BPP Psi Corps #2 – Deadly Relations: Bester Ascendant

The Babylon Project Podcast

With the second book in the “Psi Corps Trilogy” under our belts, we’re back to discuss the continuing story as captured in Deadly Relations: Bester Ascendant. As mentioned previously, this set of books was based on a script written by JMS, and are considered canon, and all three were written by J. Gregory Keyes. The second novel in the set begins in about 2190 when Al Bester was just six years old, and tells us his story right up until his first visit to Babylon 5, covering another 60 years of time. This novel really is Bester’s story.

The story is told in four parts (five if you count the epilogue), interestingly titled Thesis, Antithesis, Synthesis, and Ascendance. As the story unfolds, we see how Alfred Bester became the Bester we all know and hate—or perhaps love to hate. As an orphan, entrusted to the Psi Corps, Bester is one of the very first true children of the Corps, giving particular weight to the statement we’re all familiar with, “The Corps is Mother, the Corps is Father”. His training is difficult, and as a social misfit, life as a student and child of the Corps isn’t necessarily suited to his personality. Even so, he’s inspired by a particular teacher/mentor, finds his way, and in fact becomes truly invested in and zealously embraces the Corps. As a young man he has enough confidence in himself that he attempts to capture a wanted “Blip” (a rogue telepath). This doesn’t go well at all, his motives and loyalty are questioned, and as the dust settles, his punishment is severe. After his punishment ends, his mentor, who sees a lot of promise in Bester, brings him on another hunt. The danger of these hunts convinces Bester even more that the Corps is right and best for all teeps, and his loyalty is cemented into place.

Also during this time, Bester falls in love, and is completely devoted to the young woman until she decides to go rogue. In a heartbreaking moment, he chooses the Corps over his love for her, turns her in, and she’s arrested.

As the story continues, Bester is finally sent out to apprehend a Blip named Stone. During this pursuit, he and his partner get information on another (more dangerous) Blip named Walters, the leader of a rogue movement. Things go with difficulty and Bester ends up in the hospital, where he makes himself useful scanning dying people for information for the Corps. This experience also takes a toll on him. Once recovered, he is paired by the Corps with a wife, giving us some insight into the Corps’ breeding program. He doesn’t love her, but he stays with her because of his loyalty to the Corps. Bester also works an assignment to Mars.

On Mars he meets Lyta, who assists him with a murder case. He’s also sent to an asteroid for a secret meeting with Director Johnston, who it turns out harbored a severe bias against Bestor. The meeting was arranged to allow the Director to kill Bester and remove what he perceived was a problem within the Corps. Instead, Bester kills him in a staged accident. Along the way we’re introduced to Byron—yes, that Byron—and at the end of the novel, Bester is sent to Babylon 5 to capture Jason Ironheart.

Like the first novel in this trilogy, the second one covers a significant span of years. Even so, it was incredibly readable, held great continuity with the first novel and within itself, and set the stage for what can only be an incredible conclusion in the third and final novel of the set. We’ll suggest to you that these first two books might give you a dizzying view and perspective of Bester than you’ve had before. Our ratings were a 5, 5 and 5 (out of 5), giving us an overall Boom Scale rating of 5. None of us could wait to get the next book started!

Next time we’ll discuss the third and final book in the Psi Corps Trilogy, called Final Reckoning: The Fate of Bester. We have no doubt it will be a powerful and fitting end to the story.

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