Deathstalker 07 - Deathstalker Return

to Shub being involved here."
    "Now, now," Finn said calmly. "You must learn to work alongside your Shub colleagues, Dr. Ramirez, or I will have you removed from Haden and replace you with someone who understands their duty to the Empire. At least Shub doesn't withold valuable information."
    "That's not fair!" Ramirez said immediately. "We've shared every discovery that was safe to reveal. But if there's one thing we've learned the hard way in our time here, it's that we have to proceed with the utmost caution. Just being around the Maze is enough to drive perfectly reputable scientists crazy. This place gives you ideas… dangerous ideas. There's something about the Maze, about its nature…"
    "We do not have to proceed so cautiously," the robot said. "The nature of the Maze does not frighten us, and these remote-controlled bodies can be exposed to any risk. They are easily replaced. Perhaps robots should replace human scientists completely, since humans are so physically and mentally weak."
    "Boys, boys, don't fight," Finn murmured. "Still, the robot has a point, Dr. Ramirez. What have you been
    doing here, that justifies your continued presence?"
    "Well," Ramirez said reluctantly, "we've been examining the remains of the abandoned Hadenman city nearby, and we've uncovered some startling new additions to Hadenman and Human history. At first, we were mostly concerned with recovering new technologies from the city, and indeed we still are, but just recently we stumbled across a stash of data crystals whose contents shed a whole new light on what we thought we knew about the origin of the Hadenmen. The basis remains the same; a group of Humanity's finest scientists came here long ago, and passed through the Madness Maze. Most died, horribly, but a few came out mentally transformed. These new intellectual giants made themselves into cyborgs, and became the progenitors of the Hadenman race, of infamous legend. But we now know one of these surviving scientists followed a very different path. She was already an esper before she entered the Maze, and when she came out her psionic abilities had been boosted and altered almost beyond belief. She had become Humanity's first uber-esper."
    "What were the nature of her new abilities?" asked Dr. Happy, sounding almost sane for once.
    "According to the data crystals, she had become an extraordinarily powerful telepath, capable of forcing other espers into a gestalt consciousness, which she could then dominate. Through the gestalt, all their powers became increased, and she was able to wield them all. She traveled the Empire, collecting other espers and absorbing them into her gestalt. The new Hadenmen followed her progress with fascination, but they were still human enough to be scared of her. When she had enough espers under her control, she returned to Haden and forced them all through the Madness Maze. The Hadenmen… kept out of her way. It also seems she used her powerful mind to drive all the other espers crazy, before putting them into the Maze. Perhaps she thought it would protect them. Perhaps she thought it would help her control them afterwards. Either way, most of the espers died, and the few that emerged… were monsters."
    "We all have monsters within us," said Dr. Happy, blinking owlishly.
    "How true," said Finn. "Do carry on, Dr. Ramirez."
    "I think you know who I'm talking about," said Ramirez. "These monsters were the legendary uber-espers: the Shatter Freak, the Gray Train, Blue Hellfire, Screaming Silence, the Spider Harps. The terrible minds that run the Esper Liberation Front these days. The original uber-esper had intended to use the power of these minds to force all espers into one great esper consciousness, like our oversoul today, but under her control. But for the first time, her ambition exceeded her abilities. The pressure of so many minds fighting to be free destroyed her. The gestalt collapsed, the woman died, and what remained of her mind was sucked into the mass subconscious of the espers; later to emerge as the Mater Mundi. The other uber-espers disappeared, fearful of being controlled again, and developed their own agenda."
    "Fascinating," said Finn. "Do you have any clues as to the identity of this remarkable woman?"
    "Yes," said the blue steel robot. "We have a name: Alicia VomAcht Deathstalker."
    "Well," said Finn, after a while. "I didn't see that one coming. You've given me much to think about, Dr.
    Ramirez, but it's not why I came here.