The Price of Expedience - Part 5

Gundeck

Hammocks, bundles of goods, pots and pans and fiberoptic cables dangle down over the two outward facing rows of blaster carronades and the cramped corridor between. Here a cooler is tucked under a bench and there a stim-chamber doubling as a head is bolted between bulkheads. The scents of old cooking, human sweat, ozone and whatever cargo the ship currently carries compete to batter the nostrils. A vent overhead half-heartedly puffs out recycled air and a stale, futile, pine scent. The gundeck serves as living quarters and bunkroom for all hands and passengers on the Courser: rec room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and all. This is it. Hope you're comfortable with yourself and very close quarters.

Contents:

Colonel Blackface 

Geneticist Marson 

Citizen Jest'liana 

Port Guns

Starboard Guns

Interface Panel

Obvious Exits: Leads To:

 Cockpit Cockpit 

 Engineering Engineering 

Marson is floating near Jest'liana, eyeing Genghis suspiciously.

Jest'liana is standing by a crate, Genghis' saucer in front of her. Army fatigues in one hand and a very grim look on her face. Genghis is mewling at Jest to pay attention and feed him.

A sort of scuffling noise emerges from the cockpit; a moment later Sha-El's purple-streaked head pokes out, followed by the rest of her. Her eyes are rather bloodshot, and she has a strange red imprint on her forehead - as if she's fallen asleep on her keyboard. She blinks as she takes in the number of people on the Courser and eyes Jest. "What's with the fatigues sis...?" she murmurs. "Hush Genghis."

Jest'liana turns, grins and holds the fatigues up to her body. She raises an eyebrow. "What do you think, Sha? Lower the neckline, put some cargo netting in strategic places?" She is Most likely joking. "My clothing is bloody and smells of charred flesh. This way, i get to shower and actually get in something clean. Blackface dug it up for me."

Marson, apparently not getting the joke, "I have never understood human fashion."

N'Sha-El eyes the fatigues for a moment. "I could add on some metal guards and such if you'd like..." Her gaze goes to the mewlingly vociferous kitten who's by now yowling in hunger.

Marson shifts its gaze to Grayback

Grayback steps aboard the Courser.

From Cockpit , VanMahr groans a bit as he shifts on the command couch and rubs at his face. "When I open my eyes I'll be in my suite on Tomin Kora. Or I will be very disappointed." His eyes slit open. "I am very disappointed."

Grayback joins the group.

Jest'liana shifts back out of the way of the people and tosses the fatigues on her bed, plotting changes.

Genghis, annoyed at being ignored in front of an audience, swipes at Jest's leg.

The Courser is rather crowded at the moment. Jest'liana's got a saucer of milk on a crate, right beside a very loud and protesting little black kitten, a handful of army fatigues in one hand. Marson's floating somewhere out of Genghis's reach and Sha-El's standing somewhere near the cockpit, looking as if she just woke up.

From Cockpit , VanMahr heaves himself from the taped up padding and pulls himself to unsteady feet. His gaze is a bit bleary as he casts about for his jacket. It dangles loosely from a grip on the gunner's periscope.

N'Sha-El's eyes drift to Grayback. "Morning...evening...afternoon whichever bloody is, Colonel..." Her head tilts a little suddenly and she turns, moving to the cockpit and poking her head in. "Morning Captain....you're a sleeping beauty today."

Grayback says, "I thought I might find you all in here."

From Cockpit , VanMahr grunts eloquently as he thrashes into the stiff-collared coat.

Blackface notices Grayback and nods slightly to him.

Marson grows tired of the protesting kitten. It takes the saucer with three tentacles and sets it down in front of the kitten.

Jest'liana nods to Marson. "Thanks, i was just about to do that.."

Genghis, after his unsuccessful swipe at Jest, is distracted by the milk and immediately turns his attention solely onto the most important thing in the universe - food.

Marson withdraws its tentacles and floats up again.

Marson looks around, as if disturbed by the silence.

N'Sha-El appears to be finding some small amusement in VanMahr's attempts to dress in the small space, as her tone indicates. "No Captain, you've got it on inside out...Here. Don't move." With that the rest of her disappears back into the cockpit.

Cockpit 

An amber glow seeps through the dim claustrophobic cockpit of this small craft. Three padded slabs are arrayed under heavy banks of electronics, avionics and other displays. Of the stars themselves there is no sign as a portal or viewscreen is absent. Instead, the bridge crew extends their senses out into the void with the digital and wave arrays of data swept up by the very sensitive passive and active detection systems on board. The first bench is the navigator's station with its bewildering melange of CRT monitors and a dangling set of headphones, the second signals the pilot's position with its joystick and holographic positioning sextant, and the third features the distended periscope-style targeting mask and firing solution monitors of the gunner's place. One exit is a portal to the rear leading into the gundeck and living quarters. The second is a small pressurized hatch near the feet of the gunner - likely leading to a small armoury and boarding bay.

Contents:

Citizen VanMahr 

Weapons Console

Command Chair

Navigation Console

Obvious Exits: Leads To:

 Gundeck Gundeck 

VanMahr blinks down at Sha. "I've got it on right. Blasted thing."

From Gundeck , Marson floats over to peek into the cockpit.

From Gundeck , Jest'liana laughs and takes a seat. Her fingers lightly occupy themselves with running over the cloth of the fatigues aimlessly. She looks toward the cockpit, a slightly rueful slightly smug smile on her face. "They okay in there, Marson?" she asks dryly.

N'Sha-El shakes her head. "No no...look, the epaulets should be facing /out/." She indicates the facings on the jacket. "You've got it the other way. And bloody hell Captain, what /DO/ you have on your hair? Milk?"

From Gundeck <Courser>, Marson telepaths, "They're quite irritable, but this is understandable."

From Gundeck <Courser>, Blackface gazes down at the feline, awaiting its next move.

From Gundeck <Courser>, Jest'liana shakes her head. "Marson, Marson, I thought you knew better about people. That isn't irritable! That is...affectionate." she smiles mischiviously.

From Gundeck <Courser>, Marson content the kitten is out of pouncing range, stretches its tentacles luxuriously, flapping them slightly. It floats down beside Jest'liana.

From Gundeck <Courser>, Marson telepaths, "They have an odd way of being affectionate, then."

From Gundeck <Courser>, Jest'liana shrugs, "Most people do. But when body language and words disagree, believe the body langauge. Trust me...that is affection, not irritation."

From Gundeck <Courser>, Marson pose nods slowly...

From Gundeck <Courser>, Marson telepaths, "How much time do we have left, Jest'liana?"

From Gundeck <Courser>, Blackface gazes about. "If I'm no longer needed here, I believe I will step outside."

From Gundeck <Courser>, Marson gazes at Jest'liana with its unblinking crystalline eyes.

From Gundeck <Courser>, Blackface glances back down at the kitten, feeling its contact. He pulls his leg back reflexively.

From Gundeck <Courser>, Jest'liana sighs. "We have about 24 hours left. And I don't know that you are specifically needed, Colonel, but since we have so little time..." She leaves it trailing then adds. "It is up to you of course.

N'Sha-El calls out from the cockpit, "Sis? Does the Colonel have any antiseptic cream at hand?"

From Gundeck <Courser>, Grayback says, "Time....what do you mean by 24 hours?"

From Gundeck <Courser>, Marson echoes in the general direction of the cockpit, "I hope that your captain will find it appropriate to stock his ship with medical supplies, next time.... If there is one."

From Gundeck <Courser>, Marson frowns under its atmospheric breather, resting on its tentacles.

From Gundeck <Courser>, Jest'liana takes the cream that she was given, motioning that Blackface need not sacrifice more. "I'll be right back.."

From Gundeck <Courser>, Jest'liana heads into Cockpit <Courser>.

From Gundeck <Courser>, Blackface nods slightly.

N'Sha-El gestures for VanMahr to turn around. "Here Captain, get that so you can put it on right..." She frowns a little as she brushes a stray puff of fur from the jacket. "Hey sis. Put it with the med supplies in my locker will you?"

From Gundeck <Courser>, Grayback bends down to look at the kitten, and grins slightly. He has a soft spot for little bretheren.

Jest'liana leans inside and moves to hand the cream to N'Sha-El, curiously looking around to see what might require this cream. She tilts her head, confused. "Ah..okay. Whatever." and darts out again.

From Gundeck <Courser>, Marson telepaths, "I go in search of better lighting. I will be back later.

From Gundeck <Courser>, Marson disembarks from the ship.

From Gundeck <Courser>, Grayback takes one of his claws and gently scratches the kitten behind the ear.

From Gundeck <Courser>, Jest'liana shakes her head ruefully. "Okay, about the 24 hours, we were given a deadline of that amount of time to chose whether to serve willingly or as taken over.."

From Gundeck <Courser>, Grayback stands. "Taken over. So my theory is correct. We /are/ shells.

From Gundeck <Courser>, Grayback smiles, showing many sharp teeth. He kneels down again, and resumes scratching the kitten.

N'Sha-El calls out, "It's still a theory at the moment Colonel....but it /is/ all we have to go on right now."

There's a few grunts (VanMahr) and the occasional scold (Sha) as the sound of papers falling reach the ears of the listeners in the gundeck. "No! That way, and the facings are all /twisted/ bloody hell and that IS milk..."

From Gundeck <Courser>, Jest'liana runs her left hand through her hair. "All I know is that Sha has come up with some theories that your LeBeau seemed to agree with."

From Gundeck <Courser>, Jest'liana looks to the Cockpit, smiles faintly again and breifly closes her eyes, perhaps imagining the scene within. "But at any rate, I doubt any of us want to lose ourselves."

From Gundeck <Courser>, Grayback says, "Agreed."

From Gundeck <Courser>, Grayback continues scratching the kitten, amused by the enojyment it is getting from it.

VanMahr manages to escape Sha's fussing and strides out onto the gundeck.

Grayback smiles widely, and helps the kitten up onto his shoulder.

Jest'liana turns a speculative and amused eye to her Captain, trying to see what Sha had wrought with her interference.

N'Sha-El emerges, looking slightly annoyed, a sheaf of papers and her computer deck gathered haphazardly under one arm. "I'll bring a bucket of soapy water next time," she threatens as she eases over to the cooler.

Blackface shakes his head slightly at Grayback and the kitten.

Genghis mews with delight and bats at the Demarian's furry ears.

Grayback chuckles at the kitten.

The kitten purrs up a storm and tries a balancing act on Grayback's shoulder, tail whisking as the black furry cheek rubs against the BIG kitty's.

VanMahr grunts. "Last night it was Centauri and now my beautiful gundeck's covered with Demarians." But if that's a huge problem the captain doesn't let it show as he makes his way over to the tiny kitchen and opens a rather conventional refrigerator door. The blasted thing looks like it would be more at home in a poor family's tenement than a starship. Eggs are fetched out along with a pitcher of purplish juice.

Orandius scales the gangway, robe scrapping against the metal, a slithery sound. He announces as he enters. "Abernathy has returned."

Grayback scratches the kitten and smiles. He seems to be enjoying this just as much as the kitten.

Jest'liana raises an eyebrow at Sha and crosses her legs. "I thought you said that wouldn't work, Sha?" she murmurs.

Blackface looks back as Orandius arrives.

Orandius repeats himself, his voice taking a slightly firmer edge. "Abernathy has returned. The time for a decision has come."

N'Sha-El's reply of "It's still a threat..." is cut off as she spins around to Orandius's words. "Bloody hell he's not...where the hell is he?" Any vestige of teasing or amusement is lost now, replaced by a visible tension.

Orandius says, "He waits for us in the nexus above the tube."

Genghis purrs and arches his back up against Grayback's whiskery cheek, leaving a few fur sheddings in the process.

Grayback says, "What type of decision, Mystic?"

Grayback doen't seem to mind the fur as he pets the kitten.

Orandius's head tilts slightly forward, "The manner in which we will be enslaved."

Blackface growls lowly. "We will not be enslaved."

Grayback says, "Agreed, Colonel. The Hivers can be damned."

N'Sha-El draws a deep breath. "No we won't...but we can bloody pretend to be so we can keep our own damn minds about us and plot after..." She's got her hand tightly gripping her blaster now, even though she doesn't draw it out.

VanMahr grunts. "I prefer to think of it as a contractual arrangement." He puts the eggs back in the fridge but does pour himself a tall glass of the juice. "A bad one, of course. But...."

VanMahr shrugs. "I say we let Abernathy wait."

N'Sha-El tilts her chin up slightly. "Orandius. We have another bloody 24 hours. THAT was the agreement, we don't bloody answer till that's up."

Orandius shrugs, hands disappearing into the sleeves of his robe. "You may cut the words as you wish. Abernathy has returned." His gaze shifts to Van for a moment, then to Sha. "N'Sha-El...Where in all this did you find the conclusion that we have any control over these matters?"

Genghis settles on Grayback's shoulder philosophically, batting with a paw at the Demarian's whiskers and curling into a small furry black shedding ball.

Grayback continues to subconsciously pet the kitten.

Dahan floats in, shaking in fear.

Jest'liana frowns at Orandius, "Sentient beings always have a choice, and therefore some control. I don't think any of us are willing to give that up."

Grayback says, "And if we choose not to be enslaved?"

Orandius says, "They will shred your mind from you."

Dahan telepathically sends, 'Th-th-the-they..Oh, it was horrible....'

Blackface says, "I would rather go down fighting for my freedom than fighting for someone else."

VanMahr snorts. "We go along as Sha suggests. As long as there's will there's hope. But I don't plan on scurrying after those whoresons until the time is up..." His gaze drifts to Dahan.

N'Sha-El's eyes gleam for a moment. "I don't have any bloody conclusions for anything. I'm just being a bastard at the moment." She glances around the assembly for a while, eyes going to rest on Jest and Van for a long moment before she turns her gaze to Dahan. "Wait. WAIT...what the hell's happened?" Her voice is sharp.

Blackface looks over at Dahan.

Even Genghis seems to sense that something's amiss. His tail bottles up in a brush and he arches his back lightly, hissing.

Dahan telepathically sends, 'The wa-wa-one who was abduct-dcted..There is no reviv-vival now. He beckons us to the chambers of mist.'

Grayback grins. "I see my small brother here agrees with us."

Blackface growls lowly. "I dont know what the hell is going on, but I intend to find out."

Blackface brings his rifle up and unsafes it, putting it to fully automatic mode.

Jest'liana stiffens, and places her hand lightly on her blaster.

VanMahr takes an idle sip from his juice. "I'll be along after breakfast if I feel the need for a constitutional."

Orandius says, "There is no fight to be had here. Your weapon is useless. At best, your mind will simply be destroyed. At worst, they will make you their thing."

VanMahr's blaise attitude may be a ruse but it's a rather convincing one.

Blackface says, "Well at least I'll cause some hell while I'm there."

Grayback looks at the dagger on his belt. "There is one other alternative. I would rather die with honor, then to die humiliated"

VanMahr says, "I'd rather not die, frankly."

Blackface says, "Fine. Wait here. I will see what awaits. Come if you wish."

"Let's not try that anywhere around Aber-bloody-nathy or whoever the hell he is now..." Sha-El's voice is calm but curt. "The Nall got blasted in the arm when he or she tried. Bloody hell..." She glances around the assembly for a long moment, then tosses her head in a gesture of futile, if spunky defiance. "All right I'll go tell the bastard to wait his bloody ass off if no one will." She starts towards the door.

Blackface storms to the hatch.

Blackface disembarks from the ship.

Dahan telepathically sends, 'You should have seen him...he's decomposed much but still remains possessed...His eyes and nose are gone...Oh dear!'

Jest'liana swallows at the picture of this, but then looks at Van quizzically and, rather remarkably relaxes. "You plan on finishing all the orange juice, Captain?"

Orandius snorts harshly. "You will barely inconvenience them." He then turns to VanMahr. "This is not a negotiation for merchandise. We have nothing to hold from them. You should take no comfort in this slight resistence-- it may prove costly to us all." He inclines his head, then turns to the gangway. "Attend as you will."

VanMahr mutters. "Sha. You'll stay here. We're together in this." His gaze travels to Jest. "All of us. Get yourself a glass."

Grayback ignores the Mystic.

VanMahr doesn't seem to take much note of Orandius either.

Orandius disembarks from the ship.

Dahan floats after the mystic.

Grayback takes a seat, and begins to give himself a bath. As a side note, he gives the little kitten a big lick.

N'Sha-El stops a moment to reach her fingers to Genghis on Grayback's shoulder. "Hey there little bugger you..." she murmurs. Then she looks back towards VanMahr and Jest again before looking at Orandius's departing back. Before striding to the cooler, yanking out a large bottle and staring at it for a moment.

VanMahr considers Grayback. "You're not going with your comrades?"

Genghis returns the lick with a little pink tongue and begins preening.

Jest'liana strides over to grab a glass. "Damn, I don't even get to die clean."

Grayback says, "I prefer to wait for them to come to me. I prefer stealth, and paitence, not charging into battle."

Grayback says, "Such as it is when I am in my fighter."

VanMahr nods to the Demarian. "Well, I wonder that you aren't commanding that lot instead of one small ship. They could use the help. Glass of juice?"

N'Sha-El's lips tighten for a moment as she stares at the bottle in her hand. Then she glances over to the cockpit. "Are the engines working?" Her voice is distracted, distant.

Grayback says, "No thank you."

Dahan enters through the hatch of the ship.

Dahan telepathically sends, 'The one who was your crewmen...He beckons you again, reminding you of your obligation, and that the possessed require no food. I think it was a threat he may carry out.'

VanMahr sets the container on a cuttingboard/counter near Jest. As Dahan enters he glances over as well. "Well, tell him I'll be along in a moment. I wouldn't want to visit the High and Mighty without washing my face. It would be disrespectful."

Dahan telepathically sends, 'The one who was your crewmen...He beckons you again, reminding you of your obligation, and that the possessed require no food. I think it was a threat he may carry out.'

Dahan telepathically sends, 'Tell him yourself.'

Dahan floats out of the airlock.

VanMahr yawns. It may seem a bit forced but he manages the trick. "Well, I think we've made our point. Shall we join the others?"

Grayback stands. "Perhaps."

Jest'liana drums her fingers on her blaster. "Fashionably late. Sounds good."

N'Sha-El smiles faintly at her Captain. "Let's go..." Genghis mews a moment. "Sir, can you set him down somewhere? I don't want him clawing at Abernathy or whoever the hell it is...or I'll get pissed if he hurts him."

Grayback draws his dagger. "I may be inconsequential to them dead, but I would prefer the honor of dying by my own hand than to die by theirs."

Grayback holds it in a ready position.

VanMahr says, "Just leave him...."

VanMahr's gaze travels to Grayback. "I'd wait on that. If we can stall for a time you might find a better use to put that to."

Jest'liana looks at Sha, "He'll be okay, Sha. Better off than us more than likely."

VanMahr pads towards the airlock.

N'Sha-El turns quietly and heads for the hatch. "Good acting may bloody well get us out of this altogether...." she murmurs. And disappears, drawing her blaster.

Grayback keeps it in position.

Monodimensional Habitat Hub <RKV Harrower>

Pale mist spills from a broad tube overhead and forms a rolling, swirling haze in this rather warm chamber, a gridwork structure reminiscent of being inside a mechanized apple. The deck seems to rumble soundlessly. A ladder sretches upward into the shadows. Two archways lead into other segments of the habitat.

Contents:

Councilman Dahan <IC>

Seer Orandius <IC>

Majordomo Abernathy <IC>

Thosoth Variss <IC>

Obvious Exits: Leads To:

<UP> Up Hive Passage <RKV Harrower>

<PO> Port Memory Chamber <RKV Harrower>

<ST> Starboard Consumables Center <RKV Harrower>

<TU> Hexagonal Tube Hexagonal Tube <RKV Harrower>

Variss says, "The interaction hardly looks especially comfortable."

Abernathy-Zombie

Tall, skeletal and mummified, with flesh shriveled and black like that of a scorched prune, the creature before you stands on two legs, has two arms, looking vaguely humanoid. But it is hardly human. The creature has twisted strands of gray hair popping from its leprous skull at random. Its nose and lips are gone, leaving the sinus cavity and blackened teeth exposed. The eyes, too, are gone from their sockets - replaced by a shimmering swirl of hazy blue light that matches the glowing nimbus that surrounds the creature. It wears the tattered remnants of chrome-chased livery - once blue, it is now stained crimson with blood. Black leather boots climb to the shins of the gruesome creature.

Abernathy stands in the center of the room, looking much the worse for wear.

Grayback comes in, his hand gripping something. He stands off near the back of the room.

Abernathy hisses: "The cossst...of your delay...will not be pleassssant."

Variss eyes the newcomers.

Orandius stands a few feet from the tube, confronting the dessicated form of Abernathy. His posture has straightened, his arms folded before him, hands tucked into his sleeves.

N'Sha-El strides in calmly enough, blaster dangling from her fingers idly. This makes her look up, eyes flashing. "Shit with the cost," she says abruptly. "I had to take care of wounds, so stow the crap. What now? And if we're going to look like that, I wonder we're not willing."

Abernathy ratchets its head around, neckbones popping loudly, crisp flesh flaking and dropping off. "You...will not look like thisssss...if you choose well."

VanMahr marches in wiping juice from his lips with a sleeve. "Of all the newcomers here I think we're most inclined to making deals. If you didn't need souls intact you wouldn't be dealing with us. And I'll tell you here and now that if all you want are zombies you'll have them aplenty unless you find yourself better incentives than intimidation."

Abernathy hisses. "The time...for dealing...is passsst. Your choice?"

Jest'liana controls the rolling of her stomach and takes position to the side of Sha, hand also lightly on her blaster.

Genghis hisses, tail bottled into a brush from his position on Grayback's shoulder. His kitty-ears flatten.

Variss says, "What is it you want from us exactly? I was not present when this was 'made clear' as you said."

Suddenly, with a whispering popping sound, energy fields shoot up over all the exits.

Grayback grips whatever is in his hand tighter.

Abernathy hisses. "Your choice?"

N'Sha-El tilts her chin, defiant to the last. "What's anything without telling us bloody more about what we're supposed to be facing?" she hedges calmly enough, stoically /not/ looking at all the forcefields. "Know your enemies, so bloody tell us more."

VanMahr rests a hand on Sha's shoulder and glances to Jest. "These beasties were supposed to give us more time. If this is the sort of bargain they keep..."

Dahan rotates quickly as the force field raise, looking very startled.

Orandius snorts softly as the force fields snap into place.

Its eye sockets gleaming bright blue, the creature says "You have had...all the time...you need."

Karr'tel arrives from Hexagonal Tube <RKV Harrower>.

Karr'tel strikes a field that knocks them back to the floor.

Abernathy stands at the center of the room...and does he seem to be grinning?

Variss turns to Karr'tel, looking relieved to see one of his own kind at last.

Karr'tel whispers to Variss.

N'Sha-El says calmly, "72 hours. We had /72/ hours, 24 of which as still in place. This is a bloody bugger-it-big decision."

Abernathy opens his mouth widely, the bones and tendons cracking and snapping, freezing the jaw in place, yet he still speaks in his raspy, shadow voice: "CHOOSE."

Jest'liana folds her arms across her chest, meeting Van's eye for a moment. Then she lifts her chin and summons her most arrogant manner and turns a haughty gaze on the thing that was Abernathy. "Bloody insistant for a corpse, isnt he?"

Telepathically, Dahan sends 'Accually, we have only 8 hours left, maybe less.'

VanMahr gazes back over his shoulder to Grayback. "Perhaps..." His free hand slips crosswise to take up his blaster in a smooth quicksilver motion. The barrel is at his own temple before he turns back to Abernathy. "...we don't go along? How many ships can you steal before questions get asked?"

Its jaws still unmoving, it speaks. "You...will...go along. Willingly...or like this one Abernathy."

Grayback takes the lead and raises the object in his hand to his chest. It is a long bladed dagger. "Yes. How long before others begin getting curious as to the fates of these crews."

Jest'liana tilts the blaster she placed against her breast quietly inwards. Expression unchanging.

Variss looks slightly confused.

Orandius say simply. "Not so. If Abernathy could serve your purposes, you would simply make us all as he is and send us to do your works."

The creature seems to laugh, an ancient and dusty laugh. "We do not...need your soulsssss....just your form....and that not for very long..."

Dahan telepathically sends, 'How long will you be able to use us before taking more ships, if we all become zombies?'

Grayback says, "not if we make our forms useless."

Grayback looks /deadly/ serious.

The creature hisses. "It issss alwayssss like thisss."

VanMahr says, "Then give us a better option."

N'Sha-El's breath catches with a hiss as she glances up to VanMahr. Expression paling for just one moment before the mask drops firmly in place. "Wait a minute. So we go along willingly. Let's say we all bloody do, hell, if you haven't a damn body you need one since you sure as hell don't seem TO have one. What then?" Her head tilts arrogantly as she crosses her arms and stares, defiant and stubborn, at the zombified creature. "And shit, take a BATH. You smell."

Abernathy says, "You have...no optionssss...refussssse and the cost to your own universssse...will be catastrophic."

Grayback says, "So be it."

Abernathy hisses. "Polydenum."

Dahan telepathically sends, 'We did once without FTL travel. We can do so again.'

Abernathy rasps. "Pure polydenum...in interaction with teleportals...causessss explosive results."

Grayback nods. "My planet flourished for millenia before we even invented space travel. It can flourish once again."

For the first time the young navigator loses her composure. "Poly...bloody HELL and dammit...NO!" She starts forward, her eyes blazing. "My stars, what a bloody bastard bunch you are..." Her hand bunches into a fist and for a moment it looks as if she might actually tackle the creature, she's so angry.

Abernathy says, "A planet decimated by a massive explosion, bereft of life...can do nothing."

Dahan telepathically sends, 'And your ship can survive such an explosion?'

VanMahr's gunbarrel wavers. "You are a piece of work." His hand drops to his side. "But your secret is already out...."

Variss drags his tail back and forth across the floor, but remains silent.

Abernathy says, "Our ship will not be...exposed."

VanMahr says, "He means to destroy every world with an otherspace drive."

Abernathy says, "The polydenum...has been...dissssstributed."

Dahan telepathically sends, 'How certain are you. We do have a large shipment with us.'

Abernathy says, "No...we have it."

Karr'tel watches the transfer of words with quiet interest eyes darting between the different races.

Dahan says nothing, but stands firm.

"Shit shit bloody SHIT dammit hell and blast the scumridden fleabag bone-headed whore-laden obtuse BASTARDS!" Sha-El swears as she takes another step forward, her small frame shaking with fury. "Oh, just come here and I'll take a chunk out of you so bad you'll never NEED another bonehead again...."

Genghis hisses again, arching his back. He evidently doesn't like Abernathy either.

Jest'liana glances at Sha, and steps forward by her. "Sister..." she says sharply.

Abernathy steps closer to Sha, his bones popping, flesh flaking off.

Abernathy says, "Thisssss body...soon will fail."

Abernathy says, "Perhapsssss...you wisssh to be next?"

VanMahr's blaster dangles loosely at his side. "If you destroy these worlds where will you find more bodies for your war?"

VanMahr grunts. "Eh?"

Karr'tel whispers to Variss.

Variss whispers to Karr'tel.

Karr'tel staggers back as they strike a field in front of the tube

Abernathy turns slowly to regard VanMahr. "There are other...universsssses...than these two. And our war...issss almost won."

N'Sha-El stands her ground, eyes blazing. "Leave the rest of the universe out of it and maybe we'll talk...." she growls, eyes meeting the horrid creature's glowing eyes. "Leave my Captain and my sister and the rest...THEN we'll talk you flea-ridden maggot infested pile of crap."

Grayback listens to that comment, which again completely fulfills his theory. They are being used to fight a war they can't themselves due to a lack of physical form.

Abernathy ratchets its malignant head back around to face Sha. "Talk...issss uselessssss. Choose."

VanMahr's hand tightens on Sha's shoulder. "Stand down. This creature doesn't seem to take much to conversation."

Abernathy rasps: "The choice is a sssssimple one. Serve willingly...or condemn your universe and yourselves."

Jest'liana glares at the Zombie, but says nothing.

VanMahr snorts. "You'd kill worlds because of us? Why not just take more ships?"

Genghis unleashes a truly unholy cat yowl and hisses, arching his back, tail straight up in the air.

VanMahr shakes his head. "You Minders aren't much good at a bluff."

Abernathy points its skeletal hand toward the containment area, bones cracking. "We have plenty here."

Grayback pets the kitten in an attempt to calm him down. "The feeling is mutual, my little friend."

Abernathy lowers its hand. "We do not bluff."

Abernathy says, "It would be possssible to automate your vesssels."

Grayback lets out a louder, similar hiss.

The kitten submits to the petting but maintains a constant hissing, green eyes glaring at the pile of animate bones.

Abernathy says, "And load them with...polydenum...."

VanMahr grunts. "And what's to keep you from holding that threat over all our worlds for other reasons? Don't confuse me for a bloody patriot but if I'm going to die no matter what I'll be damned if it's killing for free. I've got a reputation to maintain."

Abernathy shrugs, and his shoulders pop out of joint.

Abernathy says, "Serve...and you will be free in one year."

Abernathy says, "You will be...freed of memoriessssss of your service."

VanMahr says, "And you also gave your word we'd have time to decide."

Abernathy says, "You...have had time."

Abernathy says, "Three cyclesssss have passed."

N'Sha-El takes a deep breath and glares up at Abernathy. "You wreck the Courser after all the bloody time I've put into her and I'll shove her wreckage up your sorry little butts..." she growls.

Abernathy says, "We will not wreck anything...should you choossse wisely."

VanMahr falls silent himself in clear frustration. "Sha. Let's see how the wind blows." His gaze travels to Orandius.

Grayback bides his time, thinking, planning.

Orandius, who has been standing quietly, face shadowed by his cowl, shrugs as VanMahr's gaze falls on him.

Abernathy hisses: "Choose."

VanMahr's regard shifts to Grayback.

Karr'tel holds a small device to his head and nods.

Grayback returns the gaze to Vanmahr.

Karr'tel whispers to Variss.

Variss whispers to Karr'tel.

Genghis spits and arches, gathering for a spring.

Karr'tel whispers to Variss.

Abernathy tilts its gruesome head to the right and leans toward the cat, amused.

Grayback says, "Easy, little brother. Paitence."

Abernathy hisses at the cat

"Leave my cat alone!" Sha-El's voice is about as unearthly a howl as Genghis could ever give.

Abernathy returns to an upright position, popping loudly as it does so.

VanMahr swallows, hard, before glancing back at Abernathy. "I'm in. But only if you pay me. Cash. It's my way or you've one more zombie to send at the foe." His gaze his steely.

Variss whispers to Karr'tel.

Genghis miaows in fright, but recovers to hiss loudly again, cringing against Grayback's cheek.

Abernathy regards VanMahr with flickering blue amusement. "You...demand money...of the Ri'Kammi?"

Jest'liana sneers. "Oh lovely, scare defenseless things. What a way to show you are SO powerful." Her tone drips sarcasm.

VanMahr says, "I do."

Grayback pets the kitten to calm him down.

Abernathy laughs raspily.

VanMahr's expression is deathly grim.

Abernathy begins to laugh louder, and his lower jaw falls off and clunks on the floor.

Karr'tel whispers to Variss.

Grayback says, "And you say Zombies will do you good. Expect this to happen."

Abernathy hisses: "Why, yesssss, Captain VanMahr...of coursssssse, Captain VanMahr....all the richesssss in the world will be yourssssss...."

Variss whispers to Karr'tel.

VanMahr says, "Which world?"

Abernathy says, "The cold dead surfasssssse of Demaria, perhapsssss?"

Grayback tenses and growls.

Abernathy says, "You...are in a possssition...to demand nothing."

Variss thwaps his tail on the floor.

N'Sha-El eyes the jaw as it bounces off the floor and lands somewhere near her. She bends down unhurriedly and retrieves it, holding it up to quiet scrutiny. "Get some pins put in," she snorts, tossing the jawbone back at Abernathy. At this she stiffens. "STOP it dammit you pile of skeletal rotten sum remains, SHUT UP! If you want US to choose you're bloody doing it the RUDDY BLASTED WRONG WAY!" Her voice is furious.

S'kales arrives from Hexagonal Tube <RKV Harrower>.

Abernathy doesn't catch the jaw, which bounces off his decomposing chest.

It lands at S'kales' feet.

S'kales says, "Sir!"

Karr'tel whispers to S'kales.

Variss nods at S'kales.

Variss turns back to the zombie.

Abernathy seems unfazed by the outburst. "Emotional...you will sssserve...or not."

S'kales whispers to Karr'tel.

Abernathy hisses. "Choose."

Karr'tel whispers to S'kales.

S'kales whispers to Karr'tel.

Variss whispers to S'kales.

Karr'tel whispers to S'kales.

S'kales says, "SSSir, just catching up SSr!"

VanMahr grunts. "Bugger it. My investments will pay off and I plan to survive." He strides ahead and sheathes his weapon. "Been through worse, I'm sure. There will be liquor?" Though his words are bantering his tone seems resigned.

N'Sha-El hisses with a fury that almost matches Genghis's. "I have half a mind to cock you one in the bloody socket..." she snarls. "You let my sister go, you let my Captain go...and then I'll serve, you laden-rotted-scum-bagged pot of grime..."

VanMahr peers back over his shoulder. "Sha! Enough of that. I need a live navigator not a zombie. I'd miss your unique use of language."

Dahan resignedly telepathically sends, 'I will, but you must promise any children I give birth to during my term of service will not be affected by you.'

Abernathy hisses. "Serve well, and you will be unharmed by usssss."

Jest'liana's eyes remain bright, seeing her death in their service as a given when considering her experience at such things. Now or later...

Dahan slumps off to the side, looking very dispondent.

Grayback grips his weapon, pondering.

VanMahr's regard shifts to Jest. "Well? And how am I going to keep the engines warm?"

Orandius says, softly, "I am with the others in this thing."

S'kales strides over to Dahan.

VanMahr tilts his head to the girl in summons.

Abernathy looks to the Nalls.

N'Sha-El meets VanMahr's gaze fully, the sienna-brown eyes smouldering. Then her small frame droops slightly for a minute. "All right." she snarls. If she does catch Dahan's words, the only sign she gives of it is a slight arch of her brow. "Go with it Jest...bloody hell, I don't want to be picking your remains off the floor."

S'kales whispers to Dahan.

Variss looks back at Abernathy.

Karr'tel stares at Abernathy

S'kales scans the room, to make sure that everryone is where they're supposed to be.

Jest'liana looks at him, and blinks. Slowly she loosens her grip on the blaster stil held close. "You could always snuggle close to them at night, Cap." she murmurs. Then she sighs and walks over to Van. Her hand touches Sha's arm and tugs her along too, lightly.

Genghis fluffs his tail out, ears flattened in defiance as he fixes his gaze on the zombie.

S'kales whispers to Dahan.

VanMahr positions himself to one side of Abernathy. "I liked you better when you were doused with cologne. And I didn't like you much then." It's more a mutter than a declaration.

The left ear peels off the side of Abernathy's head and flutters, dry and worn like an autumn leaf, to the deck.

Abernathy says, "Isssss it agreed?"

S'kales whispers to Dahan.

Peelh arrives from Hexagonal Tube <RKV Harrower>.

Variss turns, and notices Peelh entering.

Abernathy stands in the middle of the chamber, decomposing rapidly.

Peelh walks over to the Nall contingent.

S'kales walks over to Peelh

N'Sha-El pulls away from Jest's grip, looking down at the floor. A moment as she fingers the grip of her knife, then at once she slides it out of its sheath and holds it up to Abernathy's face. "Remember this, Ri'Kammi..." she murmurs, her tone dangerously quiet and deadly serious. "Remember this...when I shove it down your insubstantial butt ass." Then she stalks over to VanMahr and stands a slight way aways from him and Jest, face set tight.

VanMahr stands with his crewmates, Sha and Jest, to one side of Abernathy. The predominant mood of the trio is a combination of surpressed fury and bitter resignation.

Abernathy laughs raspily.

Variss whispers to Peelh.

Peelh whispers to Variss.

Abernathy hisses. "You...will be informed when the time hassss come for the firssst ship to enter combat."

Variss whispers to Peelh.

S'kales whispers to Variss.

Grayback continues to stand back near the rear of the room.

Variss whispers to S'kales.

Abernathy fixes his glowing sockets on Sha. "And we will...choosssse the crew."

S'kales walks back to Karr'tel.

Karr'tel whispers to Variss.

S'kales whispers to Karr'tel.

N'Sha-El tilts her head up and emits a short, amused laugh. "I know the Courser like a lover. Let me man her and I'll fight like you've never seen."

Variss whispers to Karr'tel.

Abernathy hisses. "Done."

Peelh doesn't like the whispering.

Karr'tel whispers to S'kales.

Peelh whispers to Variss.

Variss whispers to Peelh.

VanMahr grunts. "Sha, I think we've already sold the bastard. He bought us sight unseen. Now, let's not go volunteering. I hear The Nall truely enjoy the glory of combat...."

Peelh's eyes narrow.

S'kales whispers to Karr'tel.

Karr'tel whispers to Variss.

Abernathy says, "You will...be joined by the onesssss called Grayback, S'kales and Varissssss will go as well."

Variss whispers to Karr'tel.

N'Sha-El glances to VanMahr and Jest. "She's as much my Captain's and my sisters. Let us go together."

Abernathy hisses. "No."

Jest'liana shakes her head in seeming apology. "Courser is the only ship I really know, in truth. I'd be no good to you else where."

Variss drags his tail back and forth across the floor.

Karr'tel whispers to Variss.

S'kales glares at Abernathy.

Abernathy says, "The otherssssss remain."

Variss whispers to Karr'tel.

Grayback says, "To hell with you, Hive minder. I will go nowhere that I do not choose to go."

Variss says, "I will not come."

Peelh makes a defiant expression but can't think of any witty or particularly dogmatic things to say.

Abernathy fixes its sockets on Grayback. "Alhira City...isssss attractive thissss time of year."

VanMahr mutters to himself. "That's no way to run a ship. You have to have a mated crew that knows the vessel. If you just want wrecked ships and bodies there are easier ways to go about it."

Grayback says, "If my people will die, then they will die. They are all prepared. Your threat..is an empty one."

Abernathy says, "Nothing about thisssss threat isssss empty.""

Orandius chuckles grimly. "You miss their intention, VanMahr. They need hostages so they are assured of your loyalty."

Karr'tel stares at the zombie defiantly

Grayback says, "Oh, I am sure that you mean to do it. I mean that to us, it means nothing. We are prepared to die for our world."

Abernathy steps closer to Grayback. "If you wissssh to stay, perhapssss you could replace thissss tired ssssshell."

S'kales walks over to Variss.

Grayback again raises the dagger to his chest. "Try and take it..."

S'kales whispers to Variss.

VanMahr glances to Grayback. "It's no use. And I'd rather have someone warmblooded along with Sha to keep an eye on things. Time. Give it time...."

Variss whispers to S'kales.

Abernathy reaches out and puts a clamping, vise-like bony hand on Grayback's shoulder, squeezing hard. "Not....much left in this body...but some."

S'kales says, "Yes SSir!"

N'Sha-El throws up her hands. "Listen Aberbloodynathy or whatever you are Ri'Kammi or otherwise. NO ONE knows the Courser like my captain. Hell, we built her from scratch, the only other person who tried to fly her was a bloody good pilot, best I've seen, and he handed her into an ASTEROID. I'm a damn NAVIGATOR. Let me have a pilot I trust. And an engineer."

Grayback grabs a hold of the arm and twists.

Genghis hisses and scratches hard at the bony arm.

Grayback drops the dagger in the process, but intends to snap the arm clean off.

The hand pops off at the wrist and remains gripping Grayback's shoulder, shrouded in a blue nimbus. It continues to dig into his shoulder.

Grayback begins to wince in pain, and claws at the hand.

S'kales walks to the edge of the room and sits down.

VanMahr's jaw sets but he makes no move to intervene.

Grayback roars as he fights.

Karr'tel whispers to S'kales.

The sharp finger bones jab into the shoulder, and blood courses.

The kitten hisses and moves to bite.

Grayback lets out a blood curdling roar, and leaps at the rest of the body, claws flying.

Grayback says, "If I am to die, I WILL DIE FIGHTING!!!"

VanMahr curses. "And I liked that one..." Still, he holds his ground.

Abernathy seems focused on Grayback, and laughs raspily as the Demarian strikes and knocks it back, scattering pieces in all direction. The lack of something terribly firm but instead, quite yielding, sends Grayback slamming into a bulkhead as Abernathy collapses in a broken, glowing blue heap on the floor.

Jest'liana shifts her weight, eyes wide and expression frustrated. She bites her lip and just barely puts a foot forward. Then back again.

The hand continues to burrow into Grayback's flesh, locking into him.

N'Sha-El clenches her fist, her jaw set and tight. "Colonel...PLEASE!" she shouts furiously. Noticeably she moves back a pace to step beside VanMahr.

Grayback slams into the bulk head, and claws at the hand.

Genghis hisses in fury and leaps onto the hand, scratching clawing and biting as best as he can with his little kitten teeth.

Dahan floats over, and tries to collect the angry kitten from Grayback's demise.

With inconceiveable strength, the disembodied hand begins to drag Grayback up the wall.

Abernathy says, "CHOOSE, Demarian, and choose wisely."

Grayback is lifted off his feet, and continues clawing at the hand. His face shows no fear...only rage.

The hand drags the Demarian toward the opening in the ceiling.

Grayback says, "I choose to resist....I will not be humilated.. ..If you are going to kill me, then do it.."

Jest'liana murmurs. "Live to fight another day, Colonel.."

Abernathy laughs raspily from his jumbled mess on the floor. "Your humiliation is nearly complete. Redeem yoursssself."

Abernathy says, "Or become a puppet that dancessss to my tune."

"NO!" Sha-El makes a move forward. "Let him bloody go!" Her entire body tenses, coiled for a spring almost.

Grayback dangles from the ceiling, held in impossible fasion by the disembodied hand near the top of the ladder well.

Peelh maintains steadfastly unmoving, her proud expression unchanged as she looks on.

Grayback continues to struggle, blood streaming down his chest.

Genghis is caught up by Dahan's tentacles, hissing, spitting and clawing ineffectively at the air.

Abernathy hisses. "He must choossssse."

S'kales remains at the edge of the room, watching the events.

Variss remains silent.

Jest'liana whispers, "Sister...don't leave me. Don't leave Van."

Dahan manages to keep his grip on the wriggling kitten, his crystaline hide protecting him from his claws.

VanMahr growls and calls out. "Is this how you fly a fighter? Is this the reserve you talked about Colonel!?"

Variss crosses his arms.

Grayback says, "Allright, you bastard...you want me...take me...in doing so I have dishonored myself, which is worse than death."

N'Sha-El turns a fraction to look at Jest, then Van. Then she throws her head back and stands her ground, proud and defiant. "Show Genghis a good example Colonel...." she calls, with incongruous humor.

S'kales stands up and walks over to Variss and also crosses his arms. It shows a stand that we shall never be taken!

Karr'tel crosses his arms as well.

The grisly form of Abernathy laughs - although the laughter seems to grow beyond his broken body somehow. "Colonel, you all...belong...to the Ri'Kammi. Come to your ssssenssses."

Grayback says, "Already they mock me...you have won."

The wriggling kitten's muted hissings and ffts make him a little hard to hold on to.

The hand releases Grayback, dropping him ignominiously onto his rump on the deck.

Peelh displays all the more pride at the dedication and loyalty of Variss' people.

Grayback lands hard and collapses to the deck, blood streaming onto the floor.

Dahan floats over to N'Sha-El, and attempts to return the kitten.

Grayback doesn't look at anyone. He lies there, quiet, defeated, and dishonored.

The hand scuttles back down the ladder to join its remnants on the floor. Abernathy turns its mummified

skull toward the Nalls. "You will not serve?"

Variss says, "We will not serve."

Abernathy hisses. "Then you will sssserve as this one...Abernathy. And your worldssss are forfeit."

N'Sha-El holds her arms out for Genghis. "Thanks sir..." she murmurs with a faint half-smile as she cradles the bristling little creature. Her eyes go to Grayback and she makes a move forward, only to catch herself and stand back. She turns her head away.

VanMahr makes his way over to Grayback's side and kneels before sitting next to the cat. He makes no pretense of pride and seems unmindful of the bloody smears on his garb.

Variss hisses contemptuously.

Abernathy says, "Polydenum remainsssss explosssive, even without teleportals."

Dahan dips in acknowledgement, 'I did not want him hurt.' He floats away quickly though, staying away from most of the group.

Jest'liana looks from Sha and nods to Grayback, saying they should go together. She takes out the medical packets Blackface gave her and heads over, rummagng for something to help.

Abernathy says, "The Ri'Kammi brethren you know as the Darksssssiders stand ready...."

Grayback continues to look at the floor.

Abernathy says, "And you sssshould not quail from thissss effort. Conquesssst is in your nature."

Variss says, "We serve no one but ourselves."

N'Sha-El draws a deep breath and moves forward with Jest. She keeps the kitten cradled in her arms and kneels down beside the Demarian. "I didn't mean to laugh at you sir. It wasn't meant that way."

Peelh says, "OUR conquest!"

Abernathy says, "Then sssserve yourssssselves by ssserving ussss."

Abernathy says, "Refussssal will cost your empire all itssss conquests - past and future."

S'kales says, "I serve only Variss!"

Jest'liana says quietly, taking the things out one by one as she takes up postion on the other side of

Grayback. "Pain killers, mild antiseptic and gauze...that is all I have."

The mummified head ratchets toward Jest'liana. "I would lower the fieldsssss to allow your comrade treatment...if only thesssse recalcitrant onesssss would cooperate."

S'kales turns to Peelh. "No offense Ma'am!"

Peelh says, "We serve the empire. We are great as our conquests are great. We are the architects of our own future, we refuse to merely build yours."

Variss says, "You can not defeat the Parallax."

Grayback speaks, continuing to look at the floor. "What does it matter. I am dishonored. It is a fate worse than death. Mockery is all that I deserve.

Abernathy swivels its head back around to regard Variss. "You are already defeated."

S'kales shouts, "The Parallax /can't/ be beaten!"

Abernathy says, "The Parallax *issss* beaten."

Karr'tel says, "defeat is relative."

Variss says, "It is not."

Abernathy says, "Your phasssse drives no longer function."

Grayback looks up, painfully. "It can...My people have done it, and so can they."

Abernathy says, "The Darkssssiders have placed the bombs...."

S'kales says, "How does that donate our loss?!""

Abernathy says, "You are powerlessss...."

Variss looks at the Demarian. "You defeated an underpowered invasion fleet, not the full defense force."

Grayback begins to look faint as he begins to lose too much blood.

Peelh says, "We *are* power."

Abernathy says, "All of your vesssssels - ALL of them - require Darksider intervention for fasssster than light travel....you did not know thissss..."

Variss says, "Lies."

Abernathy says, "Not liesssss."

Peelh says, "It is our creation."

S'kales staggers back as they strike a field in front of the tube

Genghis scampers up Grayback's lap, sensing the Demarian's dejection. Sha-El nods to Jest quietly. "It'll be good enough for now sis..." She glances at the Demarian and draws a breath. "Here goes modesty...." she murmurs. She tugs at her tank top.

Abernathy says, "Ssssso you were led to believe."

Jest'liana ignores the corpse and leans close to Grayback, hand resting lightly on him. She pulls out the gauze, instantly dismisses it as useless to stem the blood and looks keenly at the others. "Captain, take off your jacket?"

Peelh says, "We have made it ours."

Abernathy says, "And we have reclaimed it."

Jest'liana looks at Sha and smiles faintly. "A jacket will serve, Sha..."

VanMahr pulls his jacket off as he distractedly watches the Nall's efforts.

Peelh says, "Then we shall take it back."

Variss says, "Indeed."

Abernathy laughs raspily. "Yessss...if you serve, we will grant it to you."

Karr'tel says, "the biggest mistake anyone can make is to give away an advantage."

Peelh says, "We do not accept gifts. We take of our own accord."

Karr'tel says, "you gave us yours."

Abernathy laughs. "No, we did not."

Variss says, "Nor will we run the errands of others."

Abernathy says, "By giving you the phase drivesssss, we assumed power over you."

Abernathy says, "What we give, we take away. THAT issss power."

N'Sha-El reaches for the jacket and slides her knife out of its sheath. This she hands to Jest. "Here sis. Make a few strips up...I'll staunch this for now." This she does by placing her hand against the spurting wounds in Grayback's shoulder and keeping it there firmly.

Peelh says, "Yes... you assumed you had power over us."

Karr'tel says, "our advantage you cannot take."

Peelh says, "We stand united by Nalia -- THAT you cannot take."

VanMahr clears his throat. "Boys." Dead tired eyes fix on the lizards. "Either offer your throats or throw in. I haven't finished my breakfast yet and it's getting on teatime."

The voice booms throughout the chamber, no longer just from the broken body of Abernathy: "YOU HAVE NO ADVANTAGE!"

Peelh doesn't even blink. "We make the threats. We do not get them."

Genghis hisses and arches his little back in fury, bristling at the loud booming voice.

Jest'liana quickly cuts the jacket up as directed, a bit awkwardly but with the adreniline her hurt doesn't even register to her. She quickly hands them to Sha.

The hand scuttles across the floor and latches onto Peelh's right leg. "Is this true?"

Variss says, "You think you know everything, but you do not. We have secret resources you cannot beat."

Peelh shouts, as if fighting against pain through mere willpower, "It is!"

The voice booms: "You have no secretssssss from the Ri'Kammi.

Karr'tel whispers to Variss.

Karr'tel whispers to Variss.

Blackface kneels down next to Grayback. "Colonel, can you hear me?"

The bony fingers of the skeletal hand tear at the rough hide of Peelh's leg, burrowing.

Variss says, "We have plenty of secrets from the Ri'Kammi. If you were all-knowing, you would not be so self-assured."

Abernathy says, "Would you care to see just how powerful you are?"

Grayback responds in a pained voice, "Yes.."

N'Sha-El takes the strips with her free hand, managing somehow to fold it into a semi-wad. This she jams onto the wound, and looks at Blackface. "Do you have any medical supplies sir?" All this time she's pulling a few more strips that Jest's handed her.

Peelh ignores the hand, shouting again, "WE ARE NALL!"

Abernathy shouts: "You are sssservants of the Mind!"

VanMahr says, "Dead Nall."

Jest'liana lowers her head for a moment, then glances at the still protesting. "Stubborn buggers, aren't they? Colonol, I gave Sha what you gave me to work with already.."

Blackface nods and quickly pulls open a cargo pocket on his pants, removing several more small medical kits.

The fingers dig into Peelh's flesh, and blood oozes from the wounds.

Dahan shakes his large 'head', 'No, worse then dead soon.'

Variss says, "We are servants of no one and nothing!"

VanMahr wearily rests a hand on Jest's shoulder. "How's the arm, engineer?"

Peelh is beginning to suffer from the pain, "We have our own minds!"

Abernathy laughs raspily. "Not...for long."

Abernathy says, "CHOOSE."

Variss says, "You will get no service from us."

Peelh nearly stumbles from the pain, unable to support herself any longer but motivated by her need to seem strong. "Nalia has set the path and the path is clear!"

The fingers tighten their burrowing hold on Peelh, and then the hand tugs - it seems impossible, disembodied as it is, but it does - and Peelh collapses to the deck.

Abernathy says, "CHOOSE."

N'Sha-El keeps her hand tightly on the wad of cloth as she begins to wind another length around the wound in a rough sort of makeshift sling. Her brows are knitted tightly together, eyes squinting.

Jest'liana laughs a breath, startled by the touch. And for perhaps the first time she gives Van a honest answer about this. "I imagine it will hurt like hell, when I have time to think about it and my gut untwists." She half smiles.

Orandius watches the Nall being slain with lowered head.

Karr'tel says, "you can only win if the enemy knows they have lost. if you kill them you have not won."

Peelh mutters to herself, "We are Nall... we are Nall... we are--" and falls unconscious.

Abernathy says, "You will be worse than dead."

Abernathy says, "You will be like this one...Abernathy."

Variss says, "Even that is better than submitting like a weakling!"

Abernathy laughs raspily. "Weakling."

The hand releases the bleeding Peelh and then scuttles over to grab Karr'tel's ankle.

Blackface rips open one of the medical kits, and looks to N'Sha. "What do you need?"

VanMahr nods gently to Jester before turning back to the grisly spectacle unfolding. Any softness in the wrinkles about the corners of his eyes vanishes. His regard grows stern and stony.

Karr'telcomplexion doesn't change as an intense pain threshold starts to show it's worth.

Abernathy hisses. "Young Nall, do you wissssh to learn all about pain and subjugation?"

Variss kneels down beside Peelh.

Abernathy says, "Do you wish to be made a servant of the Mind and Body?"

Karr'tel says, "pain is only physical"

Abernathy says, "Oh, no...no."

Abernathy says, "Pain isssss much more than that."

The fingers dig into Karr'tel's flesh.

Jest'liana looks back to Grayback. She doesn't look at the Nall again. She can't.

Variss, being devoid of medical supplies, does all he can. He sterilizes and cauterizes the wound using his gun, and performs a few other meager measures.

N'Sha-El glances up. "Something to hold this in place so it can stop bleeding." One hand rubs at her temple quickly before returning to the task at hand. She stiffens at the commotion behind her, murmuring only, "I hope we've enough bandages for a hoard..."

Grayback awaits his fate.

Karr'tel moves his arm to his belt grasping a small device

Abernathy says, "Young Nall, would you like to know...first hand...how the preparation coffin works?"

The hand yanks, yanks hard, and Karr'tel falls, bleeding on the deck.

Karr'tel says, "i'm sure you would love me to say yes."

Jest'liana reaches to her low slung and mostly ornemental belt. "Would this do?"

Variss mutters and heads over to Karr'tel, performing the same routine on him.

Peelh winces at the new pain, though still unconscious.

VanMahr whispers to Grayback.

Karr'telwinces slightly as sheer willpower ignores the wound

Blackface reaches into his cargo pocket and removes two more of the small medical kits. "That's all I have..." He quickly places a hand on Grayback's bandage, pressing down.

This spins the young navigator around at once. "No, no NO!" she growls. "You've us! Why do you need more damn slaves??"

VanMahr says, "Sha!"

The hand drags the Nall toward the ladder.

Abernathy says, "Otherssss may be needed to fight sssshould you perish"

Grayback whispers to VanMahr.

Karr'tel puts his good foot against the wall slowing the progress of thehand

Blackface glares at Abernathy. "Do you understand pain?"

The fingers burrow deeper into Karr'tel's leg, and pain lances up.

Variss stares at the hand, seeming to struggle to control himself.

Karr'tel drops the device on the floor as the pain lances up one arm

Variss reaches for his gun.

Head swiveling, cracking to look at Blackface, Abernathy laughs raspily. "It would appear I have ssssome limited grasssp on the topic."

Karr'tel says, "wish i'd had time to se t it"

Blackface growls. "Do you FEEL pain?"

The hand drags Karr'Tel up the ladder, toward the well and the corridor above.

Abernathy says, "No, not anymore."

N'Sha-El turns away abruptly, one hand slamming into the deck as hard as she can. "Remember that knife...." she whispers softly, and this seems to be to Abernathy although he can't thear her. "Oh remember it well..." Then she drops her hand and briskly turns her attention to Grayback's wound. She ignores the commotion, her back ramrod stiff.

Blackface says, "But you did, once?"

VanMahr whispers to Grayback.

Jest'liana mutely hands Sha the belt.

Abernathy says, "During my...preparation...yessss...it was terrible."

Blackface says, "So why do you inflict it on others?"

Grayback nods weakly to Vanmahr.

Karr'tel dangles from above.

Abernathy says, "It issss necesssary."

Karr'tel whispers to Variss.

Blackface says, "Necessary for WHAT?"

Variss whispers to Karr'tel.

Abernathy says, "Obedience."

N'Sha-El takes the belt from Jest and winds a rough torniquet around Grayback's upper arm. "Hush Genghis..." she murmurs to the kitten who's by now nestled close against the Demarian.

VanMahr's gaze lifts to Blackface. "I don't think the rotting gentleman gives a fig for our opinions much less our lives. "

Blackface says, "And if the pain doesnt make us obey, what do you gain?"

Abernathy cackles raspily. "If you disobey, you become like thissss one called Abernathy. The body will decompose rapidly...our power overwhelmsss the flesh. But it would be long enough....long enough...to win the war."

Blackface stands quickly, taking his hand back from Grayback.

Blackface says, "So why not just do that now? Why waste time inflicting pain? Or do you enjoy it?"

.

Variss says, "If you are so powerful, why do you need our physical forms to win this war?"

Abernathy laughs raspily. "The time for discussssion is over. Choose."

VanMahr remains watching but in resigned silence now. Almost as though he'd heard these arguments before.

Blackface growls. "Ah, so you avoid the question! You cannot answer, so you ignore it!"

Abernathy says, "I am Ri'Kammi. I am not beholden to you to anssswer, insignificant creature."

Abernathy says, "CHOOSE."

Variss picks up the device Karr'tel dropped.

Blackface says, "You do not know why you inflict pain, is that it? You cannot comprehend..."

Variss places it in a pocket of his uniform.

Abernathy says, "CHOOSE."

Blackface unslings his rifle and aims it at Abernathy. "Tell me... What would happen if I shoot you?"

Jest'liana looks at Sha, eyes keen. "Sister...look at me."

Abernathy says, "Try...."

Blackface says, "Or have you never been shot? Do you not know?"

Dahan telepathically sends, 'Please don't...It just ric..flys back at you.'

Abernathy says, "Asssssk the one called Peelh."

Blackface says, "I am asking YOU."

Peelh is unconscious.

Abernathy laughs raspily.

VanMahr grunts. "Soldier, remember last time you tried that for an answer? If you harm another of my crew The Minders will be the least of your worries."

Abernathy says, "CHOOSE."

N'Sha-El finishes with the torniquet, then touches the Demarian's wrist lightly. "Colonel. This should stop the bleeding...just don't move for a while?" She lightly touches Genghis's ears as he nestles on Grayback's lap. "Poor Genghis..." She glances towards Jest, then, as Blackface moves to unsling his gun, leaps up. "No!" she hisses. "Do you want someone else to die??"

Blackface takes a few slow steps toward Abernathy. "You do not understand pain any more. But you get pleasure from inflicting it. Correct?"

Abernathy says, "CHOOSE."

Grayback motions towards the pieces on the ground. "I did that with my bare hands. Your weapon will do nothing, Colonel."

Blackface says, "NO! Answer the question!"

Abernathy says, "CHOOSE."

Blackface says, "Is your vocabulary that limited? Not only can you not understand pain, but you can only say one word!"

Variss yells defiantly, "Why should we do as you say?"

Jest'liana jumps up with Sha and grips her shoulder. "Sha! Don't!" she leans in close. "Blackface is trying to prove a point. Sit down. It is going to be okay."

VanMahr says, "He'll kill you soldier. And then how will you protect anything?"

Abernathy ratchets his head to regard Variss grimly. "You...have...no choice."

Variss says, "If we have no choice, then why are you asking us to choose?"

Abernathy says, "You will...sssserve. In one fashion or another. You determine the fasssshion."

Variss says, "One is as bad as the other."

Blackface says, "We will not serve for someone who does not know WHY we serve."

Karr'tell still dangles from the ceiling

Abernathy says, "What you think is insignificant and irrelevant. CHOOSE."

N'Sha-El draws her breath sharply, then looks at Jest grimly. Then down to Grayback. "Colonel...I hope you'll pardon me if things come to that." That said, she shakes off Jest's hand and eyes Blackface calculatingly.

Blackface says, "Or is what we think irrelevant?"

Abernathy says, "CHOOSE."

Variss says, "NO!"

VanMahr's attention drops studiously away from the display and turns back to consider Jest, Sha and Grayback with some concern.

Abernathy ratchets his head toward the Courser crew. "You will sserve."

Blackface says, "I dont think you're as powerful as you seem... You do not understand pain, and do not understand existance... You cant even fight your own war!"

The corpse just laughs merrily.

Blackface says, "And now you just laugh, like some idiot!"

Blackface says, "What do you acheive from all this?"

Abernathy continues laughing. "The fate of thissss puppet Abernathy awaitsss you. Why sssshould I not laugh at what folly your intractability bringssss?"

Blackface says, "You waste time! Take us all now, by force!"

Blackface says, "Or... perhaps you cannot! You're weak!"

Karr'tel is still hanging from the ceiling

Abernathy cackles raspily. "Is that the wish of all your colleagues? Awfully free with their livessss."

N'Sha-El takes a glance over her shoulder, looking at VanMahr for a long moment. Something very like pain, more emotional than physical, crosses her face, her eyes. Then she turns away abruptly as if it hurts too much. Her attention focuses on Blackface, and she gathers herself.

Blackface slowly lowers his rifle. "Or maybe you're not weak."

Blackface says, "Maybe you're just lonely."

VanMahr blinks.

Jest'liana still faces Sha and the others, back turned to the scene in the middle of the room. Almost as if ny refusing to awknowlege it, she refuses its impact on her. Her gaze locks on sha intensely.

Grayback looks upward, paingfull.

Abernathy cackles madly

Blackface says, "You miss being normal, a regular person. You want to inflict your pain and suffering on others."

Abernathy says, "Lonely?"

Orandius blinks, slowly turning to stare at Blackface, blue eyes widening just slightly.

Abernathy pops his left arm and right arm loose and they scuttle toward Blackface. "Do I need a hug?"

Blackface ponders something quickly, then nods. "YES!" He rushes at Abernathy, arms wide.

Abernathy is in a pile on the floor, looking rather unhuggable

VanMahr glances to Grayback. "You're an officer. Do something. You've a ship full of men out there. And you're going to let /that/ get them all killed?" His thumb jerks to Blackface.

Variss looks rather surprised.

The unharmed left hand grips Blackface's ankle and digs in.

Grayback says, "Colonel, stand down...now."

N'Sha-El's eyes widen; at once she makes a leap for the Demarian and tries to grab him and tackle him into the deck.

Dahan watces the whole affair with horrified facination.

Blackface lets out a yowl and takes a kick at the arm.

The fingers dig in deeper.

Grayback watches as Blackface suffers the same fate as he.

Orandius shakes his head slightly, "It is no wonder that such would not heed the Eye's warning."

Abernathy releases a not-quite-warm sigh. "I...feel...better already."

Jest'liana in turn leaps for Sha, grabbing for her amrs and attempting pulling her back.

Grayback mutters..."Or suffer my fate..."

Blackface falls to the ground, taking a swing at the attack arm with his rifle.

VanMahr moves in tandem with Jest to restrain his first officer. "Sha-El! Settle down!"

Laughing, Abernathy says "It is no matter of importance. We have a crew to sssserve. If you choossse not to, you can await your fate here."

N'Sha-El tumbles to the deck as Blackface does, trying to get an arm around his throat in a chokehold and yank him away. "Stand...down!!!" she growls as she drags him. As Jest reaches for her she bats her away. "Help me get this damned...fool...back before he hurts us all...." Her voice is laced with pain.

Blackface throws his rifle down and quickly pulls open a pocket on his vest, removing a grenade.

Abernathy laughs merrily.

Variss says, "NO!"

Grayback says, "No Colonel! You'll kill us all!"

The hand scuttles up Blackface's leg.

Blackface stares at Abernathy. "I would rather kill us all than have us serve you. What do you gain then?"

The hand then digs into his hip

Variss pulls his gun, and aims it in Blackface's general direction, but remaings wavering there, without firing.

Blackface lets out a howl.

Dahan telepathically sends, 'I think that is the idea. Which of you said...better death then slavery?'

Jest'liana falls back, yelping in pain as one of Sha's swats hits her arm.

VanMahr gazes on with puzzlement and a little pride as tiny Sha wrestles with the big Demarian. Then the grenade appears. Reflexes kick in. The captain dives towards the trooper's arm. "Give me that!"

Peelh remains steadfastly unconscious -- a blessing, really, because she might just have lost her expression of pride otherwise.

N'Sha-El snarls and tugs at the Demarian's arm, sinking her teeth into his shoulder in fury.,

The fingers dig in deeper, with more merry maliciousness, tearing through Blackface's uniform and flesh.

Blackface quickly hooks his finger in the pin and falls on his arms, hands, and the grenade to protect it.

Blackface lets out a bloodcurdling scream as he's dug into.

Dahan seems to have resigned himself to the situation, and simply waits to see what will come next.

The hand drags Blackface up the ladder by the wounded hip.

Variss returns his gun to its holster.

Jest'liana surges forward, on her hands and kneees. "Get AWAY from him! He'll pulled the blasted PIN!"

VanMahr shoves himself up to standing and plants a boot in Sha's rump. Thwap! "Get up and run!"

Blackface lets out a loud growl, still holding onto the grenade.

Then both disembodied appendages drag their prizes through the ladder and above.

Grayback painfully attempts to get to his feet.

Blackface manages to holler out, "RUN! NOW!"

N'Sha-El stumbles and lands with a thump against the deck. "Bloody..." she growls as she staggers to her feet, holding her head.

Dahan telepathically sends, 'There is no where to go.'

Abernathy rasps: "Who chooses to serve?"

Orandius nods his head slightly in agreement and says, "And...I do not think we are in danger from the grenade."

Jest'liana gets to her feet, hair strewn all about her face and holding her arm lightly. She stares at the ladder.

Dahan telepathically sends, 'I have allready given my consent to you.'

VanMahr pulls the dazed navigator into his arms and slings her unceremoniously over his shoulder. "Doesn't the Consortium believe in psychological profiles?!" He races and stumbles towards a distant wall.

The appendages scuttle back down the ladder and hang about midway.

Grayback smirks at Vanmahr and follows.

Abernathy says, "Nallsssss...."

Abernathy ratchets its head toward Variss.

N'Sha-El still manages, "Sis...bloody hell....SIS!" She struggles furiously. "Van...get Jest!" Noticeably she's dropped his title.

Variss says, "You will get no service from us."

Jest'liana shakes her head abruptly, as if clearing it, and staggers to the wall as well.

Abernathy sighs with resignation. "Very well."

The hands scuttle across the deck and latch onto the legs of Peelh and Variss.

Peelh winces even through unconsciousness.

Variss pulls his gun from its holster.

The Nalls are dragged across the deck toward the ladder.

Grayback watches as the Nalls are dragged off to meet their fates.

With a chiming sound, the bones bang against the rungs of the ladder as they climb

Grayback says, "Fools."

VanMahr sets Sha down and turns back for another run at Jest but sees her moving nearer. Not one to take it for granted he jogs out to snatch her arm and drag her away from the hole in the ceiling.

Orandius adds his own echo of Grayback. "Fools." He sighs.

N'Sha-El's clutching at her head, her fingers trembling. "Genghis...?" she manages as she squints up to see VanMahr yanking Jest back over. "Genghis!"

Grayback whispers to VanMahr.

Abernathy gasps. "You will all ssssserve. And you will ssssurvive. The war issss nearly over."

Abernathy says, "You will get ordersssss....from another...."

Jest'liana is nearly jerked off her feet at the abrupt motion. But her eyes gain clarity again. "Sha...I don't think the grenade is going to go off...they..they stopped it."

Dahan looks up, fearful of who the others will be.

All the fields, save the one above, pop and fizzle.

VanMahr frees Jest and pads irritably to Grayback. Whispering commences.

You paged Jest'liana with 'aieee that wasn't intentional *chuckles* why you say that?'.

VanMahr whispers to Grayback.

Dahan floats over to his remaining companions.

The remains of Abernathy burst into blue flame and disintegrate.

Grayback whispers to VanMahr.

Orandius's hands slip from his sleeves. He moves towards the others, shaking his head sadly.

N'Sha-El raises her head to look at the stairwell and its ominous forcefield. Then she looks at Jest. "Did I hit you?" she asks quietly. "I'm sorry sis." Her gaze settles over the rest of the company. "Well, let's bring out the solitaire decks..." She eyes Abernathy's burning remains and shrugs. "Marshmallows too."

VanMahr whispers to Grayback.

Dahan telepathically sends, 'I think it would be best if we return to the ships now. There should be some additional medical supplies there.'

Grayback looks at his wound, which still trickles blood through soaked bandages. "Agreed."

Jest'liana looks at Sha and says. 'You hit me. You bloody hit me." repeated in the same tone, "Sha, you are only supposed to do that when I am being stupid."

VanMahr whispers to Grayback.

Dahan uses his many tenticles to assist Grayback's motion.

VanMahr steps away from Grayback and nods to Dahan. "I think. I think I am ready for an ale."

Grayback struggles to get to his feet.

Dahan telepathically sends, 'Remember what happened to those of us who continued to fight the futile fight?' He spares a tenticle to point up.

N'Sha-El gathers up Genghis, who scampers up from Grayback, mewing repeatedly. "Now you didn't tell me that sis." Rather aggrievied in tone. Then she glances to VanMahr. "You and sis go back."

VanMahr grunts. "And what are you going to do, navigator?"

Jest'liana mutters, "I thought that was just common sense." She looks from Van to Sha and then to the others.

N'Sha-El shrugs carelessly. Almost too carelessly. "Dunno."

VanMahr senses, "N'Sha-El is trembling under her bravado. Almost as if she's on the verge of tears. But...it can't be, it's Sha after all."

VanMahr eyes the girl cannily. "Sha. I'm going to escort Miss Jest to the Bunker Hill. When you're done brooding we'll meet you there or on the Courser's gundeck. If I don't see you in ten minutes I will come looking for you."

N'Sha-El nods fractionally. "You know where to find me." She pets Genghis slowly, stilling his mewing.

Jest'liana blinks, about to protest that she doesn't need an escort. But she can't seem to find the words. Her expression, dazed edge though it has, says it for her.

Dahan wraps his tenticles around Grayback's shoulders, and helps support his weight and maintain his balance.

Grayback nods in appreciation.

From Hive Passage <RKV Harrower>, Blackface yells, "Can anyone hear me?"

VanMahr puts an arm around Jest's shoulders in roughly the same fashion and leads her out.

Genghis curls up in a tight furry ball against the navigator, even as she leans back against the wall and stares into the distance.

VanMahr pauses and glances up.

Orandius glances up as well.

The muttering of distant whispering voices can be heard

Orandius says, "Perhaps they have consented after all."

N'Sha-El's eyes narrow. "Shit..."

Jest'liana glances up too...then remembers the voices and the screams from last time. She swallows and shuts her eyes, knowing Oriandius' words to be wrong.

N'Sha-El yells, "Dammit to HELL Colonel what is going on up the bloody hell there??"

Grayback says, "What else...they are being 'convereted..""

VanMahr senses, "N'Sha-El is rigid and on edge."

From Hive Passage <RKV Harrower>, Blackface yells, "*showing serious pain* Unknown."

N'Sha-El turns quickly. "Captain...get sis out of here." Her voice is strained, tense and edged with some unknown emotion.

VanMahr says, "Not without you, Sha. You're coming."

N'Sha-El eyes VanMahr for a long moment. Then she shrugs and flattens Genghis's ears perfunctorily, starting after the group with long, slow and reluctant strides.

Orandius files quietly into the little procession, taking the rear.

Dahan starts to float toward the ships, with Grayback in tow.

Grayback follows along as well, nursing his shoulder.

N'Sha-El goes up the courser hatch, cradling Genghis. Still as distant as before.

The boy crouches in the center of the room, a filthy rag in his hand. He makes small, useless circles with it on the floor.

Genghis gives a mew of delight and jumps from Sha's arms, scampering over to Kip and mewling.

Kip stands and moves a few feet from the Courser's entrance, his small hand raises to just below his blonde bangs in a salute. In his left hand, he holds a filthy rag. At his feet is a bucket of what appears to be black water. Seeing N'Sha-El, his face splits with a proud grin. "Private Caspar reporting for duty, Maam. I took the liberty of swabbing the deck, Maam." Looking around, you see that the Courser is still the same lovable mess you left not long ago, except that from knee-level down occasional wet spots now grace the floor and walls.

Jest'liana curls into fetal position on the hammock, eyes fluttering for a moment and then falling still.

N'Sha-El glances around, eyes resting on Jest for a long moment before returning her gaze to Kip. A faint grin curves her lips. "Looks very good Private Caspar. Impeccable. Job well done, sir!"

Kip lowers his hand and beams. "I'll get this outta here." He picks up the bucket and moves quietly away, as if he senses tension.

Genghis scampers after the boy, miaowing and miaowing insistently.

Kip heads to engineering, looking over his shoulder and shushing Ghengis the whole way.

Kip heads into Engineering <Courser>.

(Sha-El goes into the cockpit to indulge in a good cry. In the meantime Jest'liana comes back into the Courser and heads into the stim coffin to take a shower while Kip meanders around Engineering)

From Gundeck <Courser>, Jest'liana steps into the shower and turns the water on full blast. She tries to keep her arm from the wetness for a time, then simply doesn't bother. Maybe the heat will help loosen the disguisting glue her blood has made to the bandage. She goes about scrubbing herself clean and then beyond clean. Rough strokes cause skin to turn red, and she even through the pain killers, her arm begins to make its state known..

N'Sha-El doesn't seem to be anywhere about, but Genghis's mewling sounds plaintively from the cockpit. There's also a quiet, half-keening sound followed by a sporadic sniff.

From Gundeck <Courser>, Jest'liana pads through the Courser, searching for a towel and a few other things. Quite sensiby she realizes that her arm needs to be dealt with before she can put on those fatigues. She wraps the towel around her, then does a double take wondering if she will need it to help pat dry the wound...Ah well. Wraps it loosely then. She sits down and awkwardly unwindes the sopping bandages, seperating it from the heat loosened gunk.

N'Sha-El is still out of sight. But there's a plaintive faint mew of a cat in the cockpit.

From Gundeck <Courser>, Jest'liana tilts her head at the sound of the cat. She stands up, holding her towel closed. She takes a few soft steps to the Cockpit, intending to free the animal if nessasary.

The cockpit lights are dimmed. The navigation console has a few lights on, but other than that, there's nothing but the faint flickering of red from the pilot's console. Right in the middle of Van's chair, Sha-El is curled up, computer jacked into her head, Genghis seated against her tummy. The girl's face is pale and drawn, eyes swollen.

Jest'liana pauses, half in and half out of the door. She looks at the Navigator uncertaintly for a moment.

N'Sha-El doesn't see Jest, so intense is her concentration. Genghis does however and leaps off her lap with a purr and a mew, tail whisking.

Jest'liana gracefully kneels, taking the precaution of shifting her body so that her unbandaged arm will be out of kitty reach. She reaches out to caress Genghis. "Hello Little One. You seem to have recovered well." she says quietly.

N'Sha-El starts and turns her head sharply, reaching a quick hand to rub away at a few telling wet trails along her cheeks. "Sis. How's the arm?"

Jest'liana smiles at Sha, keen eyes catching those trails anyway. "I took a couple needle fulls of pain killer, it is just peachy now." She stands up. "How are you?"

Genghis purrs and bats at Jest's legs. Sha-El glances down at him with undisguised affection as she answers, averting her gaze. "Been better I reckon but nothing that won't heal."

Jest'liana neatly tries to side step that cat, her legs being bare and all. "You are goin to live through this, Sister. You may...not be able to forget...things for a while. But you are alive, and Van is alive. Grayback is alive too.." she offers this softly, a mixture of hesitancy and proposed comfort.

N'Sha-El nods quietly, holding out a hand to Genghis. "Come here you lil' rotten bugger...." she murmurs. "I'll be fine sis. You're ok, Captain's ok...Yeh, Grayback's ok..." She looks up after a moment, face once again settled in its composed calm. "If anything happens on that damn battle and they don't let you or

Captain come with me....take care of him will you? And Genghis too. And Kip."

Jest'liana nods easily. "You know I sill, Sister. Not that it will be nessasary. You are the best at what you do, Sha. You'll be back."

Genghis abandons Jest's legs and trots over to Sha-El, mewing.

N'Sha-El chuckles softly, still with that unnerving distance in her tone. "I have every intention of trying to make it back, sis. I've bloody put this lady through too many of her paces to lose her." One hand rests lightly on Genghis's ears, scritching.

Jest'liana opens her mouth to speak again, to try and bridge that distance, but then realizing that, she has no right to. Sha needs to deal with things her way and in her time. Even as she herself does. She nods and then quirks a half smile. "Well, in the role of protecting Van, I wouldn't want to scar him by having him walk in with me in a towel. I am going to try to rewrap myself and get dressed. Feel free to come out with me. I wouldn't mind the company."

N'Sha-El snorts, some of her normalcy returning. "Dammit woman, it would make his day I bet you 10 Sanaens and a pot of lager." She reaches to switch her computer off, unjacking the cable slowly from her head. "Sure, let me help with that damn arm."

Jest'liana tosses her head with a hint of old arrogance. "Nah, Sha. That would take a full strip tease, or at least a flashing I think." she winks, making sure the joking tone gets through.

Jest'liana says, "And what would I want with 10 Sanaens anyway?"

Genghis purrs and scampers off towards the gundeck, tail whisking. Sha-El merely gives a lopsided grin. "They're bloody viable some places for jut ropes, and who says Captain ain't as man as the next one?" She rises from Van's chair calmly.

Jest'liana looks wicked for a moment. "You and Ayden have a lot in common I think. Gods...heaven help the both of you if you ever meet." she merely says.

N'Sha-El arches a brow as she ambles out into the gundeck, movements careful and measured. "Ayden?"

Jest'liana walks out into the gundeck too.

Genghis is lapping away at his dish of milk industriously with every evidence of total enjoyment.

Teel walks into the ship. "Honey, I'm home!"

Jest'liana thinks a moment before speaking. "Ayden was..and is a very..interesting man. I met him a while back and he had a proposition for me. He worked me in a bind and licked clean my protests. After extensive and exhaustive negotiaitions I agreed to work for him." There is a comic undercurrent to this, and how many double entenres' isn't very clear.

Jest'liana looks up at Teel.

N'Sha-El emerges out of the cockpit, tilting a brow at Jest's words. "Well, don't let me meet him if I'll have to kill him for double-crossing you," she says dryly. "Hello there Teel...went for a morning constitutional?"

Teel looks puzzled. "A constitutional? I just went for a walk, that's all." She plops down between some crates.

Jest'liana holds her towel to her and begins to rummage through the packs of medical things. She seems to be feeling no pain from the rather nasty looking blaster wound. "That is what a constitutional means," she smiles dryly.

Genghis finishes up with his milk then saunters up to Teel and purrs hopefully, batting at her boots.

N'Sha-El moves to her locker, drags it out from under her hammock and opens it up, pulling that small blue jar and some more cloth strips from it. "All right sis. Let's get that arm bandaged."

Teel reaches over and gently scratches Genghis behind the ears. "Great, first Nar, now you, Jest. What happened?" she anxiously asks.

Genghis purrs and rolls over in bliss, exposing his full and rather bloated little tummy.

Jest'liana smile is a twisted thing, eyes darkening. "Someone tried the same thing as Nar did. The blast hit me instead of him. Simple story."

N'Sha-El moves over to Jest, setting jar and strips down on the nearest thing, which happens to be VanMahr's hammock. "Damned idiot's paying for it more than I'd ever make him pay for that." Her voice, while light, holds an undercurrent of tension as she reaches for Jest's arm.

Teel mumbles a few choice swear words. "Hoopy idiot! Was it a Connie?" She removes her hand from Genghis.

Jest'liana looks at Sha and says quietly, "He wanted it that way." she looks up at Teel, and nods. "Yes. But it doesn't matter so mcuch now. How are you feeling, Teel?"

N'Sha-El carefully cleans off any access gore and goo on Jest's arm. "Yeh...maybe he did sis, but still it's a nasty rock and an even worse hard place." She sets down the gory swab and fetches a clean one, unscrewing the jar top and dipping the ends of the cloth in.

"You got shot in the arm, and you wanna know how _I'm_ feeling?" Teel shakes her head. "I'm...I'm okay."

Jest'liana glances over to Sha and then looks keenly at Teel. "Teel...you need to know. We've all decided to go along with the Hivers for now. To fight for them." she says quietly. "You can make your own decision, but this is the only way that gives us any hope of survivial. A few people decided to try and fight back, to not take the deal and they...are gone now." She speaks softly, her voice calm. She tries to meet Teel's eyes.

N'Sha-El glances over at Teel as she applies a thin layer of transparent paste to Jest's wound. "Hey, there's juice in the fridge and eggs and some other stuff. How about I rustle us up some food after this? You sure look as if you could bloody well have a hot meal." She is silent as Jest imparts the information to Teel, as if sensing she probably wouldn't be able to say it as...nicely.

Teel looks boldly at Jest'liana. "I understand. That's...that's what my decision was gonna be. If there wasn't any other way."

Jest'liana relaxes visably, afraid for a momen Teel would argue and end up as brutally slain as the others. "A hot meal." she jokes to Sha, "What is that?"

Teel smiles darkly. "I don't even know what 'hot' is."

N'Sha-El finishes spreading the paste and begins deftly wrapping up the arm. "Well let me pin this bugger up and I'll more than show you," she returns with a lopsided grin. "Spacer's hunch you might like it." A faint gleam of mischief.

Genghis curls up philosophically at Teel's feet and purrs.

Teel shakes her head and laughs. She then turns back to rubbing the cat's tummy. "And to think the Captain didn't want you on board, Genghis."

Jest'liana curls her toes into the deckplate.

Genghis purrs and closes his eyes in absolute feline bliss at all the attention. His tail waves lightly from side to side.

N'Sha-El finishes with Jest's bandage and rubs her hands over her combat fatigues briskly. She gathers up the jar and caps it, picks up the rest of the strips and wends her way through the clutter to toss them back into her locker, closing it. Then she heads over to the fridge, opens it and hauls out

Teel says, "Oh yeah, the guy with a cold said that he had some kinda plan."

Jest'liana stands and moves over to her clothing on the bed. She tilts her head and looks at Teel, "You mean the Cajun?" she smiles.

Teel mimics LeBeau. "Buh Ah can no reveel dis plan to you at dis time."

Jest'liana laughs wickedly.

Jest'liana says, "Does he have any clue about what happened eariler today?"

Teel says, "You mean your ricochet?"

N'Sha-El draws her knife from its sheath and wets it under a stream of running water that she turns on from the tiny sink. Then, after wetting her hands and wiping them on her fatigues, she opens the bag and brings out a large onion, two carrots and some leafy green spinach which she begins chopping industriously.

Teel wrinkles her nose. "Veggies? You got fresh veggies?"

From the engineering room, Kip scampers onto the gundeck, fingers like pistols. "Pyew, Pyew, Pyew"

Genghis leaps up at once and races off towards the little boy, mewling happily.

Jest'liana turns to the little boy, then looks down at her rather revealing state of attire. She pulls her towel a bit closer. "I think I had better go change." she says mildly.

Teel nearly jumps out of her skin at the sudden noise. "Oh, heya Kip."

Sha-El is currently at the small sink/washboard/cutting board chopping up fresh vegetables. Jest is getting her combat fatigues from the hammock, and Teel is sitting on some crates.

Seeing Genghis, Kip turns and points one of his loaded fingers. "Pyew"...a pause... "Pyew"..... "Come on, Kitty. You're cheatin' You gotta fall down"

N'Sha-El casts a wicked gleam over at Jest. "Well next time I'll make sure a certain someone walks in at the right time..." she murmurs, then glances to Kip with a lopsided smile. "Hey there, Private Kip. Hungry?"

Jest'liana rolls her eyes. "You will not." she says, a blatent challange.

Genghis, not too sure what "fall down" means, merely mews and bats at Kip's leg, tail whisking as he frolics.

Immediately distracted by the lure of food, Kip goes to stand at Sha's hip. "What are you making?"

Teel smiles at Kip's childish enthusiasm, but she sobers a little and shoots a worried glance at Jest.

N'Sha-El eases herself to the side so Kip can have room to stand and watch her. "Well, I've eggs, and some vegetables, and I do believe I hounded Captain Van into letting me get some flour some time ago and we have milk..." She smiles across the room to Teel. "Yeh we have fresh veggies, Teel. I make sure we've got some if we can. Can't let the damn men starve after all."

Jest'liana lifts her chin in the air, makes a derisive sound of Hurumph and walks toward the stim chamber. She pauses to ruffle Kip's hair on the way. "Hey ya Kip.."

Kip stands on tip toes to see the mass of food. "I know how to cook chocolate milk"

Teel says, "Oooooh, a real gourmet!"

Kip turns at the ruffle, as if seeing Jest'liana for the first time. he turns to follow her "Hey, Jest. Did you see that I swabbed the deck? I'm earning my keep."

Kip glances at Teel, not sure if he's being teased, then gives her a small smile.

Jest'liana nods firmly. "I noticed. I was afraid to go around bare foot before! You are really doing a great job Kip.."

N'Sha-El chuckles at the boy's obvious pride. "Here Kip, let sis go and get changed. Gourmet means someone who's very picky about food, and likes the best kind of food," she explains, tossing the spinach into a small metal bowl and starting on the carrots. To Teel she grins. "Gourmet? I don't know 'bout that Teel. I just do my job."

Teel grins back. She reaches to rub the cat, and realizes that Genghis has scrambled elsewhere.

Genghis meanwhile has a lovely game of hide and seek with the strap of one of Hua's gunbelts that hang from his hammock.

Jest'liana disappears into the back for a bit..

Kip moves to the crates and leans on Teel's knee. "Do you cook anything?"

N'Sha-El slices the carrots quickly, her experience in rustling up food for a crew of a small ship for nine years showing in no uncertain terms. She chops the ends off the onion and blinks a while as the pungent odor stings her eyes. "Bloody onions..." she mutters, resuming her peeling of it.

Teel shrugs. "A little. Not as good as Sha." She grins. "And I can't make chocolate milk."

Kip grins at that. "Did your mom teach you?"

Of a sudden, Genghis' ears perk at something only he seems to hear. Without pause, he bolts for the hatch. The child who had been reaching for the cat looks crestfallen and shouts, "Come back here, Kitty." He scampers off the ship in persuit.

Teel says, "Well...uh, Kip..."

N'Sha-El blinks and looks up. "Bloody dammit!" she growls and hastily makes a bolt for the hatchway, onion in one hand and her knife in the other.

Vessel Containment Area <RKV Harrower>

The shadows consuming this chamber make it seem at once both infinite and claustrophobic. Your footsteps, your voice - even the slightest whisper - echo dramatically in this cavernous bay. Giving some sense of scope is the relatively small landing platform upon which you stand, a grid of dark gray metal surrounded by waist-high railings. Extending from the platform to a hexagonal tube in the distance is a railed catwalk made of similar metal. It is unclear how high the platform is suspended above the bottom of the chamber.

Contents:

Lt_Colonel LeBeau <IC>

Boarding Tube - S'Nelmar

Boarding Tube - Courser

Boarding Tube - SCT Bunker Hill

Obvious Exits: Leads To:

<TU> Hexagonal Tube Hexagonal Tube <RKV Harrower>

Teel exits from the Courser.

LeBeau yells, "Hey if dare is anyone on Couser dat is supposed to be look after da kid"

A child shouts "Kitty!"

Teel says, "Which way did he go? Kip!"

N'Sha-El bolts out from the Courser, an onion in one hand, her knife in the other. "Kip!" she calls sharply.

LeBeau is near the tube entrance smacking a force field

LeBeau yells, "Hey kid come back to da hanger"

Jest'liana exits the Courser, looking confused.

Teel looks around the area. "Kip! Come back here!"

A flash of light sparkles from beyond the tube.

N'Sha-El's eyes suddenly narrow sharply. "Oh bloody hell no...KIP!" she yells and races towards the tube full tilt.

Teel moans, "Oh nonononono..." and follows.

A shimmering force field sparkles and shoves you back.

Jest'liana pales and without a word runs.

Teel is driven back by the force of a shimmering energy field

Jest'liana says, "NO!"

LeBeau beings to punch the fiels

N'Sha-El slams onto the ground, her knife nicking her as she does so, but she doesn't care as she scrambles up and makes a run at the forcefield again. "GENGHIS! KIP!"

Teel yells to the unseen captor, "Give them back! GIVE THEM BACK!"

The shimmering field drops.

LeBeau says, "Leds go"

Jest'liana heads into Hexagonal Tube <RKV Harrower>.

LeBeau heads into Hexagonal Tube <RKV Harrower>.

N'Sha-El snarls and races into the tube.

Monodimensional Habitat Hub <RKV Harrower>

Pale mist spills from a broad tube overhead and forms a rolling, swirling haze in this rather warm chamber, a gridwork structure reminiscent of being inside a mechanized apple. The deck seems to rumble soundlessly. A ladder sretches upward into the shadows. Two archways lead into other segments of the habitat.

Contents:

Lt_Colonel LeBeau <IC>

Citizen Jest'liana <IC>

Obvious Exits: Leads To:

<UP> Up Hive Passage <RKV Harrower>

<PO> Port Memory Chamber <RKV Harrower>

<ST> Starboard Consumables Center <RKV Harrower>

<TU> Hexagonal Tube Hexagonal Tube <RKV Harrower>

Teel arrives from Hexagonal Tube <RKV Harrower>.

Jest'liana yells, "Kip?"

LeBeau runs in an looks around

Jest'liana looks up the ladder and clentches a fist. "Sha...stay here."

N'Sha-El races into the room, her face pale with fury. "KIP!" she shouts. "No you stay sis..." she growls. "Someone check the memory chamber!"

N'Sha-El yells, "KIP!"

The cat mewls wickedly as it glares up the ladder, ears laid back.

Teel shudders as she looks around. "K-kip....G-genghis..."

Jest'liana looks at Ghengis hissing by the ladder and without a word heads up.

LeBeau looks down at the cat

Jest'liana strikes a field that knocks them back to the floor.

Jest'liana swears.

Teel heads into Memory Chamber <RKV Harrower>.

LeBeau says, "Day took him up to dat machine"

Teel arrives from Memory Chamber <RKV Harrower>.

N'Sha-El grabs up Genghis and makes a run at the ladder.

You strike a force field that knocks you back.

Teel says, "He's not in the M-memory Room."

The cat yowls and runs for the tube.

Jest'liana shakes her head, standing by the ladder. "It won't work Sha..."

LeBeau says, "N'Sha, ids no going to help ramming yerself into da field"

Jest'liana kicks the field anyway.

Jest'liana yells, "Kip? Can you hear me?"

VanMahr arrives from Hexagonal Tube <RKV Harrower>.

N'Sha-El glances around, her eyes hard as diamonds. Genghis, scrambling on his way out, heads full tilt into VanMahr, hissing and mewing in fright.

Around you come the whispering, chanting voices of an invisible crowd.

Teel whimpers a little. She looks up. "C-captain, th-they've got K-kip."

LeBeau yells, "Let da kid go yu cowards"

Jest'liana hears the whispering and sinks against the wall right next to the ladder. "...no..." She shuts her eyes.

N'Sha-El clenches her fists. Finding the onion still in one hand, she hurls it at the forcefield savagely, her face twisted in a fury rarely seen. "Bloody damn bastards GIVE HIM BACK!" she shouts, her voice echoing in the room. "Give him back!"

VanMahr pads in with an antique pulse rifle slung over his shoulder. The captain's weary gaze drops to the spooked feline and then lifts to regard Teel. "These Minders are really very poor hosts." Jaw sets. The captain prowls into the room.

A small voice can be heard in the distance, crying out, "Mommy!"

Genghis's fur bristles, he whimpers and cowers up against VanMahr with nary a mew.

LeBeau yells, "Each time yu do dis yu ar no breaking our spirt, bu adding to our resolve dat we will no help yu"

The onion bounds back to hit Teel on the shoulder, but she doesn't seem to feel it. "Kip? That you?"

VanMahr jogs over to Sha's position and looks up. "The child is part of my crew. He comes back now or the deal is off. There will be no negotiating the point."

Jest'liana doesn't move for a very long moment, and then opens her eyes to look at LeBeau. She stands up slowly, expression set in a mask.

N'Sha-El yells, "KIP! I'm here! I'm trying to come up to you@"

Somewhere in the distance comes the rumbling of machinery.

VanMahr unslings his pulse rifle and flicks a switch to charge it up. At his belt is a heavy pack that connects to the aged weapon with a cable. Hmmmmmmmmm.......

N'Sha-El grips her knife in one hand, her eyes blazing. "Well if you don't come down I'll come UP to you...." she snarls and gathers herself for a spring. Then launches herself towards the forcefield, blade held out.

From above, but seemingly far away, comes the low, mournful wail of a child.

VanMahr says, "Sha!"

LeBeau lowers his head and tries to block out the sound

Teel comes to her senses when she hears the pulse rifle. "No, Cap'n! The rebound!"

The child shrieks, "Mommy! Mommy! Nooooooooooo!" And then is silent.

VanMahr snorts. "I'm not going to shoot the forcefield."

N'Sha-El screams, "KIP!!!!"

You strike a force field that knocks you back.

VanMahr says, "Deal is off!"

VanMahr heads into Memory Chamber <RKV Harrower>.

Teel gasps at the silence. She looks just this side of a mental breakdown.

Grayback arrives from Hexagonal Tube <RKV Harrower>.

LeBeau looks to van as he heads to the memory chamber "Wha da hell is he doing"

Grayback walks into the room, not exactly on balance. The bleeding from his shoulder has stopped, but his uniform is still quite soaked with blood.

The knife, still clinging to bits of onion lies on the floor.

The thrumming sound of the machinery fades in the distance.

Teel whispers, "The...Captain...he's knows what he's doing..."

The forcefield emits sparks as Sha-El slams herself into it. Her knife has flown from her hand, nicking her arm as she rebounds off of the forcefield with a gasp of pain. She hisses and crawls towards it.

Grayback walks over and picks up the dagger he dropped a while back.

Jest'liana bows her head, hair curtaining her face.

Grayback slips it back under his belt.

VanMahr arrives from Memory Chamber <RKV Harrower>.

A swirling disturbance appears in the air in the heart of the chamber.

Teel whispers again. "Sha. Th-that's enough."

Jest'liana looks up at Van, "What did you...?" then breaks off and focuses her attention on the disturbance, grey eyes sharp.

LeBeau backs up from the disturbance towards a wall his hand going to his pistol

Sparkles of blue light shimmer within the small vortex that grows within the chamber.

VanMahr stalks back out. The barrel of the pulserifle glows a dim red from overheating and tendrils of smoke spill from the door of the memory chamber. "And I'll keep destroying everything I can until we have the child back...." He addresses the disturbance on the off-chance it's paying him heed.

Grayback focuses his eyes on the disturbace. After the beating he's taken, those are about the only things still working at optimum efficiency.

N'Sha-El's face is pale with fury as she retrieves her knife and stumbles to her feet, keeping it held at her side. She looks towards the disturbance, jaw set, only pausing to glance over at VanMahr briefly with a look that's seldom been seen on her face.

Teel remembers the last time she saw the shimmering light. She backs off, despair in her face.

The disturbance stretches and grows - perhaps not so big as it has previous times.

Grayback watches it with interest, not having seen this before.

Genghis hisses in fright and bolts over to Jest.

Kip has arrived.

Kip

A tow-headed human boy, no older than ten. His eyes, a milky blue and gray, swim are a disconcerting contrast to his round face and dimples. His hair is golden like cornsilk and his skin pale as if untouched by the elements. He wears a loose-fitting gray jumpsuit and sneakers. A patch on the upper left of his jumpsuit front bears the name Kip Caspar.

The child steps woodenly from the disturbance, his pale hair reflecting the blue of the sparkling light. He turns his beautiful, vacant eyes to N'Sha-El. His small, pink mouth opens, hesitates, then, in a voice that sounds filtered by gravel, "This is the price of your delay."

VanMahr tosses the rifle aside. "Find a new crew."

VanMahr sits.

Grayback says, "A human child? Where did he come from?"

"You bastard...." Sha-El's voice is little more than a whisper, her thin frame shaking like a leaf. "Let him go....Let...him GO!"

The child fixes its empty gaze on VanMahr. "You will sssserve. Or you will ssserve as this one. We chosssse...one not so useful to your missssion."

LeBeau says, "Price huh, id seems more like da reaction o a despreat monster. Yu knew yu could no force us so yu take da child"

Teel locks her gaze on the boy. She smiles, then giggles, then laughs, loud and long.

The child says "If you had all cooperated more quickly...if the one called Grayback had not damaged the other so badly...this would not be necessary. The child's body...is resssssilient. It will...lasssst longer."

Grayback hears this, and the world around him becomes black and meaningless. "I have caused this...."

VanMahr seems not to have much to say in reply. He just stares at once-Kip.

The child smiles in a not-so-playful way. "You musssst go through with your missssion. Thissss child will be your conduit."

N'Sha-El tosses her head, defiant to the last. "Let the boy go..." she hisses and her voice is cold fury like the steel of her knife. "Bloody take me, dammit, but LET HIM GO!"

LeBeau says, "Yu said dat we had tree days to decide, why da games?"

VanMahr says, "He's dead Sha. And they had what they wanted. I'm done with it. To hell with them."

LeBeau says, "Jus leave us till da time is up to decide"

The child says "We ssssstill needed a conduit to speak to you."

The child says "Your recalcitrance earlier allowed for much decay to the one called Abernathy. Had we been spared this delay, Abernathy might sssstill be the conduit."

The child then rasps: "Tomorrow evening, the Courser will launch its assault on the B'hiri homeworld."

Teel's laughter rolls. "What a joke! What a hoopin joke!" She stares at Kip, her eyes ablaze. "Alright! Party time! I'm coming with you, then, ya hoopin Hive! I choose to fight your wacky war!"

LeBeau says, "Yu did need no conduit da oder day to choke me, an yu hv spoken to us before an no thru da body o a person so led da child go"

The child swivels its eerie gaze at each person in turn. "If all goesssss well tomorrow...you will be releassssed quickly, 50 yearssss in the future, with no memory of thissss nightmare."

The Kip thing flexes its hands experimentally. "You have no choice"

LeBeau says, "An jus who is da B'hiri dat yu can no fight dem yerselfs?"

VanMahr says, "I don't think you heard me. I'm done."

Grayback takes note of this information.

VanMahr says, "I quit."

The swirling vortex begins to form again behind the boy.

VanMahr says, "Nonegotiable."

VanMahr says, "Shall I try Spanish?"

N'Sha-El looks over the boy, the cornsilk hair and childish face, the small body that now houses the malignant blue glow of the Hivers' collective consciousness. Her voice dangerously quiet, she says, very calmly, "Give me my Captain and my sister aboard the Courser. It is the only ship that I can fly successfully with the best of my ability as I need a pilot." With that she turns, brushing past VanMahr, past everyone else.

Teel yells, giggling, "Didn't you hear me, Hive?"

The boy smiles eerily, beatifically, at the human, and then turns to the vortex. He steps into it, and the disturbance snaps shut with a popping sound.

Kip has left.

Genghis curls up next to Jest, shivering.

Teel yells up, "Didn't you hear me?"

Grayback says, "They do not care. Yell all you want."

LeBeau spins on his heels and slams his fist into the bulkhead while letting out a compleate yell of anger

VanMahr remains sitting Qua-style in the center of the room. He doesn't appear inclined to move one-whit.

Jest'liana stands by the ladder.

Teel falls to the ground, whimpering. "I was gonna say yes. When the time came, I was gonna say yes..."

N'Sha-El turns slowly and moves to VanMahr's side, kneeling down beside him, putting a hand on his shoulder. She doesn't say anything. Just kneels, her movements old and worn like a woman decades aged.

LeBeau stands faceing the wall his hand not moved from the small indentation he created, a low growl creeps from his throat

Grayback walks over to Jest, and pets Genghis. In all this mess, this miniature version of himself gives him comfort.

Genghis miaows faintly and nestles up to Grayback, still shivering.

VanMahr's expression is grim if stoic. "The game's over Sha. They didn't need to do that but they did it anyhow."

VanMahr senses, "N'Sha-El is trembling. Unseen by everyone else, her face turned away. For the first time since you've known her, Sha-El is crying, the tears unabashedly rolling down her cheeks."

Grayback picks up the kitten and cradles him in his arms, continuing to pet him.

Teel lies on her back and stares at the ceiling. "So, whatcha gonna go, Cap'n? Slit yer throat? Fire a pulse rifle at yer head, maybe? Blow up the Courser, with all hands on board?" She giggles again.

LeBeau lowers his head to rest it on the wall as his hand drops tohis side

Genghis's shivering gets less and less, his frightened mews replaced by a low purring.

VanMahr's deadman's eyes rest on Teel for a long moment. "I'm going to do nothing."

VanMahr says, "Absolutely nothing."

Jest'liana looks slowly over to Teel.

Grayback grins at the kitten. It's almost like Grayback has 'adopted' the kitten as a cub. He scratches the kitten behind the ear.

VanMahr turns away from the girl. "Perhaps I will do one thing..." Almost as if in a trance the captain rises and marches over to reclaim his rifle.

N'Sha-El stands slowly herself, tossing her head very quickly, one hand raising to wipe her face. "What are you going to do?" she asks, her voice distant, quiet and disconcerting as she watches him.

Grayback watches Vanmahr curiously.

Teel giggles again. "Probably gonna kill some Nall."

Genghis purrs once more, snuggling up close and enjoying the attention.

Jest'liana senses, "N'Sha-El glances to you quietly, as if making sure you're all right. Then casts a single glance to Teel, as if asking you to see to her while she sees to Van."

VanMahr glances back to Sha. "Go for a constitutional. Stay here."

Grayback says, "I would advise agaisnt it. It would merely result in more mutiliation."

VanMahr heads into Hexagonal Tube <RKV Harrower>.

Jest'liana looks around at everyone for a long moment and then walks over to Teel.

N'Sha-El glances after VanMahr for a long moment. Then she quietly turns her eyes towards the menacing hole in the ladder. "I'll make you pay for this...." she whispers, sliding her knife from its sheath. In a quick motion she draws it across her arm sharply in two quick strokes, leaving a crisscross pattern that bleeds freely. "This...is my pledge." Then she replaces her knife and stalks into the memory chamber.

N'Sha-El stalks back out of the memory chamber after a short while. "Jest...Stay with Teel. Please. I'll be right back."

Jest'liana shakes her head and smiles faintly. "I know, Teel." she straightens. "Look, I don't know about you but if this mist is sentient, I refuse to give them the satisfaction of my greif." She looks to the door out.

Jest'liana looks sharply at Teel.

Jest'liana whispers, "Her gaze is intense, painfilled and demanding. Demanding that Sha knows what it is she is asking of her..."

N'Sha-El locks gazes with Jest quietly. Then walks over to her, taking her shoulder. "Jest. I know. But someone has to stay alive after all...in case the Captain does something stupid..." A wry, faint half-smile. "Stay safe sis. If anything goes wrong...boot up my deck in the Courser k?"

Jest'liana meets Sha's eyes and murmurs "Fuck you Sha..." very very quietly.

Grayback looks at JEst as she hurls profanity at Sha.

Jest'liana whispers, "I hope you get the meaning behind that. The general, don't you know you and Van are all I have? If you die..I die..."

"Grief? Grief? I'm trapped by some hoopy sentients, far away from home. They just killed some kid who just had the bad luck to be on not one, but two ships, and I'm grieving? Nah." Teel smiles.

N'Sha-El's lips twist in another faint, sad smile. "Yeh well...you're the first then." Without another word, she suddenly leans over and brushes Jest's cheek in a kiss. "I'll be back. With Van. I promise." A quick squeeze on her shoulder, then she's swung around and marched out.

(Sha-El races back to the Courser to follow VanMahr, scared to death)

N'Sha-El strides in, a criss-cross pair of deliberate cuts clotting blood down her arm. Her knife is sheathed, her face pale and set in a diamond hardness that's disconcerting as it is somehow unnerving.

VanMahr stalks towards the cockpit. The blaster-rifle is held loosely in his off hand and it humms with agitation.

N'Sha-El's eyes narrow. Her gaze sweeps the ship for a moment, settling on the now clean Courser floor. Her eyes shut for a moment as she draws back a painful breath, swallowing a lump in her throat. Then she heads into the cockpit.

VanMahr lifts the rifle to his shoulder and takes a bead on the astrogation systems of the navigator's console. Without looking back he murmurs, "Go back to the others, navigator. That is an order."

N'Sha-El's lips tighten. "I need those systems to contact the B'hiri..." she says quietly, not moving. "I'll bloody be damned if I don't make a try...for us all. I don't care if I bloody /die/ in the fucking attempt."

VanMahr mutters. "I plan to put an end to it and to this ship. Do what you will with your life, Sha. But this is my life and my ship. You're off it as of now. Do you understand me?"

The girl's eyes blaze. "And it's not as much a part of my life as it is yours?" she cries out. "Dammit! No! I choose to stay as well, bloddy dammit...Fuck you, I..." Even in the throes of her grief and anger, she still manages to choke back the words on the tip of her tongue.

VanMahr's gaze shifts to rest on Sha's face. "There are some things that can't be finessed. But you've got more brains than the rest of that lot put together. Get out of here. Tell them you tried to stop me. And do what needs to be done. But I end my journey here. It's for as good a reason as any."

From Gundeck <Courser>, Jest'liana enters through the hatch of the ship.

N'Sha-El shakes her head and crosses her arms. "Then I stay too." Her eyes, sienna-brown and intense, rest on his face. A tear rolls down her cheek. Then another. She doesn't notice or if she does, she doesn't care. "No. This ship has been my life. Dammit....Van, /you/'ve been my life, I am not losing someone else!"

From Gundeck <Courser>, Jest'liana freezes, lowers her head a moment and takes a breath. She calmly turns around and walks out again, expression calm.

From Gundeck <Courser>, Jest'liana disembarks from the ship.

VanMahr's jaw sets. "That brat was under our protection. He didn't have another soul in the cosmos to see to him. Those bastards had an entire ship full of marines but they took Kip. Bloody stupid. I told them my offer and they rejected it. If I don't stand for this then there's little to stand for. But you, Jest needs you and so do the others. You've nothing riding on this."

VanMahr says, "I tire of their examples and intend to give them one of my own."

N'Sha-El's gaze doesn't waver. "You think Jest doesn't need you?" Her voice is brittle. A pause in which she fights for control and the words come out barely a whisper. "You think /I/ don't need you?"

VanMahr says, "And what happens when Kip 'wears' out? If they think they can just change bodies like a stripper changes panties then nobody will be safe. No, I'm not dying meaninglessly. They'll learn from it and think twice about taking you or Jester. Sha, you're a brave lass. No bravely move that arse from my bridge, navigator."

N'Sha-El sets herself firmly in said position. "No." Her eyes are even more intense now, as if she is verging on desperation. Her hands clench, unclench again, then she flings at him, "You think it will help Kip if none of us live to tell his story for him? You think it will help any bloody thing if we don't try to at least beat these bastards at their own game?" Her voice trembles, wavers, then she draws a deep breath as if the next words are painful to her. "Bloody HELL VanMahr...I've worked for you for nine years, I am NOT letting you go like this, in a place where I can't even give a decent burial to the ones I love...Dammit I love you!" This is fairly screamed at him. The deathly silence that follows shows that she's suddenly realised perhaps that was a bad thing to say. But she doesn't move.

VanMahr's expression is as furious as it's ever been - a frightening mask of focussed rage. But the pulse-rifle shudders a bit as the captain's aim wavers. Ultimately the barrel drops. "I'm going to take on a new career if we live through tomorrow. I'm going to exterminate every last one of these creatures. And then? I'll find out who made this deal with them...."

N'Sha-El's eyes never waver despite VanMahr's rage. "You got help on the way..." she flings back, holding up her arm to show the criss-cross cut. "My pledge..." She draws a trembling deep breath.

VanMahr's head tilts. "What's this?"

N'Sha-El chuckles faintly and stumbles back against the bulkhead. "A promise for justice. Something to remind me." The tension gone, her voice wavers and she begins shaking in reaction.

VanMahr nods fractionally. "And perhaps you could hide a log on a chip somewhere? So that whomever survives might find it later and know what to do?"

A faint grin from the girl as she wraps her arms around herself to stop herself shaking. "Already done Captain. It's typed up last night...ready to go. And if we survive...there'll be an end to the record."

VanMahr unhooks the charger from his belt and sets it and the rifle aside. "Good, then what are we standing around talking about?" Still the ragged captain seems more haunted than ever. "Go. I've diagnostics to do. You've a big day tomorrow."

N'Sha-El nods. "Aye Captain." She turns and stumbles, catching herself on the bulkhead with a hiss.

VanMahr slumps down onto the command couch with an utterly drained expression. His gaze rests for the longest time on the discarded rifle...before he rolls to the other side and begins a series of checks.

N'Sha-El pulls herself out of the cockpit and disappears.

Vessel Containment Area <RKV Harrower>

The shadows consuming this chamber make it seem at once both infinite and claustrophobic. Your footsteps, your voice - even the slightest whisper - echo dramatically in this cavernous bay. Giving some sense of scope is the relatively small landing platform upon which you stand, a grid of dark gray metal surrounded by waist-high railings. Extending from the platform to a hexagonal tube in the distance is a railed catwalk made of similar metal. It is unclear how high the platform is suspended above the bottom of the chamber.

Contents:

Boarding Tube - S'Nelmar

Boarding Tube - Courser

Boarding Tube - SCT Bunker Hill

Obvious Exits: Leads To:

<TU> Hexagonal Tube Hexagonal Tube <RKV Harrower>

Airlock <SCT Bunker Hill>

Pressurized bulkhead doors are installed on opposite ends of this gunmetal gray chamber. Illumination panels are arrayed evenly along the walls and on the ceiling. Life support conduits and atmospheric scrubbers weave their way to starboard. The deck plating is scuffed and dark. Decompression hazard signs are posted prominently.

Contents:

Lt_Colonel LeBeau <IC>

Citizen Jest'liana <IC>

Citizen Teel <IC>

Obvious Exits: Leads To:

<C> Corridor Access Corridor <SCT Bunker Hill>

Teel dances around some more. Shimmying up to LeBeau, she giggles, "You need to loosen up more."

Jest'liana shifts her weight and then, unconsciosly looks behind her to the hatch. "She might hurt herself. You might hurt her if she ann..." she breaks off freezing at the sight of Sha.

The young navigator enters, her face pale as a ghost, shaking uncontrollably.

LeBeau looks to Sha "Wha is id?"

Teel turns to Sha. "Heya, Sha. What's shakin?"

"Captain's fine Jest...." Sha-El leans her back against a nearby wall, arms wrapped tightly around herself. "He's fine. I'm just...cold."

Jest'liana nods slowly, the nuetral expression returning to her face again. "Of course." She turns to LeBeau and inclines her head. "Thank you for letting us on Bunker Hill, Lt. Colonel. Even if we never made it farther in than the airlock."

LeBeau nods slowly and questionly "Sure ting, anytime"

Teel pouts. "Aw, we gotta go now?"

N'Sha-El draws a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm. "Sis. Come with me. I need your help to set up those engines. And see if our com channels are working. I'm going to give those Ri'Kammi bastards a fight they'll remember." Her voice is laced with quiet fury.

Jest'liana looks at Teel, unsure of what to do about the girl.

Jest'liana looks from LeBeau to Sha.

N'Sha-El looks at LeBeau. "Sir. Can you see to her please? I have a fight tomorrow to prime for. When I get back I'll take her back with us."

LeBeau nods "Sure ting, 'll make sure dat see is taken care of"

A undercurrent of gratefullness darts through Jest's eye as she nods thanks to LeBeau. "You get to party with the Connies, Teel." she says gravely. She grins. "Have fun for me?"

N'Sha-El hoists herself from the wall, demeanor set and much calmer. "Thank you sir. I appreciate it very much." A faint grin quirks her lips. "When we get back tomorrow, we'll have a tale and a half."

LeBeau says, "We all shall, an id will be one dat changes da wa we all live"

Teel's smile widens. "Oh, wicked."

Jest'liana turns and slips out the door.

N'Sha-El follows Jest with a calm salute to LeBeau.

Jest'liana walks over to the Courser.

Once outside the Bunker Hill however, Sha-El drops to her knees, stumbling.

Jest'liana pauses mid-stride, turns and walks back to Sha. Without a word she kneels by her and helps raise her to her feet with her left arm.

"Where's Genghis..." Sha's voice is strained as her hand goes to her head.

Jest'liana says, "Hiding in Courser."

N'Sha-El glances at Jest as she steadies herself. "What's wrong sis."

Jest'liana slips her arm aroung Sha's waist to help her stnad and if need be walk. "Nothing more than usual, Sha. Let's get you back to Courser."

This time the other girl doesnt' resist. "Yeh. We have to prime the engines...I plan on contacting the B'hiri tomorrow." Her eyes gleam a little as she starts slowly towards the Courser.

Jest'liana nods, "Good."

Jest'liana boards the Courser.

(Jest and Sha-El go into the Courser)

Jest'liana pauses. "Can you walk by yourself?"

N'Sha-El nods and eases herself away from Jest. "Yeh. Let's go into the engine room. We may be able to fit in some modifications to this lady."

Engineering <Courser>

A cramped nightmare of conduits bound with frayed silver tape and binding adhesive, this chamber is illuminated, dimly, by grime-streaked glow panels. Most of the conduits twist and wind their way toward the aft bulkhead, where they climb a titanium slope to power the massive pulse engine generator. Digital and analog system monitors - some as simple as glass-encased marked circles with red plastic needles - are arrayed on greasy wall panels near the sublight generator. Crouched in the middle of the room upon a steel pedestal - gleaming black and spotless despite the relative filth surrounding it - is the nub-bristled egg shape of an OtherSpace Drive.

Contents:

Citizen Jest'liana <IC>

Scanner - 2836

Engineering Console

Obvious Exits: Leads To:

<G> Gundeck Gundeck <Courser>

Jest'liana moves to man engineering, then tilts her head at sha and offers the seat to her. "You or me?"

N'Sha-El shakes her head. "You, sis. I'm going to do a little modification here." With that she unlatches her utility belt and brings out a large spanner, moving towards the OS drive.

Jest'liana mans the Engineering Console.

N'Sha-El pauses as she looks carefully at the drive. "Good. It's bloody inactive." Her eyes narrow with faint satisfaction. "Now we get a chance to show them our bloody mettle."

N'Sha-El moves to the door. "I'm going to test the power system sis...comm channels and all. Let's see if the Courser's ready to purr."

Jest'liana murmurs, "like a woman in heat.."

N'Sha-El grins. "Now I wonder...maybe a man in heat might be better." And disappears.

N'Sha-El drops into the dimly lit cockpit and into her usual place at navigation. There's battle-fire and a savage exultancy in her eyes as she picks up her computer cable and jacks it into her head.

Continued in The Price of Expedience - Part 6