lives will be lost or ruined!" Boone tried appealing to his companion.
Da'an turned away and stared
out the front window. When he spoke, his voice was distant and chilly.
"Do as I have asked
of you," was his only response.
With a stoney look on his
face, Boone threw the car into drive and roared out. After hanging a right
onto a main thoroughfare, he pulled out his global and flipped it open.
A moment later, Lili's face appeared on the screen.
"What's wrong?"
she asked, alarmed by the look on his face.
"Nothing," he
sighed. "We're on the way back to the office. Why don't you meet us
there?"
"Be there in ten."
Lili signed off.
Boone drove the rest of
the way to his office in silence. Although Da'an's refusal to acquiesce
had hurt, he knew that it wasn't anything personal. It was simply the Companion's
nature to take the safest course and withdraw when undecided about an issue.
He knew better than attempt arguing his position - Da'an was not above
stubbornness. The Taelon would remember what he had said and eventually
get back to him on it.
As soon as they had
re-entered his office, Boone sat at his desk and began dredging up information
from his computer. As Chief of Security and Interspecies Relations for
the Taelon's, he had instant access to nearly any official documentation
- including those of the Vandewater Institute. It took him less than three
minutes to print out several pages of relevant information.
"Here you go,"
he said, handing them over to Da'an, who had been sitting silently in a
chair on the other side of the desk. As the Companion accepted the pages
and looked them over, Boone summarized. "There were two other arrivals
at the Institute the day that Susan was admitted. Both of them were women.
Both of them were transferred from other mental institutions. All three
of them arrived together, via a transport van leased by a company named
Health-Go-Round. They were heavily sedated."
Boone leaned back and rubbed
the bridge of his nose and his temples - he had another headache.
"The really interesting
part of this, is that all three women were discharged early on the day
that Susan was found dead," he continued. "All three were supposedly
transferred out by the same transport company." Boone rubbed his neck.
"Have you been able
to procure any information about the transport company?"
"No." Boone continued
rubbing his temples. "I'll have to get Augur to check into it tomorrow."
He watched as Da'an placed the papers down next to his briefcase and rose
to his feet. Walking around the desk, he came to a stop beside him.
Without a word, the Companion
reached out and gently placed a hand on either side of Boone's head. Immediately,
the security chief's headache vanished and he felt himself relaxing as
a warm sense of tranquility settle over him.
"I don't know what
you're doing," he sighed. "...but I'll give you until tomorrow
to stop it..." Looking upward, he saw that there was a rare, tender
look upon the Taelon's face.
"You are not sleeping
enough," the disguised alien chided.
"Can't," was
his one-word answer. He was too content to say more.
"Later, we will..."
Before Da'an could complete the sentence, Lili arrived via the lift from
the shuttle pad. Da'an immediately broke the contact and stepped back,
as Boone sat up and gathered his things together.
"Is everything Ok?"
The shuttle pilot asked as she gave Boone a strange look.
"Lili, if I hear you
ask me that one more time today..." Boone threatened as he gathered
up the coats and started for the lift with Da'an right behind him.
"You'll what?"
she challenged.
"I won't buy you a
drink." The closing lift door blocked out anything else which might
have been said.
As the three of them
entered 'The Underground', there came a chorus of voices shouting, "Boone's
here!" and "Hey Will finally made it!"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm here
already..." Boone tried to calm Jimmy, one of the techs. He had obviously
had a few too many and was literally trying to yank Boone's coat off him.
"Is this the reason
your late?" Jimmy asked as he looked Dana up and down. "Wow!
It's a wonder you even showed up!"
Boone could feel his face
turning red. A glance at Da'an showed that the companion actually looked
pleased by the backward compliment he had received.
"Jimmy," Boone
laughed. "You'd better quit while you're ahead Get back in there and
have some coffee, will ya?"
Patting Boone on the back,
Jimmy headed off toward the rest rooms.
Lili stopped laughing long
enough to point towards the bar. "The gang's moved over there,"
she snickered.
"I'll join them later,"
he responded. "Right now I need to get something to eat or my skrill's
going to leave me."
"Mind if I join you? I
haven't actually eaten yet either."
"The more, the merrier."
Boone leaned closer. "Think you can convince Augur to join us later?
I really need him to look at something."
Lili glanced towards the
bar, just as Augur himself moved into line of sight. He was obviously looking
to see if she was back yet. "He'll be right over," she answered
as she waved for him to join them.
After being seated by the
hostess at a large corner table, Boone handed an index card with Health-Go-Round
written on it over to Augur.
"What's this?" the
techno wizard asked, as the waitress arrived.
"A transportation
company which I need you to research for me." Boone looked over the
menu, intent on inhaling a thick steak.
"What do you need
to know?"
"Everything."
"What can I get for
you tonight, Will? Lili? Augur?" their waitress asked.
"I'll have a spinach
salad," Lili chirped.
"I already ate," Augur
answered, "but I wouldn't mind a small side salad. Vinaigrette dressing."
Boone was all set to order
his steak when he noticed Da'an looking at a fellow diner's roast beef
with a mild expression of disgust.
"Will?" the waitress
prompted.
"I think I'll have
the Maki assortment with a salad on the side," he quickly amended.
"What kind of dressing?"
"Ginger, please."
"Anything to drink?"
"I'll have a pint
of Newcastle." He leaned toward Da'an. "You want anything?"
he asked with a twinkle in his eye.
"No...thank you,"
Dana whispered.
"Dana here would like
the steamed vegetable plate and a pint of Newcastle," he told the
waitress, as Da'an stiffened in surprise.
"Kay! I'll get right
on that." The waitress hustled off. She had always treated them well...but
then again, they had always tipped her well.
"Boone." Da'an
whispered. "You know that I am incapable of eating..."
"It's only to keep up appearances,"
the implant answered with a smile. "Your portion is actually going
to go towards appeasing my skrill."
Da'an felt very fortunate
to be allowed to share in the social customs of the humans he had come
to know, deriving a very real satisfaction in the knowledge that the last
Taelon to do such a thing had been his parent, Ma'el.
Boone had eaten and chatted
around the dinner table with his friends, careful to include Da'an in most
conversations. The implant had obviously been very hungry, as he had quickly
finished his food and the plate which had been set before his Companion.
Afterward, they had lingered at the table, talking quietly about Sahjit
until the conversation had finally dissolved into a morose silence.
Finally, they had stood
and made their way to the bar area.
Da'an had been impressed
with the number of people who had immediately greeted his implant, and
he quickly realized that it had more to do with the human's personality
than with his rank in the organized Liberation. These people truly liked
and respected the large security chief.
The rest of the evening
had flown by as Da'an observed the humans drinking, talking and playing.
At one point Boone had
been called upon by Lili to tell them all a story about one of his adventures
during the S-I war. He had seemed almost embarrassed, but with everyone
raising their voices to demand his story, he had finally stood before the
bar and told his tale.
Da'an had found himself
captivated along with the rest of the humans as Boone told a story which
was at once amusing, sad and cautionary. Afterwards, the bartender had
bought the storyteller a pint and the others had applauded and cheered
the self-conscious implant.
Augur had gone to the bar
to tell a story of his own. Seated next to Lili, Da'an had clearly heard
two women at the table behind them discussing Boone.
"Jeannie..."
had come the first voice. "Close your mouth and sit up. You're practically
drooling!"
"I can't help it,"
Jeannie had answered. "He's really something!"
"Hmmm. He is an awfully
nice guy, but a bit too rugged-looking for my taste..."
"Are you crazy, Doris?
He's got it all! Looks, build AND brains! Not to mention the awfully-nice-guy
part!"
Doris had snorted. "Forget
it. His wife died less than a year ago - He won't so much as look at you...Besides,
he's a Taelon implant."
"I've heard that the
Taelons did something to him," Jeannie had admitted in a lower tone
of voice. "Augur told Darla that he's no long capable of any strong
emotion....What a shame..." she had sighed.
Da'an had blinked and glanced
quickly behind him. These women were clearly not members of the liberation,
he had thought. They must be frequent patrons of the Underground.
"Hmmm. I'm not so
sure that Augur was entirely right," Doris had responded. "After
all, Boone did bring a date with him."
"What?!" Jeannie
had sat up straight and looked around the room. "I thought you said
that he was still missing his wife!"
"I suppose that she
could be his sister..."
"Where is she?"
Jeannie had hissed.
Just then Boone had returned
to their table along with Augur and Da'an had felt an unreasonable smugness
at the huffing he heard behind him.
Later on, while Boone was
teaching him how to play darts, he had overheard several people discussing
him and speculating upon whether or not he and Boone had an attachment.
Indeed they did - but not in any terms the others would understand...
Boone himself didn't yet
acknowledge the strength of their growing bond, however, Da'an knew the
day was coming when he would need to confront the truth...
It was well past one
in the morning when Boone led the now, undisguised Da'an, up the corridor
to his chamber.
"Please stay a while,"
the Companion asked, as he gestured for his implant to proceed him into
the room. After they had both entered, he closed the door behind him and
moved towards the wing chairs. Gesturing for his friend to take one, he
seated himself in the other.
"I wish to thank you
for allowing me to experience a most illuminating day," the Companion
began. "I have learned much about what it is to be human."
Boone leaned forward. "You
haven't really learned all that much," he corrected.
Da'an looked surprised.
"I have learned a great deal about grief...and about how humans
gather with their friends. These are things which Taelons do not comprehend.
They hold no place in our society."
"Perhaps you have
made a good start, then," Boone relented.
Da'an studied his implant's
haggard-looking face for a moment, unhappy with what he was noticing.
"Boone, you cannot
sleep?"
"I rarely get even
two hours a night," he sighed. "It began after I received the
CVI, and it's continually gotten worse since then. I was wondering if it
was my skrill, since I've never dreamt with it."
Da'an held out his hand.
"Please, allow me to commune with it."
With a raised eyebrow,
Boone rolled up his sleeve and held his arm out to his companion, who gently
placed his hand upon the back of Condor's abdomen. Condor lit up brightly,
hissing almost subliminally as he also made his displeasure known to his
host mentally. Boone turned a shade paler at the anger being directed his
way.
Da'an quickly withdrew
his hand. "Your skrill is but a small part of the problem," he
responded, in a shaken tone. "As you are aware, they retain a dislike
for my kind...and your skrill retains far more sentience than I am comfortable
with. Our bond displeases it."
Boone looked floored. Bringing
his arm up before him, he eyed his skrill, which was placid once more.
"Opinionated are we?" Rolling his sleeve down again, he turned
his attention back to his friend.
"What's causing the
'large' part of my problem?" he asked, afraid of the answer he would
receive.
Da'an gave him a sad look.
"You, yourself, are the problem," he said quietly.
"Me?"
The Taelon nodded. "You
fear confronting what has... and is happening to you," he explained.
"Even as your subconscious mind attempts to work through the quandary
by way of your dreams, you refuse to succumb to them."
"I don't regret..."
he began, but was interrupted.
"You regret what your
life has become." Da'an touched his arm. "You regret decisions
made - decisions which cost you...much..."
Boone stared at him in
horror. "Are you saying that I'm seriously messed up... That I need
a psychiatrist?"
"No...I am saying
that you need to face your fears - and that I am willing to help in this."
Seeing the doubtful look on the tired implant's face, Da'an explained. "Share
your dreams with me - through our link... and the peace of mind you felt
with me while we were in your office, shall be yours again."
"Yeah, but at what
cost?" the leery security chief asked.
Da'an seemed surprised
that Boone hadn't guessed. "The truth is the cost," he answered.
"...and I will be there to help you find it."
There was a moment's silence.
"Perhaps later, Da'an."
Boone sighed and breaking contact with his friend, leaned back in his chair
again. "Tell me something...Will you provide Dr.. Belman with the means
to remove Doors' motivational imperative?"
Da'an stood, blushing with
what appeared to be confusion, and faced Boone's chair. "That, I
will not do."
"Why not? It seems
that without his single-minded devotion to destroying your people, that
you'd be better off."
"You are incorrect
in your supposition, Boone," the companion chided. "It would be
best for Doors, but worse for my people." Seeing Boone's questioning
look, he clarified. "The best thing which can be said about Door's
imperative...is that it smothers his creativity."
They stared at each other
for a minute, as Boone digested the explanation.
"I see..." he
answered, wide-eyed. Forcing himself to rise to his feet, he inclined his
head ever so slightly and started for the door. "I need to get going
on that investigation," he said. "I'll be back when I have more
to tell you."
Da'an nodded and watched
as his friend exited, a troubled look upon his face...
Boone had the on-call
shuttle pilot fly him back to his office. Ever since Katie's death, he
had spent as little time home as possible, shunning the place and instead
living out of his office. He did return now and then to sleep for a short
while and get cleaned up, but he was also known to catch a few hours sleep
in his favorite office chair, and the floor below his office had a small
gym complete with shower room.
He had to face it - if
it weren't for the care Katie's orchids required, he probably wouldn't
go home again. Da'an was right - he had a problem, and he would have to
deal with it sooner or later. For now, he preferred not to think about
it. He had other, more important things to take care of first....and he
wasn't sure that he wished his Companion to help him.
That feeling of bliss...of
utter tranquility...when Da'an had eased his headache...The sensation was
as addictive as any drug, and he was not convinced that any human was meant
to experience it for long periods of time. He both yearned for, and feared
a closer bonding with the American Companion. There was still so very much
to work out...and he wasn't sure that he wished to share the totality of
himself - his mind - with another being. In sharing his dreams, he would
be exposing all his insecurities and fears and doubts...
And then there was the
question of what he would receive in return. Would he be privy to Da'an's
secrets? Did the Taelon have any psychological problems, or was that strictly
a human failing? He had already picked up much of the Companion's talent
for understatement...
Boone sighed. He was being
foolish. There was no doubt in his mind that he and Da'an could teach each
other so very much! Their bonding was right, and inevitable, but that didn't
mean that he couldn't fear the unknown.
Finally making a decision,
he promised himself that as soon as he had all his evidence and had turned
it over to Da'an, he would ask the Companion to help him with his sleep
disorder...
Boone punched a novel up
on his computer display and began to read...
Preferring to drive
the distance from DC to the Vandewater Institute, rather than taking a
shuttle, Boone pulled into the parking lot just before ten the following
morning.
Flashing his badge at the
guard near the front door, he made his way directly to the records department,
where he barged right in and demanded access to their computer. At first
it looked like the manager was going to cause a scene, but her superior
had shown up and urged her to cooperate with the 'American Companion's
implant'.
Within ten minutes, Boone
had the names of two other female patient's who had been admitted AND discharged
at the same time as Susan. Their names were Melissa Locklear and Karen
Tiener. Pulling their charts, he scanned them quickly, amazing the women
who watched him.
They, like Susan, had been
transported to and from the Institute by a Health-Go-Round van. They had
both also had positive pregnancy tests upon their admission, but unlike
Susan, both had been transferred back to their original facilities upon
discharge. Melissa had been sent back to Donner Dix Hospital in Maryland,
while Karen had been sent back to the Augustus Mental Health Clinic in
DC.
Collecting the charts,
Boone rose to his feet and declared them confiscated in the name of companion
business. Within seconds of exiting the front doors, he had Lili on his
global screen and was filling her in on what he had discovered.
"I need for you to
go check on Karen," he directed, as he got in his car. "I'm on
my way to Maryland to see Ms.. Locklear."
"What am I supposed
to do when I see her?" Lili asked.
"See if she can tell
you anything at all about her 'transfer'. Feel out the situation - If you
think she's in danger, get Da'an to authorize her removal to our custody."
"OK. I'll call as
soon as I know something." Lili cut the link.
Boone threw the car in gear
and roared off.
He had a bad feeling about
this...
End Part One