Animorphs: Ressurection

[warren_bearclaw]

Marty takes his place by the pieces. He's surprised to notice that Reyna has already finished it. She apparently did really know what she was talking about. "Wow..." he says. To Lee: "Like Reyna said... sometimes people need to keep secrets."

[Horsefan1023 (Seal)]

Mesa shook her head, bewildered at everyone.  Secrets just cause trouble!  She said.  Do you know why Leerans get along so well?  Because we all know everything.  Crime rate is so low because people know you did it.  A Leeran knows he can trust his fellow Leerans.  And we understand each other!  No wars are fought over silly things.

[Terenia]

Reyna smiles, blushing a bit at the way Marty seems impressed by her work. Feeling emboldened by her recent successes she addresses Mesa. Her voice is barely a whisper, but she knows that whatever Mesa cannot hear will be picked out of her mind.

"And minimal progress," Reyna says. "Is trust truly trust if it is imposed? There is risk implied in trust, and a closeness that I think is missed in the Leeran culture. What do you do with the Leeran's who have distasteful thoughts? Destructive thoughts? So you shun them as outcasts for something they have not yet even committed, but merely thought of committing?" Reyna pauses, not really entirely sure where she is going, but feeling that it needs to be said regardless. She is surprised by how scathing her next words sound. "If Leera is so wonderful and understanding, why did you leave?"

[Horsefan1023 (Seal)]

Mesa flinched.  Reyna had hit hard.  Leerans understand each other, she said again, but her voice was flat.  We do not...I...Nobody...  She trailed off and stared at the wall.  The outcast.  And she hadn't even thought of doing anything.  I didn't understand, she whispered.  Didn't understand...why they didn't understand...I.... she fell silent, and then made it clear she had no intention to speak again.

[Terenia]

Reyna does not look happy with her victory. In fact her alrady red cheeks flush redder and she looks down at the completed weapons, disgusted with herself for calling Mesa out like that. All she's ever tried to do is help us, Reyna scolds herself. Just because you can't live a life without lies that doesn't mean you should lash out at those who can. Get over yourself, Reyna Jackson. You're better than this.

Once again resorting to the old nervous habit of chewing the inside of her cheek, Reyna sens Mesa a private message. I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I...I'm just jealous, I guess. It would be nice to live somewhere as accepting as Leera.

Reyna sighs, resuming her previous position of leaning against the wall. Looping her arms around her knees she catches sight of a bulge in the side of her morphing outfit that she had not noticed in all of the previous excitement. Curiously she reaches into the fold and pulls out a smooth rectangular object that looks surprisingly like ancient music devices that held cassette tapes. There are even earbuds attached. For a few minutes Reyna looks at the device blankly before a memory comes crashing through her.

"Portable direct Kandrona Rays. Battery life... for a century... Tell Shaun... Proud..." General Oran's last words.

[gorillaman16]

Shaun looks around and decides to go and get some water. Shaun has been thinking about what will happen once they get back to Earth. "What will happen when we are done with this mission, will we have another one waiting for us?"

[Cobra (Gymn)]

Chris looked at Mesa and Reyna. "Please don't fight." he pleads quietly.

[BaronConall]

Leerans don't actually trust each other, I interject, Leerans know each other. If my time and experience with humans has taught me anything, it's that trust is based around the hope that, while you do not know what another is thinking, you believe enough in their integrity and their high opinion and consideration of you to tell you what they are thinking. I look at Mesa, Couldn't you feel it when you morphed a human? The silence? The paranoia? What if you were stuck as a human? How could you trust others then? I shake my head, a human action, No. Knowing what someone is thinking and trusting someone are two entirely different things.

I turn to Shaun, I honestly do not know, I answer, All of this was based on Tiberi's intentions and plans to root out Kelbrid infiltrators. We will need to return to earth before we will know any more.

[Gumby]

Fisher shook his head in amusement.

“Really? What is with the Kelbrid and non-lethal weapons, do they carry anything capable of killing?” Then he thought about and shrugged. Oh well, two days would be good as killing in their circumstances.

Reli seemed to be shocked that the Kelbrids could morph longer than the Andalites could, Fisher didn’t really care. No that he had water, he could feel the fatigue creeping in again to drown him in sleep.

Now Reli and Marty were working away, quickly assembling more shredders and dracons. Intrigued, Fisher and his team wandered over to observe the work. Several of the energy weapons were complete, rag-tag as they were. Marty finished up another, slid a shell over it to protect the inner working and handed it to Fisher who gladly took it and inspected it for a moment before slinging a crude holster over his shoulder and resting the shredder within.

He tossed his zapper to Johan who gladly took it over his knife, earning a rather contemptuous look from Ben-David.

Fisher perked up at hearing Ehrufs obviously propaganda-based tale of an Andalite assassin who stole morphing ability to murder a Kelbrid leader provoking an alleged war which supposedly destroyed the Andalites. He rolled his eyes at this fable, though now he wondered what would happen about the Kelbrid?

They were very clearly an incredibly cruel race and, from the sounds of it, very militaristic and aggressive. If they ever got back, the UNSN would have to do something.

Lee told his story, born a Leeran, an odd one out in society who fled to Earth. Right now Fisher was tired, too tired to really care, and he was just focused on getting home.

Marty closed the suspended animation pod Jim had crawled into, sending him to sleep. Fisher felt a pang of pain and sorrow for him, poor guy. And now as Mesa and Reyna were starting to get into a debate Fisher decided it was well-time to pack it all in as well.

Laying down on the floor in a corner, he closed his eyes. Exhaustion, long held at bay, overwhelmed him like a tidal wave and he fell asleep immediately.

[BaronConall]

I look over to where the others are dozing off. That might no be a bad idea. I think, Hopefully there's somewhere to sleep down there.

<Brace for landing.> Ehruf says. I hadn't even noticed how much time had passed, but now, looking out the ****pit window, I see just how close the planet is. The planet is almost entirely red desert with two, massive inland oceans and sparce patches of green and blue foliage, capped with to icy polar caps at the north and south of the planet. The planet seems to be almost devoid of life. <When we get there, follow me.> Ehruf says, demorphing. <We aren't to trusting of newcomers.>

The ship lands in the red sand, kicking up a large, red dust cloud. One of the major inland oceans lays aproximately 500 meters away from the ****pit of the ship. As the dust settles and Ehruf finishes demorphing, the doors of the ship open. Ayrow, still silent and brooding, exits the ship. We all follow.
At first, there is nothing to see. The heat and harsh wind are immediately tormeting my Leeran skin. But as I look closer, I notice that amongst the sand dunes are red mud huts.

<AMONGST THE STARS IS WHERE WE ROAMED UNTIL THE KELBRID BURNED OUR HOMES!!> Ehruf shouts into the wind.

One by one, red, dust covered forms timidly appear from their huts. Brown, grey and green eyes peer out and seem to recognise our pilot. Whispers of <It's Ehruf. Ehruf has returned with Ayrow!> make their way up the dunes.

As we stare out over the mud covered huts and the primitive town before us, Ehruf speaks up.

<Welcome to the majority of the free Pemalite race.>

[gorillaman16]

Shaun exits the ship and sees all of the Pemalites exiting from their homes. "I would have never expected there to be so many of you."

[Horsefan1023 (Seal)]

It is a pleasure to meet you, Mesa said, shutting her eyes briefly against a spray of sand, quickly leaching the moisture she had gotten.  I'm Mesa-Teern, a Leeran.  Mesa for short.  She paused, hoping they wouldn't freak out at her psionic speech.  After all, it was how Kelbrid communicated.

[Cobra (Gymn)]

Chris followed quietly at the back of the group and shield his eyes from the dust. He didn't bother to speak up to give his name. He just wanted to get home as quickly as possible. Of course he wanted to help Jim and Kage too.

[warren_bearclaw]

Marty exits the ship. He stands quietly with the others, observing. His eyes are scrunched against the wind and sand, making it hard to read his facial expression.

[BaronConall]

The Pemalite locals watch everyone for a moment before leaving their homes and going about their business, presumably as they had before the ship landed. You all get the feeling that they aren't interested in introductions or small talk.
Most seem to be gathering food, primarily from the nearby sea, which you now see shimmers with primitive fishing nets. In fact, upon closer inspection, everything here seems ridiculously primitive. Almost like the third world lifestyle of early earth, a far cry from the mythical incredibly advanced race of Pemalites told inn the stories. Any tools you see are made of wood and stone, the populace is ratty, unwashed and underfed, the children... Actually, looking out in front of you, you see no children at all. No signs of playful youth or anything similar.
Just near the fishing nets lies possibly the most reinforced structure you have seen yet, half reaches into the water, the other half inland. It's approximately one kilometre by one kilometre and nearly 100 meters high and appears to be made from scrap metal. There are no visible entrances or exits.
Ayrow has long since disappeared by now.

<Follow me.> Ehruf says, heading down the dunes, <Let's see a about some food and shelter while we're here.>