boxofmisfits | Open Post

It was nice to have confirmation that the ship in the pirates' memories was indeed the one currently in orbit.

"No. I will continue my search elsewhere." Eventually. Her tone indicated that she was confident in its inevitability. Either because she had a plan or because she really could afford to wait however long it took.

It didn't particularly matter if she left behind a sign for the Zerg to know where she went. Knowing that she was here at all point would be enough as long as she could manage to come within telepathic range of this place periodically. If the Zerg infested this planet, she would eventually find out about it.

"I'm stepping out now." They had been talking enough that Kerrigan was confident she wouldn't be shot, and that her appearance wouldn't hinder negotiations. The alien commander's mind was slippery, thinking in patterns that were difficult to grasp without trying to go deeper, and she was wary of doing more than passive telepathic senses in case he had enough ESP to sense an attempt. But even then, she was confident in her assessment of him.

Kerrigan kept her bladed limbs folded up behind her instead of spread out as she would if she were getting ready to attack or if she wanted to show obvious aggression. The pointed, powerful claw at the wrist joint curled downward loosely but still coming up over her head even in their lowered position and the long bladed tips of the limbs nearly touching the ground.

The Stormtrooper tensed up, hands tightening on his rifle, while Thrawn simply regarded Kerrigan with his usual stoicism, giving her only a curious and interested look up and down. A near-human species, of course, though which one in particular Thrawn couldn't say. As a near-human, Thrawn could thankfully read her body language and facial cues, seeing that she was making herself look non-threatening.

"A pleasure to meet you face-to-face, Kerrigan. If you intend to continue your search, you may require some assistance, as you have no means by which to repair the pirate vessel. Perhaps we may be of aid to one another."

Having a calm discussion in person with someone who wasn't Zerg felt strange after so long. Especially without the simmering undercurrent of fear or anger that usually met her from even friendly Terrans or Protoss. His offer of mutual aid was a welcome one, but it still did bring up some questions.

"What aid do you believe I can offer you, Admiral?" If they were familiar with her abilities and position, the offer would be more clear. Thrawn almost certainly knew nothing about her beyond what he'd learned from this meeting and from the small fight she'd had with the pirates.

Kerrigan did move a little closer as they spoke, but remained outside of melee range for even the extended reach of the limbs on her back. Not out of concern for her own safety; the energy weapon shot to the thick carapace on her upper torso had healed completely, leaving only a slight discoloration that could have easily been dirt or a bruise. After months on a deserted planet and a recent melee fight she was hardly clean, with the pirates' blood drying on her long claws, as well as on the lower tips of the limbs on her back.

"I'll admit, I only know of your combat prowess at the moment, based on how you killed those pirates, and you clearly have some technical knowledge if you intended to repair that ship." Thrawn felt that it was best to be honest in this situation, as he had no reason to lie to her. When Thrawn didn't know something, he owned up to it.

"However, perhaps we may negotiate. You may tell me of whatever skills you possess, and in return for helping you, you will do me a favor of my choosing, based upon those skills." Or better yet, recruit her as a potential agent of the Empire, or himself. Thrawn wasn't one to turn away those with potential.

"My combat skills are likely most likely to be of use to you. I also have military experience in a command position, and some skill at bio-engineering and xenobiology. I have enough technical and mechanical knowledge to get by on my own." That was probably the best way to sum up her experience making new organisms for the swarm. She was hardly a master of the craft the way Abathur was, but with the right resources she was entirely capable of doing her own work. It would just be much, much slower without the Zerg's extensive genetic library and spawning facilities.

She hadn't forgotten how to be an assassin, but in her new body and without her old equipment, Kerrigan was far less suited to the role.

"Perhaps we may negotiate in more comfortable settings. Say, in the meeting room on my ship?" Offering the hand of friendship, while still making it clear that it was an offer and not a demand. She could walk away and they could pretend that they never saw each other, unless she were to become an enemy. And he would rather have her as an ally than an enemy.

Kerrigan nodded her acceptance of the offer. Comfort hadn't been a big part of her life when she was human, and it had a very different meaning as Zerg. But she understood it for what it was, a polite gesture meant to come across as friendly. If his intentions were hostile he wouldn't have come after her with only a single infantry escort.

"Yes. Your shuttle landed near the downed pirate craft?"

"It is right this way," He turned to the Stormtrooper and said, "Go ahead of us and inform the others that we are preparing to leave with a guest." The Trooper nodded and went ahead of them. Thrawn waved Kerrigan along and led her back out of the woods and towards the Imperial shuttle.

Even with the warning, the other Stormtroopers couldn't help but turn towards Kerrigan, having never seen anyone or anything like her. At Thrawn's order, the troopers stepped back into the shuttle. Thrawn gestured towards the shuttle, "After you."

Without a creep substrate to rest on and get all the excess biomatter and dirt on her body absorbed and washed away, Kerrigan was largely limited to wading in rivers and scrubbing off with sand and gravel. There was no need to worry about needing soap to clean her hands before she ate; her meals were usually consumed raw, her Zerg biology well suited to the task even if she normally didn't eat at all.

And after her fight and earlier climb, she was more than a little muddy and dirty, if obviously armored and heavy on natural armaments. "Thank you, Admiral," She acknowledged at the offer and gesture, stepping into a functioning ship for the first time in quite a while.

The stormtroopers were wary of her and Thrawn could tell that they were keeping an eye on her, even as they trusted their Grand Admiral and knew he wouldn't intentionally endanger them. If she wished to hurt them, she would have done so. And if she were playing a long con, Thrawn would have seen hints, and if not, then Rukh would quickly step in to handle the situation, along with his Death Troopers.

When the ship docked in the hanger bay, the stormtroopers got into position around Thrawn as he exited the shuttle, before dispersing to resume their other duties. He glanced at Kerrigan, "You may use the communal showers to clean yourself up, and I will have quarters prepared for you."

Kerrigan accepted the offer of a shower. The little luxuries from her life as a Terran that she no longer got to enjoy. It was also likely more of a demand than an offer, the ship was a lot neater and cleaner than most Terran ships were in the confederacy or especially among pirates or rebellious factions. She wasn't going to press the issue.

"Until later, Admiral."

The communal shower was about as she expected. Cleaning all the ridges and crevices in her carapace took some effort, and even then, she couldn't do a perfect job. But anything she couldn't scrub or reach with her clawed hands was unlikely to come off just casually walking around. Good enough. Drying herself off was a trial as well as the towel kept catching on some of the rougher parts of her body.

She could have used her psionic abilities to make both processes easier, but wasn't going to give herself away yet. Once acceptably clean and dry, she stepped out to see what kind of escort was waiting for her.

Thrawn returned to his office to write his report, having turned over the pirate vessel to his engineers. The ship could be stripped for parts, or turned over to the ISB to serve as an undercover vessel, much like the shuttle Thrawn used when he wished to keep a low profile.

Kerrigan would find a short, grouchy looking alien waiting for her. Thrawn figured that Rukh could handle her if she did anything suspicious. Or at least, the crew would be more at ease if they saw Thrawn's loyal assassin with her.

"The Grand Admiral has had the guest quarters prepared."

Kerrigan eyed the little alien with neutral disinterest, though underneath she was at least a little curious about it. In just this day she had encountered more new sapient species as she had in her entire life before. It was possible Thrawn or this creature had some interesting adaptations, but at the moment both seemed fairly uninteresting human-shaped bipeds of different sizes.

"Lead the way," Kerrigan said, wondering if in this strange place people would be comfortable enough around her to let her stand behind them. Her reputation didn't precede her here, but her morphology was obviously predatory. Herbivores did sometimes develop interesting defensive and offensive features, but not to the extent she displayed.

Rukh nodded and gestured for her to follow him. It was a show of trust on his part, but he also knew that he was quick enough to retaliate if she rewarded that trust by attacking him. The stormtroopers and officers tried to ignore them, or gave them wary glances. Even if they were scared of her, they trusted Thrawn.

They came to a stop by the guest quarters, Rukh opening the door. "You may contact my master on the terminal in your quarters," He glowered up at her. "He has shown a willingness to trust you. Do not disappoint him." With that, he brushed past her.

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