A/N: Woo...I'm wondering how long I'm going to be dragging this thing out...am I getting too long winded with this or is it just my imagination?
First Tallest
Ghar wandered the ship deep in his own thoughts. He jerked out of them when a hand touched his shoulder.
"I am sorry." Onic said, she was wrapped in a gauzy cloth that covered her head and partly masked her face. "I did not mean to frighten you."
"Oh, no. I just." He stopped talking. "Is there something you need?"
"I doubt it's something I need, but perhaps something you do." She was slightly taller than him and began to direct him to the side. "Maybe even something your Heve needs. And don't try to tell me I'm wrong. I know enough to see this."
Ghar shook his head. "I'm not so sure."
"You have to understand." Onic said. She suddenly sat on the floor and patted the spot before her. "Sit."
He sat down a bit reluctantly.
"Heve is a slave that is now a ruler. He want's only to see his people in their rightful place. And doesn't know how to do it." She let the gauze fall from her face. "He is also quite 'special' is he not?"
Ghars' eyes shot up from the ground. "How did you?"
She held up her hands. "I have seen the look in his eyes when you walk into the room. They way he reacts to each casual touch." She folded her hands together.
Ghar looked out towards the Commons. "I just thought I could help him."
"You can and you are." She said bringing his attention back to her. "Most like him are left with scars. He's afraid he'll hurt you like he was hurt."
"How do you even know all this?" He asked.
"Observation says a lot of things." She said. Through this whole thing her voice had been so calm. "I predict there will come a time when he will realize that he couldn't hurt you if he tried. You will have to be there for him until then and be there when he comes to you."
"But that could take so long." Ghar said sounding frustrated.
She titled her head and smiled. "It may not be as long as you fear." She motioned behind him.
He twisted around a little to look where she pointed. Heve stood off to the side watching them. He seemed nervous about something.
"Ghar." He turned to her voice. "Go."
He stood up. "Thank you Onic." He walked over to Heve.
She watched them meet and exchange a few words, then walk off together through the masses of other Irkens.
"You are most welcome brother Irken." She said feeling very pleased with herself.
* * *
An Irken ran panic stricken through the halls screaming out. "Prison break!"
Other Irkens turned to him.
"One Illian! Escaped!" The Irken screamed once in the company of others.
"Escaped? How?" One asked.
"He was in the back." He gasped. "We found his cuffs picked." He inhaled trying to catch his breath. "The ones in the front drew our attention and he made a break."
"You get the Tallest. The rest of you come with me, we'll find him." The tallest Irken of the warned group said.
* * *
"Tallest, Tallest!" A small Irken ran up to Heve as he was trying to talk more with Ghar.
"What is it?" Heve asked.
"Illian. Escape." The Irken gasped falling to his knees.
"An Illian escaped?" Heve said, he whirled on Ghar. "Go to the females. Ensure that they are safe and then stay with them."
Ghar hesitated. "But what about."
"Just go."
Ghar took off as fast as his little legs could carry him.
Heve lifted the exhausted Irken up on his feet. "Take me there."
* * *
Ghar nearly tripped on his way to the females. It was dark down these corridors. He stopped. Oh great, was he lost?
He twisted his head around trying to get his bearings when he was lifted off the ground. "Hey!"
Angry avian eyes glared into his. "Get lost did we little one?" The Illian hissed. He threw Ghar across the hall slamming him into a wall. "I know that one, that tall one." The Illian went on approaching the stunned Ghar. "You'll be happy to know your leader was once a very eager slave." He picked Ghar up again.
Ghar blinked, everything was fuzzy and his arm hurt.
"As, I'm sure, you will be too." The Illian said. "So small, so fragile. I've seen you around that one. That tall one. You must be important." He shook Ghar hard sending the small Irken into blackness. "A good hostage indeed."
* * *
It was silent alert. All Irkens who were once soldier drones took up their weapons and ushered those who were labor slaves into safety. Smaller troops went out in fours in search of the escaped Illian. The remaining birds were under maximum watch. Each with a laser trained at their head.
Heve stormed along a corridor with three other Irkens. He lifted his wrist com up. "Ghar, how are the females?" He got no response. "Ghar?" He changed frequencies. "Shei, this is Heve, I'm having trouble raising Ghar, has he arrived to you yet?"
A bit of static and then. "No my Tallest. Ghar has not been seen for some time."
He stopped dead in his tracks. The other Irkens stopped and looked at him.
"I sent him to you. He never arrived?"
"No my Tallest."
Heve narrowed his eyes. He turned around motioning the rest of the troop following him. They crossed the commons where a few dozen soldiers stood guarding the largest amount of space on the ship.
They got only part of the way through the common area when a screechy call sounded. "Slave!"
A pale blue mass of feathers landed behind Heve.
The Illian turned wide cruel eyes to him. Immediately laser weapons were trained on the one-time master.
"Tell them to stand down." The Illian hissed.
Heves' eyes twitched. "Give me a reason to not kill you now."
Low wings only capable of the downward glide the Illian had preformed opened to reveal a small Irken form held by the collar of his clothes.
Purple eyes, one swollen shut, tried to look about but most of his senses had been knocked out of him.
"Ghar..."
"Ah, so you are that attached to him." The Illian said. "Now have them stand down before I crush his skull."
Heve lifted a hand, the weapons went down.
"Let him go Illian, and you will not be harmed."
The Illian squawked. "Me give up to you?" It rumbled with the Illian equivalent of laughter. "Stand down for good slave and I'll be sure you all survive once we reach the mining planets."
There was an automatic raise in tension among the remaining soldier drones.
"Not going to do it?" The Illian asked. "Perhaps you want the truth about your beloved leader."
"What truth would that be?" Heve half demanded.
"What you are. How you started my little slave, my beautiful one." He held Ghar closer to him for protection. "He is what you lowly creatures call a 'special slave'. Born to serve and made into whatever the owner wanted."
The others noted that their Tallest was a few shades paler.
"You were mine."
Heve stood a moment then blinked. Somewhere behind the Illian an Irken soldier lifted his weapon and fired.
The bolt slid neatly through the Illians arm/wing severing its hold on Ghar. The 'hand' that was holding the small Irken spasmed releasing him as both he and the appendage hit the ground.
The Illian squealed in pain as three Irkens tackled him.
"You think we are that weak do you?" One them demanded. He had pale red eyes. "I was yours as well Mi'ika, you bastard." He smashed the butt of his weapon into the Illians face.
"Foy stand down!"
The pale eyed Irken Foy glared but did as his Tallest commanded. "This one will get his punishment." Heve knelt down by Ghar who was already being checked over by the first Irken to reach him. "Call the medical staff. Is anyone else hurt?"
There was a round of 'no's.
Bruised purple eyes opened a little. "Heve?"
"Yes it's alright." Heve said touching carefully over Ghars' many hurts. "You're safe."
"I, he." There were some tears.
"Please my Tallest. I need to reach him."
Heve turned to the suddenly appeared medic.
"Of course." Heve stood up and backed away. "Keep me posted on his health."
"Tallest? What of him?"
Foy barely twitched and brought his weapon back to the fallen Illians' head. "I say give him death."
"No."
Eyes turned to Heve.
"Not yet. He will serve us better as an example."
* * *
"My Tallest!" The young medic seemed flustered at the sudden appearance of his leader. "I didn't know you would be coming so soon. I had thought the execution would still be going on."
"It is done." Was all the taller Irken said. "Is he awake?"
The medic nodded. "He is."
Heve paused and opened the door to the small recuperation room. The small medic was about to object when a pair of small hands landed on his shoulder.
"No, no, let them be." It was one the females, Onic. "Your patient is in the best hands available now." Her red eyes caught of inside the room.
Heve sat down on the bed as Ghar sat up. There was a slow motion as Heve closed his eyes and touched his forehead to the smaller Irkens'.
She closed the door and led the medic away. "Give them their time. They won't have much of that in days to come."
First Tallest
Ghar wandered the ship deep in his own thoughts. He jerked out of them when a hand touched his shoulder.
"I am sorry." Onic said, she was wrapped in a gauzy cloth that covered her head and partly masked her face. "I did not mean to frighten you."
"Oh, no. I just." He stopped talking. "Is there something you need?"
"I doubt it's something I need, but perhaps something you do." She was slightly taller than him and began to direct him to the side. "Maybe even something your Heve needs. And don't try to tell me I'm wrong. I know enough to see this."
Ghar shook his head. "I'm not so sure."
"You have to understand." Onic said. She suddenly sat on the floor and patted the spot before her. "Sit."
He sat down a bit reluctantly.
"Heve is a slave that is now a ruler. He want's only to see his people in their rightful place. And doesn't know how to do it." She let the gauze fall from her face. "He is also quite 'special' is he not?"
Ghars' eyes shot up from the ground. "How did you?"
She held up her hands. "I have seen the look in his eyes when you walk into the room. They way he reacts to each casual touch." She folded her hands together.
Ghar looked out towards the Commons. "I just thought I could help him."
"You can and you are." She said bringing his attention back to her. "Most like him are left with scars. He's afraid he'll hurt you like he was hurt."
"How do you even know all this?" He asked.
"Observation says a lot of things." She said. Through this whole thing her voice had been so calm. "I predict there will come a time when he will realize that he couldn't hurt you if he tried. You will have to be there for him until then and be there when he comes to you."
"But that could take so long." Ghar said sounding frustrated.
She titled her head and smiled. "It may not be as long as you fear." She motioned behind him.
He twisted around a little to look where she pointed. Heve stood off to the side watching them. He seemed nervous about something.
"Ghar." He turned to her voice. "Go."
He stood up. "Thank you Onic." He walked over to Heve.
She watched them meet and exchange a few words, then walk off together through the masses of other Irkens.
"You are most welcome brother Irken." She said feeling very pleased with herself.
* * *
An Irken ran panic stricken through the halls screaming out. "Prison break!"
Other Irkens turned to him.
"One Illian! Escaped!" The Irken screamed once in the company of others.
"Escaped? How?" One asked.
"He was in the back." He gasped. "We found his cuffs picked." He inhaled trying to catch his breath. "The ones in the front drew our attention and he made a break."
"You get the Tallest. The rest of you come with me, we'll find him." The tallest Irken of the warned group said.
* * *
"Tallest, Tallest!" A small Irken ran up to Heve as he was trying to talk more with Ghar.
"What is it?" Heve asked.
"Illian. Escape." The Irken gasped falling to his knees.
"An Illian escaped?" Heve said, he whirled on Ghar. "Go to the females. Ensure that they are safe and then stay with them."
Ghar hesitated. "But what about."
"Just go."
Ghar took off as fast as his little legs could carry him.
Heve lifted the exhausted Irken up on his feet. "Take me there."
* * *
Ghar nearly tripped on his way to the females. It was dark down these corridors. He stopped. Oh great, was he lost?
He twisted his head around trying to get his bearings when he was lifted off the ground. "Hey!"
Angry avian eyes glared into his. "Get lost did we little one?" The Illian hissed. He threw Ghar across the hall slamming him into a wall. "I know that one, that tall one." The Illian went on approaching the stunned Ghar. "You'll be happy to know your leader was once a very eager slave." He picked Ghar up again.
Ghar blinked, everything was fuzzy and his arm hurt.
"As, I'm sure, you will be too." The Illian said. "So small, so fragile. I've seen you around that one. That tall one. You must be important." He shook Ghar hard sending the small Irken into blackness. "A good hostage indeed."
* * *
It was silent alert. All Irkens who were once soldier drones took up their weapons and ushered those who were labor slaves into safety. Smaller troops went out in fours in search of the escaped Illian. The remaining birds were under maximum watch. Each with a laser trained at their head.
Heve stormed along a corridor with three other Irkens. He lifted his wrist com up. "Ghar, how are the females?" He got no response. "Ghar?" He changed frequencies. "Shei, this is Heve, I'm having trouble raising Ghar, has he arrived to you yet?"
A bit of static and then. "No my Tallest. Ghar has not been seen for some time."
He stopped dead in his tracks. The other Irkens stopped and looked at him.
"I sent him to you. He never arrived?"
"No my Tallest."
Heve narrowed his eyes. He turned around motioning the rest of the troop following him. They crossed the commons where a few dozen soldiers stood guarding the largest amount of space on the ship.
They got only part of the way through the common area when a screechy call sounded. "Slave!"
A pale blue mass of feathers landed behind Heve.
The Illian turned wide cruel eyes to him. Immediately laser weapons were trained on the one-time master.
"Tell them to stand down." The Illian hissed.
Heves' eyes twitched. "Give me a reason to not kill you now."
Low wings only capable of the downward glide the Illian had preformed opened to reveal a small Irken form held by the collar of his clothes.
Purple eyes, one swollen shut, tried to look about but most of his senses had been knocked out of him.
"Ghar..."
"Ah, so you are that attached to him." The Illian said. "Now have them stand down before I crush his skull."
Heve lifted a hand, the weapons went down.
"Let him go Illian, and you will not be harmed."
The Illian squawked. "Me give up to you?" It rumbled with the Illian equivalent of laughter. "Stand down for good slave and I'll be sure you all survive once we reach the mining planets."
There was an automatic raise in tension among the remaining soldier drones.
"Not going to do it?" The Illian asked. "Perhaps you want the truth about your beloved leader."
"What truth would that be?" Heve half demanded.
"What you are. How you started my little slave, my beautiful one." He held Ghar closer to him for protection. "He is what you lowly creatures call a 'special slave'. Born to serve and made into whatever the owner wanted."
The others noted that their Tallest was a few shades paler.
"You were mine."
Heve stood a moment then blinked. Somewhere behind the Illian an Irken soldier lifted his weapon and fired.
The bolt slid neatly through the Illians arm/wing severing its hold on Ghar. The 'hand' that was holding the small Irken spasmed releasing him as both he and the appendage hit the ground.
The Illian squealed in pain as three Irkens tackled him.
"You think we are that weak do you?" One them demanded. He had pale red eyes. "I was yours as well Mi'ika, you bastard." He smashed the butt of his weapon into the Illians face.
"Foy stand down!"
The pale eyed Irken Foy glared but did as his Tallest commanded. "This one will get his punishment." Heve knelt down by Ghar who was already being checked over by the first Irken to reach him. "Call the medical staff. Is anyone else hurt?"
There was a round of 'no's.
Bruised purple eyes opened a little. "Heve?"
"Yes it's alright." Heve said touching carefully over Ghars' many hurts. "You're safe."
"I, he." There were some tears.
"Please my Tallest. I need to reach him."
Heve turned to the suddenly appeared medic.
"Of course." Heve stood up and backed away. "Keep me posted on his health."
"Tallest? What of him?"
Foy barely twitched and brought his weapon back to the fallen Illians' head. "I say give him death."
"No."
Eyes turned to Heve.
"Not yet. He will serve us better as an example."
* * *
"My Tallest!" The young medic seemed flustered at the sudden appearance of his leader. "I didn't know you would be coming so soon. I had thought the execution would still be going on."
"It is done." Was all the taller Irken said. "Is he awake?"
The medic nodded. "He is."
Heve paused and opened the door to the small recuperation room. The small medic was about to object when a pair of small hands landed on his shoulder.
"No, no, let them be." It was one the females, Onic. "Your patient is in the best hands available now." Her red eyes caught of inside the room.
Heve sat down on the bed as Ghar sat up. There was a slow motion as Heve closed his eyes and touched his forehead to the smaller Irkens'.
She closed the door and led the medic away. "Give them their time. They won't have much of that in days to come."
