Command Me To Be Well [Completed]

4 - I take it from here

I call him Master Auberon in presence of other people, and I follow his direct orders. Out of politeness, not because I'm his underling.

He allows me to do my thing, and never approaches me closer than two steps away. Out of politeness, not because he's a brute, and I feel threatened in his company.

That's the deal we strike.

And it works.

In the next two days, I get acquainted with the people of the Gate.

Most of them have already heard about me. Some of them have heard things about me that I've never done, making me sound like a superhero version of myself, but I guess it goes with the job.

They are from all different nationalities, from all around the globe. Most of them are air force rangers. Flying all kinds of jet fighters, in a seemingly chaotic, but in fact, a very well organized formation.

The man responsible for organizing them, not only by nationality but by several other mystical aspects, is called Timur. He's the operator. An older man, second in command to Master Auberon, and a legit mastermind in his own right. He knows practically everything. He answers all of my questions. And, what's even more important, he also asks me questions.

So he's the first to understand the plan.

The third day an attack arrives.

The Wasps appear on the radar, like a storm made of small red dots. In reality, they are not that much different. They fly in a swarm. They act as one. They are one hive, so they communicate with each other through a collective mind.

Certainly a more developed method than ours.

Timur's eyes are scanning the monitor in a laid back way. His voice is calm too. He's not shouting orders. He's murmuring them, keeping everyone else calm and collected, as if he was putting a spell on them.

Master Auberon is standing behind his back. He interferes only when necessary. Also in a quiet, almost peaceful tone. He makes the decisions, and Timur breaks them down in seconds into positions, directions and coordinates.

I can't deny it, I'm in awe. I've never seen anything this effective in my whole life. Well, using traditional methods.

I'm standing just a few steps away from them. There's no one else in the control room.

I take a deep breath, and I let my mind expand. It feels like opening a gate, and let a team of wild horses run free. It's pure ecstasy. Just for a few seconds, sadly. After that, sense of duty kicks in, and I put my galloping thoughts on a tighter leash.

I open the doors of perception.

This is the phrase I start each and every session with. I've been using it ever since I was little. I know, it's a famous quote by a famous writer, but seriously, he had no idea what he was talking about.

I have.

It feels like breaking into pieces, and being united into an ineffable wholeness at the same time.

I feel the little dots appearing on my mental map, one by one. They are the same dots that are pulsating on the radar. Except these don't have a color. These have feelings. Emotions. Motivations. Intentions. Sometimes even memories.

I breathe out. I sense each one of them, Wasps, humans, at once. But I don't want to interfere. It's not necessary. The commander and the operator are doing it perfectly.

Then something happens.

I sense something on the perimeter of my mind. An interference. Much before the radar can sense anything. Then the strange blur breaks into dots. Vengeance. Fury. Killing.

"They are here," I squeeze out, trying to sound calmer than I am. "The surviving members of the swarm, which destroyed the other outpost. They are here."

"Where?" Master Auberon asks, leaning closer to the radar.

"They're not visible yet. But closing in. And..." I furrow my brow with a painful grimace. The number of targets is getting too much to handle.

"And?"

"And they're planning a surprise attack," I inform them.

"Where? How?"

"I can't explain," I sigh. "It's complicated. We don't have that much time."

"Then what?"

"I take it from here," I say, opening my eyes. It hurts so much, processing visual information, besides the mental one. But I have to convince him somehow. Or else many will die.

But I don't need to say anything. Timur nods first. Not in my direction. In Master Auberon's.

"It must be done, Duncan. Anything else would be a waste of time."

He doesn't protest. I sit in front of the radar. Not because I need it, just to give an impression of control.

"Go on," Timur whispers, putting the microphone in front of my face.

My voice sounds a little hoarse. It's a side effect of the growing pain in my head. Still, I'm sure it will do. After all, I see the emotions of all those people I'm going to talk to.

"It's the Gate speaking," I declare. "And I guess you know who I am."

"Yes, Madame Seer," comes a reply, then another, many of them, from every leader of every squad.

"Good. I'm here, because today we have to try something new."

I close my eyes. I feel the growing pressure behind my eyelids.

"If we want to survive, we have to operate as our enemies do. To be one for a short time. I'll be your eyes. And I need you to be my arms."

I give them a little time for my words to sink in. Then I go on.

"Can we do this?" I ask them, though I know their answer before they utter it. "Do you trust me enough to do this?"

"We all know what you're capable of," comes a tentative first voice. Then it's joined by many others. "We do, Madame Seer."

"Good." I nod. "Then let's rock and roll."