Galaxy's Edge Space Bar

[Chad32]

Claxter wasn't quite far away to not hear the dracon fire. He almost turned around, but decided to keep going to his ship. This was her decision, and he let her make it. He wasn't in charge of her. He'd do just about anything for her, but he couldn't help her if she refused help. Still, if he ever got in tail strike range of that Yeerk again, it would be the second time he'd put tail in him over Efaen.

[RAFrukh]

We processed our predicament.

What were we doing? Alone? This was the one situation we did not want to find ourselves in. No voices...no directive...no function.

Is this hell?

We felt desperately for the collective. The minds of our brothers, masters. We attempted to define a role for our continued individuality. But we failed. We would never see our associates again. Chugilor...Vetaq...

Pizali...

What was this? Confusion, desperation, loneliness. It was not to be tolerated. If we assimilated others, we would not be alone again. Never.

We turned, opening all our eyes. Our deliberation was complete. We ran off towards Claxter, using our interphasic scanner to locate his residual molecular signature.

[Terenia]

The Dracon shot takes Efaen entirely by surprise; she truly did not expect the Yeerk to fire. It hits her in the small of her back, where her upper body meets her torso. The energy beam causes her body to jerk and twitch before falling to the gravel ground in a heap, completely and totally unconscious.

[Chad32]

<<Well, he really did shoot.>> Derrel said. <<I'm not even sure I'm strong enough to help him get her to the ship.>>

[Aluminator (Kit)]

Salem watched as Efaen crumpled, his senses on edge. Corliss was appearing less and less stable by the minute. He was really starting to second-guess his decision to continue trying to deal with him. He hand inched towards his gun, and he looked back and forth from Corliss to Claxter. Based on the way the Warrior had seemed with the female, he expected him to attack, but it didn't look like this was going anywhere. There was tension in the air, but it wasn't directed at him. He felt no control over this situation.

"I can see you're busy," he muttered to Corliss. "We'll talk later then." Without another word, he spun and walked towards the door of the bar, though this time he was more careful to glance occasionally at Corliss over his shoulder.

[RAFrukh]

We were nearing fresher molecular residue. We scanned the area ahead, and found Claxter.

You will be assimilated.

We came up next to him, maneuvering our right arm to put the injection tubules close to his forelegs.

<Claxter, our deliberation has proved enlightening.>

[Chad32]

<Glad one of us is happy.> Claxter said, distracted by his thoughts. <Make a mental note. We don't like Corliss.> He looked at his communicator, which was connected to the Mirage. It should tell him when his Prince woke up. Why hasn't it notified him yet?

[RAFrukh]

<We have come to a directive; we do not want to be alone. There is only way We will never be isolated. We must establish a new collective.>

We launched the tubules at Claxter's shoulder. We prepared the nanoprobes for injection once we penetrated his epidermis.

<We will establish a new collective. We can be a peaceful organization. As long as we are not isolated — ever.>

[KitsuneMarie]

Illim's eyebrows shoot skyward, and he gives Corliss a startled nod. He thinks he's starting to rather like this guy, if only he weren't so insistent on bringing Efaen along.

"I actually was kidding, you know," he murmurs to Corliss, looking down at his new body's arms, trying to judge if Derrel is right about his strength. <<You think? Well alright. We can try, I guess,>> he says to Derrel.


Elayne stands as well, holding out her arms to seize Mar if he topples. "That's all well and good," she says, her brow furrowed, "but are you sure you should be moving about yet?"

It is strange, she abruptly notices, how much the Bar has brought out mothering instincts she hadn't even know she had. First Trey, and now her... interdimensional boyfriend. Great.

She sighs and lowers her arms. "I mean, I'm sure you're fine. Just... let me know if you need help.

[Chad32]

<<I have no idea if I'm strong enough to help carry her. I'm not exactly the Man of steel here. She is going to be ticked when she wakes up. His Highness is probably going to be ticked when he finds us, and don't get within tail's reach of that Claxter guy either. Tell Corliss that last part too.>> They'd likely be dragging her more than carrying her.


Claxter turned his stalk eye to Theta when he mentioned establishing a new collective, and saw him coming with the needle. He jerked back, though he thought he felt the tip go in. <Hey! Knock it off! You know, as much as our species as a whole doesn't like being alone, having some privacy once in a while is actually healthy. Don't go sticking me with anything!> He wasn't sure if the Alvie was taking Gremyyt over again, or if he just wasn't taking his current situation well. <What are you trying to do to me?> He pulled his weapon out, and arced his tail in a battle position.

[RAFrukh]

|THETA-PI|
We had injected a few hundred nanoprobes into Claxter. Soon, he would be interconnected.

<Claxter...we cannot be isolated. We will not allow it. It is...disconcerting.>
|OGREON|
Three red glows appeared. A few seconds later they dispersed to reveal a Clangst and two humans.

"Well, Van. Ewa. I'm glad I could assist. Remember if you need help with your ship, my engineers can beam down at any time."

[pyrebird]

Van was a bit taken aback at how easily they were beamed out. His accent regaining strength, he blurted, "Wait, but don't we need the teleporter room to- Ah, mal ishvisaa... What-ever."

The pirate sighed, helpless. Even when his ship was back into a more serviceable state, there was no way he could compare to the Urtahn. Back home, he was in a class of his own, especially for a space pirate. He, and the lucky few like him, had ships that stood out from the pack.

Most pirates had barely passable ships cobbled together from stolen parts, or small fighters captured from various government entities and re-calibrated for illegal activity. Small fighting ships were common, but big ships -perfect for carrying large shipments illegal freight- were more useful. Van had the best of both worlds, plus the added bonus of what could be called luxury-class living quarters.

But, that was a story for another day.

Van shook his head. Being a world away from everything he knew, there was probably no point in worrying. It just stung a little. He stared down towards the Bar....

[RAFrukh]

Ogreon shrugged slightly, "The transporter buffer is only needed for an added safety, and if we need a stronger transport signal. The walls are all equipped with hologram emitters, replicator nodes, and transporter energizers. Holodecks, replicator terminals, and transport buffers are all just for more certainty in the process."

[Chad32]

<You're not isolated, Gremyyt. This rock has a lot of people on it, and some of them would surely be willing to pass the time with you if you don't go sticking needles in me. Now what did you do that for? Did you put something in my bloodstream?> Claxter started to feel strange. was it because of what Gremyyt, or Theta, did to him? Or was it just him getting paranoid? <You have some explaining to do.>

[RAFrukh]

<We injected you with several hundred nanoprobes. We will soon be able to hear eachother's thoughts. We will be as one. We will never be isolated. We explained it to you earlier; the nanoprobes will replicate themselves and create internal mechanisms for specific uses, first the transmitter that will keep our two minds in contact, then the hyperadrenaline store. After that, they may begin creating outlets for external implants. If there are no implants attached within two 24 hour periods, they will create their own. Perfection is in our grasp. Your body will be mechanically and biologically enhanced. We will work together, our minds as one.>

We were burning inside again...how many others had we done this to for the whims of the Alvie collective? Now we were assimilating Vetaq's son into a nanocollective of two for...our whims. Our devices. It was the only way.