Prologue: Origins

[Myitt]

_____

Two miles from Kasey's house, in the forest of Lakeside.

_____

Samantha Wagner gets up from her kneeling position near the injured Andalite, brushing dirt off her torn blue jeans.  The black scanner device the alien had given her bulged from one pocket, jammed in with her car keys.  Her leg still ached from slamming it against the elevator device they'd used to retrieve the blue box, in their haste to escape.

What an endless day this had been.

"Listen, Jethsa," she says quietly, tucking a tuft of dirty blonde hair behind her normally jovial, freckled face.  "We've been through hell and back getting this thing to you.  But I think I can speak for all of us..." She glances back at her human comrades, her friend Jas and Alec, the quiet young man she didn't know before today.  "...when I say that we're just glad this box, this...what'd you call it?  Escarfil device?  Will heal you."  She swallows, amazed at the tears threatening to spring to her eyes.  Damnit, an alien didn't just crash land on Earth and lose everyone she's fought with only to die out here in the woods, surrounded by strangers.  "You said the device will let you turn into any animal, heal your injuries.  You're sure it will work?"  She bites her lip, a nervous habit.  "And what about these Yeerks?  The alien parasites.  It sounds like we have no way of telling who is one and who isn't."  She looks over at her friends, searching them for any sign that they might not be who she thinks they are.  Of course, there is nothing. 

It's a lot to take in.  She shivers, rubbing her arm.

[Breekan1]

"I like the way you think!" Reece replies. He looks around. "Er, where should we do this? We probably shouldn't go on the street- the neighbors will freak. And I don't know if eagles can open doors. The back yard?"

[Seryna]

Jethsa, Lakeside forrest with Alec, Sam and Jas

You're sure it will work?"

<You're a very kind person,> Jethsa expressed, her main eyes turning towards Sam. < -and I am grateful for your concern, but I can assure you that its' not necessary. I've been giving highly advanced scientific training and have been versed on the Escafil for this mission.  I know that it will heal me.

I also know that it will confer to you the ability to acquire the morphing technology, if you desire. It does have certain limitations, and if you choose to do so I do hope that you understand these abilities should be used to fight the Yeerk Invasion of your planet.

You're quite right, Sam. It's nearly impossible to detect a Yeerk.  I am,  however, encouraged that you all have returned with the Escafil. It would have been far too great of a treasure for the Yeerks to deliver to me.>

Christina; Chee compound with Reece

"Good thinking," Christina glanced about at their surroundings. "- it would be hilarity in action to try and handle door knobs with our beaks.  Yeah, lets hit the back yard. We don't have to worry about these spy guys at least.  That's some what of a relief."

Christina headed towards the back yard and studied the surrounding area.  A high wooden fence marked off a quarter of a yard, a sizable yard for this area.  The two houses flanking the yard were devoid of people or activity.

"Looks good to me," Christina hedged, glancing over at Reece. "- you ready to do this?"

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Lakeside forrest with Alec, Sam and Jas


Jas Kirogi took a deep breath as his friend Sam spoke, voicing many of his own concerns.  He absent-mindedly fingered the butt of the Desert Eagle holstered under his arm.  He was glad he hadn't had to use it, but it seemed like the right thing to be carrying on this mission or whatever it had been.  He stuffed a hand in his pocket and pulled out a piece of Trident, unwrapping it and sticking the dry gum in his mouth.  "Look, this is weirder than anything I've ever seen, and I'm pretty sure I'm sober right now.  I mean...first off we don't have any way of knowing what you really want with this do we?  We don't even know if you're really hurt!  Second, we don't have any proof that Earth is being invaded...there's a lot of uncertainties here.  What if we touch that thing and become Yurks or whatever?  Maybe you're the invading aliens...I mean, seriously.  I don't think you are, but this is way out there."

Jas chewed nervously, the gum releasing a soothing spearmint flavor as he walked closer to Sam, hovering a bit protectively, his white, wavy hair blowing a bit in the scant breeze forcing it's way through the lean-to.  "Okay, so say I'm completely sober and conscious right now.  Say we believe you and take this power.  Say we try to fight this invasion that you say is happening...what does it even mean?  Where do we start?  What are we supposed to do?  I mean, if we're being invaded, we should inform the government, contact authorities, talk to people who can actually DO something.  I mean, without any information, turning into a c0ck-roach isn't gonna help much."

Jas looked concernedly at Sam and then looked over at Alec whom he'd just met that night.  Jas didn't trust the other guy, or this alien, or anyone really.  He only trusted Sam, she was the only one who ever did what she said.  She was the only one who was absolutely honest with him.  And she never asked him for money either, which was a plus.  It meant she really cared about him as a true friend, something he'd had to get used to, but didn't want to lose.  His right hand returned to fingering the butt of his .50 cal, his left jammed back in his jeans pocket playing with the half-empty pack of gum.

[Myitt]

"Jas," says Sam faintly, "I don't know why, but I feel like I...trust her.  Goddamnit, you know me well enough to know that I never trust people this quickly."  She looks at Alec, then back at Jethsa.  "You're saying that we can actually have this...technology, this power to turn into animals?"  She feels suddenly ill with the weight of this reality.  "I don't think I can do this, Jethsa, I'm not some kind of superhero.  Jas does have a point, we need to tell the cops or the X-Files or someone who will believe this.  There must be some way to tell who is a Yeerk and who isn't."  Sam shifts her weight, glancing anxiously around the darkening woods.  "Look, Jethsa, after tonight--all the super advanced technology we've encountered--the fact that you're even here.  I really want to believe you.  But how can you prove Earth is really being invaded, that you are what you say you are, and about this power to...to morph.  What do we need to know?"

[Breekan1]

Reece nods. "Let's  do it." He concentrates on the Eagle in his mind, just as he had with Miller the Gardens cop. Diamond patterns draw themselves all over his skin before flaking up into brown skin-colored feathers. His lips chap and harden before jutting forward into a wicked beak, and he realizes this will be very different from his human morph. His feathers shift in tone, his head turning a brilliant white, as his bones twist and his organs realign themselves. His eyes stretch and golden, completing the morph.

 He scrambles to tangle his now-bird body from his shorts and T-shirt, squawking absurdly. His eagle brain is panicked- trapped in some square bit of grass with wooden walls on the side, a strange pink monkey-thing nearby, and brightly colored cotton restraining his limbs. Reece manages to soothe the eagle brain- they are not panicky creatures- and work his way out of his clothes, which he gathers up in his talons.

<So how do you do this thing where you talk in my brain?> he asks. After a pause, <oh, just like that!>

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Jas nods.  "Exactly."  He kneels next to Sam and places a hand on her shoulder, still looking at Jethsa.  "I mean, if we can't see who's an alien and who isn't, how are we supposed to fight them?  And even if there's a way to tell, are we supposed to attack them out on the street?  I mean, the cops in this city might be dumb pigs, but they don't like brawls, especially if someone ends up dead after one.  I mean, how is this supposed to work?  If everything is true, I mean we're just a bunch of normal people.  Turning into animals would be neat, but how exactly is it supposed to help us if we don't know what or who to attack?  I think Sam's right, we can't do this.  Not without some more information or some proof at least."  Jas continues to regard Jethsa intently, his dark brown eyes shining in the scant light in the lean-to.

[Seryna]

Christina; Chee Compound en route to Kasey's

Christina grins in response, although her expression quickly pales as she watches Reece start to morph. "Oh! Yuck! Nasty."

She quickly turns her back to Reece, although she closes her eyes and begins to morph herself.

"That is decisively disturbing. I wonnnnk-" 
Her mouth suddenly split and transformed, jutting out into a beak. Her skin began to itch as feathers protruded, sweeping her pale skin with color.  She started to shrink at the exact time her legs shrivelled and reduced in size, causing her to topple over onto the grass.

She frantically kicked out of her clothing as her limbs began to change, bending and molding until she looked like a real Condor.

The Condor Christina surveyed the yard and fluffed its feathers at seeing Reece's smaller bird, starting to dart forward.  The bid suddenly slowed before impact, giving an almost shake of its head.

<The whole 'became scavengers' aspect isn't in this bird's DNA.> Christina said shakily. <It's O.K., I have the bird brain under control. So um, lets fly.>

It took Christina several attempts to manage to learn how a bird with her wingspan actually got into the air. After a few attempts, the Condo rose over the fence, flying towards Kasey's house.

<Man, try not to be a control freak, the bird knows how to fly better than you do. Or at least better than I do.>


Jethsa
Two miles from Kasey's house, in the forest of Lakeside.

<I fear that the authorities you speak of have already been infiltrated by Yeeerks. The people in positions of authority are likely already infested and the media has strategically placed Yeerks and informants to act on any attempt to reveal the invasion.  My people had hoped to arrive before the Yeerks had a stable foothold, but we were delayed by battles around your planet.  I fear your plan to reveal the Invasion that might have been possible only a few months ago now holds too many uncertainties.  If you manage to find one lucky human who is not infested, your actions would most certainly seal thier fate.

I am unfamiliar with the term 'cops' and how they are related to the swine of this planet, but I assure you that your efforts would not jeapordize your civilian identities as long as you are careful to not let your human identity be seen during battle.  We fight with honor and shall be striking at the Yeerk Pools, where every one within are our enemies the Yeerks and their innocent captives.>

Jethsa paused, shifting uncomfortably from her position on the Forrest floor. Her eyes seem to wince as she glances over to the blanket- which now, you can see, is beginning to darken as blood seeps from whatever wound she's hiding.


<I assure you that I will not force this on you. If you choose to join me and acquire the Morphing Power, then I welcome you as my allies. If you choose to deliberate further, I do not hold it against you.

I can not prove that the Yeerks are invading right at this moment, when my judgement is impaired by blood loss. After I acquire the technology, I will share with you what you need to know.>

The alien reached out to the box, placing one blue hand upon it.
<I can not wait any longer to acquire the ability, or I will lose consciousness and die not long after that.  I can not die until I have avenged my brother and our comrades.>

The alien closed her eyes, suddenly appearing much older than her youthful appearance and zeal suggest.



Torrence, with Kasey
'"Sure, I'll be right over."  Torrence relays to Kasey.  "Reece is coming over. What's first on the agenda?"

[Myitt]

((Is someone supposed to be playing Alec?))
___

In the forest of Lakeside.
___

Sam barks a laugh at Jethsa's swine remark.  When she closes her eyes, Sam looks over at Jas and Alec, worriedly.  "This is way too much," she murmurs.  "We can't wait any longer, guys.  At least she might be alright if we go through with this.  Can't you feel that?  This weird sort of...I don't know.  This calm feeling.  I just think she's telling the truth."  She sucks in a breath.   "I still want more proof, but...I'm in.  I just hope this thing doesn't cause cancer."  She touches her hand to the glowing blue cube.

[Breekan1]

<As long as you leave that brain in control for flying and not for turning me into the most patriotic dinner in American history, I think we're good. But keep in mind, man- I'm endangered.> Reece tries to grin, which does not work well with the Eagle's stiff mouth. <This is so weird. Why didn't we try this sooner? And where did all these mice come from?> As he gazes down at the fecund lawns below, he hits his first wide stretch of concrete and soars upwards on top of a thermal. <Whoa! Hot air! Hot air!> he exclaims.

Reece resists his eagle urge to feast on a bunny he sees hopping along below, and (more difficultly) his human urge to fly, swoop and soar until his wings fall off, instead making good time towards Kasey's back yard.

[Kit Cloudkicker]

"Well, I have something I want to show you guys. Well, Reece does. Hopefully he took the hint and remembered to bring it with him. I also think we need to talk about these people who Alice hooked us up with. I think they're lying about something, and I think we deserve to know the truth." She yawns, and flops down on the couch in her living room.

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Jas makes a face like he just swallowed something that tasted particularly nasty, but what choice did he have?  Sam was doing it, and if she was gonna put herself in danger, he wouldn't let her do it alone.  He took a deep breath and shook his head as he placed his free hand on an empty face of the blue cube they'd worked so hard to acquire.  His other hand remained on Sam's shoulder as they knelt next to the dying alien.  He didn't know where this was going but Sam...Sam was doing it, so he had to too.  He gave his friend a quick nervous grin before closing his eyes.  "I go where you do, Sammy."

[Seryna]

[Alec is an NPC that I play. Feel free to interact with him.]

Lakeside
Alec shifts a minute, watching Sam and Jas quietly. He watches Sam place her hand to the cube, but keeps his hands on his knees.

Jethsa

<Cancer? No, I can assure you that we've long since developed alloys that do not cause cancerous cells.  Please, brace yourselves.>

The alien girl closed her eyes, telepathically accessing her crashed ship to initialize the program developed to utilize the Escafil.  Jethsa, Jas and Sam soon felt a tingling sensation travel through their bodies.The sensation was not painful and soon passed.

<Thank you for your assistance.  I can understand that you do not wish to participate, Jas.  Suscipion at the face of the unknown is natural, in this situation it would indeed be an asset. >

Jethsa shifted her upper body, reaching her delicate hand down to pluck up a crawling insect.
She held up the caterpillar and closed her eyes, causing the insect to still.  After a moment, the alien opened her eyes and set the bug down near Sam, as though to offer it.

<This is how one acquires an animal to morph.  The morph can only last up to two hours. If one surpasses this time, one can become permanently trapped in morph.  

Please do not become alarmed while I become this small insect.>

Jethsa closed her eyes- all of them- and the eyes soon were on the move!  The stalk eyes swooped in on her skull, which was rapidly shrinking. Her color darkened from blue to black as she began to shrink at an alarming rate, her arms shriveling even as legs burst out of her chest.  The blanket suddenly fell to the side.  For one horrible instant, a scorpion like curved tail was visible- but the tail was obviously badly burned, sickening to look at.  The alien girl shuddered as the tail was retracted into her main body. The other changes were hard tosee as Jethsa shrank, plopping down onto the blanket.

"Oh!" Alec exclaimed, jumping to his feet.  He had become increasingly uncomfortable during the morph, but now he seemed very alarmed.  The twenty something year old swore several times in quick suscession, watching the bug.


Kasey's House

"Is that what went on when you stormed out of the house?  She admitted that she was lying to us?"  Torrence frowned, taking a seat on the bed.

"Well, that sucks.  It's not like they couldn't have called the Yeerks while we were sleeping.  What do you think is going on with them?"


<Hey, I was, too.> Christina laughs back. <This is so cool, flying.  Oh crap, I'm still on a level of endanger, though, maybe I should have grabbed something less conspicous.   Well, you have the most patriotic bird ever, I guess that I come in second on the 'Holy S*** list'.>

The birds make good time over to Kasey's, her house soon comes into view.

<Air Christina, on descent...>  The Condor swooped out, take cover underneath a shady tree.  She hopped over to conceal herself behind the trunk, wondering.
<You see any one around, Reece?  These eyes seem movement based, I totally can't tell if someone's standing out there texting.>

[Myitt]

"Oh, my God," Sam whispers, backing away from Jethsa as she mutates into a bizarre caterpillar-Andalite hybrid.  She holds up a finger.  "Excuse me."  She staggers off into the trees and loses her lunch.  A few minutes later she comes back, shakily wiping her mouth and staring down at the caterpillar writhing on the blanket.  "Sorry," she murmurs.  "I...don't know what I was expecting."  Sam looks down at her hand, where the cube had transferred its power to her.  It's still shaking.  "I guess we can do that too, now, huh?"  She searches Jas' and Alec's expressions for some kind of an answer, some kind of rationality.  "Jethsa, can you hear us?  Are you alright?"  Now it was even weirder, talking to a bug that was really an alien. 

[Breekan1]

Reece perches atop the tree and peers about. He doesn't see anyone outside, but it's difficult to judge whether or not someone might walk past a window in a seemingly empty house and happen to look outside. <I don't see anyone, but make sure you're out of view of any windows,> Reece advises. <You should be good behind the tree, but we should change back one at a time, if nothing else to save the embarrassment of nudity in close quarters.>