The Therapist

[Pher 0]

Pher held a small vial in her had. The vial itself was a bit expensive, high tech, secure. Pher had set it for a proper dose, and locked it so it couldn't dispense a new dose sooner than it should.

 

But the content's were also expensive... potent, in demand and fresh. Pea squared. Pheromone's pheromone. It was temptation, not just for the would be addict, but for the producer as well. Finding a market to distribute without the marketeer trying to own the means of production was a bother. She'd managed to stay independent for the better part of a year selling her essence before the trouble became too much. She'd sought out other employment that came with a way off planet.

 

Now her road off planet was getting as complicated as her life on the Tranquility had been.

 

"Hello, Chris," she said. He was an addict. He was addicted to Redera, not to Pher, but Pher ought to change that. Red was gone, now. She would tempt him no more. He was a crew mate. She should feed his demons, and wean him away. It would be necessary for him, and in the doing he could feed her own demons. She was no less an addict than he. The difference was that the he had a chance of shaking off his need. He could become free. With discipline, he could learn to walk away.

 

Unlike her.

 

"You pointed a gun at me, Chris. You know I don't like that."

 

Chris looked up from the biobed in the isolation room that he was tied down to. He was still shaking somewhat and his temp and Blood pressure were still elevated. His breathing was still short and shallow. "Pher, She had me under some sort of trance. I couldn't stop myself. It was a good thing that Redera fell when she did." He looks away from Pher and continues, "I may have hit you." He looked to her once more. "I apologize Pher. I need help. LOTS of help." Chris's voice was sincere, but shaking. He thought to himself that he couldn't be upset at her if she didn't help him and made him settle with, only what medical could do for him.

 

"Trance?" She sighed, considering. She knew as much as anyone about the pheromone effects, but hadn't any training in hypnotism. A sad shortcoming, given twenty twenty hindsight. "You do know she's bad, don't you? Every promise she made, I'll end up keeping? If I released your restraints, would you take off on a one man charge to break her loose? Have you been thinking of that at all?"

 

Looking away once more Chris replied, "I know she's bad. I thought I had gotten over her. Pher I don't totally understand what she did to me. I just know she excited me whenever she was around. At first I ... I tried resisting her but it got harder and harder the longer she was around me. Now I just have to have her around."

 

He turned his head once more to face Pher. "All I want is to be back to normal. You helped me get through this before, I beg you to help me again. You know I will return the favor. We have known each other long enough that you know I will hold up my end. If you don't trust me enough to untie me at this time, I can't blame you. But I promise I will not try leaving. At least not unless she comes back around again. Please Pher get me or Give me some help."

 

Pher had played this scene before. Tie the guy to the bed. Tell him he was a bad boy. Make him beg. His timing was way off. She was supposed to use her stick quite a bit before he really begged. Thing is, she knew full well that compared to the withdrawal, the pain stick set to recreational levels, or even several levels past that, was nothing.

 

"Audrey, implant safeties off." Pher really disliked Redera. Little girls on New Risa were supposed to to have enough control of their emotions that they didn't need artificial help to control flow of dust. Red had been throwing enough dust around that she hadn't dared leak even trace amounts for the Guardian tricorders to pick up. OK, she would give him his help. She put her little vial on a shelf opposite the bed, well out of his reach. Her weapons belt followed. She then began removing other items, carefully folding them, and setting them down on the shelf as well.

 

"Chris? I'm going to talk to Joe. Right now Redera is in custody. Should she ever get loose, should there ever be a hint that she might be in the same circles we're traveling, I'm going to say you shouldn't be in the chain of command, you shouldn't be carrying a weapon."

 

Hearing what she was saying made sense. He knew she was right. If it just took Redera a split moment to gain control of him this time, She could do it again. He watched as she began shedding her clothes. She was such a beauty but he knew she was off limits unless SHE wished to be around. He was just glad that at the moment it was looking like she might 'BE AROUND' for him now. He just hoped it to be as it seemed and not a nasty trick.

 

She finished her folding her clothes, and turned to face Chris. "And one other thing you better listen too. You'd best listen good. No argument. No back talk. No second chances. If at any point in your medical treatment, but especially during the most intense moments, should you cry out a certain bald person's name..."

 

Pher couldn't think of an adequate threat just then, but she was a big girl. She'd been Queen of the Beach. If she had to, she'd come up with something.

 

"I Wont, I promise I wont." He felt his heart rate raising even higher in anticipation of what was about to happen, or what he hoped was about to happen anyway. He took in a deep breath, breathing in the Pheromones that were in the air. He couldn't smell them but he SURE could feel the effects.

 

Pher met his eyes, and gently rolled onto the bed. She knew what had to come next. To free him of his obsession with Redera, he had to become obsessed with her. This was the easy part.

 

The hard part would come later.