Author's note: one of the lines of dialogue here was actually taken from the original, as it was just too good to pass up. ;-)

Nothing drastic was decided as the debates went on and wore down their participants. A comprehensive omnibus plan would, if all went according to precedent that seemed puny in comparison to the fisticuffs that had arisen, mark the end of the event. It had been anyone's guess beforehand whose version of strategy would take effect: the Sub-Visser's slow infiltration had been the default, but the Visser had proven himself a master tactician.

But once the debate had gotten off on some semblance of a track, Essam paled in comparison to Esplin. Stuttering and fumbling, he only maintained his appearance of having anything under control by Edriss's tireless assistance. As she grew weary, however, he became bitter and thankless. Those who could see how much work she was putting into a hopeless cause were unilaterally opposed to her endeavor, and made no attempt to help and sabotage their own chances of success. Essam was served by erratic underlings: the Visser sat atop an organized hierarchy, even if he wouldn't reveal it.

After more long but futile hours editing Essam's speeches, Edriss abruptly put them aside and knocked on his door. The contrast between him and Esplin had grown increasingly clear, and the conclusion at which she had arrived was no spontaneous decision, but a gradual realization. Nevertheless, enacting it could be. She had decided, instead, to forewarn Essam: a last concession to his neurotic whims.

"Who's there?" he barked.

"It's me," she said patiently.

"How do I know you're not the Visser in morph?"

Edriss gaped, not knowing how far the Sub-Visser had slipped out of reality. "I can tell you things about our past the Visser wouldn't know."

"No, you couldn't. He took it away, he destroyed us all. You're a spy for him, aren't you?"

"Essam!" she cried, still outside the door. "I would never!"

"That's right," he said after a moment's reflection. "You wouldn't. Come on in." He unbolted the door.

Relieved, she staggered in.

Essam slammed the door behind her: the force seemed to propel him away from it. "You couldn't spy for the Visser because you'd get caught! You're too pathetic to even work for me!"

Edriss had heard Essam get in moods before, but none as drastic as that. She reasoned that it might make her forthcoming announcement easier for him to take, but it might just as well make it harder. "I'm leaving." She carefully avoided saying when, or for how long.

"Oh no you're not. Not with my secrets."

"I would never betray any of our past, Essam!" she yelled. "It would incriminate me just as much as you."

"I'm not talking about that-I'm talking about my plan!"

"What plan?" she said soothingly.

"The plan!" he raged. "The plan that I have been working on for years! Decades, really."

"Less than one decade, and it's our plan. Or was."

"Like I said, you're not going to give it to them."

"Of course not."

"So what are you going to do?"

"Leave." The word tasted sour on her lips, but she would have to get used to it until she could get away. "As soon as this is over with."

"And if I pull it out? Without your incompetent help?"

"You can't, Essam. You've ruined your chances."

"You've ruined me."

"I was going to wait until we were done with this-I would have thought you'd be grateful for my help, as it's about all you're getting-but if you want me to head out now, I'd be more than happy to."

"Stay, then! Do you think I care?"

"Everything I thought about you for…years is falling apart! How can I know anymore?"

"It's just taken me this long to figure out the truth, hidden behind all your secrets. You're just as aggressive as the others-you only used me for your own power."

"I am not like the others." Edriss ignored his final charge.

"What makes you different?"

"I know how-" She changed her train of thought. "Everything we went through. Does that count for anything?"

"Not with you."

"With you, Essam! The gentle engineer that ran away with me? Where did he go?"

"He was naïve. You killed him, you and the other fighters."

"I am not like them."

"Then stay with me."

"I can't, not the way you're acting."

"We'll be done soon. Then things will go back to normal."

"You'll lose soon, and you'll be an outcast."

"I will if you desert me."

"You've deserted everything we stood for."

"You did first."

"I did not-look at us, Essam! How can you win the debate if you talk to me like this?"

"I counted on your help, all along."

"I counted on you. The "you" I used to believe in."

"I gave up on believing when you gave up on me."

"You betrayed my trust."

"It's my fault for not seeing clearly to begin with."

"You don't sound sorry."

"Oh, I am. I'm sorry you came to this." Edriss wouldn't have been surprised if the Sub-Visser had a Dracon beam on her or others aimed out of sight, but she opened, leapt out, and closed the door.

Without having turned to see her, Essam yelled: "Go away! Just get out!" Hearing nothing, he strained his neck to look over his shoulder.

Calmly, Edriss continued walking down the hallway, feeling as if she expressed any emotion she'd either lose control and break into a run-or, worse, break down and turn around.

"Be someone else's parasite!" he added bitterly.

There were too many forces arrayed against him, he knew, for him to make enemies casually. Most insults of his fellow Yeerks he could shrug off: they were immature, able to see only the most direct attack. A Hork-Bajir had more mentality, sometimes.

So it made Edriss's departure even more painful. She had been his longtime confidant, his one ally against a corrupt establishment. And he, in turn, would do anything for her: when they shattered Yeerk law, they did so together. At least up until now: while she had violated no precept, she had annihilated the relationship they had nourished. She had left him no way to exact revenge upon her: if she could be so flippant, he didn't know what he could do to destroy her.