Galaxy's Edge Space Bar

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Ossanlin watches the Hork-Bajir as it enters warily with a stalk eye.  The cloak marked it as something other than Imperial, though that certainly seems odd...Hork-Bajir would have trouble operating any ship without help.  He doesn't sense the presence of a Yeerk in the Hork-Bajir's head though.  His main eyes narrow as the Hork-Bajir speaks unbroken and very clearly, ordering his water.  He continues to watch as the Hork-Bajir moves toward a bookshelf that wasn't always there...but then there used to be a lounge area too...it seemed to come and go as the BT pleased.  The Hork-Bajir clearly picks up a book and begins leafing through it as if to make a point that he could read.  So then...one of the genetic throwbacks...the balance of the Arn's imperfect equation...and only the fourth so-called "seer" Ossanlin had ever heard of.  He would be only the second one Ossanlin had met.  Although a sudden pang rushes through his mind as he realizes in this timeline, he's not had the pleasure of having met Rythil...nor his brilliant physical theorist controller Firin.

Ossanlin takes another sip of his water before following Myitt over, holding his tail in a deliberately relaxed position.  Most Hork-Bajir did not have a particularly flattering view of Andalites...and who could blame them?  Alloran tried to mass murder all of them and made their beloved home unlivable for them in the process.



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"Can't say I'm familiar with that area of space...but if there's more of you there I think I'd like it."  Rathien grins.  "Shame to hear..."  He responds in reference to Hunter's story about what happened to his people.  "Can't see why someone would want to exterminate an entire species.  I mean...I kill people, but on a one on one basis, y'know?  Genocide's just...stupid.  And no fun at all."  He sips his drink lightly. 

"Speaking of genocide...that's a Hork-Bajir, Merc.  Most are dumb as soup...genetically engineered to be stupid...but this one is either a controller with a very strange fashion sense, or he's a 'seer'.  That's interesting.  The Andalites, like the War-Prince over there, tried to murder their entire population to keep the Yeerks from using them as hosts.  Marvelous history there."  The Ildari watches on in interest.

[guitarhero01234]

Merc nods in response to Hunter. "Right . . . I think I sort of follow. I mean, I got 'Gray Wolf,' out of that." He cracks a small grin. "'Course, I think I might have been able to figure that one out myself."

"So," he starts after Rathien finishes talking, "far as I can tell , these Yeerks, Andalites, and . . . you said, 'Hork-Bajir'? Sounds like they have some history with each other." He looks at Ossanlin out of the corner of his eye. "And not much love to go around between the three."

* * *

The Hork-Bajir, for his part, doesn't even look up from his book as Ossanlin passes by, almost as if he doesn't notice the Andalite. Or he just chooses not to acknowledge his existence. Whatever the case, when Rathien finishes speaking, the newcomer looks up and glares at the Ildari through narrowed eyes.

"I am not a Yeerk," he says bluntly. "I have not been a Controller for a long time, and I fully intend to remain free until the day I die. As for the rest of my people . . ." his voice softens ever so slightly at the mention of the other Hork-Bajir. Of course, with his gruff voice, it's easy to miss. " . . . You may be right about their intelligence. But at least we don't commit murder for pleasure. Or profit." After saying this, he returns to his book, not bothering to observe Rathien's reaction.

"My name is Nepek," he says, not even sparing Rathien a second glance. "And it would serve you well to remember that."

[Myitt]

Jeffrey's body marches up to the Hork-Bajir, just ahead of Ossanlin.

"You're a free Hork-Bajir," says Myitt unnecessarily, but with a bit of wonder - and something else. She looks him up and down. "Nepek. I was...a part of the war on the Hork-Bajir homeworld. Would you mind if I..." She trails off, patting Jeffrey's torso absently.

<<Stupid,>> she mutters to Jeffrey. <<Tara has all of my gear. I don't even have my bio-scanner.>> She huffs an impatient sigh.

"...If I asked you...a few questions?" she finishes distractedly, after the blank delay. "My name is Myitt."

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Rathien puts his hands up in a semi-defensive gesture.  "Hey hey...no offense meant by stating facts, touchy. Sorry...Nepek.  Honestly I feel for your species, I mean you guys got royally screwed by three different races.  It's not your fault the Arn literally engineered the intelligence out of you on a genetic level.  I mean, what can you do about that?  Far as I'm concerned, that was the worst thing ever done to you...they tried to make you into pets to preserve their own skins.  Ain't right."

He shrugs.  "Then the Yeerks come along and screw you by taking a large number of a pacifist, herbivorous species and forcing them to become bloody, gore-stained death machines.  Can't imagine what that would be like...being forced to go against your own very nature."

"And then of course, the ever-zealous Andalites come along to engineer and release a viral plague to completely eradicate your species in an act of global genocide.  I mean....you guys just can't seem to catch a break."



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Ossanlin watches the exchange for a few minutes, noting 'Nepek's' disregard of him.  He shoots a dark look at Rathien.  <The actions of one ruthless, abhorrent war criminal should not reflect upon a species as a whole.  You fail to mention that the quantum virus was the act of a single Andalite who is now paying a price worse than death for his actions.  That virus was neither developed nor sanctioned by the government.  Alloran used military resources and Arn data and technology to create that abomination and release it in an effort to kill an entire species.  I can assure you the Electorate would not have condoned the action...if the Andalites didn't care about the lives of other free species, we wouldn't bother with trying to stop the Empire.>

[Myitt]

Myitt gives Rathien a bristling stare.

"I can imagine very well what it's like, being forced to go against your nature," she tells him, Jeffrey's voice laced with bitterness. His hands are curled into fists at his sides. "I lost many friends on that planet, and I lost a lot more than that."

She exhales and nods at Nepek. "For what it's worth, I was trying to help your people, in my own small way. Obviously those of us who felt like we should be ignoring our Imperial duties didn't exactly save the day." Jeffrey's shoulder lifts in a half shrug. "I managed to save one of you, and that was good. That was worth everything." Self-conscious, she clears her throat and looks away. "Enough about me."

[Terenia]

"You might be," Dalik points out. "How am I supposed to know? You rebels have to make a living somehow."

He pauses to shout Cameron's name, trying not to shiver as the darkness seems to swallow his words immediately.

<<You don't like these rebels,>> William murmurs, trying to absorb as much as he can about the strange creature in his mind.

<<I don't have any particularly strong feelings about them,>> Dalik responds thinly, keeping his true thoughts blocked off.

<<You're lying.>>

The certainty in William's "voice" draws Dalik up short. <<Well. That's interesting.>>

He looks at Tara. "Tell me about yourself," he says abruptly. "Three facts. Make one of them a lie and don't tell me which."

From beyond a battered Skrit Na freighter, just behind the tree line, there is a rustling.

Then silence.

[Myitt]

"What?" Tara snaps impatiently, eyes on the line of trees.

She squeezes the handle of the Dracon tighter, wiping her sweaty open palm on her jeans.

Then she snorts a laugh. "What an odd time to play a game, you weirdo. Keep your eyes on the trees, and don't talk."

Tara stalks forward, squinting in the semi-dark. There weren't exactly any spotlights on the shipyard; only the light from the bar behind them, and one or two dimly glowing ships beyond.

On three fingers she lists them, each one smooth and without pause. "I was born in September, I never went to college, and I grew up in San Diego." She sighs shortly. "Now will you let me concentrate?"

[Hunter]

Responding to Rathien with a sigh, Hunter says 'Yeah, it's a pretty sad outcome, but from what I last heard the other three were a band of pirates or something like that.'

Looking at the communicator on the counter, he decides to answer it. With the push of a button, a word appears in a blue hologram displayed just above the unit, showing one word. Boss.

As the call connected, a blue hologrid covered Hunters face, and a projection of a lizard-like head appeared six inches above the small black box.

'Yesss, Bosss?' Hunter asked, mimicking his bosses lisp, as he usually does.

'Howl's my besst hunter?' His boss replied, with an appalling imitation of Hunter's howl.

'Good, good. What's up boss? You're interrupting my day off.' He said, slightly irritated.

'We have reason to believe that the human tracker, Markuss, is after you again. Be careful.'

'Oh man, that guy, again? I thought he would have got the hint the last two times.'

'Apparently not' his boss laughed

'Well, where I'm at is untraceable, so let him try. Talk to ya when I'm back.' With that he disconnected the call and turned back to his conversation.

'Sorry about that Merc. Where were we?'

[guitarhero01234]

"The hell was that?" Merc mutters before quickly shaking off his confusion. "Whatever. What brings you to a place like this?" He scratches his chin, trying to ward off the urge for yet another cigarette. "Looks like you came here of your own accord. Any particular reason?"

* * *

Nepek closes his book, obviously having found something else to invest his attention in. "Well, you certainly know your history," he says to Rathien. "Of course, I wasn't alive for any of that. But the aftermath of battle on the Hork-Bajir homeworld was still . . . devastating, to say the very least."

He shifts his gaze toward Ossanlin. When he speaks, his voice is dangerously calm. "As a whole, what have the Andalites done for the Hork-Bajir people following the events on our homeworld? What kind of reparations have we been paid?" His hand starts visibly shaking with barely-contained rage. "Because let me tell you, I haven't seen a single Andalite attempt to repair the damage of the Quantum Virus," he snarls, answering his own rhetorical question. "Our homeworld is still abandoned. Maybe you Andalites think that my people are too dumb to care. And maybe most of them are. But you'll have to forgive me for holding a grudge."

He then looks at Jeffrey, his facial muscles already slightly relaxed. "You said your name is Myitt?" He nods. "I have heard of a small faction of Yeerks that fought on the Hork-Bajir side on our planet. From what you've said, it seems like you sacrificed a lot for my people." He smiles - at least, what passes for a Hork-Bajir smile. "Ask me anything you'd like, Myitt."

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Rathien shrugs.  "Knowledge is power, especially in my profession.  I make it a general rule not to take any contracts on Imperials in Hork-Bajir hosts.  Figure you guys have been through enough...though I never did get the pacifism thing."  He takes a deep drink from his glass before falling silent, once again watching the exchanges.  It seemed that Merc and Hunter were hitting it off...wasn't often Rathien felt like the third wheel...but then that might be for the best, given the somewhat troubling offer he'd made Merc earlier.



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Ossanlin keeps his face calm...poise was often his most powerful tool.  <And what reparations would you have the Andalites make?  We cannot undo what Alloran has done.  It is beyond our technology to remove the quantum virus from your homeworld.  The quantum virus itself was only made possible by the Arn, and I promise you that we know of no other species with the biological understanding which was possessed by them.>  He maintains his cool stoicism through his tone and demeanor.  <The vast majority of your survivors are enslaved by the Empire.  The Andalites fight the Empire with every breath and beat of the hearts for the sake of all.  As far as I can see, stopping the Empire and freeing their enslaved captives is literally the only thing the Andalites can do to help the Hork-Bajir at this point.>

He falls silent for a moment before speaking up again.  <You may find it hard to believe, but I've been friends with Hork-Bajir in the past.  Worked with them in point of fact.  I've worked with the rebels...in fact the Yeerk in this human's head is one of my truest friends.  I knew another 'seer' in another life...he went by the name of Rythil, and he didn't like me much at first either.  He eventually saw what I was willing to sacrifice for the greater good of ALL species.  Not all individuals of a species are created the same, Nepek.  You, of all people, should understand that.>

[Terenia]

"No," Dalik says, surprised by his own confidence. "You didn't grow up in San Diego. That's a lie. But it's not far from the truth. You did grow up in a city. A city near water, I think." William's lips purse thoughtfully for a moment, then his expression brightens. "Boston?"

As quickly as his expression brightens it turns surprised. "That's amazing," he murmurs. <<How?>>

<<It's what I am,>> William responds, not entirely pleased. <<Now will you please make sure we don't get eaten? I really don't want to die again.>>

Blinking, Dalik turns his gaze outward, circling slowly. "My ship," he suddenly says. "Maybe she ran back to the ship."

[Myitt]

"How many of you?" Myitt starts, then clears Jeffrey's throat. "How many of you are still alive? I had a friend...a good friend, whose freedom cost me...never mind. I-I just want to know that there are more of you than...just her." She wrings her hands. "I'm afraid I didn't do as much as I could have. I was...I served the Empire, then."

She smiles apologetically.

--

Tara nods slowly. "Nice party trick," she says, sounding blandly unimpressed. "Yeah, ship sounds like a good idea. Ship is safer. Ship has a hull that can protect us from...things."

With her Dracon still drawn, she wanders a few steps away from William. "You should probably lead the way to it, huh?"

[Shenmue654]

Jeffrey listens to the three way conversation between Myitt, the Hork-Bajir named Napek (Apparently one of the only smart members of his species), and Ossanlin. Jeffrey winces as he hears Ossanlin's argument. That sounded...exactly like the pragmatic argument of a Peacekeeper who had either lost way too many people to war, or lost no one and lived at a distance from it. Ossanlin's previous conversations suggested the former. <<Damn bastard. What the hell does he know? Talking about the 'good of all species' like he knows what in the world that is.>>

Bodies, suddenly. Another memory in Jeffrey's mind. A pile of bodies on the floor of a warehouse, pale and blue, with puffy lips. Dried blood has seeped from their mouths as if they had been poisoned, and were coughing up the scarlet river of life moments ago. <<Death is death is death! That I know. There's no saying things like that. Even the Hork-Bajir guy is wrong with the reparations thing. You can't ever pay back enough. The only thing to do is to accept your guilt. Even if, in his case, it's the guilt of his whole race.>>

[Myitt]

Myitt is surprised, but relatively unmoved by the scene of slaughter flashing vividly through Jeffrey's mind.

Clearly she has seen death, herself, and death in battle at that.

<<He's my friend,>> she murmurs. <<Though he does tend to get a little...pedantic.>>

She comes back to the memory. <<You've killed people before. In terrible ways.>>

[Terenia]

Dalik does take the lead, barely looking to see if Tara is following.

"It is, isn't it," he muses. "Though it isn't worth much, really. Unless you're an interrogator. Now that would be interesting. Much more efficient than even a memory dump...simply knowing whether someone is a liar or not..."

He pauses in front of a heavily modified Bug Fighter. It's almost as old as Myitt's, but it has been meticulously maintained and appears to be sporting new limbs and protrusions. The ramp is down and the hatch is open.

Dalik exhales a noticeable sigh of relief. "Okay," he says. "She must be inside. Um..." He hesitates, then gives Tara a cautious look. "Do you mind...convincing her to come out? I'm afraid seeing me in this body will frighten her all over again."