Part 1 More Than Spare Parts
The Grubs finished up cleaning the parts in Zurg's throne room and stored them in a box with wheels so they could move them out all at once. This would keep Zurg from complaining that they'd missed something. One Grub set the very last piece into the box, a head with a look of horror frozen on it's triangular face, and nodded to the others. They nodded back and pushed the box out of the room and down the hall to the waste disposal unit where they'd dump the parts which would then be taken to the scrap yard and used over.
On the way they came across Brain Pod 4 who was on his way back to his lab to build yet another of his emperor's creations. Had he known what the consequences of his actions would cause in the future he never would have given that box a second look.
But he wasn't thinking of that when his eyes fell on the box.. or more importantly the contents of the box. "Hold it!" he shouted, wheeling after them.
"What is it?" one of the Grubs questioned turning to him.
"Are you really going to throw those parts out?" he asked.
"Yes," the Grub replied, nodding. "Evil Emperor Zurg commanded us to make sure they were taken to the scrap yard and melted down for parts."
Number 4 looked horrified. He couldn't let them do any such thing to those parts! He needed them! . "I got a better idea," he said, putting a hand on the box. "Why don't you give them to me?"
"Why?" the Grub asked, giving him a suspicious look. "What could you possibly want with Nos-4-a2's parts?"
"Oh nothing really," Number 4 replied, looking somewhat nervous. If he had to explain himself the insects would never let him have them. "I just figured I would use the parts for something more useful, without having them melted down, " he looked in the box. "Zurg did say he wanted a self buttering toaster."
A"You're right he did say he wanted a self buttering toaster," the Grub agreed, looking thoughtful. "and there are some pieces in there that would be good for that."
"Yes yes," Number four said, nodding eagerly. "Exactly. So what do you say?"
"Okay," the Grub said, pushing the box toward him. "It's not like these parts wouldn't have wound up being used for something like that anyway."
"Excellent," the brain pod said, taking the box and wheeling it down the hall toward the labs.
Once he reached his lab he wheeled the box inside and over to a table where he then emptied the contents onto it. "Oh goody," he said happily when he saw that none of the parts were missing. He picked up the head with its frozen scream. "You're all here!"
Right away he began to reassemble the parts, carefully organizing them by size and shape. "Once I get you back together you will help me get off this godforsaken rock!"
Zurg flopped down onto his throne, completely exhausted. "Finally," he said, letting aching his arms dangle over the sides. "I finally got that Z back in it's proper position." he whiped sweat off his brow. "I'm never letting that happen again."
And it wouldn't. Thanks to Buzz Lightyear. The Evil Emperor for once was grateful to the space ranger. If it hadn't been for him, Nos-4-a2, that cursed energy vampire, would have taken over the whole universe. And everyone knows that's my job, Zurg thought, turning his head wearily when he heard footsteps approaching him. I am the evil emperor here, not him. It would be embarrassing to have people realize I was nearly defeated by my own.. son.
Son. Yeah he was his son only by creation not birth. Nos-4-a2 was a robot after all and Zurg.. well Zurg wasn't, not really.
"Evil Emperor Zurg," a Grub said, walking toward his master. "the cleaning is finished."
"Ah," Zurg said, sitting up straight. Some good news. "You disposed of the parts then?'
"Well sort of," the Grub said.
Zurg was startled. "Sorta of?" he asked. "There is no sort of. You either did or you didn't."
"Well I gave the parts to Brain Pod 4."
"Brain pod 4?" the emperor exclaimed, startled. "What could he want with them?"
"He said he was going to use them to make the self buttering toaster you wanted."
"I never said I wanted a self buttering toaster!" Zurg shouted. "Though that would be a good idea." he added thoughtfully. "Buty I still didn't say I wanted one, especially now!"
"Well uh," the Grub said, starting to look nervous. 'That's what he said he was going to use the parts for and he said you wanted one so.."
"So you decided to just give them to him without confirming it with me first?" Zurg demanded, angrily. "How many times do I have to tell you Grubs to always run things by me first?!" he threw his hands in the air and ranted. "Ugh! I'm surrounded by idiots! How hard is it to ask me something anyway? It's not like I have anything else to do!"
"S-sorry," the Grub said, putting up his arms to protect his face.
"Oh get out of here!" Zurg shouted.
The little insect was happy to comply.
Once he was gone Zurg sat back on his throne and thought for a moment, his finger rested on his chin. Now why would Brain Pod 4 want Nos-4-a2's spare parts? he asked himself. Surely it's not to make a self buttering toaster. He must have another reason. The evil emperor stood up and walked down the stairs, his hands behind his back. "I think I'll just pop into his work station and see what the little cerebellum is doing. Hahahaah!"
Brain Pod 4 was making good time with his project. He actually had one arm completely reconstructed and was working on the chest. "All right," he said to the disembodied head, which he'd begun to converse with every so often as if it could actually talk back. "See this won't take long at all. I'm efficient so I expect to have you complete by the end of the week or sooner." he looked around himself. "Now where did I drop that blasted screw driver?" he looked under the table. "It was here a minute ago."
Unable to find it, he spun around and smashed into something purple. "Oh I'm sorry I-" He recognized the garment and looked up. Zurg stared down at him, his one hand on his hip and the other holding the missing screw driver. "Lose something, Number 4?" the evil emperor asked, looking down at him.
"Zurg!" the brain pod exclaimed, backing away from him. "What are you doing down here?"
"Oh nothing really," his boss replied. "I just heard you were working on something down here and I wanted to see it." he looked toward the table. "A self buttering toaster, was it?"
"Well, yes but ummm," Number 4 said, trying to hide his project. "I'm not nearly finish with it yet. I still have a lot of work to do."
"Oh really?" Zurg tried to look over his shoulder. "and you wanted to surprise me, is that it?"
"Yes, well I guess you could say that." You'll be surprised all right.
"Yes," Zurg was still trying to see it. "Mind showing me your progress?"
"Umm uh.."
"Unless you have something to hide." Zurg said, looking at his fingers. He glanced at him. "You don't, do you?"
"Um no," the brain pod shook his head. "It's just that I don't like showing off my work until it's done."
"Oh I'm sure you can make an exception," Zurg put his hand on the pod and shoved him to the side. "Now let me see-" he took one look at the partially complete robot and lost it.
"What is this all about?" he demanded, rounding on Number 4.
"What is what all about?" Number four asked, backing away from his boss.
"That!" he shouted, pointing at the body on the table. "Why are you rebuilding that energy vampire?!"
"Well uh..you see," the brain pod stammered, wheeling backward as the evil emperor stalked toward him. He would have to watch what he said , Zurg was known for his ruthless temper tantrums. "I wanted to uh.. rebuilt him and make him.."
Zurg leaned toward him. "Yes?"
Number 4 thought quickly. "I thought I'd rebuild him then reprogram him so that he would be completely loyal to you."
Zurg was startled. "Oh really?" he asked, sounding like he didn't believe him.
"Yes," the pod said, nodding. "Then you wouldn't have to worry about him overthrowing you again."
Zurg looked back at the table. "Yes," he agreed, straightening up and putting his hand on his chin. "You've got a point." he grinned. "Okay then. You do that."
Number 4 stared at him in surprised. "Really, sir?" he asked. "You're not angry?"
"Of course not," Zurg said, putting his hand on the pod's shoulder. "Finally one of my workers came up with a good plan for that defective model." he straightened again and patted him on the back. "You just keep doing what you're doing then." he turned away and headed over to the table, looking the parts over until he spotted something that looked important.
The memory chip.
He picked it up, studying the frail piece of hardware. "Hmnn.."
"Don't touch that!" Number 4 shouted, wheeling over to him. "That's the memory chip! If you mess around with that he'll-"
"He'll what?" Zurg asked, looking at him.
Number 4 didn't answer.
Zurg looked back at the chip. "So this chip holds everything he knows, does it?" he asked holding it between two fingers and wiggling it a bit. "All the evil he's done and all the betrayal too."
"I could alter that a bit," Number 4 suggested, hoping Zurg would agree then hand it back. He really didn't want that chip damaged. "Make him think he did all that stuff to help you out ."
"You could..." Zurg thought about that for a moment, running his fingernail gently over the chip without scratching it, then said. "Let's not take any chances." Before dragging his thumbnail heavily over the chip, creating a huge gash in it. "There." he dropped the chip into Number 4's hand. "I did your work for you." He walked away, leaving Number 4 to stared down in horror at the damage memory chip. "Good luck, hahahaha!"
Number 4 stared at the memory chip, his eyes locked on the long, deep scratch down the middle. Ruined. It was ruined. Now the robot was useless to him. He put the chip beside the parts and sighed. So much for his plan. Without Nos-4-a2's memories everything the brain pod had devised was for nothing. What am I going to do now?
He looked back at the chip. It was still intact, thank the cosmos. Zurg's had merely scratched it. He picked up the chip again and studied it. Yes, a scratch but it didn't look very deep and there didn't seem to be any broken wires. Maybe he could still use it. Maybe all wasn't lost.
He looked back at the partially completed body. Yes, he could still use it. What was the worst that could happen?
A few days later...
Brain Pod 4 finished attaching the head onto Nos-4-a2's body. He sighed in relief then moved away, surveying his work. While most of the robot's body had been completely repaired, one limb was missing below the elbow. The left arm. He'd tried to find the missing part by searching every square inch of Zurg' throne room but it was either lost or somebody had thrown it out before he could save it. 4 didn't want to reactivate the energy vampire without that limb but he was running out of time and didn't have a choice. If he didn't do it today he might as well kiss his existence good bye and he would too because today ended his limit. Zurg had wanted it done by the end of the week.
The brain pod stared down at the memory chip in his hand. The scratch was still there and he'd had no way of repairing it. That wasn't to say he hadn't tried but he had to be careful whie he did it, and when he'd almost broken the chip he'd given up, not wanting to lose further information. Nos-4-a2 would just have to come back online with a faulty hard drive. Maybe it wouldn't matter and he'd still retain his memories.
Well most of them. Number 4 had been forced to remove a few of them to appease Zurg when the emperor had come down a few times to check on his progress and make sure he really was reprogramming the vampire. But hopefully... hopefully the memories he'd deleted hadn't been important.
"Well this is it," he said, staring at the energy vampire's triangular face. "Today is the day I'm going to reactivate you." he reached inside the chest where the memory bank was kept. "Here we go."
Being very careful, he reached leaned over and gently set the chip in the memory slot. The moment it was in place he touched the power button and moved back as Nos-4-a2's systems ran their start up sequence then a scan for possible errors. Number 4 waited impatiently. These things always took awhile, especially for older machines. Nos-4-a2 wasn't that old, he admitted to himself but he wasn't as up to date as he should have been.
Two minutes later the sequence ended and the robot's optics flickered to bright red brilliance. Nos-4-a2 made a sound like that of somebody taking a deep intake of air after being under water for a long time. The energy vampire blinked then sat up.
"Good morning," Number 4 said, getting the machine's attention.
Nos-4-a2 jumped, startled at the sound of the brain pod's voice. He turned his head and rested his optics on the one who had brought him back to life. A strange looking being..
"Hello," Number 4 said, waving at him. "It's nice to see that you're working properly. I was afraid you might not be able to-"
Nos-4-a2 looked away from him and scanned the room with a lost expression. "Where am I?" he asked, sounding confused.
"What?" He didn't know where he was? "Why, you're in one of the labs in Evil Emperor Zurg's castle."
"Labs?" the vampire looked down at his left arm. It wasn't there. He used his good arm to touch it, getting shocked by some loose wires. He yelped in surprise.
"Um yeah I'm not finished with that yet." 4 told him. "But I don't have time to attach a replacement yet. I'll do it after Evil Emperor Zurg get's a look at you."
"Who is this Evil Emperor Zurg?' Nos asked, looking back at him.
The brain pod was startled. He didn't know who Zurg was? What happened? The memory chip, he thought. It must have been more damaged that I thought.
This was bad. How was he going to use the energy vampire to get him out of there now if he couldn't remember anything? If he'd lost everything he was basically useless.
"You don't remember anything?" Brain Pod 4 asked.
Nos-4-a2 looked at him with that lost expression. "No," he said.
"Not even your name?"
Nos shook his head. "What should I be remembering?"
Perfect. Just perfect.
But Number 4 wasn't willing to give up yet. "Think," he persisted. "Surely something will come to you."
Nos-4-a2 was still for a moment then he replied, his eyes locking with the brain pod's. "I do remember being hungry." the anti-gravity hardware activated and he hovered off the table and before the brain pod. "Hungry for energy."
Number 4's eyes widened. That hadn't exactly been what he'd wanted him to remember. Uh oh!
He spun around and wheeled away. Behind him he heard that strange roaring sound Nos-4-a2 made before he attacked then the sound of wings opening. He looked back just in time to see the energy vampire lunge at him.
Brain Pod 4 was late, Evil Emperor Zurg thought.
He should have brought the newly rebuilt Nos-4-a2 to him by now but he had yet to show up and the emperor was getting impatient. "You!" he shouted to a Grub. "Go down to the labs and see what's taking Brain Pod 4 so long to brig up my energy vampire."
"Right away, you wickedness," the Grub said saluting then turning away and scurrying out of the room to do his master's bidding.
Zurg sat back in his chair and sighed. "He'd better not be trying to use that vampire to escape. The last thing I need is for another one of my minions to run away..."
The Grub took the elevator to the floor with the labs and exited when the little bell went off, letting him know he'd arrived at his destination. He then headed down the hall to the laboratory where Brain Pod 4 worked. As he walked he wished to himself that he didn't have to go down there. The Grub had been one of the crew of a dozen who had built Nos-4-a2's Wirewolf machine. He wasn't looking forward to seeing that creature again.
"Number 4," he called, pressing the button that opened the door. "Evil Emperor Zurg is waiting for you to bring the energy vampire up to him." the door hissed open and he stepped inside. "You're late. You know he doesn't like to-" he stopped in mid-sentence when he caught site of Number 4.
The Brain Pod's suit lay on it's side on the floor but that wasn't what terrified the insect. It was the being on top of it. The one in the black cape with its head bent over the machine. It was draining all the power out of the the suit which meant the life support. The brain inside the suit had gone gray.
The Grub instantly recognized the being as Nos-4-a2, the energy vampire
"Sweet mother of Venus!" the Grub exclaimed, backing away.
Alerted by the insect's voice Nos-4-a2 lifted his head and turned his head. His optics locked with the creature's big black eyes. "What are you?" he asked.
"I.. I.. I.." the Grub replied, continuing to move away from him. "You've killed him!" he shouted.
The energy vampire looked back down at his victim. When he caught sight of the gray mass inside the glass bubble his face filled with horror. He instantly moved away from it, unable to believe what he'd just done. He hadn't meant to kill the being. He'd felt the energy inside it's life support suit thrumming powerfully, calling to him. he'd only been acting upon his preprogrammed instincts. "I.." he stammered.
The Grub took advantage of his uncertainty to make his escape. He turned and flew out of the room, activating the communicator in his helmet. "Zurg!" he yelled. "Come in Zurg!"
Zurg's voice responded right away. "How many times have I told you not to use this frequency for petty things?!" he yelled.
"I'm sorry your viciousness," the Grub said, looking over his shoulder. "But we have a problem."
"What is it?"
"It's about the energy vampire."
"Oh?' Now Zurg sounded interested. "Has Number 4 activated it."
"Yes," the Grub replied. "But it killed him!"
"What?!"
"Nos-4-a2 attacked Brain Pod 4 and killed him." the insect looked back again. Now he saw the energy vampire exit the room and fly toward him. "He's loose! He's coming after me!"
Back in the throne room Zurg was also beginning to panic. Nos-4-a2 was loose?! He's killed Brain pod 4? This wasn't good. That meant Number 4 hadn't been able to reprogram him after all. The evil emperor couldn't risk the energy vampire running rampant around his palace and draining anymore of his hornets. He only had one option to prevent that from happening.
He activated the Red Alert then dashed down the stairs, pulling out his own gun and making sure it worked as he charged toward the elevators. I should have gotten rid of those parts when I had the chance!
Nos-4-a2 followed the Grub out of the room not to kill him but to find out why he had run . If it was about the brain pod thing he wanted to explain that he hadn't intentionally done such a thing to him. It was an accident. But as he made his way toward the bug sirens went off, nearly scaring him to death. What's this? What's going on?
Then another sound reached his ears. Footsteps. Coming toward him. He turned his head in the direction it was coming from.
Robots. Dozens of them. All black and yellow. They were coming toward him. He could feel their energy and it reminded him how hungry he was. The call was too much to resist. He needed to feed again, the brain pods energy hadn't been enough. He started toward the other robots but never got close.
Suddenly they raised their arms and started shooting.
He yelped in surprise and backed away. They came toward him, still shooting. Scared and confused he activated his wings and took off in the opposite direction. The hornet robots followed, still shooting.
Nos, looked over his shoulder, watching the machines chase him, confused as to why they were shooting. Why are they trying to kill me? What did I ever do to them?
The energy vampire didn't get very far. He flew around another corner and came upon another row of robots. These ones looked the same as the others but they had a comrade. A strange being with red eyes and wearing a purple robe. Nos-4-a2 stopped himself before he ran into them. His eyes locked onto the purple being. It seemed to be the leader.
"That's far enough, Nos-4-a2!" the purple clad being said.
Nos looked over his shoulder, his intent clear. By then the other robots had caught up to him, blocking his only other revenue of escape. He looked back at the being who smiled. "End of the line, vampire."
He was trapped.
"Looks like you have no way of escaping, my failed creation," the purple being replied.
His creation?
"I knew I should have thrown out your parts when I had the chance." he went on, raising his giant gun and aiming it at the vampire's face.
Nos-4-a2 backed away, his eyes locked on the barrel of that gun. "What'd I do?!" he asked, in a pathetic sounding voice, his eyes widening in terror. "Who are you people?! Why're you doing this to me?!"
"Nossy, don't tell me you've forgotten your dear old dad Zurg," the purple being said putting his hand on his chest. "I'm crushed."
"Dad?"
"Yes, your dear old dad whom you tried to overthrow." that gun started powering up. "But this time I'm going to make sure you don't get a chance to try." he made a somewhat sad face. "It's too bad Brain pod 4 never got a chance to fully reprogram you. I guess this is the bricks. So long." He fired.
Nos-4-a2 reacted on instinct, diving sideways to avoid being hit by the flying projectiles. Thanks to his reflexes the blast missed him completely and hit the hornets blocking his way of escape. The machines exploded, sending the rest of the brigade flying in all directions. The being who called himself Zurg put up his arms to protect his face.
Nos, taking advantage of the confusion, spun around and flew down the now open hallway.
"After him!" Zurg shouted, firing after the fleeing energy vampire. "Don't let him get away!"
The rest of the hornet armada took off in hot pursuit.
A/N
To be honest I'll just be happy if I get one review..