The Little Things
A TTBU Side Story
Author's Note: This is set slightly before and during the events of The Things Between Us. You don't have to read both...they stand just fine on their own, but later I'm hoping to do something to bring the two arcs together - at which time, it would probably be beneficial to have looked at both of the stories.
Prologue:
A week after Operation Impending Doom I
"What do you have to say for yourself, soldier?" The Tallest's voice rang out through the chamber, making the shorter Irken standing before the dais cringe slightly. He was still a mess, even after a week of recoup time. One antenna hung limply down the side of his face, and the many gouges scattered over his body had begun to heal over, but would obviously leave scars. He had the general appearance of one who has been on the wrong end of a weapon of mass destruction. Were one to inquire about the matter, that would have been approximately how he would have summed it up.
A weapon of mass destruction - to his mind that described Zim perfectly.
"Well?" He'd spent too much time thinking, as the annoyed note in the ruby-eyed Tallest's voice grew more pronounced.
Lowering his head, he wiggled his good antenna placatingly. "I only did as I thought best, my Tallest." His voice was low, humble, as was proper when addressing the leaders of the empire.
"Oh, c'mon Red," This was quieter, but piercing nonetheless. "Just throw him out of an airlock and be done with it!"
"After the entire Empire has seen his ugly face in the Broadcastia reports?" Red hissed back impatiently. The listening Irken thought they probably intended to keep the conversation between themselves - private - but it was fairly easy to hear everything, even with one non-functioning antenna. They weren't exactly subtle, the Tallest. "It's bad PR, Pur."
"Since when have you cared what anyone else thought?" The violet-eyed tallest seemed utterly shocked by the notion, "I mean after that incident on Devastis..."
"Just shut up! It's a bad idea, got me?"
"...yeah... We're clear." Purple agreed, grudgingly.
"Besides, we still have to do something with him."
"If you can't get rid of him, why not promote him?" Purple yawned, then immediately winced preemptively as Red whirled to face him with startling speed. "Wait! Wait! Bad idea! Forget I said anything!"
"Pur... You. Are. A. Genius!" Red breathed, his antennae perked and his eyes glittering with scarcely concealed enthusiasm. "That's perfect!" He turned back to the Irken still waiting below the dais patiently, although now wearing the expression of one who is facing the gallows. "You, what's your name? Stork!"
"Crow." The Irken corrected under his breath. As expected, he was not heard.
"As a result of your... er... actions, we've decided to promote you! You're now... um... an advisor! Report to the control brain for reassigning and you can begin your new work immediately!" He waved a dismissive hand at the newly promoted solder - an 'I've done my good deed for the day, now get out of my sight' sort of gesture.
The new advisor turned stiffly and began to march away, half limping the entire distance, but doing his best not to show it. It wasn't the easiest task, yet he did a better job of concealing the physical deformities than he did of keeping the bubbling anger under wraps.
The last thing he heard before the doors irised shut was Purple's voice, high and enthusiastic, asking if Red really meant that about the "genius", followed by Red's mutter of "lasers", and the expected scream of pain which was cut-off halfway through.
The door wasn't shut for more than a second or two before the new advisor started to scream. "Why? Why in Irk's name? Ugh... What did I do to deserve this!"
A passing service drone hesitated, staring at the distressed advisor with curiosity gleaming in his red eyes. "What did you do?"
Crow turned with a snarl, striding up to the service drone with only the barest hint of a limp and kicking it across the corridor where it slammed into the metal wall with a bone-jarring thump. He cursed almost immediately at the flare of pain that ran through his gimp leg at the action. The stunned service drone could only twitch convulsively as the taller Irken hobbled up to it and bent over.
"You'll keep your mouth shut," He hissed low, his eyes gleaming with frightening intensity as he towered over the drone. The tiny Irken nodded frantically, trying to convey approval, but it could see the spider legs emerging from Crow's pack, rising and spreading in a mockery of dark wings - the stripped and exposed wires still sputtering and releasing little showers of electric sparks. "You won't ask me that again, will you?" His voice had dropped to a low purr, almost a secretive tone.
The drone nodded again, swallowing nervously.
"Good boy." Crow patted it on the head and watched it relax marginally, thinking itself safe. Then, without any further warning, he plunged the ragged tip of one of his spider legs clean through it, impaling it on the bent and twisted metal. It squealed like a dying rat as the leg bit deeper - hit the thinner metal of the pak and sheared through.
It was over as soon as the Pak was speared, the insides gutted beyond repair. Quick... but the frozen expression of terror and pain on the drone's face belied any notion that the swiftness of the drone's demise had made it an easy one. He stared a moment longer, a smile lingering on his face, then slowly withdrew the limb, folding it and pulling it into his pak.
"I'm so glad we see, eye to eye." He told the corpse with a faint smile before glancing back at the closed door. He laid his good antennae back for a moment, sharply, before raising it again and wiggling it in a mockery of the traditional salute.
"Long live my Tallest..."
He continued down the corridor heedlessly, listening to the frantic scuttling of more drones rushing over, trying to clean up the mess before the Tallest emerged from their audience chamber.