Command Starfire (Command Starburst!)

"Twenty bucks." Krit called. (I'm in the hole here, Syl. Come on.)

"You're on." Syl replied.

I casually strode over to the group.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Oh, we're taking bets." Syl explained vaguely. (On whether Nigel on Relic Hunter will ever get out of that big hole he fell in.)

I pressed for more information.

(Nigel's in a hole? Where? I'll save him!)"On?"

"On as to whether or not Zack and Cade got horizontal."

Scenes from the previous night flashed through my brain.

"Why would you have that thought?" I asked.

Krit smiled.

"Well, Cade went AWOL (did we all practice those acronyms last night?) last night, pretty soon after you left. I called Zack to tell him and he said she was with him. We didn't see him or Cade until this morning. So I'm thinking that something had to have gone on. She's like a freakin' female Zack..." (Ty- I am a freakin' female Zack! Hello! Woohoo, woohoo! Doin' a little dance.)

Syl cut Krit off.

"No way. I mean, look at him. Still the same grumpy, pouty Zack. No way anything major happened."

"Good point." Krit joked, "She's hot." (Bad, Krit.) (Good, Krit) (Shut up. You got Zack.) (Good point. But I could always have both.) (Do I have to kick your ass again?)

Syl just shook her head and groaned. I had no idea where Cade was but I did know for a fact that Krit had lost. I debated on whether or not to tell them that, but decided against it. Let them have their fun. Plus, I didn't want them dragging the story out of me.

Krit and Syl continued bickering until Zack strode toward us. Zack's presence made everyone go silent.

"Okay, soldiers. We have conquered one problem, but we still face another: what do we do about Madame X."

As Zack spoke, Cade came up behind him. She was wearing what I recognized as one of Zack's shirts. I saw Krit elbow Syl and give her a meaningful look. I felt a strong desire to laugh and had to use all of my self-control to suppress it. Zack glared at me.

"Something funny, soldier?"

I couldn't help smiling.

"No, sir."

"How is this really that hard of a decision?" Krit interrupted, "Just kill her."

"Do we really think that's the best idea?" a voice came booming from behind us.

It was Lydecker. (Who invited him?) (Wasn't me.)

"You have a better idea?" Krit snapped defensively. (I believe we mentioned our idea. Zack-drink on. Krit-stripper. Nuff said.)

"I'm not saying it's a bad idea. Hell, I'll help. (That's just wrong! Lydecker bad! Bad! BAD! Many bads! Many many bads!) (Cade would just like to say, I knew it!) All I'm saying is, have we gotten enough information from her?" Lydecker explained.

"Well, you and Max have been interrogating her for the past 12 hours, how much more can you get out of her?" Zack glared, the distrust of years pouring through him.

Lydecker straightened.

"That woman has years of secrets. And she's much too cocky for someone being held captive by people with more than enough reason to kill her. You're getting careless, Zack. A good soldier would make sure he had every ounce of intel before disposing of the prisoner."

Zack was in no way intimidated by Lydecker.

"Don't tell me how to be a good soldier. I don't give a damn if you think I'm a good soldier. (And stop staring at my butt. It's enough you hit on Max, you sicko. Leave me alone.) Let's get things straight. I give the orders around here." Zack said, glaring down at Lydecker in that way he had.

"I'm not trying to give orders. I just want you to remember what I taught you."

Zack got right in Lydecker's face.

"I don't trust you as far as I can throw you." Zack spat out.

"And I remember I taught you to throw pretty far." Lydecker countered.

I saw Zack's hand raise, but before the blow could be delivered, Cade, with cat-like reflexes caught his hand. (Who got the skills? I got the skills? I said, who's house? Ron's house! Say what? Martin! Martin! [copyright: Dogma])

"Not that I am not enjoying this testosterone frenzy (copyright Farscape. Sorry I had to steal it), but like it or not, we need him." Cade interrupted.

Zack spun on Cade.

"Are you challenging me?" Zack snapped. (Why? Do you like it that way? That's naughty!)

Cade did what I have never, ever, seen anyone in my life dare to do. She got in Zack's face and actually slapped him.

"You needed that." she informed him, "Now everyone just calm down (Yes! Calm down! Everyone calm down! Cold showers! Cold showers! Margaret Thatcher naked on a cold day! [copyright: Austin Powers]) (Hmmm. Cold shower. Kind of like after you watch Heart of Darkness on Xena, huh?) (Orgy episode. Just wrong.) (But it did have Virgil without his shirt.), the point at hand is Renfro."

Zack and Lydecker both stood staring at her in something akin to awe.

"I like this chick." Krit declared quietly, smile creeping back onto his face.

I knew that if I did not in some way distract him, Zack would most likely take his anger out on Krit. So I decided to save Krit the black eye and step in.

"She's right. We need to focus." I said, stepping in front of Krit so the amused look on his face wouldn't annoy Zack further.

"He does have a point, Zack. The bitch is awfully cocky." Syl said.

Zack didn't look too thrilled with the idea of everyone questioning his orders, even though he hadn't really given any yet. Still, Syl's siding with Lydecker didn't help the situation although I agreed with her.

"The longer she lives the more of a risk we take. Manticore is going to want her back." Zack said angrily.

"Zack, we know that." Cade said in a surprisingly soothing voice.

"And you know she's got to have something up her sleeve." Krit agreed and gestured at Lydecker, "They always do."

Zack looked at each of us with an unreadable gaze for a long, silent moment.

"Alright. Get her in here." he finally gave the order.

I nodded and went to go get her along with Syl. Renfro was tied firmly to a chair. Neither of us felt like untying her (cause she's yucky. She's got cooties.) (Bad guy cooties! Bad guy cooties!) so Syl pushed the chair back into the room. I walked slightly in front of her so I could keep a careful eye on the bleach-blonde bitch that was my creator.

I noticed that Zack had put himself between Cade and Renfro. It was obvious that he was trying to shield her from Renfro's influence, her presence. I felt a pang of jealousy. He couldn't be bothered to try and shield his own little sister who had been as much the bitch's little guinea pig as Cade had. Well, at least Cade didn't seem too happy about being protected in this more thoughtful than actually affective way.

"Ah, 599," Renfro taunted, "I was beginning to miss you. Both of you."

"You will speak when spoken to." Zack informed her.

"But Zack, I'm sure you have more questions." Renfro teased.

Zack reached into his jacket and pulled out a very deadly looking M-9 pistol (since when did Zack carry a gun?). (Where exactly is he keeping this gun?-Ty) (Cade volunteers to go and get it if he's keeping it in his pants.) He pointed it at Renfro.

"Well that's taking a big leap and saying we have more questions."

I glanced around at faces: Lydecker, Krit, Syl, and Cade. They all obviously had the same thought on their minds: would Zack pull the trigger? (Dun dun dun! On the next epsiode of Days Of Our X5's Lives)

"You wouldn't do that. I'm the only thing keeping Manticore soldiers from storming this place once they find you." she said in the same annoying, calm and cocky voice, but I could tell by the way her eyes darted about nervously that she wasn't feeling all that cocky at the moment.

"They won't find us." Zack said, cocking the gun.

Suddenly, Cade tried to push past Zack. He gave her a look, which she returned with one of her own and continued to push past him. Zack slowly lowered his gun and returned it to wherever he hid it inside his clothes. (Still wondering where that is.)

"I just want to know one thing, why?" Cade said to Renfro.

Zack tried to push her back behind him, but Cade was having none of it.

"No. No, Zack. I have to know why. Why?" there was a great pain in her voice.

I could understand it.

"Why?" Renfro repeated, "Because I wanted soldiers that were not only capable of what the X-series were, but were also devoted to me. It was all part of my insurance policy."

Cade looked as let down as I felt. Was that the only reason for our existence? At least, the X-series had been part of some vision, however twisted. All we were was some paranoid bitch's insurance.

"If it's any consolation, you SP's were faulty." Renfro continued, "You were supposed to be devoid of emotion. That emotion is probably what they used to turn you. I thought you were stronger than that, 452/493."

"And that makes you a great humanitarian." I snapped, "Shut up, just shut up!"

"Emotion!" Cade shouted at her, oblivious to anything else, "Emotion? Is that what you're afraid of? Well, then be afraid."

With that she pulled Zack to her and kissed him, a deep, feeling kiss, to prove her point. (Ah, you were just looking for an excuse to do that!) (Damn skippy!)

"Do I get my twenty bucks now?" Krit asked.
Syl gave him a look that said he was impossible and also threatened pain if he said another word.
"Just asking." Krit said as he ducked Syl's swing at his head.
Cade pulled out of the kiss and glared at Renfro.

"And my name is Cade." she added angrily.

Renfro didn't have anything to say to that.

"Tell us about this insurance policy. (See usually insurance isn't this interesting. AllState.)" Zack commanded of Renfro, taking over control of this interrogation again.
I noticed that he didn't move to put any space between Cade and Renfro again. In fact, he still looked a little dazed.
Renfro laughed suddenly, that damn cocky look right back on her face, and shouted, "SP-452/493, execute Command: Starfire. (I mean, Command: Starburst!)" (Like the candy?) (Taste the flavor!) (Resist the mist!) (They're calling me, Gabrielle. I must go!) (Die, Ulysses, die.) (Die, cuckoo clock, die.) (Yes, we know we're on crack. It's all natural.) (We're not on crack. We can't cook.) (What does that have to do with anything?) (Don't you have to cook crack?) (Since we don't know that, we are obviously not really on crack. Leave us alone.) (Good point.)
 Cade straightened up with a robot- like jerk. Zack gave her a confused look.
"Command: Starfire." Cade repeated in a monotone voice.
What the heck had Renfro done? Zack vocalized my confusion.
"What did you do?" he demanded.
"After you and the other X5's escaped, then that SP, we decided we need a little more insurance. So we began implanting subliminal messages like this one. Funny thing is, your 'Cade' has no idea what she is about to do. Question is Zack can you kill her before she kills you?"
With that she gave a little wink. She sure looked mighty pleased with herself.
Damn, I hated that bitch. (We really, really do.)
Cade threw hard punches at Zack, which he blocked, barely. Zack was hesitant which was probably going to get him killed. I couldn't help feeling like this was somehow my fault for giving him my blessings, as it were, and telling him it was okay that he was attracted to her. It seemed like such a long time ago that we had had that conversation.
Cade kicked out. Zack caught her leg and used it to throw her to the ground.

"How do you override the command?" Zack asked through gritted teeth.
"That's taking a big leap and implying there is a override command." Renfro teased, "What a dramatic irony."
Krit had had enough of this. He pulled a knife out of his boot (He must go through socks horribly) and was swiftly at Renfro's side pressing it at her throat.
"Tell him." he demanded.
I saw Renfro momentarily falter, but then she just laughed again.
I really hated that laugh.
"Killing me won't do you any good." she declared.
"It will make me feel a whole lot better." Syl stated. (Yeah, me, too.) (Me, three.)
"Only my voice can override the command," Renfro continued, " Now let me go and maybe we can make a deal."
I looked at Zack, asking him silently what to do.
Zack was a little busy at that moment, though. Cade was now regrouping. The both of them were breathing hard. Fear filled my veins; could Zack win? Cade had been a tough opponent and now being devoid of personality and fighting all out, Zack was in trouble.
"Fine." I shouted, "We bargain, but try anything funny and you will wish we had killed you."
Cade attacked again with a roundhouse kick, which caused Zack to loose ground. She prepared to continue with a series of punches, but Zack leapt over her in a front flip.
"We take you to Manticore, you override the command." I continued, "Sound fair enough?"
"It'll due." Renfro agreed. "SP-452/493 halt."
Cade immediately came to attention. Zack panted heavily and backed away towards Syl. I watched with concern as he slowly dropped to his knees. Syl squatted next to him.
"SP- 452/493, Command: 53201." Renfro shouted.

Cade dropped to the ground, unconscious.
"What did you do?" Zack managed, as he continued panting heavily, on his knees.
"Don't worry. She's fine, and she is 'Cade' again. This command will cause 452/493 to 'hold' if you will for one hour. If I am not at Manticore and I don't override the command, she will kill Zack, and each and everyone of you in turn." Renfro explained.
I glanced at Zack who was clearly in no condition to run this mission. If a gave him about ten minutes he'd probably be fine, but we didn't have ten minutes to waste.
It would have to be me.
"Krit, you restrain Cade. Syl, Lydecker, get Renfro in the van and blindfold her." (We'll play pin the tail on the donkey! It'll be fun!) (Well, when Zack gets his drink on, of course)
"Yes, sir." Krit and Syl answered in unison, then all three went about their task.
I went to assess my brother's condition.
"How are you feeling big brother?" I asked, Zack had a cut on his lip, a gash on his arm, and a black eye. (Alright, I have to admit. That was a stupid question. How does he frelling look like he's feeling?) (No kidding.)
And those were just the new injuries.

"Like hell." he replied, he tried to get up from where he sat.
"No, you stay here." I told him.
"Renfro..." he started.
"Stay here. That is an order." I gave him a stern look.
"Since when do you give orders?" he asked, slightly amused.
"Since now."
It was my turn to be C.O. I just hoped I was up to the challenge. (See, I am allowed to give orders! Krit, where'd you go?)

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