Prologue: Origins

[Seryna]

The vents had not caused a very drastic change in the interior, there were not gusts of air. In fact, air was growing short, making one's lungs feel strained as they struggled to breathe.

<Pay attention,> Jethsa 'snapped'. <I already opened the vents - Eddie, was it? Perhaps you ought to leave the piloting to those trained for it. Please refrain from directing the ship.>

Jethsa turned her stalk eyes upwards and issued rapid thought speech commands, mostly related to the gaseous exchange issues.

<There's a problem with what you call carbon dioxide.> She shared.  <It's rising faster than it is being exchanged.  That's why we are becoming short of breath- we are using the residual oxygen.  You- Eddie- stay where you are, stay alert for proximity alerts.  I'll be right back.>

She moved to the back where she pressed a wall, which retracted. She reached inside and withdrew a small device which she began to point to various brightly colored electronics within the 'wall'.  After a few moments, she tucked away the device and returned to the front.

<That should fix it for a short time,> She stated, mentally bringing up a schematic of gas levels within the ship.  The previous stagnant air soon felt a drop in temperature as air soon began to flow.

[Breekan1]

Reece settles down a bit, frazzled to realize how badly he'd been fluttering about in his panic. <Maybe it is best we explained ourselves,> he states dimly. <My name is Reece. I don't know if we've really been introduced. Eddie, the uh, one of the ones that looks er, ah, well, he and a few of the others on here and myself got the morphing power from the Pemalites, but maybe you guessed that?> He flies up a bit higher so he's closer to Jestha's eye-level. <We were trying to take you to them for help- you looked hurt, and letting Eddie acquire you was the only thing we could think of.> He pauses. <We really did have your best interests at heart this whole time.>

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Jas immediately becomes abashed as Jethsa wakes up.  <I'm sorry as well Jethsa...it's me, Jas.  I was afraid the ship might take more than one to direct it's flight...the computer was talking about the rest of the crew and...well...I'm sorry.>

Jas immediately morphs back to his human form dressed in those rediculous bike shorts.  He thought the smaller human body would consume less viable O2.  He felt diminished somehow and experienced a guilty pang as he considered morphing Jethsa again in the privacy of his apartment.

[Seryna]

<I understand.> The alien replied.  <I am surprised you risked so much to save me.  Crashing in a ship like this would be unpleasant- regardless, I am pleased to have met you.  Please hold on.  We are approaching the coordinates you gave the ship.>

The ship began to slow as Jethsa gave commands in open thought speak, reducing altitude and landing in a park across the street from the Chee center.  The ship eventually settled on the ground and Jethsa immediately had the ramp lowered.

<We may wish to exit.  The gas levels are still quite dangerous and may adversely effect us.>

[Breekan1]

Reece demorphs, his ladybug features dissolving away. He quickly made his way out, scanning the park for witnesses. "I hope we're not going to er, draw too much attention in that thing."

[Seryna]

<The ship is shielded,> Jethsa assured, stepping out onto the ramp as she looked about outside. <- although I am curious why you chose to come to this place.>

[FuBar]

I nodded almost imperceptibly at Jethsa's suggestion that I refrain from attempting to pilot the ship, and again when she asked me to stay alert for proximity warnings etc. Somehow part of my brain managed to identify the correct instruments and displays that related to that task automatically...

I got the feeling that a thought-speak reply was unnecessary where a simple nod would suffice to indicate my compliance with her wishes.

<Chee. The ones we got the morphing power from are the Chee, Reece. The Pemalites may have created them, but I doubt they count as the same species.> I corrected him, <While it is true they can probably help you with your injuries, Miss Jethsa, what they can most help with is hiding this ship from the Yeerks. They may even fix it up for you, if you ask them the right way. Anyway, if you aim a Z-space communication at that house> I pointed on a screen to the house where we'd met Jenny and got our powers, <they may send a response, welcoming you... Or, I suppose, some humans could go ring the doorbell... But where's the fun in that?> I eye-smiled, something that came naturally yet wasn't something my human mind had come up with.

I thought about all this weird new terminology I'd started using automatically - The words came fluidly from my mind, or more accurately from Jethsa's memories that I was somehow managing to access, yet as soon as I'd spoken them I knew what they referred to. It's a very strange feeling.

While I was thinking about that, I witnessed Jas babble his way through his own apology for taking Jethsa's DNA while she was unconscious, and saw him demorph.

The ship landed, and the outer hatch opened into a ramp again as Jethsa advised us to leave the ship and get some fresh air. I saw Reece immediately depart down the ramp on his human legs, which reminded me of something:

I decided not to demorph yet, and consequently figured it'd be best to stay in the ship unless Jethsa also left, in which case I'd stick close to her.

<<Miss Jethsa, I'd like to show you how grateful I am that you continue to let me use your morph: I offer you my service, that while I am in Andalite form both now and in future, I am yours to command. This offer does not extend to my other morphs, though I am of course happy to consider you a friend no matter what other form I take. Will you accept my offer?>> I said privately to her, trying to show respect in my tone. For some subconscious reason, I also allowed Jas to 'overhear' my offer to Jethsa... Perhaps because he too had her DNA? Possibly, though I wasn't sure that was the whole reason or not...

Andalite memory suggested a title I might use for Jethsa if she accepted my offer of service: 'Prince'. Yet the human part of my brain argued that since she was Female, wouldn't 'Princess' be more appropriate? Andalite memory had no answer to that, so I didn't use either. I used 'Miss' instead.

I think I'll probably ask her which title she'd prefer I use when addressing her, unless she declines my offer, of course.

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Jas raised an eyebrow as he listened to Eddie's profession of gratitude.  Quite an elaborate way to garner permission to use Jethsa's DNA.  Jas admired Eddie a bit for it, but also was annoyed a by it.  Eddie apparently spoke his mind and did not bother about not acting superior to others around him.  But in the same vein, Jas though Eddie was an adult, or at least more of an adult than the kids around him, he certainly acted like it, and that might well lead the man to act superior, Jas could understand that certainly, after all he had just been doing the same thing back at Kasey's house.  He was glad to have another older person besides Sam along for this freak-ride, or at least one who knew how to act older...Jas was terrible at telling age. 

Jas shot Eddie a quick glance, somehow he knew that the speech had been private for both himself and Jethsa.  He couldn't do the thought-speech thing in human-form, so he just nodded slightly at Eddie.  Getting permission was a good idea, though he would never pledge himself to follow another person's orders like some military grunt.  Oh Jas respected the military and everything they did, it just wasn't his bag.

All in all Jas was starting to trust Eddie, at least a little, and that was a big thing for Jas...Jas didn't trust anybody except Sam.  Somehow he thought he might get along with Eddie the way things were going, and if he was really going to fight this war Jethsa had spoken about, he'd need to learn to trust more quickly.

[SigardTormel]

Disoriented and light headed Vincent heard the conversations going on around him but was too short of breath and light headed to answer properly.  As the hatch/ramp to the ship open and Vincent 'heard' Jethsa's thoughts he started towards the door stumbling twice before getting there.  Sucking in three large lungfulls of clean air he coughed several times.  When he finally had the voice and thoughts in his head in order, he asked in a wondering voice "Uh.....  OK where are we and who or what are the Penalite or the Chee?   And uh.. you guys should probably get out of there.  Carbon dioxide poisoning isn't fun from what I remember from science class."

As he waited for an answer to his question Vincent took a look around him.  He thought he might know the park.  He had to pass it from his own house to get to the library.  Oh man, I wonder what kind of talking to my aunt and uncle will give me this time.  The library will probably have called them to see where I'm at and they don't have a clue.  And great I just thought of another thing to worry about.  What are they going to decide to do to me now?  That one panther... leopard... whatever didn't seem happy with me.  She.... is it a she?.... doesn't seem to trust me at all.  And I can't be sure of any one else.  Not even Reece, though he is pretty friendly.... Vincent thought to himself sighing at the predicament he found himself in.  His Hand unconsciously wrapped around the Dracon Beam in his pocket, his his thumb running over it's surface gently.

[Breekan1]

Reece sees Vincent stumble and he goes to help him walk. He leads him towards the grass outside the ship. "Here man, get some freshness in you." He smiles. "The Chee are robots that are helping us fight the Yeerks." He pauses. "Er, have we told you about the Yeerks yet?"

[Seryna]

<You seem to think that you are correct in many things.> Jethsa stated regarding Eddie. <You met the new creatures at the same time as he, yet educate him. Is he your leader?> She indicated Eddie to Reece.

<I am curious how humans determine leadership amongst yourselves.  I also would like to hear in more detail how you attained the ability to acquire morphs.  I only gave three beings the ability, yet there are so many of you. Tell me how many of you are there as well as what you believe you are dealing with.>

<You are mine to command?> Jethsa repeated Eddies proclamation, silent for several moments.  <I understand now that you and Jas meant no insult in taking my form.  I see now that you did so to reach safety and to escape the Collaborator in pursuit.

However, I am uncertain if I agree with the two of you taking my form again.  It strikes me as invasive.  I will reflect on it and will inform you of my decision later.  I also think you should reflect on your pledge.  I appreciate it but would not be offended if you rescind it.>


Stepping over towards where Vince and Reece stood, Jethsa continued to speak.
<Unfortunately when I came upon Vincent, I was in poor shape.  I had to prioritize mortal danger with the Yeerk Invasion and I regret that Vincent did not benefit from the explaination I was able to give to the other three whom I met. 

Vincent did however selflessly tend to me, as I remember losing consciousness in the woods before reaching the safety of the ship.  He also did not benefit from the Escafil.>

<Which....> Jethsa turned towards the other three. <- have you located it?  It should be secured immediately.  Now that I am well, I can safe guard it.>

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Jas stepped towards Jethsa a bit, not interrupting, but staying near her.  When Jethsa was silent for a moment, he spoke.  "Jethsa, I do apologize for acquiring you, we really thought it was necessary.  As for using your morph again, well I won't swear not to use it.  I stand by my word and if I think your DNA can save my life or help my accomplish a particularly difficult objective, I will use it.  What I WILL promise you is that I will not use your DNA erroneously and will only use it when it is a last option."

Jas shifted another glance back at Eddie, and then looked at Reece and...Vincent...was it?  Reece said something about robots and some other aliens and he raised an eyebrow.  With one last glance over both Jethsa and Eddie, he walks over to Vincent.  "Hey buddy, I'm about as freaked out as you, just so happens I've had a couple days to deal with it.  As for these Shee or whatever, I'm as clueless as you."  He reaches his hand out to shake.  "Name's Jas."

[Breekan1]

"He is not my leader," Reece says bluntly. He pauses, considering. "He does think that he's "correct in many things," though! We've been getting by mostly democratically so far; we've had a few big things to deal with so far, but we usually argue until we reach a consensus." He turns his head around to look at the small army they've amassed so far; it's impressive, for what it is.

"As far as the origins of our group, a lot of us were normal kids," he pauses. "Normal young adults until we went to a Sharing meeting last night- a sort of Yeerk 'recruitment' drive. We escaped thanks to a combination of brute force, subterfuge and cunningly applied toilet paper. Once we got out, we met up with a girl who worked with the Chee- the robots I mentioned earlier." He looks up into his brain as he talks, trying to recall each event in order. "She explained the Yeerks to us, gave us the power with the Escafil device. Then we went, got a few morphs down at the Gardens, got back to the Chee compound and found out that the device had been stolen." He gestures at Jas, Sam and Alic. "By those guys." He exhales deeply. "Any more questions?"

[Seryna]

<I can not expect more from you.> Jethsa replied to Jas, although she looked at him for a long moment.  <I do hope that such a situation never arises.  I do appreciate the risk you took to secure the Escafil for me.>

<Those humans you refer to were not stealing the Escafil.  I asked them to bring it to me- and since its Andalite technology and I am an Andalite, they returned it to its rightful owner.  Although I grow concerned where the device is now.  Do you know? If not, shall we make plans to find it immediately?>

[SigardTormel]

Turning to Jas Vincent grasps his hand and says "Yeah sorry I know this isn't likely easy for any of us but..... Well anyways nice to meet you Jas.  If you didn't hear before my names Vincent.  Don't really care about nicknames so any will be fine for me."

Returning his attention to Reece Vincent replies "Aaahhh..... that would be a definite no.  I'm clueless as to what's happening.... I mean it was only what 2 hours or so ago that I didn't even know aliens existed.  Only names I know of are........... well Horkbajiri or something close to that.  So what are these Yoerks and why are you...... fighting them?"  He had been about to say afraid before changing his mind and saying fighting.  He didn't want Reece one of the only people here besides Jas who had even decided to trust him a little.