Background to T&E AU (summary of the blurbs in one place)
Background to T&E AU (summary of the blurbs in one place)
Timeline:
SPN:
Set approx Season 5 of Supernatural.
Sam did not die in AHBL thus no deal. Season 3's mission was to find the demons who escaped the devil's gate and find Lillith. Ruby inserted herself in their lives as a 'good' demon.
Story really goes AU from Jus In Bello, where there was no demon attack on the Sheriff's Office, as the brothers were seperated by the Justice system.
Dean was sentenced and Sam was let off on lack of evidence.
NCIS:
Set approx Season 7, with Director Vance
Criminal Minds
Set approx season 5, after Foyet's attack on Hotch's family.
SGA
Set post Season 5, and assumes Atlantis returned to Pegasus. Stolen starts 6 months after their return
SG1
Set way past season 10. Carter is on the Hammond (as per SGU) and Cam is at loose ends.
“In the summer of 1971, Richard E. Jackson freed his wife from the wreckage of their car with his mind, going on to save 5 more people in the multi car pileup. He was to become the first recorded Telekinetic and later his wife, Greta, the first recorded Empath. During the ensuring fervour and media circus, Richard Jackson confirmed that he was part of a test group for a new drug supposed to eliminate insomnia. A Dr Bishop, no first name, was running the case study. His wife had been in the test group as well.
When 2 more people from similar test groups in Los Angeles and San Francisco came forward with telekinetic abilities, an urgent call for all people participating in ‘Dr Bishop’ case studies was issued and the FBI and Department of Health offices were flooded with thousands of eager people. Only 5 genuine Telekinetics were identified, and 1 Empath. A fledging office within the Bureau was tasked with identifying additional Telekinetics and empaths and throughout the rest of the 1971, 3 more Telekinetics were identified.
It wasn’t until early 1973 though, March 24th, that the Telekinetic and Empath Centre was established, almost as a direct result of the events of March 1st and March 7th. On the 1st of March 1973, two men robbed a bank in Phoenix, Arizona, wielding several automatic weapons, all telekinetically levitated and directed at the patrons. On March 3rd, a small boy of 6 stopped his school bus and proceeded to telekinetically beat up a bully who had been tormenting him.
The Government felt that public fear and uncertainty would be addressed through the establishment of the T&E Agency, which initially it was. The hunt for the mysterious Dr Bishop continued, but he was never found.”
- extract from “The Telekinetic Phenomenon” by Maxwell Kimball, circa 1987
-After extensive testing it was discovered that Telekinetics could move, lift and interact with any number of small, relatively light objects. The greater the mass of the object however, the more effort required and even the strongest Telekinetics in laboratory situations failed to duplicate the dramatic rescue of Richard E. Jackson. Theorising that adrenalin, like most physical actions in extreme situations, played a key role, the Centre scientists achieved limited success in stimulating Telekinetics to match the original feat.
Research however into the abilities of the few Empaths the Centre had access too, was a much slower and less impressive process. Reading emotions was an obvious and easily confirmed ability and mind reading was quickly discredited and never proved in subsequent tests. However, in those first critical years the Empaths’ ability to manipulate or guide other people’s emotions was confirmed and documented. Any of the known Empaths could quite easily manipulate the emotions of a group of people ranging from extreme sadness to overwhelming joy. Testing to determine the strength of this ability and whether there was capacity for ‘brainwashing’ or subverting the natural inclination of the individual remained inconclusive.
It wasn’t however until the Jacksons, both living at the Centre, insisted on being tested together that the real breakthrough in Telekinetic ability was documented. With his wife at his side, Richard Jackson was able to duplicate his car lift with ease, and without any adrenalin supplements. The potential for paired Telekinetic and Empathic abilities was huge.
- extract from “The Telekinetic Phenomenon” by Maxwell Kimball, circa 1987
-In response to the public outcry around the Galvaston Suicides, Congress has passed the legislation which requires all Telekinetics and Empaths to report to the nearest T&E Centre and be registered and tested. Failure to do so will be a criminal offence. With the sharp increase in telekinetic crimes, several police departments and the FBI have established T&E divisions manned by both normal and telekinetic personnel. In addition, the legislation makes provision of the secondment of Telekinetics and empaths into emergency response and military service.-
-CNN Broadcast, 1987
Well, as you know Larry, T&E have been in operation for over a decade. We have become experts at identifying and assisting emerging Telekinetics. With the majority of Telekinetics coming into their abilities during their late teens or early twenties, the ‘emergent event’ is invariably linked to extreme emotions, heated arguments, sports games, grief, etc.
Sex?
Oh yes, we’ve had quite a number of rather embarrassed potential Telekinetics call us after an ‘exciting’ amorous encounter.
Really? And people are up front about being Telekinetics?
Generally yes, Larry. It’s a little scary, being able to move things with your mind but most people are excited to have this ability. The ‘wow’ factor of being special far outweighs the stigma, which in my mind I feel the media exaggerates with shows like ‘Little Miss Magic’ and ‘Mind Rebels’.
I understand T&E is actively working to have shows which portray Telekinetics in a negative fashion banned from network television.
Most definitely. We can’t afford to perpetuate the idea that T&E does not have control over the situation. While the law may be on our side, there is the very real fact that power corrupts and the temptation to abuse their abilities, for self gain, for money is great.
But I believe that you make it extremely lucrative to work for T&E, in an effort to combat that?
Oh yes, between the government contracts, corporate leasings and private orders, Telekinetics who work for T&E will never be short of money. We pride ourselves on the level of service we offer, and the demand for telekinetic work is ever increasing. We try to make it far more attractive than branching out on their own.
And Empaths. I hear you charge a premium rate for Empaths - a rate some say borders on extortion.
Hardly, Larry, hardly. It’s a simple matter of supply and demand. There is a massive demand for Empaths, or at least paired kinetic and empath work, and with the shortage, massive shortage, of Empaths, unfortunately you need to pay premium rates to secure a booking.
Are they really that hard to find, Empaths?
Oh yes, yes indeed. I know Senator Harrison has been making allegations that we are deliberating pushing up the prices, and not actively looking for Empaths but the fact remains, identifying Empaths is a great deal harder than identifying Telekinetics.
How so?
Quite simply, an emerging kinetic is easy to spot. They move something or someone in a moment of high emotion. They want to gain more control, get better at it, and so invariably seek us out. Or we find them. Empaths though, what they do is not so noticeable. They read emotion, and then respond. They soothe, comfort, try to make things easier and an emerging Empath does this unconsciously and so subtly, so naturally, that no one notices. They tend to be popular people, charming and easy going and make friends easily. Not very noticeable or identifiable at all.
So we could be sitting with hundreds of unknown Empaths out there?
Possibly, but I am sure that they are as rare as Telekinetics.
How then do you identify them? Surely it doesn’t mean waiting for an incident like Galvaston?
Definitely not. And it’s easy, the best way to find an Empath, get them to meet a Kinetic. Telekinetics are drawn to Empaths, especially unpaired ones. And I can tell you, just about every Empath we have on record was either identified by a kinetic or was already working, or paired with one.
Ah, then your plans to send Telekinetics into schools, to talk about T&E has an underlying motive?
One we have been very upfront about, Larry. Yes. And it as a result of Galvaston - if that poor lad had been found before things got so bad, well...
When was the last time you found an Empath, Mr Smith?
Well, just the other day, we lucked out on a trial run in Pennsylvania. This here is Melissa Stevens, 17 years old and our brand new Empath.
Pretty girl.
Oh yes, cheerleader, honor roll, prom queen. She is very excited to join us and had no idea she was an Empath.
- Transcript from the Larry King Live interview of Don Smith, Director of T&E, 1988.
- And you are maintaining, Ms da Silva that there have been recent, confirmed sightings of Dr Bishop.
Most definitely, Kathy. T&E and the government don’t want to cause a national panic, so they have been covering these sightings up.
Do you have proof, Ms da Silva?
Oh yes, pictures, testimonies, DNA evidence.
That is shocking, truly shocking
- Extract from the cancelled Kathy Lake show, last aired 8 August 1992
-In a shocking turn of events today, the murdered women found inside her apartment yesterday has been identified as Melissa Stevens, the high profile Empath. Ms Stevens, who famously assisted with the peace talks in Berlin last year, was positively identified by the T&E Centre this afternoon. Director Harrison, speaking to the press shortly afterwards, expressed his shock and horror and urged anyone with information to please come forward. He denied claims that Ms Stevens had been killed by a radical group and stressed that her death was a tragedy but hardly linked to terrorist activity.
- ZNN Broadcast, Feb 1991
‘Due to the growing fears and concerns for the safety of Telekinetics and Empaths, more the Empaths than anything, the T&E Centres pushed for local state legislatures to pass laws protecting the privacy of all registered T&E employees. There was some concern that this would defeat the purpose of the original registration legislation which was supposed to allay the populace’s fears around Telekinetic and Empathic abilities.
Most T&E Centres got the protection they needed by reassuring State Authorities that they would assist in the prosecution and subsequent rehabilitation of all Telekinetics and Empaths who failed to register. The standard sentence for failure to register was a maximum of 5 years but the majority of States who agreed to protect the privacy of T&E Employees also amended the sentence to 7 years under T&E supervision and community service.
There was a brief outcry from a small group of Anti-T&E activists who maintained that these amendments essentially made it legal for T&E to profit from enforced labour of the convicted. The then Director of T&E responded with the rather humorous comparison of the old chain gangs but then spoke earnestly of the importance of stressing the seriousness with which non-registration was viewed. T&E’s main purpose was and always would be, the protection of the general populace, and Telekintics and Empaths alike.
Extract from ’20 years on’ by Max Kimball, 1995
In a landmark lawsuit, SmithGlaxoKlein has successfully sued the FDA and Ms Portia da Silva. They have successfully won damages from the FDA for failing to act in good faith during the 1992 drug scare. SmithGlaxoKlein’s margins have plummeted in recent years, following reports that Ms da Silva had uncovered a link to their newest drug and Dr Bishop. In a join suit, the company has successfully sued Ms da Silva in her personal capacity for the cool sum of $2 million. It is rumoured that she refused to divulge her accomplices and as a result received an especially harsh judgement. Needless to say, T&E have once again stressed that there have been no sightings of Dr Bishop in decades.
- NY Times Article, 15 October 1995
- “The connection to an Empath is a heady experience, like the lights being turned on and everything just suddenly becoming clearer. Jeanette was a pretty weak Empath, but our connection made everything feel so ... real. The T&E handler said our closed loop connection would increase both of our abilities tenfold and he was right. I felt like I was on top of the world, life was in technicolour for the first time and when I lost her... lost that link, it was like going back to an old black and white set, flat and monochrome. T&E said she was helping more Kinetics this way, and sure, spending time near her helped, but it wasn’t technicolour anymore, not bright and vibrant. I hated the other Kinetics, those who had sessions before and after me, hated the very idea of them. In the end, I decided black and a white was better than washed out colours. My last session with Jeanette was over ten years ago and I can still see her blank eyes, vacant expression. Her empathic field may have felt wonderful to be near, but I missed her smile. Walking away was both the easiest and hardest thing I have ever done. I hate myself for not being brave enough to take her with me.”
- Intro to ‘Memoirs of a Kinetic’ by George Smith (unpublished)
- It was accidental, the discovery that an electric current could severe an Empathic and Kinetic connection. The pair had been brought in unconscious but while the medical team were working on Joe, the Empath, they all reported feeling a distinctly odd sensation of pain from Joe, like he was projecting. And the nurses had to keep chasing unpaired Kinetics out of his recovery room. Dr Kingston made the connection in the end, when Joe woke up and promptly projected his very urgent need to urinate to the immediate area resulting in several long lines for the restrooms. The true impact however for T&E would only be realised in the months to come.
- extract from “The Telekinetic Phenomenon” by Maxwell Kimball, circa 1987
- An open Empath is like a fire. No, no, like an electric socket and you’re charging your cellphone. Plug in, charge up and you’re good to go for a few weeks. I guess working for T&E isn’t too bad, there are a lot of perks, you know. The money is good, the benefits are amazing and they really look after your family. But the biggest and best perk - regular access to an Empath. There is nothing on earth quite like tapping into an Empathic field, man. Nothing. And the really strong Empaths... they can like charge, or run two or three Kinetics at a time. I once worked on a bodyguard detail for a billionaire, sorry confidentiality, can’t tell you who, and it was mind blowing being jacked into an Empath with two other Kinetics. The things we could do ... dude, totally wicked!
Extract of Kinetic Recruitment Video, interview of Keith Taylor, class 3 Kinetic.