The Galactic War: The Rebel Base

[Chad32]

"I know. I was told by the guy I escaped with that if I made the decision, I was very likely to not be able to go back on it. I was still in a fragile emotional state, and I know you people don't really owe me anything. I hope you don't think I'm a bad person for buying into the Empire's views. Steven hates me, but even he would tell you I didn't go out of my way to torment him."

"I'll do my best to pay you people back for the favor you've done me. Even if I've developed post traumatic trust issues."

[Estelore]

Mal blanched, and his hand shook as he reached for his coffee, taking a slow drink.
Oh no.
<That son of a ****. This is so wrong on so many levels. To do that to somebody else in his charge?! And then to ask us to help?! How dare he->
Cool it. Let me take over.

Soren set down the coffee mug and looked up to give Chris eye contact. "Soren speaking. As no doubt you can guess, Maliss is not... pleased... at this information. Once he calms down, he will be willing to work on your problem. In the mean time, I can already tell you that we are going to need blood and tissue samples from both affected and unaffected Yeerks and their hosts, and we will need samples of the oatmeal. Once we can identify which alkaloids are activating which types of neurotransmitters, we can look into synthesizing a compound to inhibit that transmission."

Mal took over again. "Keslin, we'll help you, but don't think for one second that I condone any part of what you did. Is there anything else you forgot to mention, or are we done here?"

Soren popped back in. "When we are done here, let me know when you can stop over at the lab for blood and tissue sampling."

[Terenia]

Chris laughs shakily. "Kes knows it was was wrong, man," he says. "Terliss was a turelek, though. If we didn't think of a way to control him, he would have had to be eliminated. Which, yeah, happened eventually, but we got seven or eight years of service out of him. But...he did need to be killed in the end. Which is the last thing I need to tell you about."

He hesitates, waiting for Keslin to jump in, but the Yeerk seems to have lost interest in speaking. Sighing, he charges ahead.

"When Terliss arrived here on Reven's base, he committed several acts that were considered over the line. The trial records are public, you're free to look at them, but suffice it to say that he was the cause of a good deal of pain. As a result of the trial, he was sentenced to death. His execution...somethi ng went wrong, and as far as we can tell, it has something to do with the oatmeal."

He allows this to sink in for a moment, dropping his eyes to the table. "Two of the scientists here, a woman named Melissa and a Yeerk named Illim, were developing some sort of biochemical weapon. We decided to test the weapon on those slated for execution. There was an Imperial hostage and...and Terliss." He laughs bleakly. "I'm no scientist, man, I don't know the particulars, but basically the stuff was a gas, and it was supposed to, like...trigger the enzyme or whatever that made Yeerks decompose quickly when they die. It's a way to free involuntary hosts without causing them permanent damage. It's also...well, really scary as **** to think about, but we figured we could at least test it out. It worked on the Imperial, perfectly. But Terliss...it...he died, but he didn't disintegrate. Not fully. Bits of him were, like..." He winces. "They sort of melted into Melissa's brain. Farrah, our neurologist, has been trying to help her, but she's not the same, and we're pretty sure it has something to do with the gas interacting with the oatmeal."

He falls silent. <<God, we sound like awful people,>> he whispers.

<<We're just trying to win,>> Keslin responds quietly. Wincing inwardly, he steps back into control, licking his lips and looking down at his trembling hands. "I don't expect your approval, Maliss. Or Soren's. What we did to Terliss was wrong. I didn't want to kill him, so instead I used him. Poor Aya...having to suffer with that secret all those years, having to live with him in her head...it was not my strongest moment. But I am trying to set things right. The weapons project Melissa and Illim were working on has been disbanded. It's too dangerous, and too many innocent lives could be impacted. I--Soren, Tess is pregnant." He flushes a little at this admission. "I can't bring human children into this world while I'm suffering with this addiction. Beyond that...if you can help me, maybe you can help Melissa too. It all comes back to this dapsen oatmeal. No one understands it."

[Estelore]

Mal stared down at his coffee, still white as a sheet, and now nauseated. The coffee curdled in his stomach, and it made a queasy noise.

"This is vile, Keslin. We'll help you, and hopefully we'll be able to help Melissa, but right now I can't even look you in the eye. I know what you do is for the sake of the rebellion, but it's beyond the pale. I guess that's why you don't put me behind a gun, huh?"

[Terenia]

Keslin nods, looking away. "I'm not asking for you to forgive me," he says quietly. "I don't think I can forgive myself. But...everyone else here knows, you have a right to know as well. And...I promise you, Maliss, I would never compromise you or Soren just for the sake of our mission. I would never use you."

He swallows, pulling out his computer cube and bringing up a holoscreen. "I'm sending Melissa's information to your comm link, including where her quarters are located. You may want to check in with Farrah or Illim regarding her. I don't know much about her present situation. She is one of Reven's, so he is being briefed on the situation rather than me." Sighing, he swipes away the screen. "I can stop by the med bay later this afternoon so that you can collect the samples." His lips twitch up into a sad smile. "Regardless of what you think of me, this research is important."

[Estelore]

"Don't kid yourself. All we do around here is get used; it's our job. We'll do the work. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be in my lab." Mal stood up and retrieved his coffee, heading for the door. His comm link gave a faint whirring noise to indicate the updated information.

Are we going to postpone the work for Jo?
<No. We'll do alternating hours for each project. This is important, but we can't backlog her situation. Addiction is survivable, but her condition isn't.>

[KitsuneMarie]

Illim raises an eyebrow and takes a bite. "Well I know I wouldn't wanna leave again, myself. I'm happily settled in, thanks." He leans back a little, grinning. "As for Terenia? I dunno, we just get along. She puts up with my jokes."

[Chad32]

"That's cool. I'm glad she has someone besides her hubby to hang out with. Derrel is a bit of an isolationist too, for different reasons, and I guess I'm turning into one. Though I really don't know what to do with myself when it's just me and Derrel. Hopefully they'll let me take a trip back to Earth soon enough, so I can get some good food. I miss chicken and potatoes from home."

<I'm not an isolationist. I have Illim and Derrel. Plus Dom and Aya are nice to everyone, and I've hung out with them sometimes.>

<That's barely enough. Not even enough to fill a top ten list on a phone.>

[Myitt]

Niko slurps up soggy cabbage, eyes tracking between Rythil and Terenia as they discuss the mechanics of transmuting soil into bark.

"From the sound of it," he says finally, swallowing a gulp of water, "the Engineering department is going to lose its best mechanic and theorist to Medieval alchemy." He grins at his Hork-Bajir Controller compatriot. "It's good to see you outside of the dungeons, you two."

He glances at Terenia and Esreth. "You wanna take his place in mechanics, if he ends up trying to grow cabbage and trees for the rest of eternity?"

[Stephquiem]

James was having one of those moods. The kind where all he wanted to do was sit in a corner of the cafeteria, stare into his cabbage, and maybe growl at anyone who tried to speak to him. Or he would if Priton didn't have some sort of addiction to being reasonably polite. What James really wanted to do was get up, move around, and just not deal with anyone or anything for awhile. Except Priton, he supposed, as long as the Yeerk didn't talk or at least didn't comment on James' grumbling thoughts. And as long as he stopped forcing black, burning bile down their throat like he was trying desperately to poison them.

<Coffee won't actually kill you.>

James' only response was a grunting sound.

Priton, for his part, didn't care one way or the other about anything at the moment except getting some sort of sustenance while simultaneously trying not to pick a fight with his cranky host. He wouldn't have really minded giving into their body's restlessness, but someone had to be the responsible one.

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

Rythil glances over at Niko, chuckling, but the chuckle cuts off abruptly as Firin jumps into control.  Rythil's expression flattens out before arching an eyebrow at his fellow theorist.

<<I really really wish you wouldn't do that.>>

<<...>>

"Surely you see that my theory has merit.  We merely need to find a way to control the sub-atomic particles...it's all there, I merely need to...well...find a way to control sub-atomic particles on an individual and basic level..."  Firin falls silent as he lets Rythil assume control again.

Rythil's face regains some emotive animation.  He can feel that Niko's comments were meant in mirth, not criticism...but, of course, Firin would only see word-meaning and logic.

"Being down there for the overhaul reminds me of when I broke my back working on those damn cabbages...the ceiling down there isn't high enough.  And, by the way, our adjustments worked perfectly, thank you very much."  He smirks good-naturedly.  "The efficiency of water-usage has been increased by ten percent."  He shares his glance between Esreth and Niko as he speaks.  "That means more water for everything else, and less demand on those finicky filtration systems, which...need to be cleaned out again.  I assume Juliette will be handling it since we actually have to climb into the cisterns to clean them"  He tears a chunk of bark off into his mouth and realizes with surprise that it's already his second piece.  He doesn't remember finishing the first.  "Besides which, I don't like to climb without being able to use my blades."

"But there's no way I'm spending any more time with those damn cabbages than is absolutely necessary, so there won't be a position opening."  He bites off another piece of bark, managing to forget how terribly bland it is.  "Can't get rid of us that easy, hun."  He grins at Niko, showing his mirth at the good-natured jab and chuckles a bit.

[Terenia]

Esreth rolls her eyes at Niko. "Sorry, but if you put me in engineering I'd probably blow the place up." She smirks at Firin and Rythil. The cabbage isn't that bad," she says. "I mean, don't get me wrong, Terenia despises it. But Caroline's down there, and she's nice enough. And I don't mind getting a little dirty."

<<It's not the dirt I mind,>> Terenia sniffs, <<It's the fact that every time I'm on harvesting duty I wake up with the worst backache of my life.>>

<<Perhaps you should do it more often, then?>> Esreth teases. <<Let your body get used to the idea.>>

<<Thanks, but I think I'd actually rather work for Myitt.>>


Keslin watches Mar and Soren leave, then sinks back into his chair with a heavy sigh.

<<He didn't disown you as his leader,>> Chris says, trying to be reassuring.

<<No,>> Keslin responds. <<But I am growing weary of disappointing my people, whether they abandon me for it or not.>> He looks down at his trembling hands and swallows, clenching them into a brief fist. <<And I am growing especially weary of this addiction. My focus...it is not what it once was.>>

<<Hey, you'll get through it, man,>> Chris murmurs. <<Mal and Soren are brilliant. Between them and Farrah? They'll figure out something.>>

<<I hope so,>> Keslin responds. He takes out his comm link and sends a brief message to Farrah, explaining that he has told Soren and Mal about the situation and they will be on hand if she needs them. Then he pockets his link and pulls out his computer cube, settling in for a long night of work.


"All the Yeerks here bought into the Empire's views at one point or another," Edith points out, sipping her coffee and making a face. "Ugh. Ew, how can Myitt stand this stuff?" she asks, looking at Illim and scrunching up her nose. She sets the mug down and pushes it away a little before addressing Xevec again. "The point is that you're here now, not with the Empire, right? As long as you're not going to backstab us or betray us, that's what matters."

[Myitt]

"You wouldn't blow anything up," Niko tells Esreth dismissively, waving a hand. "That only happens once every couple of years or so, and only when incompetent people show up and start hitting the wrong buttons."

He digs back into his cabbage, flushing a little at the thought of the whole Illim fiasco. Even thinking about Illim in general made his heartbeat skyrocket with dread, even after all that time had passed. His right hand flexes and unflexes on his lap. It would never fully heal, not after what Myitt had done to his fingers.

"So," he says, a little loudly, clearing his throat. He forces a smile. "I'm stuck with you two. That's fine, you can keep the water running around here, I like having potable water to drink. Just don't remind me it's the same stuff that's in the toilet facilities and the showers and god knows what else." Niko rolls his eyes, taking a sip of water to accentuate the point. "And hey, Rythil, you sound like you've been picking up on English colloquialisms." He eyes Esreth and Terenia, jabbing his fork at them a little. "Is that your fault, or someone else's? I hardly talk to this overgrown lizard." He grins at Rythil to show he's joking, then peers back at Esreth, suspiciously. "Don't tell me he's been hanging out with Ticak."

[Chad32]

"I know first hand how much it hurts to be betrayed, and I'm certainly not planning on turning against anyone here. I know I've been acting paranoid, but i hope it doesn't make me look suspicious."

"I've never been a fan of coffee. I'd rather drink and energy drink or something."

[Luke Skywalker (Ossanlin)]

"I spent a lot of time with humans on Earth...I thought about being officially voluntary after Firin and I got to know each other, but he pointed out that there weren't any voluntary Hork-Bajir, and I'd only draw attention to myself...but I got some of the involuntary humans to talk to me.  Of course I pretended to be of...average...Hork-Bajir intelligence, but you'd be surprised at how much can be accomplished even with that limited form of communication.  Mostly, I listened.  Not all of them wasted their energy on rage."

He takes another bite out of his bark, the second piece almost completely gone now.  "And I've talked to a few people here, though most avoid me.  The humans, for the most part, aren't comfortable with talking to a Hork-Bajir.  The other Hork-Bajir can barely carry on a conversation with me.  And most people are confused by and averse to my sexuality.  I try to be social...but I have a lot of things working against me...it's a little disheartening."

Rythil drops his eyes to his nearly-empty plate, doing what he can to avoid showing his hopelessness, but with limited success.  He forces himself to look up and smile after he manages to master his emotions.  "But at least I'm not in the Empire anymore, right?"  He forces a chuckle at the statement.