Chapter One: Ψ-Α (Psi-Alpha)
Pain, a blinding white light, and the sensation of floating in a liquid. That was what I felt, waking up in a strange tube. I shut my eyes again, listening to the pumps cycling and the valves regulating my air supply open and shut. I tried to move my arms, but something was holding them back. I opened my eyes again, this time slowly. I blinked as my eyes adjusted to the light, then I was able to get a good look around me. I was in a transparent tube of sorts, probably a modified Cryogenic Suspension Chamber. There were straps around my knees, ankles, waist, wrists and elbows. Whoever kidnapped me wanted me really secure. My vision blurred and I blinked again, my eyes re-focused on an insignia on the far wall. It took me a second to recognize it, then realization hit me like a sledgehammer. The insignia was that of the Confederate Military Science and Technology Advancement Division, CMSTAD. Or Cemstad as it is pronounced. The insignia consisted of six three-pointed stars with five-pointed stars inside them surrounding the Arketainian glyph for knowledge. All of which contained within a shield with two crossed swords.
“Shit,” I thought “I was most probably kidnapped by some Black-Ops guys while I was asleep.”
“That is most correct.” a female voice echoed through the room. “You were kidnapped by some Black-Ops agents, but only because,” she paused “we need you to help us.”
I mentally face-palmed myself. I somehow knew I was going to get into this mess sooner or later.
“So why me?” I mouthed
“It's because you have the most control over your Psi powers.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Of all of our candidates, you exhibited the most control over it.” she said “Let me show you.”
A holoscreen flickered to life on the far wall. The images being shown were taken from various cameras within the lab. One showed a girl, about 19 years of age, she was restrained to a similar looking tube. The only thing missing was the liquid. When told she was kidnapped, and taken to the lab. The floor and walls began to bend and buckle, cracks appeared on the ceiling as slabs of ubercrete began floating into the air, they seemed to be disintegrating, dust falling slowly to the floor. Then the room exploded outward in a burst of energy. Leaving half of the room intact. The girl was floating in mid-air as flames began forming on her palms. The flames shot out, hot enough to actually melt the ubercrete, and the underlying Hubnesterium supports. The walls caved in and the image dissolved into a haze of static. I winced at what happened, then the static was replaced by another video, and then another. The videos stopped and the screen flickered off again.
“How come I don't see myself there?” I mouthed
“Look to your left.” the voice said bluntly.
I looked to my left and to my horror, I saw a man impaled on the wall by a spike of ubercrete. Blood still trickled from the massive wound. I grimaced in disgust at the sight and looked away.
“I did that?” I thought
Apparently, the woman read my thoughts again.
“Yes. It happened while you were unconscious.”
“Damn.” I thought “So why am I in this liquid?”
“The liquid is a Psi-Inhibitor, it actively blocks Psi energies. And if we drain the tank, your powers, as well as your implants will go back on-line.” she added “Don't ask about the liquid, the details will just bore you.”
I decided not to ask.
The straps holding me in place detached, allowing me free movement. Then the liquid began to drain, as soon as my face was clear. My ocular implants came back on-line. Lines of diagnostic text scrolled across my vision, then the zoom function was tested, as well as the IR and Light-Amplification functions. The liquid dropped to my waist and I felt my skeletal and muscular enhancement implants turn back on, and then my regeneration implants. Soon the liquid was absent from the tank.
“So are you going to let me out?”
“Yes, but a problem has arisen. The locks are jammed, and they're made of pure Hubnesterium. The tube is made of Sycanium. Both will take days to cut through, and an antimatter torch is not available to us And if it was,” she said “ the radiation burst will probably kill you.”
“So can't we just remove the back of the tank?”
“No, it will take at least a day.” she said “And I doubt you will be eager to wait that long.”
“So any other options?” I asked, my military training kicking into gear
“Yes, you will have to use your Psi to crack the tube open.”
“Fine.”
I began concentrating on the tube walls, imagining it cracking and breaking, then exploding outwards. Nothing, I tried harder, my eyes squinting and my fists clenching. I closed my eyes. When I opened them again, the tube remained the same.
“A word of advice, you simply have to believe. Some actions might also help.” the voice said.
“What?” I thought
Yes, I was skeptical. The videos shown to me a while ago could have been just CG. But then, something in the far corners of my mind told me that it was all real. I let that part of my mind take control.
So I tried again. I imagined the tube cracking, then shattering. And to prevent injury to myself, I imagined the tube shattering outwards, the shards floating slowly to the floor before dissolving into dust. I also imagined it all taking place when I touch the tube. I put all my effort into concentrating, then I touched the transparent glass like metal with a finger. As soon as my fingertip made contact with the cold metal, a spiderweb crack radiated outward, then it grew until the front of the tube was like a deadly mosaic. I made a pushing motion with my hand stopping a centimeter from the surface and the tube exploded outward.
“Good!” the voice cheered “You have completed the first part of your training.”
I looked dumbfounded
“Training?” I asked, confused.
“Yes, the locks weren't really jammed. But that doesn't matter. You have shown control over the Psi.”
I was irritated, really irritated. The floor rippled slightly, then before it became worse. I stopped myself.
“You have completed the second part of your training.” the voice said, she sounded happy.
“And what was that exactly?”
“Learning to control it while being affected by emotion.” she said “There are clothes for you in the locker to your right.”
I looked to my right and I saw a door recessed into the wall, I entered it and I saw a Confederate Navy uniform. I put it on along with the boots, I was tempted to give them a spit shine, but I put it away, there was no telling if the woman was going to pull another prank on me. I exited the walk-in locker and I just waited around.
“So what am I going to do now?” I asked to myself.
The voice responded
“Go out of the room. I'll be outside to give you a formal introduction to the rest of the team.” she added “And by the way, I am also Psychic.”
I sighed and walked towards the door. It slid open as I neared, then it closed behind me. I walked into a corridor with one door besides the one that had just closed behind me. I walked into the other door and I was greeted by at least ten different people.
Pain, a blinding white light, and the sensation of floating in a liquid. That was what I felt, waking up in a strange tube. I shut my eyes again, listening to the pumps cycling and the valves regulating my air supply open and shut. I tried to move my arms, but something was holding them back. I opened my eyes again, this time slowly. I blinked as my eyes adjusted to the light, then I was able to get a good look around me. I was in a transparent tube of sorts, probably a modified Cryogenic Suspension Chamber. There were straps around my knees, ankles, waist, wrists and elbows. Whoever kidnapped me wanted me really secure. My vision blurred and I blinked again, my eyes re-focused on an insignia on the far wall. It took me a second to recognize it, then realization hit me like a sledgehammer. The insignia was that of the Confederate Military Science and Technology Advancement Division, CMSTAD. Or Cemstad as it is pronounced. The insignia consisted of six three-pointed stars with five-pointed stars inside them surrounding the Arketainian glyph for knowledge. All of which contained within a shield with two crossed swords.
“Shit,” I thought “I was most probably kidnapped by some Black-Ops guys while I was asleep.”
“That is most correct.” a female voice echoed through the room. “You were kidnapped by some Black-Ops agents, but only because,” she paused “we need you to help us.”
I mentally face-palmed myself. I somehow knew I was going to get into this mess sooner or later.
“So why me?” I mouthed
“It's because you have the most control over your Psi powers.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Of all of our candidates, you exhibited the most control over it.” she said “Let me show you.”
A holoscreen flickered to life on the far wall. The images being shown were taken from various cameras within the lab. One showed a girl, about 19 years of age, she was restrained to a similar looking tube. The only thing missing was the liquid. When told she was kidnapped, and taken to the lab. The floor and walls began to bend and buckle, cracks appeared on the ceiling as slabs of ubercrete began floating into the air, they seemed to be disintegrating, dust falling slowly to the floor. Then the room exploded outward in a burst of energy. Leaving half of the room intact. The girl was floating in mid-air as flames began forming on her palms. The flames shot out, hot enough to actually melt the ubercrete, and the underlying Hubnesterium supports. The walls caved in and the image dissolved into a haze of static. I winced at what happened, then the static was replaced by another video, and then another. The videos stopped and the screen flickered off again.
“How come I don't see myself there?” I mouthed
“Look to your left.” the voice said bluntly.
I looked to my left and to my horror, I saw a man impaled on the wall by a spike of ubercrete. Blood still trickled from the massive wound. I grimaced in disgust at the sight and looked away.
“I did that?” I thought
Apparently, the woman read my thoughts again.
“Yes. It happened while you were unconscious.”
“Damn.” I thought “So why am I in this liquid?”
“The liquid is a Psi-Inhibitor, it actively blocks Psi energies. And if we drain the tank, your powers, as well as your implants will go back on-line.” she added “Don't ask about the liquid, the details will just bore you.”
I decided not to ask.
The straps holding me in place detached, allowing me free movement. Then the liquid began to drain, as soon as my face was clear. My ocular implants came back on-line. Lines of diagnostic text scrolled across my vision, then the zoom function was tested, as well as the IR and Light-Amplification functions. The liquid dropped to my waist and I felt my skeletal and muscular enhancement implants turn back on, and then my regeneration implants. Soon the liquid was absent from the tank.
“So are you going to let me out?”
“Yes, but a problem has arisen. The locks are jammed, and they're made of pure Hubnesterium. The tube is made of Sycanium. Both will take days to cut through, and an antimatter torch is not available to us And if it was,” she said “ the radiation burst will probably kill you.”
“So can't we just remove the back of the tank?”
“No, it will take at least a day.” she said “And I doubt you will be eager to wait that long.”
“So any other options?” I asked, my military training kicking into gear
“Yes, you will have to use your Psi to crack the tube open.”
“Fine.”
I began concentrating on the tube walls, imagining it cracking and breaking, then exploding outwards. Nothing, I tried harder, my eyes squinting and my fists clenching. I closed my eyes. When I opened them again, the tube remained the same.
“A word of advice, you simply have to believe. Some actions might also help.” the voice said.
“What?” I thought
Yes, I was skeptical. The videos shown to me a while ago could have been just CG. But then, something in the far corners of my mind told me that it was all real. I let that part of my mind take control.
So I tried again. I imagined the tube cracking, then shattering. And to prevent injury to myself, I imagined the tube shattering outwards, the shards floating slowly to the floor before dissolving into dust. I also imagined it all taking place when I touch the tube. I put all my effort into concentrating, then I touched the transparent glass like metal with a finger. As soon as my fingertip made contact with the cold metal, a spiderweb crack radiated outward, then it grew until the front of the tube was like a deadly mosaic. I made a pushing motion with my hand stopping a centimeter from the surface and the tube exploded outward.
“Good!” the voice cheered “You have completed the first part of your training.”
I looked dumbfounded
“Training?” I asked, confused.
“Yes, the locks weren't really jammed. But that doesn't matter. You have shown control over the Psi.”
I was irritated, really irritated. The floor rippled slightly, then before it became worse. I stopped myself.
“You have completed the second part of your training.” the voice said, she sounded happy.
“And what was that exactly?”
“Learning to control it while being affected by emotion.” she said “There are clothes for you in the locker to your right.”
I looked to my right and I saw a door recessed into the wall, I entered it and I saw a Confederate Navy uniform. I put it on along with the boots, I was tempted to give them a spit shine, but I put it away, there was no telling if the woman was going to pull another prank on me. I exited the walk-in locker and I just waited around.
“So what am I going to do now?” I asked to myself.
The voice responded
“Go out of the room. I'll be outside to give you a formal introduction to the rest of the team.” she added “And by the way, I am also Psychic.”
I sighed and walked towards the door. It slid open as I neared, then it closed behind me. I walked into a corridor with one door besides the one that had just closed behind me. I walked into the other door and I was greeted by at least ten different people.
