A/N - So… I may have not posted in 16 days... Sorry about that, I have been revising for some lovely exams which I'm sure I shall fail but ah well, such is life. Anyway, here it be, the next chapter of awesome! (okay, averageness, which isn't even a word… whatever) It's a kind of different style to the other chapters, but I hope it's okay…
Disclaimer - So yeah. Starship does not belong to me. Although I do own the DVD. Which I forced my Dad to watch. He fell asleep. -.- Anyway, it belongs to the wonderful people of StarKid. Not me.
Up screamed. These damn robots had been attacking him for ten minutes, and he still hadn't cracked. His right eye had swollen shut and he could feel warm sticky blood trickling down the side of his face. The cuffs around his wrists pulled his body into an uncomfortable position, and the metal dug into his skin, leaving deep red imprints behind.
"TELL US."
The robots still didn't seem to understand that he wouldn't break, that was one thing he was certain of. He didn't care what they did to him, how much it hurt, he would never break. Not if the time he spent here meant Taz could get out of here. The others as well, of course, but mainly Taz. He shook his head slowly and deliberately, a smug smile creeping across his face.
They didn't know. They didn't know what it was like to value someone else's life before your own. They had no emotions, only the compulsive need to overthrow the 'human suppressors'. That was the one thing he had over them. They had weapons, they were in control, but he no longer cared for himself. If they got Taz in here, he shuddered at the thought, a sharp pain stabbing in his chest, that would be a different matter, but so long as she was okay, he was never going to give them what they wanted.
Another blow came, this time to the side of his body. The chair he was strapped to fell and he thudded to the floor with a dull thump. As blood started to trickle over his eyes he could see the forgotten body of Holden in front of him. He was almost unrecognisable and Up winced at some of the atrocious injuries he had sustained. His eyes however, seemed triumphant in death. Up had seen the dead before, many times, often his own friends but usually their eyes were vacant, the presence of the person no longer felt, but with Holden he seemed proud, like he had done his job, like dying was only the next adventure.
Up smiled and was swiftly rewarded with a sharp kick in the stomach. He reflexively tried to double over but the ties just dug in more and he let out an angry yell, swearing violently. It never seemed to have quite the same effect as it used to, swearing. Before Taz had come into his life it had relieved the tension, but now her Spanish profanities always seemed to trump his muttered curses. Not that he minded of course, even though a fair few were directed at him, it was still amusing to watch the likes of Krayonder squirm under her disgusted tone.
Up sighed as he realised he would probably never hear those curses again, he didn't think the robots would let him last much longer at this rate, and hopefully by now she and the others would have escaped from the grasp of the those robots. He could die happy.
"Hijo de puta!"
Up looked up and then the world went black.
Taz heard a scream. She started trembling involuntarily, shaking her head. She pulled her hands through her hair, squeezing her eyes shut as she tried to avoid the sound of pure pain that echoed inside her head, even though the screaming itself had stopped.
When the sound finally faded, she opened he eyes slowly, to find the eyes of everyone else fixed cautiously on her, some with arms outstretched as if to comfort her, but not quite reaching. She scowled irritably, disappointed how obvious her pain was, and how weak she had become. The other rangers shrunk back, their fear now obvious. Taz smirked. This was how it should be. Respectful of her, actually, scratch that, terrified was more like it.
"So, tell me the plan." She turned to Specs, and then added as an afterthought, "please."
"Well," Specs pushed her glasses up her nose and glanced around nervously. "You have to hit Krayonder."
"I like this plan," Taz smirked as Krayonder stepped forwards, outraged.
"I don't. Come on, man, really?"
"Well it doesn't have to be Krayonder..." Specs said quietly.
"Oh yes it does," Taz interrupted.
"BUT," Specs added, "I thought Taz would appreciate more if it was you. It would be more realistic."
"That's exactly what I'm worried about, man," Krayonder whined.
Everyone swung around as a thud was heard from the stage. Taz paled significantly and Krayonder gulped uneasily.
"Fine, man. I'll do it." Krayonder groaned. "But take it easy."
"You just need to shout and hit each other," Specs explained. "Anything to get the robots over here, then we'll do the rest."
"Anything?" Taz winked.
"Within reason," Specs smiled, shaking her head despairingly.
A flurry of swear words could be heard from the stage and Taz gritted her teeth. Up rarely swore. The last time Taz had heard him swear had been a long time ago, when she'd accidentally kneed him, well, you know where. That really had been ages, it had been before, before...
"Anyway," she snapped. Let's get this over with.
"Please don't break my nose," Krayonder whimpered pathetically. "I need it."
"Pfft," Taz scoffed. "For what?" She put her hand up to silence him as he tried to cut in. "Let's just get on with it." She sighed.
"You don't sound that enthusiastic anymore," Krayonder chuckled.
"Oh, really?" Taz swung her arm through the air and Krayonder crumpled as his nose was crushed under her fist.
"Hijo de puta!"
A/N - By the way, Happy New Year! Even though I despise New Year, I hope everyone had a good one and has a nice 2012…
