milliways_bar | (no subject)

(no subject)

It's morning. Ray's awake.

He's also got two fairly thick books on advanced aviation systems and advanced composites welding. If the 'USED' stickers on the spines are anything to go by, they came from a university or college bookstore.

He's going to get permanent wrinkles in his forehead if he keeps frowning like that.

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Johnny nodded, "It is, especially with the amount of connections that Stillson's getting. And he's not going to stop with just being a senator either. He's going to end up elected as President."

"Even better," Ray muttered. "Man, I knew there was a reason I hated politics. The ghosts trying to sink Manhattan are bad enough. I don't need the living following suit."

Johnny nodded, "It means I've got less of a timetable than I thought."

He then added, "I don't remember, have you checked me during one of my visions? You have detection equipment as I understand it, and I think you've mentioned that people of my abilities manifest as what did you call it? PKE?"

"I don't think I have, no," Ray said, pulling his meter from his belt. "And yeah, PKE- psychokinetic energy, although that's kind of a misnomer now that we've seem how much more than merely ghosts use the same part of the energy spectrum. But I could check and see, the next time you have one, if you want."

Johnny nodded, "Well, they tend to come on on their own. Maybe if you have something for me to touch?" Being scientific himself, he was curious about any reasonable explanation for his abilities.

"And how wide of a range for that spectrum? Unfortunately, nobody's done that much serious study into the topic on my world."

Ray thinks for a bit, and then smiles. "As a matter of fact I do, and we may be able to get some answers for someone who badly needs them. The item I have is a piece taken from the side of a US military aircraft whose pilot is currently Bound here. He last saw his wingmen over North Korea- he arrived here from a crash situation. He's alive, though there was a fairly terrible fire that almost killed him. If you're willing, I'd like to see if you get any kind of vision about his wingmen off that- if you're not, because of the fire, I understand completely." He holds up a quarter-sized bronze object in a plastic bag.

"As for the other thing- a lot of range. Anywhere from ghosts to psychokinesis to telepathy to pyrokinesis to 'magic' to the physical manifestations of the Force. I've measured all of 'em here in the Bar or back home at one point or another."

Johnny nodded, "I'd like to see your observations on it some time, if you don't mind. It sounds interesting."

He then reached out to take the plastic bag, and opened it. He dropped the object into his hand, and he suddenly stiffened as his surroundings changed around.

He coughed some as smoke surrounded him, and shielded his face from the flames. There was an instrument panel in front of him, and he touched the comlink, and the vision changed again. He was now in the point of view of another pilot, barking orders, and watching as a plane crashes into a helicopter. He brought the plane in for a landing on the carrier, and stepped out to be greeted by the otherwingman, or woman. ..Kara.. and Ben.

The vision then faded away.

Johnny then said, "Kara and Ben. They're alive, they made it back safely."

"Sure, not a problem," Ray said, flicking the meter on and waiting.

He didn't have long to wait; the red sensor arms rose immediately, lights on the ends flickering off and on as soon as Johnny's hand closed around the piece of the plane. The numbers started scrolling up the screen immediately. "Ooo," Ray said, very very quietly. No more than that, since he didn't want to disturb the vision taking place. Although he did look up sharply as Johnny started coughing without warning. He'd heard that cough before. That was what smoke inhalation sounded like- and then, oh, man, the snapped-out orders that he knew were none of Johnny's own memories...

The meter's arms sagged. Ray looked up in time to see Johnny's face relax. "You saw? That's fantastic- were you aware that you were speaking, or any of that? I mean, you gave every impression of a full sensory immersion."

He held out a hand for the piece of plane.

"And they're alive? That's even better. Eddie's going to be thrilled."

Johnny studied him with a rueful look at the enthusiasm. He placed the plane section back in the bag, and handed it back to Ray

"I saw." He then said thoughtfully, "I've been told that I sometimes will talk in my visions. Sometimes in languages I don't even know, depending on who the subject was. I've even done automatic writing for a case I was brought in on, and drawings based on the style of another subject."

Ray being Ray, he completely failed to note the rueful look.

"Sir, if I weren't already hip deep in the dead, I'd almost be tempted to change my major and study parapsychology from the psychic angle instead just so I could get a better understanding of your case. Psychometry's rare enough. That level of detail, that kind of ability- that's just incredible by comparison to everything else out there."

Johnny nodded, "I've heard that what I have is rare. I guess calling them visions isn't completely accurate because I do feel like I'm there. Sometimes as an observer, sometimes from the point of view of the person. I can interact with them at times as well. Generally I've noticed there seems to be an emotional factor to them as well."

"Well, yeah, there would be," Ray says, setting the meter aside. "The primary component most psychometric readings have in common is extremely strong emotions associated with them. One case study I saw involved a man who was given five knives- he screamed when he got to the one that'd been used to commit a murder, dropped the knife, knocked his forehead against the table, and suddenly sat up and announced that someone had had sex on the table within the last twenty-four hours. Turned out he was right."

Johnny nodded, and commented, "I hoped for his sake, he was just observing in both visions. It's sometimes pretty disturbing from the individuals' point of view." He had enough visions involving murders from the murderer's point of view to know too well why people kill.

He added, "Well, as Rev. Purdy put it, I don't get boring visions about people. I get them for a reason."

"Unfortunately, I don't remember," Ray admitted. "It's been a while since I saw the documents for the case."

He nodded. "I would have to say so, yeah. Boring events don't exactly radiate, you know?"

"I guess not."

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