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<blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 4148317" data-attributes="member: 10079"><p><strong>Chapter 572: Distracting the Mind</strong></p><p></p><p>Arms folded across her chest and an unreadable mask across her features, Marix carefully looked through the panel of glasteel at the Yuuzhan Vong prisoner on the other side. Here was an odd collection of worlds in one small room. The more time she spent on the Gateway that guarded the hyperspace route into Alraxian space, the more she couldn’t help but wonder if Alraxians even designed it. Yes, the consoles and such were obviously of Alraxian design, but the structure was metal. Glasteel was not Alraxian, but something very common in the rest of the galaxy. And here, just beyond that sheet of material, was Qroal, something even more alien.</p><p> </p><p>Qroal had not resisted when the two Knights dragged him from Loki and into this cell, and somehow that had been of no surprise to Marix. There was something about this Vong that bothered her at a very deep level. The warriors were so simple to deal with. They fought, she fought back, only one of them survived. But Qroal fought with words. This was a new side of the Vong, and a terrifying side as it made them so much more diverse than simply brutal, fanatical warriors.</p><p> </p><p>Keeping Qroal alive was vital, as Marix knew this part of the Vong needed to be understood to really know what was going on behind the invasion. It was no longer going to be so easy as to just win the war in battle. But Qroal seemed to recognize his value to her, also, as he had attempted to take his own life four separate times since being placed in the cell. The first time he’d nearly succeeded, removing an odd spine from a growth on his shoulder that had no been there before. Thankfully, one of the Knights monitoring the cell noticed this and quickly dashed in to stop Qroal. From that point on, two Knights remained in the cell with him at all times, though this didn’t seem to stop his attempts to end his life. Thankfully, he seemed quite inept at such actions.</p><p> </p><p>Marix was keeping as much of her conscious thought on Qroal as she could. It was necessary for her to at least keep up her air of calm that was expected of her from the Knights after all the years they’d been around her. They would know, through subtle feelings in the Network and even the Force, that she was deeply worried about Loki. They did not, however, need to see this on her face, in her actions, or in her voice. This Empress was a fighter and had seen thousands of lives end. She could not show fear around any of them, no matter who she was fearing for. There were only three people in the galaxy that ever saw her like that, and neither Jyren, his father, nor Alyx were anywhere near.</p><p> </p><p>The healers, who would have been called technicians by most of the galaxy, had reassured Marix more than once that Loki would be fine and the temporary measures she’d taken by grafting durasteel to his damaged hull had likely saved his life. Saying it once was fine, but repeating it was what concerned Marix. They also refused to answer any of her questions, which likely meant they didn’t have any answers as to why he had been unconscious for so long. Or if his neural systems would be okay after that kind of trauma. Or...well, or a thousand other things.</p><p> </p><p>‘I am unsure’ was not a comforting response, but at least they had been honest.</p><p> </p><p>The sound of footsteps approaching from behind caught Marix’s attention, though she did not turn to look over her shoulder to see the source. The sounds weren’t very loud, but were also very deliberate. That meant it was not just a Knight, but one of the former Tam’Day’U approaching, as they had a habit of making their presence known when they approached Marix from behind. When the footsteps stopped, there was a moment’s pause before Marix heard a calm voice behind her say in Alraxian, “The Jendari report that they will be unable to arrive for at least another day, Commander.’</p><p> </p><p>Commander.</p><p> </p><p>Some things were just too deeply ingrained to go away.</p><p> </p><p>Marix turned to face the Tam’Day’U and was presented with a face that she couldn’t actually place. The Knight standing at attention a half meter away from was about a half-head taller than Marix, with a very similar build that showed she was always ready for an attack at any time, and angular features that hinted at a very predatory look to the woman. It was in the eyes. A pair of pale green eyes with a silvery sheen to them that Marix knew she recognized.</p><p> </p><p>And then, suddenly, Marix knew this woman.</p><p> </p><p>The last time Marix had seen her was when she had freed the Tam’Day’U. Being the oldest of them, Marix was the only adult. The rest were children of various ages, but all definitely Alraxian children. Tam’Day’U never survived long enough to grow to adulthood, and if they did somehow survive that long, their lives were quickly ended. That was why Marix hadn’t recognized this Knight. She had been a child then, much smaller and not at all built like she currently was. Marix could see her still, standing off to the side, a young girl with short, neat auburn hair kept well out of those eyes that hadn’t changed one bit.</p><p> </p><p>Somehow, seeing her here, all grown up and, of course, taller than Marix, was strange. It made Marix feel so much older than she knew she was. By Alraxian standards, Marix was still young, but something about this this woman made Marix reconsider that. Here, standing facing one another, were two Alraxians that were not ever expected to live long enough to be adults...and yet...</p><p> </p><p>Marix tilted her head in a simple nod, “Thank you, Rhinna.”</p><p> </p><p>Rhinna.</p><p> </p><p>The girl hadn’t even known her name all those years before. Marix had helped many of them to dig up records of their families and parents. Names were important to the Tam’Day’U these days. It meant they were real, not just the shadows and Cursed Ones they were told they were for so many years. They had names. Names given by parents that likely never knew what became of their infant children when they disappeared in the night. And Marix always made it a point to not use rank with the former Tam’Day’U, but their names. They needed it.</p><p> </p><p>Not only that, but the way Rhinna’s angular features managed to soften a moment later showed another effect the names had. They made the former slaves feel good. Happy. Such a simple thing to most in the Empire, but a precious feeling to the former Tam’Day’U.</p><p> </p><p>“Will we interrogate him more thoroughly without the Jendari, Commander?” of course, they still called Marix by her rank. Never her name. But that was okay. Marix had always had that name, unlike the rest. She didn’t need the kind of help the rest of them needed. And they knew all knew that, so to show that, they used something that had never left them after being freed: respect for her.</p><p> </p><p>Thinking on it, Marix made a decision, “I would like you to interrogate him yourself, Rhinna. The tizowyrm necessary for translation with our prisoner is in the guard room adjacent to the cell. Do what you must to learn everything you can of what he knows about our people. If you find anything else of interest, pursue it.”</p><p> </p><p>Marix didn’t warn Rhinna to be careful of Qroal’s tricks, his words, or even an attack. That wasn’t necessary. She would know, and she would be ready. That was why Marix asked her to do it. Here was a young woman that reminded Marix of herself in many ways, and seeing that, Marix knew she could trust Rhinna to get the right kind of questions answered.</p><p> </p><p>Part of Marix actually wanted to do it herself, but she had more pressing concerns. Concerns that she could no longer put off. So, after Rhinna bowed and moved off to do as ordered, Marix went the other way. It had been well over two hours since she had been to the hangar and checked on Loki. For some reason, Marix just felt the need to see him. She desperately needed to see that the healers were making progress.</p><p> </p><p>If she lost Loki...</p><p> </p><p>No.</p><p> </p><p>No, Marix would not even allow her mind to go into that line of thought.</p><p> </p><p>It wasn’t an option.</p><p> </p><p>He would be alright.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ankh-Morpork Guard, post: 4148317, member: 10079"] [b]Chapter 572: Distracting the Mind[/b] Arms folded across her chest and an unreadable mask across her features, Marix carefully looked through the panel of glasteel at the Yuuzhan Vong prisoner on the other side. Here was an odd collection of worlds in one small room. The more time she spent on the Gateway that guarded the hyperspace route into Alraxian space, the more she couldn’t help but wonder if Alraxians even designed it. Yes, the consoles and such were obviously of Alraxian design, but the structure was metal. Glasteel was not Alraxian, but something very common in the rest of the galaxy. And here, just beyond that sheet of material, was Qroal, something even more alien. Qroal had not resisted when the two Knights dragged him from Loki and into this cell, and somehow that had been of no surprise to Marix. There was something about this Vong that bothered her at a very deep level. The warriors were so simple to deal with. They fought, she fought back, only one of them survived. But Qroal fought with words. This was a new side of the Vong, and a terrifying side as it made them so much more diverse than simply brutal, fanatical warriors. Keeping Qroal alive was vital, as Marix knew this part of the Vong needed to be understood to really know what was going on behind the invasion. It was no longer going to be so easy as to just win the war in battle. But Qroal seemed to recognize his value to her, also, as he had attempted to take his own life four separate times since being placed in the cell. The first time he’d nearly succeeded, removing an odd spine from a growth on his shoulder that had no been there before. Thankfully, one of the Knights monitoring the cell noticed this and quickly dashed in to stop Qroal. From that point on, two Knights remained in the cell with him at all times, though this didn’t seem to stop his attempts to end his life. Thankfully, he seemed quite inept at such actions. Marix was keeping as much of her conscious thought on Qroal as she could. It was necessary for her to at least keep up her air of calm that was expected of her from the Knights after all the years they’d been around her. They would know, through subtle feelings in the Network and even the Force, that she was deeply worried about Loki. They did not, however, need to see this on her face, in her actions, or in her voice. This Empress was a fighter and had seen thousands of lives end. She could not show fear around any of them, no matter who she was fearing for. There were only three people in the galaxy that ever saw her like that, and neither Jyren, his father, nor Alyx were anywhere near. The healers, who would have been called technicians by most of the galaxy, had reassured Marix more than once that Loki would be fine and the temporary measures she’d taken by grafting durasteel to his damaged hull had likely saved his life. Saying it once was fine, but repeating it was what concerned Marix. They also refused to answer any of her questions, which likely meant they didn’t have any answers as to why he had been unconscious for so long. Or if his neural systems would be okay after that kind of trauma. Or...well, or a thousand other things. ‘I am unsure’ was not a comforting response, but at least they had been honest. The sound of footsteps approaching from behind caught Marix’s attention, though she did not turn to look over her shoulder to see the source. The sounds weren’t very loud, but were also very deliberate. That meant it was not just a Knight, but one of the former Tam’Day’U approaching, as they had a habit of making their presence known when they approached Marix from behind. When the footsteps stopped, there was a moment’s pause before Marix heard a calm voice behind her say in Alraxian, “The Jendari report that they will be unable to arrive for at least another day, Commander.’ Commander. Some things were just too deeply ingrained to go away. Marix turned to face the Tam’Day’U and was presented with a face that she couldn’t actually place. The Knight standing at attention a half meter away from was about a half-head taller than Marix, with a very similar build that showed she was always ready for an attack at any time, and angular features that hinted at a very predatory look to the woman. It was in the eyes. A pair of pale green eyes with a silvery sheen to them that Marix knew she recognized. And then, suddenly, Marix knew this woman. The last time Marix had seen her was when she had freed the Tam’Day’U. Being the oldest of them, Marix was the only adult. The rest were children of various ages, but all definitely Alraxian children. Tam’Day’U never survived long enough to grow to adulthood, and if they did somehow survive that long, their lives were quickly ended. That was why Marix hadn’t recognized this Knight. She had been a child then, much smaller and not at all built like she currently was. Marix could see her still, standing off to the side, a young girl with short, neat auburn hair kept well out of those eyes that hadn’t changed one bit. Somehow, seeing her here, all grown up and, of course, taller than Marix, was strange. It made Marix feel so much older than she knew she was. By Alraxian standards, Marix was still young, but something about this this woman made Marix reconsider that. Here, standing facing one another, were two Alraxians that were not ever expected to live long enough to be adults...and yet... Marix tilted her head in a simple nod, “Thank you, Rhinna.” Rhinna. The girl hadn’t even known her name all those years before. Marix had helped many of them to dig up records of their families and parents. Names were important to the Tam’Day’U these days. It meant they were real, not just the shadows and Cursed Ones they were told they were for so many years. They had names. Names given by parents that likely never knew what became of their infant children when they disappeared in the night. And Marix always made it a point to not use rank with the former Tam’Day’U, but their names. They needed it. Not only that, but the way Rhinna’s angular features managed to soften a moment later showed another effect the names had. They made the former slaves feel good. Happy. Such a simple thing to most in the Empire, but a precious feeling to the former Tam’Day’U. “Will we interrogate him more thoroughly without the Jendari, Commander?” of course, they still called Marix by her rank. Never her name. But that was okay. Marix had always had that name, unlike the rest. She didn’t need the kind of help the rest of them needed. And they knew all knew that, so to show that, they used something that had never left them after being freed: respect for her. Thinking on it, Marix made a decision, “I would like you to interrogate him yourself, Rhinna. The tizowyrm necessary for translation with our prisoner is in the guard room adjacent to the cell. Do what you must to learn everything you can of what he knows about our people. If you find anything else of interest, pursue it.” Marix didn’t warn Rhinna to be careful of Qroal’s tricks, his words, or even an attack. That wasn’t necessary. She would know, and she would be ready. That was why Marix asked her to do it. Here was a young woman that reminded Marix of herself in many ways, and seeing that, Marix knew she could trust Rhinna to get the right kind of questions answered. Part of Marix actually wanted to do it herself, but she had more pressing concerns. Concerns that she could no longer put off. So, after Rhinna bowed and moved off to do as ordered, Marix went the other way. It had been well over two hours since she had been to the hangar and checked on Loki. For some reason, Marix just felt the need to see him. She desperately needed to see that the healers were making progress. If she lost Loki... No. No, Marix would not even allow her mind to go into that line of thought. It wasn’t an option. He would be alright. [/QUOTE]
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