Galaxy's Edge Space Bar

[General Squall Leonhart]

Lucan rubbed Jade's shoulder as she spoke sadly of there being nothing they could do to return her to her world. "Jade, I know exactly how you feel right now." Lucan said softly. He spotted a large flat rock that would allow them to sit and talk and began leading Jade towards it. "Would you like to sit and I will tell you what has happened to me? I also wish to tell you how I know the sadness of never seeing your world again." Lucan asked softly.

[Myitt]

<No,> Corliss says thoughtfully.  <In fact, you might've guessed that I've never done this sort of thing before.>  His ultrasonic tone varies in pitch, the Yeerkish equivalent of dry wit.  <Relationships typically don't end well for my people.  But of course you're not really a Yeerk, which makes me really quite confused as to how this is even happening.>


Mike glances over at Zorish, watching the Sub-Visser's expression go blank with what was unmistakably an internal conversation.

"I rather like our differences, you know," he says offhandedly, taking a few big gulps of beer to steel his nerves.  "Otherwise we'd all end up watching American football and become awfully self-righteous in our patriotic homogeneity.  Although, granted, all those differences mean that there are plenty of human cultures who rival the Yeerk Empire's sense of superiority."  He shrugs.  "There will always be wars within the human race."

[Terenia]

<Well I don't exactly have much experience myself, you know,> Terenia shoots back dryly. <I've kind of been stuck trying to stay alive the past ten years. I haven't really had time for a social life.>

She trails off, letting her Yeerk form drift in the slight current of the pool. Then, <Are we in a...you know...?>


Zorish's laugh is a little less restrained than he is going for, but he doesn't seem to notice. "Not if our people put a stop to them," he points out. "Really we'd be doing you a favor. So much death and destruction amongst humanity. The Empire is offering them a common cause." He grins, scooting his chair a bit closer to Mike and adding in a conspiratorial whisper, "Besides, we all know some of you humans enjoy letting someone else take control."

[Myitt]

<I, um,> Corliss hesitates, unsure of how to answer and unsure of the answer itself.  <I-If you want to be?  What am I saying...Terenia, I know you and I are...we're very different.  Perhaps it's foolish to think that this could ever work.  Maybe now that I'm not with Mike...things can be so confusing when it comes to human emotion, I...> He sighs, and is quiet for a long moment.  <I will only pursue this silly emotional adventure if you want me to.>


Mike laughs outright, setting down his beer.  "Is that what your host tells you?" he says.  "Only fools enjoy being controlled.  I only put up with it because the benefits are so fantastic.  Getting shot at and hunted and all the bloody cabbage you can eat.  Great, really."  He gives the Sub-Visser a cynical look.  "I reckon you're underestimating humanity's ability to persevere.  Anyway it's not our common cause if we're just stuck helpless in the back seat while you lot go on enjoying everything our planet and our bodies have to offer."

[Terenia]

<I don't know how to be in a relationship,> Terenia says. <I've made such a mess of my own life, how can I willingly throw you into it? Or Mike? And why the hell do I care so much?> She growls in frustration. <I don't...I want you to be happy,> she says, sounding relatively surprised by this fact, as though the realization is entirely foreign to her. <Whatever...whatever that means.>


"My host has no complaints about her current situation," Zorish says, tilting his head so that a sweep of blonde hair falls over his shoulder. "At least, her current situation with me. She's relatively concerned by the fact that her dead sister is evidently waltzing around in a Yeerk costume. Understandably so, I would say. For a human, she's relatively palatable." Unbeknownst to him a small, fond smile has appeared on his face.

[Myitt]

<I want...that, too,> Corliss replies, swimming forward to touch her gently. 


Mike grins, watching Zorish.  "See, you're not so different from me mate Corliss," he says, sipping his beer thoughtfully.  "You're just stuck in your job, afraid that maybe you won't fit in as a traitor.  He wasn't so different from you, when he was younger."

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

~Ossanlin~

Ossanlin furrows his brow at Serid.  <That is odd indeed Warrior...it sees to make no sense.  If he is from our timeline, and I truly hope that is not the case...then he would be working against his own cause, or so it would seem.  If he's not from our timeline, he shouldn't be muddling around in ours.>  He draws his hoof from the water, stamping the hoof on the sand in front of him.  <As for interrupting...you have been under the control of a Yeerk for some time, not to mention being deprived of your own natural form...some improprieties are to be expected.  Think nothing of it.>

He turns his main eyes on Serid.  <As for your original question, Warrior...I hope to perform the procedure upon Terenia shortly, but I must be absolutely certain that everything is in position and that I have enough energy built up to finish the process.  I will send you a communication when I believe that the procedure is in the near future.>



___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _______________

~Rathien~

Rathien chuckles and glances at Mar again before speaking.  "Oh Tobias has a great deal to hide.  I trust he's shown you his "demo" collection of oddments.  Some very interesting things there, but there are many things he doesn't show anyone."  He looks  back at Salem.  "Have you told them about the 'Hope' drive Tobias?  That you're not from anyone's universe?  That you can leap from one Universe to another all by your little lonesome?  And poor Thienal...forced to start anew every time you rip him out of existance...I do sympathize with him."

He looks back at Mar again.  "As for cost...well, contrary to what Tobias here says, I'm very good at what I do.  It is not money that drives me, it's challenge.  A difficult target is worth much more than currency.  Executing the Kill on a challenging oponent...there is nothing more exhilerating, nothing more pleasurable...nothi ng more exquisite.  Money is a bi-product, one known as Mar."

[Terenia]

Terenia feels his slimy body make contact with hers and her initial reaction is to pull away again. But she doesn't. Instead, she remains very still, moving only her palps.

<Okay then,> she says tremulously. <Yeah. Okay. I guess...> she laughs in his mind, sounding embarassed. <Shouldn't we get Mike's opinion about all this?>


You're comparing me to that dapsen traitor?" Zorish asks, pulling away and wrinkling his nose. "Why, because I don't spend every second of the day trying to make Tamo- my host's life miserable? I've got news for you, human. Most of our people don't have time to play torture-the-host. There are more important things to do and it isn't exactly the most intelligent approach to the situation. Having someone fight your every move every second of the day becomes very tedious very quickly."

<<I've never fought you,>> Tamora says quietly.

<<Shut up, that's not he point!>>


Efaen watches the exchange quietly, not offering her opinion. She too is eager to get the procedure with Terenia over with, but she also does not want to push the issue. Instead, she watches Serid closely with her main eyes. The nothlit holds a morbid fascination for her. She is both fascinated and revolted by him at the same time.

[Myitt]

Corliss, too, remains very still.  He has never been this close to another Yeerk for this long, with this much purpose, and it fills his mind with a strange and pleasurable giddiness. 

<I think we already know Mike's opinion on all this,> he says in a hushed tone, so close that his sonar clicks don't even echo back at him.


"See?" Mike interjects.  "That's exactly what his opinion is on the whole thing.  Except, perhaps, he's not afraid to admit that we actually get along.  That we're actually friends."  He watches Zorish's distasteful expression before adding, "Bloody equals."

[Terenia]

<I guess we do, don't we?> Terenia says, her thoughts a bit jumbled. She is overcome with an acute mixture of happiness and fear as her palps search the contours of Corliss' body. With an uneasy jolt she realizes that she really, truly does care about Corliss, as well as Mike. As much as she's cared for anyone. Perhaps even as much as she cared for her own siblings. This thought is a bit unsettling for her, but she can't seem to bring herself to pull away.

<So we're in a relationship, then,> she says with an incredulous laugh. <What a screwed up war this is.>


Zorish's face has grown ashen, and even though his tumbler is empty he is gripping it tightly.

"I am no traitor, human," Zorish says in a low voice that would have been dangerous if the Scotch weren't slurring it. "I am a Sub-Visser of the Yeerk Empire." He raises Tamora's slightly unfocused blue eyes to his. "Your Corliss and I are nothing alike."

<<Let me talk to him,>> Tamora says so abruptly that it stuns Zorish for a second.

<<Are you out of your mind?>> Zorish asks. <<What good will that do?>>

<<I don't know. I just want to. Please?>>

<<Don't be foolish. I'm here for a purpose.>>

<<Which is what?>> Tamora retorts. <<To drink me under the table? The bartender refilled your cup, by the way.>>

And so he had, while Zorish was lost in internal conversation, his eyes blank and staring. He shakes himself back to reality and glances at the brownish liquid, sighing heavily before raising it to his lips, returning his attention to Mike.

"What was I saying?"

[Myitt]

Corliss gently touches his palps along hers.  <Yes,> he agrees emphatically.  <It's certainly reached new levels of ah...'screwed up'.>  Reluctantly, slowly, he pulls away.  <I wonder how long it will be until Mike returns?>


Mike snorts laughter.  "You were trying to convince yourself that you aren't a traitor," he says encouragingly. 

[Chad32]

Derrel continued watching Zorish and Mike talk, noticing that Zorish was getting drunk. He had drunk quite a bit too, but he was still in control of himself. Things had been quiet. No one had come to talk to him, which wasn't surprising. Few people want to talk to dirty smelly men. He kind of wished there were more people that he might observe, but some had filed out, and the rest were quiet. He went to the bar for a refill, and sat close enough to Zorish and Mike to hear them better.

[Terenia]

<Not long, I hope,> Terenia says, although she isn't sure why she's eager for him to return. His presence means that Corliss will leave, and she'll be alone in the pool again. <I hope Ossanlin can get this stupid thing over with soon. I miss being myself.>

She sighs mentally. <I wonder if I'll feel...differently. ..once I'm human again.>


"I don't need to convince myself of anything," Zorish says crossly. "I'm not a traitor, I'm a loyal servant of the - no, I will not let you talk to him!" Zorish's tone abruptly changes to sharp irritation as he addresses Tamora. He does not seem to realize he has spoken aloud, though, and clears his throat. "I'm a loyal servant of the Yeerk Empire," he says in a slower, more controlled voice.

[Chad32]

Derrel raised an eyebrow at Zorish's outburst about letting him talk to...whoever. He didn't think he had overheard Mike say he wanted to talk to someone, and who was zorish to say he couldn't? Unless it was actually Tamora who wanted to talk to Mike. Should he say something? would Zorish listen?

"Hey now. No need to fight." He said in his best attempt to sound friendly. "You and your host are on the same side, right? What's the harm in letting her talk? We won't rat you out."

[Myitt]

<Well of course you'll feel differently, you'll be your old self again, permanently,> Corliss replies.  <That's got to be one hell of a change after all this time.>  He hesitates.  <I do hope we'll feel the same way about each other.  God, this is weird.  This shouldn't be happening.>


Mike watches as Zorish drunkenly addresses his host.  Then he smiles and finishes the last of his lukewarm beer, setting the glass down.  "Yeah, a loyal servant of the Yeerk Empire," he drolls.  "So am I, you know."