Alone
(seaQuest DSV - Hallway)
(Wendi exits the Mag-Lev on Sea Deck and heads for the Moon Pool.)
(Sea Deck - Near Moon Pool)
(Wendi walks into the room and looks around.)
Wendi: Hello? (Darwin pops up out of the pool and Wendi gasps in surprise.) Darwin, I was told there was a medical emergency in here.
Darwin: No. No emergency. Darwin wants to talk to Wendi.
Wendi: Is it just me or are you behaving more strangely that usual?
Darwin: No. Darwin just wants to say 'Surprise'!
(And at 'Surprise', the rest of the crew come out of hiding. They are all wearing party hands and a banner comes down from the ceiling that says 'Happy Birthday Wendi'.)
Henderson: She's really surprised! We did it!
Dagwood: (holding up some fake flowers) Um, happy birthday Wendi. I didn't have any real ones.
Wendi: (takes the flowers) Oh, Dagwood, thank you. These are much better than real flowers.
Lucas: Didn't you know? Didn't you sense we were planning a party?
Wendi: No! You know I don't scan anybody's thoughts without their consent.
Ford: Well, in that case we have to tell you what we've been thinking out loud.
Bridger: On behalf of the officers and crew I have been requested to give a very long speech so that they'll have time to prepare the refreshments.
(Bridger moves aside and Ortiz comes up pushing a small table with a huge cake on it. The cake is shaped like a human head.)
Bridger: Here we are!
Ortiz: Happy Birthday Wendi. (Wendi looks distracted. She looks around the room and does not pay any attention to the other crew members.) Wendi?
Wendi: What was that?
Bridger: What was what? (Suddenly Wendi gasps in pain and slides to the floor, and he goes over to her.) Wendi, what is it? What's happened? Have you sensed something?
Ford: Stand back, everyone stand back, give her some room.
Wendi: It felt like a psychic power entering the world a thousand times more profound than anything I've ever felt before.
(UEO Headquarters - New Cape Quest, Florida)
McGath: Will the Security Committee come to order. Section 7 has something important to bring to our attention. General Reed?
Reed: Yes. (he begins to convulse and shake) Something's happening!
(Suddenly a man bursts through and hovers above General Reed. He laughs.)
Man: Do you think you can stop me? Do you think you can plot against me and survive? I am the Avatar of your dreams. I am your beginning and your end. You have tortured me and mine for many a year and now your time has come. Your sins shall be avenged. (laughs) Join me in hell! (points his finger at Reed and Reed is thrown back and falls unconscious to the floor.)
McGath: Get a medic!
(Later)
(Captain Bridger, Wendi, Lucas, and Ford arrive at UEO headquarters. People stare at Wendi as she passes by. Bridger goes up to the Receptionist.)
Bridger: Captain Bridger and staff to see the Secretary General.
(The receptionist does not look up as she answers him.)
Receptionist: He'll see you in just a minute.
(Bridger looks a little put off by her attitude but he goes and sits down. Lucas leans down to the woman until his face is level with hers and she looks up.)
Lucas: Why is everyone staring at us?
Receptionist: They know she's a spier.
Lucas: A what?
Receptionist: A psychic. Someone who can spy on your mind. They're afraid.
(Conference Room)
McGath: There have been at least five attacks in the past two days. He always calls himself the Avatar. Apparently it's some sort of Hindu name.
Lucas: It means a God who appears as a man. Especially a God who is the destroyer or re-builder of worlds.
Bridger: And all the victims end up in comas?
McGath: Yes. It's as though their conscious minds have been erased. The press is calling them psychic assassinations.
Wendi: This can't be the work of a psychic. I mean part of what makes us psychic is the empathy we feel for other people. To cause this much terror would torture a psychic doing it.
McGath: We don't even know where these powers come from. All that we know is that since the late 1990's people of psychic power have been growing more numerous and more dangerous.
Bridger: That's absurd.
McGath: (to Wendi) I know that you would never harm anyone.
Wendi: I couldn't if I wanted to. All I can do is scan conscious thoughts and maybe bend a spoon if I really have my concentration. That's all any psychic I've ever met can do.
McGath: Not anymore. You should have seen what happened here. It was obviously a psychic and he sure as hell was after us. Now we have got to stop this Avatar now.
Bridger: And how do you propose to do that?
McGath: I, uh, ordered you to come directly from seaQuest so you wouldn't hear the news because I wanted to assure you that it does not apply to you.
Lucas: Here it comes.
McGath: The security committee has asked all known psychics to report to Camp Arnold for internment. They will be tranquilized with drugs known to suppress psyonic powers until the crisis is resolved.
Bridger: You can't do this. It's against civil rights. It's like interning the Japanese during World War 2.
McGath: We're fighting for our lives here. And it's not just the UEO. The non-member states are doing it as well.
Lucas: Oh man, this stinks.
McGath: I wanted to assure you, I wanted you to know that the order does not apply to psychics with UEO security classifications and that includes you.
Wendi: Why? Because you're hoping I can help you?
McGath: You sensed his power? Only briefly, but you sensed it and that is more than anyone else has been able to do. If you want the round up to stop help us catch him while there is still time.
Wendi: (thinks) I'll need all the information that you have.
McGath: I'll meet you at the guest house this afternoon. And please work as quickly as you can for your sake as well as mine.
(UEO Safe House, Location: Classified)
Wendi: UEO rounds up spiers. You know, from the time we were kids we've dreaded that the day would come that people's fear of psychics would turn into rage and now it has.
Bridger: Well, people are always afraid of what they don't understand.
Wendi: I don't even understand it myself. All I know is that I've always felt like a freak.
Bridger: Please, you're not a freak.
Wendi: Do you know how they discovered I had powers? I was eight years old and I was scoring perfectly on my spelling test. But then they started testing me with nonsense words and I got all those right too because I was reading the answers right out of their minds. And once they realized what was happening I could also read their fear and their revulsion. There's a poem, by Edgar Allen Poe that could have been written by a psychic. 'Since childhood's hour I have not been as others were, I have not seen as others saw, I could not bring my passions from a common spring, from the same source I have not taken, my sorrow I could not awaken, my heart to joy at the same tone, and all I loved, I loved alone.'
Bridger: Wendi, have you taken a look at our crew lately? Lucas, a technological genius. Darwin, a dolphin who would rather live with humans. Piccolo has gills. Every one of us a stranger, alone.
Woman: (on PAL) Captain, the Secretary General has arrived.
Bridger: (into PAL) Thank you. We'll be right there. (to Wendi) Ready?
Wendi: Yeah. (she begins to look uncomfortable as she puts on her shoes)
Bridger: What is it?
Wendi: I…I just feel strange. (She goes to reach for her other shoe but it slides away. She raises her hand and the shoe rises with it. She is able to make the shoe spin around. Suddenly she breaks off and the shoe flies into Bridger's hand.) I don't want this!
Bridger: What's happening.
Wendi: Ah, I think there's an energy field entering the building and since I'm sensitive I'm able to re-channel it. It has to be the Avatar. (she gets her shoe and puts it on)
Bridger: It wants McGath. Come on! (he and Wendi run out of the room. To Lucas who is in the hallway) Get Commander Ford, it's happening again. (Lucas complies.)
(Downstairs McGath is frozen in place as the Avatar hovers in the air in front of him.)
Bridger: McGath!
Avatar: I warned you not to try and stop me. You think your puny friends with their tiny little powers can ever hold me back. (he raises his hand to McGath)
Wendi: No!
Avatar: Get out of my way. (He fires a psychic shot at Wendi but it misses and hits Bridger. Bridger falls to the ground. To McGath) Join me in hell! (He fires at McGath and McGath is flung back into a wall.)
(The Avatar disappears and Wendi runs over to check on McGath. As she kneels over him security runs in and sees her.)
Guard: Look out! It's a spier!
(Wendi runs for her life and the guards chase her. She heads for the dock and is able to get into a boat. Ford, Lucas, and Bridger run out after the guards and try to stop them from firing at Wendi.)
Ford: Hey!
Bridger: What do you think you're doing?
Guard: That spier attacked McGath.
Bridger: The hell she did!
Guard: Maybe she's taken control of your mind, Captain. But she hasn't taken control of mine. I know what I saw and I'm issuing a warrant for her arrest. (to others) Move out!
(University Classroom)
(An elderly black man is straightening up his classroom. Wendi walks in.)
Man: Wendi.
Wendi: Professor Bingham. (they hug)
Bingham: I was hoping you would come.
Wendi: Has the UEO been here.
Bingham: Oh yes, all day. I think they finally gave up on me.
Wendi: So they told you what's happening.
Bingham: In great detail. Inaccurate detail perhaps, frightened detail certainly, but detail for sure. (he walks over to his desk and turns off a small device and puts it in his briefcase)
Wendi: And?
Bingham: I couldn't help them.
Wendi: When I was growing up, after my time in the institute convinced me that nobody but ourselves would ever understand us, you changed my life. You're not a psychic but you could talk to me better than any psychic could. You weren't confused by my conscious mind you were reading my heart.
Bingham: You give me more credit than I deserve. You were frightened, but very honest. All I had to do was listen.
Wendi: You understand us better than we understand ourselves. You must have an idea who's doing this.
Bingham: No psychic I've ever met, that's for sure. Psychic's are perfectly normal people, they even commit crimes. But not ones involving this much fear and suffering.
Wendi: And yet I saw an attack happen. I mean, except for it's enormous power it felt exactly like a psychic projection.
Bingham: Are you sure?
Wendi: Yes.
Bingham: Then it's obvious, isn't it? There's been an artificial intervention.
Wendi: What do you mean?
Bingham: This psychic…this Avatar that the UEO has been calling him isn't really there. Just his image is. If he isn't feeling his victims terror that means all that's projecting is his telekinetic powers, his ability to manipulate objects and energy, but not his empathy.
Wendi: So you think something's amplifying the one power but not the rest.
Bingham: It has to be. I mean, my god Wendi, maybe he's not naturally psychic at all.
Wendi: You were researching this years ago, weren't you?
Bingham: The purpose of my research was to create a device that would give normal people psychic powers. Then there wouldn't be any difference between them and natural psychics. And the fear and persecutions that's happening now would never occur. But I failed.
Wendi: You're holding something back.
Bingham: Wendi please.
Wendi: Professor, to many lives depend on this. You have to tell me what happened.
Bingham: I fashioned a device. A crude device that did amplify psychic powers. But it only worked for people who already had those powers. Can you imagine the fear normal people would have had if this had become known?
Wendi: Well is it possible that the Avatar has this device?
Bingham: No. It was far too dangerous, and the energy drain could destroy the mind of the person who wears it. I had to destroy it.
Wendi: Oh, no, you couldn't have. Not after that much work. I know you're trying to protect me, but you have to give me this device.
(Suddenly the Avatar appears. They stare at each other for a minute. Bingham thinks about it, and then goes and gets the amplifier from his briefcase. He turns it on and places it on Wendi's head.)
Bingham: Wendi!
Wendi: (to Avatar) Tell me who you are, what you want.
Avatar: I am the Avatar of your dreams, and I've come for you.
Wendi: Why?
Avatar: In all the world you are my only opponent of power, and yet your eyes are filled with kindness. I followed your energies across the city and I'll follow them across the planet if I must. Come to me. Join with me.
Wendi: Tell me where you are. Let me see you, as a person.
Avatar: I am everywhere and nowhere. I am the Avatar of your dreams. Join with me. Merge with me.
(He tries to bring her to him, but Wendi is able to throw up a force field to stop him.)
Wendi: This isn't the way. Let me see you as a person. Tell me where you really are.
Avatar: My powers are growing by the hour. Mankind has turned against us. Once you turn against mankind you'll see me with new eyes. (he disappears)
Wendi: I have to get out of here! (turns and runs out)
Bingham: No! Wendi wait! You don't know what you're facing! Wendi!
(Outside)
(Wendi continues to run as a police car pulls up. She rounds a corner and stops as the lights of the car hit her. She slowly backs away, but Ortiz grabs her.)
Ortiz: Wendi! It's okay, it's us. It's us!
Wendi: How'd you guys find me?
(As they talk she keeps trying to get away.)
Lucas: Well the computer said you did your advance training here so we figured it was our best shot.
Ford: We were on our way when the report about the Avatar came in.
Wendi: If there's been a report then Section 7's gonna be here any minute. I've gotta go.
Henderson: Wendi!
Ford: Do you know where you're going?
Wendi: Yeah. I got an image from the Avatar's mind, it's enough for me to find him.
Ford: Well we're going with you then.
Wendi: No! I can't protect you. (she begins walking away)
Ford: Will you just wait a second, Wendi?
(She throws up a force field to stop them and she runs off. The field holds them their for a minute before wearing off. They run after her. She makes her way to the docks and enters a launch. She takes off before they can reach her.)
Lucas: She's taken a shuttle.
(seaQuest - Bridge)
O'Neil: I've got Commander for on Tac 1, sir.
Bridger: (into Com) I hope you've got good news.
(Ford's Shuttle)
Ford: Well that depends on how you look at it. We found her, but she ran. She took a University Shuttlecraft.
(seaQuest - Bridge)
Bridger: (to O'Neil) Are you tracking anything?
O'Neil: I've got a shuttle bearing off the port bow, at 27 degrees. That's gotta be from the University.
Bridger: Plot an interception course. Jonathan, where are you?
(Ford's Shuttle)
Ford: We're in a sea speeder heading out from Fort Gore.
(seaQuest - Bridge)
Bridger: Good. See if you can catch her. (to O'Neil) Put her on the screens.
O'Neil: Got her on Tac 2, sir.
(Wendi pops up on the screen)
Bridger: Wendi, what do you think you're doing in that shuttle? Are you gonna let us help you? I want to know what your heading is right now.
(Wendi's Shuttle)
Wendi: I can't draw you into this.
(seaQuest - Bridge)
Bridger: How fast do you think you're gonna go in that thing? We could overhaul you in a couple of minutes.
(Wendi's Shuttle)
Wendi: I think I know where the Avatar is. If I can take him by surprise maybe I can defeat him. Seeing seaQuest would be too big of a tip off.
(seaQuest - Bridge)
Bridger: You gotta think this through. If you take the Avatar on one on one he's going to be more powerful in person.
Wendi: (on Com) Well that's all the more reason for me to slip in by surprise. And all the more reason for me not to risk your lives. Out.
(The screen goes blank.)
Bridger: Lucas, do you have a course projection on her?
(Ford's Shuttle)
Lucas: Yeah, but it doesn't make much sense because it looks like she's heading for the Alev Colony.
(seaQuest - Bridge)
Bridger: The welfare colony?
Ford: (on Com) Yeah, only the government is sending medical cases to it now. A private company tries to make a profit by having the able bodied patients care for the chronic cases.
O'Neil: Why would the Avatar chose to stay in a place like that?
Bridger: I don't know but we're gonna find out. Jonathan, keep a close tail on Wendi, but not too close. She may be right. We'll give her as much support as possible, but try not to tip him off.
O'Neil: Captain, I've got Colonel Mannheim on a secured link from Section 7.
Bridger: Put him on all the screens. I may need witnesses for this.
(O'Neil complies and Mannheim appears on all the screens.)
Mannheim: (on screen) Bridger, where the hell are you?
Bridger: I don't think I should tell you.
Mannheim: (on screen) You don't understand, we've got a situation developing here.
Bridger: A situation?
Mannheim: (on screen) General Reed was responsible for security at all of our fusion power sites. Apparently when the Avatar attacked him he also accessed his knowledge of the reactors. Now they're going out of control one by one. We're nearing meltdown outside of some very major population centers.
Bridger: All right, here's what I think you need to do. I think you have to stop rounding up all the psychics. I think you have to ask them to help you shield your reactor sites. Maybe with their combined power you might stand a chance.
Mannheim: (on screen) What makes you think they'd help us now?
Bridger: Because in my experience they're a hell of a lot more humane than most people I know. I know they will do anything to help. In the meantime we're going to try to get to the bottom of this. Bridger out. Okay people, we're going to have to risk going in hard and fast. O'Neil, warn Commander Ford and sound general quarters.
O'Neil: Aye aye, sir. (flips a switch and the alarm goes off) General quarters, general quarters. All hands man your battle stations.
(Wendi's Shuttle)
(Bridger is on the screen.)
Bridger: (on screen) Wendi, things have changed now. The Avatar has started to attack reactor sites.
Wendi: Well that doesn't change what I have to do.
Bridger: (on screen) Yes it does. I've got Ford's team following you. They're going in with you and we're following right behind.
Wendi: Okay. But it doesn't really matter. I'm almost there.
Continued