[For disclaimer information, see part 1] Games of the Mind (part 8) by Christina Shuy cshuy@netcom.com "You brought him with you... good." a familiar voice echoed as the near-blinding whiteness receeded. It had not been a 'verbal' voice, but heard in everyone's mind. "Him...? Who...? What...? Excuse me, but will SOMEONE please tell me what the hell is going on around here?!" Christina spoke with some exasperation as she looked around. The surroundings looked strangely and eerily familiar, but she wasn't sure. Her heart was pounding in her ears. "Dearheart, you must remember to relax..." the voice intoned. "Relax?! I don't know what's going on, who you are, and what you've done to me and you expect ME to _RELAX_?!" <<<'And why the *hell* are they calling us "dear heart" anyway? We don't even KNOW them!'>>> Lisa piped in. Two robed figures walked towards them and by the presenses, Christina felt she 'knew' them somehow. It was the same feeling, or nearly so, from when she had run into Mulder. Only it was more than familiarity. A not-so-small part of her knew them. They were somehow behind the mystery of her ten month absense. "Erm, Christina, love, where are we?" Chris asked, and it was then she became aware of the fact that she wasn't alone. "Chris, I'm not certain you'd believe me if I told you..." she murmured, and heard his ascent in her mind. "So... this is the inside of a real flying saucer?" his tone was part amazement and part joking. "Or am I dreaming?" "If you're dreaming," Mulder was amazed as he looked around. "Then hope you never wake up because this is one hell of a dream... and I hope we're all dreaming this together... what do you think, Scully?" "I don't know what to think..." Scully answered. "This isn't like the last time..." "Agent Scully, we are not they who abducted you last time." the female figure said drawing back the hood to reveal sapphire blue eyes studying the four recent arrivals. Scully's eyes widened at the statement, but was silent. "I'm not certain I trust you..." Christina said, feeling dizzy as the Others began with a riot of questions. She was torn between wanting to have a screaming fit, or running away and crying. "And I would like an explaination as to what is going on and why you found it necessary to not only abduct me, but keep me from those I love for such a long time." She felt a wave of reassurance from Chris. "Be patient, dear heart. All will be explained soon." The female seemed to speak with her eyes. Her lips didn't move at all, though Mulder, Scully, and Chris were hearing her as well. "Who is to say you won't turn us over to the associates of Mulder's friend who smokes?" Christina heard the suspicion in Chris' voice and sent support to him through the link they shared. "First of all, he isn't my friend, Chris... Speaking of him, though, Krycek works for him... and I wouldn't trust Alex Krycek as far as I could throw him..." Mulder sounded bitter. Scully stood silent for a moment, pondering what she knew about Krycek... and the death of her sister Melissa. Suddenly, she remembered something she'd seen before she'd met Mulder personally. "Mulder, I just realized something. When I first got my assignment to be your partner, that man who smoked was there also... he didn't say anything." Scully said. "He just stood there and smoked, as if he knew something... looking back, I would bet on it." "That's interesting..." Mulder mumbled, looking at Scully. "Especially since he was also behind your abduction." Scully looked at Mulder in shock. "Mulder, are you sure you know what you're talking about? I... I mean sure, he has been there every time one of our assignments turns up twisted, but that doesn't mean he'd be part of it." Scully protested. "I am not saying he's *part* of it... I'm saying he orchestrated the whole thing. You said yourself that you remember humans being partly responsible for your abduction." "Mulder, I'm really not sure that is the same thing." "Think about it, Scully. He's never denied it." "He's never admitted to anything either!" "Scully, you *know* he's turned up every time evidence either went weird or vanished." "Yes, but would that mean he was running it?" Scully asked again. "I wouldn't put it past him." he admitted. "Regardless of which, what he has done thus far is immoral and probably illegal." "At the moment, I don't know what to believe." Scully answered. "Great... now I really don't know who I'd trust..." Chris' voice was dryly sarcastic. "You can trust me..." Christina murmured before planting a kiss on his cheek. He smiled at her and briefly hugged her. She squeezed him tighter when she heard his whispered 'love you' in her ear. "We have already stated that we have nothing to do with those associates. I understand why you don't trust us or believe us, but understand we are doing what we can to aid humanity, not destroy your people. Or even control them. "My apologies for being rude." the other figure said, revealing his face finally. "I am T'Kenn, and this is my associate K'Nara. We are here to assist humanity, not to abduct and test and harm..." When he spoke, his lips did move, but there was the sense that he did so only to make the four in front of him more comfortable. <<<'I'll believe that when I see it!'>>> Lisa spoke up. <'I think that makes all of us, love.'> Christina heard Chris' voice in her mind. "Well? I want an explaination... NOW... " Christina's voice took on the clipped tones of Marie's voice inflection and accent. "We thought it best that you were saved from remembering, especially in light of your unique situation..." K'Nara began. "What 'unique situation'?! I've got Multiple Personalities. I'm still highly functional, so I don't call it a disorder. What I want to know from you is why you found it necessary to blank 10 months of my memory considering you claim nothing remotely terrible happened to me! Explain THAT to me!" <'I think he was referring to your mother, love.'> Chris' mental voice reminded her, though she barely heard it through her anger. <<<'That I highly doubt...'>>> Caitlin's voice was clear and steady. "Perhaps we showed incorrect judgement..." "That's a FUCKING understatement..." Christina growled, glaring at both K'Nara and T'Kenn. "And why did you land me in Washington, D. C.? Last I saw, that was NOT Los Angeles." <<<'Even though we can't stand the place.'>>> the mature voice from earlier smiled. <<<'Linda, don't even THINK about starting...'>>> Marie's temper was fit to be tied. "But we thought it was the only way for you to return to where we found you with Agent Mulder. Otherwise, you might have returned alone, and all would be for nothing... especially since we do have a message for him regarding his sister-" T'Kenn continued. "What about my sister? Where is she?" His voice held both anger and desparation. Scully took him by the arm. "Mulder, I think that is what they are trying to tell you." "We are looking for her, Agent Mulder. We have leads on where she is, but we needed to get your attention in order for us to be able to tell you this information." T'Kenn answered. <<<'That was an evasion of the truth if I ever saw one.'>>> Caitlin answered. "I don't like this twisted game you're playing. I want the truth. I want answers. NOW." Christina's voice took on another tone and Chris recognized it. "Easy..." he murmured into her ear. "Anger will get you nowhere." "That's easy for you to say." She shot him an indignant look before turning the full force of it on T'Kenn and K'Nara. "What the HELL gives you the right to determine what is right and what is wrong?" "We needed your help, dear heart." "And don't call me that... not unless you have a damn good reason." <<<'Even if they do have a good reason, I still don't like being called that.'>>> Caitlin grumbled. "It is only a term of endearment." T'Kenn explained. <<<'Liar!'>>> Valerie's voice was sharp. "Yes, but *you* are not very endearing to me..." "I'm sorry. We did manage to teach you a great deal about the condition of the world, and the universe. It *is* what you wanted, is it not? Why would you have agreed to it otherwise?" "Not at this price. I didn't want to be away from the people who love me, and whom I love," She shot a look at Chris. "For so long. Not only that, you are *still* evading the truth. I have very little tolerance for people who do that... human or not. And right now, you are trying my patience." <<<'It's better than them having tried other things.'>>> someone who refused to identify HIMself smirked. It was not Chris, however. The dirty looks being traded within were nearly explosive. "I think we should get started on why we brought you all up here. There is information on Mulder's sister that we have managed to find from sources throughout the local sector of space." T'Kenn explained. "This is impossible. Space travel can't happen. Given the distances required, the fuel requirements-" Marie's accent stood out. "That's why we remove a percentage of the carbon dioxide of planets which have too much... " "And I asked you before: What if you take too much from the planet and misbalance the system?" Marie's curiousity was evident. The echo of thoughts, however, made her dizzy. <<<'What do you mean 'asked before'?'>>> Christina asked. Marie shrugged. "That has yet to occur." "T'Kenn..." Marie's voice was icy. "Simply because that has yet to occur does not mean that in time it will. WHat you are doing may well end up misbalancing the ecological system of more than one planet. Simply because humanity exploits its homeworld does not give you or anyone else the right to do the same!" "Exactly what is it they do?" Mulder inquired. "And where the HELL is my sister?" "Mulder, you haven't listened." "That's because you haven't told him anything." Christina's voice was waspish. "You keep saying you have information on his sister, but when pressed, you change the bloody subject again!" Abruptly, there was an all-too-clear mannerism change. "How is he supposed to believe anything you say... how are ANY of us supposed to believe you when you continue to give only vague rumours?" Christina's mannerisms seemingly familiar. "She has a valid point." Scully said. "How about we get to the point of *why* you have brought all of us here right now." "Well, the main reason we brought you here was in order to inform Agent Mulder of what has been going on with the search for his sister. My people are tracking her down even as we speak." T'Kenn stated. "THat's not good enough. If you wanted to tell Agent Mulder, you should have just taken him. WHat is the point of taking both myself and Chris? Neither of us has anything to do with that. For that matter, there was no point in my original abduction to begin with! So tell me, why did you take me in the first place?" "Insatible curiousity, dearheart." "I told you *NOT* to call me that! And what hell is that supposed to mean?" "I think they mean that this is the opportunity for all of us to learn what they have found so far." Scully said, though she sounded somewhat skeptical. <<<'That still doesn't answer my question.'>>> Valerie pouted. <<<'Oh, shut up, Valerie.'>>> Christina grumbled. "By involving myself and Chris? Why? The information Mulder needs does not even involve us. And don't give *any* of us that shit about how you needed me to find him to give him that information. You could have found another way. There is *ALWAYS* another way." Christina's temper was in fine form. "Actually..." T'Kenn began. "The information we managed to store in your mind will affect more than just Agent Mulder. It affects you as well. You will to have to stay away from the Cigarette Smoking man." "And just *how* does it affect me? You used me to find Mulder. Fine. I can deal with that. But how can my finding Mulder for you place me in any danger? Unless you really are working for that asshole chainsmoker and have been lying to me this whole time!" Christina didn't even attempt to control her voice or temper. "The Cigarette Smoking man wants to control all information. You now know what he only theorises, therefore you are in danger." "T'Kenn," Christina's voice took on Marie's tones and inflections again, and Marie was not happy. "*That* is a bloody obscure explaination if I ever heard one." "I agree." Chris spoke up. "Thus far, we have heard nothing from you except evasion. Even I've learned it's best not to lie to anyone... least of all Christina. Actually... most *especially* to her." There was a traded glance between Christina and Chris, and the one look spoke volumes. "We have not been lying. The situation is very complicated-" K'Nara attempted to start an explaination. "Fuck you. Fuck *both* of you. I don't want to hear it anymore. I want the *TRUTH* NOW. Stop lying to me!" As soon as the words left Christina's lips, Chris looked at her in shock. Her tone of voice was been angrier than he had ever heard her. Even during the times he'd heard her quite angry. At him. "Whoa... Christina, what brought that on?" Mulder turned to look at her. "I thought you were glad to help in any way possible?" "Shut up, Mulder, you have no idea what you're talking about. I still haven't gotten an answer as to WHAT they did to me to get me to forget what happened during those ten months. You seem willing to let that slide. If it had been Agent Scully, what would you have done? Demand answers or act like the weakling *idiot* you are?!" Mulder's jaw dropped in shock and Scully was stunned into silence. "Agent Mulder, Agent Scully, perhaps it would be easier to explain to you what we know of the missing Samantha first, then we can possibly all understand better what has happened." T'Kenn said, diplomatically. "Yeah, right, I'm not even sure we can trust you!" Christina retorted. "As a matter of fact, _I_ *don't* trust you... or anyone *else* around here right now!" The tone of voice far too faimliar to Chris. "Not even me?" Chris' inquiry was low and murmured, but she heard it anyway. She turned to face him, eyes blazing in anger and desparate paranoia. "What are you expecting from me? Implicit trust? I can't *do* that!" she raged, on the edge of hysteria. "And you of all people know damn well *why*." <<>> Erin asked, preparing drastic measures. Julia, as expected, didn't answer Erin directly... "Christina... what's wrong? I've never seen you this upset before." Chris' voice was low and warm in her ear. She felt her thoughtplanes switch again. "Ummm..." Christina's voice started to waver. "Could you... could you all excuse me for a moment... I have the sudden urge to be alone." Chris looked hurt. "Alone?" "Well... you're welcome to come along if you like." she smiled, though he could see tears already forming in her eyes. "I can show you to one of the meditation chambers, if need be. You spent a lot of time in one of them the last time you were here." K'Nara said. "You said it helped you get closer to the one you loved most." Christina nodded, she well remembered missing the one she loved most, and K'Nara began to move towards one of the far doors. <'And who would *that* be?'> Chris' thought came through loud and clear. Christina just turned and smiled at him, dragging him along while K'Nara proceeded to lead the way. <'Who do you think?'> She sent the thought back to him and felt his hand squeeze hers. At the same time, Mulder and Scully turned back to T'Kenn who was preparing to show them things even Mulder would probably find unbelievable. End Part 8.