Rebirth: The Mass Effect. Book 1. part 5

What I'm doing now is playing on the verge of a foul. Either I get the support of Kraick and Chakwas, or I have to... neutralize the results of your gullibility. As much as I hate this outcome, I don't want to risk their disbelief. Mentalism will soon begin to manifest itself. Enough to correct other people's memories.

I REALLY hope it doesn't come to that.

In principle, there are chances to get an ally. Nihlus is inclined to believe me. But why? Was he convinced by my ability to speak his native language? Or something else? Then I'll talk to my dear mentor. In private. In any case, he won't turn me in. He'd rather kill himself if I posed a threat than expose our shared failure to the public: him, as a mentor who made the wrong choice, and me, as a screwed-up candidate. But with the doctor, everything is much more complicated. She's in no hurry to believe. She wasn't too convinced by my words and the knowledge that came out of nowhere. It will be difficult to convince her, but... It's better to convince. I saw how reverently my fighters treat her. If I harm this woman, I will make some VERY unpleasant enemies.

I hope she doesn't disappoint me...

"Imrir, can you take one test?" Dr. Chakwas asked softly, handing me the datapad. "This is my personal development."

"Why not?"

I picked up my datapad, sat on my bunk, and took the test. Nihlus turned off his device for a while and closed his eyes. The Turian was breathing heavily, but gradually his breathing steadied. I slightly squeezed the power supply channel, and my handler instantly switched off. The devices immediately reacted to the change in the patient's condition and beeped faintly, attracting the doctor's attention.

"What is it?" Karin's gaze darted between the screens.

"It's time to sleep." I muttered under my breath, increasing the output of energy.

The indicators returned to normal, but Nihlus did not wake up: the fainting gradually turned into sleep. The doctor smiled out of the corners of her lips: the hint was understood and approved.

Commander, the test.

A test is a test...

* * *

The doctor was clearly on a roll when she did this freaking test! I spent more than two hours on it, trying to wade through hundreds of tricky questions with a bunch of hidden meanings in them. If I was still trying to analyze the first hundred and somehow think about the answers, then after the second one I wrote what came to mind, without really bothering to think about the result. May it burn with fire! You can't predict what's going to come out anyway. After setting up the last answer, I handed over the datapad.

"Doctor, I'm done."

Karin smiled, seeing my sidelong glance, took the device and immersed herself in reading my writing, and I was plunged into despondency from the realization of the situation. I've just been beautifully divorced and taken over. And I also voluntarily confessed.

On the other hand, what do I have to lose? I need the Doctor as an ally. Or at least not an enemy. She should know about my abilities. At least about the possibility of their existence, since he will witness their application in practice more than once. Unless, of course, I can somehow get rid of this damn ship! But I want to. Watching the doctor's impassive face and the barely perceptible flare of her emotions, my despondency deepened and deepened: it was too interesting a cocktail. And fun, and curiosity, and surprise, and misunderstanding, and outright stupefaction. I wonder what this reaction is about? I don't think I've written anything so criminal...

"That's a very interesting result, Commander," Chakwas finally said.

I don't even want to know the results from the tone in which it was said.

"Is it that bad?" I asked despondently.

"Well, why is that? I expected the worst." They smiled at me with a kind smile that sent chills down my spine.

"I am glad that I did not meet your worst expectations."

"Come on, Commander. Your results are extremely interesting. I don't see anything... the bad one. I'll expect you for an examination tomorrow at the same time."

"Can I go now?"

"Of course, Commander."

I was graciously shown the exit, making it clear that they would not give up YET.