Wonderland Revisited: 7/7
by Nancy Smith and Linda Garrick
They went out of the lounge together and down the corridor toward the lift. The car took its time getting to them and they stood back to allow a patrolman to exit before they boarded. Alan could sense Llwelling's tension, but the corpsman kept quiet and stayed inconspicuously to the left and rear of Mark and Kevin.
"Hope the guys at home have our taxi waitin'," Kevin remarked. He glanced back at Llwelling. "Take it easy, kid. We'll be fine. Just keep outta the way o' any Jils we come across."
"You don't have to tell me that," Llwelling said.
"Try to relax, Jase," Alan said. "You're broadcasting loud and clear."
Instantly he was sorry for having spoken. The agitation from Llwelling's unshielded mind increased. "I can't," he whispered. "Doggone it! Wish I had shielding like you guys."
"Me too," Alan said. "Look just try to think about a red toothbrush. The chances are that no Jil is going to sense you unless he's actively looking for psychics. Most of the time they don't pick us up by accident."
"Why not?" Llwelling asked, and Alan sensed curiosity that seemed to decrease the broadcast slightly.
"We're not sure. Our people that study this stuff think human psychic wavelengths might be different from theirs."
"Oh," Jason said.
The lift slid to a stop on the sixth deck and the door opened. Alan stopped out and turned toward the airlock, setting a brisk pace down the corridor. Mark, Kevin and Llwelling followed him.
Men passed them as they proceeded: several patrolmen, and now and then a spacer. Ahead, the airlock came into sight.
A loudspeaker boomed. "Alert! Alert! Suspected Terran Underground spies are on board. Anyone seeing Lieutenants Damien and Vernon Ashley or Ensign Alice Woodruff will report the sighting immediately. These persons are believed to be armed and extremely dangerous! Repeat --"
Mark and Kevin reached up, pulling off their nameplates simultaneously. Alan yanked his off as well and shoved the tag into his pocket.
"The 'trol," Mark said. "They musta found him."
"How would they know to look for you?" Llwelling whispered.
"Probably 'cause we were the newest crew to come aboard," Bronson said softly. "Just walk casual. Don't do nothin' t'draw attention t'yourself. We're almost there."
They approached the airlock at a businesslike walk. Spacers passed them, going in the opposite direction. Alan paused at the lock, his psychic senses scanning.
"Two 'trols inside, guarding it," he said. "Wait here. I'll distract them."
"Be careful," Kevin said.
Alan pressed the button by the inner lock and it swished open. He stepped into the airlock and looked at the nearest patrolman.
"Hi," he said softly, trying to look coy, "I'm Allie."
The man's visored face turned toward him. He grinned. "Hi there, honey. I'm Earl."
Alan moved a step closer. "Wish I could see what you look like under that helmet."
The patrolman removed the headgear, revealing crisp dark hair and brown eyes. "What're you doin' after this is all over?"
*Oh Lord,* Alan thought. *Another Shallockian.* He smiled nervously. "You're better looking than I thought." He glanced at the other man. "What's your name?"
The second man grinned too. "We ain't supposed to fraternize with the spacers, sweetie. Better run along."
Alan lowered his eyes. "Oh, I didn't know. One of the men on the fourth deck doesn't know about that rule, I guess. He was very friendly."
"Yeah; I'll bet," Earl said. "Aw, c'mon, Gabe; it can't hurt. She's cuter'n anythin' you'll find on this rock. Maybe she's got a friend -- one that's desperate enough t'go out with you." He laughed.
Alan stepped between the two men. "I can usually entertain two without much trouble," he said softly. "Care to try me?"
Earl's eyes widened and Gabe pulled off his helmet, revealing a tanned, rugged race. "You mean it baby?"
"Well, sure I mean it," Alan said. "You look like the kind of guys who could show a girl a good time."
Earl put an arm around him. "Honey, you're a real good judge of character!"
Mark stepped through the lock, followed by Kevin and Llwelling. Earl glanced over them perfunctorily and waved them through.
Alarm jolted through Alan and he jerked around as a Jilectan appeared at the open outer lock, coming face to face with Mark and Kevin. There was a blaster in the alien's hand, which centered on the Terrans. The patrolmen came to attention at once, Earl releasing Alan as if he were red hot. Alan fell back a step, trying to conceal himself behind the man, and there was an awful pause.
"M'lord Harthvar!" Earl gasped. "What's wrong?"
The pale eyes of the alien swept the little gathering. "These are Underground agents!" he snapped. "Cover them!"
Gabe caught Alan's arm, propelling him forward. Two blasters came up to rove impartially over the group. The Jilectan caught Mark by the collar, shoving him back and down. "Strike Commander Linley, I believe," he said.
Earl gave a gasp of astonishment and the Jilectan smiled slowly, releasing Mark and reaching for the pocket in which the videomodule was concealed.
Jessica Rosenberg stepped through the inner lock, and in her hand was a blaster. The weapon cracked and Gabe spun sideways to crash to the deck at Llwelling's feet.
There was a flurry of movement. Bronson shoved Jason flat as Earl spun, bringing his blaster up. Alan grabbed for it with his mind, knowing that he had no hope at all of outdrawing the Jilectan.
But the alien was momentarily confused, for his blaster swung toward Jessica instead. The girl fell, just as the weapon twisted from Earl's hands and shot like a bullet straight to Alan.
For Alan Westover, it had the weird, dreamlike sensation of a replay. In a blur of motion, he saw Harthvar's blaster swing toward him and his own flashed up to meet it. The weapons cracked together. Fire singed Alan's cheek and the Jilectan was flung backwards to land heavily on top of Mark.
There was an instant of petrified silence and then the disarmed patrolman jerked his hands above his head, his brown eyes wide with horror. "Oh my god!" He stared at the sprawled form of the Jilectan. "You killed him! Holy hell, you killed him!"
The wig was smoldering and Alan yanked it from his head, flicking the blaster to 'stun' at the same instant. He saw Earl's eyes widen and sensed recognition in the man's mind as he fired.
Earl collapsed to the deck. Alan stepped across him to drag the body of the Jilectan from his partner. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah." Linley heaved the alien off and got to his feet. "Is Jessie okay?"
Bronson got up, too, and yanked Llwelling to his feet with one hand. Gabe groaned, staring with dazed eyes at the scene. Alan glanced at him.
"You'll live, patrolman. Kev, get Jessie. Let's get out of here."
Bronson bent, swinging Jessica into his arms. Alan led the way down the ramp and the others followed at a run. As they reached the landing field, there were shouts behind them and a blaster cracked, searing the ground barely a meter to Alan's left. Somewhere an aircar hummed.
But to Alan, the scene was blurring again. Dizziness swept over him and he felt his knees start to wobble. Mark grabbed his arm.
"What's wrong? Holy hell! Don't faint now!"
A voice was shouting in his brain and he recognized it. The aircar must be near, for he could hear the purr of the engines plainly, but he couldn't see it. The vehicle was nothing but a blur against the cloudless blue sky.
"It's Lisa!" he gasped. "Mark, it's Lisa!"
"Kid, what's wrong with you?"
Mark's voice faded into the distance and Alan felt himself lifted from the ground. Someone was saying something but he couldn't hear it. The pain behind his eyes blinded him. Then there was nothing at all.
**********
VIII
Mark Linley tossed his partner to one shoulder and ran as the aircar came toward them. It lost altitude and slid to a stop, the rear door swinging open. Kevin leaped through, Jessica still clasped against him. Mark scrambled in and Llwelling hurtled in after him, piling across their laps. The aircar swooped upward, gaining altitude at a speed that made gravity tug heavily at Mark's body as two Patrol aircars converged on them. Bronson swore as one of Llwelling's knees ground in. "Get in the front seat, kid."
Llwelling obeyed, climbing across the back of the seat. He glanced at the young woman behind the controls. "Hi."
"Hi." She didn't turn her head, her attention fixed on the rear scanners. "What's wrong with Alan?"
"Dunno," Mark said. "Drive. We got company." He turned to look over his shoulder. "Looks like two 'trols and some local cop cars."
"I know," Lisa said. "Weapons computer on. Destroy Patrol cars. Disable Terran cars."
"Acknowledged," the voice of the car's computer responded crisply. There was the sound of blasters at once.
"Reinforcements will be here in a minute," Lisa said. "What happened?"
Llwelling was peering through the rear window. "Here they come! We're in for it!"
The car rocked suddenly and Llwelling yipped. Kevin swore. "Where the hell are ours?"
"Coming," Lisa said. Their blasters went off again. "Scratch one cop car. He's down." She glanced at the rear scanner. "How's Alan?"
"Out cold," Mark said. "Just like before. Wish I knew what's wrong."
More blaster fire. Llwelling yipped again.
"Take it easy," Bronson said. "Here they come."
There was the roar of engines, succeeded instantly by the sound of more and heavier blaster fire.
"Interceptors!" Llwelling said in awe. "Are they on our side?"
"Yeah," Linley said. He shook Alan's shoulder. "Kid?"
No answer. The sounds of battle were fading into the distance as they flew out over the rocky countryside. Lisa did something on the control board. "There. Distorter on. That'll mess up their scanners for a couple of minutes. There's our ride."
Ahead, a large airvan was waiting in a narrow valley, surrounded by the trees and brush of the open country that bordered the spaceport. The aircar dropped low, skimming the ground, and then dived into the valley itself. The doors opened and the car pancaked to a landing inside. Lisa cut the engines.
For a moment everything was quiet and dark; then the lights came on inside the enclosed space. Llwelling released his breath in a long "Whew! That was close!"
"Nah," Bronson said. "That was nothin'. You okay, kid?"
"I think so." Llwelling still looked shaken. "How's Jessie?"
"She's okay," Bronson said. He began to peel the spacer uniform from her arm. "Hand me the first aid kit, willya? It's under the front seat. She's got a good burn, but it'll be okay. She musta whanged her head when she hit the deck. She's got a big lump on her forehead. That's why she's out."
Llwelling handed back the kit.
"What happened?" Lisa demanded. "Did you find it?"
"Yup," Bronson said with satisfaction. "Jase found it. Lisa Wilkins, meet Jason Llwellin'."
Lisa smiled at him. "Hi. I see you're a psychic."
Llwelling looked surprised. "How did you know?"
"I'm a psychic too," Lisa said. "There's a lot of us in the Underground."
"So I've heard," Llwelling said. He smiled at her. "That's why I came along. I'm sure not safe in the Space Corps. I hope I don't meet any Jils again, any time soon, though. That last one was plenty. I'd heard how fast they were, but it was different actually seeing it."
"What happened?" Lisa asked again.
"Jil met us in the airlock," Kevin said. "Jessie here distracted him an' Alan grabbed a 'trol's blaster an' shot him. He beat a *Jil* to the draw!" Mark's brother sounded awed. "I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself."
"I would," Mark said. "It was almost an exact replay o' what happened with Salthvor." He shook Alan gently. "Kid?"
"That was one of the stories we heard," Llwelling said. "It was true?"
"Yeah," Mark said. "It was. Hope our guys hurry. I wanna get Alan to the docs."
Alan groaned and opened his eyes, squinting up at Mark's face. "Where are we?"
**********
Alan lay on the infirmary bed. They were back at the base on Lavirra and doctors Matt Philips and Tono Mishamoto were standing together by a screen, studying a display of irregular lines. The two men were talking in low voices. Alan strained his ears to overhear but couldn't quite make out the words. Mark Linley was seated in a hard plastic chair next to him, watching the proceedings in silence.
"It'll be okay," he said suddenly.
Alan glanced at him with a faint smile. "So why are you worrying?"
Linley frowned darkly. "Cut it out. Doctors always talk like that. They go off by themselves an' talk in soft voices an' scare the pants off you. Then you find out you got a case o' dandruff."
"I hope you're right," Alan said.
The two doctors turned and sauntered across the infirmary toward them. Mark stood up. "Well?"
"Sit down, Mark," Philips said. "Don't look so scared. He'll be okay."
"Hell," Mark said. "I ain't scared."
"Get your shields up if you want him to believe you," Alan said.
Mark's shields went up. "Dammit, Matt, quit stallin' an' tell me what's wrong!"
"Where's Kevin?" Philips asked.
"Kev? I dunno. What's he got t'do with it?"
"A lot." The doctor pressed a button beside the wall com. "Lieutenant Kevin Bronson, report to the infirmary, please."
The door slid open and Kevin entered. He must have been right outside, Alan thought.
"Well," Mark demanded.
Philips glanced at Mishamoto. "You explain it, Tono. I'm not quite sure how to begin."
"Certainly." Mishamoto folded his arms and leaned against the wall. "You've been overdoing it, Alan."
"Overdoing it?" Alan said, thoroughly confused. "What do you mean? I've been sleeping eight hours a night, and --"
"You were using both Mark and Kevin as power packs on Terra, and then later on the 'Patton', where you used them almost constantly. You've been overloading your psychic circuits. Does that make sense? It's the best way I can think of to describe it."
Alan turned his head to look at Kevin and Mark. "You mean I won't be able to use my psychic power packs ever again?" Mark's hand on his shoulder contracted painfully.
"I didn't say that," Mishamoto said quickly. "One alone is fine. You drew power from Mark for years before you met Kevin without any ill effects whatsoever. But two of them together is simply too much, even for you. Occasionally, on an emergency basis, is fine. But not all the time. The damage so far is temporary but it could become permanent if you keep it up."
"Whatta you mean, damage?" Mark asked sharply.
"Just that," Mishamoto said. "He could hurt himself -- badly. Maybe even lose his psychic abilities altogether."
There was a pause.
"But he's gonna be all right if he stops usin' us both right away?" Bronson, Alan thought, sounded almost as scared as Mark.
"Oh, sure. He's all right now," Mishamoto said. He smiled. "Of course, he won't be able to stop altogether. He's drawing power right now, automatically. His power level increased as soon as you entered the room, Kevin. But the amount is minimal and harmless, unless he's trying to use it." He lifted an eyebrow at Alan. "That's a fascinating aspect of your power, Alan. We really should study it, someday, and find out how you do it. Anyhow, I'm discharging you from Sick Bay with instructions to take it easy. Okay?"
Alan nodded vigorously. "Okay!"
Mark blew out his breath. "Thanks, doc," he said.
Bronson grinned. "That goes double for me," he said. Philips groaned.
Jason Llwelling met them in the corridor. The corpsman was wearing a crisp new uniform, adorned with the glittering insignia of a second lieutenant. He stepped quickly forward as Alan, flanked by Mark and Kevin, came through the doorway. "Is everything okay?" he asked.
"Oh sure," Alan said. "I'm fine."
"Did they find out what --"
"Yeah." Alan grinned a little shamefacedly. "I was overloading my circuits. I guess even I can't handle two power packs all the time."
Llwelling had been initiated into the secret of Alan's power packs the day before. He smiled a little shyly. "I'm awfully glad, uh --" He glanced at the insignia of a lieutenant colonel on Alan's uniform. "-- Colonel Westover."
Alan punched him lightly on the shoulder. "It's still Alan. I'm no different now than I was on the 'Patton'. Save that stuff for when Kaley's around."
The corpsman grinned a little. "It's just that you look a lot different now, sir. Colonel Linley and Lieutenant Bronson, too."
Mark swung at him, and Llwelling dodged. "Okay, okay, Mark and Kevin. I guess it's all right, anyhow." He looked at the insignia on his shoulder. "I sure do feel funny, though. I didn't expect to be an officer for years -- maybe never. I mean, I'm a corpsman."
"Yeah, but you're a psychic," Mark said. "Special Forces. They always commission the psychics. You guys are the closest thing to Jils that we got on our side. We'd be fools to treatcha any other way. Our bosses ain't stupid."
"I never thought of that," Llwelling said. "I guess it makes sense. Anyway, it's a good thing. I was able to ask Lisa for a date 'cause we're both officers. She's in Espionage and I'm in Medical, so it's all right. I've never met anyone like her before."
"She's a nice person," Alan said. "She lost her partner a few years ago. I'm glad to see she's dating again."
"Yeah, she told me about Carl," Llwelling said. "That must have been horrible." His expression changed. "Where's Jessie, by the way?"
"We're on our way to see her right now," Alan said. "Matt said he's releasing her in the morning. She's going to be decorated for heroism."
"Poor kid," Bronson said. "The Underground's always glad t'pick up experienced military personnel. Jessie'll fit right in."
**********
Epilogue
Jessica Rosenberg was sitting up in bed when they opened the door of her hospital room. Her face broke into a smile when she saw them. "Hi there!"
"Hi, Jessica," Alan said.
Her gaze flashed to his face. "Alan! Alan Westover! I was nearly sure --" She looked at Mark and Kevin. "But who --"
"I'm Mark Linley," Mark said, seating himself on the foot of her bed. "Lieutenant Damien Ashley, remember, honey?" He flashed his famous smile at her. "And this big galoot is m'brother, Kevin Bronson."
Her smile widened. "Oh yes! I saw you on the video a few months ago." She laughed. "The Crazy Subcommander! The whole ship was cheering for you -- and Lieutenant McDougal, too."
Bronson snorted. "Guess I ain't never gonna live that down," he said. "I'll be the Crazy Subcommander 'til the day I die." He sat down next to Mark. "Thanks, honey. You saved our bacon."
She looked down. "You're welcome, sir." Her gaze went to Llwelling. "Jase! What are you doing here? Don't tell me *you're* an Undergrounder, too?"
"I guess I am now," Llwelling said. "But I wasn't, before. I'm here for self-preservation. I'm a psychic."
"Oh!" Her eyes widened. "I didn't know that."
Alan pulled up a chair next to her bed, smiling quizzically at her. "You can add my thanks to Kev's," he said. "That Jil would have gotten us if not for you. But you know, Jessie, you puzzle me."
"I do?"
He nodded. "You have natural shielding. I can't tell what you're thinking without an awful lot of work. How did you recognize me? No one else did, except Jase -- and he had good reason to remember me."
Jessica looked a little smug. "Well, I had your picture on my dresser, you know. That was part of it."
"*That* picture? I was only eighteen when that was taken."
"You ain't changed that much," Mark told him. "Now you look about seventeen instead o' fourteen."
"It wasn't just the picture, though," Jessica said.
"What was it, then?"
"Well," Jessica said, "it was the way you blushed when I mentioned what a cute body Alan Westover had -- and what I'd like to do to him if I could get to him."
Mark burst out laughing. "You didn't tell me *that* part of the conversation, kid!"
Jessica glanced at Alan's scarlet face, her own a little pink. "I couldn't figure out why you were so embarrassed about that. Then I saw you looking at Mark's picture during takeoff, and there was an expression on your face..." She hesitated. "I can't describe it, really, but it wasn't a girlish expression. You looked --" She paused again. "You looked *proud*. Then I took a really good look at you and all of a sudden a crazy idea hit me. I thought I must be seeing things, so I looked again. I still wasn't sure, even then, but --" She stopped, looking embarrassed. "So I went through your things. And there, beneath all the frilly underwear and cosmetics was a very masculine looking razor." She blushed furiously. "I'm sorry, Alan. I don't usually make a habit of going through other people's things, but I was really desperate to know."
Alan laughed. "That's okay. I'm glad you did. It saved all our necks in the end."
"Sure did," Llwelling said.
"Yeah," Kevin said. "Thanks for snoopin', honey."
"You're welcome," Jessica said. "I'm a good snoop. I followed Mark, you know, when he took off out of Engineering like a bullet. Then, I saw you come out of the Lounge and went in to see what had happened. I found the 'trol behind the couch and took his blaster. I figured you'd be heading for the lock, so I decided to cut you off at the pass, so to speak, just in case something went wrong. I would have gotten the Jil, but Mark was in the way, so I had to settle for the next best target."
Bronson burst out laughing. "Man! With people like you on our side, honey, the Jils don't stand a chance!"
Jessica smiled demurely. "Thank you, Lieutenant Bronson. There's something I'd like to know, though."
"What?" Alan asked.
"What was so important that was worth risking all three of those gorgeous necks for, anyhow?"
"Oh, nothin' much," Mark said. "Just the plans for a diplomatic cypher machine that the Jils are puttin' together. With it, we'll be able to decode pretty much all o' their diplomatic communications. No big deal."
Llwelling's jaw dropped.
"Of course," Alan said, "they don't know that's what we got. They just knew that poor Rannir had stolen something, so we left a decoy disk for them to find. They'll feel very smug when they dig it out of that seat cushion, and we have our plans all nice and safe." He smiled at her.
"An' now," Mark said, leaning forward slightly, "about that poster o' me you got up on your wall --"
Jessica went scarlet. "None of your business, Strike Commander Linley!"
"Lay off, you big ape," Kevin growled, standing up. "She was probably usin' it for a dart board!"
"Were you, honey?" Mark asked innocently.
Kevin glared at him. "Beat it, big brother. I got somethin' t'say to Jessie in private."
"Oops," Mark said. "I think that's our cue to make tracks, guys." He got to his feet. "See you later, Jessie."
"Bye, Jessie," Alan said. Together, he, Mark and Jason went to the door. As they went out, Alan looked back in time to see Kevin bend down to plant a long, thorough kiss on Jessica's lips.
The door slid shut behind them. Mark nudged his ribs.
"Dart board, huh?" he said. "Looks to me like my li'l brother just scored a bull's eye."
The End
