trans_9 | (no subject)

Marco was lying on the grass under the Andalite tree, looking as if he'd just decided at random to plop himself down there. Though, if you could look closely enough, you'd be able to see him frowning, just a little, at the tree. This wasn't the best place for meetings. Too open. Too visible. Too much chance of someone just wondering by and wondering why they were up to. Sure, he trusted Tobias to notice anyone getting too close - but this place had anyone and everyone, and a whole range of odd abilities. For all they knew, there were people on board who could get past Tobias's sharp eyes.

But, Marco hadn't exactly found anywhere else that would work well either. And this was a place that Ax and Tobias came to regularly, so them coming here wasn't exactly suspicious. If anything, Marco was the odd one out. But hey, nothing wrong with wanting to lie down on the grass, huh? Or talking to his friends.

It was all too easy to slip back into paranoia and suspicion. Sure, there we no Yeerks and no apparent need for secrecy. But paranoia had got him through one war. It might get him through another. And everything about this was one great big mess of unknown quantities.

The really big question, though: how the hell were they supposed to explain to Ax his own future? "Guess what, the borg eats you. Try not to do that again if and when you go back."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

None of the stuff Tobias was talking about sounded much like something the Andalites would have developed. Ax had to wonder if the technology Stacy had on board was from one of those other universes without the Yeerks or the Andalites.

As for the video games, Ax had little to say on the subject. Once he'd figured out that they were actually training simulators, he'd lost mostly lost interest. Like Tobias had said, they were less interesting when your life was as strange as Ax's had become.

<Speaking of demorphing, I really should change back. Hey Tobias, can you go take a look for me? And dude, you are just playing the wrong video games,> Marco said to Tobias. <Of course they are still awesome. For one thing, they are fun. For another thing, none of them will kill you.>

<And they made PlayStations portable? Man, how do you know all this stuff? You live spend all your time hanging around the psychic tree! Did you find them in the Media Room? If these things are lying around somewhere on this ship, then you are showing me, got it?> Marco demanded.

[[ooc: Should we start wrapping this log up guys? Or...idk, go on to them all geeking out over video games?]]

< Sure. > he replied. He flew up to check. < All clear. >

< It's a combination of things, really. People talking, me checking...I thought a portable one might be usable with talons. Plus, I still get bored sometimes. I do like to spend time in the sensoriums, but fake mice are only fun for so long. >

(ooc sure)

< The maze over there is generally unoccupied, if you would like more cover, > Ax said, indicating the Labyrinth that was almost unnoticeable in the shadow of the Garibah tree. < Just don't go too deep inside it, otherwise you may get lost. >

On one hand, he probably ought to return to the labs and continue working. On the other...the rest of the science department was intelligent, but he'd been starting to feel lonely, as much as he hated to admit it. It was a bit like how he'd felt when he'd first arrived on Earth -- they didn't understand him the same way as he was used to being understood. The Animorphs did now.

It couldn't hurt to spend more time with Marco and Tobias, at the very least.

[[OOC: Wrap-up is fine with me.]]

Marco quickly demorphed, then rubbed his hands together. "Alright then. Media Room. I am going to kick your asses."

Sorry Ax, boring lab work can come later. Marco is going to make you play video games now! And while they're at it, he can make Tobias show him that Portable PlayStation thing too.

< Okay. While it's clear, hang on a minute. > Tobias fluttered to the ground and morphed, rejoining them again in his human form.

"Makes things a lot easier. Even the eyes, in this case. My hawk eyes don't see the images as well as my human ones. Strains them after a bit because they pick up so many things."

< I will endeavor to keep track of time for you, > Ax said. Really, it was just for Tobias' sake. Having him trapped in human form would be very inconvenient.