Sang the Stray (Completed)

13. Tell-tale Heart

"First level monitoring," I repeat mortified.

"Yes, for now, Sang." One of Ista Phillips' purple-suited assistants informs me that daily spot-checks will be made on my visual and audio data. The worst is that my vitals will be tracked around the clock. I can actually see and hear my heart rate going up on the display that hovers nearby the purple-suit. There is no real machine or screen, instead this is a virtual display coming over the Interface. Just like most decor, it exists in an all-access public space. It is not like someone from Unara could tap into the room and see, an individual has to physically be in the location to view the room's virtual contents. Only KOTIS staff with clearance can come in here, but still...I feel like some lab rat. Especially since I am now in some sort of psychic talent dampening room.

"These are just precautions for your safety, Sang," she smiles sympathetically. "I will bring you some baidou stew. You seemed to enjoy that last time."

As you can imagine, food on Tare is harvested mostly from the seas. Various fish and even some sort of shrimp creature provide protein, but they also have seaweed farms. In the Kessine city center atrium, I also noticed some fruit-bearing plants like those on Muina. I assume the seeds were brought when the people first came to Tare.

I just finished the baidou stew, when Ista Phillips came into the room.

"Good news, Sang," he greeted me. "I've convinced the Council to let us test the possible enhancement talent you might have." I wasn't sure I would call that good news. He must have seen the skepticism on my face because he added, "The sooner we can prove the enhancement or distortion is controllable, or at least not a threat, the sooner we can move you out of the dampening room to something more comfortable...and reduce your monitoring level." Well, that would certainly be worth it if this test works. "I have arranged for the
enhancement tests to be conducted with a couple familiar faces."

The door slid open again and two black-suited Setari came through. I recognized Ista Green right away, but it was his Steel-eyes companion who captured my attention. I sat up a bit straighter and folded my hands on my lap. My focus darted to other features trying to avoid capture by that intense gaze, but it was like some inevitable magnetism that I couldn't escape. As my vision seemed captive to those grey eyes, I could hear an increasingly louder and persistent beeping.

"Tone it down, Owen, you're going to intimidate her into cardiac arrest," Ista Green lightly punched his fellow Setari in the arm and moved passed him, pulling my attention away. I also realized what that beeping was. My heart rate monitor had been going crazy as I had sat there staring. Could I blush any harder? It must be so, since my cheeks felt even hotter when Ista Green smiles and asks Ista Phillips, "So is the future Tsa Green ready to go?"

He is teasing, right? I must really be resembling a tomato again. Steel-eyes just scowls at Ista Green, but Ista Phillips turns to me and says, "This is Tsee Owen Blackbourne, captain of Fourth Squad. He will be in charge of the enhancement testing and Ista Sean Green will be the medical officer on-site, since he is also a Fourth Squad member."

We are dismissed and I stand to follow The Setari out the door. Finally, escaping the Box of Confinement. The display of my vitals blinks out and Ista Green explains that only he needs to keep it running on a private feed for monitoring. I am grateful that at least only one person will be witness to anymore embarrassingly elevated heart rates. "I'll just keep your heart to myself, for now," he adds with a wink.

******** """"""
Interface Channel-Private
Users: Blackbourne, Green

B: Okay, even I'll admit that was a smooth one...cheesy as hell, but still pretty good.

G: 😁

B: And I know you've just been waiting to drop that line...be honest...how long?

G: 😜 ... Okay, awhile. I was saving for someone very special though.

B: yeah, sure you were.

G: hey, she needed cheering up....stuck in quarantine...I know these things...I am 😷.

B: Uh...I don't think that one means doctor...that one looks rather ill.

G: 😡 .... Well, 👷 doesn't look like doctor either...it's the closest I can find.

B: Or you could communicate like an adult and drop the icons.

G: Whatever, you totally sent me 💩 one day.

B: We were 30....that was a long time ago.

***************
Sang:

We walked silently through the halls. I am pretty sure the Setari were talking over the Interface because Tsee Blackbourne and Ista Green kept throwing glances at each other. Tsee Blackbourne's expressions were fairly level but I spotted at least one, small triumphant smirk, just a millimeter lift of the lips really. Soon we came to a hallway with long, wide observation windows that showed rooms for Setari training. Some were just like open gym spaces, while others had obstacle courses or other equipment. In one room a dozen of the younger Kalrani, in a brown version of the Setari uniforms, was practicing some kind of martial arts. In another, two men battled back and forth; one shooting arrows of fire from his hands, the other blocking with a shield of ice. It was amazing. Then Tsee Blackbourne led us into a room with collection of white blocks, all different sizes, scattered about the room.

Tsee Blackbourne stopped towards the center of the room and said, "I believe we should test one talent at a time. We will start with telekinesis. Another squad member will join us shortly."

*********
A/n: I hope you all enjoyed Owen and Sean's exchange. Keep in mind that three Taren years equals one Earth year to calculate ages. Who do you think has the telekinesis power? I would love to hear which psychic talent(s) y'all think each guy will have.