GESB: Operation Time-Cops

[Terenia]

"I will only leave this human if you allow me to return to Tamora," Zorish says coldly, all trace of a conversational tone gone, "I have no doubt that you intend to kill me, so go ahead and strap me down. Starve me out, if you will. Subject this innocent human to the torture that is a Yeerk undergoing Kandrona starvation. Or allow me to return to Tamora. But I will not die helpless and blind. I have done nothing to earn that disgrace."

Tamora whimpers as Zorish speaks of dying and her wide eyes land on Myitt. She tries again to speak, but her mouth is as dry as cotton and her first few attempts come out as raspy nothings. Licking her lips and clearing her throat she finally manages to force out the words: "Let him."

[Myitt]

Myitt's gaze flickers from Zorish to Tamora, eyes narrowed, trying to determine just how sincere they're being.  Then she turns to Ossanlin and Alic. 

"We can't allow this to happen," she whispers to them, covering her mouth like a gossiping schoolgirl.  "Tamora is free.  What the hell are we going to do?"

[Alic]

Alic had been standing back, just watching the scene. <Nah. There's a difference between their relationship. Voluntary hosts and yeerks who work together to better the universe? Fine, I'll accept that. Human and yeerk out to destroy? No good. I say we starve him.> She turned a stalk eye to Zorish, glaring.

(sorry. im really sick. i havent been posting and its little but its all i have.)

[Myitt]

Myitt nods.  "At least we can wipe the human's memory, afterward," she whispers.  Then she sucks in a breath.  "I can make it quicker than it would normally take.  Ossanlin?"

((Aw, Patty, I hope you feel better!))

[Terenia]

"No!" Tamora screams suddenly, finding her voice. She struggles uselessly against her bonds, her eyes welling up with tears as she realizes the futility of it. "Let him go, he never did anything to you, you filthy Andalite-loving traitor!"

Zorish pushes away from the wall, moving Tamora's side while keeping his eyes steady on Myitt and the Andalites. He moves slowly, and when he reaches Tamora's side he uses Derrel's fingers to brush her matted, sweaty hair from her face. His expression softens somewhat, but when he speaks to her his voice is hard.

"Do not give them the pleasure of your tears," he says eyes still on Myitt, "they hope to break us. Do not allow them the luxury."

"I don't...want..." Tamora's desperate gasping words devolve into hiccuping sobs while Zorish watches his captors, his hand resting gently on Tamora's head.

[Chad32]

Derrel wished he could tell tamora it would be ok, but they would just be empty words. He wished they could do something, but the Andalites and Myitt held all the cards.

<Just go into Tamora. I'll see if I can do something later. I'll help you. I don't really know how, though.>

[Myitt]

Myitt turns from her Andalite friends, watching the Yeerk, in Derrel's body, comfort his human friend.  She looks down at the floor, keeping her Dracon ready but aimed downward.  

"Perhaps there is another way," she says carefully, looking up at them with an expression of...is it pity?  Remorse?  "A way we can allow you both to live.  But it will require us to erase what you know about us, and in doing so, we would have to erase your memories of each other."

((Let me know if you disagree with this--but I don't see many other options?))

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Ossanlin takes a deep breath.  <You will not be reinfesting Tamora, I'm sorry but you've had time enough to bolster her beliefs that the Imperials are right in taking whatever they want and killing everything they don't.  As I said, we could wipe your memory, but you'll have to find a new host situation even if you take that option.  I suppose we could put you in stasis instead.  Either way, you'll not be taking Tamora back to the Imperials, not until we at least have a chance to speak with her without your presence.  Depending on the result, the situation may change for you.>

Ossanlin falls silent as Myitt speaks again and quirks an eyebrow at her, wondering what she has in mind.

[Terenia]

Zorish removes his hand from Tamora's forehead, letting it fall to his side loosely. He squares his shoulders and tries his best to reign in his contempt as he addresses Ossanlin instead of Myitt.

"Fine, then," Zorish says, "speak to Tamora all you want. Release her from her bonds and I will take her place in this body. You can speak to her alone in one of the other rooms where I am not present. But I refuse to be unhosted while surrounded by a ship full of those who would prefer me dead."

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Ossanlin ****s his head at Zorish.  <If you really and truly refuse to leave this poor human, then so be it.  Derrel, I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to restrain the both of you to restrain Zorish...and there really isn't enough room to talk to Tamora without your presence on this ship.  The Mirage is large for a fighter, but that's essentially what it is, with a few amenities.  We will talk with Tamora alone once we arrive at our destination.  I should hope we might learn why she has chosen to be a voluntary host to a despotic government born of lust for power and revenge and fueled by tyranny and opression.>

Ossanlin glances at Myitt again.  <And I'm afraid Tamora will have to remain restrained for the rest of our journey as well, there's no telling what a voluntary host will do, it's easy to understimate them.>

He then speaks privately to Myitt.  <<What were you thinking...wiping their memories of each other?  I must say I'm quite curious.>>

[Myitt]

"It would appear that Tamora's allegiance to the Empire has been largely influenced by her relationship with Zorish," Myitt whispers back to Ossanlin, "although the only way to be sure will be to view Tamora's memories, when and if we choose to erase them.  At the very least we would need to erase the last day or so, and there would still be the issue of the memories of Hadrin.  He's been stationed under Visser Three for Generations to gain their trust."

[Terenia]

Zorish scowls deeply, clearly unhappy with his options, and returns to the wall where he had been cowering under the guise of Derrel. He leans against it, allowing himself to slide down so that he is sitting on his butt with his knees raised and arms looped around his knees casually.

"I don't suppose that promising not to cause any trouble will keep me from the  ropes?" he asks, pushing the anger from his tone and replacing it with a winning smile, "I promise to be good, so long as you don't shove any more explosives on my lap or try to rummage through my brain anymore."

[Myitt]

Myitt humors Zorish with a smirk.  "Nice try, Sub-Visser, I suppose it couldn't have hurt to ask," she says, rolling her eyes. 

She gestures at Zorish with her Dracon, setting it to stun.  "Come along then.  Or do you have to piss first?"

[Terenia]

Zorish chuckles, "It couldn't hurt. And just because I've got my back against the wall don't think I'm going to make it easy on you by lying down while you tie me up. Naw, go ahead and stun me. You can have fun lifting this body all by yourself as dead weight. I, for one, am quite comfortable where I am."

[Myitt]

Myitt sighs.  "You really aren't making all this any easier," she mutters, aiming the Dracon at Zorish's chest, just far enough to prevent a heat backlash--and she fires.