Choices, part five {Chapter 27}

[dd]

Tessa & Renardo...is blood thicker than ambition? Titans & Giants...childhood codes and hidden messages.
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*T?*

@Te?@

#T? T? T?#

%Tes?%

&T?&

+T?+ -T?-

*Tess?* @Tes?@ $Te?$

*@#Tessa?&%*

Even drugged, the Whispered mind recieved the communication. The small young woman---platinum hair disheveled and hospital gown soiled---attempted to make sense of the mesage...attempted to respond.

"W-w-wh..." was all that her mouth could voice. The doctors and technicians monitoring her were puzzled. Why was this one trying to speak? The brain wave monitor indicated she was still asleep. The intravenous pump still had sufficient sedative in its reservoir, and the infusion rate was properly set. They chalked it up as an aberrant physiologic event and turned their attention to other test subjects.


<*<*< TESSA!!! Teletha!!! Little flower! >*>*>


>@>@> sense. I...I...I...can sense. I...I...you. I can. Can sense. You. Can sense you. I...I...I can sense. You. I can sense you<@<@<


<*<*< Tessa. Can you comprehend? Will you remember what I send to you?>*>*>


>@>@>Tessa. I Tessa. I Tessa I Tessa I. I...I...I<@<@<


<*<*<T*E*S*S*A...!T!E!S!S!A! You MUST comprehend. You MUST remember>*>*>


>@>@>W-wh-wh-w-who?<@<@<


<*<*<Just RECEIVE, Tessa! REMEMBER! No questions.>*>*>


>@>@>I receive. I remember<@<@<


<*<*<Good. VERY GOOD! You know me. You will recognize me when you wake. You will show NO recognition. We will speak as strangers, but will find ways to communicate. You will attempt no further communication by mind. Our link is too close, our patterns too similar. You must earn life>*>*>


>@>@>REMEMBER! Remember. Will. Live<@<@<

*************************************************************

The tall slender man, carrying a notebook and a medical bag, made his way to the holding area. Some of the captives were awake, sitting morose, depressed, or unhappily ignorant in their dark and dank cinderblock cells. Small space heaters fought valiantly against the omnipresent chill and draft. Malodorous buckets served a centuries old purpose.

There were no agitated or active captives. That was not allowed. The guards were not concerned about the additive adverse effects of sedatives. They were given simple tasks to perform and they performed them to the letter. Thinking was left up to the eggheads. Decisions were left up to the big bosses. Their tasks were simple. No one escaped. No one injured themself or any other captives. Shouting, screaming, excessive motion, and untoward actions were not permitted.

She would be in one of the last cells. Out of the general view. He had made certain of that, tampering with the cell assignments through untraceable computer techniques. There was still a camera whose angle of viewing he was familiar with. There would still be hidden microphones. Gas vents were present and could not be readily blocked.

The small underground holding area was modeled after modern gulags. Camps on the Russian mainland, unofficially housing North Korean workers---secretly indentured to pay off thier country's massive debts---were not better built than this temporary facility.

He shook his head. The cadre members were certainly pragmatists. Not a penny was spared in the research and medical areas. The weapons and technologies areas also were lavishly overbuilt. The living quarters were decidedly less well provided for. The holding cells bordered on the barbaric.

She was awake. She was not looking in his direction yet. Her threadbare hospital gown was worse for wear, and her leggings did not look much better. There was actually straw in her cot. There was straw lining the floor. This looked more like a stable than any place fit for human inhabitants. He had told the cadre members that psychological tactics would gain them nothing extra from the Whispered. While they did not state it outright, it appeared that they were of the opinion that the prisoners were already dead but didn't know it yet. Why should anyone care how they were treated?

He signalled to the guard to unlock the door. The guard complied, muttering under his breath. At the sound of the jangling keys, clunking lock, and squeaking door, the captive lifted her head, her red-rimmed eyes taking in the sight of her newest visitor. She did well. There was no sign of recognition. No flash of emotions, good or bad.

"Under truth agents, you gave your name as Teletha Tesstarossa. That matches with the name supplied by intelligence operatives and the harvester team. Is this correct?"

She nodded her head sullenly. "And your name?" Her voice was weak to the untrained ear. There was a subtle rise and fall in intensity, a personal Morse Code they had created as children, united against the tyranny of their parents. She was prepared for any hidden facts he was willing to provide. The method was somewhat clumbsy---and she felt somewhat rusty---but it was safer than Whispered conversation by a long shot.

*Her first clandestine query was: you bad? good?*

"You should be clever enough to know that I will not tell you that. But, it seems to be a natural instinct for hopeless captives to try and acquire pointless information."

*His answer: interpretation*

Tessa frowned. Same old Renardo. "Would it hurt to ask where I am being held. Certainly you can do me that courtesy?"

*please*

Same old Tessa. Even her secret messages sounded plaintive. "It would not hurt to ask. I must apologize again, unable to give you any answer. Beisdes, what possible good could it do you?"

*Coordinates: 75 N. 61 E*

His voice was so haughty, so damn superior. The longitude and latitude would place this location somewhere north and east to Siberia.

"Then, unless I am mistaken, you will also refrain from telling me why I was kidnapped, drugged, and dragged down into this godforsaken place. And no doubt you will not tell me just who you are working for, or who could possibly have an interest in me?"

*How find me? Who boss?*

She should be able to do better than righteous indignation! "Regrettable, but true. I am but a simple servant, performing an important task I was contracted to. Mt superiors must remain anonymous. Professionally, I am beholden to keep our current allies' identity secret as well. I am certain that an intelligent young woman like yourself can see the appropriateness in that approach."

*Pakistan. Over-reach. Mind. Whisper trace. No tell*

Arrogant. Selfish. Wrong-headed. Again! "Why are you here to see me, if you can tell me nothing? What possible purpose can I serve you, after the countless times they have drugged me, placed me on strange machines, and caused my mind to spin strangely with numbers, smells, sounds, and things I cannot put a name to? Why do you have that pad and that bag?"

*Don't be father." "Gloating?" "Why?*

Bitch! He was NOT being like their father! She needed to remember her place. Did she think she was his equal? His voice became angry, without any acting.

"You had best remember your place! I am here to question you. Answering, and answering honestly and with respect, may gain you nothing...answering falsely, or behaving in a disrespectful fashion, may gain you things you never knew you did not want. My agenda belongs to ME...no one else. You, at this moment, also belong to ME...it would be best that you remember that simple reality!"

His anger was real. She had certainly struck a sore spot. He was intent on putting her in her 'place' again.

*His demand: Don't push. Don't expect. Don't mistake. Horse mouth.*

Was he insulting her? No, not likely. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth? Probably. What was he thinking? What was he offering?

"I understand."

"Good. It is refreshing to see someone who knows their place!" Well sister, how do you like that one?

Renardo picked up the notebook and leafed through it. "They have been thorough in their description of your examinations. It would be good to see if anything has changed significantly. We would not want to lose you before we tap your full potential. We do not wish to waste a single drop of knowledge. Who knows what simple fact or equation might provide the key we are searching for?"

*Play along. Tools. You change side. Family again.*

Tessa saw her brother rummaging through the medical bag. He was not a trained physician, but had learned a lot of medicine from texts. Hopefully he wasn't planning on doing any procedures on her! Changing sides? Was he asking her to join his unknown agency? He was dangling the possibility of being a small family again as bait?

"I have no choice but to submit. I know I cannot ask for specifics. But, can you please tell me something about what you are trying to accomplish here. In a broad scope, naming no names. and telling nothing of specific intentions. It would also be good to hear someone talk. It is so quiet and so lonely here. Surely there can be no harm in talking to a captive with no ability to escape?"

*Why change? Why not you? I part family team*

"I will consider your request in a moment."

He removed a sphyngnomanometer from the doctor's bag. He adeptly used it to mask another object from the camera's view. The potential of the small device was clearly not lost on his sister, given the flicker of her eyelashes. She would be curious why such a device might be needed. He would let her think about that question.

The cuff in place, Renardo started to inflate it. Reaching for a stethoscope, he blocked the camera's view of Tessa only momentarily. At that very moment he placed the ultra-high frequency emitter against the back of his sisters necked and discharged it. That should render the injected transmitter--put in place by a cadre doctor secretly working for his organization--inoperative.

He continued to perform a cursory medical examination as a suitable misdirection.

"Well, will I live?" Tessa asked when he was done.

Renardo smiled. "What man or woman truly knows their time? The only thing you can do is hope. I cannot tell you if that hope is warranted...."

*Is not*

"...but it is all you have now. I would not dwell on that question if I were you. It can serve no purpose. And I acnnot and will not offer any promises or reassurances."

*I only key you*

He put all of his equipment away. Walking carefully around the disgusting bucket, he sat on a small stool in the rear corner of the room.

"I suppose I can spare a few moments of discourse. If you are capable of listening, perhaps you will learn something." He smiled as he said that.

*This time*

"What purpose can you serve? What good might your secrets do? Let's see, how can I explain this to you? Do you know anything about Titans and Giants?" His voice was confident.

*My side big*

"I know a little something from contemporary mythology." Tessa was curious to see where he was going with this.

"That will have to do, I suppose. What are Titans and Giants? Why should we bother with them? How might we relate to them? Some of the questions require doing rather than reading, so I cannot give you all of the answers that countless men have been chasing after for so long."

Tessa was alerted to watch for hints between the lines in addition to their secret code.

"As one might expect, answers can be found in ancestral mythic tradition. In the ancient stories, we discover how the roles of gigantic forces developed in the eyes of historic man. Worldwide, there are three classes of primal stories about such beings. I will use European sources as a working model for many such stories in many cultures."

European based. Worldwide in its reach. Developed from older better known groups. But mythical, not proven

"Titans and Giants are essentially spiritual beings, no matter how some fables or nursery rhymes describe them. Their bodies often conform to zones of the planet or continents...or of the oceans, mountains, volcanoes, and vast weather patterns. This is why tradition attributes tidal waves, earthquakes, eruptions, and storms to the actions of Titans or Giants."

Working for another group wanting to control the world. With the ability to harness the weather and geophysical events

"The first class of primal stories are the creation myths. In those stories, the bodies of those vast beings are dismembered or willingly sacrificed to create the world. Mir the Ice Giant, whose skull makes up the vault of the sky in Norse myth. The dismemberment of Ra in Egyptian myth. The ancient Kabbalistic tradition of the Adan Kadmon or universal being. All these tell the same story in different ways. And there are countless similar examples."

His group will attempt to sacrifice the other. Perhaps use the other group's discoveries to recreate the world in their own image. But there are many different prizes to be won

"The second class of stories describe mentoring. Such myths have been given less attention over the years, but are still important today, if we seek to consciously work with natural forces to redeem the damage done to out living planet. In many cultures and stories, the larger beings are described as mentors of humanity---teaching arts, sciences, mathematics, music, agriculture, and so forth."

He offers to be her mentor, something he had refused over the years. He wants to repair the damage he did to their relationship

"A typical mentoring myth is the ancient Greek---or pre-Greek---story of Atlas, the Titan who founds Atlantis, and whose sons become kings of civilization. Another is found in the Old Testament, and in the book of Enoch, wherein giants inter-marry with humans, and teach skills, arts, and magic. In Celtic tradition, certain immortals or semi-divine beings came into the world and taught humanity the arts of civilization. They are often described to be of giant size, such as the members of the Tuatha De Danaan...though they were of lesser significance than others."

If the other group shrugs the wrong way, the world will fall. There is more than one group with access to Black Technology. Mithril is by no certainty the mightiest of such groups. If Tessa crosses over to the other side, perhaps disasters can be circumvented

"Another example was the Welsh Titan Bran, who---according to the legend told in the Mabinogion---wades into the Irish Sea and carries poets and musicians upon his sturdy back as he bridges a mighty river with his body. The father of Bran was Llyr, the god of the Atlantic Ocean and the Celtic equivalent of Poseidon, who was the Greek god of tidal waves and earthquakes. His trident was not the only power he had over mankind."

The weapons at the cadre's disposal could make Trident missiles and other weapons of mass destruction useless. The Whispered are sought as a bridge, as bringers of needed science

"The third group of myths are the destruction myths. These serve to balance the creation myths, with the mentoring myths assuming a role at the center, the place of greatest peace. You no doubt no the Norse Myth of Ragnorok, one of the many stories sung about in various operas. In that story, the Giants try to bring the Fimbulwinter that ends the world, toppling the gods and goddesses of Asgard. A similar theme is found in ancient Greek legends, which tell of the Titans who raise storms, earthquakes, and tidal waves in their war with Olympian dieties, whom they are said to oppose. We find similar tales in Celtic mythology, which while more obscure, still has some significance. Warring and destructive Giants are found in those stories."

The nerve of him! Making reference to her visit to the opera to see Gotterdammerung.

The cadre is opposed to the current world order---and of course, their less than exalted place in it---and would rather risk seeing the world destroyed than allow things to continue as they are. He is implying that Mithril's capabilities---while not insignificant---are not as likely to avert world catastrophe as those of his group

"Now, we must be careful in our interpretation of some myths---some tell of one form of religion replacing another, and that is often a form of propaganda. For example, in Celtic tradition, the Gaels in Scotland and Ireland told that the Faery races were angels that had fallen out of Heaven with Lucifer, only to become embodied in the earth. This is a Christianized retelling of an older tradition, similar to that of the Titans. Such stories, and many other older tales worldwide, tell of spiritual forces that move between the planets of the solar system affecting life here on earth, possibly going as far as to alter the earth's orbit or its relationshop to the sun."

Do not assume his group's goals are evil in themselves, simply because they have found less savory methods to serve them best. And, the threat currently facing the earth is of Biblical proportions. Misused, the titanic powers could spark a life-ending solar catstrophe

Tessa gasped, and placed her hands over her mouth. She began to chew on her fingernails.

Renardo nodded. Yes, this is serious business.

"So, what more can we say about Titans and Giants? Myths about Titans and Giants are not simply unsophisticated tales trying to explain why we have eathquakes, volcanoes, and tidal waves. They are models of relationships. They tell us how tremendous forces can shape humanity. And, we all live on the land that forms this planet, and that land and this planet are changed by our actions."

You can work with me, sister. We can help shape the future of this world. We can prevent the destructive actions of nations and of power hungry madmen

"Mankind has tampered with the weather, by means of pollution, industrialization, and other means that ignore long-term consequences in favor of short-term greed. We have altered telluiric patterns through underground and undersea nuclear explosions. The relationship between humanity and the forces embodied into Titans and Giants is changing, and changing for the worse. In our folly, man has taken the knowledge brought to us through the Titans, and had perverted it to serve his selfish and unethical desires. We must learn to understand the lessons we have been shown, before it is too late for us all."

He hates what big business, governments, and national pride has done to the world. He realizes the problems that face the world, but is powerless to do anything on his own. He has cast his lot with a dangerous crowd with questionable methods, but considers any means to be acceptable if it preserves the world for everyone's benefit

Tessa could not help herself. She wrinkled her nose as if she smelled something foul. She made a big show of scratching herself. "I hope I haven't gotten fleas. I am not a dog."

Her message was clear.

If one lies down with dogs, one wakes up with fleas

"Being alive with discomfort certainly beats the alternative. And, some dogs have a good life. Better than some people."

His message was clear as well.

"Where was I? Yes, we must learn our lessons before it is too late. What the world needs is a sense of humility. It requires a sense of perspective. As it stands now, the nations of the world think we are going faster and getting better. Instead, we are moving closer and closer to the brink of destruction."

She should not be so proud as to overlook his truths. He has seen the bigger picture and knows what needs to be done

Renardo was certain that his sister had gotten the points he had put across. His next words would be mainly for the benefit of the camera. And, the inflection changes would pass along some final thoughts to his sister.

"The group I work for is not blind to the problems of the world. In that very way, we are allies to Titans and to Giants. But, in a more concrete sense, we are allied to a group of visionaries who want to bring wisdom to mankind. They wish to create a better world if they are allowed the chance. They wish to serve as mentors, showing the people of this planet the proper path to travel down. But, if necessary, they will bring destruction for man's sake. You, and those like you, may contain the very keys needed to help those visionary Giants bring peace, wisdom, and knowledge to mankind as a whole. In a very real sense, the world is counting on you. I hope you keep this in mind while you are waiting here, selfishly worrying about your own fate. That is all the time I can spare. I cannot say if I will speak with you again."

* Cadre are garbage. My group good end aim. You help. No selfish. Choose*

"I see. That was ceratinly a lot to comprehend. I need time to think on this. There are always two sides to every story and the most certain of men are not always the most correct. The end is not the only thing, and sometimes the price is too high. Oh...listen to me blathering...I haven't talked to anyone for days now. Maybe I just like to hear myself speak. I apologize. I must be quite an unpleasant sight."

*One lose soul can also lose sight*

Renardo stood and stared at Tessa wordlessly for a few moments, frowning. Then, pushing his hair back, he quickly left the room without looking back.

Tessa collapsed upon her cot, exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally. She had a fair understanding of why she was here, and for a brief moment considered ending her own life, in order to keep whatever knowledge remained inside her head a secret. But, that was not the way. Besides, her observers would likely thwart any such attempt, and she would no doubt be placed in a straight jacket or some other worse contrivance.

There was so much to think through, none of it good. Deadly alliances. Secrets within secrets. The world at great risk. And her brother.

He had offered her choices, and there was some logic in what he said. But, Tessa had no desire to walk dark paths in order to deliver light. Those who walked dark paths most often embraced the dark, not the light.

Someone who wants to see something badly enough can often convince himself that the thing is actually there, or near at hand. Her brother had always been too gifted for his own good. He dedicated so much time to his intellect and physical gifts, that he allowed his wisdom and common sense to atrophy.

He could no longer see far enough beyond himself. Thinking himself too clever to be a pawn, he made himself a powerful puppet.

Tessa still had hope. If not for herself, then for the world. She was one of the few people who knew of one of Mithril's 'small' successes with Black Technology. Not every breakthrough could be measured solely by the size of its product. The TDD-1 was miraculous. So was Arbalest. But something much smaller might prove the miracle that the world needed.

When Mithril had started to rescue, guard, and trail the Whispered, Tessa had a fortunate confluence of events. One Whispered had contained knowledge leading to the design and construction of ultra-small transmitters, difficult to detect physically. Their signals could not be detected or traced by normal means, but could easily be followed by means of the complimentary technology. While she was brainstorming such discoveries, a fierce toothache had led her to her dentist, and had left her with a new filling.

Two seemingly separate events soon became one. The transmitters could be hidden in teeth. Most individuals visited the dentist somewhat regularly. Those who might not could still be brought to the dentist by means they would not remember. There was a dentist on the TDD-1 and another one at the Pacific Base. Dentists under Mithril employment visited different cities just the way Mithril's soldiers did. A large majority of the Whispered that Mithril knew of now carried the transmiters---unknowingly.

No interrogation process could reveal a fact the Whispered did not know. Without similar Black Technology, the transmitters would not be found. Tessa had built a mental wall around her knowledge of the project. The wall might not prevent discovery of that fact, if someone knew how and where to look. But, she would know if the wall was breeched. So far, it remained intact.

Yes. She still had reason to hope.

[Perfect Soldier]

Evil cliffie You must update soon... This is so good.

Zero

[dd]

Thanks.

The ending of this story will be COMPLEX, requiring three separate battles to be scripted out, not to mention the fates of everyone in harm's way. It will be a LONG time before I have the time and energy to do just the sketching out for the tale.

BTW. The stuff on Titans & Giants fit perfectly for my story needs. I found it accidentally once, written in something called Pan Gaia magazine (RJ Stewart @2001)

[pilot03]

The ending of this story will be COMPLEX, requiring three separate battles to be scripted out, not to mention the fates of everyone in harm's way. It will be a LONG time before I have the time and energy to do just the sketching out for the tale.

I will be looking forward to it. I can't wait to see how Kurz and Melissa handle their new teammates on the rescue and what happens to them all!!! Update!! Yeh!