Psychogen (Galactic Syndicate Cycle Book 1)

by N. C. Madigan

  Vely ran as fast as she could down the hall and back into the central area of the Cove. Her gasping breaths mingled with fear that ripped through her mind. She sprinted up the sloping tunnel to the docking bay. To Vely’s relief, Becce and Dom were standing outside of the ship, talking to another pirate. Vely skidded to a halt beside them and fell to her knees, her body not used to continued exertion.

  “Vely! What’s wrong? What happened?” Becce asked, dropping to one knee and gripping Vely on her shoulders while Vely tried to catch her breath. Becce touched her collarbone. “Why are you bleeding?”

  “Zimir,” Vely managed to gasp out, and Becce’s face darkened. “Bloodhound.”

  Dom waved away the pirate he’d been talking to and knelt beside Becce, looking into Vely’s face. His expression was a mixture of surprise and fury.

  “Zimir is a Bloodhound? How did you find this out? Why were you alone with him?” Dom asked, his words running together. Vely bit her lip.

  “You weren’t taking me seriously,” she said, trying to avoid glancing at Becce. “I had to watch him, to find out what he’s up to.” Becce looked very guilty. “I heard him talking to someone. He sold Liza to the SSA. He knew what she was when he tricked her onto the ship.” Dom blinked, a combination of rage and frustration blooming on his face.

  “I’m so sorry, Vely,” Becce said, pulling the girl into a hug. Vely couldn’t muster the energy to be angry at her, so she leaned her cheek against Becce’s shoulder. A tear leaked from Vely’s eye. Dom stood back up, his hands clenched.

  “I should have known,” Dom growled to himself. He looked to Becce. “Don’t let her out of your sight.” Becce nodded, still holding Vely against her chest.

  42

  Liza lay in her bed, her hand resting lightly on her ribs, the pain still throbbing. She’d refused to take the painkillers after a few days. They made her head foggy and her body uncoordinated. She couldn’t be taken by surprise, with the Fakes targeting her. Morre did nothing to stop the attacks either, and only Gwen and a few of the Kathos were on her side.

  In the darkness, Liza heard Gwen shift in her bunk above Liza’s. “Gwen?” Liza called up softly.

  “Hmm? What is it?” Gwen whispered back.

  “We have to get out of here. Soon,” Liza said. The bed creaked again as Gwen shifted.

  “Can it wait until morning?” Gwen asked.

  “Yes…” Gwen made no reply, by Liza heard her breathing shift back into the deep, slow breaths of her sleep, a sound that Liza had become awfully familiar with. Liza never slept well, and it was worse since she’d arrived at the SSA training facility. With a heavy sigh, Liza closed her eyes and tightened her fingers around her aching side, trying to picture happier times, but she had very little material to draw from.

  In the morning, Gwen woke up Liza, leaving her asleep for as long as possible, part of their usual routine. Liza could only fall asleep in the small hours of the morning. Liza groaned and pulled herself from the bed. Gwen was already dressed and tying her long braids into a larger, single braid.

  “So, we need to start a plan?” Gwen asked. Liza blinked up at her.

  “You actually remember me talking to you?” Liza asked. Gwen smiled.

  “Of course.” Gwen helped Liza stand and handed over her uniform. “I’ve been thinking about it all morning. You have managed to inspire me to get the hell out of this place.”

  “We have to take Cedrick,” Liza said.

  “I’m sure we can manage that,” Gwen said. She glanced up at the clock on the wall. “Hurry up. We’ll be late.”

  Liza dressed and they headed towards the Research room. The scientists no longer asked Liza to demonstrate her power. They simply hooked her up to machines and made her sit in silence while they read the outputs. When they arrived, Liza saw that Morre was in the room, which was unusual. Gwen left Liza’s side and Doctor Odette approached. The woman kept a distance between herself and Liza, as far as possible.

  “Colonel Morre wants to see a demonstration of your Kathokinesis,” Dr. Odette said. Liza frowned and followed the woman to the tube. Morre smiled at her.

  “Once we get a measurement on your powers, I can accurately determine how much of your emotions need to be repressed,” he said, arms crossed over his chest in a strange display of triumph. Liza lifted an eyebrow.

  “What makes you think I’ll allow you to do that?” she asked. Morre’s expression flashed to anger for a moment, then back to a smug smile.

  “We have ways,” he answered. “Please Doctor. Begin the test.” Dr. Odette nodded; her mouth was set in a grim line. It was clear she was not looking forward to the test. Liza stepped into the tube, tendrils of a plan forming in her mind. The tube closed behind her and Liza stood still, her eyes closed, and her chin bowed.

  “Begin,” Odette commanded from the console. Liza released her power, feeling the arcs on her skin. But instead of just releasing her raw power, she directed it at Morre. In her mind, she pushed against the tube, through the space and into his mind. She wasn’t sure yet what her intention was, but she wanted to mess with him. There was a slight resistance. He’d told her on her first day that he could protect his mind from other Kathos, but he wasn’t expecting an attack now. Releasing a slow breath, Liza forced her power out. She felt him bend, and she penetrated his mind.

  A young boy lay on a metal table, his arms and legs strapped down, tears streaming down his cheeks, pooling behind his neck. Shadowy figures stared down at him, pressing small devices into his skin, which were attached to wires.

  “Now Jeffry, just release your power,” a voice said. The little boy cried harder, shaking his head from side to side.

  “I’m scared!”

  “There’s no need to be scared,” the same voice said. The boy closed his eyes and his power released, forcing the little devices on his body to spark and vibrate. Somewhere behind the shadowy figures, a rapid beep cut through the silence.

  “This is his normal level. Add the implant.”

  One of the figures pushed a small piece of silver against the base of the boy’s spine and attached it to a wire. As soon as the connection was made, the boy began to scream. The beeping got louder and faster, and the figures stepped back, their expressions surprised. Veins stuck out from the boy’s body, the blue stark against the white of his skin. His body convulsed against the straps, his back arching.

  “Stop him!” The room around the table and beyond the figures filled with chaos. Bodies crashed against the walls. The boy continued to scream.

  Liza opened her eyes. Outside of the tube, Morre had dropped to the ground. Several scientists were kneeling around him, trying to revive him.

  “A memory?” Liza asked herself. With Odette preoccupied, Liza exited the tube. Gwen was shaking her head.

  “Can’t you just do the test properly?” Odette shouted at Liza.

  “Apparently not,” Liza answered. On the ground, Morre opened his eyes. Without touching them, Morre pushed the scientists away from him. Liza could feel his power pressing against her as he rose and stormed over to her, his eyes blazing with anger. She pushed back to protect herself.

  “Liza Strange,” Morre growled low. His hand curled into a fist and he slammed it into the spot where he knew that her ribs were broken. Pain shot through her body and she doubled over, her arms crossed over her abdomen. She wanted to fall to the ground, but Morre gripped her shoulder, holding her in place. His power continued to push against her, but she pushed back with failing strength.

  “When will you learn to respect those better than you?” he asked her through gritted teeth. “You are weak.” His hand contacted her ribs once more.

  “Clearly not,” she struggled to say. Morre gripped her chin and forced her to look at him. “Otherwise, you wouldn't be doing this.”

  His eyes flashed. Some sort of realization hit him, and he let go of her, allowing her to collapse to the floor. Without another word, Morre stormed from the room, leaving Dr. Odette and the o
ther scientists in stunned silence. The other Kathos just watched with mild interest. Gwen knelt beside Liza.

  “You’ve got to stop tormenting him,” Gwen said. “He’s going to kill you one day.” Liza’s smile was full of fury.

  “Not if I kill him first.”

  Liza told Gwen about what she saw in Morre’s mind while they ate. Gwen didn’t know what to make of it.

  “Why would they use an implant on someone who is already a Psychogen?” Gwen wondered. Liza shrugged.

  “More power. What I want to know is if the SSA was experimenting on him, why has he stayed?” Gwen shook her head.

  “Why does anyone do anything?” she asked. Liza rolled her eyes.

  Have you thought of any ideas? Liza asked, directing the question to Gwen’s mind.

  We’d have to get a ship, Gwen replied. But I never learned how to pilot a ship.

  Me neither, Liza lamented. The girls fell silent for a moment, then both looked up at each other at the same time and burst into laughter. Gwen pressed a hand to her face.

  “Any pilot around here would be more than happy to help us out.” Gwen said with a grin.

  43

  A few days passed in relative silence. Vely stayed at Becce’s side while Dom stewed in anger. Several times, Vely and Becce tried to convince him that the situation wasn’t his fault, but he was reluctant to listen. Whenever Zimir was around, they watched as Dom used everything in his power to keep from breaking Zimir’s neck.

  It wasn’t always entirely possible for Vely to stay with Becce. One morning, Captain Warwick called a meeting with several of the crew members, leaving Vely on her own. While Zimir, Dom, Becce, and Captain were locked up in the Captain’s rooms, Vely went in search of Weed and Speed.

  She found them in their junk room, taking apart various pieces of electronic equipment and sorting the parts into piles. She pulled up a stool and sat down.

  “Vely,” they said together in greeting.

  “Hi. What are you doing?” she asked.

  “Collecting parts,” they answered. “For new toys.” Vely grinned. She watched them work in silence for a few minutes. She decided to find out if they were trustworthy.

  “You guys don’t like Zimir, right?” she asked, and the twins shook their heads in unison. A good sign. “I’m pretty sure he was behind Liza’s capture.” They looked up at her, their eyes narrow. “He sold her to the SSA.” The twins’ faces twisted into identical expressions of anger, and they jumped up from their stools.

  “Traitor.”

  “We have to tell the Captain.” Vely held her hands out to placate them.

  “Not yet. We can’t do anything else without Becce and Dom,” she said. The twins frowned.

  “What about Doctor D and Corbin?” they asked together. Vely lifted an eyebrow. She still marveled at their supposed telepathic ability, and their tendency to speak at the same time.

  “Do you think they would be with us?” They nodded. Vely thought for a moment, wondering if it was a good idea to start spreading that information around to the rest of the crew. Depending on where their alliances lay, it could either be good, or she’d end up dead or sold off. If the old history books taught her anything, it was that starting a revolt against a leader was dangerous business.

  “Not yet, I think. We’re dangerously close to talking about mutiny,” Vely said. Weed and Speed grinned in their identical, diabolical way. They leaned further over the table towards her.

  “We don’t trust Captain Warwick,” they said.

  “I’m not sure I do either.”

  The twins fell silent for a moment, their tongues stuck between their teeth as they fell deep into thought. Vely watched them, waiting for something. After a moment, they roused themselves and looked at each other.

  “We bugged them, didn’t we?” Weed said. Speed’s eyes widened.

  “I forgot about that.”

  “Not with the device,” Weed added, and Speed nodded, remembering.

  The twins were having an actual conversation with each other. Vely watched them with fascination. They always talked as one person, so it was strange to see them talking to each other. Weed turned his gaze to Vely.

  “Let’s find Tsuto.” he said. Vely frowned, not understanding, but she shrugged her shoulders. They slipped off their stools and left the room.

  Vely and the twins wandered the ship’s passages until they neared Captain Warwick’s rooms. They slowed to a stop. Vely wished she could hear what they were saying on the other side of the door, though it was likely they were discussing their future. Vely was about to walk on when the twins stopped her. Tsuto appeared, rounding a corner, still in his large praying mantis form. It seemed to be a favorite of his.

  “Hi Tsuto,” Vely said, holding out a hand to him. He dropped his appendage into her hand.

  “Did you hear anything?” the twins asked. Tsuto’s bulbous head bobbed up and down. Before her eyes, his body began to shift and change, and a copy of Captain Warwick stood before them. Vely lifted an eyebrow. “Warwick?” Tsuto’s mouth opened and words came out, a conversation being replayed as if recorded. But it was only Warwick’s voice, and there were long pauses where someone else must have been speaking.

  “Are you sure it’s the best idea to sell her? We could use her power. -- That much for a Katho? Hmm. Perhaps this does warrant some thought. -- I’ll want sixty percent, as usual. -- Fine. As long as you can get one of those dealers on the Cove without getting caught, do what you want.”

  Tsuto’s mouth closed and he transformed back into his mantis form. Vely stared at him, open mouthed. Beside her, the twins were grinning, their arms crossed over their chests in a triumphant stance.

  “How did you find this out?” she asked him. Tsuto shifted again, shrinking and becoming more compact until he was a tiny, flying insect. He landed on Vely’s hand and she lifted him up to her eyes. He had clear wings and a little, black body.

  “We bugged them,” the twins said, chuckling to themselves. Vely began to laugh.

  “You were spying!” she cried. Tsuto took flight and changed back once more. The mantis stood in front of her again, bobbing his head up and down. Vely turned to the twins. “Who else knows about this?” Before the twins could answer, Tsuto shifted his form again until Doctor D stood before them. Vely couldn’t help the shriek of excitement that burst from her. She threw her arms around Tsuto and hugged him. Tsuto squeezed her with Doctor D’s huge arms, then he released her and shifted back into his mantis form. Vely grabbed his appendage.

  “Let’s go talk to Doctor D,” Vely said.

  Vely, Tsuto, and the twins burst into the medical bay, sliding to a halt on the smooth floor and colliding into each other. Doctor D was sitting on a tall stool, looking at something through a microscope set up on his workstation. He lifted his head at the commotion of their entry.

  “Is something wrong?” he asked, turning around on his stool.

  “Tusto and the twins just showed me something,” she said, catching her breath. Doctor D tilted his head to the side. “About Warwick. He and Zimir had planned all along to sell Liza to the SSA!”

  Doctor D’s expression darkened. He stood up from his stool and crossed the room to the door. He closed it and locked it with the push of a few buttons on the control panel.

  “I know about that,” he said, once the door was secure. Vely nodded. Doctor D shook his head, his eyes closed. “I wasn’t sure about this plan the twins had, but I went along with it because of my own uncertainties.” He looked to Weed and Speed. “This has been going on long before we found Liza, hasn’t it?” Weed and Speed nodded in unison. “I truly hadn’t thought that Warwick was capable of agreeing to help the SSA. My mind was changed when the SSA raided the Cove. It was just too coincidental that Liza and that young man were the only ones taken by those thugs. He was an Augur, correct?” Vely nodded.

  “Zimir didn’t know that I am a Tranq, at least until a few days ago,” she said. “He’s a Bloodhound.” Do
ctor D’s mouth pressed into a thin line.

  “I suspected. Bloodhounds are foul creatures, and Zimir is a foul creature,” he said. “Who else knows about this?”

  “Dom and Becce only know about Zimir and what I heard him say to someone else about selling me,” Vely replied. “Tsuto and the twins only just showed me their bugging trick.”

  Doctor D sighed. “I’ve known about this for a while but have been conflicted. I owe Captain Warwick more than I can say. But betraying Liza and the rest of us that way… Mutiny is serious business, and worse now that Warwick is the Underboss. We can’t just jump into this lightly.”

  “I know.”

  “Corbin will join us too. I know that for sure.” Vely thought Doctor D didn’t look sure about anything, but she said nothing. She reached out to him and touched his arm, allowing a small amount of Tranquility to crawl onto his arms. He visibly relaxed. With her hand still on Doctor D’s arm, the twins and Tsuto crowded around her, and Vely knew in her heart that the mutiny had already begun.

  Vely fell asleep against the wall beside Becce’s door, waiting for her to return. Eventually, she was shaken awake by the woman. “Why are you sitting here on the floor?” Becce asked when Vely’s eyes opened.

  “Waiting for you to get back,” Vely said. Becce smiled and shook her head.

  “Come on,” she said and held out a hand to Vely and pulled her to her feet. Becce unlocked her room, and they stepped inside. “Warwick was going over our routes for after we leave here,” Becce explained. “We’re going to be in charge of monitoring a heavily used route.” Vely crossed her arms over her chest. “What?”

  “I don’t think we can trust Warwick,” Vely said.

  “Why?”

  “Did you know that Tsuto can record parts of conversations?” Vely asked.

  Becce shook her head. “No, I didn’t know that. But what’s that-”

  “Warwick approved of Zimir selling Liza to the SSA,” Vely said. “As long as he got sixty percent of the money.” Becce stared at Vely, unmoving. Finally, she pressed her hands to her face.