The small femme looks toward her interrogator, arching a brow. "That is another of my prototype shells. Where else should it be if not in the lab where I'm building it, hmmm?"
She transmits a tiny databurst to Dallesh, a diagram of an electrode that is sensitive to neural stimulation. On its own it's useless, but to one such as the yeerk technician it will also no doubt be quite fascinating.
"That is her concern, and not yours," she says to Five, then adds privately, //Truthfully, it's not her concern, either.//
Oooh, that's going to keep it occupied for a while. It doesn't look like the telepathic tech used by Yeerk or Andalite...
"As a matter of fact," Five says brightly, "in this situation I have authority over a mere courier." ...Unless said courier is under special command of a higher authority, say a visser or the Council's inspectorate. The system is less a formalised series of protocols and a basic matter of who Five will dare to challenge.
"Normally, yes you would." Starscream walks over and pulls out her scanner to run it over the shell that Five is sitting in. "But while you're here you have whatever authority a bored scientist wishes to concede to." //Do you want another drink?//
//Don't respond in ways that the others will notice,// Starscream reprimands as a drone obeys her command and offers Dallesh a sheet of flexible clear plastic-like stuff and a felt tip pen so that it can draw diagrams and notes if it so pleases.
"Let's have another try at the drinking system," she says out loud, once more offering the tube.
Dallesh accepts the materials with pleased surprise, handing the cookies back to Three. It does set about drawing... a couple of diagrams, and then doodles of Bug fighters, to the amusement of the watching second.
Five eyes Starscream, but gives it up and opens its mouth.
The scientist lets her drink her fill, then takes the tube away and walks over to look at Dallesh's drawings. "Interesting. But I'm going to have to ask you to come out of that shell now."
Dallesh looks up at her, then turns to Five. She gives a curt nod.
The lowlier Yeerk hands the drawings to Three (who has to shift the cookies under one arm) and resettles the drone body on the table before it begins to detach.
Like a practised infestation, Dallesh is fully disentangled by the time she gets there.
"I'd like to keep my senses for a while," Five says, turning its head to watch Starscream. "Perhaps I could take the one Dallesh is vacating." It's a helpful suggestion, really.
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"Telrim Four-whatever," Three says suddenly, looking to Five, then to Starscream. "You mentioned her name."
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"Where does she come into this?" Five asks coldly.
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"That is her concern, and not yours," she says to Five, then adds privately, //Truthfully, it's not her concern, either.//
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"As a matter of fact," Five says brightly, "in this situation I have authority over a mere courier." ...Unless said courier is under special command of a higher authority, say a visser or the Council's inspectorate. The system is less a formalised series of protocols and a basic matter of who Five will dare to challenge.
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"Dallesh, sit down, you're in the drones' way."
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Five inclines its head in a small, stiff nod. //That water will lose its nourishment soon enough,// it points out.
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"Let's have another try at the drinking system," she says out loud, once more offering the tube.
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Five eyes Starscream, but gives it up and opens its mouth.
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The lowlier Yeerk hands the drawings to Three (who has to shift the cookies under one arm) and resettles the drone body on the table before it begins to detach.
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"I'd like to keep my senses for a while," Five says, turning its head to watch Starscream. "Perhaps I could take the one Dallesh is vacating." It's a helpful suggestion, really.
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