The Galactic War: Rogue Element ~The Beginning

[Myitt]

Niko stops picking at the blades of alien grass and glances over his shoulder at the small commotion.

His dark eyebrows raise curiously, and as the rendezvous survivors pour into the main Dome he finds himself climbing to his feet, idly brushing his jeans.

He has to shield his eyes from the artificial light--a motion that was still strange after so much time spent underground.

Several he recognized. Several others he did not. He spots Firin and Rythil, surprised at how familiar the big Hork-Bajir had become; he'd once, long ago, thought they were all very much one and the same.

Keslin. Farrah, Kevin and Nefitt. Edith, and even Dan...if anyone knew what had happened, surely they would?

He raises his hands in a broad wave, shouting, "Hey, what took you so long?" In spite of the churning feeling in his stomach, he can't help but smile.

[Aluminator (Kit)]

<As near as I can tell,> Aetheas answers as he scans the dome with his main eyes, <In Yeerk society, splinter groups are all but inevitable. Our establishment is far older than yours, and far less prone to splintering.> As he says this, just a hint of pride turns his voice.

He catches sight of the new group of humans, and begins to wander towards them for a better look, but then stops in his tracks, all four eyes locked on Keshin. <You... nearly killed... Captain Ossanlin?> His mind reels at the implications of this. How could someone like this... a Yeerk... manage to be a threat to someone like the Captain? Moreover, what in the world could be going through the Captain's mind, to allow someone like this aboard the ship? Though he doesn't speak further, the alarm he feels shows clearly in his posture and his face.

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Niko's voice causes a new emotion to well up within Rythil and overcome the anger and pain...joy...relief .  Firin is so surprised by the mercurial and seismic shift that he looses his grip on Rythil's body and the hork-bajir's emotional response pushes him into control.  He runs over to Niko and sweeps the human up into a big bear-hug, meticulous about the placement of his blades so as not to cause his friend harm.

"Niko!  Oh I'm so glad to see you!"  The human's scent is as he remembers it...faintly sweet and a bit spicy...but he can sense a deep pain as well.  "Niko...is Yarin with you?  Or...or Gene?"  He scans the dome with his superior eyes, trying to make out the faces of everyone present.


___________________ ___________________ ___________


Ossanlin glances around at the gathered rebels, nodding.  "Alright, please feel free to ask me or my crew any questions you may have in the future.  For now, those of you who wish to see your quarters may follow Serid.  If you desire to remain in the dome, make yourselves comfortable.  If any of you require feeding, either host or controller, Myitt and Illim can show you where the supplement, mineral, and kandrona is kept.  I have matters that require my attention elsewhere.  Thank you all for placing your trust in me for now, I will do my best to make your decision a good one."

Ossanlin notices Aetheas and Keshin walking not far off.  He sends a private thought to Claxter, Aetheas, and Keshin.  <<Claxter, Aetheas, Keshin...please join me in the med-bay.>>  He walks to the rear entrance of the dome and doffs his human clothes, handing them to Serid, who in turn hands him his swords and battle-sash.  He proceeds into the dorsal hall and demorphs, regaining his Andalite body, and then dons the battle-sash and swords, readjusting his uniform belt appropriately.

He opens a quick communique with Varekil.  <<I'm coming to see her.>>  He closes out the communique and makes his way toward the med-bay.

[Myitt]

Niko laughs as Rythiil bounds over, then his olive expression pales as it appears the big alien is not slowing down.

He tenses up for just a moment when Rythil's blades carefully envelope him, but he forces another, breathier laugh.

"You're a good reminder my heart is still working, you know that, Rythil?" Niko exhales, beaming. He swallows and sobers slightly. "It's...it's really good to see you. And Firin, I hope he's alright?" He peers, unconsciously, up at Rythil's forehead, then clears his throat.

"Ah...well. Yarin..." He clutches at his stomach, over the ragged t-shirt. "Yarin's...he's gone, Rythil. He...didn't make it." Niko's voice catches, and he pauses. "And Gene, I don't...I don't know where he is." He shrugs and a watery smile makes its way back onto his face. "I'm keeping my hopes up, you know. Can't keep them down?"

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Rythil's expression turns crestfallen as the news of Yarin is broached.  "Oh...Niko...I'm sorry.  So sorry..."  His expression shifts a bit.  "I am...happy...to see you as well, Niko."

The emotion returns to his face again and he furrows his brow.  "It may not seem like it...but he really is happy to see you.  But...Yarin...he was in the pool then."  Anger sweeps across his face.  "Those damn blue-furs...they won't stop until the whole Galaxy is devoid of all life but them."

He reigns himself in again and lets Niko out of the vice-like hug, placing his hands on Niko's shoulders.  "I'm sorry about Yarin, but Gene has to be out there.  He is...I can feel it.  There's no way the destruction of one little asteroid could keep you two apart."  His voice hitches a bit at that.  That little asteroid...it had been their home.  The second one the Andalites had taken from Rythil.  "You have to keep up hope...you have to.  It's just as necessary as nutrients and water...you can't give up.  I'd hate to never see that twinkle in your eye again."  He smiles, somehow making it softer than most hork-bajir who attempt the expression.  He's learned to make his smile slightly less frightening over the years.

[Myitt]

Niko looks down at his sneakers, nodding weakly.

"Thanks, Rythil. Firin. Both of you," he murmurs, brushing at his eyes with a sigh, having to avoid Rythil's blades as he maneuvers his hands up to his cheeks. "You know Yarin would have appreciated it. And I know we'll...we'll do everything we can to find Gene and the people we're missing."

He raises his eyes to Rythil's, sniffling. "Who else came with you from the rendezvous? I saw quite a few of the med crew. Edith...I'm glad she's alright."

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

"Yes...Farah and Isren.  Nefitt and Kevin.  Xevec and Derrel.  Edith, Valerie, Dan...that's all."  Rythil's eyes pass through stages of sadness and anger before reverting to hopefulness.  "But this is just one rendezvous...there are others!  There will be more.  If this...Andalite..." he says the word with disgust, "allows us to check the others."

"Who else is with you?  What...what happened to you all?  Which rendezvous were you at?  Why in Father Deep are you on an Andalite ship?!"  Rythil fires off the questions quickly, all of his misgivings coming forth.

[Myitt]

Niko shakes his head, still brushing at red-rimmed eyes. "Uh, well," he starts, clearing his throat. "Keslin and Chris are here, and Tess as well, and...Dom and Myitt and Tara. Reyliss, she's...she was with Yarin, and....****, Rythil...it's like for all the good we've got there's another knife twisting into us."

He steadies himself with a breath. "Um. Lanath, he's here, he's with Aya. And Daniel and Illim, they're alright. Terenia." Niko gazes up at Rythil and Firin. "There are so few of us. And Tess, she lost one of her babies." He lowers his gaze to the grass again. "So much death, when there should be life."

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Rythil nods at the mention of Keslin and Chris.  He smiles as Tess's name comes up. "A family not separated...one small kindness."  His eyes light up at the mention of Dom.  Another friend, though not quite so close or dear as Niko and...and Yarin.  His heart leaps a bit at the mention of Myitt and Tara...for all of their surly dispositions, they'd always seemed the most-approachable leaders within the rebellion to him...but Reyliss gone too.  So many...  Lanath with his age and wisdom would surely be indispensable in the times ahead, and Aya...such a bubbly girl, and not really off-put by his species as so many of the humans seemed to be.  Daniel and Illim...another family not separated.  Terenia, the human girl.  He doesn't know her all that well...she'd never seemed very interested in speaking with him.

He brings a clawed hand to his beak-like mouth at the mention of the baby's passing.  "Oh no...but...but that means at least one of them survived...so Chris and Keslin and Tess are parents.  That's a joyful thing too!"  He forces a sad smile, pulling Niko into a gentler, much briefer hug.  He doesn't repeat his questions about rendezvous points or Andalite ships....Niko would tell him if and when he wanted to.

"No James or Reven then?"  He glances around the dome again, but that red hair would stick out like a sore thumb if it were present...

[Shenmue654]

Keshin turns around, noting Aetheas' shock, and the practiced all-business look of a turelek now crosses over his face. "Yes, Prince Ossanlin almost died in an altercation with us," states Keshin, stopping and standing stock still in the green of the Dome. "His injuries were not intentionally inflicted. He attempted to subdue us while we were following through on a job we were given."

"If you're wondering why the War-Prince would allow us onto the ship, it was by Myitt One-Nine-Five's choice," says Keshin, giving Aetheas a sideways glance. "We were inside the prison when you attacked it, as part of the same incident."

<Oh boy. Here we go into th' weird as **** social situation of how we know Myitt an' why we were on that place.>

<I'm going to avoid bringing up that issue if I can. It's unnecessary.>

<Well good. We don' need some blue brat involved in our business.>

<He could be useful. We have similarities, and a more sympathetic Andalite contact on the ship....>

<After we jus' said we nearly offed Ossanlin? Don' count on it.>

<You never know.>

[Terenia]

Nefitt shrugs. "Much the same as yours," he murmurs. He doesn't continue the conversation, and watches blandly when Rythil hurries away to greet Niko. Finding it hard to show that much joy, he turns away, moving to find Farrah.

He tracks her down by Keslin, and stands back a little as they speak quietly. After a moment, Farrah looks up, taking note of him.

"Nefitt, come here," he says, urging him forward. "I'm going with Keslin to see Tess, and then to see the medical facilities here. Would you care to join me?"

"Actually," Keslin cuts in, a small flush darkening his cheeks. "I was hoping that Nefitt could accompany me. I wish to speak with him. And I think Ossanlin may wish to speak with you as well."

Nefitt's bushy eyebrows raise, but he nods. "Can you show me to my quarters first?" he asks, glancing suspiciously at Serid. "I need to deposit my things." He lifts the briefcase in explanation.

Keslin nods. "Of course. Both of you, come with me." He turns and leads the way back out of the Dome, Nefitt and Farrah following in relative silence.


Dan continues walking, without any destination in mind, through the Dome. Passing beneath one of the strange, Andalite trees, he bats the branches away irritably. The leaves, alien as they are, form some semblance of seclusion, and he slides to the grass, leaning back against the trunk and staring moodily ahead.


Valerie makes her way over to Rythil and Niko, hanging back a little as they reunite, though she does manage to overhear Niko's account of survivors. This brings a heavy sigh from her, but she forces a smile and steps forward. "Niko, it's good to see you," she says, blinking rapidly as she places a hand on his upper arm."

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Ossanlin trots through the vast halls and ramp-wells of the Tyrennian.  Never has the ship felt quite so empty...Enorryma had been his shadow for years, and while he sometimes found her protectiveness of his person an inconvenience, he finds that he feels almost naked now without it.  Of course, the most dangerous years of his career had been spent without Enorryma, but knowing that all four of her eyes had been watching his back had become a welcome comfort.  And then there was her unrivaled skill as a TO.  To lose her...he'd lost soldiers before, but Enorryma and he had shared a kinship.  Nothing romantic of course, the age difference and Ossanlin's own entanglement put paid to anything such as that.  But a close camaraderie, siblings in arms.

Eventually he realizes he's wandering...subcons ciously avoiding the medbay.  He'd ended up in primary engineering.  The soft, soothing thrum of the primary Apix 2 coil fills the room, the glowing piece of machinery seated centrally with consoles all around.  He watches the matter-antimatter reaction for a moment, the tightly-packed magnetic coils accelerating the particles to the speed of light for collision in rapid succession.  The coil fuels its own reaction with magnitudes of energy to spare...the beating heart of the ship. 

He shakes his head...he's avoiding it.  He bucks up his resolve and makes his way directly to the med-bay.  He passes through into the sterile, soft-white environment.  Varekil tail-salutes as Ossanlin makes his way over.  Ossanlin returns the gesture and then notices the freshly-activated stasis pod.  He steels himself and walks up to it.

She looks pristine, as if sleeping upon the verge of waking.  His hearts sink in spite of himself.  Of course he never doubted the reports, even given their origins, but seeing Enorryma like this brings it home in a hurry.  <Her condition?>  Ossanlin runs his fingers across the polythane viewport.

<She's stable...now.  But the damage is...extensive.  To be honest, sir...it's a miracle she made it here.  It will be months before the suite can repair and reverse the damage to her neural system.>

Ossanlin glances at Varekil with a stalk-eye.  The young medic looks haggard.  He's been run hard the past couple of days.  <Varekil, thank you for performing admirably.  I hate to ask more of you, but I'm afraid I must.  For now, you are my only medic...you've inherited a leadership position.  The rebel medics we brought back will be visiting you shortly.  Maintain a watchful eye, but please answer their questions and allow them to look around.  They will be using these facilities as well, after all.>

Varekil sighs deeply and nods.  <Of course, my Prince.>

Ossanlin sends a private thought at Enorryma, even though she wouldn't hear him.  <<We may not be able to complete the ceremony, but you are a true shorm, Enorryma-Almoress-Ingrell.>>  He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, turning away from the stasis capsule.  Claxter, Aetheas, and Keshin should be joining him shortly.

[Chad32]

Claxter approached Aetheas and Keshin. <We have returned successfully, though it got a bit tense for a bit. What was this earlier about someone going to the medbay?>

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Rythil glances at Valerie as she approaches and smiles.  The somewhat-diminutive middle-eastern woman has always held a bit of a special place in his heart.  He had spoken with her often, given the post she'd filled in the rebellion.  And it had been her who'd come up with the idea to actually season bark.  Seasoning had been a luxury, of course, but he couldn't help but smile, remembering the times she'd poured a little sugar syrup over his meal to make it just a little less bland.  She'd even come up with a way to soften the bark enough to let the syrup soak in.  Rythil's mouth begins to water a bit before he manages to clear his mind.

<<I must say, I'm very pleased with the change in your disposition, Rythil.  Bloodlust was getting a bit old.>>

<<Don't push me...I just don't want to upset people.>>

<<I'm inside your head, Rythil...lying doesn't work.>>

<<...>>

[Aluminator (Kit)]

Aetheas is finding it difficult to control his breathing as he listens to Keshin's description, however vague, of the events between himself and Captain Ossanlin. What he's feeling isn't anger, exactly, and it's not directed at Keshin, exactly. It's just the sense that nothing is as he's believed it to be, the sense that his world doesn't fit together in quite the way he's always thought.

<Myitt...> he responds, slowly, <What kind of Yeerk would have that sort of influence over the Captain, to allow you aboard...> He does not check his words, does not try to keep from being offensive. It's almost as if he's not speaking to Keshin at all... more as though he's looking and speaking through him. <What kind of Captain would allow a Yeerk to have that sort of influence?>

He seems almost to not hear Claxter, but after a moment he shakes his head. His Command-Warrior had addressed him. He shakes his head and lowers his tail in respect. <Yes...> he sputters... <It was TO Enorryma... she...>

Suddenly, he starts, hearing the Captain's thought-speak order to join him in the med-bay, and quite nearby. Jarring, that, considering he hasn't noticed Ossanlin anywhere nearby. He looks around, still failing to spot the Captain (though some part of his brain does note the human stripping off his clothes as he leaves the dome). He looks to Claxter and Keshin, <I suppose we'd best head to the med-bay.> He turns his main eyes to Claxter, <Varekil will be able to explain better than I.>

With that, he leads the way into the corridor. A few minutes later, he finds himself standing outside the med-bay, though for some reason, he's hesitant to go in.