trans_9 | [closed]

Iniss had been stalking back towards his room, trying to reclaim the shards of his dignity and raking through Tom's recent memories.

His host HAD been busy, very busy. Things that couldn't be dealt with at the moment and things that needed to be exploited immediately.

He wasn't looking for the child, wasn't really paying attention to his surroundings. A mistake, considering recent events. But at least one he would likely live to regret.

< Karen. >

Tom wanted to hug the child, Iniss paused mid-step, giving her a guarded look. "...Karen. I haven't seen you in awhile."

She came to a halt and looked up at him. Warning bells were going off in her head; was he still her ally? Could he be?

She opened her mouth to speak, lost her words, then tried again. "Tom. I've... been with GLaDOS."

"Are you hurt?" The words were guarded, neither what they appeared to be. She was a risk.

< She's still just a kid. >

"Come and sit, we'll talk. Much has happened while you were gone."

"No, I'm fine." She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Um-- yes, all right. You'll need to tell me all about it."

She walked toward him. Surely it would be all right for now.

He reached out a hand, catching her shoulder in an automatic gesture. "You've been gone a long time. I think it would be easier to start with what you are already aware of."

< I want to talk to Karen. >

< Later. I'm busy at the moment. >

She flinched reflexively. It was Karen who talked some sense into her: <He doesn't know about you. If you keep acting weird like this, though, he's gonna figure it out.>

Aftran steeled herself and looked back up to him, then nodded. "GLaDOS took me shortly after we returned from shore leave. Maybe a week after."

"A very long time." He sighed, rubbing his face. "It's been..an incredibly eventful time. There was another sort of parasite on the ship and he tried to blow it up. One of our fellows and myself helped prevent it. Also, if you can, avoid wizards. Especially ones that seem like they escaped from human fairy tales."

He caught the flinch, or Tom did, frowning faintly in response as he opened the door to their room. "My existence is not much of a secret on the ship, and it's unlikely you will be able to keep yours a secret for long. What do you intend to do, now that you have returned?"

< Let me talk to her. >

< Why? >

< Because she's not going to listen to you, she's afraid of you. >

< She's a Yeerk, why would she be afraid of me? >

That would make a mess of things. But she could handle it... probably. Now she recognized, in retrospect, those people she'd met before -- Jake, and Cassie. If she could just seek them out...

"I don't know," she replied simply, going inside and looking around. "But you were walking around freely just now, so it looks like you aren't in any trouble." She glanced back to him. "How is Allen's project coming along?"

"Allen vanished, it's somewhat stalled. But the Council is working on it. It should continue ahead as planed, ah...speaking of, Councilor Rhiow wishes me to ask if you would be willing to assist with the testing. No, we helped save the ship. Of course we're not in trouble."

No matter how close a call that had proved.

< Iniss, let me talk to her. >

"With the testing? Of course I would be," she replied, making it sound maybe a little too obvious. No, she had to be more discreet. She took a breath and let it out slowly.

"Good, that will put us in better standing with the Council. Making waves is rather ill advised at this juncture...a rather more difficult question, as Tom's memories tell me one thing, but I should ask...is your host willing?"

His face was serious, fingers poised over the communication that had never left his grasp.

Aftran took a moment to consult with Karen, but she knew the answer without having to ask. "Yes. We'd both like to assist."

Perhaps for different reasons than Iniss was expecting, though...

And then she had a question of her own. "Is my omnicomm still in here? I didn't have it on me when GLaDOS snatched me up." She had to at least try and get in touch with Cassie.

"I haven't removed anything you left here. If it was here, it still is."

He watched her move, frowning faintly.

< Karen wasn't willing. >

< I know that. That doesn't mean things haven't changed. >

She went over to the desk by her bed and opened the drawer. Ah, there it was.

Now to get in touch with Cassie... and figure out what to do from there. She could only hope this went well.

"Karen, who are you trying to contact?" He hadn't seen her get close to anyone, which didn't mean she hadn't, simply that he hadn't managed to observe her in the act.

< Iniss, stop being an ass and let me talk to her. >

< Hush, you've had three weeks to cause as much damage as you want. >

"Ah-- just someone I met before." She wasn't about to out Cassie to Iniss, not without knowing for sure what his alliances were. "It can wait, though."

"Someone you met before?" He settled down on the bed, watching her curiously.

< Someone that she was desperate enough to contact that it was her first thought...>

His lips twitched, still watching her intently.

She said her host was willing. It felt odd to doubt that. "Tom keeps insisting that Karen was unwilling."

Well, this was a cozy conversation to walk in on.

Rhiow arrived in the crew quarters with her customary bang! of displaced air, and scoured the area for Tom's familiar scent. It didn't take her long to find, especially with most people away from crew quarters at this hour.

The door to Karen's room was solid enough, but Rhiow tilted her head at it. "If you would re-arrange your molecules just so, that would be lovely. I can even give you a little energy to do it with-"

She walked through the door like it wasn't even there. "Hello Iniss, T'hom. It's good to see you in person."

"Unwilling?" she repeated in confusion. When would Tom and Karen have ever discussed that sort of thing? Back home, there was no project like this to even volunteer for...

She turned when she heard a voice all of a sudden... it was a cat. A talking cat. She thought she'd heard something about a person like that being on the ship before, but it was still a surprise.

"An unwilling host. Involuntary." Clarification was obviously needed. Though of course there hadn't been any project like this at home. Take the host you were offered or exist in the blind monotony of the pool.

"Hello, Councilor Rhiow."

< Hello, Rhiow. > Tom sounded tired, worn thin by the day. Iniss might be wide awake and ready to face the world, Tom just wanted to rest.

Tom, are you all right? she asked. There may be another option if you're starting to think you can't do it.

She wasn't trying to offend Iniss, but he knew where she stood on the issue. "Hunt's luck." She trotted over to one of the beds in the room and leapt up onto it, putting her at more of a level to speak with the bipeds in the room. "I don't believe I have your name," she said to the small ehhif girl.

Mentally, she said, But your name I know. How are you, Karen?

A miscommunication. That's all she needed at this point. Aftran watched the cat as she moved, eyes narrowed in her direction.

"Aftran 942," she replied, then flinched a bit when Rhiow spoke to Karen.

<Um... I'm fine,> Karen replied, a little bewildered. That was the one thing she'd never expected to have happen. <How are you talking to me?>

< I'm fine. Talk to Karen. > His voice, such as it was, was exhausted and somewhat withdrawn.

The day had been too much, he was tired of thinking and more than content with taking a backseat role.

Iniss on the other hand, looked like he might laugh for a long moment before he schooled his expression into careful neutrality.

"Forget what I said about being suspicious, Rhiow. There is a movement among my species, much of the ship would likely approve of it. They refuse to take unwilling hosts." He inclined his head ever so slightly in Aftran's direction, voice amused. "Behold, the traitor."

I am talking to Karen, Rhiow said, amused. I can talk to more than one person at a time. I carry on conversations with multiple people quite frequently.

In fact, instead of keeping everything separated, Rhiow opened up her mental Speech to include everyone in the room. It was just easier that way. The current climate isn't so hospitable to your species no matter what splinter group the individuals might be part of. We need to get moving and keep moving on our long-term solution. I'm setting up a meeting soon with some people who can make things happen.

The traitor. So he knew about her, he'd known all along? This was getting worse and worse.

"How long should it take?" Aftran wondered. Now that she knew better, she didn't want to have to stay inside Karen any longer than she had to. On the other hand, at least Karen was more understanding of the need right now...

Really, it was more amusing to find Aftran here. He'd assumed, as most had, that the Yeerk was very very dead or locked in a jar somewhere and being smuggled in and out of the pool by other members of the movement. Oatmeal was a possibility, but he rather thought Aftran seemed more like the type to martyr themselves for the cause. Still, he had no reason to fight with her or turn her away. They were in the same boat here, Peace Movement or not. It wasn't his empire anymore.

< Is she ok? >

"That is impossible to know at the moment, Allen seemed to think not long, but once he was repoded, well. When department heads change, they have a bad habit of retroactively withdrawing projects their predecessor was working on. I imagine not terribly long, though, within the year. Rhiow?"

A few months at the very least, Rhiow said. I've contacted the heads of Science and Engineering, as well as Magical - you never know who will come up with the solutions to what problem. I will keep you both posted.

Rhiow's ears flicked backward for a moment. In the meantime I would advise you both to lie low and not make waves. Security should be taking care of your Merlin problem, but I will speak to the boy as well to make sure we know where everyone stands.

"Of course," Aftran replied; Karen didn't have anything to say to that, since she wasn't the one who'd have to be lying low.

A few months. Of course it would take that long. After finally deciding to go back to the pool once and for all, Aftran was still going to be stuck in this little girl's head for who knew how long.

"It's hardly that bad, Aftran. I know of a fishtank if you're really dead set against sitting still." Peace Movement. Really. He was willing to bet Marco's little band of insane morphing teenagers had helped with this.

"What do you think they'll do, Rhiow, is a cross departmental project possible?"

From what you've told me we'll need a brain that's fairly organic, or at least processes the connection in a similar way. That's going to mean some kind of biotechnology at the very least - which means that Science should be in on it as well as Engineering. Nanoha and I will be there in case we come up against some problematic physics.

Physics was little more than problematic to the Magical department, at least temporarily. Between all of us I'm certain we'll work something out.

Rhiow looked up at Aftran, locking eyes with the girl. When she spoke, though, it was directly to Karen. How do you feel about all of this? And Aftran?

Aftran shot an exasperated look at Iniss. She didn't need snide comments like that right now.

<Um-- I don't...> Karen's thoughts were a bit jumbled and confused. <I don't know, I just want to go home, Aftran said he was gonna let me go...>

Iniss smirked in response, shrugging his shoulders. They were allies in this, three Yeerks on the ship, if one of them fell, the rest would soon follow like living dominoes.

"I'd prefer organic. Personal preference, if at all possible."

Tom was watching the cat intently, ignoring the conversation Iniss was having completely. He still wanted to talk to Karen.

Rhiow's ears pressed flat back against her skull. Karen, even when Aftran leaves you won't be able to go home. None of us can. She tried to gentle the tone - how could nobody have told her yet? That wasn't trying to preserve her innocence, that was just cruel.

She opened her next thoughts up to the room - Iniss's comment about the traitor made more sense now. Aftran, you offered to leave willingly? She wasn't making a judgment on the other Yeerks who had not, but that was an important part to clarify.

She'd tried to make it clear to Karen, but without going into explicit detail about exactly why, it was hard. She'd regained her memory of the Ohm destroying Earth, but Karen hadn't. It's not that Aftran was soft, but...

"I... I did." She hesitated to admit it in front of Iniss, even though he seemed amused at best. "I'm not comfortable having an unwilling host. I've heard I'm not the only one."

"You started a movement. A large one, the Yeerk Peace Movement, I think it's called. Never take an unwilling host. Or something like that." His amusement was clear, chin resting in his palm as he watched her. It didn't bother him, even the implied disapproval. He wasn't one of them. He never would be.

< Mores the pity. >

Rhiow blinked slowly, her head bowed, her claws kneading the top of the bed upon which she sat. She would need to ask the Whisperer what She knew about this species, their Choice and how the Tearer had managed to succeed there. Aftran was yet a different kind than she had met - Schmuz was well enough, Iniss... well, Iniss was someone she would watch very closely. But she felt like Aftran could possibly be trusted, at some point in the future once Rhiow got a better read.

At some point I would like to know how the both of you came to infest these people. She was curious, but more than that she wanted to know more about the culture that could condone this as a norm. As always, her tone stayed neutral.

"I what?" she blurted out, taken by surprise. Both Yeerk and girl were utterly confused by that revelation. There was no way someone as insignificant as Aftran could have done something like that.

"...at some point, I guess we can tell you," she replied to Rhiow. Right now wasn't going to be that time.

"Mhm." But he didn't elaborate further, eyes still amused as he watched her.

"It's quite simple, Rhiow, and I would have no problem telling you about the empire and the it's agenda, so long as you promise not to hold it against me. I believe we have both grown through our experiences on the ship, though it is possible that Aftran had her experiences before coming on the ship." The words were simple, somewhat reserved. Lacking a bit of the cocky flare that had dominated most of his digging at Aftran. "As for now, we have other more important things to focus on, the future, rather than the past."

I'm not here to pass judgment on you, Iniss. That's not for me to do. What I am here for is to represent you to the Council and fight for your rights as individuals - but at the same time, I must fight for Tom and Karen's right to autonomy of their own bodies. I understand you've been reluctant to hand control over to him in the past, even temporarily - that will need to change.

Rhiow scratched her ear, thinking for a minute. Of course nobody else would be able to know that Tom was actually in control while Iniss was still there. If someone demands you exit Tom and you feel uncomfortable for any reason, call me. As your advocate you have a right to have me present. Aftran, that goes for you too - and I would also like for you to relinquish control to Karen now and again, let her play with the other children on the ship.

"Of--of course." What a simple idea. How had she not considered it before? It wasn't ideal, but for now it would be far better than how things had been in the past.

"Er... thank you, Councilor," she added, nodding her head. "For talking to us, I mean."

"I have kept my deal since I was found out, Councilor. I can think of only a handful of times I have taken over during Tom's time and one of them was to save him from a bear. But I have no problem continuing our former agreement."

He nodded very faintly in Aftran's direction. "Tom wants to show Karen the ship, after all. Time for themselves is a growing necessity."

Rhiow stretched, opening her jaws wide - it felt good to make even a small step of progress - although she wanted dearly for there to be a faster solution. I'm not going to let this go silent again, she said. I want you to keep me updated. Stay in contact.

She would have to send Arhu after them, to protect them. If something like this could happen once... the ship was large enough that it could very well happen again.

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