(Untitled)

[in_the_cracks]

It’s been a while since Telrim’s had time for anything but business. But there must have been a lull back home, because once again there’s a Controller in the Nexus, quietly watching the people around her. As always the Yeerk is privately sizing them up - hosts, threats, interesting specimens - but her eyes follow the human-looking ones in

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[haganenomore]

"Hmm." Ed thinks about that for a moment. "Depends on the rumor. If it sounds plausible, I might be inclined to think there's something to it. And back when I was a teenager, I chased every rumor I could find on something. They never panned out though."

[in_the_cracks]

"They're slippery little things. So, you gave up chasing?"

[haganenomore]

"I found out what I needed to know from someone that actually did work on what I was looking for." He winced. "I ended up wishing I didn't know."

[in_the_cracks]

She gives a wry grimace in sympathy. "Think you'd have preferred the dead ends and speculations?"

[haganenomore]

"Making the thing I was after would have meant killing a lot of people. I'm not into mass murder," Ed says drily.

[in_the_cracks]

"At least knowing the cost meant you could discard that plan and move on. I'll take a solid assessment over a... dangerous pipe dream any day."

[haganenomore]

"I suppose that's true. Didn't stop the disappointment and depression at finding it wasn't a viable option though. Not to mention, I had spent about four years chasing it at that point.

[in_the_cracks]

"It must have been very personal..."

[haganenomore]

"Yeah, it was. I need it to try to undo something." He shakes his head. "Anyway, anything in particular prompting you to ask this of the Nexus at large?"

[in_the_cracks]

There's the briefest studying look from her before his question cuts it off. She shrugs, of course. No need to act like it's a major problem... though she knows there's no such thing as a trivial question here. "Nothing quite so close to home as yours. There's always a lot of gossip where I live. It'll drive you mad if you take it seriously. It's just starting to look as if some of the wilder rumours might actually be true."

((Mun typo, was supposed to be 'needed'.))

[haganenomore]

"Ah. More interesting than just who's sleeping with whom, I take it."

[in_the_cracks]

"More in the league of who's behind what. Plenty of people will be very upset if it is true. And you can count on them to spread their displeasure around, of course."

[haganenomore]

"Ah. Like 'don't mind the puppetmaster behind the leader' or 'he or she is responsible for what atrocity?!'?

[in_the_cracks]

"More of the second, but it... would... make the people in charge look like fools anyway." Her eyes sweep the nearby Nexus, quite casually checking the scenery before she remarks, "The trouble with truly unpleasant rumours is that even acknowledging their existence can be unwise. Never mind dealing with the chance that they're actually right."

[haganenomore]

"Or looking too deeply into things to find out what else is wrong." Ed rubs his face with his hand. "Can't say I've had to worry about that sort of rumor although an alternate of someone I know landed in hot water while trying to find out for certain if something was true."

[in_the_cracks]

"That's unfortunate. Did they get out of it?"