πŸ“š a commanding weaness Part 7 of 10
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MIND CONTROL

A Commanding Weakness Ch 07

A Commanding Weakness Ch 07

by alliehf
20 min read
4.78 (5500 views)
adultfiction

"So, just to be absolutely clear," said Counselor Alara Hisarlik, "you believe that the crew of this ship is gradually succumbing to some form of mind control?"

Lieutenant Semya Kuznetzov, Captain Vasser's second-in-command, shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Hearing it out loud was even worse than she'd anticipated, even though Alara, the Inyx's counselor, was somehow able to keep her voice free from scorn or incredulity. The chair wasn't helping. The counselor's office had big comfy, cushioned, reclining chairs that couldn't be found elsewhere on the ship. They were meant to be relaxing; for Kuznetzov, they were proving just the opposite.

"Not... I wouldn't put it quite like that," Lieutenant Kuznetzov replied slowly. She was choosing her words carefully. She knew she sounded crazy, but hopefully not completely crazy. "I know how it sounds. And I'm not exactly convinced of it. But I am worried about it. It's what my gut is telling me, I guess. I just can't shake the feeling."

"I see." Alara leaned in, concerned. "And this is because of the behavior of the crew?"

"Yes," Lieutenant Kuznetzov explained. "I've been noticing something wrong with people, all across the ship. I keep catching crew members spacing out at strange moments, like they're listening to a voice I can't hear. Often groups of people at once. But afterward, they'll insist nothing happened. Or I'll notice them moving in perfect harmony. Unnatural harmony." She sighed. "There's this ancient movie: Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Maybe you've heard of it. Pod people? It's like that."

Alara nodded. "That's very troubling. I can understand why this would be preying on your mind."

It was easy to see why Alara Hisarlik was a ship's counselor. She was, quite simply, perfect for the role. In her early fifties - Kuznetzov had read every crew member's personnel file - she was older than most of the people on the ship, and had an effortlessly matronly demeanor that made her shockingly easy to talk to. Her office was comfortable, warm, and friendly, and since she didn't need to wear a uniform she was free to dress herself in a comfortable jumpsuit that made her seem all the more disarming.

The jumpsuit was plenty flattering, too, and Kuznetzov observed that Alara was taking full advantage of the fact that she didn't need to pass Alliance fitness tests either. Her physique was just as motherly as her demeanor, and it suited her well. Kuznetzov felt a little guilty for noticing that, but it couldn't be helped. She was a lesbian, after all.

"It has been," Lieutenant Kuznetzov confessed. "That's why I'm here. I needed to talk to someone."

"Why not Captain Vasser?" Alara asked. "If you suspect something's wrong on the ship, surely she needs to know."

Lieutenant Kuznetzov hesitated before answering. "I considered it," she replied eventually. "But I really can't tell if I'm just being paranoid. If I am, then you're the person I need to talk to. Not the captain. And if I'm not paranoid, then..."

"Then it's entirely possible she's been affected too," Alara finished. "Is that right?"

Lieutenant Kuznetzov nodded, grateful she didn't have to be the one to say it. "I've noticed she's seemed a little... off, lately."

"I see." Alara took that in stride and smiled kindly. "But you're happy talking to me. I take it I seem like my usual self?"

"Yes," Lieutenant Kuznetzov said, before adding: "as far as I'd know, anyway."

This was the first time Kuznetzov had taken it upon herself to visit the ship's counselor. She'd never seen the need. Doctor Hiraga handled routine psych evals; the counselor was for the benefit of crew members who just needed to talk, or who preferred to speak with someone who was a couple of steps outside the usual chain of command. Kuznetzov, though, preferred to deal with her own problems herself. She was the stoic type, or so she liked to think. It suited her butch looks and dress sense. But her current troubles necessitated a reality check, and she'd judged that Alara Hisarlik was the best person to speak with.

"Glad to hear it," Alara replied, a touch playfully, before turning more serious. "Lieutenant, this is clearly a new feeling for you. Have you been under any particular stress lately?"

Kuznetzov shook her head. "No more than usual."

"That's good! Now, I know you haven't been assigned to the Inyx for long. You were transferred just recently. Have you been fitting in well?"

"I believe so. Captain Vasser seems happy with my performance."

"What about socially? Have you gotten to know the other officers?"

Kuznetzov gave a slight smile. "I'm not exactly a social butterfly. It doesn't bother me."

"I see." Alara sounded a little less pleased with that answer, but didn't press the issue. "And there's nothing else that's been on your mind? Nothing troubling?"

"No, not at all."

"Hm." Alara cocked her head to one side. "Well, Lieutenant, I don't think you're crazy. That doesn't mean you're right about this mind control thing either, of course, but it does behoove me to investigate concerns about the mental states of other crew members aboard this ship. There may be a perfectly innocent explanation. To that end, I think the best course of action is that we keep this between ourselves for now, and I discreetly form my own opinion. Could you give me the names of some of the people you've been suspicious of?"

Kuznetzov nodded. "I'll make a list and send it over."

"Very good." Alara smiled again. "I'll let you know what I think very soon."

"Perfect." Kuznetzov felt the tension in her shoulders easing, and she sighed with relief. "And... thank you, counselor. Not knowing whether this is real or not has really been weighing on me. I'm very grateful that you've taken me seriously. I'm not sure whether or not I expect you to form the same impression I have, but just knowing that you're looking into it puts my mind at ease."

"You're very welcome." Alara's smile grew even warmer. "That's exactly what I'm here for, Lieutenant."

***

Alara tapped her soon impatiently against the rim of her teacup as she waited for her next appointment to arrive. Crewman Hannah Weiss was late, of course. Everyone on this ship was always late. They always had excuses, of course. Important duties and important orders, on their important mission to catch Wasp. Everything on the Inyx was so damn important. Everything except for Alara and her counseling sessions.

The one thing nobody on the crew seemed to make any time for was taking care of their own mental health - which meant that, as the ship's counselor, Alara's life was devoted entirely to chasing after other people's problems. After all these years on the job, they were just so infuriatingly clichΓ©. Burnout. Anxiety. Insecurity. She'd heard it all before.

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That didn't mean Alara didn't care, of course. She wanted to help just as much as she had when she'd first started out in this line of work, three decades before. What had made her bored and cynical over the years was learning that she couldn't help, because no one ever listened. Alara could offer advice, training, medical, therapy - and it didn't matter because, to most people, she was nothing more than a convenient way to unburden themselves. They didn't respect her or her expertise, and so she was condemned to the Sisyphean experience of listening to crewman after crewman coming to bleat to her about some inane problem, giving them the perfect advice, and seeing them out the door knowing perfectly well that they weren't going to heed it.

If only there was some way to make them listen.

As a result, even as Alara had aged into the perfect, matronly counselor everyone wanted, she'd become thoroughly disillusioned and tired of her work. The years had ground her down, leaving her cynical and hopeless. She'd vowed this would be her final tour of duty aboard an Alliance ship, but fate had conspired to drag them out to the far rim for months longer than expected, chasing shadows, leaving Alara more frustrated by the day. The crewmen who darkened her door were becoming nothing more than an indistinct succession of blurred faces, each more forgettable and annoying than the last.

At least, until Lieutenant Kuznetzov.

A conspiracy to take over the ship by secretly mind-controlling members of the crew? In all her years as a counselor, Alara hadn't heard that one before. It sounded like a paranoid delusion, but Kuznetsov's psychological profile was rock solid. She displayed no signs of any associated psychological tendencies or conditions that would predispose her to such an elaborate delusion. Which meant that Alara finally had something that could hold her attention.

If nothing else, a spontaneous delusion like this could make for a half-decent case study to write up.

But first, Alara figured that she should investigate what Kuznetzov had been suspecting, and so she'd arranged an innocuous appointment with one of the people the XO had mentioned: Crewman Hannah Weiss. Mind control was unlikely, but not strictly impossible, and talking to her could shed light on reasons she might have been behaving differently or suspiciously.

And if it was mind control? Alara certainly couldn't miss out on a chance to study it up close and personal. She had a deep, abiding interest in the subject. Strictly professional, of course.

The door to Alara's office chimed to indicate that her appointment had finally arrived. The counselor set down her teacup, rose to her feet, and went to greet her guest.

"Crewman Weiss," Alara said, plastering her well-worn welcoming smile on her face as the door opened. "Thank you for coming. Please, come in."

"Alara."

Hannah Weiss offered a friendly nod as she entered the room. She was young - less than half Alara's age, in fact - and much slighter and mousier than most expected of a member of the Alliance military. The Inyx was her first posting, and she'd been struggling to adjust to the rigor and claustrophobia of starship life. Though she'd adjusted over time, following up on her earlier troubles was a reasonable pretext for an appointment.

"Have a seat," Alara said as she beckoned Weiss in.

She was gesturing to one of the two big, comfy chairs that dominated her office's central space. Alara had made her office as comfortable and welcoming as the Inyx's small, spartan bulkheads allowed. In the center of the space, between the chairs, was a simple table, and the room was lit by a special bank of holographic lights that could provide gentle, soothing illumination when needed.

The two of them sat down, and Alara immediately leaned forward so that she could pour Weiss a cup of tea from the still-steaming teapot on the table. Weiss accepted it gratefully, and then Alara sat back with her own teacup and teaspoon in hand.

"So, um," Weiss began nervously. "What's this about?"

"Nothing serious," Alara immediately assured her. "I just wanted to check up on you, now that you've been with us for a few months. Have you been having any more issues?"

"No!" Weiss answered in a rush. "Um... h-has somebody said something to you?"

"Not at all," Alara replies gently. Clearly, Weiss was as anxious and twitchy as ever. "This is completely routine. Now - how have you been doing lately?"

Weiss took a cautious sip of her tea; it proved to be too hot for her. "I've been OK," she answered. "Good. At least, I think. I've been having an easier time performing my duties."

"I'm glad." Alara smiled at her as she lifted her own teacup. "What about the anxiety you've spoken to me about before?"

"It's better," Weiss said quickly. She seemed embarrassed to have it brought up to her face. "I mean... sometimes, I still... but it's easier, now. It feels like I can just kind of... zone out a bit. Get in the zone. Do whatever I need to do, without thinking too much."

"I see."

That caught Alara's interest. It sounded more like dissociation than adjustment. According to her superiors, though, her performance was entirely adequate. That level of automatism was outside of Weiss's psychological profile. It could indicate that her mental state was being tampered with.

This was exactly what Alara had secretly been longing to hear. She'd agreed with herself that if Weiss seemed completely normal, it would be unethical to pry too deeply into her state of mind. But if there was any suggestion that what Kuznetzov had talked about was true, Alara had an obligation to investigate, fully and discretely.

And it was an obligation she'd relish. What student of psychology wouldn't? Mind control had always been something of a fascination of hers, ever since her days in college. In academic psychology circles it was considered an unusual, quaint, even useless subject, far more hypothetical than practical, but now more than ever, Alara was grateful she'd taken those classes. Thanks to them, she knew exactly what she needed to do with Weiss.

She needed to hypnotize her.

It made perfect sense. How easily she went into a trance could help Alara to gauge if she'd been conditioned to be susceptible to mind-alteration, and if Alara was able to speak to her subconscious mind, she might be able to bypass whatever form of mind control was currently in effect. An unorthodox approach, perhaps, and not one most ship's counselors would have been familiar with, but Alara always made sure she was brushed up on her technique.

"Hannah," she said, once she'd made up her mind. "If it's alright with you, I'd like to hypnotize you."

Weiss blinked. "Excuse me?"

"It's a completely standard therapeutic technique." Alara figured a little massaging of the truth wouldn't do any harm. "A way to relax. A kind of meditation, you could call it. I think it could really help you."

"Right." Weiss still seemed a touch incredulous. "But... hypnosis? Isn't that just some old thing from twentieth-century media?"

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Alara just kept smiling. "Not quite. I assure you, it's very real. Are you ready to get started?"

"I-I guess." Weiss glanced down nervously. Alara had known that she'd crumble if Alara pushed just a little. "What do I need to do?"

"Nothing much," Alara soothed. "Just sit right there and get as comfortable as you can."

Weiss started to shift in her seat, settling in, and as she did Alara used the console built into the arm of her chair to dim the lights. Weiss was still visibly a little on edge, but Alara was sure she'd relax as soon as the counselor got to work on her. The young crewman wasn't difficult to influence.

"Good," Alara said approvingly once Weiss sat back. Even as she made her voice carefully low and rhythmic, she spoke like they were yet to begin and she was just making conversation. "The chairs are comfy, aren't they? One of the perks of the job."

"Yeah," Weiss agreed. She seemed faintly grateful to be talking about something other than herself.

"Not many people on an Alliance starship get chairs like these." Alara winked at Weiss. "Not even amongst the officers. You might as well enjoy them while you're here! I know I do."

"Yeah," Weiss said again. "They are really nice. Now that you mention it, I don't think I've been this comfortable in months."

"Exactly." Alara nodded enthusiastically. "You know, sometimes, when I can get away with it, I just dim the lights - just like this, in fact - sit down, close my eyes, and let myself drift off a little. Let my mind wander. I have to admit, once or twice I've actually fallen asleep like that. I must be getting old."

Weiss giggled. "That sounds nice." From her voice, it was obvious that she was feeling more and more at ease.

"It's easy for me, of course. All I have to do is lock the door, and anyone who knocks will think I'm in a private appointment." Alara heard another, even more relaxed giggle from Weiss. "I know a crewman like you won't get nearly as many chances to relax. Not with your superior officers breathing down your neck."

"Yeah..." Weiss replied wearily.

"Well, there's no pressure here," Alara promised. "Why not give it a try yourself? Close your eyes."

Weiss looked up uncertainly for a moment, but then obliged. "OK."

"Very good," Alara said as Weiss's eyelids fell shut. She already knew Weiss could be susceptible to positive reinforcement. "You're more than welcome to take a few moments for yourself, Hannah. Just sit back. Relax. Forget I'm even here."

Alara could tell that, whether she meant to or not, Weiss was hearkening to her words. Her shoulders were slumping and her breathing slowing. She couldn't help but relax.

"Perfect," Alara encouraged. "You must be very tired. Running all over the ship all the time, being ordered around constantly by your superiors. It's exhausting. Trust me, I've been there - once upon a time. I know how it feels. When you're tired like that, nothing compares to getting to take the weight off your feet. You just can't help but sink into it."

"Yeah..." Weiss let out a weary sigh. "That's really... um... but s-should we get started?"

Alara had to suppress a laugh. "We already have."

At that Weiss stirred - but only a little. Alara was pleased to see that already, she was unwilling or unable to shake off her lethargy. She couldn't even bring herself to open her eyes. The poor girl really was exhausted.

Unless she wasn't. Unless there was another reason she was so susceptible.

"What do you mean?" Weiss asked. She sounded distant.

"Hypnosis is just a state of mind," Alara told her. She made her voice softer still; soothing, but so quiet Weiss had to devote all her attention to each one of the counselor's words. "A nice, relaxed state of mind. You're nice and relaxed now, aren't you? That means you're halfway there already."

"Oh..." Weiss's voice was growing fainter by the moment. It was obvious she was already too dazed to really interrogate what Alara was saying to her. Weiss was proving incredibly susceptible. Alarmingly so, in fact.

At least it made it easy for Alara to take advantage.

"You're doing very well," Alara assured her. "This is exactly what we want. Going under hypnosis is perfectly easy, and you're already doing a wonderful job. And because you're doing so well, you might notice your awareness changing. You might notice that lots of things that normally bother and distract you are just kind of fading away. Maybe it's the little aches and pains in your body. Maybe it's some of the little thoughts and worries you sometimes find yourself dwelling on. Whatever it may be, I'm sure you can notice it simply fading into the background of your mind."

Weiss just nodded and let out a faint, murmured noise of agreement.

"At the same time," Alara continued, voice soft and melodic. "You might notice some things you usually tune out. For me, when I'm nice and relaxed, it's always the ship's engines. When you first come aboard, they seem so noisy, don't they? But after a few days or weeks, you completely stop noticing them. Everyone does."

Another nod.

"But when I'm as relaxed as you are now, I seem to find the sound again," Alara went on. "That low, droning hum. It's all I can think about. And it's not just a sound. It's a sensation. A vibration. Something you can feel throughout your entire body."

She noticed Weiss shiver slightly. Clearly, she was feeling it.

"Hannah," Alara said. "That sound is all you need to think about right now. So it's completely fine if you just zone out and give it all of your attention. You don't even need to think about my voice. You don't need to listen. You can just yourself drift and sink, and maybe every now and then, as my voice and my words float through your head, you'll find your attention naturally ebbing back towards me. Just letting my words be your guide, whenever it feels natural."

Weiss seemed so very relaxed now. She was barely moving at all, except for the slow, pronounced rise and fall of her chest. She looked all but asleep, but Alara could tell she wasn't from the telltale way her eyes pricked up, ever so slightly, whenever Alara spoke. She was hanging on the counselor's every word, be it consciously or subconsciously.

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