Esplin 1894:
I was surprised when Jacob woke up, and he didn't hurt. I'd withdrawn most of my connections to Jacob, to avoid the pain. I felt… guilty for that. I did not understand why. I could not have eased Jacob's burden by sharing the pain between us… and he had more resilience to such things than I did anyway. There was no advantage in both of us suffering. It made sense, and was a logical argument… but I still felt guilty. It was a most annoying, and persistent emotion. Jacob could smell Hork-bajir nearby, so I made the conclusion that Jett and Taff had somehow either spirited us away… or were being imprisoned with us. Ten minutes later, Jacob finished waking up, and actually opened his eyes. It took a minute for our eyes to adjust to the darkness. When they did, I realized where we were, and relief washed through us.
((Back from your vacation?)) Jacob asked blearily, trying to sort through his catalogue of aches and minor pains.
((Vacation? More like intense sensory deprivation)) I snapped defensively.
((Whatever. Let's see if I can speak))
"H-hello?" Jacob whispered hoarsely. A Hork-bajir uncoiled from the darkness, and leaned over us. The motion reminded Jacob of a horror movie he'd seen, involving strange black aliens with acid blood.
"What Jah-kob need?" she asked. She had been sleeping in that curious sitting-up position their anatomy required. (They crouch down, with their tail serving as a tri-pod, their head tucked to their chest, and arms wrapped around their knees… which means they look like a prickly-sphere).
I recognized Jett by the small puckered scar above her horny beak.
"Water," Jacob answered.
The seven foot-tall alien warrior gave Jacob a wet rag to suck on. She dripped water from a canteen onto the exposed part of the cloth, trickling water into us.
Jacob tried to sit up, but Jett kept us down with gentle pressure from one enormous arm, "Jah-kob sleep. Need sleep," she said crossly, like one spoke to an unruly child.
((Esplin agree. Jah-kob need sleep lots)) I mimicked.
Jacob choked on the rag, and had a coughing fit.
((You made me choke)) Jacob grumbled.
((Esplin not sorry. Jah-kob need use small brain, think, difficult. Drink or laugh. Jah-kob not do both)) I continued without missing a beat.
Jacob smiled in the dark.
((Fine. You win)) Jacob mumbled, and I slid with him back down into the dark places, where there was no pain, only oblivion.
((()))
We woke up again, and Jacob was able to drink from the canteen directly, in small sips. Taff helped hold Jacob somewhat upright. Dr. Helaine came then.
((Do you wish to know the extent of your injuries?)) she inquired politely.
"Fine, lay it out for me," Jacob whispered.
((Although there were no actual fractures, you had multiple stress points where your skeletal system had been weakened from repeated blunt trauma. In addition, you had widespread but minimal internal bleeding. There was damage to both kidneys, and the lower lobe of your liver. I need not go in depth as to the multitude of deep muscle bruises. You are also no doubt aware of the many bruises and lacerations to your skin))
"I'm going to disembowel Evaan, and then Bheleran," Jacob groaned.
Dr. Helaine shifted uncomfortably. "I know they're heroes, doctor, but I just need you to look the other way while I turn them into blue furry coats, boots, and mittens," Jacob growled.
((Killing Evaan might be difficult for you… since my daughter was forced to do so during her rescue of you)) Dr. Helaine replied frostily.
"Oh… oh my God. How is she?" Jacob asked, ashen.
((… as well as can be expected)) she replied quietly.
((We need to be brought up to speed)) I pointed out to Jacob.
"I've slept long enough," he said, "I need to take stock now."
((()))
Walking hurt. Agony did not quite do the sensation justice. Excruciating might be a better description.
((Oh man up, Esplin. We've had worse)) Jacob teased, but I knew he was trying to distract me, which doesn't work. I wasn't human. His pain was my pain. He could distract himself, but I either had to disconnect, or experience it. No matter how many times I explained this to him…
((I mean, think about it, we don't even have any stab wounds this time, just mega-bruises))
((Yes. That makes it all better)) I retorted sarcastically.
We hobbled around the cargo bay like masochists, with a bladed nightmare shadowing us in a credible imitation of a protective mother bird. We didn't fall… well, almost falling doesn't count.
We traveled to the cockpit next. One of the arisths was standing idly at the pilot station, which would have normally been manned by a Taxxon.
((Ah, you are awake))
"Hey, Torfan, don't crash." Jacob joked.
Torfan flicked his stalk-eyes in a manner I recognized; it was similar to a human chuckle.
Finally, we found the person we were looking for, in the captain's quarters.
"Hey, pip-squeak. Miss me?" Jacob asked.
Sonili looked away from the computer.
((Hello Jacob))
"That's it?" Jacob asked, bemused, "What about: what happened to you Jacob? Fall down a flight of stairs?"
"Or, Jacob, you look like crap,"
"maybe even, hey Jacob, haven't you learned to duck?"
Sonili chuckled a little, but it was a mechanical, polite sound in our head. Jacob limped over to the Andalite girl, and looked at the screen. He didn't recognize the equation, but I did.
((Why is she trying to balance N-space trigonometry? It's a simple feedback loop with no answer…)) I mused.
"Hey, Esplin wants to know why you're messing with N-space trigonometry. She thinks it can't be solved," Jacob asked.
((That is the point. It has no solution, because it has no end. It's like time, in a way)) Sonili explained.
Jacob knew why she was doing it, even if he didn't know the particulars of how.
It was a distraction, so she didn't have to think about Evaan, blood, and murder.
"Well, thanks for dashing to the rescue. You did good, kid," Jacob said, serious.
Sonili stared at her hooves mutely.
"No matter what, I'm proud of you." Jacob turned to leave, but a thought came to him, "Oh, Esplin wants to thrash you at Chess, and she's bored, so anytime you want to play…" Jacob trailed off, and we left.
((What if I don't play?)) I challenged.
((Well then, you get to watch a twelve year old-alien girl completely humiliate me, and by extension, you)) Jacob answered easily.
((When you put it that way…)) I said warily.
((Damn straight. Now, I'm hungry. Where would they hide the food…?))
((()))
((We are still on course for Earth, human, so you may stop asking "are we there yet")) Dr. Helaine told Jacob. Her cold demeanor was a marked change from the wary professionalism we had enjoyed.
Torfan entered the cockpit, where we had been annoying the doctor.
((Good, you're both here. There's a… situation… in the cargo bay)) the aristh said awkwardly.
((()))
((What did they get into?)) I asked. Jacob didn't get any closer than twenty-feet.
((I have no idea…)) he gasped, trying to inhale through his mouth only.
Jett and Taff looked like naughty puppies (at least, that's what Jacob's mental image was) both had their heads hanging, looking at their clawed feet.
((It is a peculiar… odor…)) Torfan choked, standing thirty feet back.
"Do we know if it's poisonous?" Jacob asked. Dr. Helaine shrugged, standing beside her daughter, ((If it is, we'll know in a few hours)) she said bluntly.
"That's a bit harsh, doctor," Jacob said sharply.
((What do you wish me to do? All we have is what the Yeerk's possessed in the med-bay, and I am no expert in Hork-bajir physiology)) Dr. Helaine pointed out.
"You're all heart, doctor," Jacob muttered.
((Are there any decontamination chambers? Perhaps in the airlock?)) I suggested.
Jacob relayed my request, but Dr. Helaine shook her head, ((An Andalite vessel would have such a countermeasure, but the Yeerks do not, at least, not on a vessel as small as this))
I had feared as much, but again, I am a xeno-geneticist, not an engineer.
"We don't have any tomato juice, right?" Jacob asked, only half serious.
((I doubt a skunk is responsible for this)) I said sarcastically.
"Smells sort of like it though," Jacob observed, and he had a very peculiar image: Some sort of pale creature with spider like legs and a long tail wrapped around the face of an Earth skunk… and something terrible bursting out of the Skunk's ribcage.
((I also highly doubt that a… xeno-skunk is responsible)) I said derisively… although I did not mock Jacob when he quickly glanced up at the ceiling, checking for ominous strings of drool. I had his memories. I was also terrified of the Alien movie. Thankfully, I believed the creature mythical, a mere human fabrication. At least… I desperately hoped so.
((()))
((Jacob?)) Sonili called, tentatively.
Jacob looked up from the Dracon beam he was field-stripping, under my watchful gaze. ((Isolate and lock the capacitor before you set it down!)) I snarled.
Ruefully, Jacob ensured that the weapon would not randomly begin charging and eventually explode. Then he set his work aside, carefully.
"What do you need, kid?"
((Have you ever… killed someone?)) she asked.
"Free-humans?" he inquired.
((I guess))
"On purpose?"
((Yes))
Jacob stared at his grease stained hands for a second, and for a brief flash, the black stain was blood, not lubricant.
"No… not on purpose."
((But… you have killed on accident?)) Sonili asked, grasping at straws.
"Yes. On accident. Once," Jacob whispered, and I felt an almost invisible wall of steel begin to crumble. I'd never realized its existence, neither had Jacob.
I stood with him, as the memory surged into his mind, something evil, something that had been forced deep, where the light of day might never touch it. I felt fear, mine, or Jacob's, I couldn't tell. This was a bad-thing.
I saw through his eyes. Eric, perhaps ten, or eleven, was dressed in a child's baseball uniform. We stood out in the front yard of the old house. The sun beat down on us, it was the summer. The grass was dead beneath our bare feet, little more than dirt. Eric had a glove, we didn't. I couldn't see what we were wearing, but it was hot, and sweat kept running into our eyes, and down our back. We had begged him and begged him all week to help us practice, try-outs were on Monday, and we wanted to be on the team very badly. We had dreamed of nothing else all summer. Finally, Eric had given in, to make us stop.
"Come-on Jay! Catch the ball!" Eric shouted, annoyed with our poor performance. We'd been outside for an hour. Eric was throwing hard though, and if we didn't catch it, it hurt.
"Don't throw so hard, Eric," we complained, sucking our stinging fingers, and tossed the ball back. Eric caught it, effortlessly, in his glove, and gave it a little spin up, snatching it out of the air with his throwing hand, wound-up, and fired the ball at us in less than a second. He made it look so easy. Distracted, we didn't quite catch the ball, and it clipped our ear, very painfully.
"Stop cry'in, or I'm going in!" Eric snarled. Something in us snapped.
"Shut-up!" We screamed, and threw the ball as hard as we could at his face. He ducked, and the ball hissed past him, across the yard, before finally slapping into Mr. Gillian's van, and bouncing to the asphalt. There was a clear dent in the metal side of the van.
We both stared at the ball. "That was… really hard…" Eric said, impressed.
We rubbed at our throbbing ear.
"Hey stop, rubbing your ear, you're fine. Here, throw the ball again…" Eric said, he trotted out into the street, grabbed the ball, and turned to throw it back.
We never heard the car. One second, our brother was looking at us like we had done something cool… and the next second…
Blood. The car didn't stop. The driver panicked, and fled. We stepped into the street, and walked towards the limp, bloody clothing. It couldn't be our brother. No. He was on the other side of the van. We just didn't see him. It couldn't be— our brother's face looked up at us, head twisted impossibly. His eyes were wrong. He couldn't be—
((Jacob.)) I said softly. Jacob stared down at his brother. He had done this. He had gotten mad. He had killed his brother. He had—
((JACOB)) I shouted. My friend blinked, and the memory faded. He was shaken. I never realized how much had been repressed. Jacob swallowed, and we looked at Sonili. She was waiting, concerned.
"When I was about half your age. My brother and I… we were playing catch, with a baseball. I wasn't very good at it… and I got mad at my brother. I threw the ball as hard as I could… he ran into the street to get it. And… we should have been more careful. If I hadn't thrown so hard… if we'd looked… A car hit him. It killed him," Jacob trailed off, staring at the wall… but we could see Eric in the street again.
((I… see…)) Sonili said quietly.
"Yes… I think you do," Jacob replied sadly.
((I keep seeing his face, when I'm not busy, I close my eyes, and I… I see him collapse again. I see his eyes. I can't… I can't sleep)) Sonili admitted.
"It will get worse, girl. It feels like you can't talk… but you have to tell someone. The more you talk, the less it hurts. But it will take time," Jacob explained quietly.
((We are approaching our exit coordinates)) Torfan relayed over the ship's intercom. The ship shuddered for a few seconds. Then I heard power relays whine.
((Our shields just activated)) I said, startled.
Why were the shields up?
Jacob immediately began to run for the bridge.
((()))
((Brace!)) Dr. Helaine barked, grabbing her console, as we entered the bridge at a run… and we saw a familiar shape backlit by Earth's moon.
The Bladeship's weapons slammed into our stealthed ship, slapping into our shields.
((Shields have failed!)) Torfan reported.
((Return fire, target their sensor array!)) Dr. Helaine snapped.
((Firing)) Torfan answered.
Jacob clung to the auxiliary system's console, staring at the display without understanding. I however, was up to the task.
((Give me control!)) I barked. Jacob didn't resist, and I moved my arms, stealing power from life-support, and dumped it into the weapons system.
((Minimal damage to Bladeship, but…)) Dr. Helaine peered intently at the readouts, and excitedly reported, ((The sensor array is destroyed, they're blind!))
((I'm detecting multiple power signatures, originating from the far-side of the planet)) Torfan said warily.
((No doubt a pool-ship, launching fighters)) Dr. Helaine decided.
"We have a seven minute window, before the fighters will be close enough to detect us," I said, through Jacob's mouth.
((Take us down, aristh)) Dr. Helaine ordered.
((Sir, our starboard engine was damaged. If we land, we may never escape atmosphere again)) Torfan pointed out, worried.
"If we don't hide, we'll be dead in seven minutes, once the bug-fighters can triangulate us and send their telemetry to the Bladeship," I growled angrily.
((Take us down, now!)) Dr. Helaine repeated.
((Very well. Hold on)) Torfan dropped the nose of the scout ship, and I could feel gravity increasing. Fire blazed as we cut through the upper atmosphere, and the ship began to shudder from reentry.
((A little steep…)) Jacob questioned.
((The deeper into atmosphere we travel, the slower we will become, so that seven minute estimate is going to drop down to something closer to three minutes. We need to get down quickly, and find a place to hide the ship)) I explained.
((Ah. This is why I stick to crashing. Much simpler)) Jacob joked tensely.
((()))
"There, take us down in those mountains, on the eastern side," I said, pointing at the sensor display, "The iron and cobalt deposits should mask the ship from orbital scans."
((Should?)) Dr. Helaine challenged.
I shrugged, "It will break up the metallurgical profile of the ship on most Yeerk scanners, and if we can repair the stealth shielding, we will be undetectable," I explained.
((The argument is irrelevant)) Torfan said in fear, ((Starboard engine has failed. If I don't land now, we will crash))
((Then land!)) Dr. Helaine barked.
((Hold on to something!)) Torfan snarled. The ship bucked wildly under us as the Andalite cadet fought to land the ship intact.
I redirected power fully from life support, as well as other non-essential systems, and dumped it directly into the shields. Over half of the shield emitters had overloaded, but a few had survived. This let me create a very weak shield around the ship. In Jacob's words, it was like a layer of bubble-wrap, compared to our original shield made of hardened steel and ceramics.
"I've raised a weak shield, it won't stop much, but it should cushion our impact," I reported grimly.
I quickly explained to Jacob, in the intervening seconds, what I had done. (It was a distraction, but effective for him)
((Normally a shield has hundreds of emitters, spread evenly across the surface of the vessel. Each acts essentially as a support strut. Imagine pressure is being exerted against the entire surface of the shield equally. With more supports, you can use less energy to maintain the same strength of field. With fewer supports, you have to use more energy… it's all about leverage)) I explained.
((Ah… so this is why, even with twice the normal amount of energy, our shields won't stop anything heavier than spit-balls)) Jacob realized.
((Exactly. But I think we need to brace now)) I said.
((Brace for impact!)) Torfan shouted.
The mountains were very large on the forward viewscreen. They were getting larger too, very quickly.
((Ten dollars says this going to hurt)) Jacob wagered.
((Why are we wagering money we do not have, against each other?)) I asked, curious.
((It's a tradition. If you make a bet, then it means you'll probably live to collect, especially if you lose the bet. Its simple karma)) Jacob tried to explain. Except the way he said karma made it sound like economics, or physics.
Torfan angled the ship up at the last second, and we smashed into a stand of evergreen trees. I almost lost my grip on the console, and the deck shook itself out from under me… but I still had a "death grip" on the console.
((Emergency shield has failed)) Dr. Helaine reported, her four legs braced wide, even as her weaker arms (compared to mine) had difficulty holding onto her console.
The noise of wood slapping into the hull was deafening. Our speed was falling rapidly though, and already I could feel the pull as our body tried to remain in motion.
"Damn it!" Jacob barked, his knee-jerk response to resume control as my fingers slipped from the console. No one heard us, and Jacob tried to grab something else as we tumbled past, smashing into Dr. Helaine, bringing her down on top of us in a dangerous sprawl of hooves and somewhere, a tail blade. We rolled on, and collided with Torfan, at the helm, in the tip of the cockpit, where the console provided a firm wall to come to rest against.
Jacob Nyles:
"Ugh… that actually went pretty good," I realized. Andalite fur filled my mouth, and I turned my head, spitting it out. I didn't realize before, but they do have a distinct odor. It's not as strong as a Hork-bajir, or Taxxon, but they do have one… it reminded me of… citrus fruit, mixed with clean horse.
((You are an expert, then?)) Dr. Helaine asked harshly, trying to untangle herself.
"Well, this is my third crash, so… yeah. The first one I broke some ribs. The second one, I almost drowned," I replied easily, working my fingers into the mesh of the deck plate, and pulled my way out of the dog-pile.
((Have you ever actually landed, then, human?)) Torfan grumbled, painfully finding his feet, and helping the doctor up.
"Personally? No. Esplin has, but that was during basic training," I admitted.
((I only landed once)) Esplin told me, embarrassed, ((So hard I crushed the bug-fighter's landing skids. They didn't let me into a cockpit after that))
((What aren't you saying?)) I asked, sensing that Esplin was withholding something.
((I… intentionally damaged the craft. I was afraid I would be assigned to the combat flight program, instead of the tactical sciences division)) Esplin admitted.
((You flunked your placement test? Isn't that like cheating, on a personality quiz?)) I laughed.
The Andalites ignored me though, trying to take stock of the ship.
((The landing hurt, but we are uninjured. Who collects the ten dollars?)) Esplin asked, curious.
((No one, but I'll split the difference with you)) I offered. Esplin laughed at me.
((You claim to be an enlightened people, but your superstitions…)) she trailed off.
Sonili found us in the hallway. She was limping, but waved off my help.
((It's just a sprain. I can't find Jett, or Taff)) she explained, worried.
"I'll go look," I promised. If I were an arboreal species where would I go when the shit hit the fan? Why, I'd go up, of course.
I tried to enter the cargo hold, but the crates had slid forward, and piled against the hatch.
((There should be a maintenance access hatch…)) Esplin reassured me. It took us a while to find it, since neither one of us knew where it was.
((There, do you see?)) Esplin said.
I looked, and eventually discerned the shape of a hatch. It had no fittings, so it was just a thin outline in the wall.
((It has to be large enough for Taxxon technicians to enter, for repairs)) Esplin explained. It was kind of an oval shape, about a meter wide and only half a meter tall.
((Uh, Taxxons are bigger than that)) I pointed out.
((They can flatten their carapace. They are natural burrowers and tunnel makers)) Esplin explained.
"Whatever," I triggered the maintenance hatch and crawled inside. I could smell burning plastics and fried electronics. The acrid fumes burned my eyes a little.
((We are so getting cancer from this shit)) I complained, awkwardly crawling through the tube. The tiny amber emergency lights had shorted out in some of the sections… and in those sections some panels had exploded, leaving painfully jagged gaps in the floor and ceiling, hidden by the darkness… but there wasn't any power running through them thankfully. I was feeling a little light headed by the time we reached a junction labeled in galard.
((Take the left branch. It should lead directly to the cargo hold)) Esplin told me.
((Oh good)) I said brightly, but Esplin ignored my sarcasm.
We emerged from the cancer-tunnel, into air that tasted heavenly. It was slightly stale air, (since Esplin had undermined the O2 scrubbers to power weapons and shields) but it was still breathable, and cancer free.
((Why are you so worried about cancer?)) Esplin asked, amused.
((You bring up a valid point)) I acknowledged, ((considering I'm talking to an inoperable brain tumor)) I laughed.
Esplin didn't think it was funny. I tried to show her why it was funny to compare her to an unwanted malignant cellular growth, but she didn't understand. She did pick up on the key component of the humor was because I didn't think she was a tumor. She still didn't "get it" but her anger diminished. It took me a moment to realize that I'd offended her, deeply.
((I'm sorry)) I said quietly.
((You speak before you think)) Esplin noted sourly.
((I think-speak before I think?)) I asked
((You know what I meant)) Esplin said sharply.
((Yes. I don't think you're a tumor, Esplin. It was in poor taste. You're my friend. Among humans, we tease our friends, by saying things we believe to be the complete opposite of the truth)) I told her.
((Let's just move on)) Esplin said, but I could feel the tension had mostly disappeared. Her head knew I hadn't meant it, but the head and the heart don't always see eye to eye, even for a Yeerk.
"Jett? Taff?" I shouted. The cargo hold was pitch-black. Power had obviously failed in here.
"Jett hear Jah-kob. Jett not see. Jett stay," a voice said, above me. I felt my way along the floor, banging my shins on crates and pallets in the dark.
"Is Taff with you, Jett?" I called.
"Jett not know. Jet not see," Jett answered. I groaned. I'd give my left pinkie toe for a flashlight, or even a road flare… especially after hitting it on that last corner, I wouldn't mind amputation.
((You're serious. You would sacrifice a minor appendage for a temporary benefit, without hesitation… but you will agonize over sacrificing a knight for a queen)) Esplin noted, puzzled.
((Humans are illogical)) I echoed her words back to her.
((I fear the human condition is contagious. I can almost fathom your reasoning)) Esplin admitted.
I pulled a communicator off my belt, "Hey, this is Jacob. I'm in the cargo hold. Can someone get some power to the emergency lighting in here?"
There was a hiss of static, but a voice answered,
((Human, reduce your signal strength 95%. You are not using tight-beam communication)) Dr. Helaine rebuked.
Oh shit. I dialed down the transmission strength swiftly.
"Sorry," I apologized. Great, they probably thought I just tried to betray them. Again.
((Good. Your transmission shouldn't escape the outer hull. Now, about your request. We're having trouble accessing and rerouting power manually))
"The maintenance access… you don't fit…" I said, in realization.
((Precisely. You are on your own until you return to our position)) Dr. Helaine apologized.
"We'll figure something out," I sighed, and returned the little device to my belt.
((There should be an emergency tool-kit, mounted to the wall)) Esplin told me.
((Uh… where?)) I asked.
((I don't know, but it is part of standard precautions)) Esplin replied.
I eventually found a wall, and made my way along it, tracing it with my hand. My shins and toes were throbbing angrily by the time my hand felt something protruding from the surface of the wall. Please God, let it be a light. I prayed, and felt the edges of the bulge. It was rectangular, and made of metal.
((Try tugging. It should be attached by magnetic brackets, not rivets)) Esplin said.
I hauled on the object, and after initial heavy resistance, it popped free of the wall, sending us tumbling into the dark. I hit some sharp corners on the way down, and cursed for a few minutes.
((If you are quite finished attempting to verbally peel paint from bulkheads, could we look at the tool kit, please?)) Esplin reprimanded.
I popped the catches on the kit, and opened it up, my fingers running blindly over the contents. After a lot of fumbling, we found the flashlight, and its switch. A beam of cold blue light spilled out of one end, right into my face. I winced, and directed the flashlight away, playing it over the cargo hold. Like I thought, most of the unsecured crates had slid to the front of the bay, piling up against the wall, blocking the hatch.
((Your people really need to learn about cargo straps)) I grumbled.
"Jett see Jah-kob"
I panned the light up, and located one of the Hork-bajir clinging to a cross-brace.
"Jett, help me find Taff!" I called.
"Jett do that," Jett promised, and dropped down to the deck beside me. I quickly checked, but Taff wasn't at the back of the hold, or anywhere else near the ceiling. That left the pile… and it didn't look good. Some of those crates weighed several hundred pounds, easy.
"Let's start shifting this shit," I sighed, my heart heavy. It took us nearly an hour to find her, shifting the lighter containers away, slowly whittling the pile down.
She hadn't… well, she didn't make it. I stared down at the crushed body, barely recognizable as a Hork-bajir. "I'm sorry, Taff," I whispered.
"Where Taff?" Jett asked, confused.
"Taff is… gone, Jett," I said gently.
"Where Taff go?" Jett asked.
I pointed to Taff's body, "Taff is dead."
"…is true," Jett answered sadly.
We used a tarp to hold and wrap most of the trailing pieces together and moved the body into a corner. It was all we could do.
We finished shifting the crates away from the hatch, and managed to force it open. Sonili was waiting on the other side. She knew from our expressions what had happened.
"The crates weren't secured… she didn't get to the ceiling in time…" I said hollowly. I hugged the little alien girl while she cried, and I cried too.
((()))
"Taff was just another casualty of this damned war. In the brief time I knew her, she proved the strength of her spirit. She won't be the last, but she died free, among friends, and her loss will not be forgotten," I said.
((Good bye Taff. I will miss your presence)) Esplin thought, silently.
I stepped back from the body, still beneath the tarp. Sonili, Jett, and Torfan stood behind me. Sonili stepped forward, ((You will always be my friend, and I will always miss you. Good bye)) she whispered, grief making her movements jerky, and her speech hasty.
Jett stepped forward then, "Jett miss Taff. Taff with Mother Sky. Taff free. Jett stay, fight more."
Torfan leveled his shredder, and carefully adjusted the settings on the weapon. I did not look away as the blue beam turned the tarp and body into a pile of ash. I had the afterimage burned into my vision for several minutes, before it faded. We scooped up the ashes into a second tarp, and tied it off. We would spread her ashes later. We had to survive first.
