Galaxy's Edge Space Bar (archive)

[radgeek]

Taylis, out of habit, pulled the hair that she she was hiding behind out of her face.  She saw that she had human blood spatter on the cuff of her for her red suit jacket.  That was all she had left to show that she tried to save the man she loved.

[Myitt]

Reven watches Ossanlin carefully, aware that parts of the conversation are clearly private.

Even the mere mention of working with other Andalite military members, setting up Ossanlin's little charade, sets Reven's teeth on edge.  He barely realizes that his look of consternation has turned into one of flat out revulsion--not at Ossanlin, of course, but at the very idea that an Andalite would have full reporting access of the rebellion's operations from the inside.

He shuts his eyes tightly, shaking his head.  "I don't think you should waste your time contacting your friends," he says quietly, glancing up at Ossanlin.  "The only reason we have one Andalite in our midst already is because the Electorate has no idea she is with us, in accordance with her own wishes.  If the Andalite people knew there was an Andalite living amongst the rebellion, they would ask questions.  They would assume she was a prisoner, and know that she was likely infested, and I assure you that would not go over very well for your reputation or for our cause.  And while I trust you, Ossanlin, I know your allegiances are to your superiors and to the Andalite people.  I'm not sure Efaen wouldn't find a way to contact you or your friend with vital information to the war effort, which you would be obliged to report.  I have no doubt that anyone you place in charge of Efaen's duties would do the same."  He bites his lip, trying not to reveal anything about the spy proposition.  "And I have no guarantee Efaen won't attempt to attack the very people keeping her safe.  What should I do, keep her in shackles?  In stasis, like your War-Prince Alloran?"

Corliss steps forward.  "Not to mention, if the Andalites knew we had one of their own people amongst us, I wouldn't be at all surprised if they'd try to attack us directly and get her out of there."  He looks over at Terenia and Efaen, his tone flat.  "No typical Andalite would believe that a soldier, a female, would enlist in such a ludicrous mission.  Live amongst Yeerks, as one of them?"  He shakes his head, looking back at Ossanlin.  "Even for all your best intentions, Ossanlin, very few of your people have ever trusted us or had any qualms about destroying us outright."

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Ossanlin nods at Reven.  <Then we seem to be at an impasse.>  Ossanlin turns his main eyes on the female andalite form.  <Terenia, if you have any information that would make it acceptable to Efaen or Reven for her to be within the Rebellion, now would be the time to present it.  Otherwise it appears you may have a difficult decision to make.  That is, if Reven still decides to accept you into their ranks.  It sounds as though it may end up being the Rebellion or your host.  To be honest, I would feel much more comfortable if Efaen returned to the relative safety of our service as a member of the military within our own influence.  Your separation would present its own difficulties, however.>  Ossanlin pauses for a few moments, keeping his main eyes on Terenia.  <What do you have to say?>

[Terenia]

Trey's eyes nervously flit between Elayne and Keshin as they exchange words. He instinctively avoids getting involved, and seems to shrink into his chair.


<I am not leaving Efaen,> Terenia says firmly, feeling a bit of panic rising in her chest. Despite her efforts it appears that she has ended up with the exact same dilemma that she has been fighting since her arrival. Her main eyes seek out Corliss, looking for help, though she is addressing Ossanlin. <You think there would ever be a host willing to accept me as their Yeerk? It's impossible. One look inside my head and they will all run.>

Terenia's stalk eyes droop as she continues, relaying Efaen's thoughts. <Efaen is, of course, unhappy with our current arrangement. She also does not want to return to the relative safety of a Dome Ship. She is still convinced that her...precarious... situation will cause the military to return her to the Homeworld.>

She glances at Reven, not wanting to add to her laundry list of hurdles, but wanting to help her case for "trusting" others. <There is the other issue of tracking devices placed within Efaen's body as well as my own. As far as I am aware, when I am not in morph I am utterly detectable. I believe that is why the Empire has not sent anyone to retrieve me yet. They believe that I am well within their grasp should the necessity arise to claim me.>

[Stephquiem]

Fiona glances, briefly, at the newcomer as she approaches the bar then turns back to her straws. "Barkeep!" She waves the now empty box at the bartender. "Another box!"

The bartender reaches for something below the bar, then hands her an empty cardboard box.

"Very funny, wise guy. You know what I meant. A box of straws. Full." When the bartender gives her a new box--finally--she open it and pull out several straws. She places them on their ends in a circle, as close as she dares to the box she already made.

[radgeek]

Taylis thinks she sees the bartender smile at his own joke with Fiona.  The humor almost brings her to tears again because it reminded her of Larry so much.  A dingy glass and a bottle are finally brought to her and she starts to drink hoping that the liquid that burned in her throat would numb her heart.

[KitsuneMarie]

Although Illim's stint in his ship had been entirely unproductive, it had helped him clear his head a bit. He had a new focus: find enough money and food to survive at the Bar for a while, all the while making some friends in useful places.

Therefore, when he stepped into the building again, he did so with purpose. He was on the lookout for someone confident--someone who looked like they knew people. Someone who could help him sniff out a new host.

[Shenmue654]

Keshin raises an eyebrow, a wry grin crossing her face. This was starting to get interesting. "You're saying that somewhere out there, there's a turelek that looks exactly like me? That's..."

Keshin pauses for a moment, folding her arms and then snickering at the absurdity of the whole situation. So that's why Corliss was afraid Keshin was going to kill him. At some point, Corliss had been one of the bounty hunter's targets. Keshin then frowns, thinking it over. But if Corliss was a target, then who in the world was Corliss? Did he have something to do with the suspicious Yeerk Keshin had seen earlier?

"...well that's bizarre to say the least," Keshin states, rolling her eyes. "...the last thing I expected to be compared to is a turelek. Tell me...did Other Me run into a lot of her targets here?"
*************************************************************************************************************
Mar blinks, putting up his legs on the table and sitting at one of the seats. Everything that mattered to Salem was in that strange ship of his. Which unfortunately meant he had to waste Mar's time. Still, better to gauge what sort of tech Salem had than to assume he had nothing at all. This trip to the Bar was getting more drawn out with every second, but a twinge of fear echoed in Mar's mind. Somewhere back there, he knew that as soon as he left the Bar he as he understood himself would not exist.

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Ossanlin nods a bit and allows Terenia to finish before speaking again.  <I suppose Visser 3 would be paranoid enough to place devices within Efaen's body, she is an immeasurable asset to him, I'm sure even he is not stupid enough to be blind to that fact.>

Ossanlin takes a deep breath before continuing.  <You need to decide whether keeping your host is worth death or not.  You will not be going back to the Empire with Efaen, that is not an option.  So unless you have a large stock of Kandrona or a reliable source that you can procure it from, you need the Rebellion or you'll starve.>

[Chad32]

Derrel was in a pretty big bind. He had been kidnapped and taken to this bar place by some aliens who at least had acted friendly towards him, but nonetheless had not taken him back home. Of course him finding a quiet room in the back of the bar and sleeping for the past several hours probably caused them to forget all about him. It had all been a lot to take in, and after working for some food and filling his stiomach, he had gotten sleepy. Now he was up, though he wasn't sure how rested he really was. He had some nightmares about infestation, aliens, and some weird unexplainable stuff in that back room. Something barging through the back hall had woken him up, though he hadn't actually seen it.

Derrel was a homeless man in his mid twenties. A bit malnourished, dirty, and possibly a bit smelly. At least his clothes were nice due to the Yeerk Sukohn buying him some. Now he was up and needing a ride home. He sat down in a seat, wondering who might be nice enough to take him home.

[Aluminator (Kit)]

After a few minutes, Salem grabbed his device from its dock and walked over to Al's work bench. He grabbed something off the top, and, with a few more words to Al, turned and left. He walked down the ship and back towards the bar, the ship's ramp closing behind him. He pushed open the door and strode over to Mar, still grinning about something or other that he and Al had been discussing.

"Here you are," he said, holding the device he'd grabbed out to Mar. It was dark grey, and about the size of his fist, with a few white markings crossing it in various places. "Projection computer. It responds to thought or voice commands, and it'll project the information into the air in 3-D. All the information my device gathered about you is in there," he said, settling back into his chair. "Maybe you can get more out of it than I've been able to."

[Myitt]

"She's not going to starve," Corliss says tersely, looking from Ossanlin to Reven.  "Reven, we can't just let her drift about.  She needs us.  Even if she's under surveillance, she can help us."

Reven considers the people projected in front of him on his end of the holoscreen. 

"I knew from the memory files that Efaen had a tracking device placed within her," he replies.  "I was hopeful that it had been removed from her system, but I see that is not the case.  Of course we cannot risk having an Imperial trace on anyone who comes here."  He glances briefly at Corliss, who looks down at the metal floor.  "That being said, I have decided to continue to allow Terenia to join us.  I'm afraid that I cannot say the same for Efaen at this time."

[Terenia]

<What am I supposed to do then?> Terenia asks, a bubble of anger rising from within. <Leave her to the Andalite's mercy while I swim around a pool for the rest of my life "under surveillance"? That's not fair, Efaen needs me.>

<<Is that so?>> Efaen asks silently. <<You are the one who cannot survive without the ability to regain your human form. You are the one so dependent on clinging to your humanity that you would make me a slave so that you can play this relentless, never-ending game of make believe. I do not need you, child, you need me.>>

<Fine, then.> Terenia says icily in open thought-speak. A solution has occurred to her. An eloquent, hideously terrifying solution. The very thought makes her hearts pound. <There is another way. It will solve quite a few problems, actually. The tracking devices will be rendered useless, I will not have to seek out another host, and no one will have to worry about a rogue Andalite being accepted into Yeerk ranks.>

<<What are you talking about?>> Efaen snaps. Terenia ignores her, closes her main eyes and focuses on becoming human.

[Shenmue654]

Mar takes the device on Salem and sets it on the table between them. "Bring up the relevant physiological data in summation," mutters Mar. "Separate levels by antimatter field potency. Place the highest concentration at the center picture. Attempt to interpret. If not possible, form an image based on the easiest comparasion the users possess."

Mar's not entirely sure how this thing works, but that sounds about right. And Salem had to have put instructions in here somewhere. What follows are several holographic screens popping up around Mar. Since he asked for the physical data first, some of them define Mar as a lightly modified human and list his body structures, heart rate, and breathing accordingly. Mar gulps, looking at this information. "One shot from a mortal weapon and my characteristics are lost," mutters Mar. "I will live on, but I will not care for Elayne or Ossanlin."

However, several holoscreens behind and around Mar display...what you could almost call empty black space shaped into various odd patterns, energy spikes, and apparently almost organic protrusions. It's clear that the machine doesn't know whether to place this...thing outside the asteroid or inside it. At the moment it is compromising by showing Mar himself as being...attached to it. Not a pretty sight.

"Like a...hand puppet," mutters Mar uncomfortably. "Interesting interpretation. Does it also display information on the mind?"

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Ossanlin sighs and rubs his forehead, closing his eyes as Terenia speaks, seeing exactly where she's going.  <So Efaen wants to be a human nothlit then?  Somehow I doubt that.  It is not a solution to force a being into becoming a nothlit to serve your own selfish desires.  If Efaen truly wants this, I need to speak to her without your influence in between in order to confirm it.  Do not test me child...just because I feel remorse regarding what has happened to you does not mean I will not do what is necessary to protect my own.>