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]

"And you're saying ours don't. And that I should disagree with them."

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

Starscream looks up. "Actually, I'm thinking it's time you four went home." She reaches into subspace and pulls out what looks like a green guitar pick, then offers it to Five.

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

Five takes it and lifts it up for examination. "What is this?"

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

"A book." She smiles.

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

Five looks to her, intrigued. "What kind of book?"

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

"Squeeze it with your thumbnail. And don't drop it."

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

Five takes that as a challenge of sorts and turns her attention back to the 'book' as she squeezes.

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

There's a slight flash, and she suddenly is indeed holding a book. A big one not unlike a telephone directory. When she opens it she'll find that each page has a scroll bar and is in fact a chapter unto itself. And the content is history. The history of all those who've tried to conquer humanity.

Of course there's nothing at all in it that Five or any other yeerk could use against Starscream or use to learn about new technology that they shouldn't have. The scientist is an apt censor.

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

Five flips through the pages, learning how the layout works and enjoying the novelty in spite of itself. And skimming the text itself.

When it figures out the gist of the content, it has to hold back a laugh. The Yeerk captain settles for looking up at Starscream with raised eyebrows. "...Interesting."

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

"When you've finished that volume I have another. And then several others on different topics." She calls to a drone to bring Three back, then checks on the other two and blinks. "Yeerk glasses?"

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

"Then in the meantime I'll be taking my people. All five of them." Five stops flipping through more pages and frowns at her. "What?"

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

"Four. I'm in the middle of an interesting conversation with the other, and I don't think it would appreciate having it interrupted. It will be returned without harm." Starscream's delicate face is creased into a grin of delight as she calls up a holo of the device that Dallesh has stuck onto Phil.

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

"Hm." Five's not sure she believes that, but the other Yeerk isn't really her concern. And what could she do if it was?

She stares in surprise at the Yeerk-and-gadget combination. "Now what have they done?"