Abel III's Awakening - 30. Chapter 30 "Wild" Bart

Chapter 30

“Wild” Bart

Dennis and I returned to our cabin to do the scan and thorough review of Bart Matthews psyche to prepare and find out what we could be dealing with as mentors for him. We sat on our couch and joined completely in our mind-meld after informing Hal what our plans were. Dennis insisted that we do a really thorough scan and go into details. He insisted we not follow my usual convention of leaving someone's deepest private thoughts and feelings alone as much as possible. He made the point that so called “wild” talents usually did not make a successful transition into their talent and that we needed every advantage we could find. Having reached an agreement, we followed our thread to Bart and noted he was less comatose. A quick scan of those physically around him revealed they were in the process of slowly bringing him out of the drug-induced coma so they could turn him over to the Nexus health facility. It made our job easier in many ways as we no longer had to work through the nearly impenetrable fog of medications to get the information we needed.

Our prior psychic commands to remain calm were still in place and working better than anticipated. The work we had done on Bart's shields was also doing an effective job in blocking the psychic leakage and better yet, the filters we put in place were filtering out most of the mental musings of those on the cruise ship, which he had been receiving in an unbearable torrent. However during the course of our probe, we noted the angry young man, as he became less sedated, was beginning to panic and was almost sick with fear that he would end up a raving lunatic like his great aunt Rachel and later his uncle who had both suicided. We reinforced our prior compulsion that he remain calm.

Rather than reviewing Bart's most recent memories and working backwards, we decided to start with his earliest memories and work forward. We were hoping to discover as much as we could from his earliest memories about his relatives for some clues about other psychic ability in his family.

His earliest memories were of his father whom he idolized and worshiped. Daddy could do anything and make almost anything young Bart could wish for happen. It came crashing to end when Bart was just five years old. His dad's younger brother broke the news to him. His dad was killed in accident at his research facility when a computer controlled containment field overloaded and exploded killing him and six research assistants instantly. Uncle Thad was as heartbroken and upset as his young nephew. Bart senior was only twenty-nine years old at the time of his death. Thad was just twenty and had to assume the role of personal guardian for Bart. As the reality of his dad's death sank into his immature mind, Bart hated his dad for not being careful and getting himself killed.

Bart became a somber child and went about his schooling with an almost monastic fervor determined to be a preeminent research physicist and carry on his father's business. Having inherited his father's intellectual gifts and flair for independent thinking, he did exceptionally well in his studies. His uncle Thad dealt with the trustees of Bart's estate and dabbled in his own business. Thad's trust fund from his father enabled him to invest in real estate and invest in business ventures as well. Bart's dad had taken over the family company that was heavily involved in government research and development contracts working on space based power systems, force fields, and basic research on anti-matter with the goal of finding practical applications for it.

Dennis and I went over all Bart's memories, learning as much as we could and diligently worked our way to the present. It was taking us hours, despite our ability to review and assess an extraordinary amount of data fairly quickly. Due to our detailed study, we learned an awful lot of technical information and physics from Bart and were excited to find he accomplished his goals and established himself as the premier research physicist at the family company.

His great aunt Rachel was someone he found out about from his uncle Thad as he was losing his mind. Rachel was his grandfather's older sister and she was about twenty-five years old when she became schizophrenic. It was years before Bart's dad and uncle were born and it had a profound effect on their father who became his sister's guardian. She was kept sedated and treated at the family home but never recovered and spent more than twenty years of her life paranoid that everyone was out to get her. She died from a drug overdose as she had faked taking her medications for several days and then took them all at once when she figured she had enough. Their father had waited for twenty years more after her death, to have his children worried that he would go insane too.

Thad had told young Bart about Rachel when Bart was just fourteen years old and that he was afraid he had inherited the family 'curse' and was going crazy too. He told Bart that was trying to hang on to be there for him, and that he had become reclusive to avoid being found out, but that he too would end his life rather than live in constant fear. Their house was remote and Thad had completely automated it with all the latest gadgetry, so it was kept clean and functioning with little human intervention. Shortly after Bart attained age sixteen and became legally an adult, Thad had suicided as well. Based on the family history, Bart was now convinced he was going insane as well, albeit at a much earlier age than his uncle.

Dennis and I drew the obvious conclusion, and surmised that both Bart's uncle and great-aunt had been wild talents as well who went insane with no one to teach them to control or use their talents. It was a heart-rending story and one we wondered how often was repeated. More determined than ever, we sifted through all of Bart's memories to learn as much about him as possible so as to be best prepared to help him.

We spent several hours delving into his mind exploring his past memories, feelings, impressions as well as his subconscious musings and speculations as well. He was an impressive man with a keen mind and an intuitive intelligence with well-developed observational skills and a scientific demeanor. His love life was another story. After his uncle's death, the formerly monastically celibate and driven teenager, decided his life could be much shorter than he anticipated and that he needed to experience life before it was over. He became a devotee of the clubs and engaged in sexual assignations with both sexes, suspecting that he would like women more than men.

He was surprised to find that while he enjoyed sexual relations with women, that his passions were much stronger and more easily aroused with men, especially older men. He'd led a fairly promiscuous life until he was twenty-two when he became involved with Jack Spreckler whom he had known at school. They met again at a party. Jack was a couple years older than Bart and loved to play the 'daddy' part. It was huge turn-on for Bart and they soon became involved and then exclusive at least as far as Bart was concerned. Bart felt betrayed beyond measure during the cruise when he had made a special effort to dress in a new tuxedo and prepare for a formal dinner at the captain's table. He had finished dressing a little after Jack and had the tuxedo made at the tailor's aboard the ship. The jacket was a deep burgundy with crystals embroidered onto it in a swirling pattern and Bart thought it was spectacular. As he made his way into their formal sitting room of their spacious cabin suite, he distinctly heard Jack say, {You are pretty thing in your finery but it is your money that has my real interest.} Of course, Jack hadn't said that, he'd thought it, but Bart 'heard' it clearly and confronted Jack.

The ensuing argument was loud, became heated and vicious and would have become out of control except that a steward arrived to take them to the captain's table for dinner. Barely containing his anger, Bart went to dinner and vowed to avoid speaking to Jack at all costs. However, at dinner, Bart became disconcerted in the babble of conversations, both real and those merely thought by the socially opinionated crowd. He began responding inappropriately to their thoughts rather than their words and sparked some real anger and hurt. The next few days were worse and his relationship with Jack was irretrievably broken with all kinds of horrible encounters with other guests as well. He was a veritable volcano of emotions and anger, which spilled out and spread to those around him. Finally, he was so disruptive that he was confined to the ship's medical bay and deeply sedated.

But now, as the drugs were clearing from his system, he was becoming aware that something was probing him deeply and he again began to panic and become paranoid. We responded immediately and tamped down his panic and poured on a healthy dose of reassurance and attempted to make our 'presence' as unthreatening as possible. We had to work to make our efforts successful, as Bart's dread was deep-seated.

During all this, Hal had been observing and arranged for Steve and Bill to bring us our supper in our cabin which they did quietly not wanting to disturb us. Dennis and I ate on autopilot and I don't think either of us could tell anyone what it was that we ate. With our usual appetites, we ate until all the plates were clean, only taking enough of our attention to mechanically eat.

We went to bed still fairly well tethered to Bart's thoughts and his situation. Between us, we only got a few hours of sleep apiece. Fortunately, while Bart was sleeping, we took the time to sleep too, keeping a watch over those around Bart and rousing more fully when they came near to check on him. It was our first experience trying to maintain contact with someone and monitor their surroundings psychically while we slept and we both found it taxing.

We were fully awakened when the medical staff awoke Bart and did an assessment. They were relieved to see that he was much calmer, not raging with anger and seemed to have cooled off during his time of sedation. They again informed him that he would be leaving the cruise ship at the express orders of the captain whom he had embarrassed at his own table and then upset many of the wealthy guests. They were nearing the space station Nexus and he would be transported there in a shuttle as they had better medical facilities to treat him or he could easily arrange transportation from the station back to his home planet.

Dennis and I noted that the cruise ship would not be wasting time even docking with the station. Bart was to be delivered via shuttle, which would then return to the cruise ship so it could then speed off on the rest of its voyage. We scanned the crew and zeroed in on the shuttle pilot that would be transporting Bart and got the details of his schedule and found out which bay he would be using to make his delivery.

For his part, Bart was glad to be getting off the cruise ship and was making plans as well. Rather than the medical bay, he intended to first go to the station branch of his bank and cancel Jack's access to all funding he had provided. Then he planned on heading to a travel company and see what his options were for getting home as fast as possible. This was a determined young man and he was over-riding some of the compulsions we put in place and rather than try to make them stronger, we came up with an alternate plan.

Indeed it was some hours later that we watched Bart as he confidently entered the station through the shuttle bay door. He immediately went to an information kiosk and got directions to his bank facility. We followed him at a discreet distance and watched him physically as he entered that facility. Telepathically we were watching as well and silently monitoring him closely as he arranged his own credit and reloaded his portable com unit, which seemed to have been drained by Jack while he “slept.” He then arranged to cancel Jack's access to all credits and funds. With his own com now fully restored to functionality with available funds, Bart then left the bank and was using his com to navigate the station as he moved toward a travel company.

It was as he was walking through a deserted walkway on the station that we intercepted him, moving up along either side of him and of course it was Dennis who said, “Hello!”

Bart gave us both a startled look and said, “Do I know you?”

I replied both conversationally and telepathically, {“Well, we have never been formally introduced, but we know you and you have sensed us.”}

The color drained from Bart's face and as he started to panic, I sent, {It's alright, we [Dennis and I am called Abel III] are here to help you and guide you. You are not going crazy. Your telepathic talent is emerging and you need our assistance, otherwise you indeed may go insane.} At the same time, Dennis and I were sending feelings of calmness and a strong compulsion for Bart to act and think rationally.

It appeared to be working and we began moving in the direction of the space station arm where our cargo ship was moored. We noticed that the physical act of walking was also aiding Bart's ability to process the bombshell we had dropped on him. He projected at us, {Can you read all my thoughts?}

{Yes and you will be able to read ours too. It is a gift and a responsibility and therefore, it is a double-edged sword. The gift must be used discreetly and rationally and an innate moral compass is required to prevent abusing it. As you do not have any family member to guide you in this, we are taking you to our ship where we will spend the next few days or weeks, whatever it takes, to help you learn what you need to function and avoid detection by the government.}

As I finished that send, Bart tried to break away from us and was clearly panicking thinking he was being kidnapped. I sent the command, {Freeze!} And Bart froze in place as we stepped up to him. I sent the command, {Walk with us!} I used my full command mental voice and again it worked. We escorted Bart without further incident or communication back to our ship.

I sent ahead to Hal and my family, {Assemble in Grandfather's cabin, we need to convince Bart that we mean him no harm and will indeed correctly train him in his emerging talent. We will be there shortly.}

The meeting in my grandfather's cabin started off rocky as Bart had been extremely frightened to see we could mentally compel his actions and of course he made the leap of understanding that we could be mentally compelling his thoughts as well. Fortunately, my grandfather ran the meeting and after settling Bart down with a cup of coffee, he was able to explain our family and the secret families with known telepathic ability as well as the fact that the ability exhibited in the 'wild' so to speak, usually with horrific outcomes. Grandfather freely discussed our family, it's business and wealth and the fact that we had no interest in appropriating either Bart or his assets, but we were deeply committed to seeing that he transitioned into his ability successfully. He further emphasized that there were no other telepaths in this quadrant of space and that no one makes it through the transition without some help. He then informed Bart that his grandson Abel III and his mate Dennis were designated as his mentors, but that he could freely contact any of the people in the cabin if he had a problem or a concern.

With that my grandfather turned it over to Dennis and I and we asked Bart, “Do you feel secure enough to accompany us to your new cabin where we can make arrangements for your luggage to be brought from the shuttle landing bay?”

“Yeah, I guess,” he responded somewhat weakly and it was apparent that he was still fairly shaken up by all that was revealed.

We escorted him down the short hall to William's former cabin. It was neither as large or grand as the suite Bart had on the cruise ship, but it was comfortable. We showed him the data point and he made arrangements to have his luggage delivered to the Silverspin after we gave him the berthing bay and number. Then I asked if he needed to use the facilities before we went to lunch and he said yes and went in and used them and then washed his face and hands. Then we escorted him to the dining room.

Grandfather had put out the word to the crew that we had picked up a wealthy passenger and would be transporting him back to his home planet, albeit on a rather indirect course as he had no need to hurry. Bart joined us at the family table and it was family style. He was famished but I telepathically cautioned him to not eat too much after being sedated for so long as his digestive track was not used to processing bulk. Meanwhile Dennis and I ate with our usual appetites and even Bart was awed by the amount of food we seemed to inhale.

He even tried a send to us and said, {I understood your caution to not eat too much, but I would never have attempted all that you guys devoured.}

That produced a mental chuckle from all the telepaths at the table and Bart was surprised that everyone could 'hear' him.

I sent, {Until you get some training, you will be unable to limit your sends to an individual or a group, but rather you will be doing a general broadcast. That is another reason why you need training. Your sends are strong enough, that even some who are not telepathic, if they are in close proximity when you send, may pick up some of it.}

As I sent that, Dennis and I were still reading him rather closely and we heard his mental conclusion even though he was not sending, {Oh shit! This could be harder than even they have indicated.}

We didn't reply but exchanged the thought with each other, {You have no idea.}