RP: YSS Miharu Mission 5, Part 2: The Fight For The Lost

"We did not come for an audience, we came to kill you. Regardless of all the games you force us to play, our goal is simple: make you die." Nyton said, just barely hiding the seething anger in his voice when he thought of something.

She was ignoring what I said earlier. Nyton thought, connecting his earlier spoken dialogue with realization that her earlier response was made to his thoughts. Despite any defense Kotori mustered, Melisson was still picking up their thoughts.

He can't talk to the others. His suit could not communicate with him. Melisson was offering an audience he did not want. If they could not advance to strike the true Melisson then Kotori would die and they would all be her mind slaves. The question was how was it doing this? He thought back to what Hinoto had told him in order to resist the controls of Melisson. Forced into a stalemate he allowed himself to linger his mind on the delicate sprite with the solid core.

Nyton knew he had a mission to accomplish so he had forced all of his concern for the avatar to be suppressed. He had confidence she would survive this fight if they could just reach Melisson. But now that they were here he had hit a wall. A solid wall that he was scrambling to find a breach. As he concentrated on this wall he thought about Hinoto and felt his heart leap. He had to break through.

Hinoto, is still observing us, isn't she? She has to be seeing what we see. Is it possible she could detect something.... but how could she alert us?

"Ah?" Melisson gave Nyton a tolerant look, her eyebrows rising slightly. "That's all?"

As much as Nyton could intellectually try and picture that there was a problem in his head, putting conscious thought into countering what was happening to him was not yielding much fruit. Whatever Melisson was doing, she wasn't even giving him the chance to mentally fight her off.

Shot up and shaken, Yukari listened to Nyton make demands. She already had gone through Asher being inappropriate and the realization that whatever Melisson was doing, it ignored the PSCs inside their Daisy armors. Nyton's body language, after he stopped shooting, suggested he was surprised.

She was, too. Instead of bringing up her shield as she had wanted to, she stood and took it until she was on the ground, barrier down. That was beginning to charge, and she was not hurt ... but the threat was very, very real.

Yukari gripped her revolver in one hand, tightened her hand around it, breathed slowly, then took a few steps closer to Melisson while Nyton seemed to not move. She did not, however, get closer than Nyton.

She kept her gun down, too.

"Free will implies freedom to act as we wish without interference, Interpreter," she said with all the steadiness she could muster. "Whatever it is you do or have done to us, we are not free."

Melisson turned her attention to Yukari. "That is a flawed argument and - by your own ken - an hypocritical double standard. Our Vaaker Talkaup have matched and yours is found wanting, but if you had the upper hand you would not be treating me with the same fairness as I have shown you."

"As for previously, I have granted you but my assistance and support in your endeavors, your mission, and that despite our species being at war. For my troubles, you attempt to end me." She smirked. "For people whom want the fighting to stop, you are being very bad at making it happen."

Yukari chewed on that. Her head felt ... slow. Melisson did not deny she was manipulating them. She seemed to imply they deserved whatever treatment they got.

Nyton was right, but they would not win without appealing to Melisson's ... sense of fair play?

"Vaaker Talkaup ... I am not familiar with that term. Could you please explain it?"

Yuzuki hovered, nondescript, on the edge of the observation deck well back from the action, near the entrance as she had been ordered to do. She had followed along - but slowly, allowing the rest of the Black Knights to act vanguard, and keeping the unconscious and vulnerable Rin carefully hugged to her, taking extreme care not to jostle her even the least bit.

Now, with the goal of their entire mission right in front of her, Yuzuki couldn't help but feel the full weight of dispair. It settled down on her mercilessly through the weight cradled her arms, as the blood and hemosynth stained her armor red and her consciousness black. The discussion going on in front of her took on an almost secondary aspect in light of her sister's peril. Even if Yuzuki had wanted to fire, there would have been no use.

All that she had known, from birth to the present, was geared towards the realization of this moment. The endless battles on the edge of nowhere; the Miharu torn apart, little by little, pushed beyond its limits until it was finally just scrap; the suffering of her sisters, and their useless deaths, were for this moment. They had given everything, for all their lives. Yuzuki had not even given the reason for such an existance much consideration, but now in the face of its final fruitation, she questioned its worth. To think that this thing in front of her was the cause of all the hardship that the crew of the Miharu had suffered left her feeling hopelessly drained of energy.

How could all of the work of the Miharu crew, everything that they had endured and accomplished and lost, have been done for the amusement of this thing? This monster...

Holding her sister close, Yuzuki glared helplessly, hating it bitterly with all her soul.

For all the posturing, toying and defiance going on, Tom felt pretty helpless where he stood. He didn't know why... It was just a feeling of unusual detachment from his surroundings, as if he had been pumped with drugs but still aware of what was happening. It was so strange.

He needed to hear a voice from the outside. He tried contacting Hinoto. If that didn't work, he tried to command his armor to refresh it's uplink with Hoshi.

Kai stood back a little bit, and listened to what was going on. The Yamataian felt a strange urge to slap Asher and Nyton, as they seemed to be making fools of themselves. There didn't seem to be much they could do, but Kai's patience had already been worn thin.

Obviously, shooting was not an option at this point- Nyton's own attempt had proven nearly disastrous and Kai was in a position where he could hit much more of their group. As he watched people stepping forward, closer to Melisson, the Yamataian decided instead that he would rather step backwards, away from the small humanish thing that they wanted to kill.

"Vaaker Talkaup translates into many things," Melisson answered Yukari. "One of your ancient philosophers that I've studied came very close to it with a philosophy he called 'Will to Power'."

"It is a matter of self-determination, and how to apply it," the interpreter continued. "Society bequeaths you a sense of right and wrong, but in a wide universe where many communities with many points of views and many values... the myriad shades of what you call morality are made inconsistent. Good and evil are not universal: they are defined by those you consider the strongest within your social structure."

"Cast aside the ephemeral trappings of morality and civilization and what remains is Vaaker Takeup: how to master yourself where others would master you, and empower you with the drive and capacity to make what you desire happen even despite the opposing wills of others, going so far as to master them if necessary."

" ... "

Melisson operates under a philosophy without a moral structure. Yukari took slow breaths as she thought. There only is power in this philosophy ... Then her helping us is part of her will to more power. To get her here to the Draconian Fleet.

She thought a little more, but it all was so heavy. And sluggish.

"That is ... sad, Interpreter. That is a sad and lonely philosophy." She was sincere; there was little else she could think to say.

"Sad?" Melisson echoed, as if tasting the word. "Sad because you think such an outlook leads to an empty life? If so, the universe is a much 'sadder' place than you allowed yourself to imagine."

"At the very basic levels of life, you can see Vaaker Takeup," the alien woman explained. "The supposedly benign plants you classify as 'trees' are in competition, those that manage to grow taller not only benefiting from greater sunlight, and so greater growth and more widespread roots. These advantages all contribute to continuing to accrue these benefits, and the plants under such shade enjoy less light and less nutrients."

"The same applies to the animal kingdom, the relations between plant and herbivore, predator and prey, the slain and how their remains perpetuate further life. Animals display their own organization over that and in predatory canine packs you have the interplay of the alpha, the females and the omega."

"This applies even to your protector," she continued. "Born in a realm where others defined right and wrong for her, she stood out, managed to excel and took action. Not content with her community, she seeks to earn the means to be elevated on top of it and then apply herself into changing it to suit her tastes better."

"Vaaker Takeup. It is the reason I am here. It is what brought you here. It is why I allowed you to come this far," Melisson finished.

Nyton had grown agitated at his inability to do anything. The mountain was there beckoning to be surmounted. Yet there was no means for him to gain any purchase. Then he heard Yukari speaking aloud and he could hear her.

I am not cut off. We can hear but apparently loudspeaker only.

At that Nyton suddenly grew calm. He listened, taking in the conversation between Shosa and Interpreter. All the while his mind raced and attempted to put the pieces together.

Nyton compiled the facts on hand: Melisson declared they had free will. Melisson had cautioned all of them not to attack. He could not understand input from AIES, both audio and visual. Communication via private means did not appear to function properly. When he fired he was aiming at Melisson but shot Yukari instead.

Faced with these items he then drew conclusions: Spatial distortion was not likely being used because it would not be necessary, it was not her style, and it did not account for his inability to understand AIES. Psionic illusions were not likely being employed because it would not account for why his aim had been so far off when his movements had been, for all he knew, unaffected nor would it fully explain his inability to understand AIES. Melisson stated they had free will and she usually does not lie on such occasions so it was not likely that he had been manipulated to fire on Yukari. Plus the caution went to everyone and everyone else had not been under her control like he had been.

Drawing these conclusions the man let go of his LASR and allowed it to hang by the sling. He quickly decided to test something. Going on the closed Knights comm channel he then spoke aloud. "Can anyone hear me? If you can just give a quick response." he quickly asked, almost whispering while trying to verify if at least their internal radios still worked.

Nyton listened for any responses, unsure if his inquiry had gone through or if it was being stymied somehow. Either the others would hear him and not understand and in turn he would hear confused unintelligible responses, or they would hear clearly and respond but he would not understand. It was possible nothing would go through as though the communications were being jammed. He did not believe it was jamming though if that did happen. They were being forced to speak aloud and have audience. If that were the case then he would have to put forward his own determination before Melisson, if she would still hear him.

Yukari did not know what talking would accomplish, but Melisson seemed to like hearing herself talk. She kept going, struggling.

"Kotori-san does not obtain more power for the sake of power alone," she said. ... The words after that stuck to her mind, unwilling to be forced out of her mouth. She took another breath. New thoughts.

"Vaaker Takeup assumes nothing underlies the desire for power. That power is the final denominator for acts. ... That is a false assumption. ... We have humanity. It compels us to cherish each other first and foremost, regardless of all else. We do not always listen to it, for we are flawed. But it is the first motivator inside of us, and what raises us above plants and base creatures. ... Vaaker Takeup did not bring us here. Our humanity did."

She was not sure she was making sense. She felt she was, she was trying so hard to make sure she was. She needed to. Melisson might not be convinced, but if they were going to kill each other because the puppeteer willed her marionettes to do so ... she would at least speak her soul.

"Argh! Can we skip all tha' esa'terric words an' get to tha' point!" growled Asher, throwing his hands up in the air, and grabbing his helmet in frustration. For some reason, he felt a little more excited than usual, a little more edgy. Maybe it was because they were finally there, finally at the lair of the final boss. Perhaps his previously perverted thoughts had excited him into impatience. Melisson could have been poking at his brain with her strange mind fingers. It could have been anything, but what was evident was the fact that he needed to know whether or not anyone else was feeling the same way.

For Nyton's request of a roll-call in the comm-link, Asher's AIES offered a small ping on the leader's HUD and comm system.

"What point?!" Yukari shouted back, turning and squaring against Asher. "The point where we shoot each other against our will? The point where she enthralls us? Perhaps the point where we watch our comrades, our family, be murdered before our unblinking eyes!"

Yukari noisily swallowed down a sob. "We ... we face someone with no soul but those she takes as her own on her quest for power!" She turned back to Melisson. "What point is there, against a foe without a soul!"

"Oh come tha' fuck on!" groaned Asher, shaking his head. The tense rope of Asher's patience tightened a little more as he settled into an uncomfortable mood. If their commanding officer was beginning to break, what with her sobbing, then the situation was worse than he had realized. Still, the man's situational ignorance was too great to fully connect to everyone else around him. "I--... I mean... we could... Y'know, at least talk 'bout somethin' interestin'. Y'know, like why..." Fuck! What wass' I thinkin' 'bout? Why's it so hard t'think? "Like... The point... Yeah, wass' tha' whole point here? Wait. I already asked that... I mean... Uh..."

Man, I'm makin' me look bad... Asher mouthed that bit a loud when he thought it. With that thought, however, came an idea to him. Wait... look bad?

"Why'd you let a single squad a'Yammies tear ass all tha' way through yo'ship and waltz right inta' y'bedroom, eh? Don't that make you look bad? Soulless-san?" asked the Malifarian to Melisson, a small grin of success flashing under the cover of his helmet. To him, that was a rather clever quip.

"Because I felt compelled to allow contact with you, with your Vaaker Takeup at its highest, with the stakes as they are now," Melisson answered Asher. "Perhaps also to destroy your misconceptions... because as long as they exist Yamatai is unlikely to ever achieve true peace."

The red-haired woman gestured toward Yukari. "This woman just made the mistake of lapsing back under her veneer of civility and morality. In doing so, she felt entitled to signify I was 'flawed' - therefore lesser - and twisted my Vaaker Takeup into something it wasn't simply because it was more convenient to lie to herself that way."

"Vaaker Takeup is not pursuit of power simply to accumulate it into some nebulous hoard," Melisson added, shaking her head slightly. "Rather than be a slave to the vision of others, you realize your own vision. To recognize in your core what are the wants and desires that have been impressed upon you from the wants and desires that are truly from you. Manifest destiny is not a product of others, it is a product from you."

"Just as a person whom discovers a love for plants will feel fulfilled as a gardener, I too have motivations and causes I adhere to," Melisson turned back to Asher. "It brings me pleasure to see the potential for Vaaker Takeup bear greater fruits in those less favored than I, despite them being different, ignorant of their potential, or in having been deluded into willingly shackling their potential."

"Asher Westwood, you have a beautiful mind," Melisson told the Malifarian. "You know what you want and yearn for to the point of simplicity. Despite a lack of complexity, you still provoke reality and seek to make your own conclusions."

"A misfit like you may feel ill fitting in Yamatai's utopia, the one where order and plenty has divided the population in two distinct halves: the clan ruling caste upon which the utopia runs on and the hapless flock caste whom puzzle over why their empire is so reviled when they feel it is a wonderful place because they are given everything they ever need - you call it the 'prestige system'."

"Yamatai is stagnant, because people have forgotten how to work for their own fulfillment and survival and have become too used to being provided to. Remove the structure based on automation and how many people do you believe would be able to survive when they have forgotten how to provide for themselves and compete? All but the rare few can presently only clutch at the Ketsurui whom runs everything for them, because they have grown dependent on them."

"No wonder you draw so many odd looks. Because you still remember how to live for yourself, they feel you do not conform. Not conforming to expectation is bad. Just like not conforming to Suzuka Yukari's sense of right and wrong makes me 'soulless'," Melisson finished, quirking a smile.

Nyton listened, a slight smirk of amusement as he listened to Asher parley with Melisson. Here was Yukari, debating philosophy and then Asher comes in almost completely stealing the spotlight. It was almost a dramatic comedy to see a man whom encompassed some of the baser pleasures speaking to a being so ancient and massive yet eliciting the most amusement from her. He knew there was a reason he liked him. And it wasn't just a shared devotion towards violence. But now was not the time to mull on this.

During this whole wax on philosophy and desire Nyton had been thinking hard. Very very hard. He had struggled not to assume his thinking pose while he thought. Finally Nyton shifted his stance on the floor into what could be considered a less hostile mode.

"If I may interrupt before you go and recruit my soldier, Melisson, or Mistress as I once called you." Nyton interjected. "I suppose if you have forced my hand then I do have a reason to seek audience with you. If you will still hear me out that is." he said over the speaker, gesturing towards her with an open right hand. No violence or hostility was evident. There were no tricks or nodal sleight of hand being attempted. He simply held his hand out, palm up, towards Melisson. He was not near enough to take her hand nor did he seem as though he sought it. But it was a gesture of sincere desire to speak openly.

Melisson turned to face Nyton. Her expression was for a moment unreadable before she returned him a cordial nod. "Speak, Nyton Claymere."

Nyton lowered his hand and returned it to his side. For a moment he had worried that his earlier hostility had ended his opportunity.

"Thank you." he said, humbly. "Years past I stood here and prevented the Lorath from attacking you. Granted I only sought to follow Hanako's orders in preserving the conditions mutually agreed upon. Yet for some reason you determined this event to infect me." he said, waving his arm to Melisson before bringing it back to point to the temple of his head.

"I want to know why, of all the people present at the time, was I chosen?" Nyton inquired.