The Tallests' each squinted at the huge window-screen, their offer having been rejected by their Tactics Commander, Diz. She'd been growing…bothersome since they sent her to Earth to start the Milky Way Invader Checkpoint with Invader Pleecy. If bothersome was really the right word to use; not annoying, but she wasn't the same as she was when O: ID2 began. She'd kill anybody (Commander-trained-assassin. Weird, huh?) or have someone else do it for her, depending. Diz was more…ruthless, maybe that's the right word. Oh, what did it matter? She refused their request, so it seemed they'd have to jump to Plan B…if that's the right level of planning.

Red turned from the screen with a spoiled, "Humph. Well, that didn't go as planned..."

"Can't we just blow up the planet she's on?" Purple asked, turning away as well and taking the bag of chips handed to him by one of their assistants-in-waiting.

"Oh yes, blow up the random planet you sent our former A.I.D. to, which also has Diz and Pleecy on it. Good plan," Red replied sarcastically.

"Hey, I didn't do that! You did! You got all huffy when that one invader messed up the plan!"

"Me? That was all you and you know it! I was going to –"

The screen behind them began to blink with white Irken lettering; ipermission to enter: Karue and escorts.

"About time," the ruby-eyed alien muttered, and then called to the pilots, "Let them in!"

The automatic doors opened their enormous girth wide, and a blue-eyed Irken in a slightly ragged, caped outfit similar to Tak's (except blue, obviously) was shoved harshly through the door. His triangular antennae bobbed as his knees hit the cold metal floor down the ramp from the Tallests' circular platform. One eye seemed slightly swollen, and the other had an old scratch scar, now green and gold with healing and time. There were a few slave-driver-styled guards to either side of him, like the kind found on conquered planets, each holding a thick chain attached to the high-tech handcuffs pinning the prisoner's hands behind his back, just below his PAK.

"Ah, Karue, you rogue," started Red. He pointed a talon at the scorned Irken down the ramp. "After all this time, we finally arrest you, and now…" Tallest Red sighed, deflated slightly.

"We're setting you free!" finished the purple-eyed Irken to his left through a half full and crumby mouth, tossing arms (and crumbs) to the air frivolously.

The Irken with sapphire eyes jerked his head up from its hateful bow suddenly, straightening. "What?"

The guards and pilots in the cockpit all looked at their Tallests. Did they have brain worms!? Set him free?! Him?!

"That's right," cooed Red slyly.

"What kind of game are you playing?" the prisoner asked, ignoring his vow to himself not to look up the ramp at them and narrowing his eyes apprehensively.

"Uhm, m-my Tallests, you can't be serious…!?" asked one of the pilots to Red's right tentatively.

Purple leaned behind Red a little, another couple of chips inhabiting his mouth, "We're very serious."

The prisoner pulled at his chains, going from knees to an almost-stand; he was surprisingly medium-tall. "Why in Good Myuki's Reign would the two of you – "

The two leaders flinched a little at the cuss as the guards yanked the fugitive back down to his knees.

"We're getting there!" Red half-shouted, and regained his composure. He was this Irken's leader, after all; Rogue or not. Traitor...

"We've been…talking," began Purple, serious once again and drumming his 3 meager talon-fingers together. "And we thought, what with your expertize in assassination and all, Karue, you'd do us a favor!"

"Succeed, and…" Red sighed reluctantly, deflating again, "you get your freedom back." He gave his eyes a small roll and crossed his arms.

The Irken before them seemed to mull this over, "…Who, exactly, has you so annoyed that you'd strike such a risky deal?" he said with just a drop of sarcastic concern.

"Our current A.I.D. –"

"Not so current anymore, though," Purple tossed in.

"Right: former A.I.D. Estat''s plan for a planet failed due to some Irken messing up. The punishment was banishment (and ultimately death, really), but apparently she's still alive."

"You want me to take out a girl? You're A.I.D.? Are you two crazy?" OF course, he already knew the answer to that; most Irkens had soemthing jacked up in the head, whether it be a defect or just the odd compulsion to follow these idiots. Thank Irk he was born mostly without that urge.

The duo stared daggers down the slope. "No, just merely want a job finished," Red said angrily at last. A sense of finality danced in his response.

The prisoner, apparently named Karue, said nothing, face showing his heated disinterest.

"The guards will escort you to the Docking Bay for supplies, your belongings returned, and, of course, a tracker, as well as a new ship," Red said with a tiny trace of a malicious tone. Another argument won. Another conflict with this turnPAK crushed. Tallests 2, Karue the Rogue...nevermind.

Karue glanced back with a glimmer of contempt at the ruling duo as the guards led (more like dragged) him back out the door.

Author's Note ~ I do not own the term A.I.D. (Assistant in Doom) I just heard it somewhere, not sure where, and it stuck with me. ^.^;

This is the Prologue, and of course I forget to type THIS first . Ah well. I wasn't too out of character with the Tallests, was I?