trans_9 | In the jungle, the quiet jungle [Closed]

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In the jungle, the quiet jungle [Closed]

To say Nightwing was unhappy with his orders was an understatement. He absolutely didn't agree that protective custody was the best way to handle this. Yes, the kid and the Yeerk needed to be protected because there were far too many people on the crew that had been affected and still weren't dealing with it well. He just wasn't convinced that this was the way to do it.

Of course, in order to get him into protective custody, Dick had to find the kid, first. Not the easiest of feats in Hydroponics, but he figured the boy might not be anywhere near the beer tree. Too many people were around there on a daily basis. So he went the opposite direction, looking for places that would be good to hide in or provided good cover.

And was still a little surprised when he stumbled into the right area. "Tom?" he asked, straightening slightly. "Tom Berenson?"

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That was something, at least. Nightwing nodded, leaving the lenses up on his mask for the moment. "The City," he said. "Security headquarters, more exactly. That's where Kennedy will be. It's also the most secure building down there, as far as I know."

Which didn't mean that there weren't people who could get in there. The building was hardly going to keep out Superman or some of the others. But it was safe enough from the normal, unpowered folk. Except for Batman.

The City. His face twisted briefly in a grimace, but he nodded. "Lead the way then, I don't know my way around well enough to say where that is. Do you know what your boss wants with me?"

He didn't think he'd get the answer, and even if he did, he didn't think he would get the true answer. Just the one that seemed the most PC to give.

"To paraphrase Kennedy, you out of the line of fire." Which was exactly what Leon had told him. "After the last trial, we had a rather large contingent of crew members who disagreed with the verdict to let the Yeerk live. They attempted to enforce their personal desires and got a lot of people hurt. Thankfully, nobody was killed, but it created a lot of problems and some of the issues are still simmering, especially amongst those who were...forcibly taken as hosts."

He wasn't going to use 'infested'. Not to another Yeerk. Especially one who was cooperating. "It's possible he'll want to question you. Make sure that you really aren't part of what happened before. I doubt it'll be an issue since Jake's pretty much said you came to the ship in Tom's head."

Tom laughed softly, silently. < How very politically correct. >

"And how does Kennedy feel about Yeerks?" He sighed. "I get annoyed when members of my species have little to no understanding of the concept of subtle. It sounds like it was utter chaos and useful to no one. As well as counter productive to everyone." He shook his head. "You can say infested, if you want. We're parasites, Nightwing, it's like saying you ate a steak."

He kept his hands tucked in his pockets, thoughtful and serious. "So long as he doesn't ask me to leave my host, I'll be happy to operate with your organization in whatever way you see fit."

"I'm not sure what he'll ask of you," he replied. He did nod at the admonishment of what Yeerks were. He still wasn't likely to say it. "As I said, I wasn't here for it. Everything I've heard about their attack is second hand. What happened after the trial, however, I was very much involved in and it was chaos."

He glanced over at Tom/Iniss. "You seem to be on much better terms with your host than what I'd heard from others."

"I suppose I'll just need to find out, then. Joy." For someone who specialized in information, not knowing something was frustrating and stressful.

< Not really. > Tom responded, though Nightwing couldn't hear him.

"Do you want me to lie and tell you he's over the moon about the situation? That he doesn't wish I was elsewhere?" He shrugged his shoulders. "Tom has been a host for three years now. We've been assigned to each other for two and a half of those years. To say that he tolerates me is generous. But, unlike those other yeerks, I didn't go out seeking him, he was assigned to me and we've adjusted to each other as much as possible. It's very much like living with an annoying roommate. I keep my deals with him, he doesn't throw a fit every time I do something he doesn't like and we go on living. Compared to some? Yes, you could probably say I am on better terms with my host than most. But he's not voluntary and I'm not Peace Movement."

Nightwing wasn't entirely certain what to do with that information. He frowned as he turned it over in his mind, shaking his head. "But you're willing to leave him if another viable solution comes to light?" Given everything that the science department had at its fingertips, that was certainly a possibility.

It took a few minutes as they walked, but Nightwing finally shook his head. "I don't like it," he said over his shoulder. "You probably expected that, I'm sure. I've seen too many friends possessed over the years and forced to do things that they would never do of their own volition.

"That said," he continued. "Tom should know the kinds of guys I normally go up against. I'm willing to take you at your word, right now, that you'll leave him once there's a safe way to do so that allows you to retain your autonomy."

Don't disappoint him, Iniss.

"I've already been speaking to science department, and another solution is being sought. For the moment, I'm simply attempting to find a way to make others less willing to kill me while such a solution is found out." He allowed the silence to hang between them, walking calmly and quietly.

It was almost a test. But the truth, in many situations, was all he had to offer. Lying would only come to light sooner or later. "Very few people like it. But it's how we evolved. You said you were there for the trial, did you see what the yeerk looked like? In our natural state we are blind, deaf, helpless. A human toddler could kill us without much trouble. We can't speak, no the way you think of it, and communicate instead through sonar. It's beyond limiting. You can do nothing but exist. You can't learn, you can't experience anything." He kept his hands firmly tucked in his pockets, one hand curling around the data pad. "The problem with lies, Nightwing, is that all too often they come out and it looks worse than even the gritty nature of the truth. I could have lied to you, and told you my host was as happy as a clam and glad to not have to worry about anything anymore. Glad to let someone else take the reigns of his life. And you might have believed me. But all it takes for a lie to turn on you is one of those psychics to walk past and read my mind and the lie is reveled. I need help and allies. Not more people snarling that all Yeerks do is lie. So I won't lie to you. If another viable option is presented, and it needs to be an organic option, not a mechanical one, I will take it."

He will attempt not to.

Nightwing looked over at Iniss for a long few moments before he nodded. "Organic option. Got it." And he would remember. Though how they would manage it, he had no idea.

Iniss had no idea either, really. But the option was a good one, and even if it did prove impossible to do, his willingness to try spoke well for him. "I think a more intimidate fix would be figuring out some sort of indicator. To identify who was in control."

"Doable." Hey, with all the science they had on the ship? "It's easier and less taxing than assigning a telepath to you." Not that they had many telepaths, as far as he could tell.

"As well as much preferred to assigning a telepath to me." The shudder was very real. Iniss hated telepaths. "Though I imagine there will need to be some sort of announcement just to explain what it does." More annoyance, for someone who operated under cover, having so much of his life made public knowledge was frustrating and made him feel exposed.

"If it's any consolation, the telepaths probably think the same about you." He had to imagine being able to hear two voices from one head was disconcerting as hell. "But I haven't known a lot of telepaths, so that's a guess. And yes, there probably will be. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it and will probably leave it to Allen and the science team to explain."

"It's not much of a consolation, no. They're still in my head."

< I like it. >

< Of course you would. >

"Acceptable." He sighed, glancing at the ceiling as they left. "We'll have to see what your boss thinks, of course."

"Mmhmm." They'd passed into the City while they talked, Dick turning toward the security building. "He's usually pretty content to let the science folk do what they do."

Iniss followed, not balking now that the course was decided. "Well, that's good at least. If I can convince him I'm not secretly a terrorist."

"Yeah. Convincing him that you're not going to try to take over the ship might be a good start." That was usually a very good start.

"What in the world would I do with a ship? All I would like to do is finish reading my book." Of course it was a good start, he just didn't see why they would think he'd WANT the ship. That sounded like a headache waiting to happen.

He looked back over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow. The reason why was pretty obvious, given that was what the first group of Yeerks had wanted. Then again, Iniss was one Yeerk whereas they had been...quite a few. "In all honesty? I wouldn't want it either. I don't know how Command does it."

"They can keep that headache. Once you have something this big, you'd need to maintain it. I like my host just how I am." He shook his head. "Really, I want to wake the one up just so I can shake him and demand to know what they were thinking. Or not thinking, as it seems."

Nightwing snorted softly. "I think he was too far down the totem pole to be of much use to ask." Thought he seemed to remember something...best not to bring it up. "At least, that was the impression I got during the trial."

"It doesn't stop me from wanting to shake him. It's like when any member of a species does something idiotic. You want to react just to prove you are not that much of a moron." His head tilted a bit at mention of the trial. "I've heard mixed accounts, how did that work?"

Nightwing opened his mouth for a moment, then paused and thought about it. "Fair point. I've had that impulse on a few occasions just on this ship." And that was just with people who were related to him.

He pursed his lips at the question. "It went fairly well, really. The trial itself, at least. Those who had been most affected by the Yeerks before had said they'd abide by the verdict of the jury. And then some of them turned around to exact their own justice. The ringleader is...back in pod sleep, we think. Normally we wouldn't remember who that was, but there appears to be duplicates of some people in the pods."

"It happens, even with aliens. Occasionally, you just feel the need to react. I'm mostly an undercover operative, so when someone is so sickeningly obvious about everything and ignores every stage of caution and logical observation of the situation before they act...it drives me insane. Knowing when not to act is almost as important as knowing when to act. In this situation, inaction is obviously the safest course. Even with a pool, with these many hyper motivated people, some of who are aware of the existence of yeerks..." He sighed, and shook his head. "Smash and grab never works out how you want it to."

The thoughtful look was not faked. "I've monitored what I could of Jake's announcement. It seems like there are still people who are...quite unhappy and ready to lock me up or kill me for the sin of Stacy kidnapping me." He rubbed his face. "What a mess. I was trying to keep my head down and figure out a way to fix the situation before people found out. Being outed makes me feel incredibly vulnerable."

Nightwing glanced over at him for a moment. "Which is one reason why we're getting you under cover, at least for the moment. Until we can be certain of your safety. I don't believe for one minute that Stacy didn't know you were in Tom's head when she picked you both up, so it's likely that she wanted you both." And...well, Stacy was probably quite capable of finding a way to get Iniss out of Tom's head if she hadn't wanted him on the ship. "I told Jake I'd keep you both alive. I plan to honor that promise."

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