I will survive

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

He still was unsure of this place. Unsure of the odd suit he wore, unsure of the breathing walls or the ship itself.

But space, itself, remained unchanged. It had been a few years since he’d stared into the black of deep space. It had been through a Gedd’s unreliable eyes, then, and not nearly as clear.

< Beautiful. > The human muttered, awe drowning out the chaos and the static of his thoughts for the moment.

Perhaps it was. Perhaps the Yeerk only lacked the human understanding of beauty.

His hands were behind his back, an odd stance for a human teenager. Closer to military rest that anything else, eyes drinking up the black.

The universe had shifted, but out there somewhere, his home world likely still existed. Even if it didn’t, even if like Earth it was gone and most of his brothers and sisters cast among the stardust of its powder like the specks of nothing that they were, he had survived.

His lips curled into a smile, slow and much quieter than Tom’s smile, true amusement causing his face to soften.

He had survived.

He, a nothing and a nobody, had survived when Vissers and Sub-Vissers alike had perished like worms on the pavement after a rainstorm.

It was a good day.

Comments

[visserbasher.livejournal.com]

Loren didn't know Tom and she definitely didn't know about the Yeerk. She didn't even know he was from her universe. When she looked at him, she just saw a new crew member, ripped away from home and stuck here. And she knew how scared and confused she had been the first time that happened to her.

"It's pretty amazing isn't it?" She said, speaking of the view. "I still can't get used to it."

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

"Utterly." He startled only a little at the appearance of another human, smile dropping a tiny bit before returning somewhat sheepishly. "I didn't realize anyone else was here. It's beautiful, isn't it? So much space... I've never seen anything like it. It's...huge, but so much easier to handle than this ship and everything that's gone on, you know what I mean? Heh, every kid dreams about going into space right? Didn't go like I dreamed it at all."

They were Tom's words, delivered easily and fluidly as though Tom might have been saying them. Casual and friendly, a little nervous, a little sad. A human plucked from his world by an alien race, it was a thing of science fiction movies and novels.

"Everything so different here. How'd you get used to it?" He turned back to the view-ports, staring into the emptiness. "Oh, sorry." His expression turned sheepish once more, turning and automatically offering her his hand. "I'm Tom. Tom Berenson...though...well, I guess that really doesn't matter here, does it? Last names?" Humans trusted babblers. Babblers kept no secrets, couldn't tell lies.

[visserbasher.livejournal.com]

"Loren." She shook his hand. "And really I don't know. I mean, it does get repetitive, all the stars going by but it's still awesome. Beats the Star Trek props. What's really awesome though is seeing Earth from space." Though... now they didn't have that option.

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

He almost agreed. It almost slid out, Tom's thoughts mingling freely with his own as he pulled the words away from the host for the conversation.

< It is, it's amazing. You would think looking down at it, you would feel huge, but I've never felt smaller, like looking at something perfect, far enough away that I couldn't see its faults anymore. >

He made his brow furrow, tilting his head. "You've seen Earth from space? Wow, that must have been amazing! Were you awake when you were brought on board...or...how?

[visserbasher.livejournal.com]

"Yeah I was awake. First this weird species called the Skrit Na kidnapped me and then the next thing I know I'm in a space adventure with Andalites and evil parasite things and stuff." Totally safe to say, right? Andalites were on board and the big Yeerk thing had all ready been taken care of, right? Right?

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

"Skrit Na...?" His face twitched a little, trying not to react to the mention of the Andalites. "Andalites? parasite things...? Are those all aliens?...Man, even before this you were having a time of it, weren't you? One alien species to the next."

< She knows. > There was a tiny touch of wonder in the human's voice.

< She doesn't know anything yet, shut up, I'm focused. >

[visserbasher.livejournal.com]

"I thought you'd have heard about the Yeerks all ready? But yeah, those are the parasite things. I heard that they took care of them before I woke up. And yeah, I guess my luck has been..." Loren shrugged. "Well, I wouldn't say bad because I don't think I'd change any of it. Well, unless it meant my world and universe still existed. But I wouldn't change anything that happened before all this."

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

"I just woke up." An easy explanation that didn't answer the question. "They took care of them? What do you mean?" Obviously not all of them, but some of his fellows could be stupid and not care about the risks they ran. "Well, at least it's never been boring I guess."

< I can use this to get close to the Andalites, if she knows the ones on board, I can use this. >

< The other guy said- >

< Hush. >

"Are there any aliens on the ship? I've never seen one before...well, except for the ship, I guess..but...well, you know what I mean, right?"

[visserbasher.livejournal.com]

Tom got a funny look for that one considering there were a lot of aliens on board, some of them in command (like her future husband). But she guessed it was possible he hadn't run into one yet. "There are a lot. You can tell on sight for most of them. And when they look like us I don't really ask if they're aliens unless it comes up some other way. Just seems rude, you know? There are also a lot of people who are like they're straight out of a science fiction or fantasy book or show."

[thethirdhalfa.livejournal.com]

"It's pretty stunning, isn't it? One upside to getting kidnapped by a living spaceship I think everyone can agree on. You don't get to see views like this no matter where you are on Earth," Dani said. She'd noticed Tom standing here, staring at the stars and made an assumption.

Not really thinking of how she might be a sight. Dani didn't like the creepy feeling of the plantsuit, so she didn't often chose to 'wear' it, preferring to stay in ghost mode and the weird hazmat suit.

Oh god let me know if this is not ok

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

"Very. I've never seen anything like it. It really makes you feel tiny." A lie, though not terribly so. He'd never see this view, or a view with this clarity. But the other person didn't need to know that.

He turned very slightly, preparing to introduce himself and froze.

< Is she wearing a hazmat suit? > It was so shocking, so completely out of the blue, that he really could only stare for a moment, eyes wide

Tom very nearly started laughing at him. < Sure seems like she is. >

< Don't get smug. >

< I can't help it, it's so hilarious to see you speechless. >

"Uhhhh...hi...what...why are you wearing that?" < Please explain what you are and what you are doing this instant. >

It's totally okay. Not like the Fenton's sense of style is normal~.

[thethirdhalfa.livejournal.com]

"Huh, does it? It just seems amazing," Dani said, tilting her head thoughtfully.

She looked at Tom and blinked. He might notice that there was a bit of a glow to her eyes too. "What am I...oh!" She said and looked down. "It's a hazmat suit. If...you know, weirdly designed. It just came out like that," she said and shrugged. "It comes with my ghost form and it doesn't have the creepy pulsating that the plantsuits have."

OK

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

< What?! >

There was a moment of complete synergy between the host and his rightful overlord. "...what?"

< Ghost form?! >

< Don't look at me! I don't have all of the answers either! >

< This creature gives every appearance of being a human! >

< Apparently a different kind of human! Don't ask me, no one's eyes glow or sprout weird hazmat suits where I come from! >

He paused, trying to work through all of the possible reactions a human might have. "...Aren't those for chemical spills...What...what are you? How did you even get that on the ship?"

Re: OK

[thethirdhalfa.livejournal.com]

"Chemical spills? Yeah, probably. Guess he was just wearing it because he was dealing with a portal. It just transfers over," Dani said, looking thoughtful. Why else would Danny be wearing one at the time of becoming a halfa? He didn't show his parents sense of style from what she saw.

"I got on the ship just like everyone else. I as in a pod, and then Stacy woke me up," she said. "Isn't that obvious? And I'm a halfa. Half human, half ghost. If I was in human form, I have to wear the creepy plantsuit." She had no trouble saying this. It wasn't like everyone else on the crew didn't know what she was and she had no reason to distrust a crew member.

I think you just blew his mind

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

"A portal?" His voice sounded weak to his own ears, staring at the girl in utter bafflement. "...like a door, right...he was dealing with a door?"

< Please just let it be a weird word for door. >

Tom, for once, didn't seem to be taking any pleasure in his confusion. Echoing his bafflement and just staring from the corner of his brain he occupied.

"Ghost...? What...what are you talking about? How can you...that defies all logic..."

To be expected with a freak of supernatural nature.

[thethirdhalfa.livejournal.com]

"Well, it's like a doorway, but it's a ghost portal. To the Ghost Zone. That's where the ghosts live usually in my universe," Dani explained. "Like another dimension that's twisted with the human world. You can get natural portals, but they're only temporary, but some people have made an actual stabilized portal to it."

"Actually, it doesn't!" Dani said, beaming happily. "There's a scientific explanation for both ghosts and halfas. Though I'm still working to fully understand all the science jargon for the halfa explanation. I just memorized it when it was explained to me." Not bad for someone who looked like they were thirteen.

He's losing cool points by the minute

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

There was a headache steadily building behind his eyes, powerful and throbbing. Really, there were some things not even a yeerk was meant to understand.

"That's impossible. That implies the existence of an afterlife...or something...I'm not sure...but...how could something living..." He started rubbing his temples slowly, a habit he had picked up because of Tom, trying to make this fit with the logical patterns his world existed in.

"How...do you explain the existence of ghosts via science?" He was almost afraid to ask.

She might very well answer.

[bonnypiperlad]

There's a faint shuffling from elsewhere in the room - the sounds of someone entering and settling in on one of the squishy meatcouches fairly close to where Tom is standing. A few minutes later, there is a little bit of music to go along with the view.

The source of the music appears to be a young man, wearing a kilt over his plantsuit and playing a long wooden pipe of some sort with a bell-shaped end. While most of it is skinny, there is an oblong section wider than the rest of the pipe, starting near the top and ending just above the mid-section of the instrument.

Jamie plays for a few moments, then frowns and stops to work out some fingering. It's when he's doing that that he realizes that Tom's nearby and he's suddenly rather chagrined. He really needs to pay better attention to where he sits when he practices.

"Och, I'm sorry. I didn't see ye there," he says apologetically. "I hope I didn't disturb ye too much."

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

At first Iniss hadn't really noticed the music, he had been so focused on his own thoughts. Or more specifically, he had noticed the music, but not registered the person.

Human music was often oddly realxing and he thought perhaps the ship had simply divided of its own volition to play something.

It was only when the human spoke up.

It took him a moment and a brief consultation of Tom's memories before he understood that the boy had an accent, which was why his voice sound a little diffrent. "Not at all. It was pleasant. I didn't hear you come in, am I distracting you?"

[bonnypiperlad]

"Thank ye," Jamie replies - although privately he wonders if the other boy would think it as pleasant if he was practicing with the full set of bagpipes.

There's a brief shake of his head, then. "No, ye weren't. I was just going through a wee tune or two while I had a few minutes free." It's not really a big deal to him. If he had wanted to be free of distractions, he would have stayed in his quarters.

"It's strange, aye? Coming here, being able to look out and see that." He gestures at the Bleed visible through the window. "Ye can almost forget ye are traveling until ye do so." Dryly, he adds, "That is, once ye get used to the plantsuits and the rest of it."

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

The answer was of course, no. Not really, not at all, stop murdering the earth feline and get out. But that was neither here nor there and they really weren't there to discuss the Yeerk's musical preferences. Which ran along the lines of 'quiet' and 'non-existent'

"I suppose that's reasonable enough. Do you come here often? I really like the view. It's almost...I dunno, comforting, I guess." He smiled faintly. "I like it, always wanted to be able to go into space. Be careful what you wish for, right?"

[bonnypiperlad]

"I like the City better," Jamie says, adding a shrug for good measure. "Ye have a lot more places to explore." And it's much easier on everyone else when Jamie decides to play, too. "It's a wee bit of a mess at the moment, what with the whole Nightmare King business. We'll get it cleaned up, though."

He snorts outright at the idea of being careful what you wish for, however. "Aye. Well, I never wished to go into space, and I wound up there anyway." Without really thinking about it, he continues, "Mind ye, I didn't realize it was even possible to travel there until I met the Doctor. It's not so bad, though."

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

"Nightmare king?" Honestly, occasionally he had the feeling he should be cursing the other yeerk for dragging him out of the room. Pretending ignorance was fine, but actually not knowing the information was maddening. "There's so many people, though. It's hard to process. I like the quiet. I'm still getting a feel for how everything is laid out, but I like this place."

He shrugged. "Wishing for space or wishing for adventure and excitement, they all seem to net you the same thing." His head tilted. Not 'a' doctor. the Doctor. "The Doctor?"

[bonnypiperlad]

"Oh, they didn't tell ye?" Jamie's a bit surprised at that - he would have thought someone would have mentioned something during the meet and greet, but it's possible that it got forgotten in the general excitement.

"Aye, well. The Nightmare King was a...I guess some would call it a God." Jamie still isn't entirely convinced about that part of it. "He was verra powerful, no matter what ye called him, though. He trapped us in our own nightmares for awhile until some of the crew were able to defeat him." He shakes his head. "One of the nightmares was a battlefield in the city, and it didna fare so well."

He frowns faintly. There's something more to that, but it's eluding him. "Anyway, it's not the first time there's been fights in the city. There were the zombies, and that time they transported the...och, what was the name of it...ah. The Yeerk."

He chuckles briefly. "Aye, well, adventure and excitement I can understand. There does seem to be a wee bit of that on Stacy. And the Doctor's a friend of mine." He realizes that he actually hasn't introduced himself, and gets up so he can offer a hand to shake. "I'm Jamie McCrimmon, by the way."

[echoofaperson.livejournal.com]

"I got pulled out of the room rather quickly by a friend, by the time I got back, most of the talking and explaining was already over with." It was in all honesty, the truth. Marco had dragged him free of the room, and then with the conversation with Karen, he had missed almost everything. It put him at a disadvantage and he didn't like it.

"A god?" He blinked, some of the doubt leaking into his tone. "That sounds terrifying. How did they defeat him?"

< I'm already living mine. >

"Zombies? Really? And...The Yeerk?" He blinked uncertainly.

"Does he have a name or is he just "The Doctor"? Tom, Tom Berenson." He returned the handshake, smiling faintly. "It's a pleasure, Jamie."