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

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

"No, that is a condition. You must also phase out the use of sentient beings as hosts." She frowns slightly and remotely taps a control on the scanner. "Are you hearing evenly from both audio receivers?"

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

"What? Why?" Five looks incredulous. "It's obviously no threat to you.. And no: the right one seems less sensitive."

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

Adjustments are made via the scanner, which has no visible controls. "That is my price. I needn't give explanation."

Then she tilts her head. "Your brain waves show a nanotick's discrepancy to the geriopolar. Stop being such a coward. I have no intention of killing any of you even if you displease me."

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

If you listen really carefully, you can hear Dallesh drooling. In its mind.

Five's eyes flash, but it says nothing and attempts to calm itself. Nothing worse than a neuroscientist who can beat you at your own talent and see through your facade. "Even if we betray you the way you warned us not to?"

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

Starscream probably can 'hear' something of the sort, her scanner is picking up the readings from that shell, too.

At Five's words her smirk returns. "Oh, you won't have time to be afraid then."

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

"That's not reassuring," Three observes, still staring at the spare shell. He and Dallesh seem less worried than their leader. Possibly this is because the technician is distraced and the second is riding in a mobile host. Possibly they're prepared to let Five take the hits.

Possibly they're much less ambitious and have long resigned themselves to taking kamikaze orders from their betters.

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

Starcsream shrugs, still busy tinkering. "So, 'Five' is squad captain, and 'Dallesh' is obviously technically inclined. What are the rest of you?"

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

Dallesh looks slightly embarrassed at being so transparent.

"Aftran Five-Zero-Eight," Five corrects. "Does it matter?"

"We're not really representatives of the Empire," Three agrees, drawing an immediate glare from his captain.

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

"No, you're grunts who are willing to do nearly anything to climb in the ranks so long as it doesn't involve too much harm to yourselves." She subspaces the scanner and picks up a drinking tube, putting one end into the bucket and the other to the mouth of the shell that Five resides in and then remotely triggering the shell's drinking reflex. Five finds itself bathed in just enough pool water to give it a snack, so to speak.

As she works she activates a private com channel to Dallesh. //If you agree to obey me and behave yourself in a respectful and trustworthy manner I'll give you motor control... and perhaps some simple specs.//

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

Three glances at Starscream, but doesn't speak. Correcting his superiors on trivial things is always more trouble than it's worth. As for Five, whatever comeback it might have pieced together is lost in a startled jerk as it feels the wash of Kandrona-rich water around it.

Dallesh starts and eyes the... 'Transformer'. It replies hesitantly, learning its way around the com unit like a new limb. //Agreed. You have my obedience... Starscream.//

[screamsofstars.livejournal.com]

"Congratulations, Five...." She arches one slender brow. "You just succeeded in triggering the waste control."

In other words, she just peed her pants.

Shaking her head, she gives a remote order to one of her drones, and then pulls a tool out of subspace and sets to work on Dallesh, who will gradually feel feedback from the rest of the body.

[in-the-cracks.livejournal.com]

Five curses to itself in Yeerkish ultrasonic squeaks, too faint for it to expect anyone else to hear. "How long are you going to keep us here?"

Dallesh's eyes widen slightly as it feels her begin to keep her end of the agreement, and it begins testing the host body as more opens to it.