GESB: Operation Time-Cops

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Ossanlin continues to watch on, muttering to himself...<None are without guilt...we are ruthless so that others do not have to be...we fight now for peace in the future...>

He looks to the side for a few moments and then back to Zorish and Derrel.  <There are other options Zorish...other possibilities.  We must get poor Derrel back to Earth, you need to leave him.  We will supply you with a nutrient pool and a kandrona generator for the remainder of our trip.>

Ossanlin glances again to Myitt.  <<Moving a bit quickly aren't we?  What's the rush to kill him?>>

[Myitt]

Myitt narrows her eyes.  She wished she could respond to Ossanlin, but she doesn't break character.

"Yes, innocents who were killed because of the errors of their leaders," Myitt says smolderingly.  "Errors like believing in a free democracy, in mutualism instead of slavery.  How many traitors took weeks to die, their hosts used against them to torture them, while at the mercy of the Empire?  Do you really expect me to consider you an innocent officer of Visser Three?"

[Terenia]

"I will leave this human when I am able to return to Tamora," Zorish says, "I prefer to see my death coming, if it's all the same to you. You'll forgive me if I do not trust that you would actually keep me alive if I were hostless."

To Myitt, Zorish says tightly, "Are you accusing me of murdering your friends? Because I assure you that I had no part in it. Yes, I am an officer of Visser Three, but the role I play is fairly benign. I am not in charge of interrogations, I do not lead an army. My specialty is information and nothing more or less. If I had it my way the war on Earth would be won without a single shot fired, but that is not the way of it."

Zorish pauses, eying Myitt cautiously before adding, "If it were up to Visser Three I am certain he would kill him myself for trying to undermine him, but isn't that the way of it? Those in positions of power are always trying to undermine their superiors, because their superiors are often buffoons. Visser Three is no exception. As for your rebel losses, I am quite certain that my death will not help your cause. If anything it may hurt it."

[Myitt]

"Don't be a fool, Sub-Visser," Myitt snaps.  "Of course I'm not accusing you of killing my friends.  I'm accusing you of being a security threat to our operation.  You deal with information.  I think we can both imagine what kind of information you'd be able to return to Visser Three if we let you walk out of here, alive and unaltered."

[Chad32]

<I suppose Zorish knows a few things that we wouldn't want him to know.> Claxter said. <A memory wipe could probably fix that, though it isn't perfect. Though you do seem insistent that Zorish needs to die.

"Mmffmm" Sukohn said.

<Well you're just annoying, and I doubt they would even want you back.>

Sukohn made an angry face.

[Terenia]

"Well that's your own damned fault for kidnapping me in the first place." Zorish hisses back, equally vehement, "And what good did it do you? You retrieved virtually no information useful to your cause and you now have the unpleasant task of disposing of an otherwise innocent Yeerk. I certainly hope you feel fulfilled."

[Myitt]

"We've retrieved enough," Myitt says darkly, turning away from Zorish.  "Ossanlin, what's our ETA?"

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

<I would estimate approximately one point five standard hours.>  Ossanlin takes a look over at Zorish.  <No one is innocent Zorish, especially one who serves the Council's destructive whims.>

[Myitt]

Myitt nods.  "Alright," she says softly.  "That will be enough time."  She looks at Zorish, then down at the modified Dracon.  "You have three options, Sub-Visser.  First, we can erase your memory and return you to the Empire, hostless.  Although the risk of complications is high you would remain alive.  Second, you leave that host of yours, we'll put you into stasis and eject you into space.  It's better than starving."  She shifts her weight and sighs.  "Or I'll use this."  Myitt looks up at Zorish again.  "It doesn't take long, and the pain won't last.  The point is, Sub-Visser, we really don't have many other choices, here.  I wish it could be different, but it can't."

She glances at Ossanlin and Alic, trying to stall for time.  Myitt had no intention of killing Zorish off if she didn't have to, but the fact was, their mission was to deliver Tamora, uninfested.  They'd already learned what they could from Zorish, and at this point the Sub-Visser really was an expendable security risk.

And if faced with the security of her friends and the rebellion, Myitt really would pull the trigger.

[Terenia]

"If you return me to the Empire hostless," Zorish says, his gaze steady, "I'll be doomed. What do you think the punishment is for losing a host? Death. Worse than death. Slow Kandrona starvation, and the Visser can make it last for weeks, months even. You are giving me a choice that is no choice at all."

Zorish quiets for a moment, his eyes shifting focus, looking towards where Tamora's bed is. He cannot see her, but he looks for her regardless, "She will not want to be separated from me. Whatever you do with me, you are not leading her into a happier life, I promise you that. You will destroy her."

[Chad32]

<Why would they kill you just for losing a host? If most Yeerks just consider us property, then would it be that harsh?> Derrel asked, just out of curiosity.

[Myitt]

Myitt glances at Tamora, who is still sound asleep.  Her gaze shifts back to Zorish.

"Yes, I am aware that the options are all pretty damn awful," she grates.  "But I'm trying to give you your choice of deaths.  All I can tell you is that our mission involves retrieving Tamora, uninfested.  Would you prefer spending your life as a prisoner of the Andalites, or the rebellion, to an honorable death?  I'm trying to help you!"

She paces, clearly upset, gripping the modified Dracon in her sweaty right hand as she stalks back and forth.

<Unbelievable,> she scowls internally, <why can't she just make my life easier?>

<Would it really be easier, having another death on our consciences?> Tara says, almost boredly.

<No, no, but it's better than having an indecisive prisoner of war!> she snaps.

[Terenia]

<The host body is a vessel, you fool,> Zorish snaps at Derrel, <A Yeerk Visser does not smile upon valuable property being lost to enemy hands.> His scowl, however, fades at Myitt's outburst. His eyes rip away from their search for Tamora and focus on the rebel once more. Something Myitt has said strikes a note somewhere in Zorish's memory. Somehow it is important, although he cannot remember for the life of him why. He only knows that something was said, much earlier, that would make this whole thing make sense.

"There is no honor in death," Zorish settles for saying instead, "we are not the Andalites. We do not fool ourselves into thinking pleasant thoughts simply because supposed honorable intentions preceed them." He pauses, taking a deep breath, "However, we are also aware of the circumstances under which we have been overpowered. You must let me, at the very least, explain to her, though." his eyes trail back to where Tamora lies, "Privately. You owe me - us - that."

[Myitt]

Myitt pauses in the middle of her pacing.  She walks over to where Zorish is restrained, looking down at him. 

"I suppose you might actually care about her," she murmurs.  She looks back at Ossanlin and Alic briefly before returning her gaze to Zorish.  "But that doesn't mean I trust you."  She sighs, considering for a moment, pinching the bridge of her nose.  "Fine.  You may speak to her, but we aren't leaving this room."

Myitt grudgingly bends down to help Zorish, hands and legs still bound, over to the gurney where Tamora is sleeping.

[Chad32]

(It was Derrel that asked the question.)