The Galactic War: Rogue Element ~The Beginning

[KitsuneMarie]

Illim's lips part in surprise, and he lowers his eyes. "That's awful," he sighs, shaking his head. "I guess I can't say I'm shocked, though, given all she went through yesterday. And there isn't exactly a human doctor around." He looks back up at her. "At least those of us who are here are free, yeah? Are you feeling a little better today? I wasn't expecting us to cross paths again, Efaen." He reaches over to put a hand on her shoulder.

[Estelore]

Enorryma quietly edged out of the room as soon as she was done adjusting the sensor settings on the infant sleeper unit.

<<Captain, I have finished my work here; where do you need me today? Are we still on schedule for our primary route?>>

[Terenia]

Efaen's shoulders stiffen initially at his touch, but then she relaxes, shrugging a little. "I feel like ****," she says truthfully, giving him a small, friendly half smile as she uses the profanity he taught her. "But...I am glad to see you again. Even if it seems no one here trusts me. I do not blame them, I suppose, but I did not ask to be stationed on Corvus." She glances over her shoulder, in the direction Illim came from. "Myitt does not trust me," she murmurs. "It is as if my time on base, trying to make amends, never happened."

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Ossanlin backs away from the door as Enorryma emerges.  He nods to his TO.  <<Enorryma.  Thank you for staying with them through the night.>>  He shakes his head, deciding to leave the humans to grieve.  <<Perhaps it is best to give them their privacy for now.  If, by chance,  you hear that they are asking after my presence, please notify me immediately.>>

He turns to walk in the direction of the bridge.  <<As far as I know, we are still on course.  I would've been alerted had we run across anything unexpected.>>  He turns his main eyes on Enorryma as he walks, expecting that she will walk along with him.  <<Should you wish to accompany me in the dome, please do.  If, however, you need to feed or retire to your quarters for rest, please give those needs priority over your duties for the time being.  I know you have ways around your fatigue, but they don't hold a blade next to actual nutrients and true rest.>>

[KitsuneMarie]

Tess sniffs as she cradles their one surviving child close, watching him wriggle his way into a more comfortable position in her arms. Finally, she looks up at Chris and Keslin and asks, her voice wavering, "What should we name him? I... you think I'd have given more thought to it after being nine months pregnant, but..." She gives her first, watery, unsure smile of the day. "I wasn't expecting to live to see this boy, much less to be here with you when he was born. I... I'm grateful for that, at least."


Illim gives a small smile of his own at her curse, his hand going back to his lap. "You know a little of what she's gone through?" he asks. "If you do, you'll understand. She's a paranoid person. It took her forever to trust me. Even after we were dating, she kept asking me questions about my intentions, loyalties. Don't take it too personally, yeah?" he shrugs.

[Estelore]

Enorryma walks alongside Ossanlin. <<If we are headed toward the dome, then I can eat a bit more while we are there. As for sleep... I do not think my mind would let me rest again yet, if I tried. Perhaps later, as I come down from the tensions of last night, but for now I would just as soon do what I can of my standard duties and return to the proper routines of the ship.>>

She looked with her stalk eyes at the seamless walls of the ship's interior, finding the place more capacious than she had before. So much time spent in smaller cramped vessels left the dome ship seeming vast in comparison, with higher ceilings and broader halls, as well as better light and acoustics.

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

<<Very well, I'll be glad of the company.>>

He falls silent as they trot over the grass of the dome, stalk eyes wandering, taking in everything.  Finally he speaks up again.

<<Norry, we're not on duty yet.  I'm not talking to you as your Prince right now.>>  He pauses a moment, still trotting alongside Enorryma.  <<You know I treasure your council, your abilities at the TO console, your fighter wings, your backup in hostile situations...but I also treasure your friendship.>>  He glances at Enorryma with his main eyes before looking around the expanse of the Dome again, breathing the partially-natural air deep into his lungs.  <<I never had any siblings, unsurprisingly...bu t I've often considered you somewhat like an older sister.  Of course, in combat situations and on-duty, none of that matters.  All that matters then is that you are my TO, and I am your Prince.  But you've seen more battles than I have...you have so much more experience and often, I think, wisdom.>>

He stops trotting and locks his main eyes on Enorryma.  <<Right now, Norry...I need to know.  The...revelations.. .that I shared with you and the others.  Not as your Captain or as your Prince, but as a friend...would you still have me as such, knowing what you know now?>>

[Estelore]

Norry stiffened but kept walking, tasting the grass as she spoke. <<Truthfully, I have not even thought about it. The situation with Tess has been more pressing. Whatever my preferences might be in another context, they do not matter here and now; our situation is precarious and leaves no room for delicate moral sensibilities.>>

She made eye contact with her stalk eyes. <<To phrase it another way, I have yet to meet a warrior return home with his soul untarnished . Even the very best of us, acting with the very best of morality and judgment, will still make errors for which we later cannot forgive ourselves. I do not have to like what you have done to respect you. Your actions do not have to sit well with me, for me to follow you and for you to be a good leader. Necessity demands that we get along well with one another, and I would be a hypocrite to judge you. If we survive all this and meet again in peacetime, then looking back on everything, my answer may be different. For now, you can depend on me to cover your six, as I have always striven to do.>>

She looked away and quickened her walking pace a bit, muscles aching to stretch and move.
<<You value my skills and use them well to serve what currently manifests as a benevolent cause. We have kept one another alive many times. As far as I am concerned, that makes us friends.>>

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

<<I...see.  I can always trust you to be straightforward with me, Enorryma.  Another quality I treasure within you.>>  He begins to canter in order to catch up with Enorryma.

<<I apologize for putting you on the spot like that.  I haven't been in as many battles, but still I learned long ago that wars are not won with a clean tail.  I used to think that.  I held to that idealism until the first time at which I was forced to be ruthless.  It almost broke me.>>  He pauses as he catches up with Enorryma and falls in next to her, matching her pace.

<<It is enough that you perform your duties as my TO admirably, but a large part of me desires not only the trust, but friendship of my entire crew...especially from yourself.  No, it is not necessary...not entirely.  But that will not stop me from endeavoring toward that end where and when I am able.  With you, and others as well.>>  He continues to match Enorryma's pace, staying a few feet off of her right flank, his muscles, hearts, and lungs enjoying the workout.

[Terenia]

Keslin glances at the door when it opens, making note of Enorryma's departure, before turning his full attention back to Tess and the child. Her question brings an immediate lump back to his throat, but both he and Chris know the answer immediately.

"James," he chokes out, reaching a trembling finger to gently brush the infants cheek. As he blinks, fresh tears track their way down his cheeks, running into the short beard Chris has grown during his time in captivity.


Efaen lifts her own shoulders, mimicking Illim's shrug. "I take it personally only if it means that she will turn everyone against me. Prince Ossanlin has named her the leader here. Her opinion matters." She shakes her head. "Not that it means much, but if I have to die, I'd prefer it not to be at the hands of people I once considered friends."

[Chad32]

Keshin and Joanne seemed deep in thought. <I will leave you two to consider your options. You're welcome to call me if you need something.>

He morphed Human again, and went back to Efaen. "I'm back." He said to Efaen with a smile. "Good moooorning Illim and Daniel. I am Claxter, and this is my humananan morph."

[Shenmue654]

Keshin and Joanne were deep in thought, not the least because an Andalite they barely knew had provided them with an option they hadn't even thought of. It bothered Keshin that they had lived for this long and it had never even occurred to them that they could escape using the Escafil device. Keshin kneeled upon the grass of the Dome, inches in front of the exit. Prince Ossanlin's ban was more troubling than he expected.

<Kess, it's not like they ever gave us the option before.>

<We don't even know if Ossanlin will give us the option, or any of the rebels. We're relying on the opinion of a single warrior.>

<Yeah, but we should at least ask Bluebutt when he comes by.>

<....>

It was about time to obtain food. Keshin's stomach grumbled loudly. Ossanlin hadn't exactly given him permission to access the cafeteria of all places. Keshin began to wander the Dome, looking for someone to ask.

[KitsuneMarie]

"Oh... yes of course," Tess whispers, bringing up a hand to wipe at her eyes, then lowers it again to cradle her newly-named child. She gives a shuddering sigh. "Oh Chris... Kes..." She beckons to him, wanting him to be closer. "What are we going to do here? Everything has just... fallen apart."


"Who said anything about dying?" Illim blinks at Efaen, then turns his head up at the new voice. He stares levelly at Claxter a moment before giving a weak smile, offering his right hand from his sitting position on the ground. "Hey. Um... thanks for, you know, rescuing us yesterday. How's this whole having-humans-on-the-ship thing working out for ya?"

[Chad32]

Claxter shook Daniel's hand. "We have been trying to be as accommodating as possible. It's certainly a new thing to break up the mundane routine. I'm very sorry about Tess. If an opportunity arises, I will make sure the ones who took her regret their decision. I hope that you and Myitt are doing well this morning."

[KitsuneMarie]

Illim blinks at his threat aimed at their captors. "Well, maybe we should just chastise them for not kidnapping one of our doctors with her," he murmurs, rolling his eyes a little. "Look, as hospitable and accommodating as you all are and have been, it would have been better for all of us, I'm sure, if we hadn't been attacked in the first place."