Elven Navy Delta Squad: Thought Taker

Continued from http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24885

When you assemble, you see that the current team consists of Marcus, Amanu, Theryndil, Akodo, Grillon, and Chjargal (a bugbear druid).

The Battlepoet speaks, "As you all know, Delta Squad draws the strange assignments. I have a feeling that this one will be unusual even by our standards. You are being assigned to escort a alien researcher who is tracking down evidence of a elder spelljamming race in another sphere. He has supplied his own ship and crew. According to our calculations, the journey and return will take the better part of five weeks."

"Although artifact reclamation is usually left to the command of individual sphere commanders, the nature of the researcher presents some difficulties. Once you see him, I am sure you will understand the delicacy of the situation."

She walks to one wall of the room and waves her fist over an array of gemstones. One of the walls fades into transparency, although you suspect it remains opaque from the opposite side (the technique is often used in interrogation rooms).

In a waiting room a tall figure sits alone at a table, with a kobold squatting placidly nearby. The figure raises its head. White eyes without pupils catch the light, and glistening purple skin ripples as four facial tentacles move in a complex pattern. "I greet you." The words sound cool and sharp in your brains.

Akodo shifts nervously, uncomfortable at the intrusiveness of the telepathic greeting and slightly shocked by the spectacle. Then he realizes that the purple one can hear everything he thinks. Blushing, he offers a mental greeting. "Greetings. I'm Akodo. I hope that you're finding your time among the elves as comfortable and exciting as I am." He can't help but add a sarcastic twist to the word exciting. "Looking forward to getting underway..." At a loss for words, he stops and looks back at the large white eyes.

Chjargal growls when the illithid comes into view. Get out of my head, flayer! the massive bugbear shouts through his mind. He looks over at Theryndil for the psielf's reaction.

"And I thought my tour of duty with the Creature Commandos was suicidal," he mutters to nobody in particular.

"I can't say this pleases me, Battlepoet, but we signed on for this job," Chjargal states flatly. "Can we at least requistion some items to boost our mental defenses from the armory? It goes without saying that I don't want that thing rummaging around inside my brain."

"What EXACTLY is the perciever threat to our researcher?" Grillon asks, sarcasm dripping off of his tongue.

GE

Marcus is slightly shocked by the image on the other side and the thoughts within his mind, but tries to remain stoic and in control. He looks to his teammates to give them support and strength. He then listens to what Battlepoet has to say in response to the reactions.

The Battlepoet remains silent, although she is watching the reactions of the squad closely.

Words again form in your brain. "I see that some of you are less than pleased with my presence. I know that your peoples bear little love for my kind. I give you my oath that I mean you no harm."

"Translated into symbols your minds can recognize, my name is 'Thought Taker'." You feel a touch of something that could be humor - albeit cold and detached. "It is not as bad as it sounds. I am a philosopher, a student of the universe. I learn from others, borrow from their wisdom and learning. Thus 'Thought Taker.' You see?"

"There is a place ..." - it hesitates- "a place I wish to go. My research indicates that there we will find the artifacts of an ancient race. I wish to possess one of the artifacts. I wish for you to take me there. In return, you and your navy may have anything else you find at the place. I would estimate that this share will be highly valuable."

Akodo's ears flick up and down — "Well, I'm certainly game. Of course, there's one small question, and...well, best to just come out with it — aside from the disturbing telepathy thing *cough* sorry, I just wasn't prepared for it...why is everyone so uncomfortable?"

OOC: Should be noted here that Akodo's never actually seen an illithid, nor are they native to his world.

Edit: Fixed dialogue to be slightly less slangy.

Theryndil shifted uneasily in his seat.

"I don't need your word, mind flayer," he said to the creature, vocally so his companions could hear. "The Battlepoet's orders are good enough for me. I know - as must you - that if you harm us, the Navy will hunt you down."

Still, the nomad obviously seemed uncomfortable with the prospect of sharing a journey with such a powerful psioninc creature.