Galaxy's Edge Space Bar (archive)

[Shenmue654]

Mar's eyes narrow slightly. Dear child, it is unwise to take such a tone with me. You would do well to learn your place in this arrangement quickly. Mar then smiles warmly and sits beside Elayne, as if his expression had never changed. "Terribly sorry, dear. I didn't realize that I was still standing. Impolite, I'd suppose. I don't want to frighten you."

Mar then shakes his head and glances at Elayne. "Your dislike of my methods has more to do with your morality than your existence as a mortal. I understand this well enough, and accept it. As for your soul..." Mar's gaze seems oddly vacant of rational thought for a few moments, but he quickly shakes himself out of it. "...I admit I am tempted by the thought of it, but as I have said I do not want to own the soul of my friend. It would hardly be proper etiquette nor would it please me in the end. You are far more amusing with a live mind then you are were you mine."

[Chad32]

Belzar had managed to find some components to improvise with that should make him more effective. It wasn't a whole lot, as he didn't really have an assembly station or any tool sets. There was scrap material that could possibly be used as plating, and he found some smaller parts that would fit. Although he couldn't weld them together, it did prevent his insides from being exposed. He didn't detect his own people's arrival yet, so all he could do was leave the old junkyard and try to take in some sights.

[KitsuneMarie]

Elayne nodded in appreciation as he sat, although she did catch a slight change in his expression. "Thank you," she said, putting a hand briefly on his shoulder before dropping it back to her lap. She knew it was silly to want him to be near her height, especially considering how much more powerful he was than her, but she still didn't enjoy feeling so small.

He seemed to recognize that quality in her, though, considering his resistance to his hunger for her soul. "I'm grateful," she murmured, watching him with a small smile. "As much as I enjoy our friendship, I'm not sure how well we'd get along for eternity--unless feelings were imposed on me. I do like you, but I don't like the idea of being controlled." Abruptly, she grinned. "That makes me a terrible hypocrite, I know. Honestly, handing over my soul is probably what I deserve after all that I have preached on Earth."

[Shenmue654]

Mar's expression suddenly turns somewhat serious, and he then shakes his head. "No. No, Elayne. I think you have entirely the wrong idea. What the Yeerks are doing is simply another, more elaborate form of slavery. It may be disturbing, extremely repressive, and deadly when involuntary but..." Mar rapidly shakes his head again. "...it is nothing compared to enslaving the soul of a person."

"When...a person is enslaved by a Yeerk, that person still exists inside their own body. They can cry out to and interact with the Yeerk and know that the Yeerk can hear them...though an Imperial Yeerk's repressive tactics can eventually destroy their mind and heart." Mar looks down. "But if someone owns your soul...no one can hear you because you don't even exist. You become a mere extension of the owner's desires. The owner of the soul can drastically alter the personality and attitude of the soul in question. It isn't a matter of control so much as it is a matter of change."

"They say when you are enslaved...you still have the few centimeters inside your own head, though the Yeerk can read it. Well..." Mar laughs in an odd, bitter way. "...if someone has you, your very identity...you become nothing at all. Only the terrible pain from being that close to a Dark side Highest indicates that something is wrong, and eventually even that fades as you are eaten away. ....the fact that Myitt's brain still operates with functional memories is alone what saves her. And even then she loathes being close to me. " Mar stares off very awkwardly, as if he's not used to discussing this but determined not to make Elayne feel like a hypocrite. "...that is why I refuse to trick you out of your...soul."

[Stephquiem]

Genie smiled tentatively, reaching out to pet Ace. Her smile widened. "He's lovely." She dropped her hand and turned to smile at Lucan. "He's not too different in appearance from the birds we have on Earth. I've always liked seeing them."

[Terenia]

((Chad, I forget where Belzar is, so let me know if he isn't within sight and I'll change this))

Terenia nods, staring off as she thinks about the situation. As usual, she has no answers for herself. She is about to suggest that perhaps they should return to the bar until further details develop, but her thoughts are interrupted as the machine that called itself Belzar wandered into view.

<Hello again,> Terenia calls, <did Elayne fix you up? You look better.>

She's not sure why, but she feels somewhat more complacent in the machines presence, more inclined to be friendly. After all, machines are hardly capable of betrayal.

[KitsuneMarie]

Elayne slowly looked away as Mar spoke, indeed disturbed by what he told her, and the fact that he knew about this soul business a little too intimately. At his final words, however, she gave a slow nod. Feeling the need to reach out to him as he turned his gaze away from her, she put a hand over his. "I thank you for that," she said quietly, watching him, sincerity apparent in her expression. Then she smiled. "Really, for an evil villain, you aren't so bad. Probably no one would believe me, but you really are sweet to me."

[Chad32]

"I am better, thank you. Yes she realligned some tubes and wires which helps a lot. As for the plating, I may be okay so far as long as conflict does not happen. This seems like a peaceful place for now, though, so I should be fine." Belzar said as he walked closer to Terenia. "Do you require assistance with anything? I don't have much to do right now, but I may be able to perform an odd job." Belzar knew from records that lifeforms liked having things done for them because they had limited energy.

[Shenmue654]

((Fixed. Keshin can no longer teleport. Stupid severe sleep deprivation. :p ))

Keshin watches as Terenia moves towards Belzar and sighs with a tired look on his face. <Another good job down the drain, Joanne. I really hope she means what she says about paying us back for the effort.>

<I think she will, Kess. She seems like a more honest person than you give 'er credit for.>

<You say that about a lot of people, Joanne.>

<And aren' I right sometimes?>

<....yes.>

Keshin groans and decides to head back towards the Bar. <I think we both need a sip of orange juice. Or maybe food. How long has it been since we've eaten again?>

<One, two days? We haven' separated yet, but I'm hungry.>

Keshin rolls his eyes at Terenia and Belzar and saunters off towards the Bar. He needs to fix their Dracon, but it would be better to eat first. No sense fighting with an empty stomach and a tired mind.
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Mar glances down at Elayne's hand over his own. His gaze softens significantly and he allows the hand to stay. Elayne finds me attractive. With no effort on my part at all, no stress, no lies except those regarding myself. .....I am...unsure of what to do. But maybe it doesn't really matter what I do, in this place. What will come of it but my pleasure?

Mar then grins. "I can be sweet, Elayne. It isn't illegal. There are people so repulsed by me that they cannot even accept the fact that I live. That I feel. That we are not so different. But enough about me, dear. What about you? Your hobbies, your interests?" Mar snickers. "What's your favorite color, your desires for the future? We're supposed to be friends now yet I only know about the bad things."

((What is the average speed of an unleaden swallow? >D ))

[KitsuneMarie]

She rolled her eyes and laughed at his questions, retracting her hand into her lap and leaning back against her seat. "Well, you know my trade, so you won't be surprised to learn that many of my hobbies stem from that, or are at least related to it. I'm not much of an artist, but I like setting up photography shots, taking into account ideal conditions and placement. I guess life gets so hectic that I enjoy being methodical about what few things I can control." Then she laughed. "Or maybe I'm just over-analyzing myself."

She perched her elbows on the table and thought. "Desires for the future? I'm not sure about that one, but I'm fairly certain I want it to be quiet. If I could ensure that the Yeerk rights movement would go on without my help, I would probably just stay in space, far away from prying eyes; I'd set up shop somewhere, tending to ships, maybe designing some of my own. Make a few friends, avoid being lonely." She smiled. "I'd like that."

((Sah, I answer your question wiiiiith a question! African or European?))

[Shenmue654]

Mar smirks at Elayne and then winks. "Why how terribly dull, sweet Elayne. It's true that you have had a very busy and disruptive life, and you hardly deserve to have gone through the sequence of events you went through. But to experience nothing interesting at all would get old after a while, I'd think. You'd need a couple people...like maybe a certain dictator...to spice up your life a bit."

"And you still haven't told me what your favorite color is. I prefer black, deep scarlet, and a regal purple as my own colors. What sort of thing does sweet Elayne have decorating her rooms and clothes?"

[Terenia]

Terenia finds herself smiling with her eyes. What an incredibly...machin e-like request. <No, I do not require any assistance currently. Well, not any you would be able to provide, at least. I'm glad you were able to get Elayne to help you. So, how did you end up here, exactly?>

Terenia notices Keshin looking slightly disgruntled and heading back towards the bar and shrugs it off. It's likely he just is upset that the mission did not work out, although Terenia still sees a possibility for its fruition in the future. In the meantime, though, there is not much she can do but wait for her Zorish - and her sister - to arrive.

She fights a series of threatening butterflies in her gut when she thinks about that particular nasty fact and turns back to Belzar, waiting for his response.

[Chad32]

"I am from a planet that is currently in a civil war over two main ideals. I was in a mission to get some allies to a machine that the enemy built to travel between planets via portal. I succeeded in my mission, though obviously my enemies tried very hard to stop me. the portal was accidentally activated, and I was sucked through it along with whoever was nearest me. It was a random location, which will make it difficult for my allies to find me. otherwise the portal would have opened up soon afterwards and I would be back in a repair facility. Eventually they will find me, I am sure."

"My people are at war, and I am a soldier droid that specializes in defense. Some of us seek peace, while others seek domination. The ones who gave us sentience also programmed us for nonviolence, but we decided we wanted to be peaceful because of a desire for peace. Not because our program demands it of us. Unfortunately this sparked conflict between those who want to follow the teachings of peace, and those who resent lifeforms that treat machines as mere tools. Programming them to their liking."

"Even though I am no servant, I also know that lifeforms often can't work for more than a few days straight without risking thier health. That is why you build machines to do things for you."

[KitsuneMarie]

She grinned at his suggestion. "That would be interesting, for sure." She gave a little grin. "I wouldn't mind having someone. I'm not sure a dictator would have time for me, though. But I might make a nice vacation spot for him."

Then she laughed. "You were serious about the color? I like blue--dark blue especially. As far as decor... back when I lived in Colorado and California, I always had tools lying about and little projects I was tinkering with. I didn't decorate a whole lot. And, well, you can see from my clothes, I don't really give a damn about what I'm wearing," she gestured at her functional and somewhat grease-stained clothes. She smirked at how shabby he looked next to him. They were an odd pair, for sure.

"So when was the last time you were on Earth?" she asked, her grin growing a little as she examined his own outfit.

[Shenmue654]

Mar smirks as he hears Elayne's question. "1984, Elayne. At least, if we are speaking of my Earth, one that I had very close interaction with. I have no idea if I have even been to your own. Though I get this feeling that it might have happened." Mar twitches, but seems fine. Though his expression is distant. "I have not entered the planet as this persona directly since that time. I did not care for that time nor many others before it. Though I was partial to the time I came before that."

Mar gestures at his clothes and pulls at his cravat. "As you can see...I spent many years on Earth at several different points in my life. These clothes reflect the last time I had a prolonged visit there. And...don't worry about looking out of place. You fit right in. I'm the person who looks like he came to the wrong Bar."