String Theory_ Cohesion (Book 1) - Jeffrey Lang [93]
“They’re not all bad,” Kaytok said. “Some of them genuinely believe they’re doing good. And, no, that’s Morsa I was thinking about. Sem…Sem was never part of our group. I knew her a long time ago, back when I was still a student, still inside one of the cities.”
“So, why did you say her name right before you tried to throttle me? Does thinking about her usually affect you that way?”
Kaytok’s head sank back down to his shoulders. “Now that you mention it, yes. But I don’t think I was thinking about her. It was more like, for a brief second, she was inside my head. I could feel her there, glowing like a…like a sun, I guess. She was angry, yelling at someone.”
“Did anything like that ever happen before?” B’Elanna asked, now worried that maybe the Monorhan was not merely a bit eccentric, but mentally unbalanced.
But Kaytok clicked and shook his head. “No, never. And I mean never. I can’t share like the others. Remember, na-hara?” He took another sip of water, then sealed his canteen. “What about you? Were you in communication with your friend again? I heard you talking and for a few seconds it even sounded like she was here with us.”
“Never use the words ‘friend’ and ‘Seven’ in the same sentence,” B’Elanna said, but hearing the name brought details of her dream.
I would also find that acceptable, Lieutenant.
B’Elanna started, sat up too quickly and cracked the crown of her head on an outcropping. “Ow! Dammit! Seven!” She fumbled at her combadge, but she quickly realized the voice did not have an external source. “Seven?” she asked.
“Who are you talking to?” Kaytok asked. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” B’Elanna said, then had to wonder. “I think. Shut up and let me listen. Seven?” Seven?
I am here, Lieutenant.
How are you doing this? Is this the nanoprobes?
Apparently, yes. I am pleased to discover that this is possible while you are awake. I would hate to have to eavesdrop on your dreams again.
You were trying to contact me while I was dreaming?
No, I learned that we could contact each other while you slept. The more…forceful images…crept into my consciousness. I had to counteract them by any means possible. I nearly destroyed a very valuable piece of equipment.
A thought struck B’Elanna. Why don’t you just call me on the communicator?
I have tried, Seven said. But the radiation from the Blue Eye has increased over the last several hours. Without more sophisticated scanners, I cannot say why, but I fear the situation may be growing exponentially worse.
Wonderful, B’Elanna replied. Anything I can do?
Move faster, Lieutenant. The sooner you get to the shuttle and return, the sooner we can use Kaytok’s equipment to contact Voyager.
So, you see, B’Elanna taunted. It was a good idea for me to leave immediately.
No, it was not. You’ve been asleep for two hours in a ditch. If you had simply rested for two here in moderate safety, you would be that much closer to your goal.
B’Elanna frowned. “Get out of my head, Seven!” And don’t contact me again unless it’s an emergency.
Believe me, Lieutenant. I take no pleasure in our mingled condition. And at this juncture everything is an emergency. Seven of Nine breaking contact.
B’Elanna suppressed an urge to swipe at the air.
“What is going on?” Kaytok asked, his tone wavering somewhere between fear and annoyance.
“I have bugs in my head,” B’Elanna said. “And they’re talking to me.” The Monorhan drew back farther into the small nook where he had been hiding. “Never mind,” she said. “I’m fine. Are you ready to go?”
Though she couldn’t say why he would, Kaytok seemed to relax. He was, B’Elanna realized, depending on an alien who talked to thin air to save his planet. The situation couldn’t be much worse than it already was. “I suppose,” he said, sliding out of his nook. “Are you sure you trust me?”
“I trust you,” B’Elanna said. “As long as you walk in front of me.”
Kaytok seemed to find that condition acceptable and rose. “While we’re walking, you could tell me more about Tom.”
“Or you could tell me more about Sem.”
“I’ll consider