Your point?
You and I are very much alike, on one level. Both of us know the truth of our situation. Oh, we talk the talk in public. Psi Corps is your friend. But you and I, we know the truth. Sooner or later and probably sooner, in the great, grand scheme of thingsits going to come down to your kind or my kind. Humanity simply wont tolerate Homo superior in its midst. Mundanes and telepaths are going to stand face-to-face, but only one is going to walk away.
He leaned forward. Im here to tell you, Director, its going to be us . Just as, at the end of this day, its going to be me and not you walking out of this room. Yes, yesI know it wont change anything. I know you will die soon whether I act or not. But what matters to me, you seeDirectorwhat matters to me is that I kill you, that you know I killed you. Do you understand? All my life Ive lived for the Corps. Ive done everything for the Corps. This this is just for me. Ive been working on it for a long time. Hugin and Munin there, for instance. I studied the criteria you use to pick your personal teeps and started conditioning possible candidates twenty years ago. My greatest worry, Director, was that you would drop dead before I was ready.
Johnston was the color of chalk. Theyll know you did it. Theyll kill you, too.
No. They wont. In fact, Im going to be injured trying to save you. Isnt that nice? And thenwell see about the rest. Im patient, as you have seen. I intend to live a lot longer. I will see my people set right again before I die, Director.
You wont get anything if you scan me.
Cest la vie .
Ive had a cascade trigger planted in my mind. A deep scan will set if off and wipe pertinent parts of my memory.
How you must have hated thatletting a dirty telepath into your head.
Johnston laughed harshly. I did. But it was necessary.
Lets see. Bester wrenched into his mind. After studying what he found there a moment, he backed out. Well. The truth. But I expected it, really, No matter, DirectorIll find out what I need to know elsewhere. I didnt have time to really scan you, anyway.
This whole conversation has been recorded, you know.
Actuallyit hasnt. You forgot to flip the camera on, Im afraid.
Theyll be able to tell the switch was tampered with.
I dont think so. Good-bye, Director. Hugin.
The telepath raised her PPG.
Careful, Bester cautioned.
She fired. Bester stifled a scream as the burst scorched across his thigh. For an instant he felt a surge of wild hope from Johnston, but then the director must have seen it in Besters eyes.
Munin, Bester breathed.
The other telepath walked to the far wall and exploded, even as Bester fell forward to the floor.
Shaped charges are wonderful things , Bester thought, as thunder clapped. A brilliant, dazzling heat scorched every inch of him, but he knew it would be no worse than a bad sunburn. The next step was the risky part, the part that worried him ever so slightly.
The wall was gone. Beyond it was the permanent glacial crust of Ganymede, a small fragment of which had been turned liquid by the burst of heat. Small in terms of the total volume of ice on Ganymede, not in terms of the cubic meters the room could contain. Even as Bester made it to his feet and rushed to the door, the first wave hit him at the knees.
It was cold , and the air temperature was dropping very quickly. He pressed the door open and fell through, the water surging behind him now up to his waist. He felt his body going into shock, as if he had just jumped into an arctic sea. He heard a sudden hiss-and-shush behind him and hoped it was what he thought it was, because he couldnt stand up anymore.
He fell into water that was already thinned down to a few inches and lay there, gasping. He turned back toward the blasted room. The shield door had come down.
Icehouse was hardened, but a nuclear strike would melt the water around it, of course. As a precaution, each individual unit of the facility had been built to cut itself free and float. The section the director was in had been cut off from the rest of the facility, though it was still in place.
Back in that room, temperatures must be rapidly approaching Ganymede normal. That was to say, colder than Satans heart.
Mr. Bester!
He tried to turn, but found he was having trouble moving. Someone rolled him over. It was Drew.
What happened? Youre shot!
Bester managed to gesture toward the shield door. The directortried to savehelp him
Inwardly, he grinned like a cat. If he didnt die of pneumonia and if Ysidra and the others had taken care of the dead guards everything was going to be just fine.
Are you sure youre okay, sir? Byron asked.
Im fine. Just a little freezer burn. The PPG blast missed everything important.
I wish wed had a chance to scan those rogues.
Or whoever they were. But they must be long gone by now. They planned their assassination well.
Im glad they didnt get you, too.
In that instant, Bester nearly told him. One day, when he was absolutely sure, Byron would be added to the inner circle, and he would probably find out what had really happened here. He might feel foolishafter all, he was the only one on board completely oblivious to the truth.
Still, it was too soon. Byron had all of the makings of one of the elite, but he hadnt yet truly proved where his loyalties were. He hadnt been marked, initiated. These were important things, not to be dismissed lightly.
But today Bester felt good. He feltwell, invincible. Like that first time he had used his powers against a normal, that train cop en route to Paris.
It was a good feeling to have, at his age. A rare one.
He was almost sure of Byron, but he should wait. It was time to test him.
Thank you, Byron. Im glad they didnt get me, too.
Donnes hard face on the screen was unreadable, and her voice was nearly as uninflected as ever, but something about her seemed excited.
Everything went well at Jupiter, sir?
Very. Were repaired and resupplied and headed back to the inner system. Something must be happening on your end.
Yes, sir. Weve been keeping tabs, as you said. Id barely gotten here when there was anincident.
Oh?
One of the freelance researchersan Anna Sheridanwas doing some experiments with some sort of organic technology found at an archaeological dig on Theta Omega 2. She had a business teep named Hilliard try toscan it.
This doesnt sound good.
It turned his brains to jelly. Not only that, but every low-level teep within three miles was affected the same way.
No, Bester said, slowly. No, thats not good at all. Are there any more of these devices?
Yes.
Im putting some calls through, right now. I want that technology confiscated, and I want you on this mission to the Rim. Are you game for that?
Yes, sir .
I dont need to tell you how important this is. To all of us.
No. I appreciate your trust, sir.
Keep it. Dont let yourpersonal satisfactionsget in the way of doing your job. But do what you have to. I give you license. Well fix it later. Its easier to ask forgiveness than permission, after all. He considered. All in all, its a good time for this to have happened. The chain of command will have been shaken by events out here in Jupiter space. Their control will be weakened. They wont oppose me in this.
She chopped her chin in a Spartan nod. Sir.
Ill talk to you soon, Ms. Donne.
He watched the blank screen for a moment, feeling the ache return to his various body parts.
Well, invincibility only lasted so long. He had had his fun, but the real business was just getting started. These aliens were at the center, he was certain of it.
These new technologies had to be in the hands of the Corps his Corps, not the mundane puppets. His Corps.
He had been brooding for about half an hour, watching Jupiter dwindle to something smaller than a nailheadwhen he got a call that cheered him up consider
ably.
Some weeks, fate loves me, he murmured, and left for the bridge.
Got him?
Yep. Right there.
All roads lead to Io these days, I guess.
Yes, sir.
Okay. Weve got all seven Starfuries up and running?
Tip-top shape, sir. We got the replacements for the lost ones the day before we shipped out.
Fine. Lets take them all out.
They dont appear to have any weapons, sir, Ysidra remarked.
I want a show of force, Bester said. We need to remind them whos boss. He turned to face Byron, manning a console a few meters away. Byron? Ready for another hunt?
Always. I hope this one turns out better than the last.
No doubts this time, Ysidra put in. Were far enough from Jove for clear readings. Plus surveillance footage of them boarding.
Still, Bester said, keep the transport at a decent distance. And we wont have to board, this time. Well have them send the teeps out in a lifepod.
He felt a stab of pride as the Starfuries took their positions with geometric precision. He had fought long and hard for the Black Omega Squadron. Initially, no one had thought it was a good idea, but he had proven their usefulness often enough that now no one in EarthGov complainedat least not overtly.
After all, they thought they were keeping him distracted, out and away from Earth, from Admin, hunting rogues among the stars.
Hadnt they ever studied history? Didnt they know the lesson of Caesar? It was foolish to put a general out among the barbarians, with an army, and leave him to his own devices. You never knew when he might march back to Rome and take it for himself.
When the time came, he was sure the Black Omega Squadron would follow him. Absolutely sure.
And it was time to make Byron one of them.
He flipped on his com. Byron, would you do the honors?
Of course. Another crackle as he went to a broader band. Bester followed him. This is Omega 7 to the captain of the civilian transport. We have you under our guns. Answer or be fired upon.
A brief pause, then a strained female voice. Omega 7, I copy. This is Captain Freya Grettirsdottir. How can I help you?
Captain, dont play coy with me. You have ten rogue telepaths on your transport. You will immediately turn them over to my custody.
Another pause. Omega 1, we have your assurance
Now , Captain.
Give us five minutes. She sighed. Well put them in a life-pod. Were unarmed, Omega 1, and we wont make any trouble.
Thats very wise.
Less than five minutes later, a lifepod broke loose of the transport and drifted toward its Black Omega counterpart.
Omega 7 to Omega 1. Blips are clear. Capture transport moving into position.
Across the vacuum, Bester could make Byron out, just barely, through the clear canopy.
Well done, Byron.
Thank you, sir. I hope I sounded authoritative enough.
You were perfect.
He linked to the other Black Omegas. Hold your positions. I want those Blips on the transport and their identities confirmed before we move an inch.
And so they waited a few moments, until the confirmation came from the transport.
All clear, Byron said. We can head back now.
Not yet, Omega 7, Bester said. He put command in his voice. This was hard for some of them, the first time. They needed to be walked through it. Afterward, they always came to understand. Well, almost always.
What was important was that they felt that this time, they didnt have a choice. Afterward, they would always make the right choiceon their own. We got this batch but there will be others. We need to send a message.
He could feel Byrons confusion, even across the gulf. All right Ill arrange for them to be escorted to
Negative, Omega 7. Lock all forward weapons on transport. Prepare to fire.
Sir theyre unarmed We cant just
Prepare to fire, Omega 7. Bester found that he was actually holding his breath. This was taking longer than it should. Had he misjudged the boy? Could he have been that wrong?
I cant Byrons voice was thick.
Bester found he was almost shaking. He couldnt fail here, not after his greatest triumph. Byron would notcould not betray him. Not now.
I gave you an order Byron. Execute the order or face the consequences.
The other Starfuries turned their weapons systems toward Byron. They knew the drill. Leave him no choice. Later he would understand. Later.
He felt a peculiar lightness in his chest. Theyre just mundanes, Byron. And its them or you. You wanted to run with the big boys, now you have to show youre up to it. Are you? Are you up to it, Byron?
The moment stretched, and stretched. He was going to do it. Byron was going to fail himwhich could only mean that he had failed Byron. Failed in his last Rashomon role
And then there was light. It was the most beautiful thing he had seen in a long time. The transport shredded under the impact of Byrons weapons, and the pitiful mindshrieks of the mundanes were swallowed by night.
Thank you, Byron. You didnt fail me. At the last
He didnt cast it. What he cast was:
Well done, Byron. Now lets go home.
* * *
epilogue
« Yes, Kelsey, come in. He stood at the window in his office, watching a sandstorm arrive across the Martian plain. It looked like a dark brick wall, higher than heaven, falling on all of them.
He made sure it was Kelsey, of course, with a probe. There was no need to turn and face her.
Sorry to disturb you, sir.
Its okay. You have news?
Yes. I sent it to your terminal, but I thought I should come see you in person.
He turned around then. Kelsey was a tall brunette, coldly beautiful. She was young, arrogant, and entirely trustworthy. Beneath her emotionless facade, she was terribly eager to please him, and he knew it.
Did they find him?
No. Not even fragments. Calculating from the last trajectory, its possible that his ship actually went down on Venus.
Which is to say, hes dead. Poor Byron. Do we know what happened yet?
Its hard to make out. He was fine until the rogue ship started firing. Telemetry doesnt show him being hit, but it does show an explosion in one of his fuel nacelles. The other Starfuries lost communication with him then, and he seems to have spun out of control. They lost him around the planetary horizon. By the time the fight was over and they were able to break free and go looking for himnothing.
A faint, terrible suspicion touched Bester then, but he forced it down. Byron would never do that to him. It was bad enough that he should diehe would never betray the Corps, never betray Al Bester.
He felt very cold.
Tell them to keep searching. He may be in a low orbit, without communications. If hes on the surface, well never find him.
Yes, sir.
Kelsey
Sir?
What about that batch of transmissions we hijacked from IPX?
Nothing. Still no word from the Icarus . Theyve declared her lost, with all hands. They lost the original probe, too.
So thats Donne, too. Two lost, Kelsey. Such a shame.
Yes, sir. She couldnt entirely hide how she really felt, however. She was ambitiousshe envisioned herself filling the vacuum that Byron had left.
Thank you, Kelsey. Leave me now.
She did.
He turned back to the sandstorm. It had nearly arrived now. He could see the lower front it was pushing along ahead of itself, like a giant scuffing up dirt with his boots.
The work went on. The work went on.
In the end, perhaps, his mistake was to rely on individuals to provide him any personal sense of worth. It was ironic, reallythe first true lesson that the Corps had taught him, only now revealing the depths of its truthfulness. His role wasnt that of child, brother, apprentice, lover, husband, or even mentor. He had never been meant for any of that
.
His role was the Corps rolewatcher, protector. Not of the one, but of the many. He was the father, the mother, to all of themthe telepaths in Psi Corps and, whether they wanted and appreciated him or not, the telepaths outside of the Corps. Some of them needed a sterner hand than others, it was true
He remembered something Bey had told him.
My father slapped me once. Actually, he slapped me twice once with the back of his hand, and then, quickly, with his palm. Later, I understood. The first blow was a rejection he was rejecting the thing I had done, I dont even remember what it was now .
The second blow with the palm was to take me back. I reject you but I take you back. That was his message .
It was a good lesson. Sometimes there had to be punishment, but there must always be reconciliation in a family. There must always be a gathering back in, a second slap with the palm. Family.
Bester sat back at his desk and looked over his new orders. He couldnt imagine them coming at a worse time. Another one of Department Sigmas messes. Jason Ironheart, one of the subjects for the stable telekinetic project. It seemed that they had been somewhat too successful.
Well, maybe a challenge was what he needed right now. A hunt. Something to keep his mind off of other things.
And he had never been to Babylon 5 before. It ought to be interesting.
He began to look forward to it.
Outside, Mars vanished into rusty opacity, and even through the dense dome, he could hear the shriek of the wind.
«»«»«» Born in Meridian, Mississippi, in 1963, J. GREGORY KEYES spent his early years roaming the forests of his native state and the red rock cliffs of the Navajo Indian reservation in Arizona. He earned a B.A. in anthropology from Mississippi State University and a masters degree from the University of Georgia, where he did course work for a Ph.D. He and his wife, Nell, live in Seattle, where, in addition to full-time writing, he practices ethnic cookingparticularly Central American, Szechuan, Malaysian, and Turkish cuisines. Since moving to the Northwest, he can no longer participate in his favorite sport Kapucha Toli , a Choctaw game involving heavy sticks and few rulesso he has taken up fencing. Greg is the author of The Waterborn, The Blackgod, Newtons Cannon , and Babylon 5: Dark Genesis .
Babylon 5 11 - Psi Corps 02 - Deadly Relations - Bester Ascendant (Keyes, Gregory) Page 28