Nebula Nights: Love Among The Stars

by Melisse Aires

  ~Yatrell, I’m scared.~ She closed her eyes, trying to block out the perception of the room and people around her. ~I’ve never felt fear like this from others before. I’ve never had people afraid of me before. I’m not like they think I am.~

  ~I know, Kala. I know.~

  He knew she was far too gentle in spirit. Her innate nature would never allow her to harm so many, nor allow a Ven to get away from captivity. He believed her to be softer than any he had ever known. Even as soft natured as she was, he had come to believe she could handle anything that came her way.

  ~Did they hurt you?~

  Her voice shook even as it was projected into his mind. ~No. Not physically. Not yet. If the captain had her way though…~ Kala trailed off, not able to finish the statement. She knew the captain would rather have her before a firing squad in which she pulled the trigger that blasted Kala to her death. The thought and image frightened her further. ~I want to leave, Yatrell.~

  ~Kala, they won’t do that to you. The Xenonians need you. That’s just one angry woman’s thought. Give it time, it will pass. I’ve had telepathic issues myself. It will pass.~

  Yatrell listened to the nurses enter his room again and insist he hooks himself back up to the monitors or allows them to do so. “No. I’ve been here three days without need. I’m going to my quarters in a moment. I need silence.”

  They convey the concerns from his captain, and he still insisted he’ll return to his quarters against authorization if they don’t select to release him soon.

  ~Yatrell, you need to go. You have to be well. I’ll be here. I’ve nowhere else to go.~ Tears rolled down her cheeks once more.

  He lingered in her mind for a while longer, wishing there were something more he could do. Finally, as gently as he could manage he projected, ~Kala, I’m going to check in with you, once I’ve caught up on things here. Once I know what’s been going on while I was in the coma. If there is something I can do to help you, please tell me. Don’t wait for me to reach you again, if you think of something.~

  ~Okay.~

  Kala closed her mind to him, and shifted in the bed as well as she could. When she could tell she was alone in her mind again, she tried to practice closing out the minds of others, and attempted to diminish her empathic sense. She spent the remainder of her time focused on practicing, and reflecting on her lessons.

  Another day passed much like the first, and yet again she continued to focus on her telepathic training. With fear of retribution setting in, she knew that if she let up on her training she would become the victim again. She refused to allow that. She also refused to allow Greshna the control she had over her. In her efforts to better her skills, Kala also focused on finding answers.

  Another day in restraints passed and yet another day of focused and intense self training continued. This continued for a week. During that time, she spoke to Lieutenant Commander Jae several times, while honing her telepathic skills. Her only visitors during that week were security to assure she was given time to wash, dress and eat one proper meal a day. When Kala was finally released from the restraints, she was escorted to her quarters, and a psionic barrier was put in place in her room.

  While Kala was restricted to quarters, she continued to train her mind. She focused her efforts to be able to extend herself beyond the psionic barrier to the other ships and other psionics. She took the time to reach out to every psionic mind in the fleet at least once. She became intent on learning everything she could about her captain and the rest of the fleet. She focused her telepathic reach in a manner that even her roommates were unable to tell she was speaking beyond the telepathically designed psionic barrier.

  ~*~

  Lieutenant Commander Palrion sat in Captain Tangl’s office, waiting on her as usual. When she finally arrived, he stood, and saluted appropriately. The Lieutenant Commander sat down once she had done so, and waited until he had permission to speak. For several minutes she ignored him, and continued to work on some communication to Xenonia. When she finally looked up, and spoke to him, Palrion was already frustrated with her behavior. He found himself struggling to remain calm enough to converse with her.

  “We need to discuss the upcoming battle.”

  Fleet Commander Tangl hardly made eye contact when she responded dryly. “I provided all of the teams with a brief of the situation, and the anticipated battle strategy. It should cover the plan of attack effectively.”

  Palrion lifted a data tablet. “You left out one strategic team.”

  “Your team, Lieutenant Commander Palrion, is of limited effectiveness under these circumstances. This is a Ven Empire world, but it is not being held by the Ven. They have the Kaninets holding the world. Your psionics, and even more so, your telepaths have no impact here.”

  “If nothing else, Captain, they provide better and more secure communication options. The pyrokentics you have under your beta team on the Enpassant could be of great help, if you allow them to engage on the surface. I have an empath that can sense the Animalia species, and you’re posting her to the bridge overnight during the entire span of the battle. Yes that’s her trained duty, but the senate didn’t put the psionic teams out here to be pushed aside. Do you know how many lives would make it through this if you used our people how they were intended to be used?”

  The captain sat up, “First of all, do not take that tone when speaking with me. Second of all, I do use them as they are needed. Some fail in their efforts, and injure others. Your little girl isn’t the first to have done so. She will, however, be the last. I refuse to allow undisciplined, unrestrained, penetrable psionics to be used against the Xenonian people. If I see the need to use them, I will. Until then, they will follow orders like any other solider on this ship. Do I make myself clear, Lieutenant Commander?”

  His eyes narrowed as the Captain spoke, and his voiced edged closer to anger when he finally responded to her. “Aye, Ma’am. Very clear.”

  “Good. You’re dismissed.”

  She sat back in the chair, and smoothed her hair back into regulation, while the psionic sensor stood, and walked from her office. Once she was alone in the room, she reviewed her communication to the senate again. She decided to adjust some information regarding the incident report.

  ~*~

  Palrion walked straight to his quarters, and to his work station. He began composing a communication to the Xenonian Senate. He detailed what happened with Private Kala again, adding why he believed it happened to the new report. After he detailed the numerous possibilities, and the most likely answer, he also addressed the conversation he just held with the Fleet Commander and captain of the Reverence. He detailed how she was misusing the psionic teams. He specifically noted how the effort to train them to be prepared for battle, and to use their abilities on behalf of their people was being ignored.

  Once he completed and encrypted the communiqué, he sent it off with the subspace dispatch. He then conferenced in his fleet wide team of psionics, and spoke to them at length about their role in the upcoming battle. He explained they are still fighting against distrust and prejudice. He emphasized the need for them to continue their training, and continue to work hard to prove they were the best, most organized team possible. When the conference was complete he left his quarters, to walk to the quarters of the one member of his team not permitted to participate in the conversation.

  As he approached the Private’s quarters, he found Private Henessa Sar exiting. “Before returning to duty, come with me to speak to your roommate.” She complied, and opened the door for him. Both walked back to Private Kala’s room, and waited for her to exit meditation. When Kala looked at them, he began, “We need to work on your training more.”

  She arched an eyebrow. “I’m not sure how that’s possible. The captain has ordered me confined to quarters, and there’s a psionic barrier around me.” Her voice was calm and relaxed.

  “We both know you’re already working on training, and reaching beyond this barrier. None of the othe
r psionics on any of the ships in this fleet can do that with or without a listening stone.” Lieutenant Commander Palrion was taken aback when he realized that Private Sar was unaware.

  “She can’t reach beyond it. Her listening stone isn’t even in her hand.” Henessa’s expression was confused and lost.

  Closing her eyes again, Kala projected into her friend’s mind. ~I’ve been reaching beyond the telepathic barrier for more than a week now, on my own, but only to other psionic minds.~ Henessa stared at Kala with disbelief, not sure if she should be impressed or afraid. ~Nessa, this is what I was genetically engineered to be able to do. This is why I’ve been recruited, even if they were unaware of my multiple layered abilities at the time.~

  Private Sar continued to stand in silence, amazed and unsure how to take this information.

  “Private, don’t get too comfortable. You’re a part of this because you’re the only one that is both trusted and knows something about subliminal commands. Kala has a problem she needs your help with.” Lieutenant Commander Palrion looked at both of his students, fully aware that there was a lot left to consider.

  Kala opened her eyes, and looked at Private Sar. “The Ven have programmed a subliminal command into my mind. That’s how she took control of me. It was likely among the first adjustments made to my psyche while they had me as an infant. I need it removed or subdued.”

  Dak Palrion looked at his student, knowing she took the information from him before he had the time to speak it himself. He was impressed by the potential the young woman displayed, but knew she was far from where she could be. “Once that is no longer a concern, Private Sar, we will be able to advance both her training, and the training of the psionic unit.”

  Henessa looked between the two with curiosity. “Why do you need to train the unit further, after her telepathic repair?”

  “Because, she is a lot more than just a telepath. At least that’s what I’ve been sensing since the first day I saw her on Xenonia. As we are facing battle after battle, we need to be as prepared as we can be.” Palrion relaxed his position, and studied his students carefully.

  Kala spoke in a calm and controlled tone. “The memory I have from Greshna indicates that the goal of the experiment I was an unwilling participant in, was to create a psionic that wasn’t of a specific discipline but simply psionic. This would be someone, or potentially multiple people, who could use their mind to do everything from throw flames and move object to bending time and space. I was the closest they got to turning on all the abilities, but I was pulled from their grasp before they had the opportunity to test or train me.”

  “You said, infant. How old were you? How …?” Henessa was confused by all of the information coming at her all at once.

  “I was in my mother’s womb when my parents took their last trip off world as a couple before I was born. In that trip, they encountered a Ven ship. The Ven killed my father and delivered me, then sent my mother on a one way trip back to Xenonia with no hope of landing safely.” She paused only long enough for the information to begin to sink into her friend. “My former master was the captain who rescued the children involved in the experiment. She took the time to find the species represented, and returned the children home.

  “Some children were dead from experimentation when she and her crew arrived. Other children, like myself, survived. She said that there were easily a dozen bodies involved with this science experiment. She also said, of the children returned, roughly a 5 year old Dentonian, a 3 year old Xentue and myself were kept separate from the other children.

  “That’s what I’ve learned from my former master. She took my mother and me in as her slaves to repay the fact she facilitated my schooling, clothing, and shelter after my mother sold everything to get another small ship with the intention of finding me.” She took another deep breath. “I was still very small, not more than a year when that happened. These are second hand memories.”

  “The Ven woman was a part of this? She brought this to the surface for you?” Henessa moved to the bed, and sat down.

  “Yes. She also triggered the subliminal command. With that command she forced me to injure others. I won’t allow her that ability again. She will be back. She will seek me personally, and I need that subliminal command controlled or removed before that happens.”

  “Alright, when do we start?” Private Sar knew her best friend well enough to know that this was more than she ever expected. She knew the girl who arrived on the training vessel was too innocent to know she was the center of a Ven experiment.

  “Now Private. This captain may not want to use us to take the planet we’re about to arrive at, but she can’t override my training schedule and plans. I’ll return to check on your progress.” Lieutenant Commander Palrion left the room to begin making preparations for his team.

  Once they were alone, Henessa looked at Kala. “Do you understand that this might be invasive? Do you realize that without knowing exactly where this subliminal order is, or what it is, it may take me days to find it? Then longer to repair, alter, or replace it? I’m not an expert at this, Kala.”

  “Yes, Nessa. I’m aware.” Kala moved onto the bed from the pillow on the floor. She made herself comfortable. “This order stands in the way of the safety of this ship, and the safety of our people. I will not be used to hurt anyone again.”

  Henessa Sar studied her carefully. She didn’t need her telepathy to know that her friend was determined. She went to her own drawers, pulled out a larger listening stone, and returned to Kala’s bed. “With the barrier in place, I’ll need this to better reach you. Please, hold on to one side, and I’ll hold the other.”

  Kala placed one hand on the stone, and Henessa did the same. Once the telepathic connection was made, Henessa began to search Kala’s mind for the root of the problem. She sought out all things Ven, and found memory after memory after memory. Most so deep that Henessa didn’t believe Kala easily recalled them on a conscious level. She then sought out Kala’s youngest childhood. Knowing that all memories, even the first days of life are buried inside the mind, Henessa continued to search. With great effort Henessa pushed further back in Kala’s years, reaching for her infancy. Then, she stopped. There was suddenly a second presence in Kala’s mind with her.

  Cautiously, Henessa projected, ~Who are you, and why do you invade this mind?~

  The protective male voice projected back. ~I do not invade anything. I am here to speak to a friend. Who are you, and what right do you have to threaten her?~

  Henessa felt herself smile. ~You must be Yatrell. Kala has relented her mind to me, for the moment. I am seeking to help her repair a problem. I’m Henessa Sar.~

  ~Henessa,~ He paused a moment and looked out the port window before projecting, ~That name sounds familiar.~

  ~You’ve been speaking with her for a long time now and I’ve been training with and now serving with her since she was bought. She is one of my closest friends.~

  ~Henessa, she must trust you to do whatever it is you’re doing. I’ll leave you to your work. I’ll reach out for her when I’m again able, we’re about to go into battle. We’re trying to recover a Dentonian colony, and the Cybernetics have dug a foothold. I had hoped to speak to her before this began. I’m sure she’s safe with you. Be safe, Henessa Sar.~

  Yatrell returned to his own mind. He then took the steps needed to prepare his team for the upcoming battle.

  When Henessa was alone in Kala’s mind again, she pressed on into Kala’s memories, seeking her earliest Ven memory. As she walked through the memories of her childhood, younger and younger, Henessa found it harder to decipher one from the next. Just as Henessa could sense a change in the memory patterns again, she is thrown from Kala’s bed to the ground, hard. Dazed, she looked up to check on Kala who was pulling herself to her own feet.

  “What happened?”

  Kala opened her mind. She reached past the psionic barrier, and her eyes grew wide. “Xentue. They think we have valuable cargo. At lea
st that’s what they have told the Captain.”

  Henessa’s face curled up. “Xentue. Can you read them?”

  “No.”

  “Then Captain Tangl won’t allow us to help in any way. I’d suggest continuing where I left off, but not if the ship isn’t going to be steady.”

  “Agreed.” Kala paused a moment then tilted her head, “They trained you in security, and they aren’t using you where your duty station is?”

  Henessa sighed. “After what happened with you and Greshna, Captain Fleet Commander Tangl has strictly limited access to everything for us. Not just you and I, but all none touch psionics. Even if all they do is lift things with their mind, they are being limited.” As she spoke the ship was tossed again, from weapons fire. Frustrated, Henessa mumbled, “I should be helping somehow.”

  Calmly, Kala projected, ~We both should be. I’m going to move out of the area with the psionic barrier. I’m getting a headache.~

  Henessa nodded, the two left their quarters and walked to where they could watch the battle. They weren’t the only psionics to do so. When they arrived in the visitor’s lounge, a small group had gathered. Henessa watched as Kala formally introduced herself to people who already knew her voice. Each one spoke to her about their frustration.

  All of the gathered psionics watched as the weapons fire came aimed at the Reverence and the rest of the Xenonian fleet. Many of the Xentue ships were badly damaged, as they stood little chance against the top ships in the Xenonian fleet, but the soldiers and trained psionics on the Reverence and elsewhere still felt powerless to help. They were powerless to do what they were brought there to do, unable to do what they were trained to do.

  This battle was swift. The Xentue ships were older captured Ven ships. The weapons class was a generation or three behind the Xenonian fleet. The Xentue fleet was chased out of the system. Although many believed that was more than just a cargo attempt, the Xenonian fleet continued to push toward the planet.