Aberrant: Stargate Universe - The Price of Power [Fin]

[Yseult Sierra]

More than Two Weeks in Isolation

Yseult stalked restlessly in her prison. It was a very nice prison, more spacious than her shared quarters on sublevel fifteen, with full amenities, but a prison nonetheless. The door was kept locked, guards were stationed outside, and she was outfitted with a prisoner’s uniform. In actuality, they were standard green BDUs, but to a civilian contractor who liked her clothes, there wasn’t much difference. All because they couldn’t be sure that she was the woman she said she was, the one that had already been working for Stargate Command for five years.

Yseult paced relentlessly, waiting for Dr. Frasier to return with the results of her latest weekly cat-scan. Hopefully, if this test didn’t show any anomalies in her brain-waves, possible indicating a different persona, they would finally release her. She had been restricted under Cheyenne Mountain for more than two weeks, and it was well pass wearing on her. To pass the time, all they would give her were old reports, half of which it seemed she had written or helped on. She was far more interested in the reports of the new ‘Specialists’ and the Ancient Artifact, but they were still being denied to the possible “compromised operative”.

She wanted to understand what changes the others were experiencing, and how the Artifact affected the alteration, so she could possibly see what could happen to her. Yseult would be lying to herself if she said the possibilities and her new abilities didn’t intrigue her, but they, and the ramifications they caused, were frightening too. She snarled in frustration.

When she heard the door beep with the release of the magnetic lock, she swivelled on her heel and approached the door, restraining her anxiety with an obvious effort. When she saw Dr. Frasier enter, she twisted her fingers together to prevent herself from grabbing the red-haired doctor.

“Well, Janet? What did the cat-scan show? It was clean, yes? I can go out now?” In her haste, Yseult’s French accent nearly made her words unintelligible.

Janet’s eyes filled with compassion for her troubled friend. “Yes Yse, the cat-scan showed no unusual anomalies. But we can’t release you yet. The IOA is still looking over our shoulder, and we can’t show any favouritism for a fel—“

Yseult stepped breast-to-breast with Janet, glaring down at her with her unnatural turquoise eyes, sclera mostly hidden by the irises. Before her change, Yseult and Janet were of a height, but now the doctor was no more than eye level with her young looking friend’s chin. “Tarbarnaque Sacrama! You damn Americans and your alphabet soup of organizations. I can help you! I have been here for five years! Doesn’t that mean anything?”

“Of course it does Yse. And if it was up to me, I would have you out of here is an instant. I could really use your help with Aradia McConnell. She had a very different reaction to the Artifact than the others. But you have to understand—“

“Non! I do not have to understand!” Tears of rage and frustration ran down Yseult’s cheeks. “I am being locked up by the US military, and I am not even an American citizen. Plus, you are making me feel useless by not giving me any access to the materials about what is happening to the others. To Me! I can’t even get my research on the Goa’uld toxin.”

“I should be able—“

“It is not like you can keep me in here either Janet!” Dr. Frasier could feel… nothing lift her up till she was eye level with the furious Yseult. “I only stay by my own choice. After all, I have no where else to go.” The heavy steel door suddenly jumped in its frame, a long crease appearing in the metal, marring the green paint. “And for my good behaviour I am treated no better than what a Goa’uld would be!”

Janet tramped down on her fear. In many ways, Yseult was undergoing the five stages of grief, and Anger had finally raised its ugly head. She had rarely seen Yseult angry before, and never to this extent, and had never had this much apprehension at the sight. That fury had taken on a new meaning, and a new sense of danger, with a telekinetic of unknown limits. Hanging unsupported in the air, Janet tried to hide the panic rising in her eyes, and reason with her livid friend. “Please Yse, calm down. We can get this worked out. I’m sure it won’t be too much longer.”

Before Dr. Frasier could continue, the guards outside responded to the commotion and rushed into the cell, P90s drawn. “Put the doctor down and your hands up ma’am! Right Now!” the airforceman on the left demanded.

Yseult growled at the intrusion, a vicious smile coming to her lips. “How about I put you up, soldier?” Janet was shifted behind her, so that Yseult was between her and the door. Before the airforceman had a chance to act, his gun was yanked from his hand, distorting under the fierce, unseen pressure. Then he was thrown against the wall and held there with the tremendous, invisible force.

The remaining soldier reacted instinctively to his guard-mate’s distress, shooting at the youthful, golden beauty. His aim was good, but the bullets seemed to slow in mid-air, and their trajectories fluctuate, the bullets either dropping at her feet or missing completely. He was disarmed and slammed against the ceiling as easily as his fellow guard. The bent door slammed closed with a clang.

Yseult turned her back on the soldiers, once against focused intensely on Dr. Frasier. “See Janet? See! Anytime I wanted, I could have left. I don’t want to be calm, I want to be allowed to leave, I want to go back to my husband, and my daughter, and my son!” Janet gasped as she felt her clothes press roughly against her flesh as Yseult tightened her telekinetic grip.

Janet grimaced against the pain, and spoke as calmly as she could, while hanging in the air from her friend’s greater-than-human power. “Please Yse, stop this. I know that you’re angry, and that you miss François and your children, but you are only giving the IOA what they want… Remember what happened with SG-1 and the Atanik Arm Devices? You, in particular, should remember. This is what they fear, not only who they think you could be.”

At the mention of the Atanik Arm Devices, all the blood drained from Yseult’s face, her stunning visage almost as white as snow. Her rage fled instantly, leaving her feeling weak, faint. She landed jarringly on her behind as her legs failed to support her; her focus broken, Janet thumped to her heels firmly, the unsupported guards landing much more roughly.

Yseult looked up the red-haired woman, her face blank, inhuman eyes distraught. “I remember,” she breathed.

Click to reveal.. (Memories)

Yseult approached Major Carter in her lab, hearing the too fast clacking of a keyboard being used far beyond its designed parameters. She swallowed nervously as she passed a partially redesigned Naquadah reactor, seeing that Major Carter actually had a half-consumed chocolate éclair in one hand; the overly rapid typing was being done with one hand.

“Excusé moi, Majeur Car—“ Yseult cut-off with a sqeek as Carter stood up and whirled around blindingly fast. She was well aware of the increase in strength and speed that the Atanik virus had affected, and a spasm of fear ran through her as Carter loomed above her by more than half a foot.

“I said not now Janet.” Carter’s voice was full of annoyance as she looked down on the short, black haired doctor. “Oh, Dr. Dionne-Langlois, I’m sorry, I thought you were Dr. Frasier. But I still don’t have time for any tests right now.”

Though she was scared of what Carter could do without even trying, Yseult still put an assertive hand on her arm. “Janet and I must insist Majeur Carter. The Atanik Virus may be having other effects on you that you are not aware—“

“I feel fine Yseult, not please run along and—“ Carter’s gentle shove to get her on her way had a much more drastic effect than she intended.

Yseult flew over the big table in the middle of the room, her ankles clipping the edge, sending her into a tumble towards the wall. She struck with the resounding crack of breaking bone, consciousness fading fast.

Samantha Carter was at Yseult’s side in an instant. “I’m so sorry Yseult, I didn’t mean it. I’ll get to Dr. Frasier in a second.” As she slid her arms around the injured doctor, Yseult screamed with the pain of her broken clavicle. As she fell into unconsciousness, she heard Major Carter say the she would bring Dr. Frasier here.

Yseult crawled to her bed, heaved herself into it, curled up into a ball under the covers, and pressed her face to the far wall. “I’m sorry Janet, Je serai une bonne fille maintenant.” She whispered, her voice meek and muffled by the blankets.

The two guards climbed weakly to their feet, looking between Dr. Frasier and the blonde specialist. “Shouldn’t we restrain her Major,” one said to Janet.

“I’m not sure we could private,” Janet replied, looking at her friend, her mouth tight, but her eyes full of sympathy. “And it won’t be necessary. She just needed a reminder on the price of power.”