"I will kill her." The words rang in my ears for days after the call with my father. I needed help, if I was going to make sure I didn't bring this alien egg back to my dad at the same making sure Eliana was okay.
"Krayonder. Come here." I said, pulling him aside.
"Yes, sir?" He asked, and I sighed. Sir. Here I was in charge of a ship that had no idea they were practically under my dad's foot.
"Where's Commander Up?" I asked, and he pointed to the door.
Inside was Bug, and he was on the Commander's lap, weird but I didn't question it. I figured waiting until they were done and once Bug left he said hi to me as he passed me. I knocked on the door.
"Junior? Whatcha doing here?" Up asked, standing up probably hoping that I didn't see what just went on.
"Actually Krayonder told me you were giving Bug some advice and I was kinda hoping I could get some too." I said, shyly. I hated having to act so cool under all of this. I didn't sleep most nights constantly thinking about my predicament and maybe Up being the Commander could help.
I dragged my hands down my face holding them there for a minute to show him how tired my eyes actually were. Up nodded and sat down in his chair. "Wanna sit?"
"No thank you." I said, pacing back and forth.
"What has got you off your circuit kid?" Up asked and if I had any sense right now I would have realized he was making a robot joke.
"Have you ever had to do something really bad to protect someone?" I asked, going with evasive hints nice work Junior. Gosh, I was such an idiot sometimes.
"Yeah, I guess. Why?" He asked standing up. He was taller than me now, giving me a look I had seen before as a child. Eliana's father used to give me that look all of the time, so maybe it was parental like worry.
"I can't do it." I shook my head turning away from him and Up moved closer to me.
"What can't you do, son?" He asked, the concern now seeping into his voice.
"But if I don't he'll kill her." I said, turning back around and grabbing the front of his shirt.
"Woah there, son, calm down. You don't have to do anything." He said, confused. How was I supposed to explain how important she was to me without telling him everything.
"Yes I do." I said, falling to my knees. I couldn't take it. Why did I have to be evil, I want to be evil don't get me wrong I want to be everything my father wants me to be, but I just can't.
"Hey, Up." Taz's voice rang through my ears.
I looked up and I had my hands over my face before and I didn't realize that I had been crying until now. She looked at me oddly, and I looked up at Up whom had stood up straight as soon as she entered the room. She told Up she'd be back and shot me a sympathetic look before leaving again.
"Sorry about that." Up said, kneeling down to my level.
"Up, what if someone very powerful threatened to kill Taz if you didn't do their bidding?" I asked him and his eyes glossed over for a minute, he hiccupped and then looked at me in the most fearful way possible.
"What are you saying?" He asked, all of sudden very nervous around me.
"She's important to you, right?" I asked, reaching into my back pocket and he put his hand on his gun.
"What are you getting at?" He asked and I shook my head.
"Someone I thought I trusted threatened to kill someone very important me if I didn't do something very bad." I said and Up kneeled back down to my level still staying somewhat away from me.
"Okay, who?" He said not specifying.
I looked through my wallet and found two pictures. I pulled them out and laid them out on the ground. One was of me and my father the day I graduated the academy and the other was of me and Eliana the day before I left for the academy. I traced Eliana's face with my finger secretly hoping she'd appear right in front of me but she didn't and I was slightly disappointed no matter how crazy that sounded.
"This is your father?" Up asked.
"Unfortunately." I spat out evilly, wow the first evil thing I've actually been able to do.
"Guys, we have report!" Krayonder came in running.