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From: "Anne Olsen" <anneo@paradise.net.nz> Subject: TPFICT: Where The Winds Blow (4/4) Date: 02 Jan 2002 10:07:42 +1300 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_00F3_01C19375.51728180 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Where The Winds Blow (4/4) by Anne Olsen Disclaimer in Part 0 Feedback to anneo@paradise.net.nz **** Chapter Four As Adam materialised he found himself standing on a beach. For a moment = he almost thought that he was still on Taphini, but quickly realised the = movement of the ocean was the only similarity between the two as he saw = the lights from the surrounding hills reflected on the water. He = shivered, though he wasn't sure it was entirely from the cold, and = wished he'd brought a jacket. It might be summer on this side of the = globe but like his native Australia, the evenings were beginning to get = chilly as autumn grew nearer. "I love this place." Adam jumped as Lisa's voice sounded nearby. In the = half dark he could see her sitting on a large jagged rock. Even watching = her silhouette made him realise that she'd left the girl behind he'd = once known and become a beautiful young woman. "Watching the waves = reminds me of the island," she continued almost to herself.=20 So she'd come here to be reminded of what she'd left behind? That = sounded promising. Maybe she might be more open to coming back than he'd = first thought. Think positive, Adam, he told himself. Maybe if he came = across that way it might help dispel some of her own doubts and fears. He walked over, feeling the damp sand sticking to his shoes, and sat = beside her. At least she seemed calmer than she had when she'd left the = ship. That was a relief. Hopefully she would stay here long enough to = hear what he had to say. As he tried to work out what exactly he was = going to say, he glanced around. It was so open on this beach, so = exposed and isolated. A long expanse of sand and rocks, with nothing = inbetween. Even the lights from the hills seemed miles away.=20 He ran the sole of his shoe down the side of the rock, trying to shake = some of the sand off. Somehow he felt better for having something to do = while he was putting his thoughts together. It seemed to make it easier = for some reason, gave him something else to concentrate on. "You still = miss it then?" Great way to start, Adam. Just what she needs to hear. Lisa turned to face him, solemn eyes meeting his own, looking past = whatever he projected into his very soul. He allowed his gaze to linger, = the way her longer hair suited her, framing her dark face. He noted = absently that even her nose was perfect, the cute way it flattened ever = so slightly at the bottom, and wondered how hard she would rail against = the notion of any part of her being described as cute. God, he was = supposed to be convincing her to come back to them, not getting = sidetracked by how beautiful she was. Looking at her again made him = realise just how much he'd missed her. Lisa had been the first person = he'd really connected with since. "Yes I still miss it." Lisa's reply interrupted Adam's train of thought. = "I miss being a Tomorrow Person too you know. There were times after I = left when I felt so alone, so vulnerable. I kept telling myself that I'd = done the right thing. After a while I started to believe it." She hadn't = been the only one who'd felt alone. Even though he'd had the others, she = hadn't been there and that had made the difference. "Do you still believe it?" Adam couldn't resist asking the obvious. Part = of him wanted to know, needed to know. Lisa nodded, the pale glow of the moonlight reflecting off her red = sweatshirt as she hugged it closer to keep out the cold. Red suited her. = 'Come on, Adam, try and stay focused. She could be wearing an old sack = and you'd think it suited her.' "I think that's why what Megabyte said really hurt me. I know I did the = right thing, I know in here I did." Lisa pointed to her head to emphasis = her words, though her voice lacked that sound of conviction that should = have been noticeable if she'd really believed what she was telling him. = What Megabyte had said hurt her because a part of her was scared he = might be right. Part of her knew she shouldn't have left, Adam could see = it reflected in her eyes, just as part of her was begging him to tell = her she'd been right. But he couldn't, not when he believed so strongly = that she hadn't.=20 "But it wasn't easy. He made it sound as thought I just left and never = looked back. I did look back. For a long time I wondered if there could = have been another way. A way which wouldn't have hurt the people I cared = about. But there wasn't. I couldn't take the chance of something = happening to Mom. I just couldn't. I'd already lost one parent, I = couldn't risk losing another." Walking away was never easy, but it still = wasn't always the right thing to do. Surely if she'd told him her plans = and her worries, they could have found another solution. Any other = solution to keep her away from the path she'd chosen. She looked up at = him those eyes searching his, seeming to almost be begging for = absolution for what she'd done. An absolution he couldn't give her. Adam nodded, unsure of the right thing to say and yet trying to show = some support in the hope it might help her to talk. An inner voice = laughed at him. The same way you talk about your problems? Try = practising what you preach. "I know what it's like to lose someone = close, Lisa. Believe me I know. Don't worry about Megabyte. He's = hurting. He'll calm down and then he'll regret what he said. That's just = the way he is." Adam reached out and hesitantly put his arm around her = and to his surprise instead of pushing him away, she just sat there = unmoving. Moving closer he could feel the warmth of her body next to = his, the way the smell of her perfume seemed to permeate through her. = She glanced at him, almost as though she knew and moved away ever so = slightly. For an instant he felt something akin to guilt from her, but = then it was gone. "When Masters threatened Mom, I felt so helpless," she continued. "What = if he had tried it again and the next time we couldn't stop him?" "Masters is dead, Lisa. I saw him die. You don't have to worry about him = anymore." He could see the disbelief reflected in her eyes as she stared = at him for a moment, trying to take in what he'd just told her. He = nodded, trying to reassure her. Part of him had always been relieved = that his own parents didn't know about the Tomorrow People. At least = that way they could never be used against him, but still part of him = regretted his decision. He often wondered if they had tried to find him, = had wondered why he'd just left one day without word. Maybe he should = send them a card or something just to let them know he was okay, or = maybe it was better in the long run for all of them if he just left = things the way they were. He doubted they would react well to the news = anyway. Even though he couldn't see them reacting as Kevin's parents = had, part of him didn't want to put his doubts as to *how * they would = react when put to the test. Sometimes it was easier just to pretend his = past didn't exist, and just concentrate on building his future, a future = which he was trying desperately to make Lisa a part of. Lisa's look of disbelief vanished to be replaced by one of fear. He = wasn't sure if it were fear for herself or for him. "But Adam, don't you = understand? There's always going to be a Colonel Masters. If it's not = him, it's going to be someone like him." He knew that, well at least = part of him knew that. It was just that he tried not to think about it. = Even though it was na=EFve, he hoped that one day the Tomorrow People = would be able to just co exist on this planet, without having to always = look over their shoulder and worry about people's reactions when they = found out about their powers. Why did the human race always have to lash = out at the things they didn't understand, the things that frightened = them? As he searched for a response to give her, to make her understand = that she had to move past that, her next words stopped him cold. "Besides there's other things to think about now."=20 "Other things?" What other things? What the hell was she talking about? = Those words made him realise the he knew nothing about what she'd been = doing over the past few years. Maybe she already had a full life, a life = which had no space for him or the others. Don't be silly, Adam. Of = course she has room for you. She's still a Tomorrow Person, whether she = wants to admit it to herself or not. You've got to try and convince her = of that.=20 "Other things." Lisa shifted away from him, suddenly sounding stiff and = uncomfortable. She ran her hand across a pile of sand sitting on the = flat part of the rock, tracing small triangular patterns in it as she = spoke. Funny how they both seemed to be take refuge in playing with = sand, when they were trying to hide their true feelings from others. = Maybe it was easier to trace patterns than face up to the re-occurring = patterns in their lives? "I've made a new life for myself. A life where = no one knows about the Tomorrow People. I can't go back to the way it = was before. It's too complicated." "I can help you Lisa, we all can." Adam reached out to her again but = this time she made a point of showing she didn't want him too close by = moving away in a very deliberate action, that feeling of guilt once = again coming from her. Whatever it was he was sure it was something they = could sort out together. After all how complicated could it be? "You don't understand. I haven't told Jamie. He doesn't know about the = Tomorrow People. I can't expect him just to suddenly accept that side of = me when I don't even accept it myself." "Jamie?" Who the hell was Jamie? Wasn't that one of the names Jade had = mentioned earlier?=20 "My fiancee."=20 Oh God.=20 Adam felt a cold hand crawl inside him, grab his heart and twist. = "Fiancee?" he repeated, feeling himself go cold as he slammed his mental = shields down fast. The raging current of thoughts and emotions he'd felt = coming from Lisa suddenly stopped as she did the same. Surely she knew = what those two words had done to him. She had to.=20 After what seemed like forever, Adam broke the long uncomfortable = silence that had grown up like a wall between them. "You're engaged to = this guy and you haven't told him you're a Tomorrow Person?" He heard = his voice saying the words, but part of him hardly registered that he = was even speaking, the state his mind and emotions were in. Lisa = engaged? She was going to marry someone else? How? Why?=20 "I'm not a Tomorrow Person." Lisa's voice had a harsh quality to it that = hadn't been there before. "Haven't you been listening?" He had been = listening, that was the trouble. He'd heard what she'd just said only = too well. Hadn't she been listening to him? Maybe he needed to resort to = other means to make her understand. [You can't just turn it off, Lisa. Even if you don't use your powers = you've still got them.] "You just had to do that to get your point across didn't you?" Adam decided to ignore that comment and continue with what had to be = said before he lost his nerve. Even though he was hurting he had to put = his own feelings to one side and point out the obvious, both for her = sake and for her fiancee's. He spoke quickly; the sooner he got this out = the better. "Have you thought about Jamie? You can't be considering = basing this marriage on a lie. And besides we don't know what might = happen if we have children. What if your kids turn out to be Tomorrow = People? He needs to know what he's getting into now." "I'll cross that bridge when I come to it," she replied stiffly. And = when would that be if ever? Surely she must have thought all this = through or did she think if she ignored the possible consequences they = would just go away? "I think you're already there," He pointed out, realising that someone = had to. He loved her too much to see her get hurt over this later down = the track. He knew full well that she wouldn't want to hear it, but it = still had to be said. "You've got responsibilities. It's not just about = you anymore. You've got to consider what he wants to do, how he will = feel about it." Adam listened to himself and felt something break = inside. Here he was losing her to someone else and he was trying to = protect that someone else. Even when faced with losing everything he = still had to do the right thing, still had to think of the greater good. = What was wrong with him? "What if he thinks I'm some kind of freak? What if he likes me for who = I'm pretending to be, not who I am? Or should that be what I am?" Lisa = sounded scared, and a small ripple of hope ran through him as he = realised that she'd used the word like, not love. Come to think of it, = she hadn't once said *she * actually loved the guy. Surely if they loved = each other, if she loved him, she'd trust him enough to know what would = happen if she told him. Yes, but she hadn't trusted him enough to tell = him the truth about herself had she? "If he loves you it won't matter." As Adam tried to reassure her, to say = the right thing, his choice of words echoed through his mind. If he = loves you it won't matter. How could someone not love her? He had tried = not to after she had left and failed miserably. The whole mess with Lucy = Allen had been an example of him trying to move on after realising she = probably wasn't coming back. After that he had just buried his feelings = along with that other things in his life that he hadn't dealt with very = successfully, and tried to forget. He'd been succeeding quite well or so = he had thought. Until today that was, until now. "I'll do it when the time is right," Lisa promised, not sounding very = convinced. Adam mentally rolled his eyes. The time would never be right, = he knew that and he knew she did too. How the hell had he let his life = get to this? Even with the opportunity to regain what he'd lost and put = things back on track, he still couldn't seem to get it right. She rose to her feet and glanced at her watch, shaking the sand out of = her open shoes. "I have to go, Adam. I promised Mom I'd be home half an = hour ago. You remember how she is." 'Promised Mom or promised Jamie?' The thought took Adam by surprise. = Where had that come from? Lisa was still talking. "I'll keep in touch, promise." She closed her = eyes, concentrated and teleported leaving Adam staring at an empty beach = before he'd even registered that she was leaving him.=20 Promise?=20 Promises are made to be broken, he thought sadly. He'd never see her = again, he knew that all too well. He stood there for a moment, lost in = thoughts of what might have been, should have been.=20 Goodbye Lisa. Have a good life. The cold wind whipped around him, and he hugged himself to try and keep = warm. He felt a drop of moisture on his cheek and looked towards the sky = looking for the rain he knew wouldn't be there. Must be seawater carried = by that wind, he told himself firmly, ignoring the urge to stand there = and just let the emotions out that he'd tried to keep a grip on all = these years. He looked towards the heavens again for a few minutes and = shrugged. What was the point anyway? It wasn't going to solve anything. = Better to bury them again, back down where it belonged. If he let = himself give into those feelings now, he'd be no good to anyone. He = shook his head. Better to bury them, again, much better.=20 He walked along the lonely beach for a few minutes, throwing a few stray = shells towards the waves as he gazed out to sea, trying to pull himself = together before he headed back to the others.=20 The Tomorrow People. His family. His future. Hopefully one day it would be Lisa's again too. ******* ~Fin~ "Stop making me repeat myself. It's bad for my health." - Duo Maxwell, = Gundam Wing. ________________________________________ = =20 http://www.angelfire.com/ab7/shadesandechoes ________________________________________ ------=_NextPart_000_00F3_01C19375.51728180 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D"MSHTML 5.00.2614.3500" name=3DGENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV> Where The Winds Blow (4/4) by Anne Olsen Disclaimer in Part 0 Feedback to <A=20 href=3D"mailto:anneo@paradise.net.nzChapter">anneo@paradise.net.nz</A></P= > **** Chapter Four As Adam materialised he found himself standing on a beach. For a = moment he=20 almost thought that he was still on Taphini, but quickly realised the = movement=20 of the ocean was the only similarity between the two as he saw the = lights from=20 the surrounding hills reflected on the water. He shivered, though he = wasn’t sure=20 it was entirely from the cold, and wished he’d brought a jacket. = It might be=20 summer on this side of the globe but like his native Australia, the = evenings=20 were beginning to get chilly as autumn grew nearer. "I love this place." Adam jumped as Lisa’s voice sounded = nearby. In the half=20 dark he could see her sitting on a large jagged rock. Even watching her=20 silhouette made him realise that she'd left the girl behind he'd once = known and=20 become a beautiful young woman. "Watching the waves reminds me of the = island,"=20 she continued almost to herself. So she'd come here to be reminded of what she'd left behind? That = sounded=20 promising. Maybe she might be more open to coming back than he'd first = thought.=20 Think positive, Adam, he told himself. Maybe if he came across that way = it might=20 help dispel some of her own doubts and fears. He walked over, feeling the damp sand sticking to his shoes, and sat = beside=20 her. At least she seemed calmer than she had when she’d left the = ship. That was=20 a relief. Hopefully she would stay here long enough to hear what he had = to say.=20 As he tried to work out what exactly he was going to say, he glanced = around. It=20 was so open on this beach, so exposed and isolated. A long expanse of = sand and=20 rocks, with nothing inbetween. Even the lights from the hills seemed = miles away.=20 He ran the sole of his shoe down the side of the rock, trying to = shake some=20 of the sand off. Somehow he felt better for having something to do while = he was=20 putting his thoughts together. It seemed to make it easier for some = reason, gave=20 him something else to concentrate on. "You still miss it then?" Great = way to=20 start, Adam. Just what she needs to hear. Lisa turned to face him, solemn eyes meeting his own, looking past = whatever=20 he projected into his very soul. He allowed his gaze to linger, the way = her=20 longer hair suited her, framing her dark face. He noted absently that = even her=20 nose was perfect, the cute way it flattened ever so slightly at the = bottom, and=20 wondered how hard she would rail against the notion of any part of her = being=20 described as cute. God, he was supposed to be convincing her to come = back to=20 them, not getting sidetracked by how beautiful she was. Looking at her = again=20 made him realise just how much he’d missed her. Lisa had been the = first person=20 he’d really connected with since… "Yes I still miss it." Lisa’s reply interrupted Adam’s = train of thought. "I=20 miss being a Tomorrow Person too you know. There were times after I left = when I=20 felt so alone, so vulnerable. I kept telling myself that I’d done = the right=20 thing. After a while I started to believe it." She hadn't been the only = one=20 who'd felt alone. Even though he'd had the others, she hadn't been there = and=20 that had made the difference. "Do you still believe it?" Adam couldn’t resist asking the = obvious. Part of=20 him wanted to know, needed to know. Lisa nodded, the pale glow of the moonlight reflecting off her red = sweatshirt=20 as she hugged it closer to keep out the cold. Red suited her. 'Come on, = Adam,=20 try and stay focused. She could be wearing an old sack and you'd think = it suited=20 her.' "I think that’s why what Megabyte said really hurt me. I know I = did the right=20 thing, I know in here I did." Lisa pointed to her head to emphasis her = words,=20 though her voice lacked that sound of conviction that should have been=20 noticeable if she'd really believed what she was telling him. What = Megabyte had=20 said hurt her because a part of her was scared he might be right. Part = of her=20 knew she shouldn't have left, Adam could see it reflected in her eyes, = just as=20 part of her was begging him to tell her she'd been right. But he = couldn't, not=20 when he believed so strongly that she hadn't. "But it wasn’t easy. He made it sound as thought I just left = and never looked=20 back. I did look back. For a long time I wondered if there could have = been=20 another way… A way which wouldn’t have hurt the people I = cared about. But there=20 wasn’t. I couldn’t take the chance of something happening to = Mom. I just=20 couldn’t. I’d already lost one parent, I couldn’t risk = losing another." Walking=20 away was never easy, but it still wasn't always the right thing to do. = Surely if=20 she'd told him her plans and her worries, they could have found another=20 solution. Any other solution to keep her away from the path she'd = chosen. She=20 looked up at him those eyes searching his, seeming to almost be begging = for=20 absolution for what she'd done. An absolution he couldn't give her. Adam nodded, unsure of the right thing to say and yet trying to show = some=20 support in the hope it might help her to talk. An inner voice laughed at = him.=20 The same way you talk about your problems? Try practising what you = preach. "I=20 know what it’s like to lose someone close, Lisa. Believe me I = know. Don’t worry=20 about Megabyte. He’s hurting. He’ll calm down and then = he’ll regret what he=20 said. That’s just the way he is." Adam reached out and hesitantly = put his arm=20 around her and to his surprise instead of pushing him away, she just sat = there=20 unmoving. Moving closer he could feel the warmth of her body next to = his, the=20 way the smell of her perfume seemed to permeate through her. She glanced = at him,=20 almost as though she knew and moved away ever so slightly. For an = instant he=20 felt something akin to guilt from her, but then it was gone. "When Masters threatened Mom, I felt so helpless," she continued. = "What if he=20 had tried it again and the next time we couldn’t stop him?" "Masters is dead, Lisa. I saw him die. You don’t have to worry = about him=20 anymore." He could see the disbelief reflected in her eyes as she stared = at him=20 for a moment, trying to take in what he'd just told her. He nodded, = trying to=20 reassure her. Part of him had always been relieved that his own parents = didn't=20 know about the Tomorrow People. At least that way they could never be = used=20 against him, but still part of him regretted his decision. He often = wondered if=20 they had tried to find him, had wondered why he'd just left one day = without=20 word. Maybe he should send them a card or something just to let them = know he was=20 okay, or maybe it was better in the long run for all of them if he just = left=20 things the way they were. He doubted they would react well to the news = anyway.=20 Even though he couldn't see them reacting as Kevin's parents had, part = of him=20 didn't want to put his doubts as to *how * they would react when put to = the=20 test. Sometimes it was easier just to pretend his past didn't exist, and = just=20 concentrate on building his future, a future which he was trying = desperately to=20 make Lisa a part of. Lisa's look of disbelief vanished to be replaced by one of fear. He = wasn't=20 sure if it were fear for herself or for him. "But Adam, don’t you = understand?=20 There’s always going to be a Colonel Masters. If it’s not = him, it’s going to be=20 someone like him." He knew that, well at least part of him knew that. It = was=20 just that he tried not to think about it. Even though it was na=EFve, he = hoped=20 that one day the Tomorrow People would be able to just co exist on this = planet,=20 without having to always look over their shoulder and worry about = people's=20 reactions when they found out about their powers. Why did the human race = always=20 have to lash out at the things they didn't understand, the things that=20 frightened them? As he searched for a response to give her, to make her=20 understand that she had to move past that, her next words stopped him = cold. "Besides there’s other things to think about now." "Other things?" What other things? What the hell was she talking = about? Those=20 words made him realise the he knew nothing about what she'd been doing = over the=20 past few years. Maybe she already had a full life, a life which had no = space for=20 him or the others. Don't be silly, Adam. Of course she has room for you. = She's=20 still a Tomorrow Person, whether she wants to admit it to herself or = not. You've=20 got to try and convince her of that. "Other things." Lisa shifted away from him, suddenly sounding stiff = and=20 uncomfortable. She ran her hand across a pile of sand sitting on the = flat part=20 of the rock, tracing small triangular patterns in it as she spoke. Funny = how=20 they both seemed to be take refuge in playing with sand, when they were = trying=20 to hide their true feelings from others. Maybe it was easier to trace = patterns=20 than face up to the re-occurring patterns in their lives? "I’ve = made a new life=20 for myself. A life where no one knows about the Tomorrow People. I = can’t go back=20 to the way it was before. It’s too complicated." "I can help you Lisa, we all can." Adam reached out to her again but = this=20 time she made a point of showing she didn't want him too close by moving = away in=20 a very deliberate action, that feeling of guilt once again coming from = her.=20 Whatever it was he was sure it was something they could sort out = together. After=20 all how complicated could it be? "You don’t understand. I haven’t told Jamie. He = doesn’t know about the=20 Tomorrow People. I can’t expect him just to suddenly accept that = side of me when=20 I don’t even accept it myself." "Jamie?" Who the hell was Jamie? Wasn’t that one of the names = Jade had=20 mentioned earlier? "My fiancee." Oh God. Adam felt a cold hand crawl inside him, grab his heart and twist. = "Fiancee?"=20 he repeated, feeling himself go cold as he slammed his mental shields = down fast.=20 The raging current of thoughts and emotions he’d felt coming from = Lisa suddenly=20 stopped as she did the same. Surely she knew what those two words had = done to=20 him. She had to. After what seemed like forever, Adam broke the long uncomfortable = silence=20 that had grown up like a wall between them. "You’re engaged to = this guy and you=20 haven’t told him you’re a Tomorrow Person?" He heard his = voice saying the words,=20 but part of him hardly registered that he was even speaking, the state = his mind=20 and emotions were in. Lisa engaged? She was going to marry someone else? = How?=20 Why? "I’m not a Tomorrow Person." Lisa’s voice had a harsh = quality to it that=20 hadn’t been there before. "Haven’t you been listening?" He = had been listening,=20 that was the trouble. He'd heard what she'd just said only too well. = Hadn't she=20 been listening to him? Maybe he needed to resort to other means to make = her=20 understand. [You can’t just turn it off, Lisa. Even if you don’t use = your powers you’ve=20 still got them.] "You just had to do that to get your point across didn’t = you?" Adam decided to ignore that comment and continue with what had to be = said=20 before he lost his nerve. Even though he was hurting he had to put his = own=20 feelings to one side and point out the obvious, both for her sake and = for her=20 fiancee's. He spoke quickly; the sooner he got this out the better. = "Have you=20 thought about Jamie? You can’t be considering basing this marriage = on a lie. And=20 besides we don’t know what might happen if we have children. What = if your kids=20 turn out to be Tomorrow People? He needs to know what he's getting into=20 now." "I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it," she replied = stiffly. And when=20 would that be if ever? Surely she must have thought all this through or = did she=20 think if she ignored the possible consequences they would just go = away? "I think you’re already there," He pointed out, realising that = someone had=20 to. He loved her too much to see her get hurt over this later down the = track. He=20 knew full well that she wouldn't want to hear it, but it still had to be = said.=20 "You’ve got responsibilities. It’s not just about you = anymore. You’ve got to=20 consider what he wants to do, how he will feel about it." Adam listened = to=20 himself and felt something break inside. Here he was losing her to = someone else=20 and he was trying to protect that someone else. Even when faced with = losing=20 everything he still had to do the right thing, still had to think of the = greater=20 good. What was wrong with him? "What if he thinks I’m some kind of freak? What if he likes me = for who I’m=20 pretending to be, not who I am? Or should that be what I am?" Lisa = sounded=20 scared, and a small ripple of hope ran through him as he realised that = she'd=20 used the word like, not love. Come to think of it, she hadn't once said = *she=20 * actually loved the guy. Surely if they loved each other, if she = loved=20 him, she'd trust him enough to know what would happen if she told him. = Yes, but=20 she hadn't trusted him enough to tell him the truth about herself had = she? "If he loves you it won’t matter." As Adam tried to reassure = her, to say the=20 right thing, his choice of words echoed through his mind. If he loves = you it=20 won’t matter. How could someone not love her? He had tried not to = after she had=20 left and failed miserably. The whole mess with Lucy Allen had been an = example of=20 him trying to move on after realising she probably wasn’t coming = back. After=20 that he had just buried his feelings along with that other things in his = life=20 that he hadn’t dealt with very successfully, and tried to forget. = He’d been=20 succeeding quite well or so he had thought. Until today that was, until = now. "I’ll do it when the time is right," Lisa promised, not = sounding very=20 convinced. Adam mentally rolled his eyes. The time would never be right, = he knew=20 that and he knew she did too. How the hell had he let his life get to = this? Even=20 with the opportunity to regain what he'd lost and put things back on = track, he=20 still couldn't seem to get it right. She rose to her feet and glanced at her watch, shaking the sand out = of her=20 open shoes. "I have to go, Adam. I promised Mom I’d be home half = an hour ago.=20 You remember how she is." 'Promised Mom or promised Jamie?' The thought took Adam by surprise. = Where=20 had that come from? Lisa was still talking. "I’ll keep in touch, promise." She = closed her eyes,=20 concentrated and teleported leaving Adam staring at an empty beach = before he'd=20 even registered that she was leaving him. Promise? Promises are made to be broken, he thought sadly. He'd never see her = again,=20 he knew that all too well. He stood there for a moment, lost in thoughts = of what=20 might have been, should have been. Goodbye Lisa. Have a good life. The cold wind whipped around him, and he hugged himself to try and = keep warm.=20 He felt a drop of moisture on his cheek and looked towards the sky = looking for=20 the rain he knew wouldn't be there. Must be seawater carried by that = wind, he=20 told himself firmly, ignoring the urge to stand there and just let the = emotions=20 out that he'd tried to keep a grip on all these years. He looked towards = the=20 heavens again for a few minutes and shrugged. What was the point anyway? = It=20 wasn't going to solve anything. Better to bury them again, back down = where it=20 belonged. If he let himself give into those feelings now, he'd be no = good to=20 anyone. He shook his head. Better to bury them, again, much better. He walked along the lonely beach for a few minutes, throwing a few = stray=20 shells towards the waves as he gazed out to sea, trying to pull himself = together=20 before he headed back to the others. The Tomorrow People. His family. His future. Hopefully one day it would be Lisa’s again too. ******* ~Fin~ </DIV> <DIV>"Stop making me repeat myself. It's bad = for my=20 health." - Duo Maxwell, Gundam=20 Wing. ________________________________________ = &= nbsp; &n= bsp; &nb= sp; &nbs= p; = ; =20 </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><A=20 href=3D"http://www.angelfire.com/ab7/shadesandechoes">http://www.angelfir= e.com/ab7/shadesandechoes</A> ________________________________________= </DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_00F3_01C19375.51728180-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Harold Stein <harold@panix.com> Subject: TPFICT: a last minute vote... Date: 01 Jan 2002 16:56:51 -0500 Author - Selma McCrory --- Broken link - John Garrett http://www.xmission.com/~ladyslvr/TPFICT/serials/tg/exile.html -- A suggestion - a number of the authors have written serial stories, but in most cases, when you select an author for seeing their other stories, the only way to figure out which story is before another is to open every one.... Is there a way you can list (in the name or a text file somehow) which order they are in? For example, I know the Charmed crossover has 3 parts, can the titles be edited slightly to say "title 1", "title 2" or is that more work than you have time for at this time? Thanks! Happy New Year. Harold S. ladyslvr@xmission.com wrote: > Get those last minute votes in. Polls officially close at midnight tomorrow night (Jan 1st). > > Note that I'm out of town (and kinda offline), and won't be back until late on Jan 2nd. If an > email arrives before I get home, I won't know if it's in by the deadline or not :) > > ... > Wendy ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Drew Thiele <grifmage@wvi.com> Subject: TPFICT: idea for a fanfic Date: 02 Jan 2002 10:25:35 -0800 Hey, I was just curious about something. I know one fic has someone about to start to figure out the symbols of the "Ship" in New Series (I can't remember where, or who exactly wrote that one, but that part was at the end of the story) My idea was that ...what if someone, a new TP, or one of the existing TP's started learning the symbols? and figured out what all of it is about? Just wondered if it's feasible, or just something that may not work? -Drew ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wendy Perkins <ladyslvr@xmission.com> Subject: TPFICT: Polls Closed Date: 03 Jan 2002 19:32:15 -0600 The participation was *much* better this time around. The votes received after the first deadline really swung the awards. Thanks to all who chose to send in some votes. I'll get things tabulated and posted eventually. ... Wendy ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: AlyAdmirer@aol.com Subject: TPFICT: Extraordinary Kids, Extraordinary Crimes (Part 3A/6) Date: 03 Jan 2002 23:09:01 EST "Extraordinary Kids, Extraordinary Crimes" by Darryl Gillikin A New Series/Avengers crossover (AUTHOR'S NOTE: To retroactively rate the prologue, as well as parts one and two, all three fall under the category of PG. I say this because part three will move more into PG-13 territory.) Part Three The story so far... A burglar has broken into the offices of World Ex. Megabyte has an ominous nightmare. The Ministry has assigned its two top agents, John Steed and Emma Peel, to the case. The burglar hands over the plans to an unknown woman, who seems delighted that she left evidence of her special abilities. Steed and Emma are shown surveillance video by Damon, which shows the burglar teleporting from the scene of the crime. Emma postulates that there's a deeper connection between the crime and World Ex than might naturally be assumed. General Damon asks the Tomorrow People not to get involved, as he can't cover for them. Steed and Emma meet with Karen Zahn, CEO of Imagine Enterprises. Adam theorizes that the burglar may not be evil, and instead might just be someone heady from her newfound abilities. The Tomorrow People go to World Ex, where a guard shoots at them. And now... The security guard holstered his gun, and regarded the three unconscious bodies in front of him with a sense of bemusement. He'd been briefed to expect much more difficulty in capturing them. Then again, maybe he was just that good. He moved forward, dropping into a catcher's stance, positioned in such a way that he could easily reach all three. He extended his arms toward them, his hands apparently searching for some thing or some things. He heard the doorknob turning behind him. Quickly, he rose to his feet, both hands sliding briefly into his pockets before just as quickly withdrawing. As the door opened, three figures moved into view. One a not unattractive dark skinned woman, standing behind a hardly attractive overweight white man in a wheelchair. At their side was another white male, slender, with large glasses and a larger bow tie. All three looked at him in surprise, but for the man standing, there was something more. His face blanched as he took in the scene before him. "Well done," the man in the wheelchair said, beaming at this turn of events. "Thank you, sir," the guard replied with a thick cockney accent. The man with the bow tie stepped forward. "Do you know what you've done?" he asked, an edge to his voice. "Well, sir," the guard answered, "I reckon I've caught some accomplices of our young cat burglar lady." The man regarded him uncertainly for a moment. "You're new, aren't you?" "Yes, sir," said the guard. "I was hired the same day as me mate, Paul Jayson. I reckon I've evened the score some for him, sir." The young guard was almost bursting with pride, before noticing that the person questioning him seemed less than pleased. Agitated, the man pushed his glasses back up his nose. "When the Gen..." he started to say, before letting his voice trail off. "I'm sorry, sir?" The man in the wheelchair interjected himself into the conversation. "What on Earth is the matter here, Frank? The way I see it, this young man just secured himself a promotion. Unless there's something I'm overlooking that you'd like to share with us?" Frank said nothing. "Excellent," the other man said, turning to the guard. "What was your name again, young man?" "Warren, sir." "Warren, did you notice any evidence of these three being able to teleport or vanish? Anything like that?" Warren shook his head. "I didn't see nothin' like that, sir." "Hmmm," the man in the wheelchair mumbled, turning to the other man. "Best to be on the safe side, wouldn't you say, Frank? One never knows." He pivoted his chair back towards Warren. "Have them locked up, until my people can arrive. And perhaps you should stay on guard over them. There's a good chap." "Thank you, sir," Warren answered with a smile and a salute. "Again, nice work," he said, before turning back to Frank. "Now then, if you would show me to a phone where I can reach my agents?" Hesitantly, Frank walked back to the door, casting one glance back at Warren before ushering the man and woman back down the corridor. Warren's proud expression instantly vanished. He made his way to the doorway, peering down the corridor. Once satisfied that everyone had gone, he ducked back into the file center. This time when he spoke, the cockney accent was gone, replaced by a distinctly transatlantic tone. He shook his head, sounding both amused and disgusted at the same time. "It really should be illegal to toy with the lesser beings like this," he uttered with a smile, before vanishing in a crackle of electricity. Steed and Emma had received a full guided tour from Ms. Karen Zahn, during which she had done a wonderful job of filling them on the brief history of Imagine, as well as showing them some of the other projects which they had in development. As they reached Karen's office, Steed opened the door, allowing both ladies to enter before following suit himself. Emma, notepad in hand, admired the impressive view of London provided by the full windows of the seventeenth floor office. "I must say, it's a remarkable accomplishment," Emma said, tapping the end of her pen to her lips. "In three short years, you and your associates have built a successful electronics company virtually from the ground up. One might almost say that Imagine is thriving." Karen sat behind her desk, allowing herself a small smile at Emma's comment. "Might one?" "But after only three years of existence, you're prepared to launch something as ambitious as all indications make the Dreamscape out to be?" Karen nodded. "None of us here would be where we are today if we hadn't taken the occasional outlandish risk. Always calculated, of course. This is just one more." "Nothing ventured, nothing gained?" Steed asked. "Exactly, Mr. Steed. It hasn't always been the smoothest of roads for us, but I must confess to having a taste for the rough life. I've taken my fair share of lumps, but I always give just as good as I get. If not better." Steed flashed her his most disarming of glances. "Splendid, and just as it should be." "Would either of you like any tea?" Karen asked. "Yes, please," Emma replied. "I'm certain you could twist my arm into it," Steed answered. "I'm sure. I can be most persuasive," Karen said, reaching for a button on the intercom. As she did so, Emma fought not to roll her eyes. "Three teas please, Agatha." "Of course," Emma began, "the most obvious question our readers would like asked has yet to be answered: what exactly is the Dreamscape?" "Indeed," Steed tacked on. "We haven't been able to learn much, but from what we do gather, this new platform has the potential to revolutionize the gaming world." As Karen was about to answer, the office door opened, and an older woman entered, a tray of three cups in her hands. "Thank you, Agatha," Karen said as the woman lowered the tray to the desk. Karen watched Agatha as she went back across the room, waiting until she heard the door click shut before continuing. "I'm sure you remember the VR fad of the early 90s," she finally said. "VR?" Steed asked. "Virtual reality," Emma answered for him. "It was supposed to put you inside a game, where it simulated the environment. For the total emersion aspects of it, it required bulky accessories like a helmet and gloves and such, to provide stimulus to the mind and body. So of course, the costs were extremely prohibitive." "A good summary, Mrs. Peel," Karen said. "The Dreamscape is on much the similar lines, however all it requires is a special headset, which sends its signals directly into the human brain. Since the brain is where the body processes all the signals from its nerve endings, the Dreamscape tricks those portions of the brain as the game unfolds around you." "Thus, you can have a total emersion experience," Emma said, catching onto the implications. Karen nodded. "And since there's so little hardware, we can provide the service for a reasonable cost." At first, Steed and Emma were speechless. "Remarkable," Steed finally said. Emma took a moment longer, but when she did speak, it wasn't quite in the same awed tone. "I can definitely see why someone would want to steal it now." Steed frowned. "I'm not with you." "If the Dreamscape can tap directly into the human mind, to transmit the signals of the game, just think what else it could be used to transmit?" "Exactly, Mrs. Peel," Karen said. "That's why World Ex was intrusted with the only copy of the plans, to ensure that no one could do what you're suggesting." Emma put her notepad down on the desk. "But if this is as dangerous as you make it out to be, why will no one hear of canceling the Expo?" "I'm embarrassed to say, Mrs. Peel, that the reasons are entirely economic," Karen replied. "Another computer company, Macroworks, has been rumored to be developing a very similar platform. If they get the jump on us, they can prevent the Dreamscape from ever seeing the light of day. As you can imagine, we've invested a lot of time and money into the development of this project, and a lot of jobs will be lost if we have to absorb the losses if we can't market it. I'm not prepared to do that to my employees. Macroworks can afford those losses. Even as successful as we've been, such losses would cripple us." Karen settled back into her chair, taking a sip of tea, her gaze turning from Emma to Steed. "Besides, the authorities seem to be extremely capable. I have every faith in their abilities to come out on top." Having left the offices of Imagine, Steed and Emma made their way through the parking garage to Steed's Bentley. "This keep getting more and more disconcerting, doesn't it?" Steed mused. "People who can appear and vanish at will? Video games that can brainwash people? Does anyone else remember the days when madmen just wanted to control the weather?" Emma chuckled softly. "Remember when I said I thought there was more to what happened at World Ex than we might suspect?" "Yes?" "I have the same sense here as well. Something doesn't fully ring true with me." Steed stopped just short of the Bentley, a noise grasping his attention. "Speaking of ringing?" He crossed to the car, reaching inside to grab the old fashioned receiver to the Bentley's telephone. Emma watched as he conversed with someone, presumably Mother, before settling the receiver back in its cradle. Opening the passenger side door, he turned his attention back to Emma. "We may have a chance of solving one of those mysteries," he said. "Three more intruders were captured at World Ex." She had expected to see David when she reached her office. She didn't, however, expect to find him sitting in her chair, his feet propped up on her desk. She leaned in the doorway, arms folded across her chest. "Comfortable, are we?" she asked with more than a trace of annoyance. "Much, thank you," David replied, grinning broadly. "Especially now that I'm out of that ridiculous guard's uniform." The woman smirked. "I don't know. There's always been something about a man in uniform..." "Don't start," David muttered, fishing in the pocket of his duster. "You're in a good mood, which suggests that you were successful in your task." David pulled his hand out of his pocket, holding up three spent tranquilizer darts. "And you told me it would be difficult. I hardly broke a sweat." She walked around her desk. "They must be growing senile in their old age," she said, gracefully but forcefully shoving David's feet from her desk. David smiled, relinquishing his chair to the lady. "You also didn't tell me the blonde one was cute." The woman stopped dead in her tracks, slowly turning on him with the most frigid of stares. "David," she said, her voice a menacing whisper, "an obese, hairless orangutang is more adorable than that rugrat." As she descended into her chair, David gave her a smirk of his own. "Sounds to me like someone's jealous." "I have no reason to be jealous of her, David," she replied icily. "I do, however, have several thousand good reasons to want her dead, not the least of which being that when we last met, she played a crucial role in my downfall." The woman turned away from him for a moment before rapidly swivelling back to him in her chair. "Lose that thought immediately, David. She'd never want to join you. And I'll never allow her to work with us. At least, not with her mind intact." She turned her chair away from him, and back to her work. "Assuming it was ever there to begin with." She only had a moment to look through papers before she felt her chair being spun violently back around. David glared at her, leaning over the chair, hands gripping either armrest. "My dear, I don't nose around in your mind without an invite," he said, his voice harsh. "I expect the same courtesy in return." She watched as he stormed out of her office and down the hall. First in silence, but soon she began to laugh. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: AlyAdmirer@aol.com Subject: TPFICT: Extraordinary Kids, Extraordinary Crimes (Part 3B/6) Date: 03 Jan 2002 23:12:24 EST Adam was dimly aware that his fingers were twitching. With a bit of trepidation, Adam opened his eyes. The brightness of the room overwhelmed him for a moment, but quickly he was able to focus on the bodies of Megabyte and Jade lying not too far from him. [Megabyte?] he pathed. [Jade? You two okay?] [Uhhhhhhhhhh...] one unintelligible mental voice responded. [How many did I have last night?] another voice, barely recognizable as Megabyte's, replied. [Since when do World Ex security forces use drugged darts?] Adam asked. [And since when do they shoot us, of all people?] Jade wondered, her mental voice becoming clearer. [I don't know who he was,] Megabyte answered, [but he wasn't one of my dad's people. None of them would shoot at us.] [Not if they fancied job security.] Jade mused. Adam looked around, realizing they were exactly where they had been knocked out. [Definitely not. Even assuming someone from World Ex had knocked us out, they would have locked us up.] [We'd better get out of here.] Jade pathed. [Before we're discovered.] [Assuming we haven't been already.] Megabyte added. Adam nodded his agreement before the trio teleported away. The automatic door to his quarters slid open as David walked inside, slinging his duster onto the back of a nearby chair. He made his way towards the bathroom, noting the door's closing as he moved slowly, tired from his earlier adventures. He knew it was silly, stepping into the bathroom to change for bed. He knew there was no one in his room, and that no one could possibly be in his room. The entire compound had defenses, but David's room had even more special precautions built into it. David had always been an intensely private creature, and while the prospect of having telepathy and the ability to teleport wherever he liked definitely had its appeal, he was not entirely sold on the reverse side of the coin. That other similarly endowed people could tap into his mind and wander around, or that anyone could simply pop into his abode whenever the spirit moved them, troubled him greatly. So David had attached one condition to his agreement with this mission. He wanted one place, where he could simply be as he always had been. A special dampening field surrounded his room, preventing anyone from teleporting in or out, or using their telepathic abilities inside. Himself included. Sure, it meant some inconvenience, always having to walk to and from his quarters. But it was a small price to pay to keep his sanity. He brought his hand up to a panel on the wall, reaching past the intercom switch to the light controls. He deactivating the overhead lights before crossing to his bed. Pulling the covers up to his shoulders, David rolled onto his side and closed his eyes, not having looked forward to sleep this much in a very long time. And that was when he felt the crackle of electricity behind him, followed by a slender arm wrapping around his waist. Definitely unexpected, but David didn't allow himself to be rattled. It wasn't the "boss", he thought, puzzling out this new development. No, she would never show such a callous disregard for his wishes, no matter how superior she presented herself. He was annoyed, certainly, but there was no use in letting that show. More flies with honey than vinegar, and all that. His grandfather used to say something like that on these occasions. He had never really listened, but it seemed to apply here. David placed his hand on the intruder's wrist gently. "What can I do for you, Musetta?" The woman behind him pressed herself closer against him, chuckling as she bent her head close to his ear. "A better question, David," she purred, "would be what I can do for you?" "You definitely take after you sister," David deadpanned. "But may I just point out that you happen to be sixteen, and that your proposition would be illegal in many states of my home country." "Please," Musetta scoffed. "Considering the vast array of criminal charges we could all be brought up on if our schemes are discovered, you honestly expect me to believe you have qualms over the prospect of legal punishment for corrupting a minor?" She paused, allowing herself a coy grin. "Besides, I thought you liked punishment?" David glanced back over his shoulder, smiling wryly. "Then I have a headache," he countered, raising her arm enough to let him rise from the bed. "And do I ever know her name," Musetta said, rolling leisurely onto her back. David pulled the nearby chair away from the desk it resided under, and slung his right leg across the seat. He sat facing the back rest, one leg straddling either side, laying his forearms across the top of the chair. "You DEFINITELY take after your sister," he repeated with a sigh. "I recommend shielding those thoughts outside of here, my dear. Sister or not, if she thinks you're a threat, she'll squash you like a bug." This time Musetta gave a full fledged laugh, rolling back onto her side, propping her head up with one arm. "And what can she do? Kill me?" "She has her ways," David replied simply. "I'm not scared of her." "Your mistake." Musetta tilted her head to one side, slowly getting up from the bed. "Now why do you say that? You're not scared of her." David shrugged. "I don't have any reason to be. I'm on her side." Musetta shook her head. "You're on your own side, David. Oh, I'm sure right now you feel some loyalty to her. She helped make you who you are today, after all." She began to approach him, each step, each movement slow and sensual. "I've picked up on some of the thoughts you've had about her." Her eyes narrowed as she examined him closely. "Much like those thoughts about the blonde girl, and..." Her voice trailed off, before she gave an exaggerated gasp, raising one hand to her chest in mock offense. "David! How dare you? I'd do ten times worse than that, given the chance." David scowled, his emotions creeping through for the first time since her intrusion. "Knowing me as well as you do, it seems strange that you would illicit my help by doing the one thing that would be guaranteed to piss me off. I would like an explanation for how you've been able to do it, by the way." "The head of security apparently has less scruples than you do," she replied sheepishly. "Doubtful," David muttered, wounded. "Just less sense." Her brown eyes almost twinkling with mischief, Musetta tapped the small pager-like object clipped to her belt. "At any rate, he gave me the frequency to override the field." David nodded. "I hope he enjoyed the dalliance, as it'll be the last ounce of pleasure he'll ever have in his life." Musetta placed a hand on each of David's shoulders, her voice taking on a soothing quality. "David, relax. I'd hoped you'd be impressed by my ingenuity. At least enough so to consider siding with me." There was a moment's pause. "I haven't said no," David finally said. "But I'd like to know why I'm being a traitor before I commit." Musetta's hands slid down his back softly, her arms draping over his shoulders as she leaned closer. "I know you, David. You like having power and influence." "I have those already," David countered. "But for how long? You said it yourself, she feels no loyalty to me. I'm her own flesh and blood, for crying out loud! What makes you think she has any greater loyalty to you? Why does she deserve yours?" Their faces were barely centimeters apart now. "What makes you think she won't sell you down the river to save herself?" she asked, her voice little more than a whisper, her eyes locked on David's lips. "She'd do it in a heartbeat, but I never would. Not to you." David smiled, moving closer himself, their lips now almost touching. "Musetta?" he asked between shallow breaths. "Yes, David?" Musetta responded softly, her eyes closed. "I'll let you know." And with those words, he stood up, almost knocking her off her feet in surprise. As he passed his, his hand flashed out, ripping away the object hooked to her belt. The door opened for him as he approached. Glancing over his shoulder as he left the room, absently tossing the pager-esque device into the air, he couldn't help but chuckle as Musetta fumed. Below an island in the south Pacific, within the confines of the crashed spaceship that served as their base, Adam, Megabyte and Jade were recovering from their earlier ordeal. "Well, that didn't go according to plan, did it?" Jade muttered, rubbing the small puncture wound on her right shoulder as she sat in one of the chairs on the seesaw reminiscent device attached to the central column.. "Jade," Megabyte sighed, sitting inside an indentation in the wall. "I think I've been showing admirable restraint in not saying I told you so. Don't make it easy for me." Jade shot him a dirty look. "That couldn't have gone much worse, could it? We accomplished absolutely nothing." "Oh, I don't know," Megabyte replied. "I mean, we put paid to the she's just misunderstood theory." "I think we also managed something else," Adam said, reclining against the far wall as he rubbed his head. He was clearly still feeling some aftereffects of the tranquilizers. "Whoever's responsible for this, it's pretty clear they want to be caught. Or rather, they want US to be caught." Jade's forehead crinkled in confusion. "I don't follow." "The security camera in that room wasn't exactly well hidden," Adam explained, "and that girl took great pains to teleport on camera. Not once, not twice, but three times. And whoever was masquerading as a guard left us in that room, either to be discovered or to more easily escape. I can't be sure which." Megabyte banged the back of his own head into the wall behind him, his frustration growing more evident. "In which case, I don't think we have the option of staying on the sidelines. Not if whoever's doing this is after us." Jade hopped from her seat. "We've got to find out what's going on here, Adam." "I agree," Adam said. "Unfortunately, there's only one person now who might be able to tell us what's going on." "Yeah," Megabyte groaned. "And something tells me he's not going to be too happy to see us." Things just kept going from bad to worse, Damon thought as he switched off his cell phone. Forty-five minutes ago, he had received word from Frank that his son and his two friends had been captured snooping around inside of World Ex. Now came word from Frank that they'd escaped before the two investigating Ministry agents could question them. Which was both good news and bad news. On the plus side, they were out of immediate danger. But on the minus side, scrutiny over World Ex and those employed there would only intensify now. Especially considering that the guard who had found them had apparently vanished, as had any records of a Warren ever working for the company. Damon involuntarily flinched at his chair, almost falling out of it, as he felt the disturbance which he knew accompanied his son's teleporting. It was bad enough when only he materialized, but when all three of them did in the same location, it was that much worse. He turned to face them, immediately noticing his son's eyes darting away from his own. "I asked you to do one thing for me," Damon said, struggling to remain calm. "Just one thing. Why couldn't you do it?" Megabyte continued to look away. "We owed it to this girl, too. We had to consider the possibility that she wasn't evil." "And we couldn't be sure the government would consider that possibility," Jade said, before noticing Adam's silencing look. "And now?" Damon asked, some of his calm veneer cracking. "Now we know better," Megabyte replied softly. "Oh, NOW you know better?" Damon shouting, all pretense at calm vanishing entirely. "The fact that she gave a security guard a concussion wasn't enough?" "We also now know that we've been set up," Adam interjected, trying to ease the tension. "Whoever's doing this is trying to get us discovered. We would have had to get involved eventually." The General took a deep breath, before giving Megabyte an apologetic look. "Look, the three of you have to get out of here. The Ministry's agents are on their way over here now. You can't be here when they arrive. Go to your ship, and stay there until things die down." "We can't do that," Megabyte said. "Whoever this girl is, she's attacking us through you, putting pressure on you to get to us. And she'll keep doing that until we stop her. I can't let her do that. We can't let her." Adam stepped forward. "We need to know anything you can tell us. Anything at all that can help us find who's doing this." Damon turned away from them as he considered the matter. Paternal instincts were always very strong, and the first thing he wanted to do was shield Megabyte from all of this. But they were right. Whoever was doing this would keep coming, until they were stopped. And like it or not, Adam, Megabyte and Jade were the best option there was of stopping them, and ensuring a happy ending for all parties. With a loud sigh, he turned back to them. "The only thing I know for sure is that they stole files pertaining to a video game system developed by Imagine Enterprises." "Thanks, Dad." [That's where we'd better start, then.] Adam pathed to his friends, before the trio teleported away. Adam, Megabyte, and Jade materialized in a dimly lit room with no windows and little furniture. "Where are we?" Jade asked, trying to get her bearings. "We couldn't exactly go in the front door," Adam replied, "so I thought we ought to pop in through the basement and work our way up." Megabyte looked around, noting the sparseness of their surroundings. Aside from a desk and a chair on each side of it, there was very little in the room apart from the lamps situated in the fours corners, each one seemingly on half power. "This is hardly what I expected to find in the basement of a computer company," he muttered, walking around to the other side of the desk and pulling out the longest drawer. "Um, guys?" "What have you found?" Adam asked as he and Jade joined him. Sitting in the middle of the top drawer was a manilla folder. In the middle of the manilla folder, stamped in red ink, read the following: TOP SECRET! PROPERTY OF WORLD EX "I don't understand," Jade whispered. "Why would they steal their own files?" "I've got an extremely bad feeling about this," Megabyte chimed in. Adam took the folder from the drawer, tucking it under his arm. "Let's work this out at a safe place. Back to the ship." And with that, our heroes teleported... Or rather, they tried to teleport. [I've got an even worse feeling about this.] Megabyte pathed. [What gives?] Jade asked. [The only time none of us have been able to teleport was back during...] "Oh, look," a feminine voice interjected. "Intruders." Adam, Megabyte and Jade looked to the doorway, where a young man and teenage girl stood on either side of the frame. It took them a moment, but each of them recognized the male as the security guard from World Ex. The girl was much more recognizable as the burglar from the surveillance tape. But other than that, these were two people none of them had ever seen before. "Who are you?" Adam asked. "Why are you after us?" "Them?" another female voice called into the room. "They'd never met you before now. But me, on the other hand..." The voice turned into a cruel laugh. "The four of us go back a long way." And then she appeared, stepping out from behind the man. The three Tomorrow People stood in stunned silence. This was a woman they had indeed seen before. Megabyte had just seen her the other night, in the hospital in his dream. Before that, though, it had been over three years. Three years since she held a dart gun on Adam and Jade, struggling to fire it. Three years since Dr. Ahmonson Pierce's cloning experiments. Three years since a pair of clones had apparently disposed of her. "What's the matter?" Corenza Tompkins asked, her voice as sweet as honey. "You look as though you've seen a ghost!" She walked further into the room, close enough to remove any doubt as to either her identity or her substance. "But wait, I suppose I could qualify as one of those, couldn't I?" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: AlyAdmirer@aol.com Subject: TPFICT: EKEC Author's Note (Contains spoilers for EKEC 3) Date: 03 Jan 2002 23:18:50 EST Greetings, Well, part three of Extraordinary Kids, Extraordinary Crimes has now been posted, and the identity of our mystery woman villain has been revealed. For those of you who don't want to be spoiled, don't read this until AFTER reading EKEC 3. But if you have read EKEC 3, and find you are unaware of who this woman is, just skip down to the bottom of the spoiler space. Corenza Tompkins put in her first, and until now only appearance, in the list's first venture into the world of Round Robins, which can be found in the New Series section of the archives as Round Robin 1. I fell in love with her working on that Round Robin, and had always wanted to bring her back. And so, here she is. :) --Darryl ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Matott <greyfalcon_1@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: TPFICT: Polls Closed Date: 03 Jan 2002 20:27:27 -0800 (PST) --- Wendy Perkins <ladyslvr@xmission.com> wrote: > The participation was *much* better this time > around. The votes received > after the first deadline really swung the awards. Hmm, Wendy you're SURE you're still not living in Florida? > Thanks to all who chose to send in some votes. > > I'll get things tabulated and posted eventually. > I think we need to have a team of lawyers independently verify this. We may have to go to the Supreme Court for this. <ducks> --mike ashamed to admit *he* lives in Florida. <but I did vote for Gore and not Nader, so it's not MY fault> __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Send your FREE holiday greetings online! http://greetings.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Drew Thiele <grifmage@wvi.com> Subject: TPFICT: Just a question about fics in general Date: 03 Jan 2002 20:49:39 -0800 Hey. I was wondering if people had a stronger like toward different types of fics? I mean like a 'classic' breakout story, with different situations, or stories that tug at your heartstrings, or discovering new powers, and so forth. I'm finding that I seem to do better at the discovering powers, and breakout stories so far, but that may change later on. I know that whatever types you like, I probably will or will not incorporate cuz I have my own flair and everything, but I'm just simply asking what people *do* like or dislike ... Mainly ~ to get an idea if what folks like. All the stories on the TPFICT Archive are so wildly varied, which kicks ass. :) So I'll just get to the point: What do you like? Breakout stories? General Crossovers? General Stories about TP's ~ (No breakouts, but more personal/intimate things, or an adventure) Discovering new abilities? (I know this isn't that common as far as TP's go, but in my Charmed/TP series it does happen, and my Fear of Darkness Story.) I don't expect instant emails, just wanted to see what people say :) -Drew ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Marika ~" <marika_89@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: TPFICT: Just a question about fics in general Date: 04 Jan 2002 04:53:50 +0000 I prefer breakout stories, or crossovers with other series. I've never read any new abilities stories, but it sounds interesting. Marika _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wendy Perkins <ladyslvr@xmission.com> Subject: Re: TPFICT: Just a question about fics in general Date: 03 Jan 2002 22:57:10 -0600 > >What do you like? My favorite aired episodes were the breakout stories. My favorite stories to read are ones with lots of character development. I like stories in which the Tomorrow People have to deal with being different in a world that's not built for them. Especially when their differences come in conflict with someone who *can't* and *won't* find out about the powers. I like the effort and reality in trying to keep their powers a secret. >General Crossovers? General Crossovers are fine, as long as it doesn't involve both groups meeting and exchanging all their secrets in the first couple of pages. Anyone else? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: J2rider@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: EKEC Author's Note (Contains spoilers for EKEC 3) Date: 04 Jan 2002 00:02:57 EST --part1_50.46386e0.29669181_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Corenza Thompkins. Ahh. Who is she? --part1_50.46386e0.29669181_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML>Corenza Thompkins. Ahh. Who is she? </HTML> --part1_50.46386e0.29669181_boundary-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: J2rider@aol.com Subject: TPFICT: delete my last message-forgot spoiler space! Date: 04 Jan 2002 00:03:45 EST --part1_11b.97f17d3.296691b1_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Whoops, delete my last message. I forgot spoiler space --part1_11b.97f17d3.296691b1_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML>Whoops, delete my last message. I forgot spoiler space</HTML> --part1_11b.97f17d3.296691b1_boundary-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: J2rider@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: Just a question about fics in general Date: 04 Jan 2002 00:06:49 EST --part1_32.203345fc.29669269_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 1/3/02 11:46:52 PM Eastern Standard Time, grifmage@wvi.com writes: > Breakout stories? Love em. They are what make TP unique in many ways. > General Crossovers? > I find crossovers great...when I like the show they are crossing over with. Often, I don't. I also find that fans of one show can write for that show but not for the other show they are crossing over. They just don't always seem to get the characters right. General Stories about TP's ~ (No breakouts, but more personal/intimate > things, or an adventure) > Yes. Both personal and intimate and definitely adventures---the adventure thing happens so few times. I need action! Discovering new abilities? (I know this isn't that common as far as TP's > go, but in my Charmed/TP series it does happen, and my Fear of Darkness Story > Yes. I love new abilities. I always thought the Tp should have had more powers. --part1_32.203345fc.29669269_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML>In a message dated 1/3/02 11:46:52 PM Eastern Standard Time, grifmage@wvi.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Breakout stories?</BLOCKQUOTE> Love em. They are what make TP unique in many ways. <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">General Crossovers? </BLOCKQUOTE> I find crossovers great...when I like the show they are crossing over with. Often, I don't. I also find that fans of one show can write for that show but not for the other show they are crossing over. They just don't always seem to get the characters right. General Stories about TP's ~ (No breakouts, but more personal/intimate <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">things, or an adventure) </BLOCKQUOTE> Yes. Both personal and intimate and definitely adventures---the adventure thing happens so few times. I need action! Discovering new abilities? (I know this isn't that common as far as TP's <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">go, but in my Charmed/TP series it does happen, and my Fear of Darkness Story</BLOCKQUOTE> Yes. I love new abilities. I always thought the Tp should have had more powers. </HTML> --part1_32.203345fc.29669269_boundary-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jeffl1965@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: Just a question about fics in general Date: 04 Jan 2002 03:44:57 EST --part1_106.b0973c3.2966c589_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 1/3/2002 10:46:52 PM Central Standard Time, grifmage@wvi.com writes: > General Stories about TP's ~ (No breakouts, but more personal/intimate > things, or an adventure) > Those are pretty cool,as even the TP *cant* save the world every week.:) Well, they can try,but usually it took several episodes.:) Jeff --part1_106.b0973c3.2966c589_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML>In a message dated 1/3/2002 10:46:52 PM Central Standard Time, grifmage@wvi.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">General Stories about TP's ~ (No breakouts, but more personal/intimate things, or an adventure) </BLOCKQUOTE> Those are pretty cool,as even the TP *cant* save the world every week.:) Well, they can try,but usually it took several episodes.:) Jeff</HTML> --part1_106.b0973c3.2966c589_boundary-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jeffl1965@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: delete my last message-forgot spoiler space! Date: 04 Jan 2002 03:47:50 EST --part1_15d.6c58f5e.2966c636_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 1/3/2002 11:04:12 PM Central Standard Time, J2rider@aol.com writes: > Shame, shame!!!! You'll get spanked on the hand with a ruler 10 time for that one, mister!!! :) No, go to your room!!! :) Jeff --part1_15d.6c58f5e.2966c636_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML>In a message dated 1/3/2002 11:04:12 PM Central Standard Time, J2rider@aol.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Whoops, delete my last message. I forgot spoiler space </BLOCKQUOTE> Shame, shame!!!! You'll get spanked on the hand with a ruler 10 time for that one, mister!!! :) No, go to your room!!! :) Jeff</HTML> --part1_15d.6c58f5e.2966c636_boundary-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Matott <greyfalcon_1@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: TPFICT: Just a question about fics in general Date: 04 Jan 2002 07:47:14 -0800 (PST) > What do you like? > > Breakout stories? Yes, but when writing a serial storyline you have to resist the urge to write multiple breakouts. I have two really cool breakout ideas, but I don't want to incorporate them into my serial because I'd rather limit my OC (original character) TPs to just one. It's *hard* to find stuff for seven characters to do in a story. (Yeah, I know I don't have to include EVERY TP in a story, but I hate resorting to plot devices to keep characters uninvolved.) > General Crossovers? I like them, even when I'm not very familiar with what's being crossed over. (I.e. Mandi Olin's recent cross, which was very humorous. I'll likely check out the strip she referred to.) As Wendy said it's nice when you have a crossover where the two groups DON'T do the plot summary dialogue thing, but that's pretty hard to write. (So, now I have to figure out what sort of cross I could do in which two different series interact but don't find out about each other. Hmm....) As someone else pointed out - sometimes the person writing the cross doesn't seem to get it 'right.' That's just a matter of personal opinion. We all see different characters differently. I know my views of Lisa, Kevin, and Jade are VASTLY different from those of other authors on this list (and I *LOVE* some of those characterizations). It shows that if we were the writers for the series, we would've developed the characters differently. I think it's easier to cross over with a series that's no longer in production or else somewhere earlier in its timeline. That way it's easier to accept characterizations that are different than what our own particular vision might be. (I could be wrong. I could see using this as an argument for exactly the opposite viewpoint.) > General Stories about TP's ~ (No breakouts, but more > personal/intimate things, or an adventure) The short ones are among my favorites to read, but I haven't really gotten the hang of writing them. Vignettes are hard! Respect those that write them well. Small character studies are difficult to pull off without sounding trite. I have a hard time keeping my story lengths down (currently on 30 pages of my latest and I figure I have at least another 6-10 to go before finishing) so these types of stories don't pop up too often for me. Longer general adventure stories are more my style. At some point I plan to write a story where nothing much happens. No mad scientists. No alien invaders. No world threats. Just an interesting story about interesting kids without the element of a world in danger. > Discovering new abilities? (I know this isn't that > common as far as TP's > go, but in my Charmed/TP series it does happen, and > my Fear of Darkness Story.) > A pretty consistent part of my serial has been emphasizing the differences that the TPs have in the strengths of their various abilities. I've also expanded the bounds of their powers. About half the stories I've written have involved new applications of TP powers or else new powers. This is the one spot where I thought the NS missed the boat (and that Charmed - hokey as it is - started out doing nicely. Now they've gotten a bit ridiculous with it.) Unless someone beats me to it (and even if someone does), I think I might try the psychokinetic trick we were talking about - using TK to slow down molecular motion and freeze things. later mike __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Send your FREE holiday greetings online! http://greetings.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Emma=20Hanby?= <midigirl2000@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: Re: TPFICT: Just a question about fics in general Date: 04 Jan 2002 18:32:10 +0000 (GMT) my turn:D *cracks knuckles* i like breakout stories because everyone has thier own way of writing them and although some of them seem like pages copied from the books, sometimes you get some right crackers! i like new stuff that hasnt been done before. like someone breaking out and apearing in the middle of Tesco's (uk food store) sitting the in frozen meat freezer in between and leg of lamb and a pork chop. i definitely prefer normal straight TP stories, with crossovers you have to be familiar with the other show, at least with TP the concept is simple and everyone can understand it (i even gave my effort at TP ficts to a friend who isnt a fan and she atually asked me for a copy of the show! so it just shows how easy it is to understand, and also it was flattering cause i cant write stories! i'm better at scripts:D- i get to caught up in the she said, he said, he replied aspect) anyway im wondering off the subject slightly. i think in future there should be more stories which focus on the TP as a race, how they cope being in a world of humans and the perils that face them. i'm in the process at the moment of writing a story using the charaters of John and Mike and placing them in the year 2002 dunno where it'll go (probably sit dormant on my hard drive until i discover it in a years time!) also i hate stories where the good guys always win! sometimes it sooo cheesy! anyway Em > Hey. I was wondering if people had a stronger like > toward different types > of fics? I mean like a 'classic' breakout story, > with different situations, > or stories that tug at your heartstrings, or > discovering new powers, and so > forth. I'm finding that I seem to do better at the > discovering powers, and > breakout stories so far, but that may change later > on. > > I know that whatever types you like, I probably will > or will not > incorporate cuz I have my own flair and everything, > but I'm just simply > asking what people *do* like or dislike ... Mainly ~ > to get an idea if what > folks like. > > All the stories on the TPFICT Archive are so wildly > varied, which kicks > ass. :) So I'll just get to the point: > > What do you like? > > Breakout stories? > General Crossovers? > General Stories about TP's ~ (No breakouts, but more > personal/intimate > things, or an adventure) > Discovering new abilities? (I know this isn't that > common as far as TP's > go, but in my Charmed/TP series it does happen, and > my Fear of Darkness Story.) > > I don't expect instant emails, just wanted to see > what people say :) > > -Drew > > ===== please visit my new look site-go on you know you want to!: http://clik.to/Midi __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Drew Thiele <grifmage@wvi.com> Subject: TPFICT: Just had a question Date: 06 Jan 2002 18:41:43 -0800 just wondering, but would it be okay to post poems as well, about breakouts, or are fics usually best? -Drew ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wendy Perkins <ladyslvr@xmission.com> Subject: Re: TPFICT: Just had a question Date: 06 Jan 2002 20:48:28 -0600 At 06:41 PM 1/6/2002 -0800, you wrote: >just wondering, but would it be okay to post poems as well, about >breakouts, or are fics usually best? Just about anything creative is acceptable. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Marika ~" <marika_89@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: TPFICT: Just had a question Date: 07 Jan 2002 02:50:56 +0000 >just wondering, but would it be okay to post poems as well, about >breakouts, or are fics usually best? I think it depends. If you're trying to tell the story of a breakout, a fic would be best. If you're just trying to capture a moment (say, the moment the TP realizes that they belong somewhere, or the moment that they first teleport) then a poem could be OK. Of course, this is just my opinion. Marika _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Drew Thiele <grifmage@wvi.com> Subject: TPFICT: Poem Date: 06 Jan 2002 19:00:29 -0800 Disclaimer: This is all my creation, sans the 'classic' New Series Breakout effect. I hope everyone enjoys this poem. This is set in Jack the Ripper's Era, and apologize profusely for any possible inaccuracies on it ;) Feedback is welcome at grifmage@wvi.com "A TP in Ripper's Era" Echoes in the night, Shadows deepen and darken, Whispers in the darkness, Murky depths of fog, Incoherent screams ring~ Racing through the murk, Looking over my shoulder, Seeing and hearing not a word, furthers the terror within, a distant crackling, everywhere~ A towering figure appears from nowhere, Gleaming knife in hand, distinctly sinister, Staring at the figure of death in horror, a crackling is heard, louder, and louder, Surroundings vanished from my eyes, Flashing from solid to liquid sea ~ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ardwinna1979@aol.com Subject: TPFICT: TPTFICT:history Date: 07 Jan 2002 01:22:14 EST Disclaimer: Okay I'm a big fan of the new series and I just recently had=20 found out about the old. I learned there were inconsistencies so I made up=20= a=20 report that linked the two shows together. I didn't know much about planets= =20 in the shows, so surprise I made them up. This is for pure entertainment=20 value, so I hope you enjoy :-) Members of the Galactic Federation: A crew of explorers from different planets of the Galactic Federation left o= n=20 a voyage never to be heard from again=E2=80=A6until now. We believe they we= re=20 dragged unwittingly through a time portal to what was our galaxy centuries=20 ago. There they were lost, but eventually found themselves in the Milky Way= =20 Galaxy. Here is an account by a member of the recovery team looking into=20 that tragic voyage. Here is what they have been able to find out about what= =20 happened to the lost members and rumors they have heard in homo sapien time: I. Thousands of years ago the group, who now call themselves The=20 Tomorrow People, crash-landed into Earth. As their spaceship was ripped=20 apart four ways each landing in a different hemisphere, the members were=20 thrown out of the ship and spread across the planet as if they were ashes=20 being spread into water. Since our alien bodies have evolved over time,=20 their bodies, not used to the atmosphere and environment of Earth during thi= s=20 time, were reverted back into our lowest form -- the Gazo. =20 Although separated some Gazo's were able to stay in contact with one=20 another by their telepathic abilities. As man progressed so did our people=20 some faster than others and those people spent their time looking for family= =20 members and the ship in hopes of contact. Others did not and so attempted t= o=20 live their lives as normal human beings. The children of those explorers=20 took slower to evolve, centuries, due to their age and lack of devolped=20 power. Just like their adult counterparts some were more advanced and found= =20 pieces of the ship. Most could not evolve on their own and so took place of= =20 a child in side of a womb. They were reborn into their natural bodies; they= =20 did not take over someone else's body. It is rare, but possible that others= =20 who were more evolved, evolved without being reborn and is why they do not=20 have an Earth mother or an Earth father. II. While on Earth, there were rumors that their children had survived, they= =20 had just evolved slowly. =20 The first of those children to realize their powers came in the Earth= =20 years of the 1970s. They called themselves The Tomorrow People. These=20 children did make contact with the Galactic Federation, but the Galactic=20 Federation they were in contact with was the Federation of old when the=20 Federation itself had only been established for two centuries. This group=20 fought the evil of our galaxy and of Earth, however some children were cruel= =20 to those who they had evolved from -- homo sapiens. =20 Then later in the 1990s another group appeared in practically the sam= e=20 place as the first group. These children however thought of themselves as=20 extraordinary with superhuman powers. They too called themselves Tomorrow=20 People. Unlike their earlier counterparts, they helped homo sapiens and=20 believed it was their job to help the human race. Almost all of these=20 children had an Earth family who loved them. Due to their compassionate=20 nature of helping others, they did not spend much time trying to contact the= =20 Federation. III. Now we will discuss how these two groups of children are tied=20 together: As we said some of the children evolved faster than the others, with that=20 being said it is possible for big brothers to have evolved slower than their= =20 little brothers in their family group due to developed powers. Here is a ru= n=20 down of family that we know to have survived: As we all know Adam Newman is actually the little brother of John,=20 their father was chief engineer of the ship's computer, their mother was a=20 Princess of Dargon and a healer. Their parent's marriage caused the Battle=20 of Zarine. Since Adam and John were both highly evolved they did not have=20 Earth parents, however Adam adopted the last name of Newman. Adam and John=20 were both half-healers and possessed the power to heal. However half-healer= s=20 hardly make use of their powers since they can be limiting. Adam used this=20 power to heal Lisa's hand and bring a dead homo sapien back to life, yet he=20 couldn't use his power to bring Kevin Wilson out of a coma. The reason for=20 this is that Kevin is from the planet Walow whose people are immune to=20 healing from healers due to minerals found on Walow that came from Dargon. Marmaduke (Megabyte) Damon is the big brother of Stephen Jameson,=20 their mother worked in the ship's cantina and their father was assistant=20 chief engineer of the ship's computer. Megabyte had not only Earth parents,=20 but an Earth sibling as well. Stephen and Marmaduke also came from the=20 Planet of Dargon, but were not healers. =20 Lisa Davies and Kenny are actually twins. They are also time trackers= ,=20 which only Lisa seemed to have found out. When a time tracker went through=20 time, people who knew them forgot about them until they came back. =20 Unfortunately for new trackers, who don't know much about their gift, it can= =20 be dangerous. Lisa disappeared and the others forgot about her, a sure sign= =20 that she has slipped through time. We have been searching for her and feel=20 that she is back in our time, we just don't know where. Elizabeth (Liz) M'Bundo is the real mother of Ami Jackson. Elizabeth= =20 and her daughter, who came from the planet Sergon next to the planet of=20 Sorsen, like the people of their planet were beautiful of face and were=20 youthful in appearance even in their 100th year of age. Jade Weston, Mike, and Andrew Forbes were before the tragic event=20 sister and brothers. Jade being the youngest took the longest to evolve. =20 Mike being the oldest was able to talk to his little brother when he broke=20 out. Hsui Tai, as we all know, is not an only child but she was the only=20 one to go with her parents as ambassadors on the trip. She is Princess of=20 the planet Hsui. We found it no surprise that she would have been given tha= t=20 name on Earth. Patricia (Tricia) Conway, Carol, Tyso Boswell, all like Hsui, had=20 siblings who did not go on the fateful voyage. Kevin Wilson, an only child,=20 whose parents found each other but is still searching for him. =20 IV. There was talk that these children had enemies of both human and=20 alien proportions. Some said that these people wanted to dissect the=20 children and use their telepathic powers. Yet we had always thought it was=20 clear that telepathic power could only be used for good. The other problem=20 is that it is easier to read a Tomorrow Person's mind than a human's mind fo= r=20 theirs is much more complex and cloudier. Thus I'm sure that they would hav= e=20 had trouble trying to read a criminal's mind and could possibly have hurt=20 themselves. As for Conway, she was using telepathy for good or at least she= =20 thought she was. Once your mind becomes doubtful as to whether or not what=20 your doing is right, then you start to lose power. I'm glad we have outlawe= d=20 silencer bands, they were quite annoying you know and painful. Luckily the=20 second group doesn't seem to have run into them, which brings me to my next=20 point. Telepathy is easy to lose especially on Earth where there are more=20 distractions and for young minds that have not learned to harness their=20 power. Why I myself remember my teen years in which for a week I thought I=20 had split personalities due to the echo I couldn't stop in my head. Ah, yes= =20 but I digress. V. Next is the issue of fighting and killing. The children seem to be confused on this, but desperate times call for an even calmer hand. We do=20 not kill other human beings, not with intent, but we do hunt for food. It=20 depends on where you stand on this issue and where you were raised. I=20 believe in killing my food, others don't want to do it and so have it=20 prepared for them. This issue has been debated in countless meetings and=20 will never be decided. We do fight with each other and get knocked around=20 every once in a while, but what do you expect? We're not invincible. =20 VI. On jaunting, quaint word isn't it, or teleporting most of us learned=20 to do so when we first hit puberty with relative ease due to the fact that=20 our parents were here to guide us. However most of these poor children=20 learned when in a state of high anxiety! I found it interesting that Adam's= =20 found part of the ship on a beach and his brother loved jaunting to a beach.= =20 The planet Dargon is well known for its beautiful beaches! The call from=20 home is everywhere and one can only hope that these young ones will find=20 their way! VII. The first group of young ones came up with an ingenious way of contacting each other using crystals, which is the main basis of our=20 communication today. Also the second group learned something that the first= =20 group never tried to do and that is teleport homo sapiens without the use of= =20 any aide. The first group actually made a transporter, how primitive, but=20 ingenious nonetheless. =20 In conclusion, what I have stated in my report is mostly for the benefit of=20 the children to know and learn. I am hoping to reach either John of the=20 1970s or Adam of the 1990s and send them this information. Perhaps with all= =20 these bright children together they can figure out a way to come home. =20 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: J2rider@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: TPTFICT:history Date: 07 Jan 2002 01:31:05 EST --part1_57.489326e.296a9aa9_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit This was nice but there are major problems with it as well as it not being what I want to have happened! :) It's also depressing. --part1_57.489326e.296a9aa9_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML>This was nice but there are major problems with it as well as it not being what I want to have happened! :) It's also depressing.</HTML> --part1_57.489326e.296a9aa9_boundary-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ardwinna1979@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: TPTFICT:history Date: 07 Jan 2002 01:33:56 EST sorry I haven't seen the show in almost ten years! :-) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jeffl1965@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: OT:idea for a fanfic Date: 07 Jan 2002 05:53:53 EST --part1_118.a87b7e3.296ad841_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 1/2/2002 12:22:54 PM Central Standard Time, grifmage@wvi.com writes: > Hey, I was just curious about something. I know one fic has someone about > to start to figure out the symbols of the "Ship" in New Series (I can't > remember where, or who exactly wrote that one, but that part was at the end > of the story) > > My idea was that ...what if someone, a new TP, or one of the existing TP's > started learning the symbols? and figured out what all of it is about? > > Just wondered if it's feasible, or just something that may not work? > > -Drew Sounds intresting, Drew. I had a idea myself in which Megabyte is on the ship with Adam,and watching him work on repairing some parts of the main room on the ship,and go to a certain section,and the ship ''moans'' more to let them know to get closer to it,and they repair it and its the voice chip for the ship. yeah, its TIM,but not as we know him, but then again, maybe he's from the future and from another universe.:) Jeff --part1_118.a87b7e3.296ad841_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML>In a message dated 1/2/2002 12:22:54 PM Central Standard Time, grifmage@wvi.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Hey, I was just curious about something. I know one fic has someone about to start to figure out the symbols of the "Ship" in New Series (I can't remember where, or who exactly wrote that one, but that part was at the end of the story) My idea was that ...what if someone, a new TP, or one of the existing TP's started learning the symbols? and figured out what all of it is about? Just wondered if it's feasible, or just something that may not work? -Drew </BLOCKQUOTE> Sounds intresting, Drew. I had a idea myself in which Megabyte is on the ship with Adam,and watching him work on repairing some parts of the main room on the ship,and go to a certain section,and the ship ''moans'' more to let them know to get closer to it,and they repair it and its the voice chip for the ship. yeah, its TIM,but not as we know him, but then again, maybe he's from the future and from another universe.:) Jeff </HTML> --part1_118.a87b7e3.296ad841_boundary-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jeffl1965@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: Poem Date: 07 Jan 2002 05:56:02 EST --part1_168.6c4d2b0.296ad8c2_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Intresting. The one that got away,eh? :) Jeff --part1_168.6c4d2b0.296ad8c2_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML> Intresting. The one that got away,eh? :) Jeff</HTML> --part1_168.6c4d2b0.296ad8c2_boundary-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Kasey Thompson" <nverland@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: TPFICT: OT:idea for a fanfic Date: 07 Jan 2002 08:23:34 -0500 > > Sounds intresting, Drew. I had a idea myself in which Megabyte is on >the >ship with Adam,and watching him work on repairing some parts of the main >room >on the ship,and go to a certain section,and the ship ''moans'' more to let >them know to get closer to it,and they repair it and its the voice chip for >the ship. yeah, its TIM,but not as we know him, but then again, maybe he's >from the future and from another universe.:) > > Jeff > Jeff, this sounds like an excellent idea for a story. Go for it! I would love to see it written. _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: KVDelano@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: Poem Date: 07 Jan 2002 08:34:01 EST This could explain why the deaths suddenly stop. Seeing someone vanish would make any killer decide to change occupations or lose his mind, more than he has already.:) And if I recall correctly on of the suspects was placed in an asylum about the time the killings stopped. Karen ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jeffl1965@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: OT:idea for a fanfic Date: 07 Jan 2002 08:38:27 EST --part1_bc.1f8f8219.296afed3_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 1/7/2002 7:24:28 AM Central Standard Time, nverland@hotmail.com writes: > Jeff, this sounds like an excellent idea for a story. Go for it! I would > love to see it written. > > ACK!!! me and my big mouth!!! :) Ok, maybe one day I'll do chapter or two. :) Jeff --part1_bc.1f8f8219.296afed3_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML>In a message dated 1/7/2002 7:24:28 AM Central Standard Time, nverland@hotmail.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Jeff, this sounds like an excellent idea for a story. Go for it! I would love to see it written. </BLOCKQUOTE> ACK!!! me and my big mouth!!! :) Ok, maybe one day I'll do chapter or two. :) Jeff </HTML> --part1_bc.1f8f8219.296afed3_boundary-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jeffl1965@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: Poem Date: 07 Jan 2002 08:41:28 EST --part1_7c.20e46c78.296aff88_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 1/7/2002 7:34:51 AM Central Standard Time, KVDelano@aol.com writes: > And if I recall correctly on of the suspects was placed in an asylum about > the time the killings stopped. > Yes, the Duke of york or some area, I've forgotten which,but he was Queen Victoria's grandson, iirc. And yes, he was in line for the throne. Jeff --part1_7c.20e46c78.296aff88_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML>In a message dated 1/7/2002 7:34:51 AM Central Standard Time, KVDelano@aol.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">And if I recall correctly on of the suspects was placed in an asylum about the time the killings stopped. </BLOCKQUOTE> Yes, the Duke of york or some area, I've forgotten which,but he was Queen Victoria's grandson, iirc. And yes, he was in line for the throne. Jeff </HTML> --part1_7c.20e46c78.296aff88_boundary-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "E.R. Stanway" <ers24@hermes.cam.ac.uk> Subject: Re: TPFICT: Poem Date: 07 Jan 2002 13:43:49 +0000 (GMT) I liked this too but I'm curious what happened next to the TP in question. Being stalked by Jack the Ripper would have been pretty traumatic and if there weren't any other TP's about at that point she (probably) would have been very much alone, confused and scared. That being said, stopping the poem there means we can all imagine what happens next the way we want to. It's nice to see such a completely original idea. ___________________________________________________________________ Elizabeth Stanway ers24@cam.ac.uk http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/8403 "When in danger, when in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout." ___________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jeffl1965@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: Poem Date: 07 Jan 2002 09:05:57 EST --part1_4e.4899cea.296b0545_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 1/7/2002 7:44:18 AM Central Standard Time, ers24@hermes.cam.ac.uk writes: > That being said, stopping the poem there means we can all imagine what > happens next the way we want to. > > She drowned. ;) Jeff --part1_4e.4899cea.296b0545_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML>In a message dated 1/7/2002 7:44:18 AM Central Standard Time, ers24@hermes.cam.ac.uk writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">That being said, stopping the poem there means we can all imagine what happens next the way we want to. </BLOCKQUOTE> She drowned. ;) Jeff</HTML> --part1_4e.4899cea.296b0545_boundary-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Kasey Thompson" <nverland@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: TPFICT: Poem Date: 07 Jan 2002 10:40:11 -0500 You know, as scary a thought as it sounds, you could read that poem to say that *Jack* was the one who teleported! It would explain where he disappered to... >From: KVDelano@aol.com >Reply-To: tpfict@lists.xmission.com >To: <tpfict@lists.xmission.com> >Subject: Re: TPFICT: Poem >Date: Mon, 07 Jan 2002 08:34:01 EST > >This could explain why the deaths suddenly stop. Seeing someone vanish >would make any killer decide to change occupations or lose his mind, more >than he has already.:) >And if I recall correctly on of the suspects was placed in an asylum about >the time the killings stopped. >Karen > _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Kasey Thompson" <nverland@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: TPFICT: OT:idea for a fanfic Date: 07 Jan 2002 10:42:24 -0500 > ACK!!! me and my big mouth!!! :) Ok, maybe one day I'll do chapter or >two. >:) > > > Jeff > Yeah, yeah..that's all we hear from you. :-) _________________________________________________________________ MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jeffl1965@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: OT:idea for a fanfic Date: 07 Jan 2002 10:53:38 EST --part1_15d.6eb3a5b.296b1e82_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 1/7/2002 9:43:09 AM Central Standard Time, nverland@hotmail.com writes: > > ACK!!! me and my big mouth!!! :) Ok, maybe one day I'll do chapter or > >two. > >:) > > > > > > Jeff > > > > Yeah, yeah..that's all we hear from you. :-) > > > LOL!! You're actually right!!! :) I'll most certainly die before I get all my ideas put to paper/hd.:) Jeff --part1_15d.6eb3a5b.296b1e82_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML>In a message dated 1/7/2002 9:43:09 AM Central Standard Time, nverland@hotmail.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">> ACK!!! me and my big mouth!!! :) Ok, maybe one day I'll do chapter or >two. >:) > > > Jeff > Yeah, yeah..that's all we hear from you. :-) </BLOCKQUOTE> LOL!! You're actually right!!! :) I'll most certainly die before I get all my ideas put to paper/hd.:) Jeff </HTML> --part1_15d.6eb3a5b.296b1e82_boundary-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Drew Thiele <grifmage@wvi.com> Subject: TPFICT: LOL...thanks. Date: 07 Jan 2002 12:58:02 -0800 I didn't expect this reaction toward my poem. ;) I'm glad you liked it so far. It was intended to be a standalone poem (after I finished it), illustrating a general breakout from a TP who's being chased, but if you look at the other hints. "Echoes in the Night", and so forth, I believe they are probably references to telepathy, and stuff. ;) I guess it was definetly supposed to be TP related. lol. And as for Jack the Ripper, no. he didn't break out. If he had, he'd have turned "Good"...which...how? :) But on the being driven mad, probably yes, from the woman's breakout. Thanks ;) Drew ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Shaun Hately <drednort@alphalink.com.au> Subject: Re: TPFICT: Poem Date: 08 Jan 2002 08:31:24 +1100 Jeffl1965@aol.com wrote: > In a message dated 1/7/2002 7:34:51 AM Central Standard Time, > KVDelano@aol.com writes: > > > And if I recall correctly on of the suspects was placed in an asylum > about the time the killings stopped. > > > > Yes, the Duke of york or some area, I've forgotten which,but he was > Queen Victoria's grandson, iirc. And yes, he was in line for the throne. Prince Albert Victor, created Duke of Clarence and Avondale in 1891 , son of the Prince Albert Edward (later Kind Edward VII), and second in line to the throne. I'm not sure, but I am probably the only extremely avid Ripperologist on the list - I've studied the Ripper killings as a hobby for about 15 years (and, BTW, Drew, there's nothing in the poem that doesn't match the historical record so worrying about inaccuracies is something you don't have to do). But the Duke of Clarence did not wind up in an asylum, and it is virtually certain he wasn't the Ripper - there are about 40 major suspects (including Lewis Carroll, and he is now considered one of the least likely, primarily because as a Prince his movements were noted, and he wasn't in London or near London at the times of the murders. He was never committed to an asylum and died in 1892 of influenza. Several suspects did wind up in asylums - in fact, a lot of the time, the fact they were locked up around the time the murders stopped is the reason they became suspects - Aaron Kosminksi, Michael Ostrog, etc. Currently the most favoured suspect by most Ripperologists is a man called Francis Tumblety who was also suspected of involvement in the assasination of Abraham Lincoln. Now that could be interesting speculation for Sci-Fi... someone going through time committing prominent murders for some reason. Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought Shaun Hately |webpage: http://www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html (ISTJ) |email: drednort@alphalink.com.au | ICQ: 6898200 "You know the very powerful and the very stupid have one thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the facts. They alter the facts to fit the views. Which can be uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that need altering." The Doctor - Doctor Who: The Face of Evil | Where am I: Frankston, Victoria, Australia ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jeffl1965@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: Poem Date: 07 Jan 2002 16:55:22 EST --part1_155.6eea525.296b734a_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 1/7/2002 11:34:45 PM South Africa Standard Time, drednort@alphalink.com.au writes: > I'm not sure, but I am probably the only extremely avid Ripperologist on > the list - I've studied the Ripper killings as a hobby for about 15 years > (and, BTW, Drew, there's nothing in the poem that doesn't match the > historical record so worrying about inaccuracies is something you don't > have to do). > > Nope. Might be more than me, but I'm into it also. Been into it casually since about 78 or so. At the time there were few books out, or still in print,as the case may be. Now there are too many,and I just havent had the time to read them all.:) I'm also a student of the Dusseldorf Ripper (Peter Kurten), Jack the Stripper ( no joke, really was his media created name), Dean Coril, The Zodiac, and a few others.:) never had a nightmare either.;) Dont really study them per se, just intersted. Migth be why my stories are so violent at times? :) Jeff --part1_155.6eea525.296b734a_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML>In a message dated 1/7/2002 11:34:45 PM South Africa Standard Time, drednort@alphalink.com.au writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">I'm not sure, but I am probably the only extremely avid Ripperologist on the list - I've studied the Ripper killings as a hobby for about 15 years (and, BTW, Drew, there's nothing in the poem that doesn't match the historical record so worrying about inaccuracies is something you don't have to do). </BLOCKQUOTE> Nope. Might be more than me, but I'm into it also. Been into it casually since about 78 or so. At the time there were few books out, or still in print,as the case may be. Now there are too many,and I just havent had the time to read them all.:) I'm also a student of the Dusseldorf Ripper (Peter Kurten), Jack the Stripper ( no joke, really was his media created name), Dean Coril, The Zodiac, and a few others.:) never had a nightmare either.;) Dont really study them per se, just intersted. Migth be why my stories are so violent at times? :) Jeff </HTML> --part1_155.6eea525.296b734a_boundary-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: SunStar77@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: Poem Date: 07 Jan 2002 20:05:19 EST --part1_178.1ca1739.296b9fcf_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 1/7/02 4:34:45 PM Eastern Standard Time, drednort@alphalink.com.au writes: > I'm not sure, but I am probably the only extremely avid Ripperologist on > the list - I've studied the Ripper killings as a hobby for about 15 years Actually, it's funny, you're not. I wrote my Sr. thesis in college on Jack the Ripper. Sun "What are you doing now?" "We're averting our eyes, Oh Lord." "Well, don't. It's just like those miserable psalms, they're so depressing." God and King Arthur, Monty Python and the Holy Grail --part1_178.1ca1739.296b9fcf_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML>In a message dated 1/7/02 4:34:45 PM Eastern Standard Time, drednort@alphalink.com.au writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">I'm not sure, but I am probably the only extremely avid Ripperologist on the list - I've studied the Ripper killings as a hobby for about 15 years </BLOCKQUOTE> Actually, it's funny, you're not. I wrote my Sr. thesis in college on Jack the Ripper. Sun "What are you doing now?" "We're averting our eyes, Oh Lord." "Well, don't. It's just like those miserable psalms, they're so depressing." God and King Arthur, Monty Python and the Holy Grail </HTML> --part1_178.1ca1739.296b9fcf_boundary-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jeffl1965@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: Poem Date: 07 Jan 2002 22:22:45 EST --part1_162.6ccb23e.296bc005_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 1/8/2002 3:06:50 AM South Africa Standard Time, SunStar77@aol.com writes: > Actually, it's funny, you're not. I wrote my Sr. thesis in college on Jack > the Ripper. > > Sun > "What are you doing now?" > "We're averting our eyes, Oh Lord." > "Well, don't. It's just like those miserable psalms, they're so depressing." > God and King Arthur, Monty Python and the Holy Grail > > > OMG!! And a fellow Pythonphile, too, I see.:) " 'Tis but a scratch." " I cut your bloody arm off" " I've had worse." Arthur and the Black Knight (iirc) :) Classic line!!! Jeff --part1_162.6ccb23e.296bc005_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML>In a message dated 1/8/2002 3:06:50 AM South Africa Standard Time, SunStar77@aol.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Actually, it's funny, you're not. I wrote my Sr. thesis in college on Jack the Ripper. Sun "What are you doing now?" "We're averting our eyes, Oh Lord." "Well, don't. It's just like those miserable psalms, they're so depressing." God and King Arthur, Monty Python and the Holy Grail </BLOCKQUOTE> OMG!! And a fellow Pythonphile, too, I see.:) " 'Tis but a scratch." " I cut your bloody arm off" " I've had worse." Arthur and the Black Knight (iirc) :) Classic line!!! Jeff</HTML> --part1_162.6ccb23e.296bc005_boundary-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "E.R. Stanway" <ers24@hermes.cam.ac.uk> Subject: TPFICT: Request Date: 08 Jan 2002 11:51:59 +0000 (GMT) Hello. I was wondering if someone would be kind enough to read through an old series/ CD characters story for me before I post it. It's only about 30k long and if anyone's kind enough to offer I can send it as one attachment or a number of parts. Please let me know, thanks. ___________________________________________________________________ Elizabeth Stanway ers24@cam.ac.uk http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/8403 "When in danger, when in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout." ___________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Emma=20Hanby?= <midigirl2000@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: Re: TPFICT: Request Date: 09 Jan 2002 09:47:44 +0000 (GMT) hiya u can send it to me if u want:D a nice break from writing HTML:D Em > > Hello. > > I was wondering if someone would be kind enough to > read through an old > series/ CD characters story for me before I post it. > It's only about 30k > long and if anyone's kind enough to offer I can send > it as one attachment > or a number of parts. > > Please let me know, thanks. > > ___________________________________________________________________ > Elizabeth Stanway > ers24@cam.ac.uk > http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/8403 > "When in danger, when in doubt, run in circles, > scream and shout." > ___________________________________________________________________ > > ===== please visit my new look site-go on you know you want to!: http://clik.to/Midi __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wendy Perkins <ladyslvr@xmission.com> Subject: TPFICT: what to call them Date: 09 Jan 2002 12:57:12 -0600 Proving once again that it's dangerous to get thinking: The TPFICT Awards really need a name. A real name. One that's meaningful, or at least impressive, off list. I solicited ideas on chat the other night, and got a few more sent to me privately after chat was over. Now I would like ideas from the people on the list. I'm looking for something that's related to the shows in some way, but not so much that you'd need to be a fan of the shows in order to understand the award. Ideas accepted on and off list. The more, the merrier. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Drew Thiele <grifmage@wvi.com> Subject: TPFICT: A question about breakouts Date: 12 Jan 2002 21:46:28 -0800 Okay. I've probably already had this question answered, but most cases of TP breakouts are when they are teenagers, correct ? Yes. Moving onto the real question ~ Hasn't there been a few exceptions of an adult breakout? Can we do this in fanfics, or is it too violating of the general TP breakout rule? Just an idle thought ~ Drew ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Drew Thiele <grifmage@wvi.com> Subject: Re: TPFICT: what to call them Date: 12 Jan 2002 22:49:54 -0800 Tomorrow's Muse Awards? Just a thought? -Drew At 12:57 PM 1/9/02 -0600, you wrote: >Proving once again that it's dangerous to get thinking: > >The TPFICT Awards really need a name. A real name. One that's meaningful, or >at least impressive, off list. > >I solicited ideas on chat the other night, and got a few more sent to me >privately after chat was over. Now I would like ideas from the people on >the list. > >I'm looking for something that's related to the shows in some way, but not so >much that you'd need to be a fan of the shows in order to understand the >award. > >Ideas accepted on and off list. The more, the merrier. > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jeffl1965@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: A question about breakouts Date: 13 Jan 2002 02:38:08 EST --part1_15f.70c2f33.29729360_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 1/13/2002 7:43:25 AM South Africa Standard Time, grifmage@wvi.com writes: > Hasn't there been a few exceptions of an adult breakout? Can we do this in > fanfics, or is it too violating of the general TP breakout rule? > > Liz and Trisha(?) were two adults that I can think of right off. Dont know about all the novels,as I only have 3. --part1_15f.70c2f33.29729360_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML>In a message dated 1/13/2002 7:43:25 AM South Africa Standard Time, grifmage@wvi.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Hasn't there been a few exceptions of an adult breakout? Can we do this in fanfics, or is it too violating of the general TP breakout rule? </BLOCKQUOTE> Liz and Trisha(?) were two adults that I can think of right off. Dont know about all the novels,as I only have 3. </HTML> --part1_15f.70c2f33.29729360_boundary-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "E.R. Stanway" <ers24@hermes.cam.ac.uk> Subject: Re: TPFICT: A question about breakouts Date: 13 Jan 2002 10:07:21 +0000 (GMT) Can I add another question: Is it against the rules to have a young child break out? What do people think would be the youngest reasonable age and would that be different for second generation TP's? ___________________________________________________________________ Elizabeth Stanway ers24@cam.ac.uk http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~ers "There is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken at the flood leads on to fortune...." ___________________________________________________________________ On Sat, 12 Jan 2002, Drew Thiele wrote: > Okay. I've probably already had this question answered, but most cases of > TP breakouts are when they are teenagers, correct ? Yes. > > Moving onto the real question ~ > > Hasn't there been a few exceptions of an adult breakout? Can we do this in > fanfics, or is it too violating of the general TP breakout rule? > > Just an idle thought > > ~ Drew > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jeffl1965@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: A question about breakouts Date: 13 Jan 2002 10:22:34 EST --part1_6e.16147114.2973003a_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 1/13/2002 12:08:02 PM South Africa Standard Time, ers24@hermes.cam.ac.uk writes: > Can I add another question: > > Is it against the rules to have a young child break out? What do people > think would be the youngest reasonable age and would that be different for > second generation TP's? > > I dont think its canon. I know of situations in some stories where characters as young as 5 have broken out,and in one case, an unborn child showed some sense of at least empathic responses, iirc. I dont think its too far fetched to give it a try,and you see what the others think. Besides, iirc, at least on Bewitched, both of Samatha's half-witch children showed their abilities around a year and a half or so, and I dont think that a new generation of TP wouldnt be able to do the same,as the Time Guardians are *very* far advanced TP,and I dont think that Peter was that far in the future from the 70's TP,but I dont recall his exact timeline. Jeff --part1_6e.16147114.2973003a_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML>In a message dated 1/13/2002 12:08:02 PM South Africa Standard Time, ers24@hermes.cam.ac.uk writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Can I add another question: Is it against the rules to have a young child break out? What do people think would be the youngest reasonable age and would that be different for second generation TP's? </BLOCKQUOTE> I dont think its canon. I know of situations in some stories where characters as young as 5 have broken out,and in one case, an unborn child showed some sense of at least empathic responses, iirc. I dont think its too far fetched to give it a try,and you see what the others think. Besides, iirc, at least on Bewitched, both of Samatha's half-witch children showed their abilities around a year and a half or so, and I dont think that a new generation of TP wouldnt be able to do the same,as the Time Guardians are *very* far advanced TP,and I dont think that Peter was that far in the future from the 70's TP,but I dont recall his exact timeline. Jeff </HTML> --part1_6e.16147114.2973003a_boundary-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Beth Epstein <tptigger42@earthlink.net> Subject: Re: TPFICT: A question about breakouts Date: 13 Jan 2002 10:08:43 -0600 On Sunday, January 13, 2002, at 04:07 AM, E.R. Stanway wrote: > > Can I add another question: > > Is it against the rules to have a young child break out? There are rules? :) > What do people > think would be the youngest reasonable age I think if you used a character below the age of about 12 or so for a boy or 10 or 11 for a boy, you'd have to explain how they broke out before hitting puberty. But you could do it. > and would that be different for > second generation TP's? > > I hope not. Can you imagine a teleporting baby? They'd have to fit the poor kid with a silencer band! Tigger ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: KVDelano@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: A question about breakouts Date: 13 Jan 2002 12:52:23 EST --part1_a7.19e368a8.29732357_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 1/13/2002 11:10:25 AM Eastern Standard Time, tptigger42@earthlink.net writes: > > On Sunday, January 13, 2002, at 04:07 AM, E.R. Stanway wrote: > > > > > Can I add another question: > > > > Is it against the rules to have a young child break out? > > There are rules? :) > > > What do people > > think would be the youngest reasonable age > > >I think if you used a character below the age of about 12 or so for a > >boy or 10 or 11 for a boy, you'd have to explain how they broke out > >before hitting puberty. But you could do it. Kenny was 12 in the slaves of jedekiah and according to carol, broke out at a "very young age", or course what constitues young OF course now children mature faster than even 20 years ago, and puberty does start earlier than it used to. I think I read that somewhere. > > and would that be different for > > second generation TP's? > > > > > > >I hope not. Can you imagine a teleporting baby? They'd have to fit the > >poor kid with a silencer band! > >Tigger I know my nephew hates having his diaper change, i can't imagine if he could teleport away instead of crawling. then again he could also get easy access to the cookie jar and M&Ms from their place on top of the fridge. Karens > They that would give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary security deserve neither liberty nor freedom. Ben Franklin --part1_a7.19e368a8.29732357_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML>In a message dated 1/13/2002 11:10:25 AM Eastern Standard Time, tptigger42@earthlink.net writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"> On Sunday, January 13, 2002, at 04:07 AM, E.R. Stanway wrote: > > Can I add another question: > > Is it against the rules to have a young child break out? There are rules? :) > What do people > think would be the youngest reasonable age >I think if you used a character below the age of about 12 or so for a >boy or 10 or 11 for a boy, you'd have to explain how they broke out >before hitting puberty. But you could do it.</BLOCKQUOTE> Kenny was 12 in the slaves of jedekiah and according to carol, broke out at a "very young age", or course what constitues young OF course now children mature faster than even 20 years ago, and puberty does start earlier than it used to. I think I read that somewhere. <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">> and would that be different for > second generation TP's? > > >I hope not. Can you imagine a teleporting baby? They'd have to fit the >poor kid with a silencer band! >Tigger</BLOCKQUOTE> I know my nephew hates having his diaper change, i can't imagine if he could teleport away instead of crawling. then again he could also get easy access to the cookie jar and M&Ms from their place on top of the fridge. Karens <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"></BLOCKQUOTE> They that would give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary security deserve neither liberty nor freedom. Ben Franklin</HTML> --part1_a7.19e368a8.29732357_boundary-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ana Isabel Sacristan <asacristan@alum.wellesley.edu> Subject: TPFICT: TEST. Please ignore. Date: 13 Jan 2002 22:07:53 -0600 This is an approved test message by Wendy' s request ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Drew Thiele <grifmage@wvi.com> Subject: TPFICT: Another Poem, 2nd part. Date: 17 Jan 2002 22:57:03 -0800 Note: This is the 2nd part of the previous poem. I doubt there will be more after this, but who knows. Enjoy! I welcome feedback at grifmage@wvi.com "Refuge from the Ripper" Landing in the sea, bewildered and lost, swimming to shore, sodden and weary, Seeking answers ~ A strange sight beckons, A spire half buried, strangely made, unnatural, draws me near, as if led, toward home ~ Stumbling toward this, profound relief at my escape, whispers are no more, bright sun shining on me, blessed silence resounds ~ As I enter the strange, Things start to form, thoughts, and feelings, a sense of belonging, A refuge from evil ~ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wendy Perkins <ladyslvr@xmission.com> Subject: TPFICT: And the Winner Is . . . Date: 19 Jan 2002 15:53:16 -0600 Although we still lack an actual name for these awards, we did end up with a decent turn out for the voting (after all). As with the 1999 awards, there are only two winning positions: Winner and Runner Up. In several instances there were ties. In the case of a tie for the Winner, there will be no Runner Up. There is otherwise no limit to the number of Runner Ups possible. Thank you to everyone who voted. As soon as I can get the new award graphics, the archives will be updated to reflect the results. **Favorite New Series Story (smaller than 30K)** Winner (tie): Reflections (One Word) by Jennifer D'Agostino Immortal: In Remembrance by Kasey Thompson **Favorite New Series Story (larger than 30K)** Winner: Worlds Away by Michele Bumbarger Runner Ups: Breaking Out Is Hard to Do by Anna Gravilla When I Was Your Age by Nicole Gray **Favorite Original Series Story (smaller than 30K)** Winner: Advanced Warnings: Prologue by John Garrett Runner Ups: From the Power Comes the Change by Jacqueline Clark Vital Signs by Dianne Elliott **Favorite Original Series Story (between 30 and 80K)** Winner: Awakening: Survival by Stephanie Lively Runner Up (tie): Advanced Warnings: All We Have to Fear by John Garrett **Favorite Original Series Story (over 80K)** Winner: Advanced Warnings: Telepath's Crusade by John Garrett Runner Up (tie): The Return of the Khultan by William Law **Favorite Original Series/New Series Crossover** Winner: Sublimenmity by Beth Epstein Runner Ups: A Broken Bond: Call of Duty by David Yates Keep Breathing by Jacqueline Clark **Favorite Crossover (under 40K)** Winner: Stranger than Fiction by Anne Olsen Runner Ups: Here Until Death, And After by Nicole Gray New Beginnings by Michele Bumbarger **Favorite Crossover (over 40K)** Winner: A Union of Souls by Michele Bumbarger Runner Ups: Fallen Ones by Mike Matott The Medusa Stone by Anne Olsen **Favorite Author** Winner: Michele Mason Bumbarger Runner Ups: Nicole Gray Anne Olsen Beth Epstein Other people who received votes: David Yates Jacqueline Clark Mike Matott Selma McCrory **Favorite Serial** Winner (tie): Tomorrow's Guardians: Advanced Warnings by John Garrett Tomorrow's Future by Selma McCrory and Wendy Perkins Tapestry by Michele Bumbarger **Favorite Original Character** Job Smith by John Garrett Warren by John Garrett Danny by David Yates Tamara Jackson by Kristina Schwartz Tyrran by Jennifer Welk **Most Original Use of A Canon Character** Andrew -- Legends and Monsters, by Beth Epstein Adam -- Breaking Out Is Hard To Do, by Anna Gravilla Megabyte -- Here Until Death, And After, by Nicole Gray John -- The Witch, by Jacqueline Clark **Most Imaginative Nullification of Powers** Ren and Stimpy subliminal messages in Sublimenmity Megan's taking down of John and Adam in Sublimenmity **Most Interesting Twist In A Story** --Ren and Stimpy subliminal messages in Sublimenmity --Worlds Away for daring to take the TP to a totally different universe. --Broken Bond #3 "I think it's fabulous how David joins the New and Original TPs into the story. The twist is that they found the lab." --That Megabyte and Adam were lovers in "Silently I Watch" **Mad Writer Award** Winner (tie): Michele Bumbarger: --She put the TP in a Jordanesque fantasy world and had Ami and Adam betrothed, and then married. And it *worked*. So kudos for a great experiment (and it worked). --For throwing Mb and Jade into a world where they're married. Beth Epstein: --How could it not be? --(vote, but no comment) **What Were We Thinking?** Winner: Shadows On A Changing Wind by Caroline Fales Runner Ups: Exoneration by Michele Bumbarger Three Moons Over Delenor by Marla Kendal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: CMento6653@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: And the Winner Is . . . Date: 19 Jan 2002 17:14:34 EST --part1_12b.ae54e51.297b49ca_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I cannot get to the HUb. I hav;en't seen most of these fics and wanted to go there but it seems like the page is gone!?? Is it? --part1_12b.ae54e51.297b49ca_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML>I cannot get to the HUb. I hav;en't seen most of these fics and wanted to go there but it seems like the page is gone!?? Is it?</HTML> --part1_12b.ae54e51.297b49ca_boundary-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: J2rider@aol.com Subject: Re: TPFICT: And the Winner Is . . . Date: 19 Jan 2002 18:46:16 EST --part1_117.b2e44aa.297b5f48_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Some of the links on the stories didn't work. Some went to the wrong story but most worked. One of Diane's stories didn't work and one stargate crossover didn't work --part1_117.b2e44aa.297b5f48_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML>Some of the links on the stories didn't work. Some went to the wrong story but most worked. One of Diane's stories didn't work and one stargate crossover didn't work</HTML> --part1_117.b2e44aa.297b5f48_boundary-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wendy Perkins <ladyslvr@xmission.com> Subject: Re: TPFICT: And the Winner Is . . . Date: 19 Jan 2002 17:59:26 -0600 Can you please tell me which links didn't work? Which pages you were on where there were problems? At 06:46 PM 1/19/2002 -0500, you wrote: >Some of the links on the stories didn't work. Some went to the wrong story >but most worked. One of Diane's stories didn't work and one stargate >crossover didn't work ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: molly kerr <ngbsscf99@yahoo.com> Subject: TPFICT: The Threat of Darkness Part 6/?? Date: 24 Jan 2002 20:29:49 -0800 (PST) I had problems with AOL and have joined the list through yahoo in order to get my stories posted, feedback can still go to jadfire@aol.com however. Here is the next part. I will soon be posting a part 0, now that i have it done. This will be the actual prophecy that is mentioned so much Enjoy. Feedback to jadfire@aol.com Thanks. Cath Part 6 Nathalie shifted nervously from one foot to the other, unsure of what to do next. She glanced back at Morgan to find the window empty. She turned back to Christopher and eyed him warily. "What do you want?" Nathalie asked, ignoring the hand that Chris was holding out. For all she knew, he could grab her and teleport her to some dangerous place where he could knock her unconscious and leave her there to die. He let the hand drop, and crossed his arms. "Nothing much," he said. "Just wanted to meet the person who has the Dark's so upset." "Well, now you have." Nathalie said, still refusing to move off the step. She was watching his hands carefully to be sure that he didn't have any of that power-binding rope. "Now, can you get off the bike so I can go?" He shrugged and moved away from the bike. Nathalie kept a distance from him as she made her way to it. She swung one leg over, still watching Chris, then put in the keys and hit the ignition switch, and it roared to life. /"I'll be seeing you."/ He said and teleported away, without looking around to see if he was being watched. Nathalie did look and found that the street was deserted. She sighed and shuddered, slumping in the seat. Why is everyone intent on scaring me to death? "At this rate, I'll have a mental breakdown by Friday, and its already Tuesday." She said to herself. /"Keery?"/ Her head came up, and was relieved when she recognized Blaise's voice. /"Blaise,"/ she sent back, relieved that it wasn't her brother or Christopher. /"Hi."/ /"Are you okay?"/ He asked. /"I haven't seen you for a few days."/ /"I know."/ She said sheepishly. /"I've been avoiding you guys. Trying to make sense of it all."/ /"Understandable."/ She felt his worry for her. She asked, /"What?"/ She got the mental equivalent of him shaking his head and shrugging. /"I just got the feeling that you were upset a few minutes ago."/ /"More so than usual?"/ She asked. /"I'm fine now, Blaise. Christopher just paid me a visit. That's all."/ /"Christopher Murray?"/ Nathalie shrugged. /"I guess."/ /"What happened?"/ /"Nothing much."/ She hoped that it would be enough to leave it at that, as she revved the engine and reached behind her for her helmet. Always the perceptive one, Blaise knew that there was more. /"And?"/ Nathalie sighed, and dropped her hands into her lap. /"No secrets. Right. Oh, and I just found out that Morgan DiPietro is a TP."/ /"Morgan."/ He hissed the name almost like a curse. Nathalie drew her brows together in confusion, he had always been cold and distrustful of her, but never with the vehemence that she sensed from him now. /"Blaise?"/ She asked. /"What about her?"/ /"Nothing."/ He said, quick and sharp, in a way that made her not want to ask more, though it made her wonder just how much he was keeping from her. /"Fine,"/ she said, mirroring his tone. /"We'll talk later. Really, Blaise, I'm fine."/ His sense told her that he didn't believe her one bit, but left it at that and left her alone. She sighed in relief, and put on her helmet. Reaching out with her mind, she sensed that Jake was not at home and headed there, once again. * * * Christopher teleported back to the spaceship and sat at one of the windows, looking out. The red glow of the room made the water outside look strange and unnatural. The water looked cold, devoid of life which was no coincidence since the ship was frozen partway in a glacier in the frigid Northern Atlantic. A few hours had passed since his "little meeting" with Nathalie. The setting sun over the ship was barely visible through the ice, and would soon be setting over Nathalie's home. It was almost time. A flash greeted the entrance of another Dark. Chris looked up from his perch and smiled. "Hey Ben." The young man smiled. Benjamin Zamolodjikova was one of the newest breakouts and one of Chris' closest and most trusted allies. He had his blond hair cropped short, and his thick blond eyebrows stood bushy over deep-set, cold blue eyes. He was ruthless, cold, one of Chris' best students, skilled at setting traps and getting good at other skills. "So," Ben said. "Is everything ready?" He clapped his hands and rubbed them together eagerly. "Almost," Chris said from his perch. The spot smelled of Jake's cologne and threatened to make him gag. He sat up and ran a hand through his hair. "These past few days have been hell for our fearless leader. His goody-goody big sister has caused his conscience to resurface." "Conscience?" Ben sneered. "A Dark does not have a conscience." His English was thick with a Russian accent that made him almost unintelligible to everyone but those who knew him well. "Yes," Chris said, feeling confident in himself. "He feels guilty about what we have planned for Nathalie." "What should we do about him?" His interest piqued, Ben was eager to do something. "Nothing yet." Chris said. "Nathalie first." "Ah," Ben said eagerly. "Is the trap ready?" Chris nodded. "Yes." "What's the plan?" "I'm gonna tell her that I need her help because Jake is hurt." Chris said, then held up a hand as Ben opened his mouth to ask a question. "I know, she won't believe me, but what if I tell her that I can't turn to the Dark's because we turned on him. Which is an idea that I have entertained on occasion." Ben chuckled. "So, she'll just come?" "If she thinks that he's hurt, she'll come." Chris said as he pushed his hair out of his face and stood. "He's important to her, even though they're opposites, enemies even." Ben was smiling broadly. "Genius Chris." "Thank you," he grinned back, taking a little bow. "Now, if you excuse meàI have a plan to get underway." "Oh," Ben bowed slightly, a comical wry twist on his full lips. "Don't let me keep you." * * * Nathalie looked out her bedroom window, pillow hugged tight to her chest. The stars shone bright in the clear sky. Mindless staring at pinpricks of light from stars millions of miles away was good. A meteor sped across the sky and she smiled. A knock on the door brought up her head. "Come in," she sat up and rubbed her eyes. The door opened and her mother peeked her head in. "Hey honey." Nathalie tried to smile, but it came out strained. "Hi." Her smile faded, replaced by worry. She entered the room, closed the door and hurried to her daughters side. She placed a hand on Nathalie's shoulder and leaned down to look into her freckled face with dark bags under tired blue eyes. "What's wrong honey?" She knew that was coming. Her mother was far more perceptive than she had given her credit for. Though the way she had been acting the past few days, Nathalie really couldn't blame her for being worried. Nathalie drew up her knees so that her mom could sit beside her on the window seat and tried to give her the most reassuring look that she could, though had the feeling that she failed utterly. "What makes you think that there's anything wrong." "Give me a break, Nat." She said, not fooled. She reached up to push some of Nathalie's hair out of her face. "You can't fool me, I know you too well." Nathalie closed her eyes and sighed. "Nothing's wrong Mom. I'm just tired, long couple of days, you know." "Wanna tell me about it?" "Not really." Nathalie admitted. As far as she knew, her mom was oblivious to her children's jaunting around the world, and didn't feel that it was the time to tell her. "There's been an old boyfriend coming around. He won't leave me alone. I've been hiding here, trying to get away from him." "Oh, honey, I'm sorry." She said, caring and sympathy replacing some of the worry in her eyes. "Who is it?" /Go away Mom!/ Nathalie ordered silently. "It's just Robert. He'll go away in a few days. Really, Mom, I'll be fine. A couple of days rest and I'll be back to my old self." She wasn't lying exactly. Robert was her most recent ex-boyfriend and he had had a hard time letting her go. But he hadn't come around for a few weeks. It felt strange to lie to her, her mother was someone who she confided in and trusted with everything. Well, not everything. But she had a feeling that she would be telling far worse lies before this was all over. Nathalie hoped that the fib was enough and to her mother's credit, she didn't press her. /Thank God!/ "Can I get you anything? A snack, something to drink?" /World peace?/ She thought ruefully. /The location of the Dark's ship?/ "Hot chocolate, please. Extra marshmallows." Nathalie said smiling sweetly. Leave it to her mother to always know what it would take to make her feel better. Nathalie just hoped that hot chocolate would help. "Will do." She leaned over to kiss Nathalie on the forehead, her hair sweeping forward and her perfume wafted toward her, floral and familiar. Nathalie reached up and hugged her mother tight. "Oh," she exclaimed, surprised and hugged her back. After a moment, Nathalie released her and allowed her mother to climb to her feet. "What was that for?" "Just for being my mom." Nathalie smiled at her mother, this time feeling that she had succeeded. "That's my girl." She smiled back. "One hot chocolate coming right up." "Extra marshmallows, remember?" "Right." She headed for the door. Nathalie grabbed her pillow again. "Hey Mom?" "Yeah, Nat?" "Thanks." She smiled and opened the door, walked out and closed it softly, leaving Nathalie alone again. She felt better inside, less mentally exhausted, calmer. She was gazing out at the stars again when her mother returned a few moments later with the hot chocolate. She smiled and left the room without a word. Nathalie sipped in silence, letting the warmth of it seeping into her soul. Chocolate was the ultimate soul food. She finished and set the cup on the window sill. /"Nathalie?"/ A voice came into her head, a voice that she knew too well. /What now?/ /"Yeah?"/ /"It's Christopher."/ /"I know."/ The tension flooded back into her muscles with the flow of adrenaline. /"What do you want?"/ She could sense a small hint of reluctance in his thoughts. She never expected what he said next. /"Your help."/ She almost laughed. /"My help? You have a whole bunch of Darks to turn to, why me?"/ Christopher was silent for a moment; so long, in fact, that she thought that he had become discouraged and had left her alone. When he finally spoke, his words made her jump like she had been touched with a live wire. /"It's Jake."/ Panic surged through her. /"What about him? This is a trick."/ She said, though it hurt her to be so cold. /"No trick."/ Chris said, with the mental equivalent of him shaking his head. /"He needs your help."/ /"What happened?"/ Christopher sighed and she sensed that it was hard for him to ask for a Light's help. That, or he was a really good actor. Nathalie's instincts said that it was the latter of the two and begged her not to trust Darks, especially not this Dark. /"He's hurt."/ Instinctively, Nathalie reached out with her mind to find her brother and found only emptiness. All her life there had been at least a very dim feeling of him; not a presence, really, just a feeling in her that Jake was there. Panic surged up. /"Where is he?"/ /"He's hurt."/ Chris repeated. /"You can't sense him 'cause he's been tied up with 'mit rope."/ /"No, he's just got his shields up."/ She said, refusing to accept the fact that Chris needed her, or that Jake couldn't take care of himself. /"A few Dark's turned on him 'cause he's starting to go a little soft."/ He sounded like he was astounded that his people had turned on their leader, but again her instincts told her to be cautious. In her first meeting with him, she had sensed that he was independent, ruthless, someone that would go to the lengths that he was going to get what he wanted, and she sensed that that was her. /"What do you mean he's going a little soft?"/ Chris sighed. /"He's not as Dark as he should be."/ /"Huh?"/ Nathalie asked. /"You gotta be a bit more specific that that."/ /"It's hard to explain to a Light."/ His evasion was telling her that she was tripping him up, that his plan was faltering. /"Try, or I'm cutting this off."/ He was silent for a moment, probably trying to think of what to say. /"He's got emotions that he shouldn't have, guilt, sympathy."/ Christopher said, hissing at her. She laughed out loud. /"I know my brother,"/ Nathalie said. /"Cold as ice, that one. Nice try. Bye Chris."/ She tried to separate her thoughts from his, but he held on. /"Wait."/ He called. /"What? If he's doing so badly, why don't you go?"/ /"They're watching me pretty good, waiting to turn on anyone at the top. It happens, it hasn't happened for a few years. It was due. One thing about us is that there's always someone who wants to be at the top."/ He said, she sensed sadness in him. /"I can't help him."/ Nathalie tossed the pillow and blanket to the other side of the window seat angrily, and jumped to her feet. "Damn it!" She cursed herself. Christopher was getting to her. Though her instincts were screaming at her that this was a trap, the absence of Jake in her mind was telling her heart that she didn't care. /"How bad is he hurt?"/ /"Pretty bad."/ He suddenly seemed relieved that she had changed her mind. She sighed. /I'll just check it out, maybe he's there, and maybe he's not./ /"Where is he?"/ /"Northern Greenland. He's in a cave in the iceberg."/ Chris said. /"Get him out."/ He hesitated, choking on the next word, if it was possible to choke on a telepathic work, that is. /"Please."/ Nathalie felt a little more scared and a little more suspicious of this being a trap. Earlier, he had seemed too proud to ask for help and if her was saying 'please' then it was serious. She pushed away her feelings with some effort. /"Okay."/ Nathalie crossed her room to the closet and pulled out her winter coat from the very back. It was going to be cold on the glacier. Her mind was screaming 'no,' but she ignored it. Jake needed her. /I'm coming Jake!/ * * * Christopher brought his thoughts back into his own mind and sighed. "Whew, that was close." He said. "But she's coming?" Ben asked. He had been listening in, but most of the conversation had escaped him. Christopher nodded. "It was close." He affirmed. "But, yeah, she's coming." "Shall we go?" "We shall." Together they teleported to the cave that Chris had told Nathalie about. It was a large cavern, full of icy stalactites and stalagmites, and it was cold, silent and lonely. Christopher picked up the coil of 'mit rope from the ledge where he had left it an hour before, and wound it around his hand, feeling his strength weaken, then unwound it and sighed as his powers returned. "She'll be here any moment, if only to prove me wrong." He replied as he checked the knots on the rope. He headed for a ledge where he could see the entire cavern. "I can handle her myself if you want to go." He hoped the hint was obvious, but Ben just smiled. Clearly wanting to see the master at work, Ben ducked behind an outcropping out of sight. /This is gonna be too easy!/ Christopher sighed, raised his shields as high as he could and still be able to sense other's without being able to be sensed himself. He was starting to get impatient and think that she was not going to come, when a flash signaled Nathalie's arrival. She appeared with her back to him, looking frantically around for her "injured" brother. "Jake?" She called. "Jake, where are you?" Christopher smiled. He looked down to make sure that Ben was crouching out of sight. He's not here." Nathalie swung around so fast that she almost fell on the ice at her feet. "Christopher?" She exclaimed, eyes wide. "What's going on? Where's Jake." "He's not here." He said, fingering the rope hidden in his lap as slowly he slid the lasso larger. "This *is* a trap." She said with certainty. She started backing away, breathing hard, arms crossed over her chest. "Perceptive, aren't you." he said. "Too bad it took you so long." He raised his arms and with a flick of his wrist, sent the coil sailing at her. It landed neatly about her shoulders and pulled tight. After only a moment, her knees began to wobble and she fell. Christopher jumped forward to catch her, not to aid her, but to finish the job of tying her up. He bound her hands in front of her and secured her arms to her sides. Tying the rope tight enough that her winter jacket was a hindrance, even if she could muster enough strength to try to escape. "Why are you doing this?" She asked, trying to struggle, though her strength and powers were bound by the rope. "Let me go!" Christopher laughed at her weak attempts. He reached down and lifted her into his arms. She wiggled hard to try to get free but he tightened his grip enough to hurt her. "Don't take it personally." He stepped carefully on the ice, moving toward the place that he had readied for her, a pit eight feet deep, with a spiked floor on one half. "No, Chris, don't!" She pleaded, her voice shrill with terror as she turned her head and saw the pit. "Please!" He sighed. "This 'miss innocent' act may work with your brother, but not on me, Nat." He said coldly. He stopped at the edge, ears beginning to ring for Nathalie had given up on the pleading and had changed to high-pitched screaming for help, right in his ear. "Have fun." He waited a moment as her screams escalated and tossed her in. "All too easy." She shrieked as a spike speared her arm, another opening a deep gash in her cheek. He brushed his hands together and headed away. Nathalie yelled again in pain and desperation. "Help! Don't leave me!" Christopher retuned to the ledge where Ben was sitting, laughing at Nathalie's screams. "Nice work." He said. Chris comically bowed to Ben. "Thank you, thank you." He said. "I'm here now till Friday, return engagement." "Let's go." Ben said, jumping down off the ledge. "You go," Chris motioned him away. "I'm gonna stay for the festivities." Ben smiled and disappeared in a flash, while Christopher sat back, fingers laced behind his head, and listened to Nathalie's cries for help. Music to his ears. ______________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Great stuff seeking new owners in Yahoo! Auctions! http://auctions.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: molly kerr <ngbsscf99@yahoo.com> Subject: TPFICT: The Threat of Darkness Part 7/?? Date: 25 Jan 2002 20:15:57 -0800 (PST) Enjoy everybody! Cath _________________________________________________________________ Part 7 Blaise bolted upright from a fitful doze, one full of incomprehensible dreams. "Nathalie!" He screamed in anguish, for where her sense had been a moment ago, was only blackness, an emptiness. It took him a moment for his mind to stop searching for her long enough for him to remember that he was in the spaceship, and then Julie teleported in. "What's happened?" She asked, crossing the room to wrap him in a comforting hug. Her eyes were full of worry for a girl that she know for less that a week. She had sensed it as well. "I don't know" He hung his head. "She just vanished." "She's not-" He cut her off with a sharp look. "No," he said with certainty. "I would know if she died." "The Darks." it was a statement, not a question. Blaise nodded. "It was sudden. She was terrified and then everything went dark. Keery's either unconscious or tied up in 'mit rope." Julie paced for a moment. "Let's see if we can find anything." She held up her hands, palms facing Blaise. He pushed himself to his feet and joined her, raised his palms so that they were almost touching. As they concentrated, images came into his mind: Nathalie in her room; Christopher in their ship, red and sinister and still elusive, pleading for her help, saying that Jake was hurt; Nathalie arguing with him until she finally gave up and rushed to his aid against her better judgement. Julie broke the mind merge as Blaise was receiving another image, this one accompanied by the familiar tingle of premonition. "Let's go," she said, "she's hurt." Blaise shook his head. "There's more. I couldn't see it." He put his hands back up. "Jules, please." She sighed, impatient to leave. "Fine," she returned and reestablished the merge. Images flickered through in flashes too quick to follow, until one image appeared, and his spine tingled. Mind reeling, he opened his eyes and looked at Julie. "Did you get that?" She shook her head. "I don't get premonitions, my powers just amplified yours." She said sadly. "What did you see?" Blaise closed his eyes, trying to hold it in his mind. "Blaise?" He looked at her, pushing his blond hair out of his eyes. "I'm not at all sure that I believe what I just saw." * * * /The man who had coined the phrase "waiting is hell" was very smart./ Jake paced around the central column, arms crossed over his chest. He had the feeling that he was being watched and raised his shields instinctively, to the point where he could still sense others but his own emotions were hidden behind an impenetrable brick wall. It was a good thing that they were, too. His current mental stare was one that could quite frankly get him killed. He was confused, unsure of what was going to happen next. Waves of guilt and remorse had been crashing over him since Nathalie's presence had disappeared from his mind; emotions that he thought had died when he had broken out. He was the leader of the Darks, he wasn't supposed to feel this way. He tried time and again to push the self-destructive emotions back into the Pandora's Box that they had escaped from, but the key to lock it up again had flown out of his reach. I need to do something to help her. He thought to himself feeling numb. But what? I know that Chris is watching me like a hawk, doing anything myself is like signing my own death warrant. He had to gather up the pieces and sweep them under the rug for the moment when Chris appeared in the room. He looked quite pleased with himself, nearly bouncing with joy. "We got her!" Jake nodded without speaking, he had sensed that much. "And what is to be done with her?" "That's up in the air, as to whether she'll bleed out or freeze to death." "Ah," "Do you wanna watch with me?" Chris asked. "Come on, just like old times." Jake managed a smile, though his mind had finally latched onto a solution. He just hoped that he could fend Chris off long enough. For the moment his conscience was behaving, shrunk to almost nothing, but he knew that it would resurface at any time, and he didn't know if he would be strong enough to fight Chris off, if he decided to try to go after him. It was becoming more and more difficult for him to do so because every time he felt any emotion that was decidedly un-Dark, he felt his powers fluctuate, growing weaker until the emotion faded, then they grew strong again and he returned to normal. "Sure, lead the way." They teleported together to the cavern, and Jake shivered instantly, though he tried to hide the fact that he was cold. Darks don't feel cold. Nathalie's screams echoed off the walls, shrill with desperation, pain and fear. "Help me!" She cried. Jake followed her cries to the edge of the pit. He almost fainted at the sight of her. Her face was half-covered in blood from a gash running from above her left eye and running down her right cheek, barely missing her eye. Her clothing was torn, hair stiff with blood and frozen blood. There was so much blood. Her right arm was impaled on a spike just above the elbow. She must be in too much pain to pull it free. He thought to himself privately. Through years of practice, he had learned to keep his face stony no matter what he felt, something that he was glad for now. "Jake?" She asked weakly, squinting up as she craned her neck slowly into a very uncomfortable looking angle in order to see him. "Jake, help me!" Jake glanced back at Christopher who was eyeing him closely, then back to his sister. He steeled himself and glared down at her. Then he smiled coldly at her. "Having fun?" Her face fell and she started weeping harder. "Guess not." He could feel Christopher behind him, but he felt a strange need to reassure her. He raised his shields a little higher and let his cold face fall. He looked down on her again with caring eyes, feeling inside like he was betraying all that he was. Nathalie looked back, confused at this sudden turn around and unsure what it meant. "I'm sorry." He mouthed. Nathalie looked like she didn't know what to think but managed a weak smile which looked somewhat like a grimace. He turned back to Chris. "Nice work." "Keep it up." Jake said loud enough that Nathalie could hear and force herself for someone to find her as he meant his words for her and not for Christopher. "I've got something to do. I'll see you later." He closed his eyes and teleported before Chris had a chance to say anything. He appeared in the ship and collapsed to his knees. It had taken all of his strength to appear strong in front of Chris when every nerve had been screaming at him to jump down into the pit, untie her and teleport her someplace safe. /The only safe place for her in the world is in the Light's ship, and I can't exactly go there./ He thought cynically. He climbed laboriously to his feet and tried to quiet his racing heart. His thoughts rested on one of the few people that he knew that could go to both ships, and be able to get back out again. He brought his shields down far enough that he could reach out his mind to her. /"Morgan!?"/ He cried desperately. Her response came back surprised. He sensed from her that she was with a group of people, all saps, at a coffee shop. /"Jake, what do you want?"/ She sounded annoyed and a little distracted, he figured that she was trying to act normal, that these people didn't know what was going on in her mind. He sighed, too impatient to play her games. /"I need you to come here quick."/ He said. /"Why?"/ She asked. /"What's wrong?"/ /"I don't want to say too much. Just come here."/ Jake tried to sound authoritative, but he still sounded tired and desperate. Morgan sent the mental equivalent of a sigh. /"Okay, I'll be there soon."/ /"Hurry."/ * * * Morgan severed the connection to Jake with a sigh. She looked around the table. Her friends were chatting about beach parties and summer flings, all except Toby. He was sitting next to her, quiet, observant. "What's up Mor?" He asked. "You're quiet." She gathered up her things on the table, a journal, some lotion that Ashleigh had borrowed, and put them back in her bag. "I gotta go." He rose to her feet as she stood. "Is everything okay?" "Yeah," she said quickly. Too quickly, and he looked at her like he didn't believe a word of it. "Let me walk you out." Morgan smiled. "That's sweet Toby, really, its great to see that chivalry isn't dead." She said, laying a hand on his arm. "You stay." She knew that he liked her , and if she took long enough to separate her life as a TP from her semblance of a normal like, she could see herself with him, but not with the war hanging over her head. She couldn't deny the feelings that swelled up in her just by touching him, but she forced them away. "I insist." He said earnestly. Morgan sighed. "Fine," she said trying to sound gracious and not sounding annoyed. She turned to the table. "Hey guys, I gotta go." Moans and groans erupted from the table as everyone turned towards her. "Yeah, I know. I'll see you guys later." She turned and left, Toby following in her wake. Once outside, she stopped, blinking in the sunshine, a stark contrast from the smoke-filled gloom of the coffee house. "Thanks for walking me out Toby." She said and started to walk away, but he caught her upper arm. She turned back at him a little surprised. "What?" His brown eyes were concerned, worried. She could vaguely sense his worry for her, if she really concentrated on him. "What's going on?" He asked. "You look like you're about to head into the lion's den." Morgan chuckled. "Just about." She muttered under her breath. "Huh?" "Nothing." He narrowed his eyes at her. "Come on Mor." He said. "Don't insult my intelligence. I've known you for too long." "It's nothing Toby." She looked down at his hand still holding her arm and reached up to gently move it away. She gave it a squeeze, "I'm fine, I'll see you later." "Okay," he said reluctantly, conceding defeat. "If you need help, call me, alright?" "Yeah," she said smiling. She hoped that it was enough and he'd go away. No such luck. "Be careful." "I will." He gently squeezed her hand and leaned in to kiss her quickly, softly on the lips. He leaned back and smiled dreamily. "For luck. Something tells me that whatever you've gotta do, you'll need it." She tried to smile again but barely managed to life the corners of her mouth. "I gotta go." She whispered, blushing slightly. Toby released her and spoke as she headed away. "You're gonna have to explain this all to me one day." "Yeah," she murmured, glancing back over her shoulder to see if he had headed back into the coffee house. She didn't see him, so she turned into the nearest alley and teleported away. She appeared in the ship to find Jake pacing back and forth in front of one of the windows and shivered, she always did when met with the frigid air of the arctic. "Okay, I'm here. What is so darn important?" She asked crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes . Jake stopped pacing and looked at her. "Where have you been?" "I had to get away from my friends. Sorry." She said. Then she noticed the look in his eyes and the next sarcastic comment died in her throat. She could see a change, they were no longer as black, softer, devoid of the sharpness that had been there before. In her mind, she felt a change in him, something that she couldn't quite put her finger on, but he was the master of projecting false emotions to get people to do what he wanted, so she stayed on her guard. "What is the game here?" "No game," he said. "I need your help." "Why?" She asked snorting in derision. "You never have before." "Something's happened." He said quietly. "Nat's been captured." Shock coursed through her and it took all of her strength to stay on her feet. She had never been all that in tune with Nathalie, or any of the other Lights, ever since she became a Dark. She coughed. "Who?" "Chris got her, she's hurt really bad." Jake said. She thought that she could almost see tears in his eyes, and passed it off as a trick of the light. Jake Ciarana never cried. Morgan sensed what he wanted her to do and while she wasn't as heartless as most Dark's were, she was cold enough to make him ask for it. "Why should you care?" She asked. "You're a Dark, you don't care for anyone, not even your only sister. Love, regret, guilt, compassion, not in your vocabulary." Jake sat down hard in his normal spot on the window ledge and glared at her. "I don't know what's going on, but something's happening to me." He said softly. "I do care." She had never sensed him feel this way before. He was full of regret, remorse, and a grim determination to make things right again. "What do you want me to do?" "Get her out and take her to the Light's ship." He said. "Please Morgan, she's hurt really bad." The honesty in his eyes and his sense told her that he was telling the truth this time. "Okay," she sighed. "Where is she?" "The ice cavern." He said. "Careful though, Chris is still there and 'mit rope works just as well on you." She nodded. "Okay." "Thanks." Jake said. She was about to teleport when Jake let out a moan and slumped back. She rushed to his side. "What happened?" It took him a long time to answer. His eyes were closed and he looked unconscious. When he finally did open them, his eyes were clear, yet distracted. "I'm not sure. I just felt something, a loud click that felt like a punch to my stomach." He waved her off. "I'll be fine." "You sure?" He nodded again, and grimaced as he shifted position on the ledge. "Go, my sister needs your help." Morgan looked at him one more time. He looked horrible. But he wanted her to go, so she closed her eyes and teleported from the ship. * * * The tears were freezing to her cheeks, the blood frozen to her face and to the spike impaled through her arm, holding her fast even though she doubted that she had the strength to pull it free anyway. One good thing about the cold, it kept the blood flow down for the artery had probably been pierced. Her feet had gone numb, everything had, and it hurt too much to move. She was shivering violently, engulfed in pain. Her arms were still bound to her sides and her hands bound in front causing her to lie in quite an uncomfortable position. She saw a flash reflect in the ice of the cavern, but with her powers bound as securely as her arms by the 'mit rope, she couldn't tell if someone was leaving or someone was arriving. She stayed quiet, not willing to give away her position if it was Christopher or another Dark come to laugh and torture. "Nathalie?" She almost fainted with relief. "Keery, where are you?" She gathered what strength she had to scream. "Morgan? Is that you?" She heard a relieved cry, and a moment later, Morgan's dark hair and oval face appeared at the top of the pit. "Oh God!" She exclaimed when she saw Nathalie's state. "Get me out of here." Nathalie called, fighting down a wave of nausea as she drew up her legs as far out of the way as she could. Morgan judged the depth and hopped down, landing with a soft thud in the snow. "Cozy." Nathalie didn't respond, but watched as Morgan bent over her and pulled apart the knots of the 'mit rope, with some difficulty because of the frozen blood everywhere. Carefully, Nathalie squirmed so that Morgan could pull the rope away. She was still pinned to the ground by the spike and she heard Morgan gasp as she saw the extent of her injury. "Help me pull it off, the blood's frozen." Nathalie said, feeling nausea swelling up at the thought. She didn't want to contemplate what it would feel like when she was already close to blacking out every time she breathed. Morgan dropped to her knees beside Nathalie and worked one hand under her elbow and the other under her upper arm. "Ready?" Nathalie nodded and gripped her lower lip between her teeth. "On three," she said, bracing her other arm on the ground. "One." "Two." "Three." They said together. Nathalie pushed up while Morgan pulled. She screamed shrilly as the blood crackled and her arm pulled free with a sickening sound, and blacked out. She came to with a groan with Morgan calling to her. "Come on, Keery. Wake up." "I'm awake." Morgan put her hand on Nathalie's shoulder and teleported them both out of the cavern. The sudden warmth of the room they appeared in made her moan. It was faintly blue in color, a background hum greeted her and told her that they were in the spaceship. She felt the grate of sand under her back and Morgan kneeling behind her head. Relief washed over her when Blaise rushed to her side and took her hand in his. "Nathalie!" Another person rushed to her side. Blond hair falling over her shoulders. "Do ye be still, okay?" She said. She placed on hand on either side of her arm and closed her eyes. Nathalie looked down at her arm and saw Briana's hands and her arm begin to glow. Pain flooded her as circulation began to return to frozen extremities in swarms of pins and needles. She felt Blaise squeeze her hand in reassurance. The blood flow from her arm slowed and the stopped as Briana's healing powers began to close up the wound. After a moment, one of Briana's hands moved to her forehead and began closing that too. Nathalie began to feel physically stronger until, finally, Briana sat back exhausted. Nathalie looked down at her arm, still blood-covered, but the wound looked like it had had a few days of healing. James caught Briana as she collapsed. He pushed her hair out of her face and looked worriedly into her face, calling her name in a way that made Nathalie wonder just what the relationship between them was. She looked like she had just run the Boston marathon five times without stopping, while Nathalie felt like she had been dragged through hell and back. Nathalie rose to her knees, and Blaise helped her to her feet and over to the central column while James picked Briana up in his arms and laid her gently on one of the window ledges. Blaise wrapped her up in her arms, holding her close. "I am so sorry." He said, kissing her on the forehead. "For what?" "For not protecting you." Nathalie didn't know how to react to the emotions that she was getting from him. She just held on to him, tears sliding down her cheeks. Julie appeared with a first aid kit that she had dug out of her bag, and Blaise released her so that Julie could get to the wounds and dress them. Briana looked like she was sleeping. "Hey, Briana?" Nathalie called. The young Scot cracked open her eyes and smiled weakly. "I did the best that I could, now it's up to you. The bone is still broken, it needs a cast or a splint. I canna heal completely, just enough so that others can heal themselves." Julie tied a sling at Nathalie's shoulder and handed her a small packet and Blaise handed her a glass of the orange juice that the ship produced. The packet contained Motrin, which she swallowed with the juice. Each sip seemed to give her more strength. "Thank you." Nathalie said to them all. She rose to her feet and gave Briana a hug with her good arm. The injured one felt better with every passing minute. Nathalie then turned to Morgan who was standing apart from the others, gazing out one of the windows. The young woman looked thoughtful, but unsure as well, shifting slightly from one foot to the other. "Hey, Mor." Nathalie called, and Morgan started as if being pulled out of deep thought. "Yeah?" "I owe you my life." She said. "Thank you." Morgan blushed. "My pleasure." She said. "You alright?" "I'll do." Nathalie admitted. "Once the pain killers kick in." Nathalie heard her chuckle. Then she saw her glance over Nathalie's shoulder. She grimaced and said, "I'm not welcome here. I'd better go." Nathalie could feel the intensity of the gazes of the people behind her and turned to look upon the others. All were watching Morgan warily, like she had the plague. Morgan closed her eyes to teleport, but Blaise told her to wait. Her eyes shot open in surprise. He walked around Nathalie and approached Morgan who took a step back. Blaise held up his arms who took a step back. Blaise held up his arms showing that he meant no harm, and Nathalie turned to Briana to find out what was going on. "She's a Dark." Nathalie gasped and shot a glance at her two best friends. "Then how can she just 'port out? I thought that Dark's got stuck." "She's not a normal Dark." James said, sitting close to Briana, holding her protectively. "She's a Dark right now, but she could go the other way at any moment. She's a Grey, neutral, she can go anywhere with no restrictions. Anything with a 'mit is the only thing that can stop her." Nathalie looked back at Morgan who was arguing with Blaise. "You know, Morgan." Blaise was saying. "We appreciate all that you did, but right now, you're a Dark." Morgan looked back at Blaise, determination in her dark eyes, and Nathalie had the sense that she was repeating herself. "I know that Kinsington. But things are changing among the Dark ranks. Christopher is going to become leader soon, if he hasn't already." "What's wrong with Jake?" Nathalie asked. "He seemed different. He came to see me, one minute he was his usual self, cold, dark, the next he was remorseful and apologetic." Morgan looked at her. "He is different. He's the one who asked me to get you out, Keery." Blaise jumped in. "What are you saying?" "Jake isn't acting like a Dark anymore," Morgan said. She was silent for a moment, eyes closed, then she opened them and looked directly at Blaise. "I don't know what will happen, bit o do know that Jake will not be the leader for much longer. And when Christopher takes over, you guys are gonna need all the help you can get." "Are you defecting?" Nathalie asked hopefully. Morgan nodded. "We are few, we must choose our allegiances carefully. At this point I believe that the Darks are gunning for Nathalie, and you will need me." Nathalie sensed Blaise's urge to scoff at her and crossed the room and laid a hand on his shoulder. Blaise looked down at her hand then up at her. "We do need her Blaise," Nathalie said. "If not for her, I would be dead." "But she could go to them with our secrets." Blaise said. "She could tell them where we are." Morgan laughed. "I was a Light first, Kensington. I've known where this place is for almost a year. I haven't yet, and what makes you think that I'm gonna start now?" Blaise had to concede defeat on that point. "You need me." He looked at Nathalie who nodded and then to Julie who took a little longer, but nodded too. His attention returned to Morgan who stood patiently with her hands in the pockets of her jeans, straight black hair that refused to tangle, falling over her shoulders and framed her face. "Okay," he said with a sigh. "You can stay, but we'll be watching. And if you betray usà" He trailed off meaningfully. Nathalie knew him well enough to know that he didn't make idle threats. She knew that though he couldn't kill, he would make Morgan wish that she was dead if she betrayed them. "I understand." She said. "Thanks Kensington." She headed for Nathalie. "Oh Morgan?" Blaise called. She turned back. "Yeah?" "It's just Blaise. Okay?" She nodded. "Yeah. Thanks. Blaise." * * * Christopher emerged from his hiding place fuming with anger, just as the reflected flash of Morgan escaping with Nathalie faded from the pit. He reached out with his mind and sensed that Jake was in the ship, but at the same time he felt that something was different about him. He didn't know what it was, but felt that it was a weakness. The time for his attack had come. He closed his eyes and teleported to the ship. /I knew that this day would come!/ * * * Jake sensed that Nathalie was safe in the ship and sighed, pushing his hair out of his face. /Thank God!/ His head was swimming and he leaned it back against the wall as he looked out through the icy water. His sense of Nathalie was the same but everything else felt dim; not quite what it felt like to be tied up in 'mit rope, but close. Suddenly, there was a roar in his mind. /"Jake!!"/ He heard and groaned. Christopher. The TP in question appeared in the room bristling, his brown hair nearly standing on end, his silver eyes molten with anger. "What the hell did you think you were doing?" He roared, advancing on him. "What do you mean Chris?" Jake asked, sounding innocent. "You know exactly what I am talking about." Chris said, fists balled tight at his sides. "You know what Chris? I really am in no mood for this." Jake said, sitting up tiredly. Chris scoffed and grabbed Jake by the lapel, and hauled him to his feet. He was six years older, a few inches taller and about had about twenty pounds more muscle that Jake had. Jake had always had the menacing presence that made him seem much larger, but that was gone now. "You sent Morgan?" He asked incredulously. "Some Dark you are!" Jake glared back at Christopher. "Let me go." He hissed. "Or what?" Jake just glared. "Where are they now?" "The Light's ship I suppose." Jake answered. He reached up and pulled on Christopher's pinky, hard, releasing himself. He backed away gasping, one hand to his throat. "You ass!" Jake said. "What's wrong with you?" Christopher laughed coldly. "Don't you get it?" He sneered. "You're weak. I'm taking over!" Jake moaned inwardly. Chris, interpreting his silence as an opportunity, advancing again. Jake backed away until his back hit the wall. Panic surged up and Chris smiled knowing that Jake was stuck. He stepped up and drew back his fist and punched his squarely in his stomach. Jake doubled up and dropped to his knees, wind knocked out of him. "Stop!!" He cried. He knew that Chris would not stop. He closed his eyes and tried to teleport. He felt the normal hyperawareness and then the room disappeared, then something went wrong. He felt a sharp pain and a roar in his ears, and reappeared in the same spot, gasping. He searched frantically for a 'mit or a piece of 'mit rope tied around some part of him but found nothing. He looked up at Chris who was standing over him triumphantly. Jake's mind was reeling. /What just happened?/ He thought as Christopher's foot connected with his ribs. He dropped to his stomach and barely managed to avoid the foot that was descending over him. It stamped to the ground as Jake got to his feet. He tried to teleport again. This time he felt no tingle, no hyperawareness, nothing. "Okay, Chris," he wheezed. "Where's the 'mit?" "There is no 'mit." Christopher said, knowing that he had won. "I don't know how it happened, but you're a sap." Triumph flashed in his silver eyes as shock coursed through Jake as he felt the truth in Chris's words. "And you are at my mercy." __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Great stuff seeking new owners in Yahoo! Auctions! http://auctions.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Emma=20Hanby?= <midigirl2000@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: TPFICT: Mind Games-about the story Date: 28 Jan 2002 01:11:39 +0000 (GMT) This story isn't based on either the new series or the old series, it is however based on the concept of The Tomorrow People and basically is what came out of my brain when i set myself the task of recreating it for the children/young adult audience of today, not meaning it to go anywhere but its just a break from writing comedy. I am currently working on the next story in this series called Rainbow, so watch this space! Feedback on any of my stories (except the first two cause they were complete and utter tripe) is always welcome, please try and give constructive critisims. all thats left for me to say is a big thanks to Elizabeth Stanway for reading the shell of a story that i had and making sense of it. enjoy the story Emma ===== Feeling stressed? had a really bad day? why not try: http://clik.to/Midi __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Emma=20Hanby?= <midigirl2000@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: TPFICT: MindGames Part 1 Date: 28 Jan 2002 01:36:39 +0000 (GMT) A large removal van pulled up in front of the semi-detached house; a black Fiat stopped behind it. Alison, a tall slender girl in her late teens got out of the car, followed by her father. Mark looked at his daughter ôAlison, do you like it?ö She chewed her lip thoughtfully. ôIits OKokö she said. Mark knew that was the only evaluation of their new home he was going to get. He joined Alison on the pavement and put his arm around her. ôWell, itÆs a new start isnÆt it? Maybe being here will change things,ö Alison didnÆt answer. Sophie was running but she didnÆt know why. All she knew was she had to get away fast. She felt someone elseÆs presence behind her and turned. Slowly, she saw a baseball bat raised above her head. Sophie tried to scream, but the sound stuck in her throat. Cowering on the ground, she looked up at her assailant, and saw an evil glint in his eyes. He laughed and swung the bat down onto her. She woke screaming, her body trembling. Cold sweat ran down her face. Sophie stared through the darkness. Relief swept over her as she realised it was a dream. ôIt was a stupid dream!ö She whispered. Heavy footsteps came down the hall. She jumped in fright. Christ, someone heard me, she thought. The door to the dormitory slowly opened and a figure stood in the doorway. The light from the hallway seeped into the room ôIs everyone OK?ö Asked a voice softly, nobody else in the room stirred. Sophie felt cold and was shivering but she swung her legs over the side of her bed; the person at the door saw the movement and came into the room. ôAre you ok?ö They whispered. Sophie looked up. The light from the hallway lit up the personÆs face. It was her form tutor, Miss Collins. ôYes, IÆm fine,ö Sophie answered. ôIt was only a dream.ö Saying those words out loud didnÆt make her feel any better. ôOK, as long as you are alright.ö Her tutor said. Miss Collins turned, went out of the room and quietly shut the door. Sophie climbed out of bed and fumbled in her bedside drawer, she took out a box of Aspirin and went into the bathroom. She caught sight of herself in the mirror, her eyes were bloodshot and they had black rings around them. The girl sighed, and swallowed the painkillers, took one last look at herself and went back to bed. When Sophie woke she turned slowly, looked at her clock. It was 8:30 and sheÆd slept in! She jumped up and ran to the bathroom. She had missed breakfast and if she didnÆt hurry she would miss assembly. Sophie groaned inwardly as she went into the large school hall - her head hurt and she was tired. Once they were all seated, Nina Stevens, the headmistress, went up onto the stage. She greeted the girls and started talking. Sophie strained to hear what she was saying, but there was something else blocking her thoughts and her mind. SophieÆs vision was fuzzy and her head started to hurt. The Hall whirled sickeningly. She put her hand on her head and struggled to keep conscious, within minutes it passed. Sophie looked up and spent the rest of the assembly trying to figure out what had just happened. Unknown to her, Miss Collins her form tutor had just watched what Sophie experienced with fear. She remembered last night when Sophie screamed out. Also something else came to mind, something she had been told by one of her pupils - I canÆt leave this, I have to sort it out, Miss Collins thought. Alison sat at her window looking out across the row of flat roofs; the evening sun shone its last beams of the day. She sighed, how long had it been? Just three months, it seemed like a lifetime. Her mother had been everything to Alison, and everything to her father. She remembered her motherÆs grey face and the coldness of her skin as the cancer ate her body from the inside. She closed her eyes as she remembered the last goodbye, the pain shuddering through her body. Her father had tried in vain to use his telekinetic power to heal her mother. It was then that they decided that it was better to take her to a hospital. A few days later her mother was home again. She had wanted to die at home. The cancer was too far-gone for them to do anything about it; at least the doctors had let her come. When Alison was younger she used to sit at her motherÆs feet, and her mother would tell her stories about when she and AlisonÆs father were first together. Her father was gifted; he had telekinetic powers and met her mother when she discovered that she, too, had powers. They fell in love and married five months later. They had moved to North London and a year later Alison was born. And now, after her motherÆs death they had moved again, this time to the outskirts of London. A new start? Who was he kidding? She choked back the tears and turned her attention to the boxes stacked to the ceiling. After assembly Miss Collins made her way to the headmistressÆs office. She knocked loudly and a muffled voice called: ôCome in!ö Miss Collins looked fearful. Nina looked up. ôMiss Collins, whatever is the matter?ö She asked, concern in her voice. Miss Collins took a deep breath. ôIÆm worried about Sophie Leeson. I feel as her tutor I should come and tell you.ö Nina looked concerned. ôMiss Collins, whatever she has done you need to tell me.ö Miss Collins looked down at her hands and said: ôWell, one of the girls came to me and told me Sophie hears voices.ö Nina frowned, ôVoices?ö she asked. ôYes. Sophie hears people talking to her and thereÆs no one there. She gets horrible headaches, one of the other girls told me. I am really worried. Last night about 11:30 I heard someone scream. I went in the dormitory and it was Sophie. She said she had a bad dream, but IÆm not so sure. I think something else is the matter.ö Nina looked at her and said: ôright. I will get on to the doctor today, we need to stop this before it gets worse.ö Miss Collins nodded. ôSomething happened to her in assembly as well. She looked strange, I canÆt explain it. She put her hand on her head and a few minutes later she looked up again.ö Nina looked concerned. ôI see. The only thing I can suggest for the moment is not to let her out of your sight. We donÆt want another incident like Sara Smith.ö Sara had been a student at the school, and too much pressure from exams had caused her to jump 100ft to her death. Miss Collins looked scared. ôOK, IÆll keep watch.ö She got up and left the office. A few minutes later Nina picked up the telephone, and flipped through her Rotadesk, dialled a number, and told the story to the person on the other end. Sophie had a free period so she sat on the grass watching the ducks. She threw them pieces of bread and they came greedily waddling up. It was so peaceful here; she loved coming down to the pond, and for a while she could forget about everything. She remembered back to when the voices had started. She couldnÆt understand what they were saying so she ignored them, but the strength of the attacks had got worse . After the voices came the headaches. They were like daggers stabbing at her head, constantly throbbing, and sometimes she even blacked out. And now one of these æattacksÆ had happened in assembly - of all places! She was so scared. Was she going mad? Sophie came back to reality with a bump. She looked at her watch, rose to her feet and hurried to the school. Sophie went into the classroom where everyone else was seated. She looked at her teacher - ôSorry IÆm late, Miss Collins.ö - who looked at her and smiled - ôThatÆs OK. Take your seat and weÆll get started.ö Sophie sat down and got her books out and looked attentively at the blackboard. The lesson began, but Sophie couldnÆt concentrate. She absentmindedly drew over her exercise book. ôSophie! Are you listening?ö Sophie jumped and looked at Miss Collins, she looked embarrassed. ôYeah. Sorry, I was daydreamingö Miss Collins nodded. ôalright, make sure you donÆt daydream any more this lesson or you will be in detentionö she said. Sophie couldnÆt afford to waste any more of the lesson. She looked at her tutor and prayed for the lesson to go quickly so she could be left to her thoughts. Nina stood outside Miss Collins' classroom with a Doctor. ôThank you for coming, Doctor Harrison, and so quickly too. We have been so worried about Sophie. IÆll go on in and get herö ôOKö said the Doctor. Nina opened the door and went in. The students all stood up. ôsit down,ö she said to them. She looked at Miss Collins ôCan I see Sophie Leeson?ö She asked. Miss Collins nodded. Sophie got up hesitantly from her seat and followed Nina out of the room. Nina closed the classroom door and the doctor stepped forward. ôHi Sophie, IÆm Doctor Harrison. How are you feeling?ö He asked in a semi-friendly way. Sophie stepped back apprehensively - she felt scared. ôSophie, answer the doctor please.ö Nina said impatiently. ôI, err,ö Sophie couldnÆt talk. The doctor smiled again. ôCan you come with me, Sophie? We need to have a chatö She didnÆt trust herself to talk so she nodded slowly and followed the doctor. They went into Miss Stevens's office and Sophie perched herself on one of the chairs. ôNow, Sophie,ö Doctor Harrison said. ôDo you hear voices in your head? Its OK, you can tell me.ö Sophie hesitated. Oh god! What do I do? She thought. ôwhat makes you think I hear voices?ö said Sophie ôokay, what about the headaches?ö He asked puzzled. ôWell, I do get headaches,ö admitted Sophie, ôbut doesnÆt everyone?ö The doctor continued talking to her, but she couldnÆt understand him. Everything went blurry and someone else was talking to her in her head. Oh no! She thought, not now! Her head started spinning. She tried to get up. She had to get out, she knew she did. If she stayed it would be dangerous; she could feel it. **YouÆve gotta get out of there.** One of the voices told her. She managed to get up, her head still going around. She tried to get to the door but she staggered. She stopped and tried to regain her balance. Her legs gave way; the doctor grabbed hold of her just before Sophie hit the ground. ôHang on, missy, you are in no condition to go anywhere.ö She blacked out. ôAlison, I hope youÆre right about this. I mean we have driven halfway across the country,ö said Mark. Alison frowned. ôHavenÆt you known me long enough to trust my instincts?ö She said to him. ôHer name is Sophie Leeson,ö she continued. ôI first sensed her a few weeks ago, SheÆs close to breaking outö Mark smiled across at Alison. ôIÆm sure everything will be OKö Alison nodded. ôI sure hope youÆre right, and I hope we have got here in time, I need to let her know she isnÆt going mental or anything. I tried to contact her, but she wouldnÆt answer. Then I felt she was in danger so I tried to telepath her again, but still she didnÆt answer.ö The car pulled up at a large old building. They got out and followed the signposts to the main reception. ôIÆll take her back to the hospital with me, there is obviously something very wrong here. I think the problem is psychological rather than medical. I will be in contact with you in a few daysö said the Doctor ôOkay,ö said Nina. ôThanksö He smiled. ôNo problem, IÆm glad we got here in time. Are you going to inform the parents?ö asked the doctor. Nina shook her head ôno, they are overseas, it would be silly to bring them back, and worry them over itö Doctor Harrison carried Sophie out of the building. The Doctor put Sophie on the back seat of his car and shut the door. He got in the driverÆs side and drove off. They had travelled along for about an hour when Sophie slowly lifted her head and opened her eyes. She took in her surroundings. They were driving along on a motorway, the fields and trees rolling by. ôHow are you feeling?ö asked the driver of the car. She looked at him and instantly recognised him as the doctor from school. ôIÆm fine,ö she said curtly, ôand I would feel even better if you tell me whatÆs going on. Where are you taking me?ö The Doctor hesitated. ôWell, Sophie, I am taking you for psychological assessment, we need to sort out whatÆs going on inside your mind.ö Sophie found it hard to believe what she was hearing. ôYou think IÆm psycho?ö she asked incredulously. ôNo, I think you just have issues, and I think that talking to someone would help, and then we can see if we need to prescribe treatment to guide you to making a full recovery.ö SophieÆs eyes bore into his back. ôSo you DO think IÆm psycho? I told you everything was fine.ö She said, raising one eyebrow. Doctor Harrison didnÆt answer. They drove on in silence. Sophie felt helpless; she looked around the car for ways she could escape. She glanced sideways at the passenger door. Maybe, just maybe, she thought, I can get out, attract attention and someone will help me. She had to get away from Doctor Harrison, something told her she had to or maybe it was someone-she wasnÆt sure. The Doctor was concentrating on the road ahead; slowly she undid her seatbelt and leaned forward. Sophie tried to open the passenger door, but it was locked. She saw the Doctor look at her in the rear view mirror. ôI wouldnÆt try that if I were you,ö he said, ôall the doors have child locks on.ö Sophie slumped back on the seat. DonÆt worry, she told herself, youÆll get out of this mess. ===== Feeling stressed? had a really bad day? why not try: http://clik.to/Midi __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Emma=20Hanby?= <midigirl2000@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: TPFICT: MindGames Part 2 Date: 28 Jan 2002 01:37:28 +0000 (GMT) Alison went back to the car followed by Mark. ôDonÆt take it too badly love,ö said Mark. ôBut why wouldnÆt they tell us anything, Dad?ö she asked, ôSchools have a policy like that, we arenÆt family. But it was worth a try. I guess weÆll just have to sit tight and see if you get anymore telepathic flashes from her.ö said Mark told her Alison nodded and concentrated on the road ahead. Doctor Harrison held open the car door and Sophie got out. Before her stood a small building surrounded by fields and trees, nearby a big old mill completed the picturesque scene. ôSophie,ö the Doctor said. ôThis is Two Mills hospital.ö He took her inside to a reception area and told her to sit down. About ten minutes later a nurse came out. She smiled at her. ôSophie Leeson?ö She asked. Sophie nodded and followed the nurse. They went along a few corridors and stopped at one of the doors. The nurse opened it and went into the room. Sophie stood at the door and stared into the room. There were six beds, three of which had sleeping occupants. Two more people sat in the middle of the small room, rocking back and forth and talking incoherently. IÆm not meant to be here, she thought to herself. A voice entered her head. **What's happened? Where are you?** Sophie didnÆt recognise the voice and ignored it. **My name is Alison, please trust me Sophie.** Sophie took and deep breath and replied. **I trust you Alison. They put me in a mental home. IÆm not meant to be here! They said it was because of the voices.** Alison thought for a moment. **IÆll tell my dad. HeÆll know what to do, meanwhile donÆt worry.** The nurse looked back to the door where Sophie stood. ôCome on, in you come!ö She said cheerfully. Sophie apprehensively followed her, they went to one of the beds. ôThis one is yours,ö said the nurse. ôUnpack your stuff, and I will be back in a minute.ö Sophie shook her head. ôIÆm not staying, so I donÆt need to unpack.ö The nurse looked straight at Sophie. ôYou can do this the easy way, or you can do this the hard way.ö She turned and went out of the room. Sophie sat herself down and looked around the room. Minutes later the nurse returned with another doctor, he looked sternly at her. ôMiss Leeson,ö he began. Sophie looked up. ôThe nurse tells me you have been making things difficult for her. You are undergoing assessment, if you cause trouble it will go against you. You will do what we tell you, whether you like it or not. While you are a patient here I expect you to do as you are told.ö Sophie looked down. ôalright.ö she mumbled. ôThank you.ö Said the Doctor. ôNow, try and get some rest. YouÆve had a long journey.ö The Doctor went out of the room. The Doctor looked at the nurse at called to her ôHave you a minute?ö He asked. The nurse nodded and followed him. She returned and saw Sophie had unpacked her stuff. The nurse smiled at her. ôThe doctor wants you to rest; heÆs prescribed something to help.ö Sophie started to panic. Sophie looked at what the nurse had in her hand; it was a nasty looking hypodermic needle. **Help me!** She cried. She snatched it out of the nurseÆs grasp and it fell to the floor. The nurse bent down and picked it up, she advanced on Sophie. ôYou wonÆt fight me,ö she said. Sophie jumped to her feet and backed away. ôIÆm not going to let you do this to me.ö Sophie said. The nurse smiled. ôLike you have a choice!ö She said, half laughing. The nurse walked towards her. Sophie backed away; she fell backwards over a small table. She was helped to her feet. ôI hope you are going to co operate now.ö Sophie looked over her shoulder. It was the doctor. Alison went to find her father. He was sitting at the kitchen table reading a newspaper. ôDad, I need your help.ö Mark looked up. ôAli, What's the matter?ö ôOh Dad, I donÆt know what to do.ö Mark was concerned; he motioned for her to sit down. ôTell me, what's wrong?ö Alison sat down and told her father about Sophie. Mark frowned. ôI donÆt know what we can do,ö he said. All of a sudden they both heard Sophie telepathically shout for help. Alison looked alarmed. ôDad!ö she cried. ôDonÆt worry, weÆll get her out of there. I donÆt know how but we will.ö The doctor had tight hold of SophieÆs arms and wouldnÆt let her go. Help me please she thought. The nurse walked towards her, she tried to back away but she couldnÆt. ôNow, Sophie,ö the doctor said, ôIf you donÆt help us then we canÆt help you.ö SophieÆs eyes narrowed. ôDonÆt patronise me!ö she spat. ôVery well,ö said the doctor. ôHave it your way. Nurse, please.ö Sophie panicked. ôFor GodÆs sake, someone help me!ö She screamed. Sophie disappeared into thin air leaving the nurse and the doctor staring open mouthed at each other. Sophie materialised in MarkÆs office. Mark walked in through the door. He looked up expecting to see his daughter, and he got the shock of his life when he saw a small blond haired girl. They regarded each other in silence; Sophie stared wild-eyed, not believing what had happened. Eventually Mark cleared his throat. ôHi,ö he said in a friendly voice. ôIÆm Mark, who are you?ö Sophie was plain frightened. Mark slowly walked towards her. ôAre you alright?ö He asked in a soft voice. Sophie looked up at him. ôIÆm OK,ö she said, ôerr, I think. IÆm Sophie.ö Sophie paused. ôAm I dreaming?ö she asked. ôIÆm afraid not,ö Mark replied bemused. Sophie thought for a moment. ôHas this got anything to do with the voices? I told someone I hear voices and then they sent me to a psychiatric hospital, then I appeared here. God, I canÆt believe I am actually telling a complete stranger this. I just want to know if I am going psycho or not.ö Mark looked serious. ôIs it just voices you hear?ö he asked. ôNo, I get splitting headaches, and everything spins around and around, and then it stops.ö Sophie replied. ôIts okay, I know what it is.ö Said Mark. ôOnly a few of us know the truth. Sophie, what you are going through is normal. You arenÆt going psycho.ö She listened intently. ôThere is nothing for you to worry about. The voices you hear and the headaches you get are down to, what we in the æknowÆ call Breaking Out. You are on the way to becoming one of us. We are the next stage of human evolution, in maybe 100 years the whole population of the planet will be like us, we are considered special. We call ourselves the Tomorrow People, and we all have special abilities. We can teleport-which we call Jaunting, we can talk to each other using our minds and we all have telekinetic ability. We can use the power of suggestion to get the things we want. The human mind is a wonderful thing,ö he smiled. ôIà. I donÆt know what to say,ö Sophie stuttered. ôSo IÆm just breaking out?ö She asked. ôYes,ö said Mark. He looked sympathetically at her. ôIt does take a lot of getting used to. The life you once knew will be no more. But most importantly you are not aloneö. Mark watched SophieÆs expression as it changed and she started to get upset. ôSophie, its OK. DonÆt worry, everything will be fine.ö He put his arm around her. She buried her head in his chest, tears streaming down her face. ôSophie, were you talking to Alison?ö Sophie looked up. ôYes, there was someone called Alison in my head.ö She said. ôThatÆs my daughter.ö said Mark smiling. ôYou mean she is real?ö She asked wide-eyed. ôYes, sheÆs real. IÆll give her a shout. ALISON! CAN YOU COME UP A MINUTE?ö and faint voice called ôOkay!ö Mark and Sophie heard footsteps on the stairs. A tall girl came up the stairs. She looked at her father out of dark brown eyes. ôWhat's up, Dad?ö She asked and planted a kiss on his cheek. She took in the new arrival in one glance. ôHi,ö she said in a warm voice. ôAli,ö began Mark, ôthis is Sophie.ö Alison raised her eyebrows. ôSophie? Did I telepath to you not long ago?ö Alison asked. ôYes, you did. I was cornered by a doctor and a nurse, then I disappeared and ended up here.ö Alison put her arm around the smaller girl. ôAww, are you okay?ö Sophie thought for a moment. ôYes. I think I am.ö Alison smiled. Mark looked at Sophie. ôYou must be hungry. Go down with Ali and sheÆll fix you something to eatö SophieÆs eyes lit up ôOh yes, thatÆd be lovely. IÆm starving!ö Mark smiled. ===== Feeling stressed? had a really bad day? why not try: http://clik.to/Midi __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Emma=20Hanby?= <midigirl2000@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: TPFICT: MindGames Part 3 Date: 28 Jan 2002 01:38:51 +0000 (GMT) Alison cracked two eggs into a frying pan, ôThereÆs some bread in that cupboard,ö she said pointing. Sophie got up from the table and found the bread. ôThanks, I hope you like omelettes.ö Alison told her. She cooked the eggs, put them on the plate, and offered them to Sophie. ôThanks!ö Exclaimed Sophie, and tucked in hungrily. When she had finished she thanked Alison again. ôIts OK,ö Alison said modestly. ôNow, tell me about yourself.ö Sophie thought for a moment. ôWell, IÆm fifteen and I go to boarding school, and they tried to lock me up!ö Her expression changed to fear as she said the last statement. ôWill they know where to find me?ö She asked. ôIÆm not sure.ö Alison replied. Sophie looked downcast. ôIÆm sorry,ö said Alison. ôI wish I could be more positive.ö ôIts OK. Tell me about yourself,ö said Sophie. ôI havenÆt really got anything to tell.ö Alison felt awkward. ôSo what do you like doing?ö She asked Sophie changing the subject. ôWell,ö said Sophie, ôI play the clarinet and I love shopping!ö Alison smiled wanly; she was running out of things to say. Mark came down from his office. ôHow are you getting on?ö He asked Sophie. ôOK, I think. IÆm really worried about what the school and the hospital are going to do,ö she answered ôDonÆt worry, they wonÆt find you. There is no way on this earth they can.ö Said Mark. Later that nightà. Mark and Alison sat in front room, watching television, and Sophie was asleep upstairs. Alison looked across at her father. ôDad, do you think she is safe here?ö Mark thought for a moment ôI donÆt know, no one would think to look here for her thatÆs for sure, but we canÆt keep her locked up. Sooner or later she may be spottedö Alison scooped her hair back from her face. ôI hope itÆs a long time before she is found,ö she said. ôDonÆt worry, Ali, weÆll sort it out.ö Replied her father. ôThanks Dad, IÆm going to bedö ôOK Ali, sweet dreams,ö said Mark. She smiled and went upstairs. Mark got up and went to the mantle piece, among the ornaments was a photograph of his wife. He picked it up and looked into the sparkling eyes of his wife ôGod I miss you so much!ö he said. Mark put the photo back on its shelf he stared for a long time at it before sitting back down in his armchair. For the rest of the evening he sat looking at the television not taking any notice of what was on it, he was deep in thought, heÆd lost his beautiful, stunning wife. When she died a part of Mark had died with her. Alison went to her room and fumbled around in the dark. She eventually found her bed and settled down to sleep. A few hours later she woke with a jump and looked across at the other bed just in time to see Sophie disappear in a flash of light. Alison got to her feet quickly and pulled on a jumper and a pair of jeans. She followed SophieÆs thoughts and jaunted. When Alison appeared the sight that met her was something she would never forget. This was, she guessed the hospital that Sophie had been brought to from her school. She looked around at the beds in the room; something or someone had obviously upset the patients. There were five females all rocking back and forth moaning. Nurses bustled from one person to another; strangely Alison felt a telepathic link with these patients. Could they be Tomorrow People too? She dismissed it from her mind and went to the first bed. The young woman looked up at her, her eyes bloodshot and surrounded by purpley-blue rings. She was having trouble stringing a sentence together. It looked clear to Alison that A) she was on some kind of medication and B) there was something she wanted to tell her. Alison sat herself down on her bed and held the womanÆs hand. ôNow, donÆt you worry about a thing,ö she said in a soft voice. Alison put her hand on the young ladyÆs forehead and her hand started to glow. The patient closed her eyes and Alison spoke to her telepathically. **Did you see a girl appear out of nowhere?** she telepathed to the patient. **Yes, I did. And two men ran over to her and dragged her out of the room.** Alison was alarmed. ôDid you see what direction they went in?ö She asked aloud. The young woman shook her head. ôOkay, thank you.ö Alison got up and bumped into a nurse. ôWho are you?ö the nurse demanded. Alison was taken aback. ôErr, IàIà.ö ôYouÆre not a patient are you?ö Alison shook her head. As she did that she received a telepathic flash from Sophie, she was down the corridor! Alison pushed passed the nurse and ran down to the room where Sophie was; Alison pushed open the door. Two men in white coats turned around and saw her in the doorway. ôWhereÆs Sophie?ö Alison asked. ôHow did you get in here?ö Asked the doctor. Alison glared. ôYou answer my question first!ö she said. ôWith all due respect, madam, you are trespassing,ö said the other doctor. The first doctor looked at her closely. ôHow did you know Sophie was here?ö AlisonÆs face changed and she started to back away. The first doctor walked towards her. ôNow how about me and you have a chat?ö Alison shook her head. She mouthed the word ænoÆ, her heart beating fast. She couldnÆt jaunt. She cursed herself for panicking. ôWhereÆs Sophie?ö She asked again. The two doctors led her down the corridor. The air grew cold. ôIsnÆt it cold in here?ö Alison asked. The doctors didnÆt answer they kept on walking. Alison stopped. ôIÆm not going any further until you tell me what's going on.ö She said. ôWell,ö one of the doctors began, ôWe know what you are, and youÆre coming with us. Two Mills isnÆt a psychiatric hospital, itÆs a place for people like you.ö Alison was amazed; she decided to call their bluff. ôLike me? IÆm just a normal teenager.ö The doctor chuckled. ôWe know what you are, there is no need to lie to us.ö Alison started to get scared, her father had told her to stay well clear of people like this. ôso those people I saw were Tomorrow People? What do you do to people like me then?ö She asked. She knew if she could jaunt easily if they tried anything. Ignoring Alison the doctors took her into a small room; one of the doctors motioned for her to sit down. ôWhat's your name?ö He asked her, Alison looked at them warily. ôMy name is Alison,ö she answered warily. ôOkay Alison, my name is Doctor Brooks and this is Doctor Roberts, we help run this hospital. This is one of only a few in this country for people like you. Sophie was breaking out and we needed her somewhere where we could keep an eye on her, this was the only place for her.ö Alison was stunned. ôYou mean you help Tomorrow People?ö Doctor Brooks nodded. ôWhy? Did you think that we wanted to hurt you?ö He said half laughing. Alison nodded. ôWhen Sophie disappeared I thought you were going to hurt her.ö Doctor Roberts looked across at his colleague. ôActually I can quite see how Alison thought that.ö ôSo this isnÆt a mental home?ö Asked Alison. She still didnÆt believe them. Doctor Brooks shook his head. ôNo, but we have a psychiatric ward. We put Sophie there because we didnÆt have anywhere else for her to go.ö Alison was puzzled; somehow this didnÆt seem real, they were lying but she couldnÆt prove it. Help TPs? As far as she knew there wasnÆt many of them, to have a hospital you needed to have experienced knowledgeable people. She knew if she had any chance of leaving the hospital in one piece she would have to play along with them. Without warning her father telepathed her. **Ali, where are you and Sophie?** Alison suddenly grew cold again. Why am I so cold? She shivered and then realised; it was coming from Sophie. Her father telepathed her again: **Ali, where are you?** Doctor Brooks looked closely at her. ôAlison, hadnÆt you better answer that?ö Alison looked at the doctors but didnÆt answer them, her mind wandered to Sophie. Alison could sense where she was, but only faintly. she jaunted. ===== Feeling stressed? had a really bad day? why not try: http://clik.to/Midi __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Emma=20Hanby?= <midigirl2000@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: TPFICT: MindGames Part 4 Date: 28 Jan 2002 01:39:21 +0000 (GMT) She appeared in what was, in effect, a giant refrigerator. Sophie was unconscious on the floor; nearby lay a young man. Alison rubbed her arms as she felt the cold bite through her. She went over to Sophie and gently shook her. ôSophie, can you hear me?ö Sophie slowly stirred. ôAre you okay?ö asked Alison. ôYes, IÆm OK.ö Said the younger girl. Alison needed to reduce the temperature in the room. She looked around the room for a switch or dial of some kind; her eyes found what she was looking for. She turned the dial and went back over to Sophie, who was sitting up. Alison looked over to the boy. ôWhoÆs that?ö She asked Sophie. She shook her head. ôI donÆt know, I only spoke to him briefly then he blacked out. He told me they arenÆt proper doctors. They experiment with the minds of people like us, what we saw on that ward was what is left after they have finished, Ben is one of us. He said he was captured a few hours agoö Sophie said. Alison gasped ôgod!ö she whispered. She got up and went over to the boy. She spoke gently to him. ôHello, are you OK?ö He didnÆt stir. She placed a hand on his forehead and withdrew it as she felt the coldness of his skin. She held his hand and spoke telepathically to him. He began to stir. She began to walk back over to Sophie but stopped when a hand was laid on her shoulder. She heard the safety catch being taken off of a gun. ôMy, we have been busy havenÆt we?ö Alison froze. ôDoctor Roberts,ö she said in as calm a voice as she could manage, ôThis is a surprise.ö Sophie looked straight at Alison who telepathed **teleport.** Alison was within easy distance of the young boy, if Sophie teleported then Alison wouldnÆt be too far behind and she had also realised that Doctor Roberts wasnÆt one of them, they could get away but they didnÆt have much time. Sophie couldnÆt teleport, she tried and tried but she couldnÆt. Alison telepathed to her: **Focus on my house and try and teleport there.** Sophie half nodded, she disappeared leaving Doctor Roberts with his mouth wide open. ôYouÆre not going to get away,ö he said to Alison. Doctor Brooks came in behind him ôWhere is the girl?ö He asked Doctor Roberts. ôShe got away.ö ôwe need to get her back, once she lets out our secret we can kiss goodbye to the hospitalö said the other doctor. Doctor Brooks looked menacingly at Alison ôSo you found out what we are up to? We canÆt allow you to leave - you know too much. If you teleport we will kill young Ben here.ö He pointed to the boy. Doctor Brooks reached into his lab coat pocket and pulled out a gun. ôYou screwed up their minds! And what were you gonna do with them? The same?ö Alison cried, pointing to the barely conscious male. Doctor Brooks stepped forward. ôThat is our business. Now come with usö They took her out to a waiting car and bundled her into the back, pushing a half conscious Ben in behind her. ôNow remember what we said,ö said Doctor Roberts. ôIf you teleport we kill Ben. I guarantee you, I am quicker at firing than you are at teleporting.ö Alison looked across at Ben, he was slumped forward in his seat. Alison reached across and pulled his seat belt around him. Doctor Brooks looked around and raised his gun. ôWhat are you doing?ö He asked. ôIÆm putting his seat belt on, what does it look like?ö said Alison aggressively. The doctor didnÆt answer. Doctor Roberts drove the car while Doctor Brooks sat on the passenger seat. They drove onto the motorway and here Doctor Roberts accelerated. Doctor Brooks looked across at him and scowled. ôPeter slow down, visibility is getting poor. You couldà.ö But he didnÆt get to finish his sentence. They collided with the car in front, the impact sending Alison through the windscreen; she flew over the bonnet and bounced, her head hit the tarmac. For a few minutes Alison didnÆt move. Then she groaned, pulled herself to her feet and shook all the broken glass off of her clothes. What happened what am I doing here? She put her hand to her head, and withdrew her hand and looked at her fingers - they were covered in blood. She gasped. Doctor Roberts groaned and lifted his head and looked at his legs, they were trapped underneath the steering wheel. He gasped and started to panic. AlisonÆs gaze met his as they both looked at the other doctor who wasnÆt moving. Alison staggered forward to the passenger door. ôLeave him,ö said Doctor Roberts. ôHeÆs done for.ö She ignored him, and took Doctor BrooksÆs wrist and tried to find a pulse. ôÆHeÆs got a pulse, itÆs not very strong but itÆs there.ö Doctor Roberts didnÆt answer. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his mobile phone, which was surprisingly still intact. He dialled a number and started talking. Alison walked over to the other car. The driver didnÆt have a pulse, and she shivered at the pained expression on his face. Ben called to her: ôAlison!ö Alison, is that my name? She thought. The young lad was looking at her. She walked over to him. ôHelp me, there isnÆt much time!ö He said. Who are you? She thought as she undid his seatbelt and helped him out of the car. They both slid down a large embankment that ran along the side of the motorway. They heard someone calling to them, but they kept running. For the second time Sophie made Mark jump when she jaunted into his office ôSophie!ö he exclaimed. ôOh Mark, have I got loads to tell you!ö Sophie said with a scared look on her face. ôOkay, start at the beginning. Where have you been?ö He asked. Ben and Alison ran across a field and through some woods. They emerged on a country lane. ôAre you okay?ö Alison asked trying to catch her breath. Ben nodded and said, equally as breathless ôYeah, IÆm okay. IÆm fineö ôDo you have any idea where we are?ö she asked. Ben looked up and down the small deserted lane. ôIf we could find a road or a street sign then maybe we could figure it out,ö he suggested. Alison nodded. ôOK, letÆs try up here.ö They found what they were looking for half covered in shrubbery. Ben brushed the bush aside ôChurch Drive,ö he read aloud. ôThereÆs no postcode.ö ôOK,ö said Alison, ôwhat do we do?ö Ben chewed his lip thoughtfully. ôWell, I reckon we should keep moving. We donÆt know if those two blokes have contacted anyone to come and find us. We donÆt want to arouse any suspicions, if we try and head out of the countryside and find a city weÆll have a better chance of getting home.ö Later on Alison realised that it was at this point that she should have questioned Ben, but now she nodded amiably. ôOK, lets go.ö Ben led the way down the lane. Mark and Sophie drove around for ages. Eventually Sophie looked across at him. ôDo you have any idea where they are?ö She asked. Before Mark could answer, he picked up a telepathic flash from Alison. ôI do now,ö he said grinning. They headed onto the motorway. ôI only hope we get to her in time, I lost her mother and I am not going to loose her tooö He said, the grin fading. Silently, Ben and Alison walked side by side ôWhy donÆt you just use your powers to get us home?ö Asked Ben suddenly. Alison looked in surprise at him. ôPowers? What do you mean?ö she asked. Ben stared wide-eyed. ôAre you feeling ok?ö he asked. Alison stared at ground. ôIÆm not sure,ö she replied, ôI canÆt remember.ö ôYouÆve lost your memory?ö asked Ben. Alison nodded numbly. ôThe last thing I remember is picking myself up off the road, then you called me.ö Ben didnÆt say anything, he started walking again, but there was a strange look in his eyes, a glazed look, like he was deep in conversation. A car pulled up behind them and a car came toward them in the opposite direction. Alison stepped behind Ben in order to let the car behind pass. Unknown to her, the car behind had the Doctors in it, both completely unharmed; the car was surprisingly intact. As she went behind Ben she was grabbed. Mark, who was in the other car got out. ôAlison!ö He cried. She looked at the man who called her name: He looked familiar. ôAlison!ö He called again. Without warning She was dragged backwards. She kicked her assailant in the shins, they gasped and fell forward. Alison ran straight into Ben who also grabbed her and tried to drag her to the waiting car. Mark jumped out and ran towards the two Doctors. Doctor Roberts pulled his gun out. ôStay right where you are.ö He warned. Mark still walked forward. People started to come out of their houses to watch the scene unfold before them. ôListen, just give me my daughter back and weÆll say no more about it.ö Doctor Roberts took the safety catch off the gun, Mark took another step forward and Doctor Roberts fired the gun. Two shots rang out. Mark fell backwards and onto the ground ôALISON RUN!ö He cried before he lost consciousness. Alison pushed Ben into the hedge and ran. Sophie jumped out of the car and went to him. She looked around at the villagers. ôWell, for GodÆs sake donÆt stand there staring. Get an ambulance!ö she said. The two Doctors and Ben got into their car and drove away at top speed. ===== Feeling stressed? had a really bad day? why not try: http://clik.to/Midi __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Emma=20Hanby?= <midigirl2000@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: TPFICT: MindGames Part 5 Date: 28 Jan 2002 01:39:59 +0000 (GMT) Alison didnÆt know how long she ran for. She didnÆt even look back. All she knew was that she was Alison, and she had to get away. Why did those men want to take her away? What had she done? Maybe those men wanted to help me, she thought. The questions span around in her mind. Tiring and slowing down, She walked down the narrow lane deep in thought. The night began to draw in, as with sudden panic she realised she had no idea where she was. Sophie sat at MarkÆs bedside, just willing him to get better. She looked at AlisonÆs father lying still on the bed, the machines beeping steadily beside him. Mark opened his eyes and stared at his Sophie. He sighed and whispered: ôWhereÆs Ali?ö slowly he closed his eyes. Sophie looked up and as she did the machine monitoring his heartbeat started to whine. She jumped up. ôNo!ö She cried, he wasnÆt breathing! She pushed the help button. ThereÆs no time to waste; I need to help him. She thought. Instinctively, she placed her hand over the place where the bullet had entered his body and imagined it healing over; she imagined his whole body healing. Her hand stopped glowing, the machine was still whining. ôYou canÆt die now!ö She cried. A doctor came running into the room just as the machine started beeping normally. ôIs everything okay?ö He asked. Sophie smiled faintly. ôFalse alarm!ö she lied. The doctor turned and left. Mark slowly opened his eyes. For a few seconds his eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room. Where am I? He answered his own question. Hospital. ThatÆs where I am. He tried to sit up and the room spun sickeningly. Gradually, the feeling subsided. He took in the room in one glance; he looked at the heart-monitoring machine. ôWell at least IÆm alive!ö He said to himself. Sophie heard him and looked up. ôI thought, I thought you were gone!ö Mark smiled. ôIÆve got a few years left in me yet!ö For a few minutes they didnÆt say anything; a nurse came in. ôYouÆre awake! How are you feeling?ö She asked Mark. ôIÆm fine, why am I here?ö The nurse looked surprised. ôYou donÆt remember? You were shot in the stomach; the doctors operated and removed the bullets. Do you feel much pain?ö Mark was silent for a few minutes taking in what had happened. ôNo,ö he said slowly. ôI have no pain.ö He looked up in surprise. The nurse looked puzzled. ôIÆll be right back.ö A few minutes later a doctor came in. He gestured to MarkÆs stomach. ôHiya, can I have a look?ö He asked in a friendly voice. ôGo ahead,ö said Mark. The doctor walked forward and started to lift of the bandages: Sophie panicked. ôNo, you cant!ö She cried. The doctor and Mark looked her and she subsided. ôWell, well wont it hurt?ö She asked lamely. The doctor chuckled. **Please, donÆt let him! Please donÆt let him look.** Mark looked in surprise at her. ôActually Doctor, can you have a look later? IÆm feeling very tired.ö said Mark. ôOkay,ö said the Doctor amiably. ôThatÆs fine, IÆll be back later.ö He went out of the room and shut the door. Sophie breathed a sigh of relief. Mark looked at Sophie. ôNow, Sophie, what did you want to tell me?ö He said. Sophie cringed. ôMark, your heart stopped and I didnÆt know what to do so I healed over the bullet wounds and then you started breathing again.ö She said all in one breath. ôI didnÆt want you to die, we need you!ö He motioned for her to come to him. She came forward and he embraced her. ôItÆs OK. IÆm not annoyed; you saved my life. Thank you. The question now is what do we do about the Doctor? He is going to see it at some point.ö ôCanÆt we just jaunt home?ö Asked Sophie. Mark thought for a moment. ôHave you given them any details about me?ö He asked. Sophie shook her head. ôNo. All I told them was that your name is Mark. Every time someone came into the room I pretended to be asleepö ôGood. Are my clothes in here?ö Sophie looked around the room; there was a small cupboard by the bed. She bent down and opened it. MarkÆs clothes were folded neatly in the bottom. Sophie picked them up. ôReady?ö She looked towards the door. The blinds were pulled up; she got up and drew them. Mark turned off the heart monitor and took the leads off of his chest ôCan you jaunt on your own?ö asked Sophie. Mark nodded. They both jaunted home. Alison walked on through the darkness. She was so scared. She climbed over a small fence and entered a field. She could hear the low infrequent hum of traffic. Maybe IÆm near a motorway, she thought. She quickened her pace and climbed over the fence at the other end of the field. She came onto a road, it looked familiar -sheÆd gone in a large circle! Alison stopped dead. Even more familiar was the car parked further along the road. It was the car theyÆd crashed in. She strained to hear conversation going on in the porch of one of the houses. She peered around the hedge and saw three people standing in a lit porch way. Two of them looked familiar. ôHave you seen a young girl wondering about? Late teens with shoulder length brown hair?ö The old lady at the door shook her head. ôNo, sorry.ö She said. ôYou see sheÆs my daughter and sheÆs not well. We need to get her back home,ö said Doctor Brooks. The old lady looked shocked. HeÆs my father? Alison thought as she climbed out of the bushes, they rustled and the sound carried in the still night. Doctor Roberts looked back, and saw her move. He nudged Doctor Brooks. ôJohn, thatÆs her!ö Doctor Roberts ran out of the gate followed closely by Doctor Brooks. In fright Alison ran but she was tired - she wasnÆt as quick as she had been earlier that day. Doctor Brooks grabbed her arm. She tried to run but he had hold of her. ôHey! Where do you think youÆre going?ö She stared at him defiantly. She remembered that they had crashed, but she didnÆt remember what had happened previously. She looked curiously at him. ôAre you my father?ö She asked. Doctor Brooks raised his eyebrow. ôYour father?ö He asked. Doctor Roberts cut in: ôNo, I am.ö he lied. He took her arm and led her to the car. ôYou sit down here for a while, you look tired.ö He said soothingly. Without any fear or suspicion Alison got into the car. Doctor Roberts pulled Doctor Brooks back. ôDonÆt you see?ö He whispered. ôShe canÆt remember a thing. DonÆt say anything to her and sheÆs ours!ö Doctor Brooks nodded and got into the car. Doctor Roberts got in the driver side and Doctor Brooks got in the back with Alison. Doctor Brooks noticed the bump on her head. ôHow did you do that?ö He asked, not sure exactly what Alison remembered. ôI think I did it when we crashed.ö The Doctor pulled back her hair and looked at it. ôShould be as good as new after IÆve cleaned it up.ö He got out and went to the boot. He came back with a first aid kit and began cleaning the wound up. Alison flinched as he dabbed it with a cotton ball the Doctor apologised. Doctor Roberts turned and looked at Alison. ôHow much do you remember?ö He asked her. Alison thought for a moment. ôNot much. All I know is we crashed then I was walking along a lane and the man told me to run. I donÆt know why he did but I ran anyway.ö ôDonÆt worry,ö said Doctor Roberts. ôYou come home with us and everything will be back to normal.ö He put the car into gear and they drove off. Mark was getting increasingly concerned about Alison. He sat in the kitchen with Sophie. She made him a coffee and joined him at the table and he got up and picked up the phone. ôWhat are you doing?ö Asked Sophie. ôIÆm phoning the police,ö said Mark. ôThen we can go to this Two Mills hospital and sort this out and hopefully get my daughter back.ö Sophie nodded ôbut wont they find out about us being Tomorrow People?ö she asked. Mark shook his head ôno, I have contacts in the force, we can get Ali back and these two crooked doctors locked up without anyone outside knowing, and before they can do anymore damageö Alison had dozed off and was now sleeping; her dark hair fell around her face. Doctor Roberts looked at her. ôIs she asleep?ö Doctor Brooks looked across at her. ôYes,ö he whispered. ôWhere are we going to take her?ö asked Doctor Roberts. ôWell,ö replied the other Doctor. ô I reckon we should take her back to Two Mills. She doesnÆt remember anything so we might get away with it.ö Doctor Roberts nodded. ôDo you think it was such a good idea to get involved with all this? I mean pretending to be a psychiatric hospital and kidnapping all the people breaking out. Telling them they are going to be sectioned under the mental heath act and experimenting on them?ö Doctor Brooks frowned. ôbut if we didnÆt then how would we know how their minds work and how they have the ability to move things without touching them. We arenÆt paid to have an opinion or to differentiate between right and wrong.ö Doctor Roberts said no more and concentrated on the road ahead. ===== Feeling stressed? had a really bad day? why not try: http://clik.to/Midi __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Emma=20Hanby?= <midigirl2000@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: TPFICT: MindGames Part 6 Date: 28 Jan 2002 01:40:29 +0000 (GMT) Alison woke with a jump. She looked at Doctor Roberts then at Doctor Brooks. With a sudden rush everything came back to her, her memory had returned. ôWhat am I doing here?ö She asked wildly. Alison panicked and tried to open the door, it was locked. ôDamn child locks!ö She cried, tears of frustration in her eyes. Doctor Brooks held his hands out. ôAlison, calm down. WeÆll end up having another accident.ö AlisonÆs wild eyed gaze fell onto the handbrake. Doctor Brooks saw where she was looking. ôPeter, pull over!ö He cried. Alison looked around frantically for a way out. ôAlison,ö said Doctor Brooks. ôCalm down.ö he repeated. Doctor Roberts pulled over. ôThere's some rope in the boot,ö shouted Doctor Brooks. Alison made a dive for the front seat. The other Doctor had left the keys in the ignition. Doctor Brooks grabbed her and pulled her back. She lay on the back seat, face down. Doctor Brooks sat on her with his knee pressed hard in her back. ôYou move and IÆll break your back.ö He said. Out of breath and to weak to move, Alison nodded slowly. Doctor Roberts came back with some rope and Doctor Brooks tied her hands behind her back. Once her hands were tied, he sat her back up again and put her seatbelt on her. Doctor Roberts got back in the car and they drove the remainder of the way to Two Mills hospital. As they drove up the driveway of the hospital Alison breathed a huge sigh of relief. She saw the welcoming committee consisting of a fleet of police cars, and was even more relieved when she saw her father and Sophie. The police pulled the two doctors out of the car at gunpoint, and Mark helped Alison out and untied her. As soon as her arms were free she flung them around her fatherÆs neck. ôOh Dad. IÆm so glad to see you! IÆve lost my power!ö She cried and her father comforted her. ôShh,ö he said gently. ôDonÆt worry.ö On the way home they had stopped off at a Chinese take away. Now they sat in front of the television, their plates resting on their knees. Sophie looked across to Mark ôMark, what do you think will happen to all those people that the Doctors experimented on?ö Mark rested his knife and fork on his plate and thought. ôTheyÆve probably been taken to another hospital and will be cared for there.ö ôI hope so,ö said Sophie. Alison searched for the remote control to turn the TV over, she spotted it on top of the television and stretched out her hand and willed the remote to come to her. Nothing happened. Sophie stretched out her hand and brought the remote to her and gave it to Alison. ôThanks,ö said Alison in a whisper. She was trying to choke back the tears. ôDonÆt worry love, your powers may return. But they may not. Being Tomorrow People is still relatively new to all of us, time will tell. But you need to be strongö All three turned their attention to the television and ate in silence. The End ===== Feeling stressed? had a really bad day? why not try: http://clik.to/Midi __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wendy Perkins <ladyslvr@xmission.com> Subject: TPFICT: ADMIN: Virus Warning Date: 28 Jan 2002 12:39:07 -0600 Here's a new one, folks. It comes from our "inside source", Bill Adams. >>> Greetings, folks ----- we've got confirmation on this from our techies, so I'm going to put it to these two lists and hopefully help someone avoid getting it on their computer. Here's the memo our techies just sent to us here at the U of A moments ago. ****************************************************************** Over the weekend, a new email virus came out, and of this morning we have had several cases of users being affected by this virus. Below is the information from Symantec. W32.Myparty@mm is a mass-mailing email worm. The worm arrives via email with the following characteristics: Body: Hello! My party... It was absolutely amazing! I have attached my web page with new photos! If you can please make color prints of my photos. Thanks! Attachment name: www.myparty.yahoo.com The worm emails everyone in the Windows Address Book and by searching for email addresses in Outlook Express inboxes and folders. In addition, the worm sends a message to the author allowing him to track the worm. Finally, the worm may launch your webbrowser to http://www.disney.com if the filename is 'access' with any extension. More information is available from the following URL: http://www.sarc.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.myparty@mm.html **************************************************************** I'm Dianne's friend Bill Adams and you can reach me at wladams@uark.edu if you have any questions. However, I've posted all the information I've got at this point. wla ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "E.R. Stanway" <ers24@hermes.cam.ac.uk> Subject: TPFICT: Out of Control (0/12) Date: 30 Jan 2002 19:07:30 +0000 (GMT) Out of Control (A Battlestar Galactica - Tomorrow People Crossover Story) I've had this sitting around for a couple of months now trying to pluck up the nerve to post it. :-) Thanks to Drew Thiele for reading it and his suggestions. Feedback to ers24@hermes.cam.ac.uk. Thanks. Notes and Disclaimers This story is a crossover between the universes of the New Series (1990's) "Tomorrow People" and the original series "Battlestar Galactica" television series. Yes, I know that's probably not a popular concept but it needed doing. Battlestar Galactica was created by Glen Larson and the Tomorrow People by Roger Price. I think the rights to the Tomorrow People lies with Peirson Television, I'm not sure anybody knows what's going on with the rights to Galactica at the moment. Both sets of characters are used without permission and this acknowledgement must be kept with the story. I've also added a few characters of my own as will become apparent. The story is set perhaps 18 months to 2 years after the serial 'The Living Stones' in the Tomorrow People universe. The story is set nearly twenty years after the end of the Battlestar Galactica TV series with 'Hand of God' and ignores later attempted to continue the BG continuity (e.g. Galactica 1980, novels or comics). I think most of what a beginner needs to know about Galactica becomes rapidly apparent (at least I hope so) but the series own narration is helpful: "There are those who believe that life here began out there, far across the universe with tribes of humans who may have been the forefathers of the Egyptians, or the Toltecs, or the Mayans. Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man, who even now, fight to survive, somewhere beyond the heavens" "Fleeing from the Cylon tyranny, the last Battlestar, Galactica, leads a ragtag, fugitive fleet, on a lonely quest -- for a shining planet known as ... Earth." END OF PART ZERO ___________________________________________________________________ Elizabeth Stanway ers24@cam.ac.uk http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/8403 "When in danger, when in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout." ___________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "E.R. Stanway" <ers24@hermes.cam.ac.uk> Subject: TPFICT: Out of Control (1/12) Date: 30 Jan 2002 19:09:31 +0000 (GMT) PART ONE ***** The sudden jump into lightspeed took them completely by surprise. Short circuited computer panels blew up around them as Castor and Pheobus tried to wrestle the shuttlecraft back under control. "Cut us out of lightspeed!" Castor shouted, sparing a hand to brush his shoulder length hair out of his eyes. His brother gave him an angry look. "What do you think I'm trying to do?" Both pairs of eyes turned back to the tumbling, distorted starscape in front of them. The seconds turned into long minutes and then Castor dived below the console and came back up with a handful of computer chips. Deprived of even spurious commands, the shuttle fell from faster than light and Pheobus wrenched the controls from side to side in a struggle to prevent the warped forces tearing their little ship apart. Eventually he relaxed. "What in Kobol's name happened?" Castor asked, falling into his seat and starting to route the shuttle's systems around the damage he'd caused. "Malfunction? Who knows?" Pheobus sounded distracted as he worked at the navigational position. Castor shuddered, if the two young men hadn't been exceptional pilots they would never have survived that flat spin through lightspeed. "Cas, snap out of it! We have other problems." Pheobus spun to face him and Castor was alarmed to see fear in the eyes of his normally calm brother. "Do you have the least idea where Galactica is from here?" **** The sleek grey form of the Battlestar Galactica led her rag-tag fleet through the depths of space. Survivors of a massacre too dreadful to imagine, the pleasure cruisers and agro-ships turned refugee had been bound together into a tight knit community under the stern but fair guidance of the Galactica's Commander Adama, last of the Council of Twelve. At this point the young men would have been glad to see even that august figure. "He'll kill us." Castor groaned. "Grandfather will understand." Pheobus disagreed. "We can hardly be held responsible for an engine malfunction." "Um. Reminder here, Pheob: We weren't meant to even _be_ in a shuttle. It's not as if we actually asked permission for a trip to the 'Senator.' Pheobus squirmed uncomfortably. The trip to find their grandfather a birthday present had seemed like such a good idea at the time. If they'd asked Uncle Apollo for permission, the commander would have found out. Pheobus suddenly wondered if what Boxey and Uncle Apollo told them constantly about the irresponsibility they'd inherited from their father could be true. Castor thumped the navigation console with frustration as he finally looked up. He'd been working fruitlessly for hours. "Nothing! The way we were tumbled about in lightspeed we could be anywhere and the engines were in overdrive the whole way. We've been drifting for hours. There's not a sign of the fleet." "To be honest, I'd be worried if there was, Cas." Pheobus had sat back in his chair in resignation. He rubbed at his aching head. "If we could find the Galactica just like that so could the Cylons." There was a moment of worried silence. The Cylons had come close to wiping out the Galactican Fleet too often before. Only the unending bravery of men like Uncle Apollo, their father and latterly their cousin Boxey, kept the fleet in one piece. "Cylons." Pheobus repeated. "They're all over this region." Inevitably, on cue, the sensors chimed. Castor was suddenly all business. "Cylon scout ships. Three of them. Closing fast." Pheobus had swung back into the pilot's chair. Instinctively his grey eyes flicked to where the weapons display would be in his viper. "This thing isn't armed, Castor." He shouted even as he tried to coax the little ship away at an angle to the attacker's path. Castor was in the copilot's chair, helping Pheobus to control the erratically moving ship and trying to urge more speed from the vessel by will-power alone. "We don't have lightspeed. We can't outrun them." Castor's eyes darted from side to side, looking for a way out. Their father had never let the odds beat him and the boys were meant to have inherited his luck. Well, it seemed to have run out. Castor released the controls and pulled out the package that had been securely wedged under the seat. It was their grandfather's birthday present, a glass engraving taken from the latest picture of Adama and his descendants. Castor stared at the package as though gazing straight through the wrappings. He was too scared to think, to do anything but imagine the Cylons scout ships bearing down on them. They were too young to die. Castor felt strange thoughts firing in his mind, strange connections being made as his life hung in the balance. He felt hands close over his on the present, on their family, and looked up into Pheobus's eyes. They seemed to glow and Castor wondered if these strange feelings were there in his brother's head too. Then he heard Pheobus's thoughts in his own and knew. [Together.] Pheobus told him [Together.] Castor agreed. ***** Adam Newman sat on the beach of his island home and smiled as he listened to his friends bicker. Jade, Kevin and Megabyte seemed to have a talent for winding one another up and Adam had heard hundreds of light-hearted, and not so light-hearted, arguments like this since the day Kevin had turned up on the island with a sleeping bag. The boy had never properly explained what had made him leave his family and technically, Adam guessed, he was a runaway. On the other hand, no one ever seemed to have reported him missing and the Tomorrow People weren't about to turn him in. He was one of their own and they were a family too. Between them, they'd worked to clear the sand and debris of millennia from most of the spaceship and now Adam and Kevin had a room each with others assigned to the rest of the Tomorrow People. They'd cleared more of the ship than they actually needed and had reason to be thankful for that when first Phillipe and then Stephanie broke out within a month of one another. The newest Tomorrow People both startled them and made them feel guilty for being startled. Adam knew that he and his friends were the next stage of human evolution, the future of the entire human race, he'd just never considered what would happen if someone broke out who didn't speak English. They were fortunate that Phillipe had broken out first. The Frenchman was only a year or so younger then Adam - old for a breakout - and while French was his first language, his English was still excellent. Stephanie, on the other hand, was just eight years old, younger than they had believed it was possible to break out. The little Swiss girl had almost drowned before they managed to get her ashore, and had been too terrified to listen to telepathic reassurance. Only Phillipe was able to hold her, murmuring gently in French until she'd calmed down enough to hear their thoughts. After that, the Tomorrow People had started a determined campaign to learn the widest variety of languages possible. They were going to be ready for whoever came next. Fortunately, the skill seemed to be a natural one for them and already Ami had decided to train for a career as an interpreter. Ami. Adam reached out a little and felt his friend's distant irritation. He smiled. Every week Ami went shopping with her mother and every week she came back exhausted or furious but she wouldn't have missed it for the world. "Adam?" Philippe's soft French accent was a pleasant contrast to the rather strident voices of the younger Tomorrow People. "Good morning, Phillipe." "Morning for you, evening back in Europe." "True. Ami's making the most of the late-night shopping." Adam moved on before the other man could question his grin. "How's Stephie?" "Asleep. Her parents let me read her a good-night story." Phillipe had to raise his voice on the last few words. He nodded his head towards the ship's open hatches. "Why are they always arguing when I arrive?" "It's not so much an argument as a debate." Megabyte volunteered as he clambered out of the ship for a breath of fresh air. "It is too an argument!" Jade snapped as she followed him, red-faced. He turned round to reply but Adam sent them both a gently reproving thought. "Is it really that important?" He asked quietly. Jade shrugged guiltily. Megabyte sighed. "I guess not." The red haired young man agreed. Megabyte was growing up these days, sometimes joking with the younger children, often becoming more serious. "Come on, Jade," he said. "Let's go make peace with Kev, shall we?" Phillipe and Adam exchanged smiles. They both remembered being that kind of age. Then the smile faded. ***** They all felt it; the pressure, the distant, distant fear. Through Kevin's eyes they all saw the ship's walls pulsing with light. In their minds they all felt the ship's beacon pulsing in time with it. The beacon was growing in strength, pulling at them with all its power. Adam was forced to concentrate as he hadn't since the first day he teleported to get around the beacon and into the ship. He felt Ami and Phillipe do the same. Stephanie landed in the water before she adjusted and appeared on the ship, dripping but defiant. No one was about to tease her, the older TP's were already in mind-meld lending the ship their strength. [(Distant terror. Strange, unreal images. Massive fear of an inevitable death.)] Stephanie held her hands up to the glowing point between Adam and Phillipe and they parted, both physically and mentally, to let her in. The extra power was enough, just. The sense of teleportation cracked through the meld like a concussion and Adam saw everyone sway. Stephanie folded up like a rag doll. They felt rather than heard the splashes. Summoning the last of his energy, Adam teleported into the churning water and then back to the ship taking their new guests with him. He was on his knees, gasping for air as water pooled on the floor around him. Megabyte squatted down by him, tired but concerned. "You alright, Adam?" Adam nodded, still trying to catch his breath. "Stephie?" Adam asked. Phillipe was leaning over the little girl and he glanced up. "Just exhausted, I think. She'll be alright with some sleep." Adam sighed with relief. Phillipe was training to be a doctor so his best guess was probably good. The tall Frenchman carried Stephanie off in the direction of her cabin and Jade followed wearily. "I'll get some dry clothes on her and tuck her into bed." The elder girl promised. Nodding, Adam glanced round to make sure that despite their pale faces and exhausted thoughts his other friends were okay. Then, finally, he turned to study the new arrivals. The two young men were sitting on the deck of the starship with the look of bewilderment, terror and wonder common to all new breakouts. There was more terror though than Adam was comfortable with. The two men - 'Castor' and 'Pheobus' some hidden part of his mind supplied - were perhaps eighteen years old and close enough in age and appearance to be twins, both were blond, handsome, and dressed in the kind of metallic jump-suit that might be either a uniform or a peculiar fashion statement. One of the young men laid a hand on his brother's arm, trying to reassure despite his own obvious fear and confusion. Between them they clutched some kind of parcel as if it were their only connection to reality. Adam remembered the power it had taken to pull them in and suddenly knew that this was going to be a very long day. Wherever these two came from, they were a very long way from home. ***** Colonel Apollo, second in command of the Galactican Fleet, looked up from his cards and gave Starbuck an appraising look. He didn't know why he still let his friend and wingmate talk him into these games. In over twenty years of games, Apollo could still remember almost every time he'd won a match. Starbuck was famous for the same luck at the gaming table that he'd had in the cockpit of his viper over the years. Apollo valued that luck. It had kept him and the rest of the fleet alive more than once, just as Apollo's own expert flying had pulled Starbuck out of more than one scrape. "I'll see you." Apollo decided, throwing his tokens onto the heap. "Read it and weep." Starbuck crowed, throwing a half-pyramid onto the table and scooping up the tokens as if they were the gold credits he used to play for. Apollo smiled and sat back. "Wont you ever grow up?" Apollo was very aware of the silver that was spun through his dark hair. In Starbuck's dark blond the grey was less apparent but it was there and both men knew that living to see it was more than they could have expected. "What me?" Starbuck waved a hand dismissively through the air. "Nah." They were in Apollo's quarters on the Galactica, enjoying the game. It was a quiet location. Too quiet really for drinking or gambling but if they'd met in Starbuck's quarters they would have been subject to interruptions from any of his four children and the pilot's ready room just made them feel old these days. These were heroes of the Galactican Fleet and another word for 'hero' in any language is 'lonely.' "Apollo?" Starbuck sensed his friend's suddenly pensive mood. "It's nothing." Apollo told him, forcing a smile. "I was just thinking that we've not had much time to chat lately." "I'll tell you about my administrative nightmares if you tell me yours." Starbuck offered wryly. "We've turned into desk jockeys, Apollo. How did we miss that happening?" "We still fly patrol when we've got time." "Exactly." Starbuck's tone was completely serious now and Apollo regretted putting him in this mood. "Starbuck, we're still working to keep the Galactica going, to get the Fleet to Earth. We're all that's left, Starbuck. There's a generation now that never saw the Twelve Colonies, but we remember them. It's up to us to see that that legacy isn't lost, to see that we find the Thirteenth Tribe and Earth." "I know, _I know_, Apollo! I don't need the lecture, okay? I was just thinking about how things have changed, that's all." "Father?" Boxey entered the apartment with a hesitant look on his face. Strange, Apollo thought his ears still ringing with Starbuck's talk about change, that he'd barely realised that his son was almost thirty years old now. Boxey had become to the new generation of viper pilots pretty much what Apollo had been to his. A fighter ace and exceptional flyer, Boxey had earned now the Warrior's star that Apollo had lent him when he was just nine years old. Boxey lived in the pilot's barracks but even now he was welcome here, in the suite of rooms where he'd grown up. His hesitation at the door was uncharacteristic and so was the frown on his smooth face. Starbuck exchanged a glance with Apollo, their angry words forgotten. When Boxey saw the other man, however, he looked both troubled and relieved. Apollo didn't need to tell Starbuck to let him handle this. They'd worked together too long for that. "Boxey! It's good to see you." Starbuck greeted him simply. Apollo was the one who asked the question. "Is something wrong?" The younger man nodded once, reluctantly. "I'm worried about the twins." Starbuck groaned. "What have my boys been up to now?" Apollo just frowned. He knew that his son spent a lot of time and effort covering up after Starbuck's elder children. If Boxey was raising this matter rather than trying to conceal it, it could be serious. Boxey's sombre tone confirmed that. "I don't know, that's the problem. Devon, their shuttle supervisor, says they didn't report for their assigned duties this afternoon and I've been trying to find them ever since. I don't think anyone's seen Castor or Pheobus since yesterday." ***** Now Starbuck was leaning forward, angry but not yet really concerned. "You've asked both their mothers?" "Cassie thought Castor stayed with Athena. Athena thought they were both at Cassie's." "Now I know for a fact that Aura slept at her mother's quarters but ate breakfast with Zack at Cassie's." Starbuck protested. "Didn't they compare notes?" Apollo still had to resist a smile as they discussed Starbuck's family, even with the alarm bells ringing in his head. The month, nineteen years ago, when both his sister and their friend Cassiopeia had declared they were pregnant with Starbuck's child had been ... interesting. The problem was that Starbuck was genuinely in love with both women and, despite their cat fighting since the fall of the Twelve Colonies, they had to accept that. Apollo and his father, Adama, had kept well clear of the argument. Apollo had no intention of being caught between his sister and a man he considered as close as a brother. Adama too had begun to look on Starbuck with an almost paternal concern and not just because of his romance with Athena. The only thing that everyone had agreed on was that the children shouldn't suffer for their father's irresponsibility. In the end, Adama had declared that he would consider both of Starbuck's children his grandchildren and that of course made them cousins to Apollo's adopted son Boxey and later to his daughter, Serena. Starbuck and Cassiopeia were adopted into the family. The boys, when they were born both resembled their father strongly enough that they soon became known as 'the twins,' a move tat seemed even more natural when Cassie had named her son after one of the Patrons of her homeworld Gemini. Quite how Athena and Cassie felt about the fact that neither of them had Starbuck to themselves, Apollo had never really figured out and knew better than to ask. They seemed to have become resigned to it. No one was really surprised when Starbuck and Cassiopeia had a second child Zack four years after the boys and only a few eyebrows were raised when Athena's second child Aura joined the extended family four years after that. They were a family and that was all that mattered. It did sometimes make keeping track of the children difficult though. "The kids thought that Cas and Pheob might have slept at your place last night." Boxey answered Starbuck's question. "But they did know what the twins were up to yesterday afternoon." "I get the feeling we're not going to like this." Apollo observed quietly. "They planned to fly a shuttle out to the 'Senator' to get Grandfather a birthday present." "Of all the irresponsible.... Couldn't they have just got a scheduled shuttle?" "There are none going in that direction for the next week." Apollo told his friend distractedly. "Boxey, have you checked the shuttle?" "You know the twins, Father. They'll have authorised the trip using my name. If I start querying my own shuttle authorisations I'm really going to let the cat out of the bag. I'd still rather not to many people found out about this." Starbuck and Apollo understood but this had got serious. Castor and Pheobus were old enough now to know that certain procedures were there for a reason, and that certain rules just shouldn't be breached. They were pilots, but even pilots had to follow rules. "When I get my hands on them...." Apollo snapped angrily. He reached over his desk and hit the communications button. "Bridge, this is Apollo." "Bridge. How may we help you, Colonel?" The ever calm voice of Control answered immediately. "I'd like a record of all shuttlecraft activity around Galactica in the last two days." "Transferring that information to your terminal now, sir." The officer on duty reported. Apollo thanked him curtly and broke the link. Starbuck and Boxey both craned forward to see as Apollo studied the log on launches and landings from the Battlestar Galactica's huge flight decks. Apollo scowled but spoke in a quiet, calm voice. "They launched a shuttle alright. Authorisation: Captain Boxey. Destination: 'The Senator.' Duration of trip: unspecified." "So when did they get back?" Boxey asked, apprehensive. "They haven't." Apollo told him. Quickly, he asked the bridge for a scrambled comlink to the 'Senator.' They waited in tense silence. "I'm sorry, Colonel, that shuttlecraft left the 'Senator' just a couple of hours after they arrived. I understood that it was nothing more than a courier trip. Are you sure that their return wasn't just unlogged?" All three men were sure of that. The twins might have all the common sense of a daggit but they would no more try to land on the Galactica unannounced than launch a shuttle without clearance from Core Control. Starbuck leaned into the microphone, his agitation only now beginning to show. "Are you sure the shuttle left on time? And that it's pilots were the same as the ones who arrived? Didn't you track them?" "Only out of our local space. And I've confirmed already that the pilots were the same. Is there a problem Galactica?" Apollo put a restraining hand on his friends arm. "Only a minor one I'm sure." He told the 'Senator' and cut the comchannel. "Apollo! They could have run into trouble over there. They could be being held prisoner or anything!" "Twenty years ago perhaps, but now? And on the 'Senator?' It's one of the safest, best run, ships in the fleet. If they say the shuttle left with the twins aboard, then it left, Starbuck." Boxey nodded his agreement, although Apollo could see his fists clenching and unclenching in an unconscious desire for action. "We need to find out what happened to them between there and here." ***** It was the work of a few minutes and another request to the now curious bridge to track down the Galactica's sensor record of the fleet for the time the 'Senator' had suggested. Sure enough the Galactican shuttlecraft had left 'Senator' en route to it's mother ship. What no one noticed at the time was the moment when the tiny, insignificant, ship had bucked suddenly and dived into lightspeed without signal or warning. Apollo watched it and opened a comchannel to the flight deck before his friend or son could speak. "Flight deck? This is Apollo. Prepare my viper, and Captain Boxey's, for immediate launch." "Now just you hold on! If you think I'm staying here...." "Don't argue, Starbuck." Apollo's voice was flat and unencouraging. "I need you here to cover for us." His voice softened. "And failing that, I need you here to explain. To Athena, Cassie and the kids." Starbuck hesitated. He had matured a lot in the years since the Twelve Colonies died but something inside him still itched for action. He surpressed it and nodded slowly. "Bring them home, Apollo." His friend looked into his eyes and nodded once before leading Boxey from the room. END OF PART ONE ___________________________________________________________________ Elizabeth Stanway ers24@cam.ac.uk http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/8403 "When in danger, when in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout." ___________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "E.R. Stanway" <ers24@hermes.cam.ac.uk> Subject: TPFICT: Out of Control (2/12) Date: 30 Jan 2002 19:13:26 +0000 (GMT) PART TWO **** Adam smiled at Castor and Pheobus. "Hello. You're safe. You're like us." They looked back at him with blank incomprehension and Megabyte groaned. "They don't speak English, do they?" Adam tried to brush their minds gently, projecting feelings and meanings rather than words. [(You're safe. You're among friends. Try to reach out. Try to link your minds with mine.)] The young men started and then exchanged frantic looks with one another. Adam could feel them talking telepathically to one another and could see that they didn't even realise they weren't speaking aloud. Phillipe, returning form Stephie's room, tried a few words of French on them and then Ami tried cycling through all the languages she knew. When Castor did speak it wasn't with any language they recognised. "{Where are we? Can you get us back to the Galactica?}" "{They don't understand a word, Cas.}" Pheobus also spoke aloud. "{But I feel safe here. Don't ask me why.}" [Castor, Pheobus.] Adam tried again. {Adam's trying to communicate.} Pheobus observed. Castor gave him a strange look. "{How do you know? And how do you know his name?}" Pheobus turned pale [I know all their names!] He projected the thought and this time the Tomorrow People could all hear the meaning. Adam concentrated. [(Don't panic!)] He projected. [(This is perfectly natural. You're safe.)] [Where are we?] Castor projected, afraid. [This is the ship] Kevin broadcast images of space, of the ship keeping lonely vigil through the millennia, the Tomorrow People returning and a sense of belonging. None of them were ready for the overlapping images that Castor and Pheobus broadcast in return. [( Cylon scout ships closing on the shuttle, the red lights of their visors pulsing ominously. Years, decades, _centuries_ of space battles, Colonial vipers and Cylons locked in combat. The Galactican fleet, grey ships against a midnight sky. Old ships and new, a rag-tag fleet for a broken people. And looming over them all the Battlestar Galactica herself. Huge, majestic, unmistakably a warship, but home to these people and so many others.)] "{Battlestar Galactica.}" Castor spoke the name slowly and carefully. Whatever strange ship they'd ended up on, whatever peculiar corner of the Twelve Colonies these strange people had originated from, everyone in the fleet would know the name of the last Battlestar. He wasn't ready for the blank looks he received. The Tomorrow People had broken mental contact after that flood of images. All of them were still sprawled in chairs or on bulkheads around the ship's control room. Ami put a hand to her aching head. "All right, is anyone else now seriously freaked out?" "Did anyone else just see a very bad sci-fi show?" Megabyte asked, struggling for humour. "They believe it." It was all that Kevin said and he left open the question of whether Castor and Pheobus were mad or whether their world was. "It was such a struggle to pull them onto the beacon." Adam whispered softly. "Could this be true?" "You're asking us?" Megabyte spoke wryly. "Face it, Adam, we sound like science fiction ourselves sometimes. Ami, what language are they speaking? I've never heard anything like it." "Megabyte, I haven't got the faintest idea." Ami told him anxiously, she turned to Adam. "I thought I had a handle on most of the big language groups, Adam, but I've never heard anything like this. It's miles away from anything I've heard. They look like they should speak some Indo-European language or other but they don't!" "Castor and Pheobus are names from Greek mythology." Phillipe observed. "Adam, surely you don't think all that about a spacefleet is true? Why would they have Greek names?" [Um, guys. I think all this talk is making the twins nervous.] Megabyte volunteered. Castor and Pheobus had been muttering between themselves but now Pheobus stepped forwards with a strident demand. "{We insist that you return us to the Galactica at once! What ship are we on?}" [Did anyone get any of the meaning behind that?] [Only that they're confused, Adam,] Kevin volunteered, [And want to go home.] [I think we could probably have guessed that.] Adam was projecting reassurance once again. [This is impossible.] [The ship, Adam.] Jade sent the thought patiently from where she was sitting with the sleeping Stephanie. [Can the ship help?] **** Pheobus watched the strange teenagers talk in their incomprehensible language and wondered. Castor was scared and getting angry to cover his fear but Pheobus had moved beyond that now. He couldn't explain how they'd got away from the Cylon attack. He couldn't explain how they'd ended up back among humans. He _really_ couldn't explain why he could suddenly hear what Castor was thinking or feel the lightning fast, shielded thoughts of the people around them. He was starting to wonder if this wasn't some forgotten corner of the fleet after all. If this was somewhere else entirely. "We insist you contact the Galactica!" Castor was repeating. [Cas.] Pheobus stopped him with a thought. [You _can_ hear me when I speak like this, can't you?] Castor turned to face him wide eyed. [I can hear you. I thought I was going mad, but I can hear you. And I can hear them too.] He waved a hand at the others. [What's happened to us?] [I really don't know. I don't think they do either, but I think they want to help.] Adam had laid a hand on what appeared to be some kind of control panel and appeared to be listening intently. He turned to the others and spoke that peculiar language. "{I'm not sure but I think it's telling us to mind meld. I think it can do something.}" "{Well, if you say so, Adam.}" That was the tall red-haired boy, Megabyte. "{You've always got more out of this hunk of junk than the rest of us.}" The other Tomorrow People got to their feet. They looked tired, Pheobus noted, as drained as he and Cas felt. Adam, Pheobus was sure now he was the leader of this group, beckoned to the Galacticans to join them as they made a loose circle about the Ship's central pillar. Castor looked at his brother and shrugged before joining them. Pheobus followed. [{We're all tired for this, Adam}] Phillipe thought. Pheobus guessed it was some kind or warning but Adam seemed to shrug it off. [{The ship wouldn't ask us to do this if it wasn't important.}] The youths held up their hands to one another and Cas and Pheobus imitated the gesture. They weren't prepared for the sudden glow between their hands but before they could pull back they were drawn into a rush of emotions and images too fast to make out. [(It's alright)] Someone, impossible to tell who, projected the feelings before they were washed away. [(Who _are_ you?)] That was Castor, projecting strongly. [(We are the Tomorrow People. You are one of us.)] [(An image of Galactica)] [{Science fiction.}] [Home] Pheobus thought longingly. The language barrier was standing between them, half the meld made no sense. Then they all felt the ship's strange thoughts wash over them, opening the walls in their thoughts, testing, analysing, teaching. Waking up powers they never knew they had. When the meld shattered they all felt a new freedom in their contact with one another, a new depth to their links, and they all found that they knew a new language. **** "Do you...do you understand me?" Pheobus's words were heavily accented but recognisably English. They were all sat on the floor in their circle, their legs having given way in the exhaustion of the link. "We sure do, mate," Megabyte assured him, shaking his head in astonishment. He saw that Pheobus still looked blank. "Yes." He clarified. Clearly, these new language skills covered only a basic vocabulary. Slang was going to be beyond them for a while. Adam concentrated. "Where are you from?" He asked in Castor and Pheobus's own language. Castor looked relieved. "We're from the Galactica. Can you get us back there? What ship are we on?" Cas jumbled English and Galactican together but the others seemed to follow. "What's the Galactica?" Adam asked intently. "You're on _the_ ship. Our spaceship." Castor and Pheobus exchanged frustrated looks. Pheobus spoke slowly "Are you saying that this ship isn't part of the fleet? You're human. What planet are you from?" Despite the earlier exchanges of images they stared at him. "We are the next stage of human evolution, the Tomorrow People. You are too." Ami volunteered. "We're on Earth." Adam felt silly for saying it but he told them anyway. " Where are you from?" ***** "Boxey! Father!" Serena's voice stopped them as they were about to climb into their vipers. Boxey jumped down from his fighter and waited for his sister to reach them. "I was working in the other maintenance bay when you ordered the vipers prepared." Serena told her father. "Where are you two off to? This isn't a scheduled patrol." "There's something we need to look into." Apollo told her, not meeting her eyes. "We shouldn't be long." Boxey shook his head slightly. That approach might have satisfied Serena ten years ago but she was seventeen years old now, just slightly younger than the twins. She had known there was something wrong as soon as she had seen their expressions. "Father, you go on. I need to talk to Serena for a minute." He told Apollo. The older man nodded and embraced Serena briefly. "You take care until we get back now." Serena hugged him back, tightly, nervously. "Safe flying, Father" Boxey waited until Apollo climbed into his viper and even then it was Serena who spoke first. "It's the twins again, isn't it? I recognise that expression on your face, Boxey. But why get Father involved?" "Serena, I think this time the trouble they've got themselves into is a bit more serious than usual." She went pale at his tone. "What?" She asked in a whisper. "Their shuttle seems to be missing. Father and I are going to look for it." Serena was speechless. Boxey looked sympathetically into his sister's oddly intense eyes. Like him she was motherless, Sheba had died when her daughter was just three years old. That had drawn Apollo's children together despite the age gap. They knew one another's secrets. "Do our parents realise how you and Castor feel about one another, Serena?" "No." Serena told him absently, "Cas....They're alive, Boxey, I _know_ they are." Despite the certainty in her voice, Boxey felt the need to prepare her for the worst. "Space is dangerous and unforgiving, Serena, and this region has a lot of Cylon activity. We have to consider...." "They're alive, Boxey." Serena repeated cutting him off. "Find them? For me?" "For the whole family." Boxey promised, surrendering. He hugged her and turned to climb up once more to his cockpit "Boxey." She shouted up to him as the viper began to manoeuvre. "Be careful." **** Adam wasn't prepared for the wave of sheer astonishment and disbelief that rolled from the twins at the name of the planet. [(Earth, the Thirteenth Tribe, Kobol, Earth!)] Pheobus's thought were disjointed. Castor wasn't even thinking that rationally. "Yes, Earth." Adam confirmed. Kevin and Megabyte exchanged bemused looks. Ami just sighed. With a hum the Ship produced bowls of snacks and drinks. Amongst the peanuts and crisps were nibbles that Adam didn't recognise but which seemed to have been pulled instead from Castor and Pheobus's memories. Ami stared blankly at the food. "The Ship wants us to have a party? Now?" Phillipe stirred himself to action and started passing the food around. "The Ship knows we've lost vital sugars and carbohydrates." He corrected in his best 'doctor' tones. "I'm not sure I could even hold a coherent telepathic conversation at the moment, let alone teleport." Castor took a handful of small green objects as Phillipe passed but clearly wasn't even aware of doing so. "This is Earth?" He repeated. "He'll get round to the idea sooner or later." Megabyte observed wryly. "Why do I think the language barrier was only part of the problem?" Pheobus had been peering at the Ship's engraved surfaces and now prodded his brother. "Cas," He whispered, awed. "I recognise those symbols. They were in the recordings Father and Uncle Apollo brought back. They were all over the Lost Tombs on Kobol." "You're sure?" Castor's voice too had fallen to a whisper. "Then this really could be Earth?" "Why is this such a big thing with you two? And where are you from anyway?" Megabyte was rapidly running out of patience. "If this is Earth why are we in a spaceship?" Pheobus asked, bewildered and completely ignoring Megabyte. Adam sent his friend a soothing thought. There was too much here for any of them to easily take in. He opened the main hatch to the surface with a thought and dragged himself to his feet. Castor and Pheobus were blinking at the brilliant sunlight. They'd grown up on a starship and even the brightest artificial lights couldn't match the glory of a tropical morning. "Anyone coming?" Adam invited. ***** Castor sat on the white sands of the Tomorrow People's island and watched the waves lapping at the shore. Adam, Megabyte, Phillipe, Ami and, of course, Pheob all sat in the same loose circle. The younger Tomorrow People, Castor knew without asking, were all asleep and he too felt the exhaustion of what they had done on this remarkable day. With a combination of words and images Castor started to tell the story of the Galactica. Kobol, the ancient world dying as its ecology collapsed. The Twelve Tribes of Man and the lost Thirteenth Tribe setting out. The twelve Colonies, thriving. Bustling cities and interplanetary commerce. Cylons, the mechanised descendants of a long vanished race, attacking, enslaving. A millennia of war, millions died but the homeworlds were left unharmed. Then hope, a peace treaty offered and accepted. Then despair, the black treachery that wiped out the Colonial Fleet and annihilated the Colonies. Galactica, the last surviving Battlestar gathering the remnants of humanity and leading them in their long quest for the shining planet known as Earth. Adam was the first to stir when the images faded. His expression was serious. "And this fleet is out there now?" "Somewhere." Pheobus nodded. "It's been twenty years now since the Colonies were destroyed. We've been just one step ahead of the Cylons the whole time since." "Adam," Ami's face glowed with delight. "Do you know how much this explains? All the Pyramid Cultures came from the pyramids of Kobol. The zodiac signs were named after the twelve other tribes. The ancient gods were named...." "Evolution." Phillipe disagreed, "The fossil record. Almost all of archaeology. You're trying to tell us that humans were a space faring race who landed on earth just a few tens of thousands of years ago. We've only had spaceflight for the last few decades and even then we don't have anything like this fleet." "But what if the civilisation collapsed? What if the Earth was too difficult to colonise and they lost all that technology? They'd have to scatter across the planet and all that would be left are the memories. They might have known we would come one day. They might have left the Ship here to guide us." Megabyte held up his hands. "Whoa, Ami, Phillipe, time out." He glanced at Adam. "If what they're saying is actually true," He said sceptically, "We have bigger problems." Castor and Pheobus were looking nervous. "You don't have a fleet?" Pheobus asked urgently. "How do you defend yourselves?" "We don't often need to." Adam told him. "We don't have any contact with aliens. The few times we have come up against something like that we've just fought it with whatever skills we can. We've been lucky. We don't have a fleet, Pheobus. We don't even have faster-than-light travel. If these Cylons wiped out your twelve Colonies, Earth doesn't stand a chance." END OF PART TWO ___________________________________________________________________ Elizabeth Stanway ers24@cam.ac.uk http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/8403 "When in danger, when in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout." ___________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "E.R. Stanway" <ers24@hermes.cam.ac.uk> Subject: TPFICT: Out of Control (3/12) Date: 30 Jan 2002 19:16:22 +0000 (GMT) PART THREE ****** "Are you sure this is their most likely vector?" Apollo's voice crackled in Boxey's ears. Glancing out through his cockpit, the Warrior could see his father's viper off to one side, the blue cone of its turbo exhaust lighting the sky. Boxey was sitting on his turbos too. They didn't know how far the twins had gone but they urgently needed to catch up with them as soon as possible. "Pretty sure, Father. This is the way they were headed and from the sensors it looked like one of their engines was out of synch with the other. That would pull them over that way. Cas and Pheob are skilled pilots. They'll have tried to compensate. They went this way." There was a pause. "Boxey, if you're navigating on instinct, all you need to do is say so." Boxey had to smile. Apollo knew as well as he did that once you'd taken all the factors he'd mentioned into account, you still had to make an educated guess. Both Warriors had learned when to trust their hunches and when not to. This was a time for trust. "Ride with me on this one, Father." "Fine. We ought to spread out a bit though. If we separate until we're just in contact we'll double our sensor radius. Heading right." Apollo pulled his viper off in a smooth arc to starboard. As he went he opened a secure comchannel on the fleet frequencies. "This is Colonel Apollo calling Galactica shuttle gamma. Please respond." Silence. Boxey bounced the signal out through his transmitters too as Apollo repeated it. "Galactica shuttle, please answer." They called an intermittent intervals over the next several hours. Apollo sat on the fringes of Boxey's sensor range the whole time and both scanned local space for any sign of the craft. When Boxey detected a contact on the edge of his sensors, it was directly between him and his father. The vipers converged and dropped out of lightspeed in unison. Neither man spoke. Both gazed at the expanding cloud of debris, hot gas and energy with stunned horror. "My warbook believes that it's wreckage from a Colonial shuttlecraft." Apollo said eventually. "The energy patterns are Cylon." Boxey added in the same flat tone. Apollo sighed and his tone hardened. "We will get to the bottom of this, Boxey. Whether that shuttle was sabotaged or just badly maintained, someone will answer for this." "They could have got out, Father." Silence. "Somehow. It is possible. For that matter the Cylons could have taken them prisoner. Anything." "Boxey, I want Castor and Pheobus to be alive as much as you do, but the Cylons haven't tried to abduct Colonial pilots for almost twenty years. You have to face this." "Do you want to go back and tell Starbuck and Cassiopeia and Athena that Cas and Pheob are dead, Father? Do you want to tell them we didn't even try to look for the twins?" Apollo closed his eyes in pain. "Boxey...." "Father, I don't think the twins are dead. I think we'd know if they were." Boxey was aware his voice was rising but he meant every word. He could hear the pain in his father's reply. "The family will be waiting for us to get back. We're already overdue." "Father, at least we should check out the nearest planets, see if any are habitable." Apollo hesitated. He told his ship to scan in every available frequency for any hint that his nephews could have escaped. Only one frequency showed any residual energy past the initial explosion. It seemed to be the fading edges of some kind of high energy communications signal but there was no sign of the main transmission frequency. Apollo frowned at his scanner. This frequency was on the very edge of the device's sensitivity range and in a part of the spectrum that hadn't been used for decades, centuries even. The colonial pilots back then had complained of signals going missing, of strange echoes that seemed to come from nowhere. Some even reported feeling uncomfortable standing near a transmitter. In the end the frequencies had been abandoned and any detection in that region was ... odd. It might be worth investigating. It was something at least. "I have an anomalous scanner detection. We ought to check it out." "Understood, Colonel. Thank you, Father." ***** They fell asleep on the beach, all of them, despite the gravity of Adam's last statement. The day had just taken to much out of them and they slept soundly, dreamlessly. Jade woke Adam mid-afternoon with Stephanie in tow. [You're all going to look like lobsters tomorrow.] She told him as she reached into his mind to rouse him. [You know better than to sleep in the sun here.] [I think we all tried to stay awake a bit too long. We dozed off within seconds of one another.] Adam looked Stephie over. She still looked a little pale but otherwise unhurt. She peered at the Galacticans with some curiosity. "Who are they, Adam?" The little girl asked in her accented English. "Castor and Pheobus." She gave him a withering look. "I know that." "Then why ask the question?" Jade chimed in. She'd slept through most of the explanation but heard enough to realise that Adam probably didn't want their youngest friend involved. [You can explain to me later though.] She added on a tight channel to him alone. Adam nodded. He looked around at the sleeping Tomorrow People. "How long have we been asleep?" He asked suddenly alarmed. "Probably around six hours." Jade told him. She sighed. "I was going to ask if anyone got round to telling our parents where we were before they fell asleep but from the sudden look of panic in your eyes I guess that the answer is no. My mum probably wouldn't have worried but I guess Ami's mum has panicked everyone." Adam nodded and groaned. He truly had meant to reassure the parents before sleeping but none of them had been strong enough to teleport and there was no way to get in touch with anyone from the Island. Ami's mother would, as Jade had said, have contacted General Damon and Penny Weston. None of those three had been told when Phillipe and Stephanie broke out so Stephanie's parents wouldn't even have had the others to compare notes with. It had been a difficult decision to cut their parents off from one another but as their numbers grew, and more and more people learnt about them, Adam had become convinced that it wasn't safe for anyone, even someone they trusted, to be able to track them all down. Adam was determined to keep Stephanie at least as far from trouble as possible. Leaning over, the tall Australian poked Megabyte until he rolled over on the sand and woke. "Whoa." Megabyte licked his lips. "My throat is parched." He looked around. "Oh. I had been kind of hoping all that was a dream." Jade gave him a curious look. She knew something odd was happening but it was hard to see how any new TP's could be bad news. Adam just shook his head. Telekinetically, he summoned their stock of canvas sunshades from the ship and began to erect them over the sleeping forms. Megabyte reached out mentally to fetch them all drinks. Adam sipped his as he worked and spoke quietly to Megabyte and Jade. "Look. I'm going to have to take Stephie home and explain to her parents why we kept her out all night. Jade, I want you to reassure your Mum, Ami's and Megabyte's dad that we're all alright. Don't mention Castor and Pheobus. If they ask say I'll come over and explain later. Megabyte, I want you to stay here. Keep an eye on things. Let all the others sleep until they're ready to wake up, we've had a hard time of it." "Why don't I just teleport to see my dad myself?" Megabyte asked, "It would save Jade the trip and we're all still tired." "I want you here." Adam said with quiet emphasis. [Don't you trust them?] Jade shielded her thoughts from Stephanie. The little girl had wandered off a little way and was drawing patterns in the sand. She had learnt that there were some things the older Tomorrow People just would not discuss in front of her. [I don't know yet what to think.] Adam said sombrely. [I know they believe it's all true but how much can we believe? And even if it is all true, is it safe to let them loose on the Earth? If it's true.... Just don't let them leave the Island 'till I get back, Megabyte.] [Whatever you say.] Megabyte agreed seriously. ***** Stephanie's parents fell on their little girl with tearful relief. She had been gone all night as far as they were concerned, but they hadn't dared report her missing for fear of drawing attention to her unusual abilities. They did, however, round on Adam for not getting in touch sooner. Adam nodded, apologised and explained in competent French that they had had an emergency that tired them all. He'd learnt over the last few months that Stephanie's parents rarely wanted to know the details. If he told them often enough that Stephie had been safe and promised often enough not to let it happen again, they were satisfied. Adam couldn't decide whether that was a good thing or a bad thing. Certainly if all their parents felt the same then Adam's life would be a lot easier but Adam truly couldn't tell if Stephie's parents complacency came from trust or fear. Trust they could all live with, fear would eat them up from the inside. That, however, was a problem for another day. Stephie turned to Adam before he could leave. [When will I get to meet Castor and Pheobus?] She asked while outwardly listening to her parents telling her to go straight back to her room. Adam thought hard before answering. [Stephie, I don't want you to go back to the Island for a few days.] It wasn't as difficult a request as it might have been for the elder Tomorrow People. Stephanie had been raised to be an obedient daughter and sometimes days passed before her parents gave her permission to visit the others. They were insistent that her schoolwork shouldn't suffer because of her gifts. Adam sympathised. He knew that Kevin's schooling, and Ami's had been affected by their breaking out and Megabyte's had always been disrupted. Phillipe had admitted that if he'd broken out any younger he might not have had the determination needed to study to become a doctor. If Stephanie's work began to suffer at the tender age of eight she could suffer for it for the rest of her life. The little girl seemed to accept it too. Stephie had been raised in a family with three much older brothers. Her parents seemed to have been telling her to wait until she was older all her life. To her it seemed natural that she wouldn't be allowed to really join in until she grew up as Adam had been relieved to find out. [Why?] Stephie demanded, her thoughts upset but not rebellious. [Castor and Pheobus came from a long way away. They need time to adjust, time to get used to being here with us. I don't think they'll want to meet too many new people. Besides they didn't speak any English, or French, when they arrived.] He didn't mention the strange language course the ship had given them. [And you're still tired from yesterday. Please, Stephie.] [All right.] She consented eventually. [But you'll call me if anything exciting happens? You'll call me when Castor and Pheobus feel a bit better?] [We'll let you know.] Adam told her and made his apologies again to her parents before teleporting. He wondered anxiously if he'd be able to keep that promise. ***** General William Damon of WorldEx warmed his hands around his sixth mug of coffee. Idly he watched the surface of the liquid tremble and wondered if the shakes came from the coffee, exhaustion or just nerves. "Come on, Adam." He whispered aloud. "Get in touch." Sighing, he flicked through another folder of rumours and reported sightings. Lady Mulvaney was definitely active again, interfering with the fringes of WorldEx's work. Colonel Cobb had bought his way onto probation just a couple of months ago. Other past adversaries might have been sighted or had just vanished into the ether. Megabyte and the other Tomorrow People had made so many enemies over the years. What if one of them was behind this? It's only been a few hours, he told himself firmly. Eight, another part of his mind corrected less confidently. Eight hours since Ami Jackson had teleported out of her mother's presence between one sentence and another. It could be nothing, of course - there had been unexplained absences on the island before. On the other hand, in the last couple of years the Tomorrow People had been better at keeping their parents in touch. Sure, there were things Adam and Megabyte didn't tell him, Damon had realised and accepted that long ago, but if they were going to be away for long they'd let him know. This absence had been long enough that Damon was beginning to get seriously worried by it. Could Mulvaney or one of the others have grabbed the children? From the hints Damon was picking up he was starting to suspect her organisation was growing to rival WorldEx itself. She had the resources. In theory she shouldn't even know about Ami or Jade or any of the others he was starting to suspect might exist but what if the Tomorrow People's enemies had formed a coalition against them? What if ...? Even in his concern, Damon had to smile wryly. He was letting his imagination run away with him. He put the reports about Lady Mulvaney's rumoured activities down. Someone would be in touch, he was sure. And soon. Damon was straining so hard to hear the crackle-snap of teleportation that when it finally came he jumped a mile. Coffee went everywhere and he stared at Jade Weston with a mixture of irritation and overwhelming relief. Since Ami's mother had contacted him the previous evening Damon had had little sleep and the lack showed in his shadowed eyes and, he admitted ruefully to himself, frayed nerves. Jade smiled apologetically and came forward to help tidy up. "Sorry." She apologised. Damon closed his eyes as the weight lifted, from Jade's relaxed attitude it was clear nothing was very wrong. He stood and took her shoulders. "What's going on?" He demanded. ***** [Adam?] The eldest Tomorrow Person had teleported to a supermarket he occasionally used to buy some aftersun lotion. When Jade called he was careful not to show any reaction but went on browsing the shelves. [What is it, Jade?] [I told General Damon and Mrs Jackson and my Mum that we were all safe. They're relieved but want to know what happened. The General isn't very happy with us. He could tell I was hiding something. He thinks that because you sent me, you and Megabyte must be doing something more important.] Jade sounded peeved. She was fourteen now but, apart from Stephie, still the youngest of them. Apart from the new breakouts, recent months had been quiet for the Tomorrow People and Adam knew that Jade was sometimes frustrated by the lack of action. She'd envisaged life as a TP as being like a knight in shining armour or some kind of superhero - delivering the Earth from the clutches of evil. Reality was much more mundane and Adam, for one, preferred it that way. He was very much afraid that they would soon have all the excitement Jade wanted. [And how do you now what the General was thinking, Jade?] He asked mildly. [I wasn't peeking!] She said defensively. [He was practically broadcasting. You know how loudly he thinks when he's tired or overexcited. Ami's mother kept him up all night phoning to ask whether he'd heard anything.] [All right.] Adam was at the till now paying for the lotion. He was glad he'd remembered to use a southern hemisphere shop. Buying sun lotion in the middle of the northern hemisphere winter might have raised some eyebrows. [Jade, I'll meet you back at the ship. General Damon will just have to wait.] [Wait for what, Adam?] [Wait until we've decided how much of this crazy story he has to know.] ****** Phillipe was awake when Jade and Adam arrived back on the island with a sparkle of electric light and the crack of displaced air. Megabyte greeted them sourly. He looked bored, stuck on the Island with all his friends asleep. "Ami and Kev are still sleeping like babies. So are the twins. Phillipe here just woke up." He did spare a smile for Phillipe. Adam nodded and tossed them each a bottle of aftersun lotion. They accepted gratefully. "That'll teach us to fall asleep out there." Megabyte noted as he smoothed the cool liquid onto his burning skin. Adam agreed. He'd long ago realised that his small healing talent couldn't be used for anything but emergencies because it left him so utterly drained. Of the others only Phillipe showed any healing talent and he too felt it tiring. This was one mistake they were just going to live with. "Adam." Jade spoke seriously. "I know you didn't want to discuss this in front of Stephie but I do need to know what's going on." Megabyte and Adam exchanged glances. A year ago they would have tried to keep Jade out of things too but they'd learnt how impossible that was. Adam reached out telepathically and tested his friends' mental conditions. Where yesterday he had felt only dull exhaustion, now there was vibrancy. The rest, together with the food the ship had given them, had pretty much brought them back to full strength. "We'll mind merge." He told them quietly and within seconds they were locked in a circle of four. The part of the meld that was Jade passed the next few minutes in total astonishment but when the meld faded she knew the basics of a new language. The part of the meld that was Adam wondered how on Earth they could get Castor and Pheobus home. And what it would mean for the Earth if they did. The part of the meld that was Megabyte worried about the strain on his friend but worried too, the old regret, that they couldn't trust his dad to know all their names let alone all their secrets. If a massive battle fleet was about to attack Earth, at what point would they have to turn to the general? The part of the meld that was Phillipe was scared. He had taken the revelation that he was a Tomorrow person in his stride, he had accepted their stories of what had happened before, he had found a little sister in Stephie when she broke out. None of it had prepared him for the full reality of their responsibilities. He knew, as certainly as the others did, that he had a responsibility to his planet and all the people on it. The meld broke in a roil of emotions. [Are we going to tell my Dad?] Megabyte asked quietly when they had all caught their breaths. [I think we're going to have to but not until we know more.] Adam broadcast to all the other three. [We need to get some basics sorted out first. Megabyte, Phillipe, you're both about Castor and Pheobus's size. Can you lend them a spare set of clothes or two? We don't know how long their going to be here.] [Certainly, Adam.] [Sure thing, Adam] Megabyte agreed. [We've both got clothes in our rooms here that will fit.] [Good.] Jade interrupted firmly [Because they're waking up.] END OF PART THREE ___________________________________________________________________ Elizabeth Stanway ers24@cam.ac.uk http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/8403 "When in danger, when in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout." ___________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "E.R. Stanway" <ers24@hermes.cam.ac.uk> Subject: TPFICT: Out of Control (4/12) Date: 30 Jan 2002 19:17:49 +0000 (GMT) PART FOUR ***** Pheobus woke up with a splitting headache and the memory of the strangest dream he'd ever had. He was warm and felt safe. Even without opening his eyes he knew his brother was nearby. His eyes snapped open in horror. Even without opening them he had been in contact with his brother's thoughts. "Cas!" "I'm here, Pheob, it wasn't a dream, was it?" "I'm afraid not." The red-haired boy, Megabyte, was squatting down in front of Pheobus. He lent a hand to pull the Galactican upright. "You've got to be dehydrated after all that sun, not to mention sunburned. Here, have a drink." Out of the corner of his eye, Pheobus could see Adam giving Castor a drink too as he sipped his own. "We're on Earth?" Castor clearly felt the need to have it confirmed once again. Megabyte rolled his eyes. "Don't start that again!" Pheobus smiled. "Well it is quite a big thing, Megabyte." He looked past Megabyte at the other Tomorrow People watching them. The tall fair man he recognised from last night but the young woman - Jade - was unfamiliar. No, not quite. "You were there when we... well, when we got here. There was another little girl, too. She collapsed. Is she...?" "She's fine." Adam was the first to answer and his tone was firm. "I've sent her home. We want to keep her out of this. If the ship hadn't pulled her in last night we wouldn't have involved her at all." Pheobus looked at the man just a few years older than himself and saw the same qualities he saw in Boxey, Apollo, even Commander Adama himself. This was a man on whom other lives depended. Someone who wouldn't let others threaten his people. "We understand." He volunteered for himself and for Castor. "We have a little sister just ten yahrens - years - old. We wouldn't let her talk to strangers like us either." "My skin feels like it's burning." Castor complained, defusing the tension. "It's just sunburn." Jade hurried to reassure him. Both Galacticans looked at her blankly. "They grew up in a spaceship, Jade." Phillipe pointed out. He stepped forward slightly. "Parts of the spectrum of our sun's light can damage skin tissue with prolonged exposure. We all experience it often during our lifetimes. It's only seriously harmful with repeated burns. Put some of this lotion on it." He demonstrated on his own reddened arms. "It will soothe the burning." Castor and Pheobus exchanged alarmed looks as they followed his example. "I think I understood most of that. Are you seriously telling me you've settled on a planet who's sun gives you _radiation burns_?" "Hey, we didn't settle on it." Megabyte protested. "Phillipe did tell you it's not a serious problem. Not as a one off." Jade added. "Well, what about you?" Castor asked angrily. "You live here but half of you are as red as Pheob and me." "We don't usually sleep in the sun." Adam told him patiently. "The pair of you kind of overrode common sense yesterday. There was too much to take in." There was silence for several moments. They'd all been avoiding the big questions before now. Adam sighed. "I think we'd all better go inside. We need to talk." ***** Kevin and Ami woke up as they all trouped into the ship. Kevin picked up the package the two men had brought with them yesterday from where it lay on the floor. "Is this yours?" Castor fell on it with a soft cry and Pheobus helped him unwrap it. "Thank the Lords of Kobol. It's not broken." The Tomorrow People craned to see. A glass plate with a three dimensional picture somehow embedded in it. "It's beautiful." Ami whispered. Jade pointed to two of the happy, smiling people. "That's you two. Are these your family?" Castor nodded with tears unshed in his eyes. "This is my mother, Cassiopeia, and father, Starbuck." He told them indicating the blond couple between the twins. Starbuck had his other arm around a second woman, a brunette, and Adam nodded at her fascinated. "Would that be an aunt?" "No." Pheobus exchanged a resigned smile with his brother. "That's my mother, Athena." "But I thought...." Adam waved a hand vaguely at Castor and Pheobus. "Nope. People call us 'the twins' but we're half-brothers we share the same father not mother." "But you're the same age!" Kevin protested. Megabyte thumped him. [We don't know what's normal for these people, Kev. Maybe all their women are kept in harems or something.] [Hardly.] Pheobus had clearly overheard. [If 'harem' translates as I think it does I'd like to see you try putting our mothers in one. We're an unusual family, even for the Galactica.] [Right.] Adam interrupted firmly. [Clearly our first task for the day is working on shields for the pair of you. I know you couldn't help it but we _don't_ listen when other people are talking unless we're invited or the other person is broadcasting. And you two are practically living in one another's heads. You're going to drive each other round the bend unless we can at least filter that.] Castor and Pheobus exchanged relieved looks. They'd been trying to ignore one another's thoughts since they woke. Even brothers as close as they were needed some privacy. [Who's this?] Jade asked suddenly, indicating a young woman standing between two tall men on the other side of the group. Her eyes were on Castor and thoughtful. [Uncle Apollo's daughter, Serena.] He said simply. [So this Apollo would be your Dad's brother?] Kevin asked. [You don't think of Serena like a cousin.] He added without thinking and got another warning thump from Megabyte. Pheobus sighed and looked over at his brother, very aware of his thoughts, before continuing aloud. "No, Uncle Apollo is my mother's brother. He and Father are partners." Megabyte stared. Now things were getting too weird even for him. Adam concentrated on what he'd found out in the last day. "You mean they work together?" "They're wingmates." Castor said blankly. "What else would we mean?" Megabyte grinned. "Somehow I think understanding you two is going to be full time work." ***** Ami headed home after that and Adam strongly hinted to Jade and Kevin that they should both head back to Jade's village for the morning there. With Phillipe committed to lectures in Paris for which he was already late, that left Adam and Megabyte alone with the visitors. "This is all so amazing!" Castor exclaimed as he lifted a cushion into mid air with only the power of his mind. They'd eased up on mental shields after three hours of solid work had established the most basic of barriers between the twins. Their years of closeness and shared breakout had tied them together in ways even Megabyte and Adam with all their years of experience could only begin to understand. Fortunately, however, both seemed better able to come to terms with shielding against other people and Adam and Megabyte were able to ease down slightly the shields they had been concentrating to hold. [Take it easy.] Megabyte warned as Castor got over excited and the cushion tore under the strain. [This thing isn't to be taken lightly.] [It can be dangerous.] Adam agreed solemnly. The twins were exchanging looks again and Adam didn't like what he was still seeing of their thoughts. Megabyte glanced at him curiously. [Adam?] Adam shook off the mental contact and spoke aloud "Now things are a bit quieter, I think it's time we really talked." All four were sitting in the ship's main cabin as the twins practised. Megabyte nodded and gently took the tattered cushion from Castor's mental touch. "Castor, Pheobus. You've told us that your people are refugees, fleeing, but you live on a spaceship called a `Battlestar.' The clothes you were wearing yesterday, they looked like uniforms. Your father and uncle are `wingmates.' Are you in the military?" It was a question that had been bothering him for some time now. Castor and Pheobus were giving him the kind of look that told him there were insurmountable cultural differences between them. "We're Warriors." Castor declared proudly. Pheobus looked a little more thoughtful. "We're shuttle pilots, in training to fly vipers." He clarified but with no less pride. [Adam, you want to tell them or shall I?] Megabyte asked worriedly. Adam replied by speaking directly to the twins. "Pheobus, what do viper pilots do?" "We protect the fleet from Cylon attacks. Adam, what's the problem here? If it wasn't for the Warriors the colonists would have been wiped out decades ago!" "If you were in your viper now." Adam picked up the images of space battle that Castor projected and bounced them back at the twins. [(Explosions, confusion and noise, A Cylon ship on his targeting scanner, the control stick in his hands, the FIRE button beneath his thumb)] "If you were there now could you press that button?" "I...I don't know." "Pheob?" Cas looked worriedly at his confused brother. "Could you?" Megabyte threw the question at the second Galactican and Castor stopped suddenly, as stricken by the question as his brother. "What have you done to us?" Pheobus whispered hoarsely. "We have a little brother, a little sister, all the children in the fleet to protect. We have responsibilities to our people. How can we protect them?" "Castor, Pheobus, Tomorrow People can't kill. Not to save others. Not even to save ourselves." "Take it back." Castor ordered in a whisper. "Make us what we were." "Being able to kill is that important to you guys?" Megabyte asked in surprise. "It's what keeps humanity alive. Father and Athena are warriors, Uncle Apollo and Boxey are warriors. Our Grandfather commands the Galactica! Every month they risk their lives for the fleet. The Cylons want to wipe us out, Adam, Megabyte. We've tried talking and they've killed us. There's no other way. We fight to survive." "Listen to me," Adam was leaning forward, his expression intent. "We can't take this away from you. We can't prevent you being what your genetics make you. You are Tomorrow People. We didn't have a choice about this any more then you did. Don't you think that we wanted a quiet lives for ourselves. Do you think we chose a life that makes us laboratory rats? That makes us the subject of every mad scientist, every government plot? This is something we have to live with and you have to live with it too. We have great gifts we can use for our fellow people. We have to accept that there are conditions on that gift." "Not everyone in your fleet is a warrior, surely." Megabyte added, trying to calm them. "There must be thousands of people without whom the fleet would fail but who don't go out there and kill these Cylons. You said you were shuttle pilots. Isn't that a vital enough job on a fleet of ships?" "How is letting our friends and family risk their lives to kill for us any different to doing it ourselves, Megabyte?" Pheobus demanded. "How can we hide behind people who are giving their lives for us?" "Look," Megabyte was flustered. He'd asked himself that question before when his father had pulled a gun to protect him and his friends. He had never known quite how to answer it. He'd hoped never to have to. "We cant solve all your problems. All we can do is let you know you're not alone. That there are other Tomorrow People." "Other Tomorrow People!" Adam was suddenly wide eyed with excitement. "We never considered but if your people are human then what about the next stage of human evolution? What if there are other Tomorrow People in your fleet!" He paused. "Pheobus, Castor, we can't turn you back into Homo sapiens. Let me be honest: I'm not even sure we can get you home to the Galactica. But perhaps we can get you back in touch with it." ***** Starbuck had been avoiding the bridge but there was no way to avoid it any longer. With Apollo's work to cover and Boxey's as well as his own, he'd been working flat out since the two had left, rearranging pilot's rosters and shuttle schedules, approving or denying the myriad of administrative details that kept a ship as large as the Galactica going. Starbuck hadn't even been home or seen Cassie, Athena or his two younger children in all that time. He tried to tell himself it was because he was too busy. He knew better. "Captain Starbuck." Lost in his own thoughts, the old pilot hadn't noticed that he was already on the bridge. And he hadn't noticed who was already there. The Commander was an old man now but he'd been Starbuck's mentor since he'd been old enough to fly. Adama's mind was as incisive as ever. He took one look at Starbuck's face and snapped out an order. "My office. Now." ***** "Commander." Starbuck managed a polite nod. He had had permission to use the commander's name for decades but this wasn't the time or the place for it. "Starbuck, what in the name of the Lords of Kobol is going on?" Adama demanded. "I went looking for Apollo this morning and found out he's on a deep probe mission." "Ah...yes, Commander." "Yes? What do you mean, yes? There wasn't a deep probe scheduled." Adama read the concern in Starbuck's posture. The younger man had never been good at hiding his emotions. "Starbuck, are my son and grandson in some kind of trouble? When are they due back?" Starbuck closed his eyes. He'd been trying not to face this fact. "Commander, they were due back almost six hours ago." "What?" "They're overdue, Adama, and I don't know where they are!" Starbuck snapped, suddenly angry. "They're missing and so are my sons!" "Castor and Pheobus? If this is another of their pranks...." Adama warned, but they both knew he was gasping at straws. "We...we think there was a shuttle accident." Starbuck said hoarsely. "Something that took the twins into lightspeed. Apollo and Boxey went to look for them. They should have been back hours ago." "Shuttlecraft are unarmed, Starbuck, and there is evidence of Cylon activity everywhere in this starsystem." "I know." Starbuck whispered. Adama turned away, staring out of the window in his office. Starbuck could see the grief that the Commander couldn't show to anyone. Adama was trying to face the concept that his son and three of his grandchildren could be dead. Starbuck shook his head at the idea. "Adama, we've given Apollo up as lost before and he always comes back. I'm not giving up on him. He'll be back." Adama gave him a long steady look and said nothing. "He'll be back." Starbuck insisted. Adama leaned over his desk and pressed the intercom "Bridge, slow the fleet to half-speed." The bridge officer acknowledged with a note of curiosity in her tone. "Starbuck, I can't do any more than that." Starbuck nodded grimly. "Have... have you told Athena and Cassiopeia?" "That's my next mission." Starbuck told his adopted father quietly. ***** "My mother is going to drive me wild!" Ami declared as she appeared in the spaceship's main cabin. "It looks like she already has." Jade observed with some amusement. It was evening back in Europe, a full day since Castor and Pheobus had dropped into their lives. All the Tomorrow People except Stephie were on the island now. Adam had asked them to come back as soon as possible. He'd refused to explain his idea any further to the twins or to Megabyte but worked them all day on telekinesis and mind-merging instead. To Megabyte's experienced eyes, Adam seemed excited but he kept a calm outwards attitude. "Would you believe she's _grounded_ me?" Ami asked with a sigh. "I'm way too old for that kind of thing." "Ami, if this is going to cause more problems between you and your mum perhaps you should....." Adam trailed off. "I'm not going back, Adam." Ami cut him off decisively. "Not for a couple of hours at least. I told her I was going to the island whether she liked it or not. I'm not going to back down!" The young woman sat down with a determination that said she wasn't about to move. [Ami, you're really going to have to talk this through with your mum sometime.] Megabyte broadcast to the senior Tomorrow People only. [She can't keep treating you like a kid.] Adam agreed but said nothing. He had guessed for a while that Ami and her mother were going to have a real set to sometime. He was also fairly sure that this was one occasion on which Ami's Tomorrow Person gifts were almost irrelevant. Ami was a woman now, not a child, and her mother was the type who sometimes needed to have that explained to them. Regardless of her gifts, Ami would have had to break away from her mother's protection eventually. [Guys, this isn't the time to discuss my problems.] Ami shot back across the same shielded link. "Why did you want us here, Adam?" She asked aloud. "Well, it's to do with Cas and Pheob here." "Tell us something we don't know." Suggested Jade with a smile at the two Galacticans. They smiled back but hesitantly. Both had been quiet since the discussion that morning and Adam wished there were some way to help them with the moral dilemma they were struggling with. He wished there was some way he could reconcile it to himself. Adam forced himself to set it aside, for the moment at least. "I've been thinking," He said. "We all know now about the Colonies and what happened to them." Phillipe and Megabyte still looked sceptical. The rest agreed with nods and murmurs. "Well, I was wondering what kind of people survived their destruction." "People who were desperate." Castor volunteered. "People who were lucky." Megabyte added, starting to see what Adam meant. "People who could see these Cylons coming and hide from them." Jade took the idea and ran with it. "People who could get to the ships from wherever they were." Her eyes shone. "Tomorrow People." "That's kind of what I was thinking, but there's more than that. We all know that there are latent Tomorrow People out there. People who never break out. People who have hunches, or who are good at cards, or who can tell the future, or who are just generally lucky. There are many more of them than there are of us. And _those_ are the people who will have got away on the ships. The lucky people. Think about it. You've told us how expert a pilot your father is, and your uncle." "Are you trying to tell us that our parents are latent Tomorrow People?" Pheobus asked slowly. "Latent or with recessive genes. They have to be." Adam leaned forward. "You've got to admit it's possible. We're all the Tomorrow People we know about on the entire planet Earth. There might be others, sure, but not many of them or we'd know about it. What are the chances of all three of your parents carrying the genes to make you Tomorrow People. Your parents are survivors in a fleet of survivors. Even if a few more percent latents than we would expect in a normal population escaped, then it's your generation, Cas, Pheob, that would see the effects. The Galactican fleet could be full of Tomorrow People." "You're talking about a bottle-neck in the gene pool." Phillipe said fascinated. "Survival of the fittest." "But we're a fleet fighting a war!" Castor burst out. "The 'fittest' are those who kill Cylons, who save all our lives. My father has killed thousands of them and I'm proud of him for it!" There was total silence for several long moments. "Castor." Pheobus said slowly. "I'm proud of Dad and Uncle Apollo and the rest too. But I know I can't kill. Perhaps this is one case where it isn't the fittest who are surviving. Perhaps these latent Tomorrow People Adam's talking about have evolved to protect the rest of us until we're strong enough to act ourselves. Until we're strong enough to stop the Cylons without wiping them out." Kevin, the quietest of the TP's but one of the most sensitive, stood and crossed the room until he could look into Castor's eyes. "Cas, we don't have all the answers. Sometimes you just have to be satisfied that you're able to ask the question. Sometimes you just have to try to survive." Castor hesitated and then nodded slowly, unsatisfied but willing to accept. Kevin looked up again at Adam. "You want us to try calling the Battlestar Galactica?" "The fleet at least." Adam agreed, grateful to the younger man. "And I think it's going to take all of us to do it. It took everything we had, and the Ship had, to get Castor and Pheobus here. The fleet isn't anywhere close." ***** [Hello? We are the Tomorrow People] Reaching out past the atmosphere, past the planets, out into the cold depths of space. [Hello? Can any one hear us?] Turning slowly, trying to probe unimaginable distances, their thoughts travelling at unimaginable speeds. [Calling people like us. We're trying to make contact. Reach out to us. We are the Tomorrow People. Can you hear us?] Moving on, seeing new stars in their minds eye. Vast vistas of incredible beauty. [Hello? Can you hear us?] [(Who are you?)] The contact was faint at first, a sensation rather then words, but then it strengthened as more and more minds joined the distant contact. [Who are you?] They asked, and they said it in the language of the Galactica. [Finally! We were giving up hope.] Adam wasn't sure which of them said it. They were all tiring, all staggered by the sheer weight of minds in the distant fleet. He reached out, taking the mindmerge with him. [We are Tomorrow People, like you. We're human. Just like you.] [Other Tomorrow People?] There were dominant voices in the Galactican mind-merge just as Adam focused his. This was male, older than Adam, more sure of himself. [Where are you? Who are you?] [I'm called Adam. We've got something I think belongs to you.] Castor and Pheobus were already reaching forward as Adam spoke. There was something familiar about the distant mind. [Devon? Devon, is that you? Adam, it's another of the shuttle pilot's on the Galactica! We know this man!] [Castor? Pheobus?] The leader of the other merge, Devon, reacted with flat astonishment. [Thank the Lords of Kobol! The rumour in the fleet....] [Cas! Pheob!] A younger voice pushed his way to the front of his merge and now Castor and Pheobus reacted with pure astonishment as the Tomorrow People's merge recognised with them their fourteen year old brother. [Zack!] [Boy, is grandfather going to be furious with you. Everyone thinks you're dead! I'm not meant to know yet but Dad and our mums are doing a lousy job of hiding it. I'm not sure if Aura's twigged yet but Serena's really not happy. I keep telling her you're not dead. I'd know if you were, I'm sure. So would she of course but until she breaks out she doesn't know that.] [Serena?] Castor couldn't seem to grasp that surprise on top of so many others. [Zack.] That was Devon. [Calm down.] He turned back to Adam in the link. [Despite what Zack thinks, we really weren't sure. We knew they had the potential to be Tomorrow People but when word got out they were missing we tried calling and didn't get an answer.] He tested the rapidly tiring merge's strength. [From the feel of this, I see why. Where are you? Who are you? How did Castor and Pheobus get to you?] Castor and Pheobus projected a flashing series of images before they could think to shield against the combined mind-merges. Adam and the others felt fear from young children in the Galactican link as the ominous form of the Cylon ships blew the shuttle from existence. Quickly, Adam added a sequence of images showing Castor and Pheobus breaking out and coming down safely on the island's beacon. Devon projected sympathy for the trauma the younger men had suffered. [So you ended up on a planet. Which one? There are scattered agricultural settlements all over this quadrant. We think they might be remnants of the ancient migration to Earth.] He projected the name with reverence. [Are you one of those? We've never heard of any of them having a big enough population to evolve Tomorrow People before.] Adam was at a loss for words. He could feel Megabyte's wry amusement through the meld. [Not exactly.] The younger man projected. [We _are_ on Earth.] [Earth! (Hope, wonder, salvation!)] Adam and his friends weren't prepared for the wave of utter astonishment, relief, hope, disbelief, that bombarded them from every mind they were touching. It almost knocked them out of their mindmerge. [(Earth!)] [It's not that big a deal, okay!] Megabyte shouted, trying to shield himself. [Maybe not for you, but for us....] Devon was trying to regain control of his meld, trying to master his emotions. [Are Uncle Apollo and Boxey there with you? Wait 'till Granddad hears about this!] That was Zack. [Uncle Apollo?] Pheobus asked perplexed but any answer was over ridden by the reaction of the melds to Zack's last statement. [No!] Adam and Megabyte shouted it together and Ami, Kevin and Jade projected the thoughts just moment later. [Your people can't find out about Earth. We're not ready!] [No, Zack.] Devon added firmly. [We've discussed this before. The Commander can't know about us. We have to keep the Tomorrow People hidden until there are more of us. A couple of hundred in a fleet of thousands isn't enough.] [There are hundreds of you?] Adam asked. He'd suspected it but in a meld this close it was hard to make out individuals. [Of course. Adam, I don't want the Commander to know about us but why are you so adamant? We've been searching for Earth for decades. You're our only hope. We need your help. We can find some way to discover you legitimately....] [Devon, it doesn't matter how you 'discover' us.] Adam's voice was both urgent and sad. [We can't help you.] He felt the shock in the link and he also felt it fading as their strength was exhausted. [It's not that we wont. We _can't_. Your technology is way beyond ours. If you bring your fleet here the Cylons will destroy us all.] END OF PART FOUR The next few parts will follow tomorrow. ___________________________________________________________________ Elizabeth Stanway ers24@cam.ac.uk http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/8403 "When in danger, when in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout." ___________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: molly kerr <ngbsscf99@yahoo.com> Subject: TPFICT: The Threat of Darkness Part 8/?? Date: 30 Jan 2002 19:53:55 -0800 (PST) Part 8 Jake felt consciousness beginning to slip away as Chris continued to rain blows down on him. He tried to roll up in a ball to escape as much as he could, but it made no difference. He lost count of how many times he had been hit and tried to hold on as long as he could hoping that Chris would tire and stop, or change tactics. Jake could handle torture, but not constant pummeling. Begging and pleading he knew was exactly what Christopher wanted, and he refused to give him the satisfaction of it. That meant that Chris had broken him, and he was not yet that desperate, or that stupid. Tightlipped, he took each blow as it came. Finally, when he felt darkness approaching, Christopher stopped. Jake coughed, tasting the copper of blood in his mouth. ôWhat are you going to do with me?ö He asked, voice hoarse with pain. He tried to glare up at Christopher but could only see out of the slit of one eye, the other swollen shut from a well placed punch. ôLeave you where no one else will be able to find you.ö Christopher chuckled. ôI have been waiting for two really long years, Ciarana. You were just too stupid and weak to notice.ö Jake shook with laughter. ôYou think me that na∩ve Chris?ö He asked, struggling up into a sitting position against the wall, head swimming. Blackness loomed near. /Probably have a concussion./ He thought to himself. He had been a football player in High School, and had played a little Rugby as well, and had had his fair share of concussions. But the one good thing about being a sap, though he didnÆt know how it had happened, was that his thoughts and feelings were now solely his own. ôI knew that you wanted to be leader, but I was stronger and the prophesy was important enough. æUpon these two, worldÆs fate is set.Æ ThatÆs us.ö He coughed again, wracked with pain. ôNo matter what you do to me Chris, Nat will stop you.ö Chris, bristling with anger did not say a word, but walked smoothly up to him and wound up, backhanding him across the face. Jake fell back to the ground and let blackness take him. * * * /The Gall!/ Chris thought as he backhanded Jake across the face, snapping his head around and knocking him unconscious. He kicked him one more time for good measure, resisting the urge to spit in his face. Jake had never gotten him this worked up before and Chris was pretty sure that it was deliberate. ôDamn you.ö He yelled at Jake. He reached down and grabbed JakeÆs arm tightly and roughly and teleported them both out of the ship. * * * Blaise and Nathalie were strolling hand in hand down the Rue Champs-ElysΘes when suddenly she collapsed. Blaise caught her, screaming her name, and cradled her head in his lap on the sidewalk. A crowd was gathering, but he ignored the questions and murmurs. He placed one hand on either side of her head and called into her mind. /Wake up, Keery. People are staring.ö/ Slowly, he felt her claw back to consciousness, then moaned and opened her eyes. /ôThatÆs my girl.ö/ He said, helping her to sit up, careful of her still broken arm, tied in a sling. She rubbed her head. ôOw.ö Blaise pulled her to her feet as he reassured the crows that the fainting blood sugar had been nothing more than low blood sugar. ôAre you okay?ö He asked anxiously, helping her to a bench. The crowd had broken up and few people continued to glance in their direction. ôItÆs Jake.ö She said. Looking into her face, Blaise saw that tears had already begun to flow. Blaise couldnÆt believe what he heard. He reached out with his mind and could find no trace of Jake Ciarana, not even the faintest glimmer of a presence that meant that he just had his shields up. It was a æmit orù Nathalie, also reaching out with her mind searching for her brother, sensed the direction of his thoughts. ôNo,ö she said stubbornly, but her voice was unsteady. He tried to put an arm around her shoulders to comfort her but only succeeded in putting pressure on her arm, her sharp hissing intake of breath telling him to move it. ôSorry,ö he said, settling his arm around her waist, an embrace that she leaned into gratefully. ôBut how can you be certain?ö ôI canÆt be sure.ö Nathalie said. ôBut the thought of Jake being d-dead doesnÆt sit right. I would *know* if he was dead.ö She stuttered on the word ædeadÆ. Despite the fact that he was NathalieÆs twin, Blaise didnÆt feel too much remorse at the loss. Jake had caused far too much damage to the Lights, and to him, but he forced himself to keep his thoughts secret before they went in their usual direction when he thought about Jake. ôBut for nowàö She was speaking, and he brought his attention back to Nathalie. She climbed laboriously to her feet, Blaise rose with her, placing a steadying hand under her good elbow. He waited, trying to push down the feelings of elation at the prospect of Jake being gone, no matter how damaging it was to Nathalie, until she was ready to talk. He felt her mind working overtime, trying to find her brother and wanted to keep his mind as quiet as possible. Finally, she brought her thoughts back into her own mind and looked at Blaise. The pain in her eyes made him feel a pang of guilt about thinking that JakeÆs disappearance was a good thing. ôFor now, IÆm going home, to wait for any news. If he isàgone, for good I mean, word will probably come there first.ö She started heading for the nearest side street, and Blaise followed worriedly in her wake. She hadnÆt been home yet. She had called, but spent the night at the ship. It had provided the facilities for cleaning all of the blood off, and Julie had appeared with a spare change of clothes. A night there had allowed her to heal even faster, taking strength from the ship. ôWant me to go with you?ö Blaise asked. Nathalie stopped and turned. ôNo, I wanna be alone with my parents for a while.ö She said, then pointed to her arm. ôIÆve gotta explain this as well. Be easier for both of us if I did it by myself.ö Blaise sighed. /Into the lionÆs den./ He thought wryly to himself. Nathalie gave him the smallest of smiles, having read his thought. ôThanks anyway.ö She reached up with her good hand and caressed his cheek. He took it in one of his own. ôGo back to the ship and try to find something.ö Blaise wanted to scoff at her, but Nathalie always the perceptive one, picked up on his reluctance. ôPlease, Blaise, for me.ö He sighed. ôOkay,ö he said. ôIÆll go.ö ôGood,ö Nathalie ducked into an alleyway and he followed. ôThanks Blaise.ö She said, standing on tip toes to kiss him. She smiled then disappeared in a burst of red and white static, without breaking contact with him. The sudden absence left his lips tingling. An interesting feeling. He sighed again, and teleported to the ship. Though he had no intention of expending any energy to find someone who had caused them all so much pain and misery even though it was Nathalie who was doing the asking. He didnÆt know how he would respond when, not if, she asked him for help, though he hoped that she would understand once she found out why Blaise hated Jake so much. * * * Christopher rematerialized and dumped Jake unceremoniously to the ground. He looked around in satisfaction at the complete desolation of it all. He had used this place before; a remote area of the Outback in the Northern Territory, a place where you could walk for miles in any direction and never see another person, where a body was never found until the scavengers had picked it clean. Here, anthills reached six or seven feet in height, koalas lived in the trees and dingos roamed wild, looking for prey. Chris looked down on Jake and smiled. The ex-leader of the Darks lay unconscious, black hair fallen over his bruised and bloodied face. /Just how I like æem! Beaten and broken./ ôMuch as IÆd love to stay here and watch, Jake, but I have to find a certain little traitor, that needs to pay for what sheÆs done.ö He gloated. ôHave fun!ö He reached out with his mind to locate Morgan, but couldnÆt sense her. The silence was familiar, the kind that told him that she was in a place where she didnÆt want to be located and had her shields up. He sighed and instead teleported to the spaceship, to wait until she slipped up and he found out where she was hiding. /She may be the one with the ability to kill, he thought as he reappeared. But, to follow through on a promise that Jake made, she will end up like her mother. Dead, in a trap, for no one will betray us and get away with it./ Patience was one virtue that he did not possess, but in this case, he was willing to make an exception. * * * /Into the lionÆs den was definitely a good explanation for it./ Nathalie thought as she opened the door to the kitchen. The table was set with its usual flourish, she noted wryly, for four, her parents occupying two of them. Upon seeing her state, arm in a sling, the gash across her face, a ghastly red slash across her forehead and upper cheek. Andrea Ciarana screamed and clutched at her husbandÆs sleeve. Adrian swallowed hard and cried, ôwhat happened?ö He pushed his wife away gently and got to his feet. He walked over to Nathalie and looked down at her. ôItÆs kinda hard to explain dad.ö She said. /Really hard/. ôIs-is it broken?ö Her mother asked from her seat, unable to summon the strength to rise to her feet. Nathalie nodded. ôIÆll be fine.ö She assured them, as her motherÆs hand flew up to cover her mouth, muffling the exclamation that she had made. ôHow did you break your arm?ö She asked. Not waiting for an answer, she was going on. ôAnd whereÆs Jake? HeÆs been gone for almost two days, heÆs never away this long without letting us know where he was.ö /And how many times did he tell you the truth?/ She thought wryly to herself. ôCan we sit down to talk about this?ö She asked. Her father took her good elbow and led her to the table. ôAre you hungry?ö He asked. He spooned chicken and noodles onto the plate in front of her before she had a chance to refuse. Nathalie couldnÆt deny the fact that she was starving, and picked up the fork awkwardly in her left hand. ôAdrian.ö Her mother scolded. ôDonÆt change the subject.ö He glanced between the two women, guilt directed at his wife, concern at his daughter, gaze finally resting on Nathalie. ôHmm?ö He raised red eyebrows at her. Nathalie sighed. ôWellàö She said, lies sticking in her throat. /I got thrown into a spike pit by a psycho teleporter who wants me dead./ She thought cynically. ôBlaise Kensington and I were hiking all day. I was bouldering on a cliff and went a little too high and fell off and landed on some rocks. Her father didnÆt seem convinced, but did not press her. Her mother on the other hand seemed to believe her as the two of them often did go hiking and she rarely came home without some kind of bump or bruise. /Just never something like this!/ ôHave you been to the hospital?ö She asked placing a hand over NathalieÆs right hand. ôYeah mom,ö she lied again. ôIts just a fracture. I gotta keep it immobilized for about six weeks.ö She saw the skepticism in her motherÆs face and set down her fork and placed her hand on top of her motherÆs. ôReally, mom. IÆm fine. They said to pop a few Motrin for the pain and allÆs good.ö ôWell, at least let me take you into the bathroom and put some butterflies on your face or something. ThatÆs a pretty big gash to not have stitches or bandages or something.ö Nathalie didnÆt argue. She had to let her mother do something to help her, for her momÆs peace of mind and to fight off the growing suspicion. They rose from the table and headed down the hall. Nathalie sat on the edge of the tub while her mother cleaned her cut, and applied ointment and butterfly bandages. BrianaÆs healing powers had shrunk the size substantially, but the red gash still stretched from her right cheekbone to just over her eyebrow, a few millimeters wide, narrowly missing her eye but slicing her eyebrow in half. /ThatÆs gonna leave a mark./ She thought remorsefully to herself as she watched in the mirror, a sad twist to her lips on her face. Her father led the way into the living room where the two women sat while he went back into the kitchen, returning with a glass of water and a bottle of Motrin. She accepted the water and waited for him to shake a couple of pills into her hand. ôNat,ö her mother began. ôDo you know where your brother is?ö She pushed down the fear that she felt. She still felt no trace of her brother. ôI havenÆt heard from him today mom..ö She said, which, technically, was the truth. She hadnÆt heard from him. ôIÆd bet that heÆs out with friends. Nothing more.ö Adrian put a hand on her shoulder and looked down into her eyes. She resisted the urge to look away, sigh and tell them everything. It hurt her deeply to lie to her parents, but her senses were telling her that it was better for all if they remained in the dark for now. ôCome on Nathalie, out with it.ö He said. ôYou have always been a horrible liar.ö ôWhoÆs lying?ö She asked, hiding the emotions that she felt from their eyes. "I saw him yesterday. HeÆs fine.ö Yes she had seen him yesterday, but something had happened to him, something that she couldnÆt explain or understand. One minute he had been standing gloating down at her from the top of the pit, thoroughly enjoying her pain, the next his face had softened and he looked like he wanted to jump down into the pit and save her. He looked so regretful that it had broken her heart to see it. Nathalie really didnÆt know if it was just a ploy to confuse her or if he really was in trouble. /Maybe the Darks really have turned against him./ She surmised. /I wouldnÆt put it past that Christopher guy./ Her parents were still waiting for an answer. Both were leaning forward in their seats, making Nathalie want to shrink back into the cushion with the intensity of their looks. ôLook,ö she said, moving forward to the edge of her seat. ôI saw Jake yesterday, heÆs fine. I donÆt know where he is right now, but I bet that wherever he is, heÆs safe.ö She put as much certainty into her voice as possible and her parents sat back, pacified, for now. Though she didnÆt know how long it would last. She rose to her feet. ôIÆm gonna go take a nap.ö She faked a big yawn and sighed. ôItÆs been a long couple of days, IÆm tired. ôOkay honey.ö Andrea said placing a warning hand on her husbandÆs shoulder as he rose to follow. Nathalie took this as a cue to leave and headed for her room. She shut her door and laid down on her bed. She closed her eyes hard fighting to keep back the tears that she felt coming, and fighting to drown out the arguing that she heard coming from the living room. /Oh Jake!/ She moaned to herself. /Why did you have to do this to me?/ * * * With a moan, Jake Ciarana clawed back to consciousness. He sat up slowly and regretted it when the contents of his stomach rose up. He retched, then collapsed back to the ground. Just moving his eyes, he looked around, shivering in the cold air. It was early morning in what looked like some kind of desert. /Where am I?/ He thought, fighting the nausea that flooded up as he sat up again, knowing that he had to get moving, the day would get warm once the sun came up and blew all the mist and the frostà he looked down at his clothes and realized that there was a thin film of frost all over, and he shivered violently again. He forced himself to his feet and began stumbling off. It didnÆt matter where he was going, he just had to get moving. Christopher had probably dumped him in the middle of no where on purpose knowing that now, without his powers he was helpless, and would walk for days without ever meeting another soul. /Damn you Christopher Murray!/ He thought with so much vehemence that his head began to spin, and he had to fight to keep his feet. He stumbled to a knee and fought back to his feet as he slowly looked around through the small slits that his swollen face allowed. He saw a golden form run by and disappear behind one of the huge mounds of sand, giant anthills. Memory returned and told him that what had looked like a gold dog was just that, a dingo, a wild dog that inhabited the rural and outlying areas of Australia. /The Outback./ He moaned, finally realizing where he was and deflating as he knew that he was truly in the middle of nowhere, where calling was a useless expenditure of energy. He had never been to this place before because he was a bigger fan of letting prisoners freeze to death than dehydrate in the desert. He passed a creek bed, dry at this point in the year and licked parched lips. He had to find water soon or he was in far more trouble than he was already in by being stuck in the middle of the Outback with a concussion. He had suffered enough of them throughout his years of football and rugby to know what it felt like. His thoughts wandered for a few moments until they settled on his sister. /Nathalie!/ He cried, knowing that she couldnÆt hear him but in his muddled state, the cry came out of habit. The effort of thinking and walking at the same time was making his head swim more. He made if a few stumbling steps further before collapsing to the ground into darkness. * * * /Jake where are you?/ Nathalie thought, dreaming of her brother. She saw him injured, bruised, bloodied, possibly dying. She couldnÆt see where he was, the dream was too hazy, even Jake himself was fuzzy, surrounded by a mottled space of light and dark, fading in and out. She didnÆt know where he was, but she knew that Jake was in trouble, she had no idea whatsoever where to begin looking. /öNathalie!ö/ The scream in her mind jolted her awake. ôJake?ö She said softly to herself, sitting up so quickly that she grabbed her left arm in pain. ôWhere are you?ö But the feeling was gone. Jake was gone. ôWas it just a dream?ö She asked herself, reaching deep into her own mind to try and recover that dream. As she concentrated, she felt the faintest glimmer of a presence. /Jake!/ She realized that what she felt was the old Jake-feeling that she had had before she broke out. She started, it was a human presence, that of a sap. /How did that happen?/ She focused on the presence and it seemed to grow in her mind until she felt herself teleporting to the spot where JakeÆs presence had come from. She rematerialized and climbed to her feet. Dusting herself off, Nathalie looked around. Trees were sparse and even more common were the giant misshapen anthills. /Whew! Made it!/ The chill of morning still hung in the air, but the sun was coming out and would bring the temperature up soon, still Nathalie shivered slightly as she searched for her brother. Clad only in jeans and a t-shirt, she was cold. ôJake!ö She looked down and found one lone set of footprints making their way unsteadily off to the north. She followed them, dismayed at how haphazard they were and grimaced to think of the state that Jake would be in when she found him. Suddenly she saw him, a hundred feet away collapsed to the ground unconscious or worse. /No, I can still sense him./ She thought as she ran to his side, ignoring the pain in her arm. ôJake.ö She dropped to her knees, shaking his shoulder. He looked worse than she did. His face was a purple and yellow mess, hardly recognizable as her brother. Fear boiled up in her when he didnÆt respond, then he moaned. She felt relied chase the fear away as he opened his eyes. The fear returned when she saw his eyes, bloodshot, pupils uneven, definite sign of a concussion. ôNathalie?ö He asked hoarsely. She smiled and felt a tear slip down her cheek. ôWhat the hell happened to you?ö He coughed, though she suspected that it had begun as a laugh. ôChristopher.ö She reached down with one arm and helped him to his feet with some difficulty. ôIÆve gotta get you out of here.ö She said and paused. /What place is safe for him? Chris has already gotten him once. He can try again. HeÆs not a TP anymore, he canÆt defend himself anymore./ She was coming up empty until she thought of the one place where Darks could not go. /The Spaceship!/ Nathalie looked around unnecessarily, of course there was no one around, but she hoped that she would never see this desolation ever again. With the usual rush of hyperawareness, Nathalie and Jake disappeared from the desert and reappeared in the LightÆs ship just outside the main chamber. Jake staggered and leaned heavily on her. ôI think I have a concussion.ö He said. ôProbably.ö His head was swimming from dehydration and the concussion. Nathalie saw him squint, even the dim light of the chamber was hurting his eyes. They headed unsteadily down the corridor with Nathalie supporting his weight as best as she could. Jake looked around as they entered the main chamber. All of his research and his visions of what this would be like, had not prepared him for the shock of recognition that he got from this room. ôThis looks a lot like ours.ö He sounded awed none the less. Nathalie looked at him as she helped him to sit at one of the window seats, and ran to get him some water. ôReally?ö Jake drank deeply, murmuring his thanks. The water seemed to strengthen him a bit and his voice seemed not quite as raspy. ôWell, ours is red, for one thing.ö He said, closing his eyes. ôWe have the chairs, the mind trawl, itÆs a mind linkup with the ship, but a mind merge works just as well, so theyÆre kinda useless.ö ôI guess so.ö He continued looking around. ôThis was the one place that I was trying to find, for two years.ö ôI know,ö Nathalie said putting a hand on his arm. ôAnd if you werenÆt a sap right now, and IÆm not even gonna ask how that happened, you would probably run right back to the Darks ad blow us in, right?ö He let out a breath and didnÆt look at her. ôHad it been about a week ago, and I still had my powers, and could get out of hereàI probably would.ö ôAnd now?ö ôNowàö he said, leaning back and shutting his eyes. ôI donÆt know.ö She could barely hear his words, and didnÆt know what to think. The old Jake was gone, forever, it would take time to get to know him again. /Time well worth the effort./ Suddenly, a flash signaled the arrival of another Light. Nathalie knew before the sparkle cleared that it was Blaise; a very angry, irate, and astonished Blaise Kensington. But she saw Jake jump, being unable to sense it. ôNathalie!ö He exclaimed, seeing Jake sitting on the window ledge. She had never seen him so shocked. If she had to compare his stance to one thing, it would be a lion, tawny eyes wide, coiled and ready to pounce. ôWhat the hell are you thinking of, bringing *him* here?ö Nathalie jumped to her feet and laid a hand on his arm, which, of course, he shrugged off, never taking his eyes from her twin. ôBlaiseàI-I can explain.ö ôIÆm listening,ö he hissed, eyes still glued to Jake. ôIÆm interested in knowing what was so bloody important that you brought the leader of the Darks into our ship.ö Nathalie didnÆt know what to say first, but the most obvious seemed the best. ôHeÆs not a Dark anymore.ö She said softly. ôWhat?ö Blaise said, tearing his eyes from Jake and looking to her, astonishment now directed at her. After a moment, he recovered a bit, after blinking a few times. ôWhat do you mean by that?ö ôHeÆs a sap, Blaise.ö Nathalie said to him. ôHeÆs not a TP anymore.ö Blaise looked at her like she had suddenly grown a second head. ôItÆs a trick.ö He said, looking back at Jake. ôThat hurt little puppy dog act doesnÆt work.ö But Nathalie knew that Blaise could see that JakeÆs state was not fake. No one could easily fake that much bruising and swelling. /ôReach out, Blaise.ö/ She said to him telepathically. /ôYou know the difference between a sap and a TP with heavy shields.ö/ She sensed him reluctantly extend a tendril of thought to try to touch JakeÆs mind, hitting the same wall that any TP hit when they tried to touch the mind of a normal human. His eyes flew open, NathalieÆs declaration ringing true. /ôHow?ö/ Jake, meanwhile, was looking back and forth between them, a knowing look in his dark eyes. ôHey guys,ö he said, looking very dizzy. ôI may be a sap, but I know that youÆre æpathing, please donÆt be rude.ö /öRude is it?ö/ Nathalie sensed BlaiseÆs thought and his urge to punch Jake so hard that he went through the window. She took hold of the balling fist before he got the chance and tried to send soothing thoughts to him. ôLet me go, Nathalie.ö Blaise said quietly, menace thick in his voice. It was a command, not a request. ôNo,ö Nathalie said sternly, shaking her head so that red curls fell into her face. ôNot until you sit down, be quiet, and listen to us.ö She knew that Jake had something to say, and that Blaise wouldnÆt like it. There wasnÆt really anything that she could say that he would like. He backed up without turning and sat beside the center column. ôGo ahead,ö he said, leaning forward to rest his forearms on his legs, eyes intent on Jake, who had leaned back again. /Ready for anything,. Nathalie thought with a sigh. She looked to her brother, noting his pale and drawn face. She raised her auburn eyebrows at him. ôJake?ö He looked back for a moment before sitting up slowly, laboriously, his head swimming so badly that he felt like he was going to be sick. ôLook, Kensington, why canÆt you accept the fact that IÆm not a TP anymore? I am not a Dark anymore, I am on your side now, even though I am a sap.ö He put up a hand, cutting off whatever Blaise had been getting ready to say. ôNo, I donÆt know how it happened, but it did. IÆm not a TP. IÆm just a normal human again.ö Blaise still looked angry, an eagle ready to swoop down, mostly because JakeÆs attitude was not helping, but also because he knew that the longer that Jake was in the ship, the better the chances were that one of the Darks, most likely Christopher Murray, would figure out that he had been there an try to capture him to discover the location of the ship. Blaise told him as much, his voice clipped and angry. ôWe know that,ö Nathalie said. ôIt was a risk that we had to take. Christopher dumped him in the middle of no where . I got him out but he barely escaped with his life. If I didnÆt know that they Darks were after him, I would take him to the hospital.ö Blaise sighed. ôYou could still do it, just keep an eye on him. Brianna could heal him, but I doubt that she would. HeÆs not dying after all, and sheÆd probably refuse because of all the pain that heÆs caused. But please Nathalie, for all out sakes, he canÆt be here. His presence is endangering everything.ö He pleaded with her. Nathalie gawked at him. ôHow can you be so callous?ö Blaise growled, low in his throat, wide mouthed and incredulous. He jumped to his feet, crossed the room in a few quick paces and grabbed both of them by the arm. He teleported them to a different part of the ship that Nathalie had never been to. Both Ciarana twin looked around. The room felt cold, like death, the air sinister, still and oppressive. If felt like a tomb, and Nathalie shivered. Along one wall was a kind of memorial, etched onto it, listing names from hundreds of nations. ôWhat is this?ö Nathalie whispered, stepping closer. ôWa Yien Cho, died December 22, 1984, Kenya.ö She read, and continued a little further back. ôJohn Scott, June 1, 1989, Venezuela.ö She reached out and touched the engraved letters in the strange alien stone. Suddenly, an image sprung into his mind, a young man, no more than seventeen, curly black hair and violet eyes. He was smiling at something out of her field of view. Shocked, she lost contact and staggered back, to be caught by two pairs of strong arms. ôWhoa,ö she said. ôWhat was that?ö Jake answered first for Blaise looked about as confused as she was. ôContact precognition.ö He said. ôItÆs a rare power, where you can see what had or will happen to an object or person by touching them. In this case, you saw something by touching that name.ö ôI saw his face,ö Nathalie said, the image still fresh in her mindÆs eye. ôJohn Scott, I saw him.ö ôItÆs the same ability that I had.ö Jake said softly, sounding remorseful and a little lost. Nathalie nodded and released herself from the supporting arms. She returned to her studying of the wall. ôSo many,ö She breathed, wrapping her arms around herself, shivering. He eyes drifted along the wall until they settled onto one name that seemed to stand out at her. ôAmanda Gage-DiPietro, October 24, 1985, Egypt.ö Her breath caught in her throat. ôMy God.ö She knew that name. She reached out to touch the name to be certain of who it was. Blaise and Jake made a move to stop her, but she ignored them. Touching the letters, she saw flashes of an Asian woman in her middle thirties, an old woman by TP standards with straight, jet black hair, and almond shaped eyes. She was surrounded by children, seven of them, one youngest only months old in her arms, but the one child that drew her attention was a small girl that looked startlingly too much like her mother, about four years old, but with eyes that were too old for her ageà ôMorgan,ö she whispered, realization dawning as she stepped back. ôHer mother was a TP!ö ôYes,ö Blaise said coming over to her. ôShe was. She died in a trap in Egypt while a troop of Darks looked on, laughed, and tortured.ö He looked to Jake. ôThatÆs why I am so callous. Every one of these names is someone who has been killed in the wars, name, date and location. This is a reminder of the evil that the Darks have done.ö Jade sighed. ôBlaise, Iàö He trailed off, realizing that the explanation that he had been about to make probably would make Blaise even angrier. ôDonÆt.ö Blaise cried, golden eyes blazing. He went unerringly a newer section of the eight-foot wall. He pointed to a name halfway down. Nathalie and Jake stepped closer. ôJordan Mahree Kensington-James.ö Blaise said, not reading, but looking at them, reciting from memory. ôDied April 16, 1998, California.ö Both Ciarana twins paled. ôWho w--ö Jake started to ask, but Blaise cut him off. ôWho was she?!ö Blaise bellowed. ôShe was my sister!! Married for less than a year with a young baby before she was killed by a Grey allied with the Darks.ö ôBlaise, I didnÆt know.ö Jake said. He stood trembling with fury. ôYou were the leader of the Darks then, it was at your orders that that Grey went after her!ö Blaise said, arm rising to point a finger at him. ôShe was in Golden Gate Park with her husband and with Tyler, her son. He was less than a year old when Jordie was killed, the Dark just æported in and killed her. He doesnÆt remember her at all.ö Blaise looked ready to throttle him, Jake looked stricken. ôI canÆt look at Tyler without thinking of Jordie, he looks just like her.ö He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet, and flipped to the right photos. He turned them so that they could see. Jake turned his head away. ôLook at them, Jake.ö Slowly, Jake forced himself to look. The young woman looked a lot like Blaise as well, as did the young boy in her arms. All had blond hair and pale eyes, a sign that Tyler may be a TP some day. ôYou took her away from him, and from me!ö ôBlaise,ö Jake said softly, but Blaise was going on. ôYou left my nephew without a mother!ö He exclaimed. ôThat is the worst thing that a person could possible have happen to them. Our own mother died of cancer when I was five. For GodÆs sake, heÆs just a little kid!ö ôBlaise.ö He said again, slightly louder. When he didnÆt stop, he looked pleadingly at Nathalie as he continued to rant. She placed one hand on his forearm and spoke into his mind. /ôStop.ö/ Blaise stopped mid-sentence, but his eyes were still shooting daggers at Jake. ôThis better be good.ö /ôListen.ö/ Blaise looked back to Jake. ôGo ahead, IÆm listening.ö He crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows. ôBlaise,ö Jake said, stricken. Nathalie had never seen him look so guilty, so close to tears, so ready to do anything to make it right though he knew that nothing would. ôI know that this wonÆt make you feel any better, or bring your sister back, and that it might actually make you even angrier. Butàö He took a deep, steadying breath. ôI really didnÆt know who she was.ö ôOh, that is the most lame-ass excuse that I have ever heard.ö Blaise said rolling his eyes. ôJust hear me out.ö Blaise leaned against the opposite wall, all ears. Nathalie didnÆt know what to do, caught between the two men that she loved the most. ôI did not know that she was your sister.ö Jake said. ôDarkÆs do not care, any Light is a target, one: to interrogate and torture to find out the location of this place.ö He gestured to the room. ôAnd two: to capture them in a trap so that there is one less Light in the way.ö Jake said. She knew her brother well enough to know that he was truly repentant. ôIt is a time of war. Achieving goals is more important than knowing the identity of every person who has gotten in the way. Do you know the name of ever person that has died at the hands of the Lights?ö Blaise frown deepened, more from confusion than anger. ôWell, no.ö He said, and Nathalie actually saw a pale flush rise up from his collar. Suddenly, JakeÆs knees buckled and he fell to the ground, eyes closed. Nathalie could tell that it had taken all of his energy to say what he had and not faint, but now that energy was all gone. She rushed to his side, putting a hand on his shoulder. He raised his head slowly, his eyes cloudy with guilt and pain and fatigue. ôMake him understand.ö He whispered. She smoothed his hair out of his face gently and shook her head. ôI canÆt,ö she said back. ôImagine how you would feel if I had been the one who had been killed. ThatÆs what Blaise is feeling, has felt for the last two years. It will just take time.ö Jake just sighed and closed his eyes. He looked like he was trying to go to sleep to escape the pain. /People with concussions shouldnÆt be allowed to sleep./ The voice of her health teacher from high school said from her memories. Nathalie gently shook Jake until he opened his eyes again. ôNo you donÆt, stay with me, Jake.ö ôIÆm so tired,ö he moaned. ôNo,ö Nathalie said. She turned a worried gaze to Blaise. ôIÆm gonna take him to the hospital. I suggest that you go somewhere and cool off.ö Blaise made a move to protest but Nathalie cut him off with a sharp look. ôGo.ö Blaise blinked, she could tell that he as surprised that she was giving the orders. He closed his eyes, and æported out. /ôThis isnÆt over.ö/ He æpathed. Nathalie sent the mental equivalent of a sigh knowing that this was far from over. She bent over her brother again and æported him to the hospital near their home. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Great stuff seeking new owners in Yahoo! Auctions! http://auctions.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "E.R. Stanway" <ers24@hermes.cam.ac.uk> Subject: TPFICT: Out of Control (5/12) Date: 31 Jan 2002 13:51:01 +0000 (GMT) PART FIVE ***** They fell from the link exhausted. For several minutes they just sat or lay in their circle, breathing deeply and trying to frame coherent individual thoughts. "Do you think we got the message across?" Megabyte asked after a while. Jade groaned and rolled over to lie on her back, her eyes closed. "Well we were shouting loudly enough. We really have to stop doing this, my head feels like it's going to explode." "We're just not used to calling such a distance." Phillipe reminded her. "It might get easier." "We're still no closer to getting Castor and Pheobus home." Ami noted dejectedly. "We're going to have to call this Devon person again sometime." She tried to force a smile for Castor and Pheobus. They were huddled together, once again in close mental contact. "Still, at least your brother knows you're safe." "Adam?" Megabyte's voice seemed to jolt Adam out of his thoughts but the frown didn't leave the older man's face. "You're being awfully quiet over there, buddy." "We were their last hope, Megabyte, and we let them down." Adam's brown hair fell around his face and framed the deep dark eyes. Megabyte nodded understanding. He forced his thoughts to be positive. "But at least Earth's safe. Adam, we'd have had no defence against Cylons. You've seen what they can do from Castor and Pheobus's memories. They could wipe out Earth without trying and we couldn't do a thing to stop them. Billions of people, Adam. They'll all die if that Devon brings the fleet here." Adam nodded, but slowly and reluctantly. He turned to the two Galacticans. "You said you know Devon. Will he understand? Will he try and arrange for the fleet to find Earth despite what we just told him?" Pheobus stirred. When he spoke he sounded distracted. "I...I don't know. He's our supervisor in the shuttle service. I don't know, he's always kept an eye on us. Because he knew what we were even when we didn't I suppose. I think he'll wait, try to talk to you again. He won't do anything to hurt you." Adam's voice softened. "Pheobus, we will try to get you home." "We're worried about what Zack said." Castor said suddenly. "About Serena being upset?" Kevin asked softly. Castor shook his head. "Serena has more than us to worry about. Didn't you hear Zack? Uncle Apollo and our cousin Boxey are missing too." ***** Apollo listened to the roar of his engine and the beeping of his fuel warning system. He'd ignored it as long as he could. "Boxey," He called over the com. "We've scanned two planetary systems and found nothing. The fleet will know we're long overdue. If we don't turn around now, and I mean now, we're not going to have enough fuel to make it back." "We're ahead of the fleet, father. We came out diagonally in front of them. We don't need as much fuel to get back as we used to get here." Apollo sighed and looked out to where Boxey's ship was slightly ahead of his and to one side. "I know. I've taken that into account. We have to turn around now, Boxey." "They're out here, Father, somewhere." Boxey's voice was urgent. "There's another solar system just ahead and it's on a line with that signal you detected. We ought to check it out." "Boxey, we turn around now." Apollo hated himself for saying it. "And that's an order. Not a request." There was no reply on the comsystem but Apollo was startled by the sudden flare of his son's turbos. "Court-martial me when I get back to the fleet, Father." Boxey said with quiet determination. "I'm going to check out that solar system." "Boxey!" For a long moment Apollo froze in indecision. If he didn't head back to the fleet now there was a strong chance that their family would never find out what had become of them. They would never get home. Apollo shook his head and gunned his turbos after his son. His nephews were dead. He believed that now, despite his heart screaming at him to deny it. He wasn't about to lose his son too. "I wasn't sure you were going to follow." Boxey said after a while. "You, Captain Boxey, are in direct contravention of orders from a superior officer." There was nothing warm in Apollo's tone. "Understood." Boxey sounded chastened but not repentant. His scanner's chimed. "Father, I'm reading nine planets in that solar system. The outer ones are just gas giants but I think the inner ones are rocky. The fourth - lifeless. The third ... by all the Lords of Kobol!" "Boxey! Boxey, what is it? Slow down. Let me catch up with you." Suddenly Apollo was all focus. He'd let his wingmate get ahead of him and now Boxey was on the edge of his scanners. There was no telling what the younger man was seeing on his. "Father, it's alright." Boxey answered finally, but he slowed his viper to allow his father to pull in beside him. "You really have to see this." Quickly, Apollo turned his scanner on the third planet of the solar system ahead of him. From this distance the system looked like thousands of others that he'd explored in the years since the Colonies were destroyed. The third planet was different. "Life, human life! The planet is teeming with it. There must be billions of humans down there. Even at their height the colonies never had a population like that!" "Father." There was a strange tone in Boxey's voice. "I've heard about Earth ever since I was small. The third of nine planets, every child in the fleet knows that. Have we found it, Father? Have we finally found Earth?" ***** Adam sent everyone home as soon as they were strong enough to teleport. Castor and Pheobus seemed sunk in despondency. They had become convinced that Apollo and Boxey had been killed by Cylons while trying to find them. Nothing Adam said seemed to reassure them and the sympathy they felt from the other Tomorrow People just made things worse. In the end Kevin shrugged and headed for his room. Adam tried to interest the twins in games or books or even the takeaway food that Jade sent telekinetically but they had no enthusiasm. Eventually Adam realised that this wasn't something he could help them with. He'd tried telling them the malfunction hadn't been their fault. He'd tried reminding them that they had no way of knowing what had happened to the two pilots. He'd tried to reassure them that he'd do his best to get them home. In the end he just sat quietly watching them play a listless card game and let them feel that he was there. That they weren't alone. [Adam?] That was Megabyte calling from London. Adam opened to him, sensing his need to talk. [What is it, Megabyte?] [How are they?] Adam imaged an unhappy face. [My Dad's not happy either. He knows that we're hiding things from him, Adam. He noticed how tired I am and after what happened last night....] [What did you tell him?] Adam asked. [That we were trying something new and it took a lot of energy.] Megabyte shrugged mentally. [It's true in a way but I feel like I'm lying to him.] [Megabyte, it was you who suggested that we shouldn't mention Phillipe to General Damon when he broke out.] Adam reminded him gently. [You know why I want him kept out of things, at least until we're able to call Devon again and find out how likely these Cylons are to find Earth.] [Yeah, I know. I guess I just need reminding from time to time.] Adam hesitated. [Megabyte. If this gets too much for us we'll tell your dad, I promise. But we can't let him fight our battles for us.] [What they said about hiding behind others got to you too, huh?] [It's partly that.] Adam admitted quietly, [but there's more too. I keep thinking about seeing Kevin stung by one of Doctor Culex's mosquitoes, Jade tied to an exploding boiler, for that matter your Dad in hospital. And I imagine that happening to Stephanie or children we don't even know yet. We're the first, Megabyte, we can't ruin things for the Tomorrow People that are going to come after us. We can't let anyone know about all of us. Even people we trust. It's just too dangerous.] [I suppose so.] Megabyte sighed. [I think Dad understands too. Sometimes, when he thinks too loudly or I'm tired I can hear him wondering about how evasive we've all become. I can hear him longing to ask if there are more of us now but not asking the questions. I think he's guessed, Adam, and he's sorry but understands. That's what makes it hardest of all.] Megabyte stopped but before Adam could reply he was suddenly distracted. [There goes Dad's bleeper. I guess he's off again. So much for an evening in.] As there often was there was a note of anxiety in Megabyte's tone as his dad rushed from the room. [He'll be back before you know it.] Adam reassured him as he felt Megabyte pick up his television control and start flicking through the channels. [No, he won't.] Megabyte broadcast loudly enough for Kevin and the twins to hear as he watched the live news report in astonishment. Two aircraft had streaked through the air above the night's big football match and now several news channels were showing a few seconds of shaky home video in a repeating loop. The two small craft plunged through the atmosphere with little regard for aerodynamics or the laws of physics as Earth understood them. They hovered for several moments some way above the pitch before streaking away at impossible speeds, leaving a sonic boom in their wake to shatter the camera lens and thousands of windows. [Whatever those are guys, they're not anything we know about.] [Colonial Vipers!] Pheobus's voice was pure astonishment. [Boxey and Uncle Apollo! It has to be.] There was relief and joy in Castor's thoughts. Adam looked at them across the ship. He purposefully hadn't begun teaching them how to teleport off the island. If they tried now they were going to end up on the beacon and he had no real desire to correct that. [Megabyte, get over to WorldEx and find out where General Damon is. Pretend you're just curious and get in the way. We need to get to those two pilots first.] [Sure thing, Adam.] He felt Megabyte teleport. "Adam, we have to find them!" Castor was speaking his own language rather than the polyglot mixture they had all been using. "They're looking for us." "What I want to know is how they found you." Adam told him shortly. He stood up, ready to teleport. "Adam, take us with you!" Pheobus asked urgently. "You're not ready to leave the island, yet." Adam told them. Kevin came out of his room shielding tightly. He knew as the twins didn't that teleporting was not very difficult to learn and that Adam was quite capable of taking them with him without using their powers at all. Adam looked him in the eyes. "Kevin will teach you how to teleport and make sure you're ready." [I'll keep them here as long as I can.] Kevin promised. [You're right, Adam. They grew up in a spaceship. They're not quite ready for the full reality of Earth.] ***** [Adam, WorldEx thinks they went down somewhere in northern England. That football match was in Manchester of all places. Dad is not happy to have me here. He's convinced I know something about all this.] [You do.] Jade pointed out reasonably. With WorldEx involved, Adam had asked Phillipe to keep away and the other man had agreed on the condition that they called him if they needed help. Ami was having the kind of discussion with her mother that couldn't be put aside for anything short of life and death, and with Kevin still on the island, that left Jade and Adam waiting at Jade's house for some indication of where to go. It had been an hour and a half since the ships first appeared but the Tomorrow People hadn't been able to get any kind of detailed location. The security services seemed to be limiting the news getting out to the media surprisingly well for an event witnessed by millions of people. [That's not the point. He shouldn't _assume_ I do.] [Just give us the location, Megabyte.] Adam said patiently. [I'm not sure there is much more. Somewhere in the Pennines, maybe in Yorkshire. The intelligence guys here think that they'll land not far from a medium sized town. The intel boys don't know about the Galactica but they figure whoever these are they wont be able to hide in a village and would be too confused for a big city.] [That sounds reasonable.] Jade noted. [Reasonable but useless.] Adam snapped, frustrated. [We _have_ to find these people before the military do.] [Adam,] Kevin was keeping track of events from the island and spoke on a tight mental band to prevent the twins overhearing, [Couldn't you just get there by concentrating hard on those ships? It worked when Ami and Megabyte went to the Cobb Cereal Corporation Headquarters that time.] [We could give it a try.] Jade agreed. Adam hesitated before nodding. He reached out and took Jade's hand. [Wherever we're going we want to end up in the same place.] He told her. Carefully they formed a mental image of the fighters they had both seen on television, of the viper's that Castor and Pheobus had shown them. For long moments electric light crackled around them before they vanished with a pop of imploding air. ***** [Adam? Jade?] The first thing they heard was Megabyte trying to get into contact with them. [Megabyte?] [You guys were gone much longer then usual.] He told them with some relief. [We don't usually teleport without knowing where we're going.] Adam was surprised at how worried Megabyte sounded. [I was half expecting us to end up in the water. The beacon would have pulled us in if we didn't have anywhere else to go.] [I guess I didn't think of that.] Megabyte admitted. Adam also felt subdued thoughts from Kevin. The beacon hadn't occurred to him either. [So where are we?] Jade asked. Adam looked around at the thick trees that surrounded them. It was dark now in the north of England, and cold. The only light was the half-moon that peeked through the looming wood. [I haven't the slightest idea.] Aware that there was more moonlight from behind him, he turned around and found that he and Jade were standing with their backs to a large clearing. He tapped her on the shoulder and she turned quickly. She gasped. Despite seeing the ships in the twins' thoughts she hadn't been prepared for their size. [They're bigger than I expected too.] Adam reassured her. [I guess we've found these vipers, guys.] [They look shut down.] The ships shone in the moonlight but there was no light from the closed cockpits. Jade started walking forward. [Do you suppose Apollo and Boxey are still in there?] [It seems unlikely, but we ought to check.] Adam came up to join her. [Guys, a radar fix just came through on where those things went down.] Megabyte called urgent. [A WorldEx team is on its way but Dad just told Frank that if they're getting it now, the SIA and the regular army might have had it an hour ago. You might have company. We're all heading for helicopters now.] [So where are we?] [Just outside a place called Keithley, apparently.] Megabyte told him. Adam and Jade were almost at the closest ship now. It towered above them, more than twice their height, and couldn't have been mistaken for anything but a fighter. There was a sleekness and deadliness about it that shouted its purpose. Adam peered up at the closed cockpit. [We're going to have to get inside, see if there's any kind of message about where they've gone.] He reached out to Castor and Pheobus letting them see for the first time what the rest of them were seeing. [We've found the vipers. Any ideas about how we open these things?] He reached out to grasp the footholds designed to let pilots climb up. [_Don't touch the ship!_] The shout came from both twins at once but too late. With a flash of light from the foothold, Adam slumped to the ground, unconscious. **** END OF PART FIVE ___________________________________________________________________ Elizabeth Stanway ers24@cam.ac.uk http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/8403 "When in danger, when in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout." ___________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "E.R. Stanway" <ers24@hermes.cam.ac.uk> Subject: TPFICT: Out of Control (6/12) Date: 31 Jan 2002 13:52:03 +0000 (GMT) PART SIX **** [Adam!] Above the calls from the Tomorrow People, himself included, Megabyte barely heard Pheobus's reassurance. [It's alright! Adam's just been stunned!] Through Jade's eyes they all saw Adam on the ground, his eyes closed. She squatted beside him, careful not to touch the ship. [He's breathing normally. I think he 'feels' okay to me.] She reported in a shaken voice. [Next time, warn us!] Megabyte snapped at the twins. [We did!] Castor snapped back. [You didn't call us when you found the ships, you tried to keep us out of the loop! We can't warn you if we don't know what you're doing.] [I guess.] Megabyte said grudgingly. He let Castor and Pheobus see that he regretted shouting at them. Seeing his best friend in danger always scared him beyond reason. Pheobus signalled back an understanding that suggested Megabyte's shields had gone lower than he intended. He built them back up. [Is everyone else okay?] [Just startled.] Kevin assured him. His thoughts were serious. [How long will Adam be out?] [Several hours probably, maybe more.] Pheobus told them with a mental wince. [We still need to get into the ships.] Megabyte said worriedly. [There's a computer pad on the underside of the ship.] Castor volunteered. [We can give you the codes. Intruder defences were fitted to vipers after our Dad's ship got stolen once.] [Alright.] Megabyte thought hard. [You take Adam back to the island, Jade. I'll come out to the ships and then you can join me to look for these pilots.] [Um...Megabyte,] Jade open her mind to show them the brilliant light that had just illuminated the clearing. [I don't think it's going to happen that way.] ***** [Jade, teleport!] Kevin shouted. "Put your hand's up! Move away from the vehicles!" [Not in front of all these people] Jade called back. Megabyte hesitated for a moment before agreeing with her. Adam had been very insistent lately that they shouldn't teleport in front of others unless their lives were in immediate danger. Jade had put her hands up. "My friend's hurt." She shouted. "We haven't done anything wrong." She squinted into the lights and made out the dim forms of people moving around and the purr of military vehicles. [That's right, Jade, just say you're out for a walk.] Megabyte encouraged. [They'll let you go in no time.] [Your Dad didn't last time this happened.] Jade told him. She was scared and making no attempt to hide it but she didn't move from Adam's side. "Move away from the vehicles!" "Please, my friend's been knocked out. Can't you help?" There seemed to be discussion beneath the sound of engines. Shadowy people peered at Jade and Adam from behind the lights. She suppressed a scream as soldiers darted forward, their guns swaying from side to side as if looking for targets. One picked her up bodily. Another scooped Adam off the ground. They headed back to the lights. [Hold on, Jade. It just became time for my Dad to know about this!] ***** Colonel Apollo wondered through the outskirts of Keithley wondering whether to be appalled or delighted. Beside him, Boxey seemed to be deep in culture shock. Tall smoke-blackened Victorian buildings lined the narrow streets of this industrial town. There were humans everywhere, humans doing human things, in human houses. It was more people than he'd seen in one place since the colonies were destroyed all those years ago. Even on the offshoot colonies they'd discovered over the years, people tended to be dispersed into small settlements. This was a town and a small one too. They'd flown over a much larger city before selecting this relatively out of the way spot to set down. Leaving the vipers was a risk of course, but the ships were protected with their own systems and Boxey and Apollo had both set their lasers to the stun mode. It was not as if these people were Cylons. They were human, as human as Boxey and Apollo themselves. Apollo wondered about the wisdom of approaching this world the way they had. Despite evidence of primitive space technology in orbit of this world there had been no indication of advanced scanners or technology that could really threaten the vipers. It wasn't until he and Boxey had already plunged through the atmosphere of this world that Apollo remembered that there were less developed ways to scan at a distance, methods that wouldn't necessarily show up on his sensors. Even without that, coming in over a city had been a mistake. The density of population here had seemed a good opportunity to find out something about these people but the thick cloud that covered most of this island nation had hidden the lights of the city until they were almost on top of it. Usually Apollo would have expected to pick up com traffic from a city but the vipers weren't equipped to scan the ancient frequencies Apollo was now sure this planet must use. No culture could sustain this level of development without some form of reliable communication but the Galactican's coms had remained stubbornly silent. It was confusing. The vehicles that pelted down these narrow strips of artificial road seemed almost to belong to the Stone Age to Apollo but this world seemed a confused jumble of many technological stages. The satellites in orbit had suggested a level of advancement several stages along the road to the colonial level and not long after they'd landed the vipers, several fast airborne vehicles had overflown the area. There seemed no comparison between those younger cousins of the vipers and these clunky road vehicles. What was happening here? And what did it mean for the fleet? If this was Earth, fabled Earth, then the Colonists had been drawn forward by a false dream. This world couldn't defend them against the Cylons, it couldn't even defend itself. They passed a large building that had to be a public hostelry. Apollo could think of no other explanation for the noise and light that poured from its open doors. Boxey seemed to agree. "Should we go in, Father?" Boxey asked. They were the first words the younger man had spoken since they left the vipers. There hadn't seemed to be anything to say. Apollo hesitated. In recent years contacting the colony worlds they'd found had become increasingly difficult. While the first few years of their journey had taken them through worlds settled from the Twelve Tribes, more recently they had come across worlds that had been isolated for thousands or tens of thousands of years. Each had had it's own language, some related but most completely independently evolved from whatever their common root had been. It had been encouraging, a sign that they were getting closer to the Thirteenth Tribe, but it had taken weeks of linguistic study in each case before teams had been sent down to the surface. "We don't have any currency, Boxey. This doesn't look like the kind of settlement where we can barter for goods. We're not even going to know their language." He shook his head. "I think we should keep walking, try to find a place where we can observe the population without direct contact with them." "Father," Boxey hesitated and Apollo heard the doubt in his tone. "We can't keep walking for long. It's cold and getting colder. We need to find shelter for the night, or fuel for the vipers. If we can't communicate how are we ever going to be able to find the fuel we need?" Apollo forced himself to smile. "I could remind you that coming here was your idea." He said wryly. He frowned. "Boxey, we'll have to plan this one as we go along. If all else fails I have a feeling that those aircraft we saw earlier were looking for us. If they were there will be other people looking too. I'm starting to wonder if it might be a good idea to get ourselves caught. The military are the people who will most likely have the fuel we need. I've been looking at this technology and most of it seems to be hydrocarbon based. If we can find some kind of petrochemical fuel we can adjust the vipers to take it but we'll need someone who can provide it in the first place, or put ourselves in a position where we can find some ourselves. Besides, we need to get some idea what the military here are capable of. If we bring the Cylons this way will they be able to cope?" "But we have no idea what the military of this world are like. What if they put us in a cell and leave us there?" "Then we escape." Apollo shrugged. "Starbuck has taught me more than one trick for getting out of a tight corner over the years." He tried not to let his son see that his words were more hopeful than convinced. ****** "{Hey you!}" Both Galactican pilots spun at the voice. A group of four men had staggered from the hostelry. From the way they were supporting one another's unsteady progress, it was fairly clear that they were drunk. Apollo and Boxey watched them silently. The words had been meaningless except for the fact that they were clearly addressed to the pilots. "{What do you think this is, Halloween?}" One of the men sneered. "They're just looking for a fight, Father. Too much Ambrosia." Boxey murmured too quietly for the men to hear. "I think we should move on." Apollo nodded slightly and they turned to go. "{Hey! I'm talking to you!}" "{Leave it out, Phil}" Another of the men told his friend, "{We don't need this.}" He chuckled with all the mirth of someone who could barely walk. "{Tell you what, maybe they're off those UFO's they saw at the match earlier.}" He raised his voice as the drunks followed Apollo and Boxey down the street. "{That it, mister? You from outer space?}" Apollo turned slightly at the raised voice and the first man, Phil, saw this as a challenge. He began to lumber down the street towards them, his fists raised. Almost without appearing to move, Apollo had his laser in his hand. "Back off!" He shouted, hoping his tone would translate even if his words didn't. The man kept coming. "{Ooooooh, a ray-gun.}" The more coherent lout called. "{Can I play too?}" Boxey drew and fired in one smooth movement. The oaf, Phil, hit the floor in a dead faint and suddenly the situation didn't seem to amuse his friends. Suddenly they were very sober. Two ran back to the pub as quickly as they could. Phil's friend stood dead still. "{It only is a ray-gun, too.}" He said almost to himself. Whimpering, he spread his hands to show he wasn't armed. "{I just want to see my friend's alright, mister.}" He said as reassuringly as he could manage. He edged forward, still with his hands outstretched until he could get then under Phil's shoulders. Grunting with the effort, the man dragged his immobile friend back to the pub. Boxey and Apollo saw the faces now crowding the pub windows and exchanged looks. Sighing, Apollo holstered his laser pistol and sat down on the low wall that seemed to separate the road from private land. Somewhat shamedly, Boxey holstered his. "I thought they were a threat, Father." "Boxey, this is me." Apollo reminded him. He knew full well that the human mind could only cope with so much in one day. He'd just had more experience in coping with it. "I'm just glad your laser was still set for stun." "Father, shouldn't we get out of here? I don't know what they were shouting about but I'm fairly sure some kind of law enforcement will be on its way." "I was wondering if we should get captured." Apollo patted the wall beside him. "I think you just made up our minds for us. Sit down Boxey, they'll be here soon, I'm sure." ***** General Damon of WorldEx watched his son with both irritation and concern. Ever since Megabyte had broken out as a Tomorrow People he'd displayed a remarkable talent for getting into trouble. Of course, Damon admitted to himself, Megabyte had been quite capable of getting into trouble before that but then it had rarely been life threatening. These days it just might be. Damon still had no idea what had happened yesterday to take all of the Tomorrow People to their island for so long. He still had no idea why Megabyte had been so insistent about tagging along on this alert. He had the nastiest suspicion that the two were related. The boy had got strange looks when they boarded the helicopter, even from the WorldEx team who were familiar with him. Damon had almost told him to stay behind but had decided at the last minute that he'd rather have his son in a bullet-proof jacket and somewhere in sight than unprotected in the middle of things. He had absolutely no doubt that that was where Megabyte was bound to end up. When they landed and got their positions in place, Damon promised himself he was going to have a long talk with that young man. He only hoped there'd be time. As they'd boarded the helicopter, Megabyte had got the distant look that meant he was communing with his friends. Damon watched the rising anxiety on his son's face with a matching concern of his own. The frantic fear that crossed momentarily across Megabyte's face left Damon's heart in his mouth even after it faded. Damon was about to reach over and shake the boy when Megabyte's eyes snapped back into focus and looked at him with a piercing intensity. Above the noise of the helicopter, it would be almost impossible to hear anything but this was a military helicopter. Damon knocked a fist against his headphones and then held up six fingers. Megabyte nodded and quickly switched his headphone's inbuilt radio to the same channel. "Is anyone listening to this?" Megabyte shouted above the engine noise. "No. It's a scrambled channel that only allows two users at once. Megabyte, what's going on?" It felt strange to be shouting secrets at the top of one's voice but this particular communication was actually more secure than whispering in one another's ears in any normal situation. "Jade and Adam just got caught by the army." "What!" Damon forced himself to concentrate. He was startled but not actually surprised. He'd had a nasty feeling that the Tomorrow People were ahead of him on this one. "Can't they just teleport out?" "Not in front of that many people. And Adam's unconscious!" "Is he alright?" Damon asked, concerned. "We think so. Dad, you've got to get them out of there. They've separated Adam and Jade already." Damon nodded. He retuned his radio to the executive frequency. "Frank!" "General?" His assistant shouted back. "Get onto the army, Special Intelligence Agency, everyone! Make it clear that this one is ours. Any suspects they have should be ready to be handed over as soon as we land." "I'll get on to it, General, but they're not going to like it." "I don't care if they like it or not! Just do it!" He retuned again to channel six. "Did you hear that?" "Yeah Dad, thanks. I've told Jade the cavalry's coming." He reached up to deactivate the radio. "Now just hold on one minute, son." Damon leaned forward and grasped his wrist. "What happened to Adam? And what were they doing to get arrested in the first place? What do you know about these UFO's." "It's a long story." Megabyte squirmed. "Dad, when we land I gotta go." "You're not going anywhere without me, Marmaduke Damon, even if I had to handcuff you. Give!" "Adam thought we should investigate these ships, that's all. One of them stunned him." "One of the people flying the ships? They're hostile?" Damon gasped. "No! They were long gone by the time Adam and Jade got there. It was just an anti-burglar thing." "But you found the ships?" "Yeah, and the army has too. Dad, Jade is real scared." Frank leaned over to tug Damon's arm and, reluctantly, Damon released Megabyte's wrist so they could both retune their radios. "General! The local cops just picked up two guys with ray guns. They stunned a local man and then waited to be taken into custody." "Great!" Damon shouted, relieved that something seemed to be going right. On any other day he might have asked if the two men were just cranks but not today. "We'll talk to them when we land." "Ah, reports say they don't speak English, sir. And we seem to be having trouble tracking them down." "You just said they were in custody." Megabyte reminded him. "Another agency collected them, the police are a little hazy on who." "Well did you get onto the others and claim this case for us?" Damon asked angrily. "Yes. The site will be released to us as soon as we land, any time now." "And prisoners?" Megabyte shouted as the helicopter began to settle towards bleak and windswept moorland. "I asked. No one has any yet." Frank shouted back with a satisfied air. ***** END OF PART SIX ___________________________________________________________________ Elizabeth Stanway ers24@cam.ac.uk http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/8403 "When in danger, when in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout." ___________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "E.R. Stanway" <ers24@hermes.cam.ac.uk> Subject: TPFICT: Out of Control (7/12) Date: 31 Jan 2002 13:53:18 +0000 (GMT) PART SEVEN ***** [Jade, where are you?] Megabyte, urgent. Jade sighed. She looked around the white plastic quarantine capsule she'd been stuffed into. It bucked and rocked and she guessed that the jostling a while back had been loading her onto the back of some kind of lorry. [Aren't you supposed to know that?] [Did you see any insignia, badges and stuff, on the soldier's uniforms?] Megabyte persisted. [Anything to tell you what group they belonged to.] [No. Nothing. Megabyte, what's going on?]The girl frowned even though she knew her friends couldn't see her. [Wasn't your Dad meant to be getting us out of here?] [Those guys aren't regular army. We're having a little difficulty tracking you down.] Jade went pale. She'd been scared enough already, now she began to panic. She reached out mentally and tried to feel if Adam was nearby but the part of her mind he usually touched was still quiet. [Find us, Megabyte! I can't get out of here until I can get to Adam.] She began to grope around the smooth white surface trying to find some flaw she could tear apart. [Hold on, Jade.] Kevin reassured her. [You can teleport out of there if you need to.] [Not without Adam!] She insisted stubbornly. [Jade, we need you to hang on.] Megabyte told her gently. [As soon as you can see where you are I can get my Dad to you and he's got to outrank the lot of them. It's alright.] ***** [She's not happy.] Megabyte broadcast on a tight line to Kevin. He was climbing out of the helicopter, remembering to duck as he ran forward to join the rest of the WorldEx team. [Neither am I.] Kevin said sombrely. He and Megabyte might tease Jade but they'd known her longer than the rest of the TP's had. They felt responsible for her. [She ought to teleport out now.] [She won't leave without Adam and she's our best chance of finding him.] Megabyte hesitated. He had the oddest feeling that if he ordered her to, Jade might actually do it. He seemed to have stepped into Adam's boots and the concept scared him. [She ought to stay if she can.] [I'm coming there. Phillipe will cover for me here.] Kevin's voice echoed with his teleportation and a moment later the young man walked out of the nearby woodland. Instantly he was covered by a dozen weapons. He shivered both with nerves and with the shock of the cold Yorkshire night. "Don't shoot!" Damon bellowed above the fading noise of the helicopter engines. "Kevin, come here!" He pulled his son and the newcomer off to one side, ignoring the looks he was getting from his staff. "Look." He whispered intensely. "I don't want any more of you lot appearing, alright? This is a military operation whether you like it or not. We will find Adam and Jade and get them back but I can't do it if you get in the way." Frank was busy deploying the team they'd brought as well as requisitioned local police and a small detachment of regular soldiers. "Area secure, sir." He reported as Damon finished lecturing the young men. "Alright, have we located the unidentified vehicles?" Frank swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes, sir, the police here cordoned them off a quarter of an hour ago. Up in those woods." He indicated the trees off to one side. "Still no sign of the pilots. General, there are a lot of heavy tyre tracks in the general area of the...vehicles. Do you suppose they landed some kind of tank brigade?" Megabyte rolled his eyes. "Those looked a lot like single pilot aeroplanes to me." He pointed out. "I don't really think there was room in them for a tank." Damon silenced him with a glare. "He has got a point, Frank." The general admitted reluctantly. "But is there any way of following those tracks? We still don't know who took the ray-gun men." His glance back at the two Tomorrow People told them he'd not forgotten Adam and Jade either. Frank consulted his notebook. "Apparently they just lead onto one of the country roads and vanish. They could go anywhere from there, no way to track them on tarmac." Damon pinched the bridge of his nose to ease the developing headache. "Right, I want all our men to fall back in a cordon one kilometre from the ships, vehicles, UFO's, whatever we feel like calling them." "One kilometre, sir?" "Just don't let anyone in. We can inspect them in the morning but it's cold, pitch black and windy. The ships could be booby trapped," He glanced back at Megabyte, "Or the land could be mined. Only an idiot would try and investigate advanced military craft of any kind in a pitch black woodland." ***** Megabyte heard the dig at him and ignored it. He and Kevin were too busy talking to the others. Castor and Pheobus had been both startled and scared when Kevin teleported out so suddenly. Phillipe had taken several minutes to get out to the island and to catch up with the current situation. Megabyte had seriously considered calling Ami in too but from the occasional stray thought he picked up, he suspected that this conversation was make or break for the relationship between Ami and her mother. They needed to get through it without interruption. [Kevin, why did you come?] Megabyte asked with gritted teeth when he got through explaining what was going on to Phillipe and the twins. It was a struggle to convince Castor and Pheobus that there was no way they could help in either search, for their friends or their relatives. Kevin shrugged unapologetically. [When Jade gets to wherever she's going you might need my help, now, on the spot. It's better that I'm here, waiting.] Kevin looked up at Megabyte and the older boy realised he was glad of the company. They were all in constant contact with Jade and the waiting was tearing at their nerves. [Megabyte.] That was Pheobus from the island. [Hearing you loud and clear.] [If you don't want the military of Earth to know about the Galactica, shouldn't we stop them looking at the vipers?] Both twins were behind the suggestion. [I don't see how we can stop them.] Megabyte said reluctantly. [ You've probably gathered that my Dad knows what we are but even he couldn't hide something this big. I don't think he would if he could. I'm not even sure we should yet. Can we really stop the planet finding out about the Galactica and all your fleet?] [We really don't know.] There was moral agony in the twins' tone. They knew what this meant to the Galactican Fleet. They knew that this was a huge decision. [But we don't think we should make the decision like this. If we can just delay it until we all have time to think....] [If you have an idea, spit it out.] Megabyte told them. [Castor and I are trained viper pilots.] The idea was so startling that it took several moments for Megabyte to grasp it. [I thought you said you were in training.] Phillipe objected. [We might not be combat ready but we've both soloed in vipers and we are trained pilots. We can get them off the ground, Megabyte, move them to somewhere they won't be found. There must be some areas of this planet that aren't covered by your detection equipment.] [I'm not sure.] Kevin said dubiously, [With satellites and everything.] [There are still some areas.] Phillipe assured them. [Deserts, rainforests. We can find somewhere. They wont have radar and might only be swept by a satellite once a week or so.] [You're seriously suggesting stealing two UFO's?] Jade asked from her bouncing white capsule. Even in her terror she managed to be amused. Castor was indignant. [Of course not, I'm suggesting reclaiming two Colonial Vipers that belong to my uncle and cousin from a primitive military that has seized them.] He gave a telepathic smile. [I suppose it depends on your point of view.] The smile faded. [Any word on them yet?] [No, you'll be the first to know.] Megabyte told him. [But I have a suspicion that when Jade gets to wherever she's going we'll find them too.] He hesitated, trying to decide what Adam would do if he was here. [You're sure you can fly these things? You wont crash them or anything?] The twins just thought indignant thoughts. [Okay, Okay. Phillipe, see if you can figure out where's the best place to take them. My Dad's pulled his men back till morning because I told him about the stun charge on the ships and he thinks there might be booby traps. That gives you five hours or so to find a place to take those ships and launch them. What if you run into other jets, fighters?] [Phillipe tells us your fastest jets can just manage a couple of times the speed of sound in your atmosphere. Even in gas this thick, the vipers can leave anything that slow standing.] [Alright. Just don't hurt any of my Dad's people. These folks are on our side.] Pheobus's reply was slow in coming. [Your father might be on our side. If his people were we'd be there already and talking to them, not stuck on this island. We wont hurt them, Megabyte, but we don't trust them.] [I suppose not.] Megabyte said slowly, [Nor do I.] ***** Starbuck paced his quarters in frustration trying to be there for the two women he loved, knowing that his presence was small comfort. Athena and Cassiopeia seemed stunned still, as stunned as Starbuck felt. He just couldn't come to terms with losing Apollo and Boxey as well as his sons. It didn't seem real somehow, but it had to be. Starbuck longed to just jump into his viper and hunt his friends and family down but there was no way Adama would allow that. Apollo had been right when he said that what was left of his family would need him, and besides there was nowhere to hunt, no trail to follow. Now that the Galactica had travelled that little bit further, widesweeping patrols had discovered the wreckage of a Galactican shuttle. It had to be Castor and Pheobus's. There was no sign, though, of the two missing vipers and no indication of why they hadn't just turned round when they found the wreck. If they ever had found it. It was well off to one side of the Galactica's course and with the constant niggling Cylon presence in this quadrant the chances that Apollo and Boxey had been blown into atoms without ever knowing what had happened to the twins were high. Starbuck felt the tears he hadn't been able to cry pricking at his eyes but suppressed them. There had been enough waterworks tonight. Athena and Cassiopeia still sobbed occasionally and even ten year old Aura had joined in. Starbuck tried to be cynical about that but couldn't quite manage it. He'd always had a soft spot for any children but particularly his own. Aura was old enough to understand that she'd never see four members of her family again, he shouldn't deny her that maturity. Zack...Zack was sneaking towards the door. "Where do you think you're going, young man?" Starbuck demanded angrily. He knew Zack was uncomfortable but he couldn't suppress the urge to protect his remaining son. He didn't want to let him out of his sight. If he'd been a little firmer with Castor and Pheobus.... Zack stopped with a hand on the exit control. Cassiopeia looked up sniffing and confused. "I was going to see Serena." The boy said simply. He looked desperate to get out of this room. Starbuck felt something twist inside. Apollo's daughter was an orphan now but she'd refused to join Starbuck's family for the evening. If Zack wanted to spend time with her neither of his parents would stop him. "Serena and Castor are very close you know." Starbuck didn't correct his son's tense. And he didn't know what to say about his declaration either. Castor and Serena? He'd never realised. Athena looked up too. "Serena was going to see your grandfather this evening." She volunteered. Zack shrugged. "In that case I'll go and talk to both of them." Starbuck hesitated, his son seemed as much at a loss as Starbuck would have been at his age but, because he'd been there, Starbuck knew how much it hurt. "Zack, are you alright?" The boy looked at him with those piercing eyes that sometimes seemed to see right into Starbuck's thoughts. "Castor and Pheobus aren't dead, Father. They escaped before the shuttle exploded." He opened the door. "I know they did." He left before any of his parents could object. ***** [Megabyte!] Jade's voice rang in his mind. [The truck's stopped. I'm being moved.] [Just wait 'till you can show us where you are, Jade] Megabyte called back. "Dad!" They were in WorldEx's mobile control centre, a hastily erected tent in the shelter of the trees. Damon's people had finished pulling their cordon back almost an hour ago and things had quietened down. Various aides were on their mobile phones trying to get more information on what had happened here before they arrived, trying to track down any large vehicle movements heading away from the area. Descriptions of the missing 'ray-gun men' had come back from the pub they'd spooked clearly enough for the Tomorrow People to be sure that they were the missing Apollo and Boxey but Damon was still uncertain and organising sweeps of the town of Keithley as well as the local villages. The General looked up at the urgency in his son's voice and waved Megabyte and Kevin outside following them quickly. "What is it?" He whispered, careful not to be overheard by anyone in the tent. "Jade's finally got where she's going, we think." "Well, you're not going without me." Damon said grimly. He pulled out his gun and checked the chamber, then he checked his walkie-talkie. Megabyte watched with growing misgivings. Could he really involve his Dad in this? Could he let his Dad kill for him? Damon saw his expression change and suddenly a strong hand was gripping Megabyte's shoulder. "I mean it." ***** The images ripped through Megabyte and Kevin before they could consider protesting. [( A flash of light so brilliant after the shadowy capsule that they were blinded. Adam! Adam on the floor beside her as her capsule was opened and she tumbled out onto the floor. A woman's words, 'Well, I don't know who you are, my dear, but I recognised your friend in the woods.' Confusion. The woman held a bulky black weapon on her. 'Look what presents my other guests have brought me.' Her viewpoint pulled back and a face loomed over her that was unfamiliar to her but terrifyingly familiar to Megabyte and Kevin.)] They teleported without thinking, both of them and taking Damon with them. Jade hadn't broadcast a clear location but the thought of what Lady Mulvaney might do to her, the thought of what she'd nearly done to them, was enough to draw them to her. "More of you!" Mulvaney said unsurprised and opened fire with the laser. ***** END OF PART SEVEN ___________________________________________________________________ Elizabeth Stanway ers24@cam.ac.uk http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/8403 "When in danger, when in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout." ___________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "E.R. Stanway" <ers24@hermes.cam.ac.uk> Subject: TPFICT: Out of Control (8/12) Date: 31 Jan 2002 13:54:58 +0000 (GMT) PART EIGHT ***** Adam woke with a throbbing headache that seemed too big to be confined by his skull. He was lying on some hard surface probably, he decided after due consideration, a floor. It was smooth and not cold so it seemed unlikely that he was still in the woods. Of course, the wood and the vipers. [Megabyte? Jade? Anyone?] He frowned, still with his eyes closed, he couldn't seem to project outside his own head. It was getting to the point where he'd have to open his eyes. There didn't seem to be much of an alternative. He opened them and winced at the bright light that bombarded his already frayed nerves. "Adam?" A familiar voice, but anxious. General Damon. "Adam, are you alright? I was getting worried." "General, where am I?" Adam pushed himself to a sitting position and was alarmed at how much effort it seemed to take. He gasped for breath and felt his lungs straining. "What's wrong with me?" His eyesight was beginning to clear and he made out Bill Damon squatting in front of him. "Take it easy." Damon warned him. "The air levels in here are very low. I don't know where we are. I was getting worried that you hadn't woken yet. You were knocked out several hours before I was and I woke up almost half an hour ago I think. The others are still out too." "Others?" Adam asked alarmed. Damon gestured to one side and Adam spun to see Jade, Megabyte and Kevin all lying on their sides on the ground. He tried to stand to go to them but the movement was too rapid and he ended up in a panting, wheezing heap. "Adam, take it easy." Damon repeated. "I think they've just been stunned." Adam tried again to reach out to check on his friends but again couldn't summon the energy or the concentration he needed. "There's not enough oxygen." He told Damon between strained breaths. "I can't focus, I haven't got the strength to...." He stopped for lack of breath. Damon frowned and sat back on the floor. "Tomorrow People must need higher oxygen levels than the rest of us." He guessed. "I suppose it makes sense. You do so much more with your brains. You must need more energy." Damon was breathing loudly and hoarsely but didn't seem to be in nearly as much discomfort as Adam. "That would explain why the others are still out when I was stunned at the same time as them. Someone planned on catching you people, Adam. Someone designed this room to hold Tomorrow People. They recognised you and kept Jade awake to act as a lure to wait for the rest of us." "I don't understand. Who would know about us? What happened to me? What happened to the rest of you?" Damon told him quickly, putting in as much detail as he felt the younger man could cope with. "Lady Mulvaney?" Adam groaned. The woman had been the first person to try to catch the Tomorrow People and use their powers. Her men had almost killed all of them before Damon had come to their rescue. "And no one knows where we are?" "I'm not even sure Megabyte and Kevin knew where they were going. I got the impression that they teleported as soon as Jade saw Lady Mulvaney." Damon glanced around. "I knew she was back in the country but I had no idea she was this organised. I would have warned you if I'd known." He frowned. "Just as I would have warned you not to touch the ship in the woods." Adam sighed and looked away, unsure how to answer that, unsure how much Damon knew. His breath calming slightly now, Adam started to crawl slowly towards his friends, stopping every few moments to breathe as deeply as he could. "You'd be better off staying still." Another voice said reassuringly. "Your body is clearly not accustomed to these air levels." "He wont understand you, Father." A second voice added tiredly and only then did Adam realise that they weren't speaking English. "But he might hear the tone." The first answered. Again Adam tried to turn to fast and ended up wheezing for air. "I don't understand why he and his friends are taking this so badly." "Oh yes." Damon moved slowly to help Adam sit up and see the two men in brown uniforms who shared the large featureless room. "I should have mentioned that we seem to have tracked down those pilots. I haven't the faintest idea what language they're speaking but we've got to the pointing at one another and shaking hands stage." He didn't notice that Adam was paying him only scant attention. "They seem to be called...." "Boxey and Apollo." Adam cut him off and continued in shaky Galactican. He recognised both men from Castor and Pheobus's thoughts. "You just have to be Boxey and Apollo." The two men looked shocked and then suspicious. The elder of the two, Apollo, took a step forward and loomed threateningly towards Adam. "How do you know that? Who are you?" "Adam. I was looking for you." "Adam, what's going on here?" Damon was looking confused now and increasingly angry. "What are you saying to them?" "How do you know this language? You're not from ...." Apollo trailed off tight lipped. "I'm not from the Galactica, no." Adam switched language "General, please, just give me a moment." Boxey had stepped forward now and put a hand on his father's arm. Adam peered at him curiously, he realised that he could almost feel Boxey's name at the back of his mind, almost hear his thoughts. This was a latent Tomorrow Person, someone who had never broken out, in fact they both were, Adam realised. They both had the potential but it had never been fulfilled and it never would be now. Adam knew instinctively that they'd grown past the point where they could break out. They'd lost the ability to act they might have had as children. Still, Boxey was giving him a strange considering look. "Father, let him explain. Don't ask me why but I think we can trust this man. Perhaps, perhaps, the twins...." He trailed off with a look at Adam that combined hope with fear of disappointment. Adam nodded. "My friends and I rescued Castor and Pheobus from their shuttlecraft. They're safe. They told us about you and about the Galactica." He didn't mention what Castor and Pheobus had become. That decision would rest with the twins, or possibly Devon, the leader of the Galactican Tomorrow People. Apollo had closed his eyes and seemed to be struggling with his emotions. Boxey was smiling broadly. "My nephews are still alive?" Apollo asked for confirmation, desperate to hear it. Adam just nodded, too short of breath to answer any more questions. "I knew we'd know if they were gone." Boxey whispered triumphantly. "Where are they? Can you take us to them?" "You're forgetting, Boxey, that Adam here seems to be as much a prisoner as we are." Apollo reminded his son patiently. The Galactican gave him Adam a searching look. "You were brought in here unconscious a while ago. From the amount of time your friend there was unconscious," He nodded at Damon. "I'd say you were hit by a stun bolt from a laser but that doesn't explain why your friends haven't woken. Damon seemed to think you'd been out even longer." "I think my friends were shot with one of your lasers." Adam agreed. "Apparently I was knocked out by your vipers." "Well, that would explain that." Apollo agreed. "Those stun bolts are a good deal stronger than a pistol can manage. But why are you having so much difficulty in this air? You are human." It was almost a question. Adam hesitated a long moment. "My friends and I have...abilities...that might surprise you. I think we need more oxygen." "Damon looks unhappy." Boxey observed. Adam nodded. Damon was watching the exchange with a kind of dejected disgust. Adam smiled at the Galacticans and turned back to Megabyte's father. "General?" "Adam. Is there any point in me even trying to do my job?" "General, we're not trying to stop you." Adam said cautiously. He wasn't used to this dark mood in Damon. "So where are they from? What language are you speaking? If you knew they weren't UFO's why didn't Megabyte just tell me?" Adam took a deep breath and coughed when he found there was almost no air in it. He sighed. "General, it's more complicated than you think. We got involved because Apollo's twin nephews broke out two days ago. For various complicated reasons we couldn't get them home and Apollo and Boxey here came looking for them." Damon began to open up a little. He sighed too now and closed his eyes. He'd guessed there might be something like that. If there was one thing that would get the Tomorrow People to act it was a threat to one of their own. "Adam, why didn't you just tell me?" "Because we didn't know they were on their way until they were already here. And because it's more complicated than that." Adam took several moments to catch his breath and to think hard. "I can't tell you where they come from. I can't tell you what language they're speaking. I can only speak it because the ship taught us. General, would you take my word that these people aren't hostile?" Damon gave him a long considering look. "Adam, you know I can't. Whoever these people are, their ships could knock the American Air Force out of the sky, or the British, or the Russians, any of them. I need to know what country has developed this kind of technology. They didn't even try to hide it, Adam, the whole world has seen those pictures by now. If anyone finds out these pilots are human and the ships aren't UFO's then there'll be panic. UFO's people can cope with. Fighter aircraft from another country are something completely different. You must understand that." Again Adam nodded slowly. He'd hoped to get through this keeping both Apollo and Damon largely in the dark. He wasn't sure now that was possible. "General. What would you say if I told you that these _are_ UFO's. That they are from outer space?" "Adam. The pilots are human." "Yes, but even so." "I don't understand you." "No, I know. General, these people are human all right, but not from Earth. Their ships are streets ahead of anything we can do." Damon just looked at him in blank incomprehension. Adam sighed. "Our first job is to get out of here. What does Lady Mulvaney expect to get out of this anyway?" "Who knows? She's always lurked on the edges of my job, trying to find things she can sell for a profit before we can find them. I assume when she heard about these ships, wherever they're from, she decided to try and get hold of the pilots." "And you, my boy," A crowing, cracked female voice spoke suddenly from the walls. "And your darling friends are something of a bonus." "Mulvaney! Let us out of here." Damon shouted, trying to find the source of the voice. Apollo and Boxey had changed their postures slightly, become more alert, but were otherwise just confused. "You know you cant get away with this. WorldEx will see you never get out of jail if anything happens to me." "WorldEx are running around like headless chickens looking for their great leader." Mulvaney told him delightedly. Her tone became cold. "You're just a bonus too, a chance for revenge. And of course useful for leverage. These teleporters will do anything to stop me hurting you. Even if they know I'm going to kill you all eventually anyway." "If you do anything to hurt my dad, you'll never escape us." Megabyte spoke from the floor and coughed as he tried to sit up. Damon moved quickly to help him and Adam turned too. "Breathe slowly and deeply." The elder Tomorrow Person advised, panting himself. "Megabyte, are you alright?" "I was going to ask you the same thing, Buddy." Megabyte frowned as he strained to reach out with his telepathy. He looked ruefully at Jade and Kevin still both unconscious and pale. "I guess this wasn't the best thought out rescue plan in the world, huh?" Adam looked coldly at the walls. "She tricked you Megabyte." "And wasn't it easy?" Lady Mulvaney laughed from wherever she was watching the scene. "Once I saw young Adam here, I knew the rest of you wouldn't be far away. It was simplicity itself bringing the girl to the place I prepared for this day. And the rest of you came like lambs to the slaughter." "Adam, what's happening?" Apollo asked suddenly, his frustration at the total incomprehensibility of this place was obvious. Megabyte looked up, wide-eyed and Adam nodded. "Apollo, Boxey, meet Megabyte. He can speak your language too." "Cas and Pheob are going to be just thrilled that you guys are okay." Megabyte broke off gasping. "What's with the air, Adam?" He asked in English. "I guess Mulvaney doesn't want her birds to fly the nest." Adam told him. "How right you are." Mulvaney told them. "My scientists said this might keep you on the ground. It looks like they've earned their keep for once. Rest sweetly, my birds, because soon I'm going to make you sing." ***** There was an audible click as the intercom snapped off. "She'll probably have someone listening to us." Damon warned quietly. Quickly Megabyte muttered a translation to the Galacticans. "Probably," Apollo agreed. Adam translated back. With one translator any kind of conversation had been virtually impossible. With two it was just awkward. "Who is this woman? We planned to surrender to your world's government. To tell them about the Galactica." Adam hesitated before translating that but did so anyway. "Apollo, look, wherever this Galactica is, surrendering to a government is not always a sensible thing to do." Damon spoke tiredly. "Most governments wouldn't know what to do with..." He glanced dubiously at Adam, "Visitors like you." "The military then." Apollo shrugged. "When we were detained by men in uniform, we assumed we would be taken to a powerful enough commander that we could explain our presence here." Damon gave him a hard look. "I don't know who you are or where you come from but as soon as we get out of this we can sit down and you can tell me all about this. I have some authority here. In the meantime we've been diverted by a criminal with a grudge against my son and his friends." He hesitated and looked at Adam. "Do these men know what you are?" Megabyte broke off his translation and listened to the reply. "Kind of. They don't know that Cas and Pheob are two of us, though." Megabyte and Damon nodded. "Is there any way out of here?" Adam asked in both languages. Everyone shook their heads. "We tried breaking out before Damon woke up." Boxey volunteered. "There doesn't seem to be any lock on this side of the door." They looked around the featureless, windowless room. "We decided the only thing to do was wait." Adam had crawled to his younger friends and was examining them carefully. "We have to get out!" He said breathlessly. "Megabyte and I are crippled in here and I don't like the way Kevin and Jade look." "I don't think Lady Mulvaney is all that worried about hurting you Adam." Damon admitted through gritted teeth. "I think she'll make use of you if she can keep you harmless to her but if this kills you instead she'll be almost as satisfied." "What did you do to this woman?" Apollo asked as Megabyte translated. Adam looked sombre. "We escaped from her once before. With some people that's enough." "Adam, you've alluded to these 'special gifts' of yours." Boxey looked thoughtful. "Is there any way you can do something to get us out?" Megabyte laughed wryly and then wheezed as he tried to make up for the expelled air. "We're kind of having problems here, fella." "No, Megabyte," Adam sounded thoughtful. "He has a point. On our own we can't do anything but two of us?" He and Megabyte were both sat with their backs against one of the walls, close to Kevin and Jade, now. Megabyte opened his half-closed eyes to peer at his friend. "If we can make contact with each other we might be able to call out." He admitted. "You think Ami might hear you?" Damon asked. "Wouldn't you just be drawing her into danger?" "It'll be a miracle if _anyone_ hears us." Adam and Megabyte exchanged glances. "But I think it's a risk we have to take." They closed their eyes, leaning back against the wall. Adam's hand searched out Megabyte's and held it tightly. Both breathed as deeply as they could, straining to build up their blood oxygen levels, to get the energy they needed. "Now!" Adam whispered aloud as he threw all that energy outwards, trying to reach out, to make contact. He felt the surge as his thoughts escaped the confines of his head, another surge as he felt Megabyte click into contact. Together they thrust outwards blindly, unsure if their thoughts were even leaving the room. A wordless, exhausted plea for help. Both slumped against the wall, Damon hovering anxiously in front of them, but their eyes snapped open as they felt the tingle of an approaching teleporter. Damon and the Galacticans watched astonished for different reasons as a small girl appeared in front of them. "Stephie! Teleport!" Adam and Megabyte shouted the words before the little girl could even take a breath. The electric ripples of teleportation hadn't faded before they reformed and the girl was gone. Both Adam and Megabyte were coughing and gasping barely strong enough to draw breath. Damon knelt beside them watching helplessly as they slowly suffocated in this thin air. He wanted to ask who the girl was but held back the question as he'd held back all his questions about the Tomorrow People in recent months. If Adam and his son were now protecting children that young they needed the secrecy they'd tried to maintain. The Tomorrow People themselves were worried as much for Stephanie as for their shortness of breath. The way she'd bounced out without concentrating she could end up anywhere. "Rest," Boxey tried to soothe them. "You've done all you can." But Apollo and Damon exchanged sombre looks. They needed to get the young people out of here. Now. ***** Devon looked sombrely around at his closest friends and advisors. They'd been trying to contact their fellow Tomorrow People on Earth for several hours now with no response. Either their cousins weren't answering or for some reason were just not strong enough to hear. With the strength on his end of the link Devon was sure that if there had been an answer no matter how weak, they would have heard. No, something had happened to the Tomorrow People on Earth. [Cylons?] The suggestion came from several directions at once and Devon felt young Zack flinch. [No, Cylons aren't the only danger. Earth can't be far away and if there had been enough Cylon baseships in the area to take on a planet we'd know about it.] He'd been haunted all day by Adam's insistence that the fleet couldn't learn about Earth. That Earth wasn't strong enough. Devon remembered the Tomorrow People of the Colonies and how they'd died in the Cylon assault. He had just been five years old, too young to understand the decision of his parents and the others to stay behind and try to protect any humans remaining on the twelve worlds, to try to disrupt the search for the Galactica. He remembered his parents guiding groups of survivors through the Cylon lines to the spaceport and he remembered them knocking him out before putting him on the shuttlecraft. He knew of sixty children of Tomorrow People who'd been sent away from the Colonies to the fleet. He was the oldest. He tried to imagine the young minds he'd encountered from Earth doing the same, rescuing as many as they could. Somehow he didn't doubt, even from that momentary contact, that they would do it. He knew then that if what they'd showed him of the state of Earth's defences were true there was no way the Fleet could risk endangering this young world. All their dreams of Earth had been for nothing. But there was still the issue of what could be done about Castor and Pheobus. Since Commander Adama had released the news that his son and three grandchildren were missing, presumed dead, morale in the fleet had hit an all time low. Adama and his family were idols for three generations of Galacticans. They were the kind of heroes that a defeated people needed to guide them forward - this had hit everyone hard. If there was any chance that Castor and Pheobus could be returned to the fleet with a suitably hazy explanation of where they'd been, Devon was determined to take it. The fleet needed the boost and besides, the two young shuttle pilots were Devon's friends. The prospect of them stranded on an alien world did not sit well with him or any of the rest of the Tomorrow People. Now it seemed doubtful that they could do anything even about that. [We keep calling.] Devon declared to the whole group. [If these Tomorrow People are anything like us, they've probably got themselves into some kind of trouble. They'll get themselves out of it too. They'll be back in touch.] ***** END OF PART EIGHT Concludes tomorrow .... ___________________________________________________________________ Elizabeth Stanway ers24@cam.ac.uk http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/8403 "When in danger, when in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout." ___________________________________________________________________