RP: YSS Miharu Mission 5, Aftermath (4th day)

"We are the Umbral. We collectively take form in the shape you beheld Mefpralphra as, though we've learned to not be confined by it," she told him. "We vary in affinity roughly akin to how humans could vary: for example, you could consider Mefpralphra as a thinker and a talented psionic whereas her counterpart Reiaz is more a warrior-like hunter. Usually time, accumulated experience, remains from our competitors and trials we need to surmount gradually shape those inclinations."

"Fascinating. So this Reiaz was 'her' counterpart. That would denote that indeed Mefpralphra was a female of the Umbral?" Nyton replied. He quickly wrote down the name 'Reyas' as a reference point to return to.

"So there are slight variances dependent on events. Are there other kinds of affinities? You say there are thinkers and hunters what about say, spies or scientists? And how do you spell Reiaz? Is this one an opponent of Mefpralphra? What other tenets to his relationship with her exist?"

"Mefpralphra is often thought of as a 'she' due to her progenitor role toward the Mishhuvurthyar, and her influence has had her named the 'Infection Queen'," Melisson tolerantly told Nyton, "but the Umbral don't have a male and female gender like you do."

"Yes to the variation of varieties you mentioned... and I don't actually know how to spell Reiaz. I only ever spoke the name," she frowned. "Maybe take the yamataian name 'Rei' and add -az at the end?"

Nyton quickly wrote down 'Reiaz' with a question mark next to it since the spelling was still under question. As he did this he continued to actively listen and observe Melisson's behaviors. Either she really was becoming irritable or she may be pretending to throw him off. He was certain as to which line of questioning was unnerving her. Not concluding as to whichever it was he maintained his steady countenance and continued: "This Reiaz you mentioned, is he currently operating against the Empire? Are there any other Umbral who are? You also mentioned that the Umbral have since expanded. If so then what is the purpose for this expansion and how far has it gone?" he then rattled off with a series of questions.

"Reiaz leads the Neo Mishhuvurthyar. All the present NMX fleets report to him," Melisson answered, circling her arms around her knees while resting her chin atop them. "He should be by himself on the battlefront, though I wouldn't dismiss the idea of other Umbrals coming and going. Assuming the whole warcouncil - rebuilt under his Doctrine - would get involved there ought to be a maximum of 11 elders involved. Unil they realize Mefpralphra's destruction, that is."

"As for expanding, we did, but we charted star systems more than we actually colonized them," she added. "We've never had all that many actual holdings until the Mishhuvurthyar wars began."

More notes were written.

"What significance would Mefpralphra's death have regarding the 11 elders you mention?" Nyton asked with obvious curiosity.

"In the perception of many, Mefpralphra has been around forever," Melisson soberly explained. "Most of the elders presently in the war council are replacements to even older elders destroyed by Hanako's Plumeria. That perception will be even stronger with them since they did not, despite the newly attained rank, feel equal to her."

"Reiaz had an ideological rivalry with Mefpralphra," the interpreter continued. "In the end, I suspect he secretly lacked respect on basis of her implication in the conflict. She had been, after all, the one caught whom helped all these events unfold. She had been weak and mostly relied on her manipulative ways to fulfill some alien fantasy for her bastard offsprings."

"Reiaz will be disturbed, but he will be quick to capitalize on it," she predicted. "He will use this to renew his stance that the Doctrine of Annihilation is necessary to put an end to such dangerous vermin as the humanoids are. He will draw support from beyond the war council: Mefpralphra was not a warrior and she had ties beyond that he will exploit."

"Enough time after he will have played up Mefpralphra's demise to gain support from it, he will surely start hunting down specifically the cause for her demise - before the Elders can get used to Mefpralphra's absence. He will have much to gain from it."

"I see. I guess that saves me the trouble of looking for him." Nyton remarked casually while realizing just what the implications of this meant. He circled the words '11 elders' and wrote 'more info needed' next to it. "I would like to get a full disclosure regarding these eleven elders you mention but that will be later. A simple spoken dialogue to the security camera may be enough. Any further details could be followed up by later questions."

At this time Nyton then shifted his seating posture and tapped on the notepad with his pen a few times. "What ties did Mefpralphra have that you mentioned Reiaz will attempt to exploit? How old was Mefpralphra based on the standard YE year?" he then asked.

"Centuries old," Melisson provided sotto voce. "She was - as an entity - around from around when meteorological studies transitioned to astronomy, out fledgling efforts to reach space, the Varin first contact, and then the exploration program that came after. She was an elder in other councils before the war council."

Melisson offered a shrug. "If Reiaz appears to exceed the Vaaker Takeup Mefpralphra has displayed through her existence, he will be seen as greater, and his influence will grow beyond the elders of the war council. The Umbral, as a species, are still distant from the Humanoid/Mishhuvurthyar war. It may be that if Reiaz is allowed to have his way thanks to the power vacuum Mefpralphra left that-"

She paused. Melisson then frowned and shook her head. "This is just speculation on my part. It may not be truthful."

While Melisson spoke Nyton just continued to take notes and nod his head while he listened. "Of course, speculation and theory. I understand that. You would not want to appear as though you lied and gave misinformation." he said.

Nyton then paused and looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully before returning his gaze to Melisson. "I think that was one of the things you tended to be very good about. You tell the truth and keep your promises. Quite the reputation to have where you can tell the truth to your enemies and know you can be believed. Just out of curiosity though did you ever lie during any of your meetings or negotiations?"

"Very early on, before I decided on my established interpreter persona and the demeanor I wanted to display, yes," Melisson admitted. "Since then, I've refrained from giving anything less than a half-truth since the power of credibility was more valuable than the usually short-term benefit of telling risky lies. Do note that this does not prevent me from saying something in error."

Nyton nodded and tapped his pen on the notepad. "Nothing less than half-truths then. So what you told Nimura and I back on your ship would fall into that category then." he remarked absently.

"It also applied to the reward as well," Melisson added. "Nimura was freed. After giving out that gift, I was not going to take it away simply out of convenience. We're it not for Nimura having her freedom, you would not have had anyone valiantly defending you from the elites I tasked to process you once you were comatose."

"I know I know. Amazing how that all worked out. Nimura kills her sister instead and then she gets her freedom. I guess mathematically if Ichigo hadn't died there would be more deaths." Nyton said almost cheerfully.

"So yes you were telling the truth about Nimura's reward. She did fight and win her freedom. A fine fight indeed." he then added with the same upbeat tone.

"Strange thing that I still have a hard time wrapping my head around is the bit where you implied that both Nimura and I were fighting for our freedom." Nyton then said, all traces of mirth gone. With a glance up at the ceiling he recovered the data recording of the exact wording Melisson had said. "Freedom to the one that killed first seemed like high enough stakes. Those were your words. Nimura won her freedom by killing Ichigo. What remains a puzzle to me is what stake was I fighting for? What freedom? From what and who?"

Nyton then narrowed his eyes at Melisson. "Or was it all a lie, Mel?"

"Maybe it was a mistake?" was Melisson's rejoinder. "It could've made more sense to you before Hinoto killed you. Perhaps the thespian in me was attached to the scenario, so I could've tried to stick to it anyways."

Then she was grinning all teeth. "But... what makes you so sure I did not imprint my mind on you all over again even after Hinoto killed you? You spent more than four years, imprinted upon and none the wiser for it. Or letting you retain your freedom could've been something that applied in the near future, when I flattened you all on the floor, trapped within your own deteriorating minds. With Nimura dead, you could've filled her shoes."

Nyton looked unamused but remained unmoved by her grin.

"It did make more sense before Hinoto killed me. Once the imprinted body was dead however it made the offer irrelevant." he stated flatly.

"According to historical data for you to imprint me again would have required me to be physically in your presence again. That opportunity did not occur until after the match. Then you mention that I could have filled Nimura's position and yet that did not occur either. You instead chose to have me processed. I did not win that contest as Nimura was the only one to win her freedom. So by your reasoning that still does not make sense. Thespian tendencies notwithstanding your little half-truth still amounts to nothing more than a lie."

"What is exactly the point of your nonsensical argument?" Melisson's grin was toned down to a smug smile. "Catching me in a lie? Well, at any rate, your historical data is flawed. I never met Nimura before we fought and I still imprinted on her."

Nyton let out a brief laugh at Melisson's retort. "What could be the point of such a nonsensical argument indeed?" he said after he finished chuckling.

The man then leaned forward slightly on his chair and tapped the pen on the paper a couple more times. He let out a breath before he continued, "Well you seem to be more your jovial self now that you are smiling. As for my historical data well you do have a point there. I guess if you can make a mistake then anyone can make a mistake. Now that we seem to have lightened the mood you bring up an excellent point. Just how exactly did you manage to imprint and control Nimura like you did?"

"Imprints are a small part of my consciousness. Essentially planting the equivalent of one of my bug-selves in a person's psyche," Melisson explained. "But it's part of my mind, and can harness a degree of dormant esper potential from the host - you're really cognitively using a small percentage of your brain's capacity, even with the cybernetics thrown in."

"Using that, it can manage to make imprints on its own."

"It was just after your vacation to Nepleslia was over and you were handing out souvenirs. Back then, I communicated some mental traits of Ketsurui Sharie up to your imprint. From there, it replicated itself into Nimura's mind along with the additional Sharie information. The rest is history you know."

Nyton wrote down the notes as quickly as they came. "Fascinating. See and that was the bit of missing information that makes it all much clearer now. So we learn that you can imprint others through those who were already imprinted. Now regardless of the winner, for dramatic effect you pitted me against Nimura. However you really expect me to believe you made a mistake? Either you re-imprinted me or you implied it when you had not."