"Alliance"
"Must feed."
On silent wing, the creature flew through the quiet alleys of Tradeworld. NOS-4-A2; an Energy Vampire Hunting, searching for some sort of electronic prey to satisfy his hunger for energy. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the city, not seeing anything robotic. This wasn't the first night of bad hunting. Prey had been scarce for a couple nights now. The Vampire sighed, preparing to return to his underground lair. Day was fast approaching, and as a wanted villain he would do best to not to be seen flying around Tradeworld in the day. He would have better luck tomorrow night.
Then the vampire's eyes seized on something, something large and full of fresh energy, leaning against a wall down a small dark alley.
"Lovely"
He swooped lower, staying hidden in the shadows. Prey this large was sure to put up a fight, and he was not in the mood for a struggle. Coming closer to the large robot he was targeting he noticed how strangely he was assembled. The Robot had a large torso with misfitting arms and legs. The Vampire was taken aback as he pondered who would have designed such a strange thing. He shrugged it off. Whoever designed it did not matter, how it was assembled did not matter.
All that mattered was its life giving energy, ripe and ready to be leeched out of it's misshapen body. He drew nearer, baring his fangs. He would savor this kill, enjoy it.
He was starving.
What a day. The large robot rested against a wall, tired from a long unsuccessful day. He had been hiding out on Tradeworld for a couple weeks now. He had thought after escaping from prison for the fourth time, he would be able to come up with another plan to get revenge on those obnoxious space rangers, and his traitorous baby brother.
He gritted his teeth at the thought of his brother. That no good brat, what did he have that he didn't? XR had been made a space ranger, a respected protector of the galactic alliance. While he XL, the superior robot, had been shut down and left in storage like trash.
He clenched his claw, fury building inside him. He just didn't understand what was wrong with him. He was bigger, stronger, much more technologically advanced, comprised of the most powerful robotic parts. He sighed, letting his anger slowly ebb away. Without a plan, there was no point in getting all worked up. Besides, he had more pressing problems to deal with, like trying to find somewhere to hide out before daybreak. In the day he would be easily spotted and taken back to prison. He shuddered; he was never going back there if he could help it.
He glanced around the alley, it was dark, and he couldn't see any living thing… But he could sense something. His brow furrowed as he tried to see through the darkness. His Plasma gun arm slowly rotated, ready to be fired. He raised it, aiming it into the darkness.
"Who's there? SHOW YOURSELF!"
The Energy vampire hissed under his breath. The robot had detected him. This was going to be more trouble than he thought. He wasn't even sure he had the power to take on the robot at this point. He clenched his fangs. No, he was going to feed tonight, and he was going to feed on this feisty hunk of metal if he died doing it. Still concealed in the dark, he started to make his way through the shadows.
He crept forward slowly, being careful to hide behind a dumpster. The robot had still not seen him and was now backing down the alley, weaponry still raised.
NOS-4-A2 paused, struck by an idea.
A twisted smile crossed his face as his electronic monocle glowered red.
XL froze, a faint red glow had appeared in the shadows of the alley. Without warning he was overcome with instinctual fear.
What was this creature? He had no idea.
All he knew was that it was dangerous.
The frightening creature advanced towards him emerging out of the darkness.
He wanted to fire, but he couldn't. His arm shook with strain, and then he lowered it. His mismatched eyes widened in fear. He couldn't move.
"Hear me" the creature came closer. "Your Dark master calls to you"
XL tried to respond, but found no will. He was paralyzed by terror.
"Come to me…" it hissed in a calm voice, as it opened its jaws wide, spinning fangs bared, preparing to attack.
The sight of the fangs spurred XL into action. Shaking his head free of the sight of the monstrous red glow, he dodged the creature's bite. It recoiled hissing, then struck again. XL again dodged, hitting the side wall of the alley hard. Angrily, but still in instinctual self defense, he shot a jet of acid at the creature, who avoided it easily. XL staggered to his feet, he had to escape from this thing.
His eyes searched around frantically. The creature was advancing again, pure venom in its eyes.
XL's engine was racing in his chest. He backed away, but his back met a grungy alley wall.
A dead end, His dead end.
He had no chance. He cowered in terror as the monster prepared another attack.
It was over. He closed his eyes and managed to force out a last small pitiful
"Please…don't…please…"
"Please... don't hurt me… pl- please don't kill me…"
NOS-4-A2 paused. He began to chuckle softly. How pathetic this robot was …and how entertaining. A body made up of deadly weaponry, and all it could do was beg for mercy. How delightful. The Vampire retreated a foot or so, drinking in the pure terror of his target. Who was still shaking, eyes shut tight, waiting for an attack that had not yet come.
He watched it, thinking. This robot was not like most of his prey.
Well the fear was the same of course. He smirked. All robots, no matter how they were assembled were afraid of him.
But this robot was powerful, this much he could tell. But from how easily his will was broken, NOS guessed that he was also not the brightest, still he had resisted and put up some sort of fight. He was maybe not completely worthless. Raising an eye NOS looked at the robot. Perhaps this hunk of metal was worth more to him that just a quick meal. NOS-4-A2 was powerful indeed, but he knew that he truly lacked the brutish strength and assorted weapons to get jobs done properly himself.
Mind control worked quite well to his advantage. Though they usually ended up turning on him, like that little one…. XR he recalled his name was.
Bitter defeat at the hands of one so inferior.
NOS's eyes narrowed. Maybe a willing servant would come in more useful to exact his revenge on the little one, and the rest of the space rangers of star command.
He smiled down on the large robot, still curled against the wall.
"Lovely"
Hearing this XL opened one tentative eye.
"Wha-Whadidjasay?" he glanced up at the hovering creature.
He could have sworn it had spoken.
The creature just smirked. He felt a twinge of anger at this, being played with. It wasn't enough to be terrified and cowering?
"Rise." The creature said calmly, its expression becoming serious.
XL slowly got to his feet. He was still shaking.
The creature watched on silently. XL was confused.
Why wasn't he dead? He wasn't sure what this monster was, or what it was doing. But he knew it was very dangerous to him. So what did it want?
He stood and faced the creature. Still very tense, but more curious now than terrified.
"Who are you?" he choked out. The creature blinked, staring at XL with extreme concentration, as if debating even answering, or deep in thought.
"I am NOS-4-A2" it finally replied.
XL began to shake again. NOS-4-A2, he had heard of his creature. How many countless posters had he seen around Tradeworld.
NOS-4-A2: Energy Vampire
Energy vampire! XL shuddered.
No wonder his fear was instinctual.
He stared at the Energy draining monster hovering in front on him. It was much smaller than him, but it was deadly. His eyes were wide.
"Aren't you gonna, ya know…" XL shivered. "Eat me?"
"I could." NOS answered scathingly, making XL cower. "But I feel you could be of some use to me." It glanced over at XL an eye raised.
XL blinked in surprise. "Me?"
Maybe he wasn't going to die. XL's spirits rose.
NOS-4-A2 nodded once, then continued. "Your power could come in very useful to me, tell you what." He paused, then "If you help me exact my revenge on Star Command—"
"STAR COMMAND?" XL's rage again flared. "You want revenge on Star Command?"
NOS blinked, taken aback. "Yes…"
The large robot slammed his plasma gun against the alley wall, it rotated and another dangerous gun came out.
"So do I." he snarled underneath his breath.
NOS smiled, this was going to be easy. How perfect. This robot was already an enemy of star command. He would surly follow any plan NOS could come up with.
"What is your name?" NOS demanded, attempting a thoughtful tone.
"uhh.. XL."
XL? Interesting. NOS leaned forward.
"So tell me… XL, why is it that you want revenge on star command?" the robot frowned, thinking hard.
"Well I was designed to be a space ranger, but my no good father.." its eyes narrowed in anger. "had me shut down, and put in storage like trash." It paused. "I don't remember much until a little while after I was rebooted. All I wanted to do was become bigger, more powerful, more advanced." The robot smiled. "So I MADE myself better."
"I see." NOS said uninterestedly.
"Yeah well" the robot was clearly aggravated by NOS's tone. "I can make stuff too. I've designed a gravitational field and a --- "
Blah blah blah, this thing could talk.
Maybe he should kill it just to shut it up.
But he had heard what he wanted. This robot wanted revenge as well, and he could design weapons, indeed useful.
At least for now.
"So.. what's the plan?" XL asked eagerly. His fear seemed to be momentarily forgotten. NOS glared at him, he enjoyed the fear. This XL really was dumb as a pile of rocks to forget who he was talking too.
Rocks…
NOS blinked. Slowly he pulled out a tiny green rock. It sat quietly glowing in his clawed hand. His eyes widened and a huge smile crossed his face.
"What?" XL asked uncertainly. He cocked his head inside his domed body.
"I have a plan in the making." NOS replied silently, deep in thought.
XL fidgeted slowly, waiting for NOS to explain.
He didn't.
Finally. "Come, day is fast approaching and neither of us can be out."
"Where can we go?" XL asked timidly.
"I have a place in mind." NOS-4-A2 turned and began to glide back down the alley.
"HEY!" XL hurried to catch up with the vampire, but stayed a safe distance.
"So, are we like, partners now?"
"…"
" I mean…" XL cringed a little. "We are right?"
NOS's lip curled in a snarl. "Perhaps."
"GREAT!" XL was excited. He had a partner in crime. He had always wanted a partner in crime. But this wasn't just any partner. He paused for a moment. This was a deadly partner. XL fearfully glanced again at the back of the energy vampire, still moving down the alley towards the opening of a large sewer.
"Hey, if I'm your partner… you won't, ya know… eat me? Will you?"
NOS smirked.
"Why, I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing."
"Oh, OK good!" the robot seemed content at this.
What a fool.
