Art by Christina Cartwright

Birth Name

Ping Song

Born

August 4, 1979

Abilities

Song is an excellent martial artist and a computer whiz, but her meta gift is the ability to communicate with machinery, forcing it to operate at her command.

Affiliations

The Bay Scouts (2003-2006)

Biography

Song is a native of San Francisco of Chinese descent. After the breakup of the Bay Scouts, she took a job working for the computer science division of the University of California at Berkeley.

Personality

Song is generally quite reserved and quiet. She has no close friends and jokes that she’ll be a crazy cat lady when she retires.

Excerpt from Reckoning

Two days later, Jack and I called Shepherd from the base’s videophone. His face came into focus and he nodded a greeting. “Hello, Dinah. Jack,” he said with a hint of impatience. “What can I do for you?”

I cast a glance at Jack before replying. “I’m afraid we have disturbing news,” I said. “Valora isn’t the only former Bay Scout who’s been replaced.”

That got his full attention. “What? Who?”

I moved aside, so Shepherd could see behind me, where Ping Song slumped motionless in a chair, gagged, her hands behind her.

“We feared that Ping Song had been replaced,” Jack said.

I moved back into the frame. “Obviously, we’re curious what to do with her. She doesn’t belong here. She needs to be returned to her world so we can get our Ping Song back.”

Shepherd frowned. “Yes, but as I’ve told you… the portal has closed.”

“Captain?” Jack interrupted.

“Yes?”

“I may have a solution to that.”

Shepherd blinked. “Go on.”

“You know my background and my area of expertise. I have reason to believe my abilities may make it possible to re-open the portal.”

Another frown. “How certain are you?”

“Not certain at all. But I think it’s worth a shot.”

Shepherd was quiet for a moment, then put us on hold. He was away for ten very long minutes. When he finally returned to the line, he said, “All right. Tomorrow at 0900, have her ready for transport.” He sighed. “Still no luck finding the other Valora?”

“No, sir,” I said. “We’re hoping you’ll be able to learn something from this one.”

He nodded. “Let’s hope. See you in the morning at the base.”

I disconnected the call. “So much for the easy part,” I said.

Jack nodded. “Now for the illegal part.”

Song lifted her head and removed her gag. “Who else feels like tea?”