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  NAKAO DISTRICT, HAMANOS

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  The caravan of vehicles landed in the courtyard of Bogdana's headquarters. Within hours of the fight's conclusion with the Sampi, an antigravity tank and a dozen armored hovercraft had arrived to escort them the rest of the way.

  Through their craft's viewport, Kaarina glimpsed the distinctive architecture of the biotechnology laboratory, a dome-shaped structure that had become painfully familiar through months of weekly visits. The polished celika exterior reflected the harsh lighting of the cavern, its smooth curves contrasting with the utilitarian buildings surrounding it.

  The three of them emerged from the battered vehicle. Jakov leaned in close to Kaarina as they disembarked. "Move your ass, princess. Time to earn your keep," he hissed, shoving her toward the building entrance. "We're already hours behind schedule."

  A sergeant from the operation’s security team materialized beside them, his posture professional compared to the coarse demeanor of Jakov's men. He nodded toward Jakov and gestured for them to follow. Kaarina noted the insignia on his uniform, elite private security, not syndicate thugs. The lab's existence remained a tightly guarded secret, its purpose known only to those directly involved.

  The day's events, their narrow escape from the Sampi ambush and tense wait in the Geostabilization Plant, had left Kaarina drained and vulnerable. Her muscles ached from combat maneuvers, and the constant vigilance of captivity had worn away her mental defenses. The psychic abilities she would soon be forced to employ required mental fortitude, something rapidly diminishing with each passing hour.

  They checked in at a security desk in the building lobby, where their identities were verified through a biometric system. They proceeded down several hallways requiring retina scans to gain access through heavily reinforced doors. The entire building was devoted to the project. Kaarina guessed that about one hundred people worked here. Though created in response to the Goddess's appearance, the expensive undertaking required funding and technical expertise beyond Bogdana's syndicate resources.

  As they entered the three-story control center, Kaarina swept her gaze across rows of monitoring stations arranged in amphitheater-style tiers. Scientists and technicians hunched over consoles, their faces illuminated by holographic displays and data streams. Voices and equipment created a cacophony that echoed off the high ceiling.

  At the front stood an elevated glass enclosure, the soundproof box where these sessions always took place. The chamber contained three specialized chairs, each embedded with sensors designed to connect the occupant's neural and chakra energy centers to the monitoring equipment. Kaarina's stomach knotted at the sight of those chairs, each one a torture device disguised as technology.

  Above the bustle, an expansive holographic array hovered in midair, with empty data fields waiting for connection. Soon, those spaces would fill with intertwined brainwaves and vital signs from the chair's occupants and Anne Reynolds, the woman known by millions on Shamhdi as the Goddess.

  Momir Ugljanin looked up from his control console as they entered. "You're late," he stated, his tone accusatory.

  “We got ambushed by Sampi and almost didn’t make it,” Jakov snapped. “Be thankful we're here instead of rotting in the tunnels."

  Momir unfolded from his workstation like a mantis, his graying, shoulder-length hair framing calculating eyes. The architect of neural interrogation for Hamanos intelligence service approached with precise steps, his tight green tunic emphasizing his gaunt frame. "I understand several guards died protecting you," he said. "The Sampi grow bold." His gaze locked onto Kaarina with predatory focus; she was merely a component in his machine, valuable now, but ultimately replaceable. Kaarina shivered inwardly at his coldness. This Neuroscience Guild member, who had developed the Mindforge system, appeared utterly unmoved that his project was designed to destroy a gentle woman venerated by millions.

  "The chamber is prepared," Momir continued, gesturing toward the glass enclosure. “Because of your delay, we should proceed immediately.”

  Kaarina, Jakov, and Simo walked down the stairs to the floor and stepped up into the glass enclosure. The box eliminated external noise, creating perfect acoustic isolation. The air inside carried a sterile chill, scrubbed of particulates and heavy with the weight of what they were about to do.

  As Jakov settled into the center chair, Simo cracked his knuckles. Both men radiated anticipation for the coming hunt. Neural sensors embedded in the chairs connected along their spines and skulls, conduits for channeling pain across impossible distances. Kaarina's mind flashed to the Goddess, a gentle presence soon to be violated by these predators.

  Simo closed the door behind them, and it sealed with hydraulic finality, leaving them in silence. Through the transparent walls, technicians moved between workstations, their mouths forming words she couldn't hear.

  Momir's voice broke the silence through the intercom. “Can you hear me? We have sensory connections for you all." The three of them nodded in assent. "Good, we will lower the lights in the room. Kaarina, establish contact with Anne."

  Kaarina had been chosen for this role after an extensive search that involved testing thousands of people with psychic abilities. The project had identified her as the most capable of facilitating the energetic connection to the Goddess necessary for their purposes. While the Goddess seemed able to communicate telepathically with anyone she wished on Shamhdi, Kaarina was one of the few people able to conduct a mental conversation with her. This connection, once a source of pride in her abilities, had become her greatest burden.

  "The modifications to the interface system are complete," Momir added. "Jakov and Simo will now experience your sensory connection to Anne directly. This should enhance the efficiency of their psychological pressure techniques despite her medicated state."

  Kaarina closed her eyes and quieted her mind as the room grew dim. She expanded her senses, reaching beyond the physical limits of the lab into the vast psychic space that connected consciousnesses across dimensional barriers. The familiar feeling of stretching, of her awareness extending beyond normal boundaries, both excited and terrified her.

  She focused on the mental image of Anne, a woman with honey-blonde hair and blue-green eyes who lived impossibly far away on a planet she called Earth. After several minutes of concerted effort, she established the psychic connection despite her moral revulsion.

  Through their connection, Kaarina witnessed what was evident to Shamhdi’s population. Anne’s presence blazed with a transcendent light. No human Kaarina had encountered radiated such unconditional love.

  The common people recognized this divine spark immediately, seeing in Anne a messenger come to shatter centuries of oppression. But much of the planetary elite recoiled from her brilliance; this woman's very existence threatened the foundations of their wealth and privilege.

  "I've found her," Kaarina whispered, the words catching in her throat.

  Can you sense us, Lady? Kaarina projected telepathically, hating herself for initiating this violation.

  I know what you are, and I know you're trying to break me. Anne's mental voice trembled but held surprising steadiness. But something... something keeps you from doing your worst. Doesn't it?

  The perceptiveness of Anne's response stunned Kaarina. Even through medication and psychic attacks, this woman had detected Kaarina's reluctance. Before she could respond, Jakov's mental voice intruded, dripping with false sweetness.

  Miss us, Anne? We've been dreaming about you. Simo here's been creative with ideas. Jakov exchanged a look with Simo, both men feeding off the woman's distress.

  Simo's laugh was razor-edged. We live in your nightmares now, don't we, whore? Watching you break feeds something hungry inside us. His voice dropped to a whisper. Because your pain makes us hard.

  Kaarina flinched at the crudeness, the violation of it. Through their connection, she monitored Anne's emotional response, a flicker of disgust quickly controlled, followed by a surprising surge of determination.

  You're trying to destroy me because Jesus sent me to speak for the enslaved. Anne's psychic diction wavered but did not break. Gabriel explained it to me. I'm here to be His voice for those who have no voice. Every attack on me is an attack on Him.

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  No escape now, sweetheart. We own your thoughts, your fears, your pain. Jakov's voice carried professional satisfaction. Cooperation means a quick death. Resistance means we'll shred your sanity piece by fucking piece. His pitiless anticipation radiated through the connection, causing Anne's energy to flicker defensively.

  Kaarina sensed the woman’s emotional state; the depression and exhaustion of someone who had endured these attacks for months. As a psychic empath, Kaarina could perceive others’ emotional states, often gaining intuitive insight into a person’s underlying nature and motivations. She also detected the dulled edges of heavy medication; Anne's attempt to shield herself from the full impact of these sessions.

  You'd fetch a premium price in the flesh markets, Simo added with clinical cruelty. Young, pretty, exotic. The buyers appreciate a woman who's been properly... prepared.

  Jakov and Simo employed verbal manipulation and abuse to exacerbate the woman's agony. They led Bogdana’s interrogation team and were adept at using physical and mental techniques for coercion and torment.

  Kaarina's hands trembled against the armrests of her chair as the familiar crisis engulfed her once more. Each session presented the same impossible choice: continue serving as the conduit for this psychic violence, or resist and face punishment that would only end with someone else taking her place. The technicians would simply find another psychic, intimidate them into compliance, and continue their assault on the Goddess.

  I'm just a biology teacher who somehow got pulled into cosmic events. Anne's voice carried bewildered acceptance. Your people call me She-Who-Once-Was because they're desperate for hope. Maybe that's what I am: a vessel for hope. And that terrifies you.

  Ready for today's lesson in pain, teacher? Jakov's mock concern masked hungry anticipation. We've prepared something exquisite.

  Kaarina maintained her connection despite the revulsion crawling up her spine. She provided the gateway between the project's equipment and Anne's energy centers, allowing the technicians to bathe the woman in low-frequency, discordant energy. The interface displayed visual representations of Anne’s chakras, once vibrant spinning wheels of light, now dulled and sluggish under the effects of assaults and medications.

  You keep trying to break my faith, but every attack just proves how real Jesus is. Anne's insight cut through her fear. He warned me you would come. He also promised you couldn't touch my soul.

  You'll never get away from us, bitch, Simo sneered. We'll always be with you. We're gonna tear into your fucking skull until you break for good. Just a matter of time.

  Both interrogators had perfected their craft over decades of breaking minds and spirits. Where others might show discomfort or mercy, they found only professional satisfaction in methodical psychological destruction. Anne's resistance excited them: the stronger the will, the sweeter its breaking.

  I can feel you trying to pour darkness into my mind, but Jesus is the Light. Anne's conviction cut through her fear. Archangel Michael told me, for every shadow you send, Christ sends a thousand angels of light.

  Simo's voice turned predatory. Blasphemous cunt. When we finish with you, we'll drag what's left to the altar and watch you burn. I do love the smell of heretic flesh.

  Kaarina maintained the connection despite her revulsion at being the conduit for their sadism. Through their shared psychic space, she sensed something remarkable; beneath the sedatives and anguish, Anne's core remained untouched. A center of pure consciousness persisted, protected somehow from the malevolent forces they channeled into her thoughts.

  This realization struck Kaarina; for all their technological sophistication and psychological abuse expertise, they couldn't reach the essence of what made Anne who she was. The part of her that many worshipped remained inviolate.

  Feel that crawling under your skin, Anne? That's us, worming deeper into your brain. Soon you'll beg us to stop.Jakov savored each word.

  Every person in chains on Shamhdi has a soul, dreams, a family who loves them. Anne's teacher voice emerged, stronger than it should be. You treat them like livestock, and that makes your entire civilization a moral obscenity.

  Kaarina watched the monitoring equipment register Anne's unexpected mental resilience. The woman's consciousness flared with determination, a bright pulse against the shadows they forced upon her.

  We've been over all this before, you fucking whore, Simo interjected, his crude attack reflecting growing anger at Anne's continued resistance. You're somewhere on Shamhdi. We wanna know where you are and who’s behind this?

  The holographic display showed Simo's brain activity spiking with aggression. Kaarina maintained the bridge but subtly modulated her own empathic field, creating microscopic fluctuations in the energy stream. Not enough to trigger the monitoring systems, but sufficient to diffuse the harshest frequencies before they reached Anne's consciousness.

  I don't understand how I'm connected to Shamhdi any more than you do. Anne's voice held wonder beneath the stress. But I feel... guided somehow. Like this connection has a purpose beyond my understanding. You're fighting something much larger than just me.

  Kaarina risked a glance at Momir, who studied the readings with narrowed eyes. His suspicion was evident; Anne should have broken by now. The scientist motioned to increase power flow.

  Kaarina maintained her subtle buffering while carefully monitoring the displays. She kept her face impassive as the technicians followed Momir's instructions. The power levels climbed dangerously high, approaching thresholds that could cause permanent neurological damage.

  Tsk, tsk. Our little Goddess thinks she can play savior. Jakov's tone turned vicious. Time to learn what happens to troublesome bitches who forget their place.

  Whatever force connected me to Shamhdi didn't ask my permission. Anne's words gained unexpected power. But now that I've seen the suffering there, I can't unsee it. Your attacks won't make me stop caring about those people. If anything, your desperation to silence me proves how right I am.

  On the auditorium's holographic display, Kaarina could see Anne's vital signs, psychic energy, and the level of destabilizing energy directed at her. The woman's blood pressure had increased since the start of the session, and her breathing was shallower. Yet she noted, as Momir had previously observed, that given the energy directed at her, the effect should have been more pronounced. When used at these levels during interrogations by Hamanos's security service, the result was typically the subject's permanent mental breakdown.

  Outside the glass chamber, Momir paced with growing agitation. Kaarina watched as he gestured to his technicians, pointing at the anomalous readings. His eyes kept returning to her with suspicion.

  Anne's consciousness brushed against Kaarina's, a gentle touch amid the violence. I can feel you there, came the unexpected private message, bypassing Jakov and Simo entirely. You're different from them.

  Kaarina froze, careful to keep her expression neutral. This direct connection shouldn't be possible; not with the men monitoring their exchange. Yet somehow, Anne had found a hidden channel between them.

  I don't know what they've forced you to do, Anne continued, but I forgive you. And I sense you're trying to help.

  Through their private connection, Kaarina felt Anne's genuine compassion wash over her, undiminished by months of punishment. This woman, who had every reason to hate her, instead offered understanding. The realization brought tears to Kaarina's eyes that she quickly blinked away before the men could notice.

  Despite the ongoing attack, Anne maintained remarkable coherence. While Kaarina could feel Anne's rising distress, she remained lucid. Somehow, Anne wasn't experiencing the full effect of the discordant energy transmission. The woman who should have broken some time ago continued to resist with inexplicable clarity.

  Simo leaned forward, anticipation sharpening his words. We're going to peel you apart layer by layer until you scream the truth. I've broken stronger minds than yours, and I always enjoy the moment they snap.

  When the pain gets too much, I feel Jesus' arms around me, just like when I was a little girl saying bedtime prayers, Anne replied. He reminds me that this world's suffering is temporary, but His love is eternal.

  Through their connection, Kaarina detected something extraordinary: faint traces of external support surrounding Anne's consciousness. Multiple distant presences on Shamhdi seemed to be extending protection through the psychic link, their combined energies forming a diffuse shield. And closer to Anne, two strong human consciousnesses appeared to be anchoring her in reality despite the psychological assault.

  Momir and his technicians were clearly puzzled by Anne's resilience, adjusting parameters and increasing power to compensate. The scientist paced before the holographic display, his finger stabbing at anomalous readings.

  Was Anne being protected by others, and if so, by whom? Whatever forces shielded Anne, they worked in concert with Kaarina's own efforts, creating a multilayered defense against the worst of the attack.

  This discovery offered a measure of hope within the continuing violation. Anne was not alone, and neither was Kaarina. Others fought alongside them in this unseen battle for the Goddess’s mind and the future of Shamhdi. For the first time since her captivity began, Kaarina felt something beyond despair and guilt, a spark of possibility that their suffering might serve some greater purpose neither of them yet understood.

  The room lights brightened suddenly, illuminating the glass chamber. Kaarina blinked against the harsh glare, her eyes adjusting as the psychic connection to Anne faded like a severed thread. Her body ached from the strain of maintaining the bridge while simultaneously buffering the attack.

  "You can step out of the box," Momir announced over the intercom. "We have ended your direct communication with Anne. This time, however, we intend to maintain our connection with her. We'll continue working to manipulate her psychic energy field."

  Kaarina's head snapped up. "I thought you could only connect to Anne through me,” she said, unable to hide her surprise and distress. The thought that the Goddess would be subject to consistent abuse was horrifying.

  "We’ve developed a method of retaining contact with Anne without the assistance of an intermediary," Momir explained. This casual statement implied they no longer needed Kaarina for future attacks.

  As Jakov rose from his chair, he stretched and rolled his shoulders with evident satisfaction. "A breakthrough worth celebrating. Mother’ll be pleased."

  "The equipment requires calibration," Momir continued, studying a data tablet. "But our tests show we can maintain effectiveness without psychic mediation."

  Simo chuckled, the sound devoid of humor. "Enough to break ‘er within weeks." His eyes met Kaarina's, cold with malicious understanding. "You're obsolete, princess."

  Kaarina fought to keep her expression neutral. Without her psychic abilities as leverage, she became merely another captive, another body to be used and discarded when convenient. Worse, she had lost her only means of helping the Goddess, the subtle protection she had provided during these sessions.

  "Follow me," Momir motioned to Kaarina. "Bogdana Dijak would like to meet with you." His tone carried a forced politeness that didn't mask his independence from the syndicate leader's command.

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