trans_9 | Forest at Night isn't Scary for Everyone [Open]

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Forest at Night isn't Scary for Everyone [Open]

Shadow Link had heard about the sensorium. To say the least, it sounded interesting. An illusion that became a reality? He knew there were things that could appear an illusion that hurt, but in the end, the thing was truly 'real.' And illusions could be used to hurt and mess with people. But having a physical presence? That was knew.

So he had decided to try it out. Of course, the setting wouldn't be bright. Actually, since he was in control, he had for something that might be nice. Namely, a forest at night. Even as a shadow, he did still feel a bit of joy in nature. Not so much he wouldn't have willingly destroyed it before for his goals, but...

Well, he was still questioning what his goals were, so why not embrace that joy a bit more? And it certainly felt like a real night sky, with a light breeze and everything. He looked around and sighed.

He walked further into the sensorium, quickly climbing up a tree and resting on a branch and for the first time since he actually arrived on the ship, he relaxed. What harm could letting his guard down for a little while in his own illusion could do him anyway?

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Shadow Link frowned at that. "That'd have to be very, very advance to come even close to magic," he said.

Shadow Link scoffed. "I'm not much for being polite when I don't know someone," he said. "But I'll keep in mind that the telepaths are supposedly polite."

< My people have developed technology which allows us to copy the DNA of any living creature we touch and then transform ourselves into that creature, > Ax said. < And we've been traveling to the stars and beyond since before my grandparents were born. Our technology is very advanced. >

He hoped that this person didn't come from a dimension where the technology and magic were just as far along, or even more advanced. That would be embarrassing.

< A large percentage of the crew tends to be polite, > Ax said with a shrug. < We're lucky that the telepaths on board are among that percentage. >

Speaking of being polite, Ax offered a small bow of greeting. < My name is Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill. 'Ax' is also acceptable, if you would prefer something shorter. >

Shadow Link's eyebrows shot up at the mention of the technology. "Not sure what DNA is, but you can become anything you can touch? And you can actually travel among the stars? That's really possible?" No, he hadn't actually figured out where Stacy was traveling. It was just bright lights out those windows, not the night sky he knew and loved.

"Weird, that many people in this situation can be," he muttered. It was a stressful one, after all.

"I've just been telling people to call me Shadow." No, he wasn't going to give his full name. And the advantage with just Shadow is many people might think it a fake name. And he's quite happy with letting them think that.

< DNA is essentially the map for building and developing living creatures, > Ax said. He liked to think that he'd gotten good at dumbing down scientific explanations enough that they could be understood. < But yes. And yes, it's possible. Stacy is doing something more advanced. Didn't you see the stars out of the windows in the Observation Deck? >

He shifted from hoof to hoof, experimentally tasting some of the grass. It didn't seem like any he was familiar with.

 Now he was really beginning to wonder about this "Shadow" person. Had he somehow missed the briefing after being released from the Pod Caverns?

"I have avoided that place since the first day," Shadow Link said. "Stars aren't that bright. They're like that," he said, pointing up at the night sky.

"Ah, that's right. Because they all want to go home," he said. It was quite obvious in his tone that he really felt nothing for that goal.

< Stars are actually just as bright as the sun, they are just much, much further away, > Ax said, although he dutifully turned a stalk eye in the direction that Shadow pointed. < Were you able to obtain an omnicomm, at least? >

Shadows apparent disinterest in returning to where he'd come from was noted and mentally filed away to be considered later. < Yes. Also, for shipboard survival. Stacy was severely damaged before people began waking up in the Pod Caverns. We'd had to fight for our survival more than once. >

Shadow Link looked at him like he just said the sky was green. "What are you talking about? Stars are stars and the sun is the sun," he said. "And yeah, I got the magic box thing." Not that he used it. He was considering chucking it too.

"Oh, yeah, survival. Which is why there was a riot over some slug thing."

As if green skies weren't possible. Ax had grown up under a red and yellow one.

He took a moment to word his thoughts properly. He'd explained things to the Animorphs before, but humans had at least reached the point of space travel. < I'm sure you've noticed that objects in the distance appear to be smaller than objects that are closer to you, > Ax said. < It's the same thing with the sun and the stars -- 'the' sun is merely a star that is closer to the planet in question than any of the others. >

He winced at the mention of the riot. < That was hopefully an anomaly. >

Shadow Link rolled his eyes. "Sure, the sun is a star," he said, not sounding like he believed him. Sadly, Ax, you're dealing with someone who has very little idea of what space was like.

"I doubt it. Violence is just in the nature of...well, it seems anyone who can think. Or even not think. Like animals."

Someone was getting directed to the science classes, clearly.

< Perhaps, > Ax said. He could hardly refute Shadow's statement using examples from his own life. < But considering how important it is for us to work together to survive this, we can hope that people will now voice their concerns rather than try to take it into their own hands. >

Sadly the chances of him going were rather low.

"You really have a lot of faith in the people here, don't you?" Shadow Link asked. "Just because something is the better idea, doesn't mean people are likely to listen to it."

< In my experience with them, humans have demonstrated a great deal of fortitude in the face of overwhelming odds, > Ax replied. It was something of a non-answer, although he did recognize Shadow's question as being more rhetorical than straight-forward. 

Earth was not his home. It was simply the planet he'd crash landed on after the Yeerks had destroyed the Dome Ship. It wasn't where he really belonged.

"If you can keep the crew together long enough to find that way home. Thought take too long even with hope and they might still tear each other apart," Shadow Link said, smirking just a bit.

< We're very close, > Ax said. At least, that was what Jaime Reyes seemed to have indicated. < We'll just have to hope that we don't take too long, >

He didn't see what was so amusing to Shadow about the situation. Even if he didn't want to go home, did he could hardly want to be on board this ship.

"When you say it like that, you make it sound like you think you're close," Shadow Link commented. "What are you close to doing?"

Shadow Link honestly didn't care where he was anymore as long as it wasn't the World of Light. What he had found amusing was the crew tearing each other apart.

He was kind of a jerk that way.

Ax said. < At which point, we may be able to send everyone home. > Or at least they would be after they took out whatever had locked itself in up there.

No offense to Shadow then, but Ax hoped that the rest of the time on this ship was incredibly unamusing.

"So, if you can break through to the bridge, and if you can figure out a way from there how to send them home. So it is just a think," Shadow Link commented, leaning against a tree.

Ax said. Between Dox and his counterpart, Allen, and all of the other brilliant people on board, he doubted that they'd have too much trouble once they were in control.

"Just controlling a vessel doesn't mean you can always go where you want," Shadow Link said with a shrug.

< No, but it's certainly better than not being in control, > Ax said. < Especially considering how very little control we have now. >

"Would the ship really let you get control?" Shadow link asked. "Doesn't it have things to stop u?"

Ax said. < We're certainly not going to be able to do anything without it. >

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