Test run for yeerk drone vehicles: one

[screamsofstars]

((from here))

Starscream's moving as soon as her feet hit the floor of her lab, weaving briskly in and out among the stations where her assistants and drones are working.

"This way," she tells the human host who's following her with the bucket containing his squad mates. "Through this door."

Silence falls over them as they enter her private sanctum, which is currently dominated by three tables in the middle of the room. On each of those tables is what looks like a body covered from the chest down with a sheet. One of them is a dead ringer for a certain human woman named Natasha Stanton. Another is a fair haired male, and the third is a dark skinned male with strong features.

"Set the bucket here." She turns to look at him, her expression saying that she expects to be obeyed.

Comments

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

Five hides its surprise, realising that Starscream will probably detect it anyway and being annoyed by that. So she knows our language... "And how long do you estimate that will be?"

Dallesh sits up, flexing joints and inspecting its new interior. "It's... hungry."

Three watches his squadmate in surprise. "How come you can move?"

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

"That depends on many variables." She reaches into subspace and then offers Dallesh what looks like a packet of baby cookies, ignoring the drone that's taking care of Five as she continues to scan the technician.

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

Dallesh controls itself and holds back long enough not to look like Phil a totally host-happy moron. It takes the cookies and nods politely to Starscream in thanks.

"Such as?" Five demands, eyeing the drone. Automated medic. What fun. "Perhaps your kind feels differently but we... have little tolerance for being paralysed."

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

"You aren't paralyzed," she says, still intent on Dallesh. //So what exactly is your mission and your ranks, my technical friend?// "Move the fingers of your left hand, one at a time in sequence to the right, starting with the middle finger. And give Three something to stop his host's stomach from making that disgusting sound."

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

"Just trapped?" Five asks, eyebrows raised.

Dallesh tosses the cookies to Three, then follows Starscream's instructions while the other Controller munches. //Aftran Three-Zero-Zero there is Five's second-in-command. I'm Dallesh Zero-Four. We're a covert field unit; our mission depends on what the sub-visser needs, but mostly we're what Phil calls alien abductors.//

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

"One of your squad mates is currently unoccupied save by stuffing his face, and the medical drone would also return you to the bucket if you were to leave the sensory nest." //Then you perfectly suit my needs. What of the others?//

"Now mesh the fingers of both hands together."

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

Three looks guiltily at his boss.

"Thanks, but I'll stay with just 'helpless' over 'helpless and blind'," Five remarks, saving her glare for Three.

//Our fourth member is in the bucket. He's just the onboard xenophile.// Dallesh obeys, finding its dexterity a little off and attempting to rectify it.

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

//So he might be the hardest to convince of the feasibility of my offer.// "Now move that finger." She points to one without touching it. Testing its visual to motor linking. //And your captain and your second were made in the same batch.//

"Patience," she says to Five. "If you hadn't triggered the waste control I would have worked with you first."

That's only partially true.

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

//He's a fool,// Dallesh says of its best friend. //I don't know what he'll say.// It moves the correct finger easily: of all their senses, vision is the one Yeerks get the most training in integrating. //They're siblings, yes. I'm not sure if they were classmates.//

Five frowns and falls silent. Three takes the opportunity to point at the Natasha-shell when the captain looks his way. It turns its head and eyes the other shell, recognition slowly dawning, to its surprise.

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

"Now rub the shell's stomach in a circular motion with the left hand, and pat its head with the right hand." //Does that make them any more loyal to one another?// "Hmmm, it wouldn't be hard to make these run off the same radiation that you do...."

She's aware of their looking.

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

Further obedience; Dallesh of them all has the best multitasking ability, and currently it's grateful for the fact. //Not that I have seen.// "Really? How often do they need recharging?" They're already dependent on the Kandrona, but if they could cut out some of their other necessities...

"But that's... what's-her-number," Five mutters, still staring. "The courier."

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

"Once during a period of 24 Earth hours." She mentally makes notes, ignoring Five for the moment. "Alright now, get up and walk around."

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

Dallesh rises cautiously, taking it slow and steady. When it's almost standing it wobbles for a moment, but gets the co-ordination back.

"What's she doing here?" Five demands, turning its head back towards Starscream.