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***************************** "Good morning, Mr. Adderly, isn't it?" asked Lyta. "I know who you are." "I'm not surprised. And, you probably have some ideas about what I can do." "I'm not impressed, Alexander. I'm on the depressant and at a disadvantage." "So you are. I'll have them discontinue the depressant. I've been in your mind, and I have come to the conclusion that it would be a disservice to mankind to release back into normal society someone who loves to kill and inflict pain the way you do." "You can't keep me locked up forever. I have friends who’ll come looking for me in a few days." "I plan to release you from captivity before sundown tomorrow. The basic problem from your point of view is that you won't get to watch it." "I'm not big on scenery." "I'm simply going to alter the memories of the others, and they will be released somewhere far away from here. They won't even remember this place or me." "What are you going to do with me?" "After they have been taken away, I will deal with you. I expect you to have your psi abilities back by then." "Why aren't you going to reprogram me?" "It won't be necessary, so I see no reason to waste the time. I am going to leave you with your thoughts, while I finish with your associates." As Lyta turned from the cell door, Adderly asked again, "What are you going to do with me?" He had heard about some of the things she had supposedly done. If she was going to let him get his abilities back before she dealt with him, it could only mean she intended to kill him, very painfully. He knew what he had done to others, the idea of someone doing it to him made him feel ill and very afraid. She could probably prolong his suffering as long as she wished. This idea made his skin feel like it was crawling. ***************************** It was almost 0900 when Lyta exited the cell block area and told the guard she was finished. The two security men who had escorted her earlier, again walked with her as she approached and then took the elevator topside. "I need access to a communications terminal when we get back topside," commented Lyta to the senior security man. "You’ll have to use one on the other side ma'am," replied the man, referring to the other half of the installation. The remainder of the short trip was conducted in silence. Lyta went through the doors separating the two parts of the installation. She went to the wardroom, but it was empty. She poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down to enjoy it before calling Michael. She had almost finished her coffee when an alarm was sounded. It was followed by and announcement about a carbon dioxide dump. She tried to call Major Kent's office, but got no answer. Deciding that telling him she was finished could wait, She wondered what the alarm was all about. Since it was none of her business, she fixed herself another cup of coffee in an insulated, disposable container and headed for her shuttle. She would use her own communications system to call Garibaldi. ***************************** Standing behind the watch, Major Kent asked, "Exactly what happened Sergeant Evans?" "I'm not really sure, sir. The alarm is for a CO2 dispersion in section 10 Alfa. It’s an unmanned motor-generator room and is used for power conversion on the lower levels. We show a smoke alarm and slightly elevated air temperature. It’s showing 40 degrees C, sir. It's warm, but not excessively so. We have had some ventilation problems in that end of the level and that may account for the temperature. Our IR detectors don't show anything hot enough to be a fire, but the interface between the monitor systems down there has had a number of false alarms lately." "Let me get this straight. We have interface problems with our monitor systems and that triggered the CO2 dump. How does that affect the rest of the level?" "Major, when the CO2 dumps in any area, there are automatic dampers that are supposed to close and isolate all the unaffected areas from the problem area... and the damned things didn't close. We've dumped almost twenty-two hundred kilograms of CO2 into the area. Without those dampers functioning, everything on level ten would be suffocated in less than five minutes... maybe even less time than that. It has been more than ten minutes since the alarm. We already have an emergency team on their way down with extra EBAs, but I don't have any hope for whoever is on that level." "Do any of the IR monitors work in the cell block area?" "I was hoping you wouldn't ask," replied Evans, pulling up an additional display on his console. "The monitors are working on a hit-or-miss basis, major. " The major could see a blob of heat that must be one of the cell block guards. He could see the four blobs that because of their locations must be the telepathic guests. There was no blob where the fifth and sixth ones should be and no blobs to account for the other three guards and Lyta. He wasn't surprised. Monitor devices had a habit of not functioning when the Alexander woman was within thirty or so meters of them. He didn't know where the other three guards were, but they had apparently not been at their station when the accident happened. Miss Alexander must have been with one of the telepaths whose cell monitors were malfunctioning. Major Kent stepped over to the communications panel and called Colonel Nixon and briefed him on the situation. The CO was visibly worried at the possibility of Lyta being killed while visiting his command. He called Bob Bryson in his room. "Good morning, colonel. What can I do for you?" asked Bryson when he answered Colonel Nixon's call. "I assume you heard the alarm. Level ten was completely flooded with CO2. I’m told your associate was down there." Looking at his watch, Bryson responded, "She would have been finishing up in a half an hour or so. What are her chances of being alive down there?" "Unless she can breathe CO2, none. The whole level is flooded. Our monitors show us at least five bodies in the area. Your friend screws up monitors when she's around, so we can't be sure if she’s down there or not. Her escorts, two of the telepaths and the other cell block watch don't show up on the IR monitors, so I don't know." "With what I know about Lyta, I will believe she is dead only after the body is buried." "I understand your position, and in your place would feel the same way, but I don't want to get your hopes up." "Thanks for the call, colonel." ***************************** "That's where we are now Mike. Without doubt the teeps we had on ice are history. Lyta had gotten everything she wanted from them. She was reprogramming them, so we could release them. I have a lot of data to sift through when I get back. If she is down there, I'll be delayed in returning." "Don't wouldn't worry about it, Bob, until you see her body, and even then, be damned skeptical. I had a chat with Susan Ivanova a couple of years ago. If she’s to be believed, you couldn't kill Lyta even if you shoved her out an airlock into space dressed in only her birthday suit." "I'll get back to you later, Mike." Bryson thought about what Michael had just told him. He felt better already. ***************************** Garibaldi had just broken the circuit with Bryson when the comm. panel chirped to announce an incoming call. Michael looked at the face on the screen and said, "I hear you're dead. Is there any truth to the rumor." Lyta thought about it for a moment before responding. "I never seem to get the word, Michael. I'll have to check on it. Until then, I'll just fake it." "Seriously, Lyta. Bryson just told me they had a bad accident on the cell block level." "I heard an alarm while I was having coffee in their wardroom. Since I’m not part of the command, In didn't pay any attention to it." "Bob said that the entire tenth level was completely flooded with CO2. I suspect everyone on that level is dead unless they can breath the stuff. Can you breath it?" "I worked for Kosh, and went to and from the Vorlon home world. What do you think?" "Fortunately you weren't down there. Your survival would have been very hard to explain. By the way, when you get back here, I have some information that I think you‘ll find pleasing." "You know I don't like surprises." "To quote you, ‘So, sue me’." "We’ll be returning by evening your time. I expect a good dinner." "I can do that. Take care." Lyta broke the circuit and left her shuttle. She might as well save the major and colonel from heart attacks. ***************************** Lyta returned to the wardroom and used the communications panel to request the location of Colonel Nixon. She then placed a call to him. In his office, Nixon accepted the call, expecting more bad news. He visibly choked when he saw the image of Lyta Alexander. "I was informed that you were probably dead." "Bad rumor, colonel. I was in the wardroom when the alarm sounded. The two security men assigned as my escorts are most likely okay, too." "We lost two of ours and the telepaths. I’m sorry." "Any idea what happened?" "I’m waiting for a report from Major Kent. The maintenance records I’m looking at seem to suggest some installation problems still exist in that area. I’ll let you know what we find." "Just let Bob Bryson know. He has to brief Michael. This changes our plans for the telepaths down there." Lyta broke the circuit and began to think of alternatives for disposing of the bodies. ***************************** Lyta was working her way through a sandwich and glass of juice when Bob Bryson walked into the wardroom. "Morning, Bob. What now? This accident screws up my plans for the telepaths." "I just finished briefing Mike. He’s sending a team to deal with it. The soldiers will be listed as having been on a random walk-through of the spaces on that level when the accident happened. Since they do those types of checks on an irregular schedule, the explanation will withstand even close scrutiny. Mike's team will make the other bodies disappear. It will be as if they were never here." "I regret the deaths of the younger five of them. I was going to dispose of the oldest one anyway. I had already decided that it would have been a crime to put him back out on the street." "You were going to kill him?" "Of course. You would have a problem with that? I have killed before, and I will again. It's not something I enjoy, but occasionally, it's necessary. Haven't you ever had to kill anyone before? I would think that in your line of work it would come up from time to time." "Yes, I have had to kill before, but I didn't have any choice. The way you discuss it is cold, uncaring." "Believe me, Bob, it gets easier after the first ten thousand or so." Bryson stared at her in disbelief. From behind him, a voice asked, "What gets easier after the first ten thousand or so?" It was Major Kent. "I don't mean to interrupt, but I couldn't help hearing that last remark as I came in." "What happened down there, Major Kent?" asked Lyta. "We think it’s equipment malfunction. Our emergency response team is venting the space and inspecting the area where the CO2 dump occurred. I figure it’ll be a week or so before we can nail it down. We’ve been having some intermittent problems with the systems on that level. There are some systems down there that have never had their various control interfaces tested for mutual compatibility. We know what happened. We had a CO2 dump in response to an automated fire detection system in a motor-generator/power- conversion/distribution room. Why the ventilation system's isolation dampers failed, we don't know." "If there's nothing else for us here, we’ll be on our way after we eat lunch," offered Bryson. "I see no reason for you to remain. What you came here for is now a moot point," replied Major Kent. "It wasn't a total loss, major. I got what we came after," replied Lyta. "Colonel Nixon will probably want a word with you before you leave." "Our pleasure, major," said Lyta. ***************************** Lyta and Bryson were halfway through lunch when Colonel Nixon sat down at their table. "Major Kent tells me you plan to depart after lunch. Won't that be a problem with all the monitoring being done from orbit?" "I don't see how," responded Lyta. "They were doing the same monitoring when we arrived. We aren't planning to fly out of here like a normal shuttle. We’ll leave the same way we came." "Just how did you get here. I know you used your shuttle, but Major Kent wasn't too talkative about your arrival." "You’ll have to wait and see. I could leave from where the shuttle’s parked, but it would cause extensive damage in your hangar bay." "I don't have a clue about what you mean, Miss Alexander." "It's simple, colonel. My shuttle, with me and Bob aboard, will simply vanish. Imagine the pressure drop in your hangar when the shuttle simply isn't there anymore. Every window in the place will be destroyed. That may or may not be the worst of it. If we leave from your landing pad, the space will be filled with the surrounding air. You’ll get one hell of a boom." "I’ve been informed that a team is on its way to take care of the bodies." Lyta and Bryson finished their meal and were enjoying a last cup of real coffee. "Our gear is aboard the shuttle, colonel. It's time we were leaving," commented Bryson. "I’ll walk you to your ship. I’m curious to see how you leave here without having to fly anywhere," said Colonel Nixon. ***************************** Lyta and Bryson were strapped into their seats. Her shuttle had been moved out onto the landing pad. Colonel Nixon and Major Kent were in the small control tower, immediately adjacent to the landing pad. They noted that Lyta's shuttle was as large as any they were familiar with. It was also hard to see it. Something was breaking up its outline and obscuring features. This must be why Lyta wasn't concerned with satellite monitoring. She hadn't started its main engines either. This reduced its infrared signature to that of its occupants and its thrusters. Lyta and Bob quickly ran through their pre-flight checks and brought the maneuvering thrusters on-line. Applying full power to the thrusters rewarded Lyta with the feel of the wheels leaving the ground. She retracted them at an altitude of less than ten meters. As she reached to power up the main engines, the shuttle slipped from normal space to hyperspace. ***************************** Nixon and Kent were watching the shuttle slowly lift off until it was between five and ten meters from the pad surface. It was still impossible to get a clear visual image of the shuttle. Then, without warning, it simply wasn't there anymore. Its sudden disappearance was immediately followed by a tremendous sonic boom. "Major Kent, what did we just see?" "We saw a shuttle disappear, and I haven't the slightest idea how it was done, or where it went." "This is another of those things we don't ever talk about." "I'd say that sums it up nicely, colonel," replied Kent. Later in the briefing room, Major Kent showed Colonel Nixon what his boys had been able to pull out of the downlinks from several monitor satellites. "As you can see, colonel, as soon as the hangar bay doors open a shifting distortion appears hiding the entire landing pad and hanger bay door. Some minutes later the distortion dissipates, and the landing pad is as bare as it was before the distortion appeared. We have tried to analyze it and the best we can come up with is it appears to be air of varying densities shifting positions and overlapping. As far as the reconnaissance satellites are concerned we had a weather anomaly." "Give the lady credit. She pulls things off in front of you face, and leaves nothing that can't be easily explained away. You have to love her style, major." "Yes sir. Speaking as a spook, I heartily agree." ***************************** "Well, Bob, better get your taste buds ready. Michael's cooking, and we'll be there in less than two hours, counting surface transportation time." "I’m looking forward to it. This has been an interesting trip. I’m really sorry about the teeps." "I’m sorry for all of them except Adderly. It was an accident. A damned unfortunate one, but an accident, nevertheless. My deepest sympathies are with the parents of the young soldiers." The remainder of their trip was uneventful. ***************************** "This is really outstanding, Michael," commented Lyta. "You really outdid yourself, Mike. This is about the best I can remember," added Bryson. "Flattery will get you nothing. Now what did you guys learn from those teeps?" "We learned who was responsible for the attack on Susan. We also learned a lot about people who cooperated with Psi Corps and the Shadows. We got leads on people who even now are working with the Drakh on some sorts of projects. I’m going to have to break a lot of rules to learn more. I want Bob and some of his people to work with me. They have skills I need, but don't have. Besides, even I can't be in two or more places at once," said Lyta. "When do you plan to start?" asked Michael. "In about eight or nine days. I have to take Maya home and get her enrolled in school. I also have to return some personnel to Glenthor, so they can get started on new assignments. I’ll let you know when I start back. You’ll then have about three and a half days before I get here," replied Lyta. "Where is this Glenthor located?" asked Bob. "I’ll show you after the meal," responded Garibaldi. Then he added, "It just joined the IA about three years ago. It’s one hell of a taxi ride to get there." "Michael, I'll have one more cup of real coffee, then I’m turning in. This has been a tiresome couple of days, and I won't be getting much sleep after I leave here," noted Lyta. "Come on, Mike. I'll fill you in on the particulars," offered Bryson. "Lyta, the surprise, I mentioned, will be waiting for you when you get back," said Garibaldi. "I told you, I don't like surprises, Michael." "I think you’ll like this one," contributed Lise. "If I’m right, it’ll set you on your ear." Dropping her walls as Maya had suggested, Lyta was struck by the feelings of well being and warmth that Michael and Lise were broadcasting, and waved of her hand in a motion of dismissal to the whole thing replying, "Whatever." Then getting up from the table, she said, "I need to call Babylon 5. I want to make sure my people are ready to go when I get there." "Come on, Lyta, I'll show you to a communications panel," offered Lise. ***************************** "Babylon 5 C&C, this is Lyta Alexander. I am ready to proceed to my docking station. I have surrendered maneuvering control to you." "This is C&C, roger, wait out." A minute later... "Lyta Alexander, this is C&C. You are the third ship in line." "Roger out," she replied. ***************************** Maya, Emily, Conrad and several others were waiting to board as soon as Lyta's shuttle was chocked and chained. Lochley had come down to see her before she left. "What can I do for you, Captain Lochley?" asked Lyta. "I just came down to say good-bye, and tell you, Susan had a fire-fight on her way home. I don't know any of the particulars, but my understanding is she scared the living hell out of some generals, before it was over." At that Lochley extended her hand. Lyta shook Lochley's hand and said, "I look forward to seeing you again after you get tired of playing soldier. Also, take good care of my telepath. He is fragile." "You have my word, Lyta." Captain Lochley turned and walked back the way she had come. Lyta went into the shuttle and began making preparations for launch. ***************************** Lochley was in C&C when Lyta's shuttle disappeared into the local jump gate vortex. "Good riddance to bad trash," said Corwin under his breath, just loud enough for his CO to hear. "Lieutenant Corwin!" snapped Lochley. "My office, now!" "Yes sir, captain." replied Corwin, realizing he had made a bad mistake. Corwin entered Lochley's office and found her sitting behind her desk. "Reporting as ordered, captain." Looking at ease, Lochley said, "Mr. Corwin. You will do me the honor of explaining your remark, in detail." Corwin looking very distressed, began, "Sir, have you looked my service record over carefully?" "Only the standard once over. Why?" "According to my record, I attended a special intelligence school for the first six months after I graduated from the academy. The only problem is that I never set foot in the school and was never on the base where it’s located." "What does that have to do with your comment about Lyta?" "Nothing and everything, Captain. The time when I was supposedly in school, I was on a secret base in another hemisphere on the other side of the planet." "You still haven't told me what this has to do with Lyta." "For six months, captain, I and fifteen other 'trainees' were used by Psi Corps as guinea pigs for their psi cop counter-intelligence students. We were taught to fight scans and then exposed to 'sensitive' information. It was our job to not reveal the information. If you have never undergone a forced deep scan, you cannot appreciate the experience." "No I can't. I understand Lyta stood up to it and psycho-active drugs for more than a year, and the people questioning her were experienced interrogators. They never broke her or got any useful information from her." "She must be one hell of a strong personality. At any rate, when they were finished with us, they wiped our memories and dumped us back into a transportation barracks at the academy. My record was altered to show my attendance at that school. As for why I remember any of it, well, let's just say they tried and failed. As for my feelings toward Lyta, I was one of those in the Zocalo when she took control of our minds. She didn't hurt anyone, but I hate her for it. As a matter of fact, captain, I don't like telepaths at all." "I think I understand your feelings, Mister Corwin. You have a right to your feelings and beliefs. Just in the future, keep them to yourself, when you are anywhere in an official capacity. Do I make myself clear?" "Yes Sir. Perfectly." "For your information, David, you, me and everyone on this station owes his or her life to Lyta Alexander. It was she who destroyed the bulk of that Drakh fleet. Before you hate all telepaths, remember that one fact." "Yes, sir." "You are dismissed." ***************************** After exiting the Glenthorian system jump gate, Lyta's shuttle made good speed toward the planet. She called the navigation control for the planet and got clearance to proceed straight to her private landing pad at her 'farm'. As the shuttle touched down, Lyta looked at Maya and commented, "We’re home, Sweetheart. It feels good to be back." Walking to the passenger area of the shuttle, she announced, "We’re here, folks. It's time to get out. I’ll arrange for local transportation for those who need it. Mr. Conrad, I’ll accompany you to the corporation headquarters tomorrow. Meanwhile, you’re all my guests. Rooms are ready for you and the noon meal awaits your presence." ***************************** "Mom. Why do I have to go to the Glenthorian school?" asked Maya. "You need to learn how to interact with people your own age. Besides it won't hurt for you to learn something about your home planet." "But I wasn't born here," she argued. "True, but then you were born in deep space onboard G'Kar's ship. So you don't have a home planet per se. I know, you have Minbari citizenship, but this is where you are growing up. Arguing isn't going to change anything." "I’ll do it, but I’m not going to like it." "So you say now. You’ve never interacted with children your own age. It’ll be an enlightening experience." "Why do I have to live there?" "It’s a private boarding school. I understand it has a reputation of turning out leaders." "Leader, smeader, I still don't like the idea. I’ll be away from home. "You just remember to behave and don't use your abilities. I want you to study and learn. If you play troublemaker, I will not be pleased." "I get the picture, but I still don't like it," groused Maya. "I’m sure you’ll do just fine, Sweetheart." Lyta kissed Maya goodnight and left, turning off the overhead light as she went. ***************************** Lyta made arrangements with Rohe Hental to set up meetings with various CEOs and security directors of some of the major corporations on Glenthor. It would be at least two days until the first meeting could be convened. Rohe wanted to meet with Jason and go over the general outline of what would be expected of him and to get a feel for how Jason worked. There were many details to be addressed. It would give her time to get Maya checked into the school and make sure she fit in with the rest of the students. Her only regret was that Maya would be the only non-Glenthorian student in the school. There was a knock on Lyta's door. It was Emily. Lyta invited her in. "What can I do for you, Emily?" "I’ve been thinking. Mr. Conrad is going to need and interpreter. I would like to work with him. I can make his learning the language much easier than it would be otherwise." "You aren't falling for him, are you?" "No way. He’s almost old enough to be my dad – on second thought, he’s older than my biological father. We're just good friends. Besides, he treats me like a younger sister." "You have other duties to perform." "I know. I was just hoping." "I didn't think you trusted men?" "I don't. Jason has no interest in me as a woman. That makes everything so much easier." "Have you looked at yourself in a mirror, lately?' "I don't have to. I know what I look like. Looks have never been something I worried about. You don't miss something you've never had." "You're too hard on yourself, Emily." "I'm just being a realist, Lyta." Emily was a wonderful young woman. If only she had a better opinion of herself. Her habit of dressing in drab clothing, wearing her hair in as plain a fashion as one could imagine, and using no makeup, hid a very pretty young woman from the people around her. Her P-12 rating and excellent health had made her a prize specimen for the eugenics projects that Psi Corps had in operation. Her numerous rapes at the hands of psi cops due to her refusal to be part of the required reproduction projects, had caused her to withdraw from having anything to do with men. Her self-induced abortions had not only convinced the corps doctors that she was unfit for their programs, they told her that her actions made it virtually impossible to get pregnant, much less carry a child to term. "We’ll see how you work out assisting Jason." "Thank you. All I ask is a chance." Emily was about to leave, but she hesitated at the door and turned to look at Lyta. "You know what Psi Corps did to me. Do you honestly think that I could ever consider being with any man, regardless of how nice he is?" Lyta looked thoughtfully at her, "No. I don't think that is a possibility." "Goodnight, Lyta." ***************************** END PART 3