The Galactic War: Rogue Element ~The Beginning

[Shenmue654]

"Thanks," states Joanne awkwardly, shifting her posture back and forth. She wasn't really sure what she could say to this guy. He seemed cold and intimidating. For all they knew, this Andalite who had dropped might be the medic's best friend. Joanne wandered closer to peer down at the unconscious Andalite's body, her expression shifting to one of concern.

"What d'ya think happened, anyway?" Joanne said, looking up at him. "Doesn' seem clear to me. Damn woman was real strong. I remember her durin' when you guys sprung us from prison."

<It could be anything, you know.>

<Or it might be somethin' we can help with.>

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Ossanlin raises his eyebrows as he watches on impassively.  When the second voice crackles through, he frowns a bit, but says nothing.  It's good to know that there are others, and this must be a joyous reunion, but the lack of discipline still manages to bother him on some level.  But then who was he to preach discipline when he'd committed crimes against his own government that would warrant a death penalty if there was one on the Homeworld.  Sector Seven would probably make sure he encountered a tragic accident whose fault belonged to no one if he were to go back now.

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Varekil watches Joanne and Keshin with a bit of apprehension...ther e's a Yeerk in that human after all.  But he's too busy with Enorryma's preparation to allow something so trivial as discomfort to distract him.

<Stimulant Syndrome.  It's the first time I've seen it in person, and I understand why stim-caps were discontinued.  No one short of the Ellimist could keep up with this.>  He keeps a stalk-eye on Joanne before sighing and deciding to explain a bit further.  <The Prince Commander is a narthicyl addict.  Standard issue field supplies from her days as a fighter pilot.  It builds up in the system over time.  Overall tolerance depends upon personal genetics and general resistance.  Up until a few minutes ago, Prince Commander Enorryma was the longest-using narthicyl addict to escape the effects of Stimulant Syndrome by a fair margin.>  He shakes his head, checking over the stasis pod before shifting Enorryma's body into position.

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Firin finds himself feeling...relieved. ..that Keslin has arrived.  He'd been worried about the remainder of the Rebellion being decapitated...at least one of the leading figures survived, albeit perhaps one of the less-desirable ones.  He frowns and shakes his head as he hears Xevec chime in.  That one...the situation needed to be ascertained before he went revealing their numbers.

Rythil feels buoyant as Keslin speaks up.  Firin was certainly right about having leadership.  I the Rebellion were to survive this blow, which he'd thought it would not up until this very moment, it would need leadership.  But something bothers him about Keslin's tone...<<Something isn't right, Firin.>>

Firin frowns again as Rythil's empathetic talent percolates through his mind.  <<Indeed, something isn't right.  I'm almost certain I witnessed Keslin's ship being captured in the assault, though I cannot shed all doubt.  Things were much too hectic.  If true though...given Keslin's talents in that field are...developed...I have a hard time believing that he engineered an escape from Andalite custody, and with his host and a bug fighter no less.  I hope Farah remains wary.>>

[Shenmue654]

Joanne bites her lip, staring down at the Andalite and squirming in what's almost revulsion. Of course it's drugs. Damn drugs. Andalite or human, nothing good comes of it at all. She needed to take a drug in order to survive, but she was only too familiar with the destruction they brought on honest people. "That's....that's really too bad. I dunno what drug y'mean, but I know a lot about addicts. Human drugs break your spirit."

She wondered what the Andalite would think if she told him that drug addiction was part of what sent her to the Yeerks. The Andalites seemed to see things in a black-and-white, here-or-there sort of way and Joanne of all people knew how silly thoughts like that were. But still, he was in the middle of a medical procedure. It wouldn't be a good idea to surprise him.

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Varekil begins to maneuver Enorryma's body into the small stasis pod.  <When Enorryma piloted Tail-Fighters, all pilots used narthicyl.  Required by the military.  It increases perception, reaction times, reflexes...it seemed to be completely without price aside from a slightly elevated pulse and increased natural adrenal production.  The first few cases of Stimulant Syndrome appeared six months after the mass incorporation of narthicyl.>

He finishes positioning Enorryma in the stasis pod and seals it, starting the internal incorporation process.  <Those cases were dismissed as strange outliers.  Narthicyl wasn't even considered as a possible cause of death.  Then the pilots started dropping left and right.  Most stim-user Tail-Fighter pilots succumbed within two years of narthicyl incorporation.  Some made it five years, and a very few managed to make it to ten.  Prince Commander Enorryma's been a narthicyl addict for over twenty years.  No one else has made it remotely that long as a continuous user.>

The internal incorporation finishes and Varekil breathes a sigh of relief as Enorryma's vital signs slow down even further before all but freezing solid.

[Terenia]

Keslin grimaces a little as Farrah's response is cut off by another voice. It takes him a second to place it, then he smiles, all business, at least outwardly.

"It is good to hear your voice, Derrel. Xevec too, I hope. We will all have an opportunity to catch up soon, I hope. In the meantime, I need to discuss our current situation with Farrah."

Farrah's own expression shifts into a frown as she listens. "Of course I have a roster," she says with a nod. "You'll understand if I ask you to connect to our ship, yes?" Her smile is a little apologetic. "We've been trying to keep the same protocol in place. Bioscans and memory dumps for everyone from the outside that comes across us. Our paranoia was well-learned."

Keslin hesitates, then nods. "I'm not alone," he says bluntly. "I will, of course, consent to such things, but I cannot speak for my companions."

The woman's eyebrows furrow in sudden concern and suspicion. "Companions?" she echoes.

[Chad32]

Xevec turned off his console after the exchange, and waited for the ship to approach. something about this wasn't quite right. Both he and Derrel were happy that someone survived, but who were these companions? Obviously not fellow rebels, and what were the chances that he recruited new ones? He was either captured, and escaped an Andalite prison, or managed to escape and make his way here. Derrel didn't really know what to think, except to wait until further information was given. Xevec looked to his comrades to possibly see what they thought of this. Firin didn't seem too confident either.


Claxter squirmed a bit at the idea of a memory dump. He wasn't about to say yes, except perhaps on the off chance that Ossanlin gave a direct order. He said nothing, though.

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Ossanlin listens to the conversation quietly, waiting to see how Keslin plans to handle the situation.  <<If it must be, though I think it would be best if they analyzed your memories first.  Of course, the approach is up to you.>>

[Aluminator (Kit)]

Aetheas watches as Varekil seals Enorryma inside the stasis pod. He knows a little about the narthicyl trials, of course, but up until now it had seemed like ancient history. Yet another mistake made long ago by the Andalite government.

<Morons,> he says sharply, to no one in particular. <Just like the military. Anything to gain an advantage without exploring the possible consequences first.>

He watches Joanne with a stalk eye. She seems to have had some experience with drugs. Actually, looking closer, at the lines in her face... was she less healthy than the other humans? Perhaps a user of drugs herself, from the way she talked. Aetheas resolves to look into her background further when he gets the chance.

As he stares at Enorryma, his hands ball into fists and he feels his tail tighten. She was one of the strongest and most capable members of this crew, and she'd been laid low by a drug and a system that were beyond her control. Oh, the things he'd like to do to whatever idiot member of the Electorate had done this to her...

[Terenia]

Keslin gives Farrah a small smile, at the same time nodding ever so slightly to Ossanlin to indicate that he received the message.

<<Thought speak would be useful,>> Chris muses.

"Farrah, I brought two companions with me," he says levelly. "They are uninfested, and you can feel free to do a scan of the ship and of each individual once our ships join. You will find that I am the only Yeerk aboard the vessel."

He pauses to let that sink in for a moment. "We will consent to memory dumps, so long as you conduct mine first, to put them at ease."

Farrah nods, her eyebrows furrowing ever so slightly. "Alright," she agrees. "I'll send you a set of coordinates. Go there and power down your ship entirely. Everything off except basic life support. All weapons stowed. You know the drill. We'll lock on to you and once we're in the same cabin we can go through the protocol. Only once that is done will we talk about the other ships, or how many survived."

"Of course," Keslin agrees, nodding, secretly pleased that Farrah is paying so much attention to detail. "I'll see you there."

Farrah herself nods, and then cuts the communication. She sighs and glances up at the cabin, which is cluttered with medical supplies salvaged from base. "Nefitt, I need you to help me," she says to a middle-aged man wearing dark brown scrubs. Despite his attire he looks like the last person anyone would want tending their medical needs. His hair is styled in long dreadlocks, and tattoos completely cover both of his arms. Despite the recycled water available on the ship, he looks to be in desperate need of a shower. Everything about him screams homeless.

"Of course," Nefitt says, sounding more cultured than his appearance would suggest. His brown eyes are alert as he goes over to one of the compartments, rifling through them.

Farrah raises her voice a little. "Xevec, I'm going to need you too!" she calls over to the 'quarters' -- which is really just a small room that has been outfitted with a hastily arranged triple bunk bed, the metal welded to the wall.


On the Bug Fighter, Keslin sits back once the communication cuts and gives Ossanlin a small smile. "Best let me go first once we connect. I can explain and, erh, we can get you some pants. Luckily this ship has med crew on it, so it isn't anything they haven't seen before. Still...it might weird them out."

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Ossanlin lets none of his apprehension show in his facial features or posture.  The image of calmness and control was always more important than the actual possession of said feelings in a command situation.  On the inside, Ossanlin is nervous.  Weapons stowed...and no natural defenses.  Three infested humans on the same ship...only two morphed Andalites.  Things could go very poorly here.  He blinks a couple of times before nodding to Keslin, not trusting himself to use the human voice.

<<Very well.>>  Someone had to be the first to extend a hand in trust...why not Ossanlin himself?  The worst-case scenario would only mean the likely destruction of the Tyrennian and all those onboard under his responsibility after all.

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Varekil frowns at Aetheas's comment, but once again decides to ignore it.  The [/i]aristh[/i] could certainly benefit from being knocked down a few notches, though.  The fact that he was right, at least in Varekil's opinion, didn't make it appropriate for one of his age and rank to voice such an opinion openly, and in front of a non-Andalite, no-less.

<Yes, well...she's in stasis now.  The computer will perform a full mental scan over the next several days, and will then perfectly synchronize to her individual vitals.  Once that's done, it can begin to repair the damage to her body, but it is pervasive and severe.  It will be months before the Prince Commander can be revived...>  He doesn't add that the medical facility at Cendorus could shave that down to a matter of weeks.  The Tyrennian had one of the most state-of-the-art med-bays in the fleet, but no med-bay, not even the Tyrennian's, could compare to a full medical suite.

[Chad32]

More and more, Claxter regretted that he was in morph. He was supposed to be here as the Prince's bodyguard, and didn't have his tail. He would have to make himself look as serious and imposing as possible. Exude confidence and intimidation. Not that he had any practice looking imposing or intimidating, and that just made him feel less confident.


Xevec made sure he had his dracon, and looked reasonably well kept. He went out of the room to stand ready with Farrah. "Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst." He said. That was pretty much his motto sometimes.

[Terenia]

Keslin enters the new coordinates into the computer, letting autopilot lead the way. As soon as he is certain that the Bug is following his directives he stands, taking his Dracon Beam out of his holster and moving to one of the compartments to stow it safely. "All of your weapons will need to be stored in one of the compartments," he says. "If Farrah or the others are truly following protocol, they are trained to shoot on sight if a weapon comes into view."

He raises his voice, speaking to the computer in Yeerkish. "Computer, when we reach our destination, power down all systems except for life support."


"Thank you, Xevec," Farrah says with a small, warm smile. She pats her own holster, ensuring that her Dracon is in place, along with the various other contraptions that weigh down her belt. Next to the Dracon is a bioscanner, her computer cube, and her comm link. On the other hip a small emergency first aid kit is clipped to the belt.

"They should arrive in a few minutes," Farrah says, her fingers moving along the holoscreen as she ensures that the ship is fully cloaked and shielded. "We'll do a preliminary scan of the ship to verify the body count and ensure that it's powered down. If they're clear, then we'll have them dock to the Skimmer." She glances at Nefitt, who is frowning at the floor, expression distracted.

"Nefitt, if there are any medical issues, you take care of them. Otherwise, stay by me. Xevec, I want you visible in the main cabin but keep your weapon holstered unless anyone seems to pose a threat. I will be the only one with my Dracon drawn, understood? Nefitt, stand to the side of the hatch, so that if they come in shooting you have a chance to draw and fire."

Nodding, Nefitt moved over to the chairs that lined the side of the ship. He slid down into one, keeping a hand on his Dracon. He remains silent, eyes straight ahead. Whatever his thoughts are on the potential reunion, he is not sharing them.