GESB: Operation Time-Cops

[Chad32]

(Claxter, you mean?)

Claxter hadn't thought much about Sukohn. he supposed the other Yeerk should get harsher treatment for what he did than Zorish.

<I am no judicial figure. I suppose we will simply wither erase his memory and release him, or kill him, just as we plan to do to you. Even though what he did was worse, he is less of a threat.>

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Ossanlin nods.  <She will give up Efaen whether she wants to or not.  You see, even if Tamora does nothing more than to tell Terenia that she's a vile wretch, she will still be out from under Visser 3's proverbial thumb.  That was Terenia's desire.  Our goal has been accomplished regardless of whether the two decide to be friends or not.  It would've been much more convenient if we'd been able to take the girl while you were feeding, but that would've been nigh impossible.  You are in an unfortunate position, and quite honestly the only crucial part you played in our plan was to remove the girl from the Blade Ship chasing after a false Escafil.  You were in no part our objective, sub-visser...you just know too much.>

Ossanlin hefts the modified dracon in his hand again.  <Suhkon's fate is no concern of yours.>  He pauses a moment.  <I cannot speak for the use of Myitt's devices...we'll have to get her her host back first.  Am I to assume that you are opting to have your memories wiped and be shipped off to the nearest Yeerk outpost then?>

[Terenia]

((Luke, didn't we use a memory reader earlier to go through Zorish's memories?))

Zorish scowls at Ossanlin, his hands balled into fists as they hang stiffly by his side. For a long moment he stays that way, looking as though he were on the verge of attacking the Andalite. Then his shoulders slump and he relaxes.

"Yes," he mutters stiffly, unable to help glancing towards the medbay in concern. He looks as though he is about to say something else, but quiets himself, although the conflicted look on his face does not dissipate.

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

((You're right Jessi.  I had forgotten Myitt brought one along.  I changed it.))

[Myitt]

<Interesting choice,> Tara muses, tauntingly.  <Personally, I would've gone with stasis.  ****ers back at the Empire are not going to be happy you allowed yourself to be captured.  They're such nice folks, aren't they?>

[Terenia]

<You have a misinformed view of my line of work,> Zorish says tersely to Tara, <Not everyone within the Empire is Visser Three.>

"I have a request, Andalite." Zorish says, keeping his anger contained so that it only showed in the way his eyes flashed, "I will have no way of knowing if you will keep your word, but as you Andalites value honor so highly, I ask that you pledge, on your honor, that you will do this one thing for me."

[Chad32]

Claxter wasn't sure if Zorish was talking to prince Ossanlin, or both of them. He turned a stalk eye to his Prince to see what he'd say. His main eyes remained on Zorish, though.

[Myitt]

<Oh, I'm well aware of that,> Tara continues conversationally, unheedingly.  <But, you know, you do kinda work for the guy.  Too bad he has no patience for screw-ups who let themselves get captured by both rebels and Andalites simultaneously.  Oh, well.>

[Terenia]

<Even Visser Three is not asinine enough to murder a Sub-Visser. How would he explain such a thing to the Council? If one of his top officers suddenly disappears?> Zorish gave the equivalent of an internal snort in Tara's direction, <He prefers not to attract the Council's attention, so no, I will not die. I will certainly be subjected to a less than pleasant punishment of some sort, but I will not die.>

Zorish turns his attention back to Ossanlin, ignoring the others on the ship, although he does favor Hadrin with an especially stony glare.

[Myitt]

Hadrin glares back at Zorish, feeling confident enough among his rebel peers, but he, too is uncomfortable with the choice they have to make. 

Tara falls silent, wondering just what Zorish wants from Ossanlin and the rest of them; no use, the Yeerk's thoughts are closed off to her.

Myitt, on the other hand, is perhaps the most impatient of them all, awaiting her human friend and knowledge of what has transpired.  She swims in circles in the little plastic tub, wanting nothing more than to be out of it.

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Ossanlin looks to Hadrin with his main eyes, a stalk eye staying on Tara at all times.  He looks back at Tara with his main eyes.  <I will not give my word to do anything unless I know what it is you want me to do first.  What is it you desire?>

[Terenia]

"Two requests, actually," Zorish amends, glancing towards the med bay. "The first, I presume will be easier for you to stomach than the second. I ask only that no harm become Tamora. She...she cannot get hurt, and I have no doubt that her biological sister means to harm her."

Zorish pauses, allowing this information to sink in, and then moves on, "The second favor of which I must ask is this: do not remove all of my memory of her. You may eliminate this endeavor, eliminate any knowledge of my contact with you and the Yeerk traitors. But please, do not eliminate her from my memory. It is in both of our best interests."

As Zorish speaks he keeps his face calm and expressionless, but the pain that he feels is strong enough to break down the mental barrier he has erected between himself and Tara. She, at least, can feel how it is hurting Zorish to lose his partner.

[Chad32]

<<I suppose Zorish truly feels loyal to Tamora, and may hope to reunite with her some way.>> Claxter said privately to his Prince.

[Myitt]

Tara feels the very real emotions hitting her from Zorish, and at first she's a bit shocked.  

After a few long seconds she says, <I'm sorry.  I really am.  I...we wish there was another way.  Myitt and I...we know how you feel about each other.>  She falls silent, feeling like the words aren't fully expressing how she feels about Zorish's pain.  <Why don't you free yourself from the Empire?  Even your friendship with Tamora is a death sentence to them.  How can you still serve what forces you to hide yourself?>

Hadrin, however, scoffs incredulously.  "Don't be a fool, Sub-Visser.  We can't possibly erase your memories without excising some of what you remember about your host.  Even that could trigger a secondary relapse.  It would be too great a risk, you know that.  I didn't think you cared so much as to risk your life and ours for the human girl."

[Terenia]

<The Empire is my home,> Zorish responds stiffly, <It is Tamora's home as well, and I have no desire to force her away from one of the few places she knows comfort.>

In response to Hadrin, Zorish's face flashes with fury, his own anger curling Tara's lip up into a nasty sneer, "Don't be a fool, traitor," he hisses, "I am who I am today because of that human in there. If you erase her existence from my memories than my reason for even considering sympathy of the humans will be eliminated. Use your brain, Hadrin. Why do you think that I, a Sub-Visser, has one of the most menial jobs aboard the Blade Ship? Because I requested it. Because I do not want to be among those who are inflicting casualty upon casualty on the humans. If Visser Three had his way he would begin open war upon the planet, using only the surviving dredges as hosts and moving on. He would destroy humanity, and he would destroy Earth. I do not want a part in that. I have been working tirelessly to prevent that from happening, to provide information that allows us only to advance through infiltration, something I did not care about prior to Tamora."