TUELLER: Tueller rolls around and punches it hard, holding onto spines like it’s a pommel and pummeling it as he goes.
TUELLER: He snaps off a spine and stabs it into the neck of the lusus and drives it deep.
STORY: Tueller basically rides this creature as it flails around the room, punching it with unnatural force in the spine until he stabs it and it stops bucking him and settles, dead, on the ground.
TUELLER: Punching it with his glove into the general region of the brain.
STORY: You’re surrounded by dead fish.
STORY: Tux stands. “Shit! That was amazing!”
ALEJO: Alejo sort of just collapses to the floor, in a half sit, half just faint. “Well damn. That actually worked.”
STORY: Jac taps on Tux’s console. “You got an alarm there.”
Chapter 26, Part II
STORY: “Alejo, I need you to understand – the risk here is not to me.”
STORY: “If I make the wrong choice, the disaster will befall _you._ Your world.”
STORY: “I am trying to keep you safe.”
STORY: “Lose one to save the rest. It is a decision you are familiar with.”
Chapter 24
TUELLER: Tueller, fairly low: “Come on out. Safe now.”
STORY: There’s a hesitant voice from inside the cabinets.
STORY: “…No.”
MILLICENT: “How can we convince you we’re not the psionic nightmare beings?”
TUELLER: “No. Not really safe. Not yet.”
TUELLER: “But getting there.”
MILLICENT: “Do you know where we might find Vorlou?”
STORY: “…No?”
ALEJO: “Seriously, come out of the cabinets. You’re safer with us than in there.”
STORY: There’s an even longer pause.
STORY: “Is that fuckin Soto?”
TUELLER: Tueller barks laughter.
Chapter 23
STORY: Veni sighs, looking unhappy. He shakes his head. “I did not mean for any of this.”
ALEJO: “Assassinating folk has a funny way of getting messy.”
ALEJO: Alejo straps in.
STORY: “It was my first time.”
STORY: “I’m a teacher.”
STORY: “…They said I should do it for my people.”
TUELLER: “They always do.”
Chapter 22
TUELLER: “Now that I think of it, Doc, you’ve shot Loll multiple times.”
MILLICENT: “Oh yes, I suppose I have.”
MILLICENT: “Do you think I should get her a present?”
TUELLER: “Do I think…? Yeah, probably.”
MILLICENT: “An extra leg, perhaps?”
MILLICENT: “A back up.”
ALEJO: Alejo looks wounded. “Prolly, you should get everyone you’ve shot a present.” He then pauses to consider. “Well, call it even with me, I guess. I did get your stuff blow out into space, I guess.”
TUELLER: “Later, guys. We have work to do.”
TUELLER: “We can go Christmas shopping later.”
TUELLER: “Keep quiet and don’t get caught. Ejo and I will be back.”
Chapter 21
ALEJO: “Right. Tell us a bit about that. Who are you fighting and why?”
STORY: He stiffens. “The governor.”
STORY: “I can’t say more.”
STORY: “Yes, I poisoned her. But I did not harm Teka.”
STORY: “And yes, I _did_ try to help Teka control her abilities. We trained. I am not a liar.”
STORY: “All right. Yes, I locked myself in here.”
STORY: “It seemed.. the safest choice.”
STORY: “But now it has been rather a long time, and I very much would like to go.”
TUELLER: “Ejo, your time in interrogation training was well spent.”