Adventures of Lyta After G'Kar: Lyta and Ivanova Part 1 of ---(WIP)

Criticism is welcomed. Without, it there can't be any improvement. Address criticisms to [xazqrten@cox.net]

Think of this as a space opera.

All characters/places/persons not belonging to the writer are the sole properties of their owners, PTEN, WB, JMS, and will be turned over to the owners at the request of their agents. All other characters/places/persons are public domain.

Rated PG-10 (Vocabulary)

"..." = spoken words
{...} = telepathic speech
[...] = one's own thoughts, internal
(...) = to set off items such as acronyms immediately identified by the phrase they stand for.
'...' = to set off italics/odd items???
#...# = Alien/foreign(non-English) speech???

***********************************

Late 2265:

   The shuttle dropped through the dark Glenthorian sky, undetected by 
any of the myriad defense systems monitoring the airspace over the 
various countries. As the sun was coming up the shuttle lightly landed 
in the field behind an enormous ranch house. Lyta and Maya exited into 
the arriving morning. The crisp pungent odors of a working ranch grabbed 
their sense of smell and jolted their senses into full operation.

   "It's beautiful, mommy!” exclaimed Maya. "Are we going to stay here?"

   "Yes, sweetheart. We are going to be here a very long time," answered 
her mother.

   People were coming out of the main house to meet them. It was going 
to be the first time most of them had ever met their employer. Lyta and 
Maya walked to meet them. 

   "We have been here before, haven't we," asked Maya, as the leader of 
the group approached Lyta, hand outstretched.

   "Good morning, Miss Alexander," said her foreman. "It is good to see 
you again."

*************************************************************************

   "Accept incoming call", said Delenn in response to the communications 
system signal.

   "In response to your inquiry, Ambassador Delenn, we have had four 
inquiries in the past month," answered the young man on the screen.

   "Did you trace them?"

   "Yes, ma'am, but they were official requests of planets she has been 
known to have visited in the past several years."

   Miffed at the lack of specific data from her request, Delenn thanked 
the young man and ended the connection.

   "Something bothering you, Delenn?" asked her husband from the door of 
her office.

   "Not really. I’m curious that we have gotten four official inquiries 
from as many governments, in the last month about Lyta Alexander."

   "Her again. I can't ever seem to get away from her or her influences."

   "John, maybe they want information, so they can prosecute her for some 
crime."

   "I'm not that lucky. You shouldn't have arranged for her to be given 
Minbari citizenship."

   "I thought it was appropriate, since in one way or another she has done 
a great deal for us."

   "Just because her daughter was declared a citizen for arriving here 
first on a whitestar."

   "John. You have no reason to hate her. She has never done anything to 
harm you."

   "I don't know why. I just do."

   This worried Delenn. It wasn't like John to not be able to resolve 
his irrational feelings, but his feelings toward Lyta seemed to be an 
exception. She sure wished Sheraun had been able to intercept Lyta as 
she was leaving Mars.
  
*********************************************************************

  Lyta had been back on Glenthor less than a standard month when she 
scheduled a meeting with her friend, Ambassador Hental. The ambassador 
had learned in the past to expect most anything out of the strange human 
redhead. Since she and G'Kar had departed several years ago, a number 
of good things had happened to his planet and she was in one way or 
another responsible.

   She had made a few investments before she left and her assets had been 
looked after well. He didn't know what she wanted, but he just knew a 
lot of money would eventually be involved. The woman was fearless and 
one hell of a business partner. She had provided valuable data and 
information for dealing with a number of the species who were members 
of the Interstellar Alliance. For that she had been rewarded handsomely 
with stock interests in a number of companies now doing business with 
the IA member worlds, even though she was off planet when the business 
deals had been consummated.

   As the helicopter carrying Ambassador Hental circled for landing, he 
finally noticed a shuttle type of craft beneath camouflage netting sitting 
just in front of the barn. He thought that it didn't look like the kind 
of ship one would use for interstellar travel. He thought that it might 
make it as far as the local moon.

   Lyta met him when his craft landed. "Good morning, ambassador," she 
greeted him.

   "Good morning, Miss Alexander," replied Hental. "Please, call me Rohe."

   "You have a deal, if you will call me Lyta," she responded, taking his 
offered hand in hers and leading him away from the chopper.

    A few minutes later in the house library, Lyta and Rohe were drinking 
a local tea and getting comfortable.

   "I know you didn't get me out here to just pass the time of day."

   "I have a proposition for you. It is going to sound strange, but I think 
you will like it. Do you know what a telepath is?" she asked.

   "I have seen references to them in ISN newscasts. Something about reading 
minds, I believe."

   "That and more, actually," she replied. "If someone uses them during 
business deals and meetings, a company can be badly hurt, due to industrial 
espionage and having their negotiators compromised by being influenced 
against their best interests."

   "I don't like the sound of that. We have had some deals go sour recently. 
I believe you may have explained why, but what can we do about it. It is 
impossible to prove."

   Lyta smiled wickedly, "I have a solution, if you are interested."

   "I’m listening."

   "Use your own telepaths."

   "We don't have any."

   "I know where we can get as many as we need, if you are willing to work 
with me."

   "The earth telepaths, the ones that were fighting amongst themselves, 
you have influence with them. In fact according to reports you led the 
faction that won."

   "Don't believe everything you see on ISN. I was involved, to some extent, 
but I wouldn't characterize me as a major player."

   Playing down her part in the war, Lyta convinced Rohe, that giving 
human telepaths a place to live and employment on Glenthor and in its 
diplomatic missions could be a boon to business and interplanetary 
politics. She also convinced him to help her get Glenthorian citizenship 
for her and Maya.

   "Do you think a telepath gild might be feasible?" asked Rohe.

   Lyta nodded, yes.

   "I will layout a basic floor plan, loosely based on our other gilds," 
he continued.

   Lyta nodded agreement, then requested, "Set up a meeting between a few 
of these people and let me see what we are up against."

   Two weeks later Lyta found herself sitting in a room adjacent to one 
in which Rohe had set up a meeting with executives of one of the off-world 
companies he suspected of skullduggery. Lyta had told him she was too 
well known in the telepathic community to be present in the meeting room. 
Lyta had been relaxing enjoying a good lunch when she felt the meeting 
attendees arrive in the meeting room. She felt the presence of a telepath 
and reached out to her. She had been a psi cop before the war. The telepath 
realized she had been discovered and tried to mind-blast Lyta. The favor 
was returned with such intensity that the former psi cop pitched forward 
onto the meeting table, unconscious and bleeding profusely from the eyes, 
ears and nose. The meeting ended abruptly, but not before Lyta had put 
blocks and controls into the mind of the former psi cop.

   "The meeting was adjourned as you know," said Rohe.

   "I’m not surprised. I don't think their telepath will want to do business 
here again, anytime soon. You know, of course, this is only one example of 
what has been going on," answered Lyta.

   "I can't monitor every meeting myself, but I have people who can," she 
continued.

***********************************************************************

   That evening Lyta went back to her ranch and fired up her shuttle. It 
was midnight when she lifted off and fifteen minutes later she was in 
hyperspace near the jumpgate that had been installed in the Glenthorian 
system. Piggybacking her signal on the jumpgate's hyperspace beacon, she 
initiated a call to Michael Garibaldi on Mars.

   Michael came online and looked perplexed at the image of Lyta showing 
on his communications screen. "Lyta. Where did you disappear to?"

   "That isn't why I called you Michael, and don't waste time trying to 
trace this call. You will find it originates in hyperspace with no 
definite point of origin."

   "What can I do for you Lyta?"

   "You still have active communications with a great many of my people?"

   "Yes."

   "I need to communicate with them. I may have found a solution for some 
of them. I’m especially interested in those who were with Byron. Also, I’m 
interested in the commercial telepaths that worked for psi corps."

   "Can I ask why?"

   "It seems that many of the high level telepaths, especially the 
former psi cops and bloodhounds of Psi Corps are going the way of the 
worst of the former rogues."

   "Give me a few days, Lyta, and I will set up the communications you need."

   "Michael, I will need a transport to pick them up in. A lease arrangement 
would probably be best. If this can't be done for a reasonable price, I 
will transport them by public carrier. However, I would prefer to handle 
them in one group."

   "Get back to me in a week, Lyta."

   "Thanks, Michael. You won't regret this," responded Lyta.

   Thirty minutes later she was back at the ranch having either a very 
late supper, or a very early breakfast.

***********************************************************************

   During the next couple of months, Lyta worked with her business 
associates and government officials to identify other instances of telepath 
interference with Glenthorian business and interplanetary relations. She 
convinced them that she could supply reliable telepaths to counter those 
who had been used against them. 

   Within two months, Lyta had most of the telepaths she wanted on planet 
and was working to get them ready for their tasks. Some of the telepaths 
were skeptical, but when Lyta briefed them on the advantages they would 
enjoy in their new capacity, those fears were laid to rest. 

*******************************************************************

   Taking Maya with her, Lyta started a series of trips to a number of 
worlds to get her telepaths installed in places where they could work 
with her business associates and the Glenthorian interplanetary offices. 
Her plans for making Glenthor a financial power to be reckoned with were 
being set up and put into operation.

*********************************************************************

   "We need to talk, Lyta," said Rohe over the communications link.

   "About what?" she asked.

   "Not over this link," he responded.

   This caused Lyta's internal alarm system to come alive with doubts.

   "This Thursday afternoon in your office?" she asked.

   "Fifteen hundred then."

*******************************************************************

   In Rohe's office were a dozen political and industrial power brokers 
talking amongst themselves as they awaited Lyta's arrival.

   "I’m new in the group," said one of the younger executives, "I have 
never met Ms. Alexander. What is her specialty?" He asked.

   "She makes things happen," answered one of his older associates.

   "She is a storehouse of information of all kinds," answered another.

   "She is one tough negotiator," said a third.

   "Given that, what makes her special?" the man insisted.

   "When you meet her, you will know," replied Rohe.

   It was then that Rohe's secretary opened the meeting room door and 
Lyta strolled in. She gave the impression she owned the place. "Rohe. 
Gentlemen. I am told there is something important you wish to discuss 
with me." Taking the seat at the head of the table, she continued, "I’m 
here to listen, so, let's get the show on the road. Shall we?"

   Her entrance and attitude plus the deference given her wasn't lost on 
the new man. Lyta was treated to a plethora of instances of interference 
in their business dealings that couldn't be explained. The interference 
of telepaths was suspected. The worst of it seemed to be occurring with 
their trade delegation representatives on Babylon 5. She listened 
attentively, but made no comments. She had not had time to train enough 
of her people to handle all the situations that might occur. She had 
hoped to get enough of them trained so that the first trained could help 
train those that would follow.

   She didn't want to go anywhere near Babylon 5 again and didn't hesitate 
to espouse that feeling.

   The arguments of her business partners were intense and compelling. 
Finally against her better judgment, Lyta was convinced to make a trip 
to Babylon 5, to work with the Glenthorian trade mission that had been 
established there. She had accepted the task only because she learned that 
thanks to Delenn's influence, she would be traveling as a citizen of the 
Minbari Federation on a diplomatic passport issued by the Glenthorian 
Planetary Republic which carried with it diplomatic immunity. EA couldn't 
touch her this time out. She was also taking half a dozen of her best 
telepaths.

***********************************************************************

   Lyta's shuttle had enough seats to accommodate her crew and Maya. 
Sleeping arrangements were sparse. There were eight berths, but seats 
had to be folded to allow them to be used. Other facilities were Spartan 
at best and there was only food heating equipment. In this atmosphere 
they lifted off and made for the local jumpgate. The trip would take 
almost two weeks if she followed the regular hyperspace beacon system, 
so she didn't. Instead, she used her enhanced abilities to navigate a 
shortcut through the parts of hyperspace that could not be used by normal 
shipping and cut the trip down to three days. The extremely intense gravity 
wells were in fact a warping of hyperspace that allowed for travel over vast 
interstellar distances in very short periods of time. However, it was 
extremely dangerous, since there were no beacons to follow through it.

***********************************************************************

   The shuttle had exited the local Epsilon III jumpgate and Lyta hailed 
Babylon 5 C&C. It was midnight Babylon 5 time and Lyta didn't recognize 
the controller who cleared her for entry to the station. In all honesty, 
the young officer on watch did not know who Lyta was. As they neared the 
station entrance Lyta could see an Earthforce destroyer type warship 
standing off in the shadow of the station. It looked similar to the ship 
Susan Ivanova had been commanding when she had last seen her, except it 
had no rotating section and looked a hell of a lot bigger and more deadly.

  The customs and immigration control personnel had not been briefed on 
the arrival of the Glenthorian contingent since they were a almost two 
weeks early arriving, but their identi-cards and other data were in order. 
None of the night watch were familiar with Lyta so her arrival went unnoticed.

*********************************************************************

   The next morning Lyta met with her ambassador and his aide. They gave 
her a short briefing on their situation and provided her with an embassy 
credit card to pay for purchases. The first thing she and her group did 
was go to breakfast in the Zocalo. Since she wasn't going to be here long 
enough to set up housekeeping, she resigned herself to a lot of cafe eating.

************************************************************************

   The breakfast she had ordered for her and Maya wasn't too bad. They 
were about finished when a voice from behind her said, "Lyta Alexander, 
you are under arrest."

   "Good morning to you, too, Captain Lochley," replied Lyta, holding 
her arms over her head so she could be put into handcuffs.

   "You were warned about ever setting foot on this station again," 
continued Lochley.

   "Do what you have to, captain. Just be ready to take the consequences 
of your actions," answered Lyta.

   The security man fastened the set of high security handcuff around 
Lyta's wrists. As soon as he stepped back, they fell off in ten broken pieces.

   "You are embarrassing yourself, captain," commented Lyta, going back 
to her breakfast.

   Behind her the security man drew his PPG and powered it up. Before he 
could move his mind went blank and his hand started to point the PPG at 
Captain Lochley's head.

   "It's not much fun, is it, captain? Having someone point a loaded 
weapon at your head?" asked Lyta.

   Realizing her danger and her inability to do anything about it, 
Lochley said, "Let him go, Lyta."


   "Is that an order or a request, captain? I didn't start this mess."

   Just then Zack Allan walked up to Lyta's table. "Good morning, Lyta."

   "Hello, Zack," answered Lyta releasing the guard with the PPG, which 
was now a useless piece metal and plastic. "Long time no see."

   "Mommy, why are they trying to arrest you?" asked Maya.

   "They’re suffering from terminal stupidity, sweetheart," answered their 
mother.

   "You can say that again," said a familiar female voice from somewhere 
behind Lyta. "Zack, you should know better," continued Captain Susan Ivanova.

   "Let me guess. That monster parked outside is yours, isn't it, Susan?" 
asked Lyta.

   "Sure is. What brings you here?" asked Susan.

   "I’m part of a trade delegation, and I’m here in a diplomatic status," 
replied Lyta.

   "You mean you're here on official business as a diplomatic representative?" 
asked Lochley, incredulously.

   In response Lyta handed her identi-card to the guard who ran it 
through his scanner. 

   "Captain. She is a member of the Glenthorian trade delegation and 
has diplomatic immunity," said the guard.

   "I’m sorry, Lyta," said Lochley.

   With no further conversation, Captain Lochley, realizing her gross 
mistake, turned and walked off.

   "Lyta," said Zack.

   "Good day, Zack," said  Lyta.

   "May I have breakfast with you?" asked Susan, who was holding Maya 
in her arms and getting hugs and big wet kisses. "I think she remembers 
me," continued Ivanova.

   "Either she loves you, Susan, or she thinks you are a charity case."

   Putting Maya down, Susan took an empty seat and ordered a cup of real 
coffee.

   "That stuff costs a fortune, Susan."

   "I’ll let them put it on your tab."

   "What can I do for you."

   "Nothing. Just let me enjoy your company. I never got to say thanks 
properly last time I saw you."

   "Not necessary. I know how you feel. Remember what I am."

   "I’m not likely ever to forget that. Why’re you really here?"

   Looking at the others at adjoining tables, Lyta said, "There is an 
unacknowledged problem with former psi cops, bloodhounds and other high 
psi types who don't want to be on a short EA leash."

   "Does Lochley know?"

   "No and very few others know either. I’m working on both a short term 
and long term solution."

   Susan looked at her expectantly and waited for her to continue.

   {Maya gave me the idea from what she did to Bester at the end of my 
war with Psi Corps.}

   Susan looked stunned at hearing the voice in her head.

   {What did she do to him?}

   {She put in a set of commands that causes him to get blindingly 
splitting headaches every time he tries to use his ability.}

   Susan looked at Maya, who was smiling innocently back at her and said, 
"I love it. By the way, why are you down on Lochley?"

   Lyta explained what resulted in her and Lochley being on different 
sides of the fence.

   "That would have been a tough call, but I can think of several ways 
to approach it that don't involve public confrontation. Of at least four 
ways to handle the situation, she picked the worst. Then again, we are 
friends, so I wouldn't have wanted confrontation to start with. I think 
she felt she had to prove something and she picked the wrong person to 
prove it with."

   "I agree. She could have approached me privately and I would have 
changed my tactics and took the pressure off her, but she didn't, and 
even Lorien can't change history." 

   Lyta and her companions finished breakfast and started to leave.

   "Can I keep Maya with me for a while?" asked Ivanova.

   Lyta looked at Maya.

   "I'll be good mommy."

   Lyta smiled and said, "Sure."

   "Okay, munchkin, come with Aunt Susan," said Susan taking Maya's 
hand in hers.

   Lyta watched Maya and Susan walk away and she thought of what Susan 
might have had with Marcus and a great ache passed through her heart.  

*******************************************************************

  Susan and Maya exited the transport tube just down the passageway 
from C&C and Captain Lochley's office.

   "Are we going to see Captain Lochley, Aunt Susan."

   "Yes, we are. She needs her feathers ruffled then smoothed out," 
answered Susan.

   Maya looked sideways at Ivanova.

   "You will understand later, sweetheart."

***********************************************************************

   "What can I do for you, Captain Ivanova," asked Lochley.

   "I think, maybe, what I can do for you might be the better question," 
answered Susan.

   "Where did you get the little girl. You don't have children."

   "She isn't mine. She belongs to Lyta."

   "I didn't know she had a child."

   "No. I don't suppose you did, but one look at her and it’s fairly 
obvious who her mother is."

   Lochley looked at Maya again and said, "You are right. It is obvious."

   "Why didn't you notice it in the Zocalo?"

   Lochley looked Susan in the eyes for at least a full minute, but 
said nothing. 

   "You have a problem with Lyta. I’m curious about that."

   "It's really none of your business, Captain Ivanova."

   "True, but your ignorance and arrogance may create an unnecessary 
hazard for this station and the people on it."

   "Just what are you implying."

   "I imply nothing. Did you read the accounts of how my last command 
got shot all to hell and how we survived?"

   "Yes, and?"

   "If it hadn't been for Lyta, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

   "I don't understand."

   "Listen captain, and learn the truth."

   Susan proceeded to tell Lochley what had actually happened to her 
former command. 

********************************************************************** 

  Meanwhile, Maya wandered out into C&C and proceeded to watch the 
activities there. Since she had been brought in by Susan, Lt. Corwin 
and the rest of the watch more or less ignored her as she wandered 
over to the observation window.

   Looking out at the stars, Maya became aware of a feeling of intense 
fear emanating from one of the ships outside. She focused on the feeling 
and read the terror of a pilot who had lost control of his ship due to 
a mechanical failure. The ship was going to veer sharply off course and 
hit another ship and possibly the station.

   Alarms were sounding around her, but she didn't notice. She was busy 
reading the pilots mind and trying to stop the collision.

   Captain Lochley with Susan right behind her stepped into C&C from 
her office and demanded a situation report. Lt. Corwin's update was 
frightening. An out of control freighter was about to ram a passenger 
ship and would probably continue on course until it impacted the station.

   As he was explaining the situation, several of the tracking console 
operators called their attention to changes in the situation.

   Something had stopped the freighter from closing on the passenger 
vessel and was slowing the freighter's progress toward the station.

   Lt. Corwin and the two captains watched the displays show the freighter 
slowly coming to a complete halt less than a hundred meters from the 
rotating section of the station and then slowly move back until it was 
just over a kilometer away.

   Lochley asked of no one in particular, "Anyone care to tell me what 
the hell just happened?"

   Susan pointed toward Maya who was standing looking out the observation 
window with her back to the rest of C&C.

   Lochley looked at Susan and asked, "Her?"

   Susan just nodded, yes, in response.

   Lochley said, "Lt. I want a full report and the recordings of this 
incident by the end of your shift."

   "Yes sir, captain," responded Corwin.

   "Nothing ever changes does it Lt. Corwin?" asked Ivanova.

   "No sir. It doesn't," he replied.

   Susan walked over to Maya and put her hand on her shoulder and 
whispered in her ear, "Very impressive, sweetheart. Your mom will 
be proud."

   Maya looked at Susan, but said nothing.

   Susan and Maya returned to Lochley's office.

   Lochley looked up and said, "I’ll think about what you told me, 
Susan." Then she continued, "She is a smaller version of her mother, 
isn't she?"

   "Yes," answered Susan. "I have to get back to my ship. Thanks for 
your time, captain."

   "My pleasure."

   "Come on Maya, I will show you where I work," said Susan, taking Maya's 
hand and leading her out of C&C.

   Watching them go, Lochley wondered how she could be so wrong about Lyta. 
The revelation about Ivanova's mother, and Lyta's relationship with Ivanova 
herself, and her feelings about Psi Corps was enlightening to say the least. 
If she had known that Ivanova was a latent telepath she would have really 
been surprised.

***********************************************************************

   Maya kept up a running mental conversation with Susan as they walked 
through the Zocalo toward the docking bays. Susan was amazed that it was 
easier to communicate with the youngster this way than it would be using 
vocal means. What she didn't realize was that Maya was doing a complete 
scan on her as they were "talking".

   They boarded Susan's shuttle and sat back to enjoy the ride to her ship.

   {Mommy!}

   Sitting in a meeting with her ambassador, Lyta heard Maya's mental call 
and answered, {Yes, dear.}

   {I’m going to visit Aunt Susan's ship.}

   {Behave and don't break anything.}

   {I promise.}

   {Mommy says it's okay if I visit, but I'm not to break anything.}

   Susan laughed and pulled Maya to her in a hug.   

   {Aunt Susan. I didn't know you’re a telepath.}

   {How did you learn that?} thought Susan looking at Maya. {You looked 
into my mind,} she admonished. As she thought about it the death of her 
mother, her hatred of Psi Corps and other losses in her life came to the 
forefront of her thoughts.

   Maya nodded.

   Susan was stunned. She had felt absolutely nothing and Maya was starting 
to cry.

   {What's wrong, dear?} Susan asked. She had said nothing to elicit this 
response.

   {It hurts. The pain in your mind. Your mommy. I’m sorry.}

   Maya was hugging her tightly, tears streaming down her face. 

   Susan was going to have a talk with Lyta. She had never had anyone 
share her hurt and pain like this before. Maya hadn't just scanned her. 
She had in some way shared her feelings as if they were her own. Susan 
had never heard of this before in a telepath. She knew a telepath could 
feel the pain if they were scanning a person as the pain was being 
experienced, but to experience it from a vague memory, if that's what it 
was. She looked at Maya and her rising irritation faded away.

   Slowly, Susan began to feel better and Maya wasn't crying anymore. By 
the time they boarded Susan's ship everything was back to normal.

   Susan wasn't sure about the young telepath, but there wasn't much she 
could do about it. It hadn't been an invasive scan. She just couldn't 
understand what it had been.

   "You will notice, Maya, that this ship is in better condition than my 
last one," commented Susan as she approached her XO and several junior 
officers(JO), all of whom saluted smartly.

   "New crew member, captain," asked the XO with a smile on his face.

   "No, Pat. She belongs to a friend of mine," answered Susan. "Problems?" 
she asked, nodding toward the J.O.s. 

   "No sir. They want to know if they can let their worker bees pull some 
liberty on the station?"

   "I hadn't planned to be here that long, but I now think it might be a 
good idea. A day or so delay heading home won't hurt anyone. Besides, we 
are well ahead of schedule and Babylon 5 is one of a kind. Go ahead. 
Liberty at department head and division officer discretion."

   The XO turned to the J.O.s and said, "You heard the captain. Make it 
happen. I'll see to setting up a shuttle schedule, captain."

   As Susan started to walk away with Maya, her XO asked, "I didn't know 
you did babysitting."

   "Believe me, commander, she doesn't need anyone to baby-sit her," 
replied Susan.

   The XO looked at her kind of funny when she said that. Then looked at 
Maya again. Maya just put on her best little girl smile.

*********************************************************************
 
  "I’m hungry, Maya. How about you?" asked Susan.

   {I’m very hungry.}

   {Let's go see what my steward has fixed for lunch.}

   As they walked the passageways they had elicited confused looks from 
officers and crew alike. It seemed as if they were conversing as they 
walked, but they weren't talking.

   It was mid-afternoon when Susan and Maya returned to the ship's 
hanger bay. The XO was waiting to receive any orders before the captain 
departed.

   "Any orders, captain?"

   "No. Just carry on. I’m going to return Maya to her mother."

   "Captain. I have heard rumors that you and the girl have been behaving 
strangely today."

   "How so?"

   "Rumor has it you and she appear to be deep in conversation, but no 
talking is being done."

   "Maya is a high powered telepath, Pat. We were conversing using 
thought."

   The XO had a puzzled expression on his face.

   "Maya," said Susan, "Show him."

   {It works like this, commander. You think a thought and I read it, 
then I project an answer.}

   {I just think it?}

   {That's all there is to it.}

   The XO smiled and then laughed. "Captain, that is the best practical 
joke, I ever heard of, even if that wasn't the intent."

   "Yes, I suppose it is," answered Susan.

   Maya smiled at the comment.

********************************************************************

END PART 1 

Part 2

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