He was the spitting image of Jessie Devereux. Or she was his. They both had the same color hair and eyes and sharp white features. The personality differed greatly though. This guy looked like he was used to people jumping when he spoke. But he didn't seem nasty. Just agitated.
      "Maybe you can get me the Captain. I don't have time to mess with these officers."
      Zack found his voice. "Are you Mr. Devereux? Jessie's father?"
      The man's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I will not talk to anyone but your Captain."
      Zack went up to him. "I'll get him immediately. I'm sure we'd all like to hear what you have to say."
      He tabbed his comlink and requested Sheridan to meet him pronto.
      While they waited Zack let his mind wander. So this was her father. He looked to be in his early forties. He also looked like he hadn't slept in days. He seemed to be running purely on adrenaline. Zack offered him the rest of his coffee.
      He looked at him warily but accepted it. "Thank you." "No problem," Zack replied. When he reached for the cup Zack finally noticed he was wearing black leather gloves. Seemed Lyta was right in some of her assumptions. He must be a telepath. And he did indeed appear to be someone who was used to authority.
      The man seemed to be studying his surroundings very intently. Almost like a.................
      No! Uh-uh! Zack blanched. Please, not him too.
      Sheridan strode into the room as he came to his conclusion. "And who's our guest here, Mr. Allen?"       The man stopped everything.
      "Captain, I want to talk to you. Alone." Sheridan glanced at Zack, then back at the man.
      "Alright. Every one else leaves except my Security Chief. Whatever you have to say, he'll need to hear too if it's about the kidnapping."
      The man agreed somewhat reluctantly. Everyone else filed out leaving the three of them together.
      Sheridan took a seat and gestured for Zack to do so also. Then he spoke. "Would you like to start with who you are?"
      The man sat up straight in his chair and gazed steadily at the Captain.
      "I'm Edward Forrester. I'm Jessie Devereux's father."
      "Forrester?"
      "Her mother took her maiden name when we were forced to have a divorce."
      "What do you mean forced?"
      Edward leaned forward. "Captain, I came to you because I have certain sources that say you can be trusted. I hope they are not wrong in this?"
      "I would also hope they are not, Mr. Forrester."
      He considered Sheridan's words for a few seconds then made his decision.
      "As you've probably figured out already, I am a telepath, Captain. As is my daughter. I am in fact a Psi-Cop.
      Or was, I should say. I left my post one week ago." The Captain and Zack both sucked in their breath simultaneously. I knew it! Zack thought. Score another one for Lyta.
      Sheridan leaned forward in his chair. "You're a Psi-Cop?" He got up and started to pace. Then he turned to Edward.
      "How do I know I can trust you? You're clearly the girl's father just from your appearance, but how do we know all this isn't some sort of elaborate set up by the Corp for something? You'll forgive me if I have a problem with this."
      "And you'll forgive me if i don't have the strongest confidence in you right now. How do I know you won't turn me over to the Corp? It's known, your distaste for the Corp, Psi-Cops in particular. Look Captain, I had no intention of ever setting foot on your station until this situation occured. Jessie's presence here was a necessary evil. Now something's happened and I need to find her before they get her off this station. They intend to use her to get me back no doubt."
      Sheridan gazed at the man. He acted sincere, and truly looked upset about his daughter, but he wanted to make sure. "If what you say is true, you wouldn't object to a scan?"
      "A scan? Captain, I'm not playing games here. This is my daughter's life we're talking about."
      "I understand that, but you have to understand my position too. We've been screwed over by the Corp, particularly Cops, several times. You're correct, I'm not exactly fond of them and I don't trust them. If you're playing straight with me, then a surface scan while we talk to test your truthfulness isn't going to hurt anything. If you refuse, you're welcome to spend your time in the Brig until this situation is over with."
      Forrester quickly answered "Alright, fine, get someone in here to monitor me if you must, but do it quickly."
      Sheridan dispatched an officer to go and round up Ms. Alexander. She arrived soon, looking much refreshed after last night's ordeal. She approached Captain Sheridan." My wake up service says you rang?"
      "Lyta, this is Edward Forrester, Jessie's father. He wants our help but I want to know I can trust him first. I want you to monitor him for truth while we talk to him."
      Lyta did not look thrilled. She spoke to Edward. "You're from the Corp, aren't you?"
      "Not anymore, Ms.Alexander. I've left them for good."
      "I guess we'll see about that." She took a chair, placed it across from Forrester, and sat down. "Ready when you are, Captain."
      Sheridan started questioning him. "You are Jessie's father, correct?"
      "Yes."
      "And you are.....were.....a Psi-Cop until recently?" Lyta's eyes widened at this but she made no comment.
      "Yes." Sheridan looked at Lyta for confirmation, she nodded.
      "Alright, we want to know exactly what's going on. You level with us, and we'll help you. Understood?"
      "Yes, Captain. What do you want to know?"
      Sheridan waved his hand. "Start at the beginng and end up with your daughter being kidnapped from our Med-Lab."
      Forrester looked upset by that. "Med-Lab? Was she injured previously?"
      Zack spoke up. "She had a pretty nasty mind burst but she was recovering when she was taken."
      Forrester whispered,"My God." Then he spoke as if to himself. "I should have gone and gotten her myself.
      I should've known this was too dangerous for her alone." His features were pinched as if in pain. he looked over at them "You want the whole story,fine."
      He started. "I was 20 yrs. old and married at the time to a wonderful woman. We were very much in love.
      Then one day, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I had been at work and it felt like an explosion had gone off in my head. When I came to in the hospital, I was surrounded with Corp representatives. The hospital had reported my incident to them as a possible telepathic episode. They tested me for 2 days and then came to tell me the joyous news that not only was I a telepath, but a P-11. They let my wife see me finally, and she was in tears. The Corp had been to our house and packed all my things already. I refused to go, said I'd take the sleepers, but they told me "unofficially" this was not an option. I was very promising they told me, and they needed teeps of my caliber. I told them I wouldn't leave my wife. Later that day, a Cop came to visit me and gave me 2 choices. I go into the Corp and co-operate, and they consider letting me keep a "mundane" wife, or they force me into the Corp and I never see her again. Naturally I took the first one. I told Celeste everything would be fine if we went along with them. They took me and trained me for six months, all the while promising I could see my wife "soon." Finally, I demanded to see her or I would stop cooperating.They brought her to the Training Center a few weeks later and said we had 2 hours together. It was horrible. Celeste told me she'd been to the Center, or called almost every day and she was given the same run around that I had gotten. Then she started getting warnings that she desist her actions or disciplinary actions would be taken on me. The visit was over too soon. I was told she could visit again in a few months if my performance was satisfactiory." He paused a moment. Lyta found it hard to summon shock at his story like Zack and the Captain were displaying. She'd heard stories like this all her life.
      Edward continued,"Another couple months went by and they had me start interning with the Psi-Cops. I went along with everything, on the assumption I'd get my wife back. Then the other shoe dropped. I was informed by one of my superiors that a suitable genetic mate had been selected for me and that my divorce proceedings with Celeste were underway. I was struck dumb. I went crazy and they had to restrain me. I look back now and wonder how I could have been so stupid as to believe them that first year.
I should've seen that I'd never be allowed to stay with Celeste." He cleared his throat.
      "When I finally realized there was nothing I could do about it, I requested that I be allowed to see Celeste one last time. They magnanimously allowed me to spend an entire day with her at our house. Under surveillance of course. They weren't taking any chances that we would try and run. Celeste told me that she had conceived on our last visit. She was a few months pregnant. I was beside myself but there was no way we could run. We talked long into the night and made plans. I told her to go to Proxima 3 as soon as possible, before they found out she was pregnant. Make a new life for herself and keep our child safe. There was no other choice. I told her somehow I would find a way to communicate with her. We were heartbroken when we parted. I married the teep they'd selected for me and the years passed. When I became a full fledged Cop I found a way to communicate with Celeste. I set up a phony business address half a world away and had vids with our messages sent thru there every six months. We were never together but at least I saw her and got to watch my daughter grow up. When Jessie was about sixteen, I was ordered to Proxima 3 to pick up some packages that were too delicate for a simple courier. I had a full 24 hours with my wife and daughter. It was better than I could have imagined, but like always, it was over too quickly. Then, two years ago, I receive a vid from Celeste validating my deepest fear. Jessie had manifested telepathic abilities. I stepped up my recordings to every 3 months, to try and teach Jessie the basics and mostly how to conceal her ability from others. The plan was when she had a handle on her skills, she and Celeste would leave the colony and hopefully, I could join them one day, and we'd be together again. Then Celeste contracted Melen's disease and her health deteriorated quickly. I never had a chance to get to her. She......," He choked on his next words. "She died a month ago."
      He turned away for a minute, trying to compose his face. Sheridan felt for him. He knew what it was like to have your wife die while you were parted and have been helpless to do anything about it. Zack sat motionless. He wasn't sure what to think about all this yet, and he didn't like how the story was going.
      Edward went on. "I finally decided to do what I should have done years ago. I let them frighten me into submission and ruin my life and the lives of those I loved, but I decided they weren't going to get away with it any longer. I sent Jessie a data crystal with travel arrangements and informed her she would be met by someone on Mars when she got there. I helped a few rogues escape some years back and they were returning the favor . They had arranged for us to be smuggled off of Mars and to a place near the old Markab sector. They had friends hiding me until Jessie arrived. I got to Mars and was told Jessie's transport was rerouted and was going to be held over at Babylon 5 for a week. I didn't worry too much. She'd been told minimum contact and she's so shy anyway I knew she'd probably just stay in her room by herself." At this 2 pairs of eyes wandered over to Zack and he shifted uncomfortably. Edward didn't notice.
      "Anyway, I was on Mars about a week ago and one of the group hiding me says he saw a woman showing my picture around the flight station and questioning if anyone had seen a young woman in my company.From his description it had to be Liza, my telepath wife. Then she boarded a transport for Babylon 5."
      Sheridan looked puzzled. "Your wife knew?"
      "She must have found out somehow. I don't know how, but she did."
      "Then why would she come here? Why not wait til Jessie arrived on Mars?"
      "One, I don't think she knew what Jessie looked like and Jessie was supposed to get a phony I.D. while she was here. Two, I think she wanted the credit for capturing Jessie and me herself with no help. This was personal."
      "Why?"
      "Because I didn't love her. She probably thinks I betrayed her and the Corp by leaving. My wife is a firm believer in the Corp. Also, I bet good money she wants revenge. She and I had a son about ten years ago but he died in infancy and she was left barren. She never got over that and blamed me. When she found out I had a daughter by Celeste that was in hiding.............She undoubtedly went into a fit. Liza is not a very stable woman."
      "So you think your wife has Jessie?"
      "Yes, and that scares me more than just any person in the Corp having her. Liza has a lot of rage built up. She might harm my daughter."
      "So," Zack summed up, "somehow your wife found out about your plans and came here to intercept Jessie.
      She must have found Jessie by her name yesterday, she never had a chance to change it."
      "That's what I was afraid of. I tried to get here as fast as I could when I heard about Liza, which is probably what she was hoping for. I tried but never got thru to Jessie's transport and I was afraid to leave her a message here. I had hoped to beat Liza here. I knew a few shortcuts. Guess it wasn't good enough. "
      "Well, Mr. Forrester, I'm terribly sorry about your situation ,what would you suggest we do to help?,"said Sheridan. Forrester was silent for a moment."I think you need to back off on your search. Liza isn't a stupid woman. She'll just try and wait you out."
      "What a mess," Zack said.
      "Yes, it is," Forrester said quietly. "Something I should never have let happen. I should've left the Corp years ago and taken back my family. Now Celeste's gone and Jessie is missing........this all my fault." He stared at his hands.
      Sheridan spoke up. "Sounds to me like you did the best you could. You kept your daughter safe, and you couldn't know your wife would contract Melen's disease. Nothing's ever certain in life, you just do what you think is best."
      "I should have gone and got Jessie myself. She wasn't up to this. She's been terribly sheltered her whole life."
      "So," Zack said, "What do we do?"
      "I think we need to flush Liza out with just the right bait,"Edward said. "Give her what she wants."
      He leaned his face against his hand and gazed out the office window. "Me."

       
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