Under Contract ((for elwoodsingblues

[in_the_cracks]

Weeks into deep space (from a human perspective), Telrim doesn’t have her usual locations to work from. Instead she’s hanging around in one of the lesser-used storage bays of Visser Twenty-eight’s ship, using the lone computer console to catch up on some work. Actually, she’s trying to decide how to word ‘injuries sustained from pilot's digestive

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[elwoodsingblues]

Elwood is from an era of vinyl record players, cassette tapes, rotary-dial telephones and mullets. As such, he finds the PINpoint machine very worrying right from the offset. Still, after glaring at it suspiciously for a while he decides it’s worth a shot. It must be. And if it doesn’t work-which part of him is expecting-well, he hasn’t really [i]lost[/i] anything.

The initial disbelief is probably something to do with just how disorientated he feels upon arriving with a subdued flash in the storage bay, stumbling slightly with how startled he is. To his eyes the place is outlandish and rather creepy but he doesn’t forget his manners and tips his hat to Telrim-or Natasha Stanton, as he knows her. He was raised by nuns, after all.

“Ma’am,” he says a little blearily by way of greeting, and decides to leave it at that. He’s still blinking a little behind his sunglasses.

[elwoodsingblues]

All the decontamination cycles in the world couldn't help Elwood. He always finds a way.

Being more than accustomed to a bit of rough and tumble and pain, Elwood doesn't react in the least to the injection itself, just looks faintly reproachful in a you-could-have-told-me-earlier kind of way. He does settle, however, especially seeing as it really isn't so bad. Telrim's rather tigher-than-necessary grasp doesn't go unnoticed but he doesn't want to say anything.

"No, it wasn't," he says, ever so politely despite the look on his face. "What was that one for?"

[in_the_cracks]

She blinks at that: she hadn't expected him to ask, and on the spot she has to work to find a reasonably plausible answer.

"Oh... uh, Mardix," she says, naming a pool bug that gives Yeerks across the Empire perennial reason to curse. And only Yeerks, since it only affects their species. She raises the second vial to show him before she injects it. "This one's the gafrash virus."

What next, dapsen fever? asks her host, in disbelieving irritation. Telrim disregards the emotion: of course her host merely wants this to be over with. It's just another distraction now, and she's at work.

Good one. I'll use it instead of kanver gahalaf.

...Isn't that a tree disease?

[elwoodsingblues]

"OK..." It doesn't make any difference to him; Elwood's never heard of either, of course. He manages to dredge up enough emotion to feel somewhat glad he's now 'immune' to them, though he's one of those 'I don't get sick' people that never believes it'd affect him anyway.

"What's that do?" His attention span is not particularly large and now that he's discovered it doesn't hurt, Elwood's starting to get bored. He goes to move his head but thankfully realises soon enough that it's not a good idea. He kicks one of his lanky legs over the other instead. "Sounds painful."

[in_the_cracks]

"Oh, it is." She sounds distant as she repeats the motions, distracted giving her host final instructions. She's close now, so close, a matter of a moments from her goal. "You should see the blood."

One last vial, the dosage set to zero as with the second, and the Controller fumbles slightly as Telrim begins to release control, relying on her host's co-operation to finish the job. She sets down the injector, moving a bit further out of Elwood's field of vision with the last swab in hand.

Sorry, Elwood... XD

[elwoodsingblues]

Elwood wrinkles his nose slightly. "Rather not," he mutters, folding his arms and fixing his gaze back to the floor thoughtfully. He catches the fumble-- she's at his neck, after all-- but doesn't react to it at all. Instead he just finds himself frowning in thought.

"Ya do this kind of thing a lot?"

XD He's making a Yeerk very happy, if it helps! :P

[in_the_cracks]

"No. Not like this. But then, I do whatever I'm called on to do," Telrim murmurs. It's the last thing she says before she relinquishes control completely, her fragile true form struggling blindly into the unseen light.

Natasha is waiting to catch her. She knows what she has to do, despite the sick feeling in her stomach. She's no massive, bladed Hork-Bajir warrior: speed and surprise are their allies here. As soon as she has Telrim, she presses swab and Yeerk to Elwood's ear.

Again the cold and damp sensation, if in the wrong place. But this time the sense of pressure will linger after the hand is withdrawn, and then a far more definite sense of discomfort...

I'm sure it does XD No idea how the transition works, so do whatever you want

[elwoodsingblues]

He's still thinking about Telrim's words when he receives his slap on the ear. Though he's surprised, it's not difficult for her in the least. God only knows how Elwood would have fared against a Hork-Bajir warrior.

"...oww!" It comes out as a bit of a whine. He still doesn't know how serious it is. How could he? It's followed by an unconscious shudder and he claps a hand to his ear as soon as Natasha lets go and tips his head to the side, pulling a face, knotting his brow. "What the hell was that?"

And then the ache. He sits up straighter-- a miracle!-- and turns to look at Natasha, as if for reassurance.

Maybe she can make it up to him. :D Well, it goes a little like this...

[in_the_cracks]

She's already moving back to the table, reaching for the injector, half hoping to keep up the facade a few seconds longer. But at his question she looks around, clearly nervous now. Something's gone from the way she holds herself, the unconscious assurance of a creature older and less human.

"W-what?" she asks, jittery, stalling, watching him closely for the coming change. And looking very guilty.

The ache lingers, though it gets duller as the Yeerk wriggles inward. This is the fourth human it's infested: it knows the path very well, and pushes aside minor anatomical obstructions, secreting slime to dilate and ease the way.

And then it's in, wrapping itself about Elwood's cerebral cortex. Telrim seeks out his motor centres first: until it knows what's happened in the last few seconds, the priority is to keep the new host immobile.

Then it can say hello.

[elwoodsingblues]

That is not the reaction Elwood had hoped for. Some vague, false reassurance that it's perfectly normal to feel something like a rubbery dental drill in one's skull would have been better received. Instead she looks suddenly a lot less certain than she did before and his head is still hurting. This is worrying.

"My head-," he explains, or tries to explain, but that's when Telrim locks him down.

Elwood's not the type for panic-- he's been in more than his fair share of bizarre, intense situations-- but this is new and he does not enjoy it. Mostly he's confused... though that isn't unusual by any means when it comes to Elwood. Yes, it's probable Telrim will find Elwood's mind extremely different to Natasha's. There's not exactly much to it: music, toast, Jake, driving and petty theft.

[in_the_cracks]

Ah, it's a relief to see again, to hear, to be in control. There's another moment of settling, and then Telrim moves Elwood's head: inspecting their hands, then looking up curiously, sweeping the room with new eyes.

< Interesting, > comes the alien thought in Elwood's mind. < So now we meet properly, Elwood Blues. >

[elwoodsingblues]

The voice startles him, to say the least. So does the fact that his body is moving without him telling it to-- in fact, against what he's telling it to. He struggles for another couple of moments to try and move himself.

That's not cool, is the first thing he thinks, which is ridiculous. Then: 'We'? Who are you?

[in_the_cracks]

There's laughter - or the very distinct impression of laughter. Between his plan coming off and the thrill of infesting a new host, Telrim's feeling a little giddy.

< Your passenger, > he says, reaching into Elwood's memories, pulling them out for a closer look. < As arranged. Are you done struggling? It won't help, I assure you. >

[elwoodsingblues]

Just for the sake of Telrim mentioning it, Elwood fights a little harder for a brief time before giving up with the mental equivalent of moodily slumping into a chair. Oh, hell. Now he knows it's not a terrible mistake and was actually all part of some awful 'arrangement', he's less freaked out.

Though still annoyed.

Did you come in through my ear? is what he manages by way of response.

Memories. There's quite a lot packed in, most of it not exactly normal, but aside from the musical side of things what Telrim will notice first is probably the incredible bond between Elwood and his brother Jake. Elwood doesn't talk about it much and when he does he understates it, but the deep-rooted affection there is intense and rarely far from his mind. They know each other better than they know themselves-- which I suppose means Telrim now knows a lot about Jake too.

[in_the_cracks]

< Do you have some other entrance to your skull? > Telrim sounds preoccupied at that moment. He hadn't realised how deep the brothers' bond went: human relationships are so unpredictable, once you start digging beneath the mere surface of things they actually say.

< But yes, I entered through your ear and took direct control of your central nervous system. And yes, I lied about what was going to happen. But I think you're too smart to be shocked by that. Aren't you? >

[elwoodsingblues]

I'm not shocked at being lied to, Elwood thinks, his bad mood pouring from the words like rainclouds. I'm used to that. I'm not exactly used to having my brain taken over by-- whatever you are. Few people are, he supposes. He wishes he could move; Elwood doesn't like staying too still.

Who the hell would want my brain, anyway? I think ya made a bad call on that one.

What else is lurking in Elwood's mind? A bombardment of song lyrics-- hundred of songs along with accompanying harmonica riffs. The kids at the Catholic orphanage he looks out for and his own days living there. A whole lot about cars and driving, about the same amount on theft and break-ins. Days performing with the band. The greasy dive he's living at. Missing his imprisoned brother. And toast, of course. How deep is Telrim going to go?