Laura Jo Phillips (9 page)

Faron paused a moment, looked over Summer’s shoulder at Darleen, then back to Summer.  “That is the story of what Darleen did, and why there is such animosity at this table for her.”

Summer looked down at the table before her, thinking hard.  When she looked up again, she kept her eyes on Faron Lobo.

“Do you know what a Controller is?” she asked.  There was a rustling around the table.

“Yes, we do,” Faron replied.  “We recovered one from the scene when Saige was rescued after her abduction from the
Cosmic Glory
.  Our scientists have determined that it is very advanced nano-technology that works as a control interface for the human brain.  That is all we know of it.”

Summer glanced at Saige in surprise.  “So you were abducted from the liner as well?” she asked. 

Saige nodded. 

“You have no idea how lucky you are to have been rescued,” she said.  “I was not so lucky.”  She looked back at Faron.  “Your scientists are good.  They have it exactly right. 
Control interface for the human brain
is a very good description.  I have one, so I am intimately familiar with it.”

The effect of her statement on those at the table was immediate.  They were shocked, horrified, and offended, all emotions Summer agreed with completely.  She noticed that the Katres looked particularly upset by her announcement, though she did not understand why. 

“How is it that you escaped?” Faron asked.

“I have an ability to control computers with my mind.  Turn them on, turn them off, give simple commands.  It’s a type of telekinesis specific to computers, or computerized technology.  The nano-bots that the Controller is made up of fall into that category.  Because of that, I was eventually able to take control of the central processing node for the nano-bots injected into me, which gave me control of the Controller.”

“Unfortunately, even though I had control of the Controller, I was in the middle of nowhere on a strange planet and locked in a tiny cell every night, as were about two dozen other women,” she continued.  “There was no way for me to escape, no opportunity to call for help.  I had to let the nano-bots remain in my brain and release control of the Controller to the Keepers in order to prevent discovery.

“This morning I was told that I had been purchased.  Being treated like a mindless robot is one thing.  Being told you’ve been bought, like a pair of shoes or an eggplant, is just...indescribable.  I knew then that I had to escape before they took me off of Jasan. 

“I was taken to Badia, to Lio Perry’s office.  That’s where I first saw Darleen, and discovered that she had the same type of Controller that I have.  Because of that, I was able to release her when Lio left the office for a meeting.”

Summer looked straight into Faron’s eyes.  “You have no idea what this women has been put through over the past year.  Frankly, neither do I, but I have a good idea.  If it is your desire to see her punished, believe me when I tell you she has been.  Severely.”

Summer blinked rapidly and cleared her throat.  “After I released us, Lio returned to his office for his vox.  By that time I had his vox, but I hadn’t had a chance to use it to call for help yet.  So, we were forced to attack him.”

Summer hesitated.  She had not planned to tell these people what she and Darleen had done to Lio, but she now realized she had no choice.  There was no logical explanation for his obedience to her other than the simple truth. 

“Darleen knew where he kept another Controller like the one we have, so we injected him with it.  He has a lot of information in that sick little brain of his, and I mean to get it out and use it.”

“So that is why you claimed Right of Capture?” Maxim asked.

“Yes,” Summer replied.

“What is it you plan to do with the information you extract from him?” Maxim asked.

“I intend to find, and free, every single woman who has been injected with one of these Controllers,” she declared, “no matter what type of Controller they have.”

“There are different types?” Faron asked. 

“Yes, as far as I can tell, there are two,” Summer replied.  “The first one subverts the subject’s mind completely.  They are unable to think, speak or act without a direct order which the Controller complies with.  The other type is what I have, and what Darleen has.  Our Controllers leave our minds alone.  We are locked inside, able to think and feel, aware each moment of what is happening to us.  But we have no control over our own bodies.  The Controller responds to verbal orders, and we are helpless to prevent it.”

“That’s the most horrific thing I have ever heard,” Saige said softly.

“I agree,” Summer said.  “According to Lio, only two people have what he calls the
Prime Controller
.  Myself and Darleen.  And now him, so I suppose that makes three.”

“What did you do to your Controller, and Darleen’s, to prevent them from working?” Faron asked.

“I’ve disabled their ability to accept verbal commands.”

“Can you do this for the other women?” Faron asked.

“No, I can’t,” Summer said.  “I tried on several of the other women at the slave compound with me, but it didn’t work.  Their Controllers are not the same.  But, I really believe that those women are still inside their own minds somewhere.  Not conscious, as Darleen and I were, or even as Lio is now, but there nevertheless.  If a way can be found to disable their controllers, then maybe that’s all it will take for them to return them to normal.” 

“What if nothing can be done for those women?” Saige asked.  “What if they remain mental vegetables for the rest of their lives?”

Summer sighed.  “That would be sad,” she said softly.  “But at the same time, whether they are aware or not, they should not be owned and used by others.  They deserve rescue and release, and I will find a way to make that happen for them, regardless of their mental state.”

“What of Darleen?” Saige asked.

 “I don’t know,” she replied.  “I know that what Darleen did was wrong, but I also have an idea of what price she paid this past year.”

“We do not,” Saige pointed out.

Summer turned and looked up at Darleen.  She could not see the other woman’s face, but she knew that Darleen could see her.  “It’s up to you,” she said softly.

“Before I do this, I wish to say something,” Darleen said in a shaky voice.  “I did not know that Riata lost her life that day, nor was I aware that the Xanti were involved.  I do not say that as an excuse.  There is no excuse for what I did, nor do I ask, or expect, a pardon for my crimes. 

“I ask only that I be allowed to assist Summer Whitney in her quest to release the other women, and to bring their captors to justice.  Once that task is complete, I will willingly return here to face justice for my actions against Saige, Lariah, and Riata.” 

With that said, Darleen reached up and flipped back the hood of her cloak.

While everyone in the room was trying to adjust themselves to the sight of a bald, silver skinned, malnourished and scarred Darleen Flowers, she released the fastenings on the cloak and let it fall to the floor.  It helped that she was wearing clothing now so that the majority of her body was covered, but it was still difficult for her to stand there in front of those people and let them stare at what she had become.

After a long moment of shocked silence, Summer rose from her chair, knelt to pick up the cloak, and wrapped it gently around Darleen’s shoulders.  She helped Darleen refasten it, then pulled the hood back up for her.

“This man.  Did that.. To you?” Faron asked, his voice rough and growly.  Summer looked up in surprise to see that all of the men had glowing eyes.  Darleen nodded, a small movement of the hood.

Faron began to rise from his seat, but Saige reached out a hand and stayed him.  “Easy my love,” she said softly.  “Summer needs that vermin alive, remember?”

Faron dropped back into his seat, but it was several minutes before the tension in the room began to subside.  Summer waited quietly, watching the male Jasani warily until their eyes returned to normal.

Faron turned to Saige.  “
Amada
, what does your heart tell you?”

Saige stood and walked slowly around the table until she stood only a few feet away from Darleen, with nobody else between them.  She stared for a time at the cloak enshrouded figure, then turned her gaze on Summer.  After only a few moments, she turned and stared at Lio.  She grimaced almost at once and took a step back. 

“This man’s heart is so dark and disgusting that I feel dirty just from looking at it,” she announced.  She turned to look at Summer.  “Summer’s heart is a pure and shining light,” she said with a smile before turning to Darleen.  “Darleen’s heart is not pure, but neither is it evil.”

Saige turned to face Faron.  “I ask for a few moments to meditate,” she said.

Faron nodded.  “Of course,” he replied. 

Saige returned to her seat at the table, folded her hands in her lap and closed her eyes.  After only a few seconds the meeting room fell away and she found herself in the familiar gray fog that always surrounded her when she met with Riata, her Spirit Guide.

“I greet you Saige Lobo,” Riata said softly as she stepped from the swirling wisps of gray.

Saige smiled at the Alverian, the short orange feathers on her head bright even in the gray fog.  “I greet you, Riata,” Saige replied with a bow.  “It is good to see you again.”

“I would congratulate you on the birth of your daughters,” Riata said.  “I am most happy for you.”

Saige’s smile widened, happiness flooding her at the thought of her babies.  She was the luckiest of women.

“I must ask for your counsel,” Saige said, her smile fading.

 “I already know of what you would speak,” Riata said.  “I am afraid there is little time, so I will answer your questions before you ask them.”

Saige frowned.  “Little time for what?”

“Patience,” Riata urged gently.  “Saige, I would ask you, do you know how many spans of seasons I dwelt on the plane of the living?”

“No,” Saige replied, uncertain what the question had to do with anything.

“I lived just over 700 Standard years,” Riata said.  Saige nearly gasped aloud in shock.  “My time to move on was upon me,” Riata continued.  “If it had not happened the way it did, it would have happened another way.”

“You wish me to forgive Darleen for her role in your death,” Saige guessed.

“In part,” Riata replied.  “I also wish you to forgive yourself.”

Saige felt tears threaten.  “If I had not pretended to be paralyzed when they removed us from the trunk....”

“Then we would have all perished,” Riata interrupted.  “Yourself and Lariah, as well as her unborn daughters.  This I know for truth Saige Lobo.  All things happen for a reason.”

Saige remained silent for a time, considering what Riata had said.  “Why is it important that I forgive Darleen?” she asked.

“It takes great power to Heal,” Riata said.  “Power that can harm, or kill, as easily as Heal.  If you hold anger in your heart when you attempt to Heal, the results of your efforts could easily be quite different than you intend.”

“You are saying that I need to Heal Darleen?” Saige asked.

“You must Heal all of those who have been befouled by this device of the Xanti, and you must begin with Summer, Darleen and, yes, even Lio Perry.”

“But I do not know how to Heal,” Saige said worriedly.  “I have tried and tried this past year since you passed your gift to me, and I have failed.”

“All things happen in their own time, Saige Lobo,” Riata said.  “Now is the time for you to Heal.  Place your hands on Summer first and you will understand,” Riata said.  “There is no more time for explanations.”

“All right, but please, before you go, can you tell me if Summer is the Mind you spoke to me of?” Saige asked.

Riata only smiled her gentle smile and bowed before fading slowly until all that was left for Saige to see was the gray fog.  She sighed, then closed her eyes, focusing on returning to the meeting room.

When she opened her eyes again she saw Faron staring at her expectantly, but she was filled with a sense of urgency and knew that there was no time to explain what had happened.  She stood quickly and walked back around the table to Summer, placing her hands gently on the other woman’s shoulders.  She closed her eyes and emptied her mind, hoping that whatever was supposed to happen would just come to her.

And it did.  Suddenly she sensed the intricate web of the nano-bots woven throughout Summer’s brain as they moved busily to and fro.  The mental image of them made her skin crawl, but she maintained contact, wondering what it was she was supposed to be looking for.  Then she saw it.  Saige nearly gasped aloud, but controlled herself and focused on the tiny program hidden from the nano-bots themselves in the control node.  She reached out with some part of herself and destroyed it in a bright flash, uncertain exactly how she had done it.

She spent another few moments checking to be certain she had gotten all of it, then removed her hands from Summer’s shoulders and turned quickly to Darleen.  Without thinking she placed her hands on Darleen’s shoulders, feeling the woman stiffen beneath her palms, but too focused to worry about it.  She found what she was looking for more quickly this time, and again destroyed it in a bright flash of mental energy.  Another moment to be sure she had not missed anything and she reopened her eyes and stepped back from Darleen.  She turned to Lio and, with some reluctance, placed her hands on his shoulders.  She reminded herself that, evil as the man was, his knowledge was important, and he needed to be alive for them to gain any use from him.