The Galactic War: Rogue Element ~The Beginning

[Chad32]

<You're welcome.> Claxter's arm and fingers were getting very tired. He had been doing some exercises in his room for the poast few weeks, and he could feel an improvement, but even with that his shredder arm was sagging. Eventually he just couldn't do it anymore. <End simulation.>

The simulation stopped, and everything disappeared. He holstered his weapon, and massaged his arms to get some feeling back into them. <That was some good practice. I guess now we can take a run, and exercise our legs.>

[Terenia]

Efaen's eyebrows raise as the holographic belt settles around her. She was no stranger to holograms, though she was not particularly used to them interacting with her own body so realistically. The simulated weight of the belt, the fabric against her fur, felt real.

<Impressive,>> she allows, taking the holographic ARC from Eleric and donning it as directed. Her main eyes scan the consoles, curious.


Keslin can't respond for a moment. He returns the hug, all of the energy going out of him at once, unable to help the tears that run down his cheeks, to his unshaven jawline.

Finally, he pulls away, forcing himself to breathe. "We named him James," he says quietly. "The...the one that survived."


Terenia flinches a little at the mention of Reven, but says nothing, letting Illim continue the conversation. Thoughts of Reven are too close to thoughts of Corliss. She chews her protein bar, staring at the ground. It tastes like dust.

[Myitt]

Myitt pulls away from Chris, nodding woodenly, her own eyes bright with unshed tears.

"Oh," she breathes, nodding again and sniffling. "****. That's...he would be so honored, Chris. Keslin." Unable to say much more, she hugs him again, closing her eyes and letting the tears track down Tara's cheeks. "****. ****..."

[Aluminator (Kit)]

<Yes,> agrees Aetheas, shaking out his arms. <Yes, a run would be good.> After the morning's vigorous exercises, he's more than ready to relax a bit.

He leads the way back to the dome. Once there, he takes a deep breath of the air, and, with barely a glance at Claxter, takes off around the edge of the dome in a slow gallop.

[Chad32]

Back in the dome, Claxter trotted along with Aetheas. This didn't really need to be a race, but he trotted just barely ahead of Aetheas, almost inviting him to go a bit faster. He could ignore it, or take the silent challenge. Efaen and Eleric seemed to have left, which was probably for the best. He needed to focus on Aetheas' training for now.

[KitsuneMarie]

Illim turns his head back towards Terenia, watching her a moment, before returning his gaze to the crate, digging through it to see if there's any variety at all in the packed protein supplements. Of course, there's none.

He sighs at the mention of their former leader. "We don't know. But... I've heard confirmation about Reven, yeah." He looks back at Terenia again and clears his throat. "As far as those of us here, yeah. We need to rally once everyone's had a chance to rest and eat. Looks like Ossanlin wants to work with his crew, but we're going to have to sort out our own structure all over again."

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

<Tail-Fighters are extremely agile in all three dimensions.  Note the controls for primary thrust strength, vectoring thrusters, and atmospheric fins.>  Different portions of the control panel light up as Eleric mentions them.  <The two manual sticks can be used to control the ship in a more fluid manner, but the best results come from mixing both sticks and console commands.  Those are advanced techniques for later though.  For now, the sticks might be easiest for you to use.  The computer is also capable of auto-pilot, but any half-trained pilot could down an auto-pilot fighter with their eyes shut.  These are the fighter's onboard shield controls, and those are the camouflage field controls.  Note the weapons controls, and the small-fuser controls.  These are navigation and Z-Space controls.  Many of these commands are also accessible via thought-speech command as well, but sometimes you need to be able to communicate with your wing-mates.>

<This monitor shows your small-fuser status.  This shows your orientation in reference to the ship's surroundings.  This display shows your weapons status, and this one shows your Z-Drive status.>  The various displays light up as Eleric speaks.  <Your engine status display is very important.  All sorts of bad things start to happen if you over-work your engines.  Loss of mobility is loss of life in a Fighter engagement.>

<Atmospheric flight is a different animal, but that can probably wait too.  Everything adapts once you enter atmosphere, at any rate.>

<The ARC interfaces with the Tail-Fighter to augment your abilities and perceptions.  It has two methods of output, the holo-projector at your eye, and thought-speech voice.  When you step into a Tail-Fighter, or in this case, up to the pilot's console, your ARC will automatically sync with the fighter to provide you with an augmented HUD display.>

[Aluminator (Kit)]

Aetheas trots along, lost in his thoughts, nearly a quarter of the way around the dome, before noticing Claxter ahead of him. He frowns and puts on some extra speed, pushing to get ahead of the Command Warrior.

[Chad32]

Claxter was enjoying his run, and getting a bit of food while he went. Aetheas hadn't accelerated at first, so it took him a minute to realize that he had sped up after a while. Claxter casually increased his speed to put him arm's length ahead once more.

<We'll probably need to stop at a planet at some point to get the Humans better food. I'm not really sure what will be close to this rendevous we're heading to. Of course that assumes they don't just take off once they're reunited with their people.>

[Aluminator (Kit)]

Aetheas doesn't realize Claxter's subtle challenge until the Command Warrior puts on still more speed. Aetheas isn't going to let Claxter win this unspoken race without a fight, and he pours on the speed, trying to get out in front of Claxter.

<I suppose,> he says, doing his best to concentrate on his footing and his breathing as he speaks. <I am still skeptical of these Yeerks and their humans. Captain Ossanlin seems to think that we will be stronger together, and I suppose he has spent more time around them than I have, but I find that working with others usually proves to be a hindrance. I respect the Captain, but I am not sure I share his optimism.>

[Chad32]

<The Yeerk Myitt once saved Prince Ossanlin's life, and she is a good friend to him. Though even they have done things sometimes that strain Prince Ossanlin's trust in them. Myitt is really the only one he considers a friend, to my knowledge. I'm positive that the rebels are better than the imperials, though I'm not positive exactly how much.> Claxter says as he once again speeds up. <We desperately need a full crew, and feelings between the two groups will be strained a bit. I'm afraid I can't say much to convince anyone that they are trustworthy enough to be allowed access to the ship, but we're all in the same situation. For now, we need each other.>

[Estelore]

<Enorryma, please run a tier three diagnostic on Apix 2 Coil alpha.  Let's make sure the double-jump didn't disturb the emitter alignment.>

Ossanlin's order snaps Norry out of her reverie, and she realizes that she had zoned out at her post. Broken sleep and early stage stims withdrawal are no doubt compounding on the typical stresses of adjusting to a dome ship's daily rhythms, and she silently chastises herself for the lapse in her focus. Fortunately, nothing of note had come up so far on the ship's sensors and trajectory, so the lapse would be forgivable.

She toggles between the networked consoles' displays, beginning the tedious but familiar process of this particular system diagnostic programme. She doubles up the diagnostics and includes a parity check for the engine sub-stabilizer components as well; it makes the process take quite a bit longer but gives more comprehensive information. After perhaps half a standard hour, Norry feels satisfied that she has all the information the ship is likely to offer about its own performance and condition at this time.

<<Sir, diagnostics complete; the emitters remain in stable alignment, but two of the minor components show some oxidative weathering. I doubt it will be problematic during this venture, as they are rated for a much higher shear and compression level than our maneuvers so far have produced, but I advise we inspect them manually the next time the ship is fully stationary or in a real space stabilized orbit.>>

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Ossanlin nods at Enorryma.  <Thank you, Prince-Commander.>  He switches to private thought-speech.  <<As you know, we have a severely-limited crew complement at the moment...it's one of the many reasons that we need the rebels.  For the time being though, we need to begin development of a necessity-based maintenance schedule.>>

[Estelore]

<<I will send to your console a list of tasks in order of priority, with a second sorting column based on the frequency the tasks will need to be completed, and a third based on the level of skill required and the number of personnel on board who are qualified to complete each task.>> She sends him the assignment profiles, which she had already had compiling through the ship computers' spare cycles.

<<You will notice that most high-frequency tasks are fortunately low-complexity; I believe it will not be too difficult to arrange for humans to perform these, if you prefer.>>

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Ossanlin nods as Enorryma speaks, looking over the files that she'd obviously already been working upon.  <<Very good, Enorryma.  It would seem you'd make a skilled First Officer if you weren't such a talented TO.>>  Of course, there was no first officer at the moment, but administration was one of the FO's heaviest duties.

<<The Yeerk, Keslin, has demonstrated a willingness to help.  I do not trust him completely, not yet.  Myitt's word holds great value with me, but it's the only asset he has thus far.  He appears to be a leader of sorts as well.  He's twisted his tail backwards in an effort to place himself in a front position, and a few of the rebels appear to look to him for guidance, despite everything else.>>  He pauses as he looks over the tasks.  <<Most of these essential tasks involve at least some level of engineering...trust is what we need from them.  I'll not let any of them near the Tyrennian's components without at least a small modicum of trust.  An assurance that they would follow Andalite orders in an emergency situation...>>  Ossanlin doesn't bring up the close shave with Sector Seven, but he certainly thinks of it strongly.  If SS somehow found them again, people unwilling to follow orders would just be in the way.