Aaron Singh

An Indio-Irish from Platon Stone, recently served in the Hammers of the Stone mercenary guild before retiring.

Private and sole sponsor of A Report Summarizing the Psihistory of Humanity, as Known to Precepteur University, by Dr. Gerome Bettencourt.

Scenes
Episode 411, Saving Chel.

With a pop of displaced air, the crew of the Arcadia appeared in its cargo hold. Tried from their latest operation they took a moment to reorient themselves after the teleport, all save two. One was Chel Savreux who was unconscious, and Tempest who being the psychic responsible for the teleport.

It’s my fault.

Vlad Kalashnikov, the captain and doctor began directing getting Chel moved to a stasis pod to further stabilize her. Sadaf al-Behr, stronger than she looked, assisted Vlad. Tempest, after a minimum number of seconds caused a second smaller pop as he disappeared sans armor and equipment.

I missed.

Tempest appeared immediately in his cabin and began as search of the materials he had scattered about. What he was looking for wasn’t in his usual research materials that he has downloaded and digitized.

''Was it distraction? Was it on purpose?''

Tempest has always been interested advancing his psychic powers but had focused primarily on teleportation and telekinesis, the other arts hadn’t been studied as closely. Sure, he’d dabbled in telepathy enough to read surface thought and not need to rely on a translator at times but he that wasn’t what he need either.

''Two psychics brothers lost, if only he had had time to win them over. Was it that distraction that caused him to miss? To accidentally hit Chel?''

Finally, Tempest found the old tattered book he was looking for, acquired from an antique shop bought over from yet another planet by a trader. As he picked it up he wondered, not for the first time, the stories such a book could tell. He made a mental note to look in psychometry as he began flipping through the pages.

''The three ruling families of this government were collapsing and I’m attempting to move into the power vacuum. The… our…. MY.. Starbrand Movement has a real chance… Would Chel might interfere? Too many distractions.. …was it my fault?''

Finding the relevant pages, Tempest again vanished into the “space between” to reappear in the Medbay. Vlad and Sadaf still worked on removing Chel in the stasis chamber.

“I don’t have the contacts here that I did on the Stone for psychic healing like we did for Sadaf on the Stone. Also I don’t know how in our position we’d have access to the advanced tech to help Chel in time.”  Tempest told the rest of the crew though the situation was obvious to all.

''Can I do this? Will this work?''

Tempest continued, his Indian accent becoming more pronounced the more uncertain he became, “I do however have an old manuscript from a primitive world that explains a ritual that I believe was used to channel psychic energy towards healing. I’d like to give it a try to save Chel.”

Primitive world is right, this book is one step above cave paintings, Sadaf’s world is more knowledgeable.

Without waiting for an answer Tempest got to work. Unsure which parts of the ritual were for show and which actually were needed he was forced to include them all. Cutting his forearm to make diagrams of blood both on himself and Chel, specific hand placements on Chels head and abdomen. The chanting of specific word whose meaning were now lost.

''I’m chanting now and making blood runes? I hope this works but I also hope I’ll be able to streamline this once I have figured out… if .. this .. works…''

The ritual ended with an odd symbol.

''What is that symbol? “the miracle occurs” or what? Maybe it’s a pattern repeat?''

Having reached the end of the chant prescribed in the book, Tempest began the chant again.

That’s odd….

Again.

A vibration?

Again. Tempest was beginning to feel a change. An extending of not just aura, as when using telepathy, but of force and will. Through her aura, Tempest could feel Chel’s body attempting to help itself. He attempted to match that vibration, that heartbeat of her own healing. He matched it then amplified it adding his own aura and will, not commandeering as he was used to with his telekinesis but more subordinate, Chel’s body wanted to heal but was past the point of self-recovery.

Slowly the flares and discontinuities within Chel smoothed over healing the damage she had sustained. As she healed her aura became stronger and less willing to synch with Tempest’s attempts to psychically assist. It was as if her own body was beginning to recognize an outside will and resist, to take back itself.

Tempest slowly removed his hands and began the work clean-up of the procedure both on himself and Chel. He sensed, and the medical scanners agreed, she was out of danger but still unconscious. Any additional healing would have to occur naturally.

Distracted or not, mistake or not, I hope this make up for it.

With that Tempest signaled to Vlad and the rest of the crew he was finish and retired to his cabin with a pop.