Sisters Under The Skin, part 10A: Heroic Hearts (NEW, B5, 10/14)
Sisters Under The Skin
Part Ten: Heroic Hearts (in two posts due to length)
Standard disclaimer applies; not my characters or settings or backgrounds. But they are my words.
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Geneva, Earth, end of April 2261
Work is going well. Meeting lots of new people.
Anna crumpled up yet another sheet of paper and threw it to the floor. The succession of small nameless hotel cubes in which the underground placed her were equipped with only the bare necessities. Her current bleak surroundings were reflected in her carefully worded compositions. It was harder than she had thought, communicating without actually saying anything.
My new insight into people scares me.
That was probably too specific. Holding her pen between her teeth, and bending down she searched through the discarded draft letters in the trash and picked out an earlier version.
I am seeing things I never thought I'd see. It has changed how I view people; both new friends and old. My job will be done soon, or so I hope. Then I want to return to you and see the view from where you are.
Anna tore that one right down the middle. John would think she was planning on resuming their relationship where it had ended. That one word...'ended'...brought her up short. Leaning her chin on her hand, looking out from her desk through the small square window that showed a slice of deep blue sky, she wondered why it hadn't occurred to her before. Death was an end, although the feelings remained, muted with time and new experience. And she had died, and that had been the end; a long dark nightmare with brief awakenings to torture for her, a long drawn-out and painful adjustment for John. But if their marriage had ended on Z'ha'dum, a new relationship could still arise from its ashes.
Taking up the blank pad of paper she began again.
J--I am doing my best to help with our current project. It's scary and exhausting, but it's good to be working and I'm glad to be here. I left your father in good health but I don't expect to see him again soon. I hope you are well, and your partner is too. Tell her I miss her, and know that I miss you too. A.
That will have to do, Anna thought as she sealed the edges and slipped the folded page into a plastic envelope. Dimming the lights with a wave of her hand, she left for the coffee shop where she left her messages in a bottle.
It was dusk in Geneva and the streets were clearing of people on their way home from work, and filling with those who were going out afterward. Slipping into the coffee shop, she took her customary table in the front, to the side of the plate glass window in a darkened corner. From there, she could see everyone who entered but wasn't easily seen herself.
“Mrs. A?”
The voice came from her left side, from a figure that had suddenly appeared beside her, seated on the bench that ran the length of the wall.
“That's right,” she replied, after turning to see a light-haired man with a trimmed beard sporting a dull black cape. He had quickly turned over the lapel to reveal the Ranger pin. “Pick up only?”she asked.
“Not this time,” the man said, and taking the envelope she held on her lap under the tiny round table, he replaced it with a thin packet.
Flushing with pleasure, she looked up to thank him and saw he was gone. Examining her treasure she saw the usual note on the front. Thursday week, 8 pm local. That would be the next rendezvous. They had told her it would be erratic, every week sometimes, once a month at others, depending on the situation. There were no permanently stationed Rangers on Earth, but they had couriers who dropped down from Mars, carrying legitimate business mail and extras.
Taking her time to finish her coffee and order a pastry to go, Anna left as quietly as she had come, returning to her dim spare room to read between the lines.
A--Not much time and the post is waiting. Thanks for letting me know about Dad. Must have been hard to see him again after such a long time. Wish I could have been there. Our mutual friend has had to go home for a little while. Miss her, miss you. J
Short and sweet, John's letter was as terse as his verbal communications. Still Anna thought they were communicating better in her absence than they had been on the station. His first note had been frankly judgmental of her decision to leave the station; at least she thought she read that in the few lines he'd scrawled.
Turning to the other enclosure she found a piece of thin creamy paper with a tear at the top right corner. Anna thought Delenn must have stationery with some identifying mark or title on it since every note had a similar tear. Why the Minbari woman didn't use different paper Anna didn't know. She supposed it was a tradition that had to bend to the realities of their situation. Given the current xenophobic attitudes on Earth it was just as well she was under orders to destroy the letters after she read them. Anything that linked her to the station in general or to the Minbari in particular was best not discovered.
A-It was so good to hear from you, and I rejoice that you have settled into your new position. I am certain that you are where the Universe wants you to be and yet I wish you had not had to leave us. I am writing this while on a journey, one that I hope will have positive results. It is not as urgent a matter as it might once have been but still I face questions. You are familiar with that position I believe. Someday you will visit my home with me, and that is something for us both to look forward to. D.
Anna put down both pages and smoothed them together, then held them up by one corner. Taking a flashlighter from the narrow desk drawer, she held it against the papers and watched them flare and dissolve to dust on the scarred wooden desktop. Blowing on the fine remains, she watched them circle in the rays of the setting sun that momentarily pierced the gloom. A knock at the door startled her, and she slid to one side, removing a compact stunner from her jacket pocket.
“Who's there?” she asked, heart pounding even as she acknowledged the ridiculousness of her position. Xeno-anthropologist and Super Psychic Spy-that's a diverse portfolio!
“Cincinnatus,” came the gruff reply.
Relaxing a bit, she opened the door, still holding the stunner at her side, ready to raise it in self defense if necessary. A slight young man in a grey down parka entered the room. “Ready?” was all he said.
“Yes,” replied Anna, shoving the gun deep in her pocket.
The young man caught her arm. “We're going in deep tonight, to the Senate chambers. They scan for weapons, even the route we're taking. Best leave it behind.”
Anna swallowed. She'd gotten fond of the feeling of protection provided by the small device, although realistically she knew it didn't afford much protection against elite military guards and the occasional presence of PsiCorps. “All right,” she said reluctantly, and hid the stunner deep in the one carryall she kept packed at all times. The rebellion moved her around a lot. Dropping it back on to the bed she left, walking behind her guide.
'Cincinnatus' led her into tunnels which ran under the Senate chamber, then up back stairs and through corridors that were sparsely guarded. Some of the guards they hid from and others they exchanged secret signs with; Anna was always amazed at how many people were on the side of the rebellion. It seemed to her that there would soon be a critical mass of rebels who could overthrow the government. Surely they were getting close to that flashpoint, but from her vantage point in the trenches she didn't have a good overview of the situation.
When they finally reached the top level, they were waved into the back of the gallery overlooking the chamber. The Senators were all seated in a semi-circle of wooden pews, half-shrouded in darkness. A central light shone on a dull metal podium. A tall dark-haired female Senator was giving an impassioned speech, criticizing the new and even harsher restrictions on media. Anna listened with interest; Senator Crosby represented the NorthAmerican Federation.
Her guide leaned over and whispered into her ear, “Anyone showing up on your radar?”
Anna retorted in exasperation, “You know I can't do anything at this distance! I have to get closer.”
Cincinnatus, or whatever his name was, gave a sly smile. “We'll be in the crowd at the exit, along with the press, such as it is. I've got press passes for both of us. Just mark anyone who's suspicious and we'll identify them later. Also, once this session's over, we've got a meeting set with Senator Crosby. She's been reaching out to the more visible parts of the rebellion, and I'm to make preliminary contact. You can scan her up close and personal.”
“How did you manage a meeting?” asked Anna.
“It's been set up as an interview for one of the netzines. You're the photographer. There's a manual digicam in my bag. They don't allow the robotic ones in this building for security reasons. If you find she's clear, I'll sound her out. You won't have to say a word.” The agent called Cincinnatus patted her arm reassuringly.
Anna looked away, her lips thinned in anger. Sometimes she felt the rebellion would have preferred a bloodhound, something they could order around and keep in a kennel when not being used. She smiled tightly at her handler. That was pretty much what they had in her. “Sure. Good plan.”
The session wound on, but after Senator Crosby's speech, the rest was platitudes and the twisted logic that passed for politics these days. She stood in the hallway afterward, partially obscured by Cincinnatus, who had pulled a recorder from his shoulder bag and was asking questions along with the rest. She felt the tingle at the back of her neck and the burning ache in her temples only a few times but each time she dutifully recorded the face of the person who brought forth the feeling. At the same time she indicated them to Cincinnatus; it was good to have back-up identification in case one of them got caught. When the questions died down, her guide held out his hand for the digicam, stuffed it in his bag, and they headed to their meeting.
Senator Crosby had apparently left by another exit, but since they had an appointment they didn't worry too much. Flashing their passes, they wended their way by guards and aides to a central area in the complex where the senator's offices were located. Anna felt the odd random buzz from someone she passed, but never anything strong enough to indicate any one that had had prolonged contact with the Shadows. There hadn't been too many flashes here on Earth, even in Geneva, and she was beginning to suspect that the Enemy had worked through layers of proxies and that her mission was largely a futile one. As a scientist she knew all information, even negative data, was valuable, but the danger might outweigh the benefit in this case.
Finally they reached the heavy wooden door, dark with age, and showed their identification to the guard who was patrolling the corridor. Cincinnatus thumbed the pad activating a doorchime and they waited for permission to enter. The door opened, and the guard waited until they were inside before resuming his patrol.
The senator was seated behind a large desk strewn with paper. She had been writing, longhand, with a smoothly turned wooden pen. Anna approved, and warmed to the other woman immediately. Her guide gave her a sidelong look and she shook her head slightly. No warning heat, no buzz; only a quizzical look at their interchange which had not gone unobserved by the alert subject.
“You're from New York?” the senator queried. Rising as she spoke, she came around the desk and extended her hand to Anna. “I'm Patricia Crosby. And you are...?”
“Jake Weldon,” came Cincinnatus' reply. Easier to think of him as Jake, Anna thought, wishing he'd mentioned their cover names before they'd gotten inside. “This is Ann Sullivan, she'll be taking some photos to accompany the article, with your permission.” He fumbled inside his bag for the digicam.
Senator Crosby raised one eyebrow and gripped Anna's hand tightly. “A photographer that doesn't carry her own equipment? That's odd.” Gesturing them towards two upright wooden chairs, she waited until they sat down. Standing in front of the desk, she leaned back against the edge and observed them closely. “You two aren't reporters. What exactly do you want? Who are you?”
Anna jerked slightly at the form of the questioning, which brought her back to darkness momentarily. She stared at Jake/Cincinnatus, but only saw old horrors as she waited for him to speak.
He examined the senator, eyes hard and flinty grey. “You've been heard to wonder whether there's anyone out there.” He waved a hand in the air, as if indicating someone outside the walls of the governmental compound.
Her eyes met his, unflinching yet wary.“I don't know what you mean,” Senator Crosby replied coolly.
“Anyone at all,” Jake continued. “Anyone who wants a change.”
She nodded, then held one finger to her lips. Turning to her desk, she pulled forward a square squat box and pushed in two buttons, one centered in the top, the other a bar across the left side. Anna flinched as a sub-current of white noise made her teeth clench and her head ache.
Senator Crosby went back to the padded leather chair behind the desk and sat down. “You can speak freely now. I assume you're from the rebellion?”
Jake smiled wolfishly at her. “That we are, ma'am.” He nodded at the box. “I only hope that's not a recorder.”
“And I hope that equipment you carry isn't recording my own treason,” replied the senator. “We must hang together, sir...”
“Or assuredly, we must all hang separately,” chimed in Anna.
Jake laughed. “More likely than not we will hang,” he said. “Now, down to business.” He quickly sketched out a plan for future contact and gave her a few code words and a drop where she could leave word of any new crackdowns or upcoming repressive legislation. They talked quickly and quietly and to the point, and Anna sat in silence.
After a few minutes, Senator Crosby turned to her and asked, “And what is your purpose here? I assume you have one or they wouldn't have risked getting you in here.”
Anna looked at Jake, who shook his head slightly. She bit her lip in frustration, then took a leap of faith. “I'm a Shadow watcher,” she said firmly.
“And who, or what, is a Shadow?” asked the senator, her interest piqued. “And call me Pat, please. At least in private.” She looked Anna up and down. “You look familiar. I've seen your face before, a long time ago.” A chime began to ring incessantly, growing louder with each peal. As Jake's lurch to an alert and defensive posture, Pat laughed. “It's just an alarm. I have another meeting and I wanted to give you plenty of time to get out of here.” She picked up a small plastic card and handed it to Anna. “Take this. It's a direct comlink and credit chit. I'd like to talk to you further about Shadows and other matters. Perhaps even offer you a job,” she added thoughtfully. “I could use a personal assistant.”
Jake began to protest, but the senator waved him down. “Ms. Sullivan's decision, surely,” she said, closing down the discussion. Standing and going to the office door, she opened it and waved at the guard at the far end of the hallway. “You'd better go now. I'll be in touch.” As Anna slipped by her, Pat laid one hand on her arm. “I know you've just met me, but try to trust me when I say I'm on your side. His,” she nodded at Jake's retreating back, “and yours. These are perilous times, my dear. I could use someone to help me watch the gathering shadows.”
Anna nodded and tucked the plastic card in her shirt pocket under her jacket, and hastened after Jake.
Geneva, Earth, May 2261
J-You'll be surprised to hear that I've taken another job. One that you would approve of, I think. I'd done all I could in the old position. My talents were no more use to them. I like my boss; she's tough and fair and too outspoken for her own good. Sound familiar? I was glad to hear that your partner got back okay. We don't hear much about her home here. Do you hear anything from the family? I can't really say I wish you were here, but it'd be nice to see you. A.
Anna's new position with Senator Crosby didn't put her in the public eye, for which she was thankful. She remained in the background, helping with the research and paperwork required of the Senatorial office. But Pat used her mainly as a resource and a sounding board. She vetted new employees and other Senators for her employer, who was building a cadre of what Pat laughingly called in private 'the loyal opposition.' Pat was used to assembling coalitions, slowly and over time, using persuasion and some good old-fashioned horse trading. She wasn't used to working in the shadows. Anna had told her boss all about the Ancient Enemy, and their history both old and new. She'd tried to be careful about revealing how she herself had come to know so much, but still she worried. The Senator was no fool.
Pat had long ago discovered a concealed door inside the closet in her office. Some predecessor had undoubtedly had it made for some clandestine purpose or another. Once open, it revealed a small cubbyhole, just big enough for a chair and side table. It had a low level of illumination, carefully shaded to not show outside the secret door. Anna would sit inside when Pat entertained visitors, politicians, lobbyists, and constituents, vetting them for Shadow taint and listening, always listening. The rebellion hadn't proven very interested in the fate of the other colonies or of Babylon 5, except in as far as it would affect their battle on Earth. Anna supposed that was only to be expected. With all the travel to and colonization of the Solar System and near-space, the long-haul missions to the edge of the known universe, the distant stellar outposts promoting commerce and offering protection, most of humanity still lived their lives out on the parental rock. But EarthGov considered the colonies and outposts vital interests, and they were deeply concerned at the failure of some to come to heel.
The door to the office opened and instinctively she retreated to the far wall and laid her hand on the closet door.
“Ann?” came the Senator's voice as the door opened. Pat Crosby entered, her suit as neat and sleek as her black hair. Her gait was quick and she closed the door behind her. “We've got company,” she said, nodding in approval at Anna's position. “You may want to listen in on this one. It's Clark himself, and he's bringing one of his PsiCorp thugs. They always remind me of spiders somehow, all that black they wear I suppose. I had some psionic dampers installed in the closet walls, but try to stay on an even keel in there. I'm told telepaths can sense strong emotion before coherent thoughts.” Anna froze for just one moment, the scurried into her hiding place at Pat's shoo-ing gesture. Her heart was pounding so loudly that she was sure it could be heard behind the walls. And she was deeply worried. If President Clark suspected Pat's involvement with the rebellion he might have her scanned, even though it remained illegal, so far, to do so without a court order. Then she recalled the national security exemption and broke out in a cold sweat.
“Mr. President.”
Anna heard the sound of chairs being pulled across the hardwood floor. One person remained standing, pacing around the room. It was probably a security guard, or the PsiCorp rep, or the both in one.
“Senator. I wanted to speak with you regarding this bill you've introduced, relaxing the entirely sensible and necessary restrictions we've placed upon the free media. Of course it's important for them to do their job. It's a vital part of any democracy, the record of our combined political will. But in times like these, temporary sacrifices must be made.”
Anna cringed at the obsequious tone in the voice of the most powerful man on Earth. But there was another sound she heard, the taint of fear. A second voice began to speak.
“Sir, perhaps you should inform the Senator of the Council's decision?”
This voice was low and subtly forceful. Anna had the distinct impression that this voice was the source of Clark's fear.
“Yes. Of course.” Clearing his throat, Clark stated firmly. “The EarthGov Legal Council has ruled that due to the temporary state of emergency, it is within my power to continue the restrictions. There is nothing the Senate can do, and the bill has been taken off the Senate agenda.” Anna realized in shock that the buzz and heat she was beginning to feel indicated one or both of the visitors had been in contact with the Shadows. From the growing strength of the indicators the contact hadn't been fleeting.
Anna could almost hear the sparks in her boss's voice. “With all respect, sir, you can't do that. It's against all protocol for the executive to interfere in the working of the Senate.”
“I can, Senator, and I have,” Clark replied. Anna thought he sounded more confident now, and wondered if it was due to the presence of the other man. Though why the President would need bucking up from a PsiCorp flunkie she couldn't imagine. She could hear chairs scraping back and footsteps approaching her hiding place along with the murmured sounds of coldly polite departures. The chime of a com halted the sounds, and Anna heard the Senator say, “Excuse me,” and walk back towards her desk.
The two men paused outside Anna's closet. She could hear their voices, just barely, and she strained to catch their exchange.
“She will submit, for now. But you are right to suspect her. Her thoughts are shielded but she is clearly hiding something.”
“Is she allied with the traitors, do you think?” The President's voice reeked of paranoia, which kicked into overdrive when he added in a hoarse whisper, “Or even the alien races?”
“She has no history of outreach to alien governments. But it seems likely she knows people in the rebellion. Who knows how far that conspiracy has spread? Mars has been subdued under martial law, but the resistance is still a problem, Proxima must be dealt with soon, and Babylon 5...”
A grim tone entered Clark's voice. “They are isolated, but remain a powerful symbol.”
“Sheridan is the key, and we have the key to Sheridan,” declared the telepath with a dark confidence that made Anna shudder and strain to hear everything she could.
“Not yet,” replied Clark. “But we will.”