Harry looked around at the corridor in which he appeared. He recognized the décor. It could only be one of the alternate set of universes which took place on the space station Babylon 5.
The Babylon universes were kind of interesting to him. War, love, hate, science, religion, technology … it was all quite interesting. The people he met and helped were really good people. And it usually was kind of fun. Suddenly, he heard a door open and he looked over. He decided to disillusion himself.
Usually when he arrived out of site, he was better off just watching first. Usually there was a better outcome.
The woman he saw looked furtive. She was dressed in such a way that there was no identifying characteristics other than the rough shape which indicated she was a woman.
Suddenly, he felt a subtle probe – almost like a Legimens was casting about. He strengthened his mental shields even as he remembered that this universe had telepaths. Luckily the woman just looked right past where he was – even though she had paused for just a moment before he strengthened his occlumency shield. She hid behind a column, watching a particular door. He saw what looked like a gun in her had.
This was not good.
He silently cast a charm to prevent any noise from coming from his position and carefully walked up behind the woman, his wand extended.
He then heard noise coming from the stairwell. Two of the space Aurors walking with a woman who looked stressed and upset. What was interesting to note was that the woman was not restrained – which meant she was not under arrest.
It was likely that this was the target.
The woman carefully hid until the three had passed. She then took aim. Before she could pull the trigger though, Harry cast a silent Stupefy.
Lyta Alexander was looking about, watching all around. There was a traitor here and she was terrified. The command staff was hemming and hawing about letting her help to find the traitor. If they would just LISTEN.
At least they had given her more than one guard to protect her.
Suddenly, there was a clattering behind them. The guards pulled their PPGs and looked back. Lying on the deck was a figure dressed in black, face obstructed with a mask until only the eyes were visible. Next to her hand was another PPG.
One of the guards tapped their link. "Security Alert. We have a person down on Blue 5 along the transport route. Send backup!"
Through the link came a reply, "Confirmed! ETA three minutes!"
The two guards nodded at each other. One put their principal in an alcove and stood in front of her with their weapon drawn and the second carefully approached the prone figure.
Suddenly they all heard a voice. "If I come out, will you not shoot me?"
The guard called back in a harsh voice, "Come out with you hands in view!"
"Okay. Just don't shoot!"
Suddenly, instead of someone coming out from behind the column next to the woman, a figure just appeared standing next to her.
Needless to say, the two guards AND the woman they were protecting all kind of freaked out.
"Who are you?" the guard yelled. "How did you do just appear? Are you wearing a changeling net? Or are you using some other technology"
"Harry Potter. I happened to see this woman taking aim at you from behind this column and knocked her out before she could shoot. As far as how I just appeared … it's probably better if I talked to your boss about that." He paused for a moment. "Is it still Michael Garibaldi who's running security?"
The guard was taken aback. How could this person not know? It was common knowledge. "Yes."
The man looked relieved. "Good. I'll talk to him or the Babylon 5 Commander about it."
"Ivanova?"
"No. Sinclair or Sheridan – whoever is running things these days."
The guards were not relieved at the appearance of not knowing by the man in front of them. She didn't lower her weapon. She was relieved when she saw the Security Chief and a couple of other guards coming up behind, weapons drawn.
Garibaldi was both pissed and satisfied: Pissed that someone had gotten so close, as seen by the PPG that was on the deck; and satisfied because his guys were doing a good job of making sure Lyta Alexander was protected without putting a gun right in front of her face.
He saw the man standing next to the body on the ground and suddenly he recognized where he had seen that exact costume before. He almost unconsciously called out even as he dropped his weapons aim more toward the ground: "Harry?"
The man turned and he saw it WAS who he guessed. "Hello Michael."
"What are you doing here? I haven't seen you in … ten years, back on Mars."
Harry sighed. "It's a long story. As soon as things are sorted, I'll explain."
The whole security detail relaxed at their boss's obvious recognition of the man.
Michael looked down. "Who's that?"
"Don't know. I just stopped her from taking a shot at whoever your officers were leading down the hall."
Harry stepped back to give the detail room. One picked up the PPG and Michael turned the body flat and pushed the mask up.
He was really confused. "Talia?"
The command staff was in the Captain's office along with Lyta Alexander and Harry Potter.
Michael was giving his report. "… and she doesn't know how the hell she got into that hallway with the PPG." He turned to Lyta. "It's looking more and more like what you told us is right. It's almost like she was being unconsciously controlled. It's the only thing that makes sense."
The Captain nodded and looked at his second with compassion. Susan was really broken up about this. He turned to the visitor. "Mr. Potter. Although I've heard what was reported, I haven't heard exactly who you are." He looked at Michael. "And you know him?"
Michael looked at Harry and nodded. "Yeah. He pulled my ass out of a tough spot back on Mars. Showed up out of the blue and kept me from being killed in an accident on Sirium Planum." He looked at his boss. "He's … a special case. But a good guy. I'd trust my life with him. I'll let him explain – cause it's kind of freaky and it's better it comes from him."
The Captain looked at Harry. "I'm a dimensionally-challenged wizard." Everyone looked at him in disbelief, except Michael – who laughed out loud. Harry gave him a withering look and then looked back at Sheridan. "Due to a magical … miscalculation on my part, I've become unstuck in the multiverse. I show up in different times and places where I can make a small or big difference. I've met all of you a number of times, except it was different versions of yourselves."
Sheridan looked at the rest of the command staff as if to say, "Are you buying this?"
Michael, still smirking, volunteered, "Maybe you should let me pull up his security jacket." Sheridan nodded. "Computer. Retrieve File on Harry Potter, Record 6245-4."
"Identification and Password Authorization Required."
"Security Chief Michael Garibaldi. Security Code B17L98. File Password: Lone Traveler."
"Password Accepted."
"Display file on screen."
The command staff, except Michael, as well as Lyta all crowded around the monitor and started looking it over. Michael just grinned at Harry. Harry just smiled and shrugged back.
When they were done, they looked at Harry in a new light.
"So you just show up at new places?" Susan asked.
"Yes. Never know where and it's not really under my control. From what I have been told there is a … higher power … directing my placement."
"God?"
Harry chuckled. "No. One of his grandkids. Or at least that's what he told me."
Everyone, including Michael this time, looked at Harry in complete disbelief. Harry just gave a Marauder's grin back at them and refused to say more. Each of them took what he said with a grain of salt.
Everyone sat down. "Okay. For the moment, I'll buy it." Sheridan looked at Lyta. "So, how can we verify this?"
Lyta replied, "All I have to do is send the password. The reaction will be noticeable. If the false personality takes over, it will be obvious."
Harry was appalled. "Woah, woah, woah … WOAH! What do mean 'the false personality will take over'?"
Lyta explained the Psi-Corp program and explained that the only way to verify was to activate the implanted personality.
"So you're just going to sacrifice this woman just to verify it? All her life? Her hopes and dreams?" Harry was appalled.
Lyta replied in frustrated tone. "That's all we can do! And it's too dangerous NOT to check!"
"Aren't you a telepath? Can't you just look in her head and check her out?"
Lyta angrily said, "I'm a P5! These commands were implanted by, probably, P12s! There's no way I can fix it. And it requires a human to see because alien minds are too different. And according to what I've learned – it's irreversible. It CAN'T be repaired."
Harry stood up in determination. "I cannot accept that! I will not be a party to destroying a woman's mind and soul without making any effort at all! I won't STAND for it!"
Sheridan was sympathetic. "What else can we do? I don't like it any more than you do. But we have no choice!"
Harry shook his head. "There's always a choice." HE took a deep breath. "I am a Master Legimens. I learned under two masters as well as a few gods and goddesses in different universes. I've seen probably every type of mental attack. I'll go in and look. And if I find it, I'll make every effort to fix it. Without destroying her."
Susan's face took on a look of hope. She looked at the Captain. "I …." Everyone looked at her. "I think it's a good idea."
Everyone in the room looked shocked, except Harry. Garibaldi was stunned. "Wow! I've NEVER heard you agree to ANYTHING telepathic."
Susan's reply was heated. "She's my friend! And she's a telepath. I know her. If it's the only way to fix it … it should be done. We at least have to try."
Everyone looked at Lyta. She looked discombobulated. "Don't ask me. This is WAY beyond what I can do." She paused. "I'd like to telepathically check to see that he's telling the truth though."
Everyone looked at Harry. He shrugged. "Sure."
Lyta concentrated on Harry and was taken aback. "Those shields are stronger than a Psi-Cop's!"
Harry grinned. "You have to give me time to make a door – otherwise, you'd never get in." The others in the room were stunned, even if they were only witnessing it. "Come on back in. Knock on the wall and I'll let you in."
The command staff watched as the two others in the room engaged in … whatever it was that they were doing. It took about 15 minutes. But suddenly, Lyta took a deep breath and then slumped. She closed her eyes as she gathered herself and then opened them to look at the others. She had a look of awe on her face.
"He isn't lying. About anything. He's probably the only person in any universe who isn't a god who could do it. Except one of his teachers might have been strong enough – but he was too much of a bastard to have cared enough to do it right. So Harry is the better choice."
Harry and Stephen were present in the isolation medlab. The command staff was watching from behind the glass partition. It was decided that this was the best choice. Franklin could be on hand to monitor her vitals and to take steps if it all went to hell.
Talia had agreed to the scan, not believing for a moment that it was true. She had only been told that Harry was a P8. The artificial personality didn't stop this because it knew that it would take a P12 to even find the window – and opening it was impossible.
Harry was sitting comfortably in a chair in front of Talia who was in another chair. She was strapped down to prevent flailing. Suddenly, Harry pulled out a stick and pointed it at her. She was confused. He whispered, "Legimens!"
The command staff watched the two. It had been over two hours already and there was no sign of either moving or giving any indication that they were aware of their surroundings at all. Stephen had even walked out to talk to the others and no monitor showed even an iota of a change.
There had been changed in heartbeat and respiration. Increases and decreases had occurred. None were sudden. That changed at the three and a half-hour mark. Suddenly, Talia tensed up to unbelievable proportions and looked as though she were trying to get away.
The others watched in alarm.
Just as suddenly, Talia just … relaxed. She slumped over even as Harry pulled back and blinked his eyes. He took a deep breathe and then looked up. "It's done." He turned to the window. "We need to talk."
Harry was sitting in the Captain's office. He was drinking hot tea and trying to regain his strength even as he talked. "Everything Ms. Alexander told you was true. There were blocks and compulsions and commands all implanted around a personality that was buried in her mind. These commands were reinforced with drugs and pain."
He sighed as he thought about it. "Luckily, it wasn't a REAL personality. I have experience with possession." Everyone looked interested at that but Harry shook his head. "Not something you want to know about – it would give you nightmares."
The way he said it convinced them that he was being honest … and it was better not to know.
"Luckily, all of these commands were actually foreign to her personality … to her soul. Therefore I could wall her mind off from it completely. Once that was done and the blockage from her was taken down, she and I could work together. I needed her as it was her mind, but I could provide the muscle to get the process working."
He looked at them with a tough of disgust. "The things that were implanted into her were some of the most vile and base impulses I have ever encountered. Whoever did this to her aught to be kissed by a dementor." At their confused look he explained. "A demon present in my original world who would eat the souls of those they attacked … used for capital punishment in the society I was part of."
Sheridan said with disgust, "That's evil. How can you say that?"
Harry gave him such a look that he was taken aback. "I agree. It IS evil. And if there is one thing I cannot stand in all the universes I've been to, it's dementors. I've met Gods who were so evil they had to be destroyed who I wouldn't consign to a dementor. And dementors are the embodiment of fear. For me to even think it was justified to use them … I never could have imagined it before I saw what was done to that poor woman."
Everyone looked at Harry in shock. He sighed. "It's probably a good thing that there are no dementors in this universe. Anyway …." He shook his head. "Anyway. She was encoded to implant subtle suggestions." He looked at them. "The underground railroad for telepaths? She implanted commands in a number of those she's met. Not to change their personality, but to avoid ever coming back. Whoever instigated this wants telepaths that refuse to be controlled to become unavailable to anyone who really needs their help."
The command staff looked confused. "Who could need their help?" Susan asked.
Harry considered answering, but decided that the timeline shouldn't be mucked around with too much. "The only thing I can say is: You'll figure it out, eventually. And not too late." None looked happy, but they all nodded in acceptance. "It even implanted commands in that P12 that came through."
Lyta was confused. "How can a P5 effect a P12? They don't have the strength!"
Harry looked at her with pity. "All telepaths are ever taught in this world are brute-force methods. Whoever taught this implanted personality was different: They taught the personality how to finesse the process. It's not always about power. It's about how you use it. I'm not a 'telepath' according to your definition. But I have more mental ability than probably anyone you've ever met or ever will meet. It's not about power … it's about knowledge. Trust me. The commands were placed."
He grinned then. "I also taught Talia … the real Talia … how to reverse it. She can't stay here. And she can't go back to Psi-Corp. So she's going to go meet up with the underground and find those that have been infected and reverse it."
"How will that work?" Michael asked. "Psi-Corp is going to go nuts if a telepath disappears. It will raise an alert to holy hell."
Harry grinned. "She's going to be a double-agent. How to contact her 'Control' was part of the commands she had implanted. We got rid of the compulsions but not the knowledge. She's going to report that she was compromised by Ms. Alexander here sending to control command and that she has escaped your clutches in order to facilitate the commands her implanted personality wanted enforced after she 'follows Ms. Alexander' here to 'Destroy the threat'." He looked smug. "They won't say a thing. Just file an 'Unofficial' complaint through that Psi-Cop that seems to take too much interest in you people. He'll make sure that no one looks too hard."
Everyone else in the room sighed in relief. They had a plan.
Harry looked troubled. "What?" Sheridan asked.
He paused and then replied, "I need to talk to Susan privately. There were a few things that came up."
Everyone looked at the member in question. She was giving him a hard look. Finally she nodded. "Okay." She stood and looked at the Captain. "Permission to take a break. This sounds important."
Sheridan nodded. "It's getting to be close to the end of your shift anyway. I'll take it for the day."
Susan nodded and motioned for Harry to follow her.
Susan had taken Harry to her quarters. She knew that whatever he told her was not going to be good and that she wanted no one to witness it. She just had a feeling.
The two sat down in the chairs in the main room. "So, what's this about?"
Harry sighed. "I'm going to guess a few things and then tell you." Susan nodded. "You're patently against telepathic scans." Nod. "The only telepath you've gotten close to in the last fifteen years is Talia." Nod. "You've developed strong, hidden feelings for her. You might even be in love with her." Hesitant nod. "You were almost ready to open up to her. To open your mind to her. To let her see the real you." Stronger nod.
Harry sighed. "I'm sorry to have to be the one to tell you this. Your feelings aren't real."
Susan was shocked. "What do you mean?"
Trying to not be too emotional, Harry explained. "The hidden personality used a subtle probe to find the connection you used to have with your Mum. It's been subverting it to make you love Talia. Once you opened up to her, it was going to implant a much stronger compulsion to allow the false personality to control you. It was going to make you into a mental slave."
Susan was horrified. As she contemplated what she was being told, she was torn between rage and grief. Harry slowly stood up and moved around to her and embraced her. She fought for just a moment … and then completely broke down.
Susan sobbed in Harry's arms for half an hour. Finally, she calmed down enough where she was no longer actively sobbing, but still tears ran. She pulled back and Harry let go. He led her to the loveseat and sat next to her with his arm around her shoulder to provide comfort.
Finally she said, "Tell me about it."
And he did. "The connection with your Mum is still there. It's just missing the other half. And because it's the representation of true love in your mind, it's the one thing that you never question … never think about … never let anyone see. It's yours as almost nothing else in your mind could ever be. It's the one opening that could be used to subvert your free will. It also reinforced the hatred for scans from others – so that no one would ever find the implants that it was going to create."
Susan considered that. As she though about it, she started to get angry. Before she could move into rage, Harry interrupted her. "Susan!" She looked at him. "If you allow me, I can do something that probably no one else could do. I can show you, in your own mind, the implants and the subversions and how they can be gotten rid of." She was about to protest but he forced her to listen. "I can then show you how to make certain that it's never used to control you again. I can show you techniques from my world that are far, far better to protect your mind than anything found in your world. When I am done, you will be able to protect yourself from anything and anyone less than God, if you so desire. Even his grandkids couldn't break you."
Susan stood up and paced as she considered the offer. Everything she was fought against the idea … except what he had just done for Talia.
Finally she looked at him. "I'll agree to getting rid of the implants. If Michael is here and watches. I trust him far more than I trust you … but I can trust just enough for this."
Harry nodded. "Actually, that kind of ties in with something that I thought of … an idea." He looked at her. "I'd like to teach you to create and nurture bonds with your closest friends. Maybe you can at least notice if they are ever controlled or altered mentally." With some intensity he said, "I want to teach you to be the only true Legimancer in this universe. You won't have a lot of power – but you will be far more versatile and far better than any 'telepath' could ever be as far as control goes."
Susan actually got a small, vicious grin at that.
Harry cautioned her. "It will take practice. I'm going to have to teach you how – but you're going to have to do the work every night to clear your mind, build you defenses, and then practice the subtle probe. You can't tell anyone about it … a telepath who is prepared for it will notice. If they aren't expecting it, though … let's just say that you will have nothing to worry about."
Captain Sheridan was surprised the next morning when he met up with Susan. "Susan." She looked at him with interest. "You're … remarkably calm this morning. I was expecting … well, it didn't look good."
She sighed. "It wasn't. But Harry helped me with the problem. Maybe someday I'll explain. He's still around. I let him sleep on my couch and then took him to Michael to get him at least a temporary card."
Sheridan nodded. "That's fine. Just as long as he doesn't get into trouble. I don't want to see his name in a report if I can avoid it." He looked around and dropped his voice. "Those who might cause trouble really shouldn't wind of him."
Susan nodded in agreement. She then paused a moment. "When is Talia going to go?"
"Michael is working that out. It has to look good. As far as anyone knows, she's under house arrest."
Susan nodded. "I need to see her before she goes."
Sheridan was nervous. "Is that a good idea."
Susan smiled. "It will be fine."
"Okay. Just talk to Michael."
Talia was thinking about the steps she would need to take. She was also waiting for Michael's part of the plan. She needed to send an "all clear" to control soon. Which meant she didn't have much time before she had to get away.
Suddenly the door chimed. She looked up. "Open."
The door opened and Susan walked in. Talia was very nervous. Until she saw the smile. Her own was more hesitant. "Hello, Susan."
"Hello, Talia."
The two talked for twenty minutes. Talia was apologetic and Susan was forgiving. She had seen Harry's memory of the implants and she felt empathy for how Talia had been used herself. The anger she felt was for whoever had done it. When they were done, they both stood up.
Talia had tears in her eyes as she quietly said, "I could have love you."
Susan had a few tears even as she smiled and answered, "I could have loved you too."
The two embraced and cried for a few minutes. They pulled away from each other. Still with their arms around each other. Susan said, "This is goodbye. And good luck. And I hope we cross paths again, when this is over."
Talia nodded. "The same goes for you. I'll always love you as a friend."
"Love as friends."
Harry spent a good two weeks on the station, spending some time with Susan most nights to continue to work with her and teach her techniques and methods. Anyone not in the know thought that she had gotten a boyfriend.
Because she wasn't magical and had only the slightest telepathic power, it took some time for Harry to teach her sufficient finesse with what she had for it to be useful.
Harry found that Susan had an echo of magical talent. She probably wouldn't be considered even a squib back in his world. But it was astonishing in the fact that it existed at all.
It was as though God had put her in this place with just enough magic, just enough telepathy, just enough charisma, just enough empathy – just enough of EVERYTHING – so that she could at least relate to anyone and anything she ever met. Susan Ivanova had the most potential for ANY path of anyone he have encountered in all the worlds he had visited.
Susan would be a leader no matter what world she lived in.
She and the others had been present when Harry had finally moved on. It was a beautiful sight to behold. And, internally, she thanked God (she had seen his memory of Him) for allowing Harry to visit and teach her.
Harry had been far better than any counselor, priest, rabbi, or shrink than anyone she had ever met. For the first time since her mother's suicide, she knew she was mentally healthy – or at least on the road. She just had to practice her occlumency every night until it was perfect.
Susan smirked as she considered Marcus. He thought he was being so sneaky in hiding his growing feelings for her. She had noticed much earlier than she would have if Harry hadn't helped her the year before. She wasn't going to play games with his heart, but she decided that she would make him work for it. She really did like and respect him and it really could go far. She wanted it to grow naturally, though.
Besides, she had caught a glimpse in Harry's mind of the two of them together. And her hardheadedness about love was just a screen for those who weren't willing to look deeper. She'd find out soon if Marcus was the type to look deep enough.
Susan considered Michael as the meeting broke up. He had been lost and then found and she, through the bond that she had created with him, knew that he had been altered mentally.
The only reason she knew was because the blocks were mental – and the bonds she created were on the level of the soul. No telepath could ever break that connection. She decided to act.
Michael was in his room after the long day. It really looked like everything was going to hell. And that guy with Sheridan really pissed him off. His thoughts were interrupted when the door chimed.
He called, "Enter!" even as he sat up. "Susan! What are you doing here?"
Susan walked in and smiled at her friend, her smile showing some concern. "I wanted to talk to you because I noticed something when we were in that meeting."
"What did you see?"
She sighed. "Someone did a 'Talia' on you."
He looked at her with wide eyes. "What!?"
She looked at him with compassion. "Harry taught me how to see it when he visited and helped her. That's what he was doing for those two weeks while he was here. Teaching me to see when it happened to a friend … and teaching me how to fix it."
Michael was horrified. "Someone implanted a fake personality?" Nod. "And you can fix it?" Nod. He got up and paced for a moment. Everything in him was fighting to protest – but he was just enough of himself to not dismiss it out of hand. Besides … if it was true, the false personality would cause him to not allow her to fix it. So, through to compulsions that hadn't had enough time to grow, he replied, "Do it."
Susan nodded and sat down.
It was a long process. When Susan finally got Michael through the last blocks to the implanted commands, they were both horrified. If this personality had been activated … it would have been a disaster. But finally, after three hours, it was fixed.
When it was done Michael asked, "What do we do? There's no proof."
Susan considered it. "Why don't we see the Captain and talk to him? And then we can decide."
Garibaldi nodded. And then sighed. "I'm gonna have to apologize to him and that Lorien guy." He took on a pout. "I hate having to apologize."
Susan laughed.
Lorien was talking. "Only those whose life is brief can imagine that love is eternal. You should embrace that remarkable illusion. It might be the greatest gift your race have ever seen."
Finally, Susan grinned. "Oh, I plan to." Lorien was surprised – and as the oldest sentient being in the universe, this had not happened in quite a long time.
It actually gave him hope for the future of the universe – something he had been faking for a very long time.
Michael walked in. He sighed as he said. "I just got a 'secret message' to activate the 'Talia' program. Someone back on Earth is making plans."
Everyone took a shocked breath. Susan asked the Captain. "So what do we do?"
It was finally decided that Michael would be the 'Double Agent' – apparently doing what he was "programmed" to do. Luckily, because of the work he and Susan had done, he was also immune to telepathic probes now.
He wasn't telepathic at all and so he couldn't do what Susan did, but that didn't mean he couldn't use it.
When Susan commenced the attacks against the advanced destroyers, she clamped down on her emotions and used her tactical senses to the full. As a result, she hadn't placed the ship in a position to be hit by the debris. She never got injured enough to take her out of the fight.
Susan looked back at her life. It had been long and interesting. There had been joys, sorrows, defeats, victories … but she had been in control of herself since she was in her thirties, when Harry Potter had visited her and helped her to overcome her problems.
Marcus, her husband, had died the year before. She felt that her part was done. It was time. She would go on to her next great adventure with a smile and with real joy in her heart.
She was found the next day by her great-grandson, who was a Ranger who worked for her directly. There was a joyful smile on her still face.