Yes. I know what happened. It's not going to stop me from writing. I hope my writing brings a bit of joy to everyone in this dark time... even though it's dark in itself. I own nothing except Jendai and everything else I've already said is mine.
Chapter 5
"One steals the life like a thief in the night
So look to the sky
He hold the keys for your life and mine
So Is this the end for us my friend?"
-Creed, "Is This The End?"
"Zim, you mouth is hanging open," Jendai chuckled.
The Invader abruptly shut it. He was still mesmerized by the thought of his superior having another side, a life beyond ruling the Empire. Unable to comment on this, he quickly thought up something else to say. "You knew the Tallest?" he asked.
"Very, very well," the blue-eye replied. He set the empty bottle down. Human alcohol was weaker than the stuff on Irk, rendering Jendai able to drink more than the usual human amount without feeling the effects. "Mind if I use up some of the space?" he asked, indicating the empty bedspace between them. "I'm tired."
Zim moved back, allowing Jendai to stretch out. He groaned, massaging the useless muscles in his legs as if they hurt. Suddenly disgusted, he pounded a fist against the dead limb. Nothing happened. No reaction. Nothing. "It's hard for me to live like this Zim," he said, a confiding tone in his voice. "I used to be able to out-fight a Soldier... Now I'm a helpless blob surviving on a miserable space rock no one on Irk's even heard of."
"I'm honestly surprised the Tallest didn't kill you," Zim told him. "I suppose this... Kas got a few words in on your favor after all."
"I'm just lucky Red's a dumb ass who listens to him," was the flat response. "Otherwise, I'd be dead like Leeri and not having this conversation with you right now."
It took a few moments for Zim to grasp this. "You mean...?"
"They executed Leeri for treason against the Empire."
"Oh sweet Mother of Irk..."
~ ~ ~
Shadows played over the beaten face, turning it into a frightening mask of mingled fear, pain and defiance. Blue eyes were dark with emotions, black bruises ringing them. The beatings had become more frequent since his visit to the Tallest Complex. It was as if the Soldiers resented his going there. They came back at least twice a day, reopening the cuts and re-breaking his shattered bones. He'd fought back almost every time, not letting himself give in to desperation and despair. Each time, he came away with worse injuries than before. The wrist of his stronger arm felt sprained, and he was sure at least two of his fingers were broken. If he ever worked again, it would be difficult if he couldn't get his fingers set properly.
Jendai sighed, leaning against the wall. He'd used the scraps from his boots to attempt in holding the shattered finger bones in place. If he...
"Oh Irk, it doesn't matter!" he shouted suddenly. In a burst of anger, he slammed his hands against the wall, crying out in the sudden pain that raced through his limbs. The pain only made his rage worse. He cursed everything in every way he knew how. The rage left him weak and shaky, but no better than it had found him. "It doesn't matter," Jendai mumbled, pulling his knees to his chest. His head buried itself between his them. "Nothing matters... Kas isn't going to get me out... I would have heard from him by now... It's been four days..." He bit back tears, ignoring the sting from the cuts as a few slipped past his defenses. "I'm doomed..."
He probably would have stayed there, a crumpled mess on the floor, if noises from outside the window didn't startle him. There was no way to keep the elements out... if Irk had anything other than wind. Surprised, he moved to the bench, looking out over the prison yard. A huge crowd of Irkens stood in a mob around a platform. Large screens magnified the platform so all could see. Jendai blinked in confusion. "What the...?" he murmured, leaning as close to the lazer bars as he dared. The crowd was chanting something he couldn't quite make out. His antennae tilted backwards nervously. The feeling of dread intensified as a group of Irkens were marched onto the platform, cuffed and severely beaten. Their tattered uniforms marked them as Students... "Leeri..." he moaned, recognizing the smallest of their ranks by her colors. She looked just as badly beaten as he was-if not worse.
"Prisoners!" one of the Soldiers called, his voice carried over the mass on speakers. "We have here for your entertainment, the lowest of the low!" A sick feeling filled Jendai at those words. What was going to happen to Leeri? And the rest of the Students? What were the Soldiers doing to his Class? "These are the members of the filthy Coalition! These are the feeble-minded worms who decided they would upset the very balance of how things work!" The speaker paused at cheers from fellow Soldiers. Why Soldiers were imprisoned was beyond him. "They have committed the ultimate crime against the all-powerful Irken Empire! They have committed TREASON!"
A few Student prisoners cheered at this, only to be silenced by blows from the Soldiers guarding them. Anger rose in Jendai, but was quickly quieted by the feeling of dread. The punishment for treason against the Empire or its leaders was death.
Death...
"Oh Irk!" he half-moaned, half-sobbed. "Irk, no! Leeri!"
"The time is now!" the Soldier went on saying, not hearing his piteous cries. Cries wrenched from the bottom a half-broken heart. "The time for them to PAY for what they have done!" Angry sounds rose from the crowd now. "It is time for them to die!"
A tortured cry tore its way from Jendai's throat, to be answered by one from Leeri. There was no way she could have heard him. The act was purely instinctual. Instincts born from the act of loving another more than you loved your own life, loving so hard and so long, you couldn't think straight after. Leeri's purple-red eyes looked up towards his cell, and for a moment, he imagined they locked with his blue ones. Then a Soldier roughly grabbed her, forcing her forward, breaking their gaze. She cried out as his hands grazed her injuries. The crowd reacted in a surge of angry chants and thrown objects. Jendai was unable to breathe. His hands gripped the window ledge as if the tightness of his grasp alone would be able to save Leeri. He shouldn't be this emotional! He should hate her, should despise her! For all she had done to him, he should laugh at her demise. And yet a part of him, the adamant, Soldier-defying part of him, refused to hate her, and only wanted to love her still. It only wanted to hold her tight, run his tongue through her mouth, taste her lips, feel her antennae around his powerful wrists... It was that part of him that screamed again, and that part of Leeri that answered him.
The Soldiers lined the rest of the Coalition members up against the far wall, making them face their doom. The barked command was given. As one, the Soldiers drew their blasters. The crowd erupted in anger, and it took all the guards' strength to keep them back. "Leeri!" Jendai cried out, his voice contorted with emotion.
She started to call his name in response. The crack of blaster fire stopped her.
Sickened and enraged, Jendai whirled away from the window before he could see the body he knew almost as well as his own crumple. His rage boiled up, rage against whoever ordered this, rage against the world. He pounded the walls, kicked at the door, screamed. He did anything he could to vent his anger. He dared whoever had issued this command to come before him and fight him! Hate simmered at the edge of the rage. In a powerful, violent movement, he picked up the bench and threw it across the cell. The crash and splintering of the bench hitting the floor was most satisfying to his anger.
The violent emotions drained out of him in a single moment, leaving the mechanic dazed, sickened, and horrified. He sank to the floor, numb. How could she leave him all alone? Alone. He was alone. Leeri. He needed her, needed to love her, needed to feel her. She was gone, why was she gone? He loved her... Loved her! Shaking, he curled up into a ball, rocking back and forth. A soft chant, an old mechanic tune, the very same song he'd sung for Leeri so long ago, issued from half-crazed lips.
That was how the Almighty Tallest Purple found him a day later.
The usual entourage of guards was hustled out of the room, ordered to stay out no matter what they heard. Soundlessly, the Tallest entered the cell, looking around disdainfully at the surroundings his friend was forced to live in. He set down the package he carried, not wanting to spoil the surprise... if he could get Jendai to act sane. Gently, he tapped Jendai's cold, clammy shoulder, trying to get his attention. Instead of the reaction he'd thought he'd receive, Jendai reacted almost violently. The mechanic leapt to his feet, blue eyes clouded in hatred. They focused briefly on the Tallest, then snapped away to something distant out the window. He was trembling, every muscle in his beaten mechanic's body twitching. The Tallest cringed at the sight of the wounds inflicted on the olive-green skin. He should have known. He'd felt the blows himself. Why hadn't he ordered no guards...? Again, the hate-filled blue orbs centered on his purple ones. "'Dai!" he almost whimpered, moving back slightly. He was afraid and made no effort to hide it. Jendai was powerful. "What in the name of Irk is wrong with you?"
"She's dead!" Jendai moaned, his voice a low, growling mockery of its usual tones. "Leeri's dead! They... they killed her!" The tortured expression left his face, only to be replaced by an insane look of anger and hate. "You... You ordered her to die! You're just as bad as they are! Soldiers!" He snarled, clenching his hands into fists. A cry of suffering ripped from his body as he charged, swinging his fists. The Tallest ducked out of the way, suddenly glad he'd made the guards stay out. Their presence would most likely have only made Jendai angrier. Still growling like an animal, Jendai paced the room, circling him. His powerful fists were drawn close to his battered body. A fighter lurked inside the normally amiable mechanic. The utter loathing in his friend's eyes stunned the Tallest, as he imagined the remote look in his he usually adopted stunned Jendai equally. Jendai leapt for him again, swinging his fists at him. One caught him straight under his chin, sending him staggering to the ground.
He lay still, sprawled on the damp floor for long moments. Cautiously, he opened a purple eye. Jendai stood a few paces off, his fists drawn up protectively. As he slowly climbed to his feet, Jendai backed off, the fight sucked out of him by the memory of his blood brother's pain after his punch. His antennae drooped. "Kas...?" he murmured dazedly. One hand moved to touch the spot under his chin where the Tallest's pain was felt. "Kas. How did you get here...?"
"I walked in," Kasden mumbled, rubbing the spot where his friend's fist had connected. "Then you went nuts and socked me." He looked at Jendai. "I now understand why Des feared you."
"I... I thought you were..."
"You thought I was Red?" the Tallest finished. He looked at the dark room, the pale shaft of moonlight shining on only a bit of the floor. "I suppose in this poor light, I could be mistaken for that genetic accident."
Jendai's eyes focused on him once more, this time, they were filled with sorrow. "Did... did he order it?" he asked, his voice small and quiet child-like.
"Did he order what?"
He looked away. "Leeri's execution," the mechanic mumbled, his fists clenching, then releasing.
The Tallest sighed audibly. He moved over to the bench and turned it right side up before responding. It was heavier than he'd expected. "Don't hit me for saying this, 'Dai," he began, sitting down heavily. "but... yes." Kasden watched the mechanic pace again, his movements stiff and elegant. Even without any training, Jendai moved like a Tallest, acted like one and at times expected to be obeyed like one. This sparked his idea up again. Yet, it had to wait until Jendai was rational once more.
"Why...?" Jendai moaned. He was shaking. Kasden stood again, moving over to him. Carefully, he maneuvered the dazed Irken over to the bench, making him sit. "Why, Kas...?" the blue-eye asked again, a few tears forming in his large eyes. "It... it... it was awful..."
"I made a deal with Red, Jendai," the Tallest said slowly. "If he let you live, I would have to let him execute the Coalition members..." Another sigh. "I know it isn't fair. But, I still consider you my friend."
"So, I'm worth more to you than innocent lives?"
The question caught the Tallest off guard. He blinked, trying to decipher the meaning of the statement in his normally quick mind. Before he could say a thing, Jendai waved him off. "I'm sorry, Kas..." he mumbled. "It... it's just a shock still. I loved her so much..." He looked sideways at Kasden. Tears were being pushed away from his eyes. "Thank you..."
"I brought you some stuff," Kasden said suddenly. He stood, looking around for where he'd deposited the package. Finding it, he moved over to it, scooped it up and returned to his sitting position. Jendai took it from him, suddenly eager to open it. The first thing he pulled out was a handheld medical device. "I figured you could use it after out little meeting," he explained. "You look worse off now. There's extra power cells in there too, in case you use up the first batch." Next, he pulled out a set of tools, almost identical to his own. The mechanic smiled softly. After that came a few holograph capsules, taken from his own apartment. He didn't even need to look at them to know which ones they were.
The next thing he pulled out rocked him. His reflection stared back at him from a wrist guard adorned with a single blue stripe. Stunned, he pulled out more pieces of the armor, staring at each for a few seconds before setting it aside with the tools, holograph capsules and medical device. Before digging through the rest, he set the box down to better examine the armor and skirt. It fit the shade of his eyes perfectly. "How did you... Why?" he asked, finally looking his friend in the eye.
"Never in history have there ever been three Almighty Tallest," Kasden murmured. "Two... well, that's rare but... it happens. Three? No way." The purple eyes focused on him. "But tradition was made to be broken." He settled back, almost relaxed. "As for the color... you'd be surprised how many blue-eyed Tallest there's been."
Jendai picked the package back up. At the bottom were a pair of black gloves, black boots, and the oddest-looking set of pants and a shirt. He pulled out the gloves first, savoring the feel of the material over his fingers. They were amazingly his size. The boots were the same. He eyed the shirt and pants oddly. The pants were mechanic black with blue rings around the legs and a diamond shape across the middle. A darker blue cuff adorned each pant leg, along with a band the waist. Unlike his shredded garments, the pants flared out at the bottom, a style that was becoming increasingly popular among Students. It was the shirt that caught his attention next. All colors of blue were worked into a pattern of overlapping triangles that started where the waistband would be and ended at the collar. "Wow..." he breathed. "This is great, Kas..." Jendai paused to admire his colors once again. "How'd you do this?"
"I just said I felt like wearing your colors and," the Tallest snapped his fingers. " 'poof!' I get these things." His voice grew serious. "Listen to me, Jendai," he said. "You have two choices here. Either you put on the armor, or you put on the other stuff. One way, you become Tallest, stay on Irk, and live somewhat normally. The other way, you're banished to wherever you can go... forever."
The other was quiet for a long time. Frustrated, Kasden stood, almost refusing to look at Jendai. "I'm not going to tell you what I think," he said. "But when I return in two days..." Now he looked at him. There was an unusual distress in his violet eyes. "You know what I expect then..."
He turned to leave. "Kas?" Jendai queried softly. Noticing the slight movement of his friend's head, he went on. "I can't decide something like this by myself. Now that Leeri's gone..." he almost choked on those words. "Please let me talk this over with someone."
"Who?" the Tallest asked in a clipped tone.
"My student, Min and my friends, Kaml and Lidge Tikem," he didn't even need to think about it.
"Fine." Kasden bowed his head as the door slid open. "They'll be here in an hour, 'Dai. I swear it."
Without even saying goodbye, he departed, murmuring inaudible things to his Guard. Jendai stared at the clothes for a long while, thinking hard. "You also swore you'd get me out of this, Kas..." he muttered to the air. Leaning back against the wall, he sighed. "Let's hope you can keep at least one promise."
One hour later, a dazed Kaml Tikem was shoved through the cell door. The orange-eye's robotic legs emerged; ready to defend their owner. His eyes fell on the slumped form on the bench, widening in horror. "J-J-Jendai?" he stuttered, the robotic legs vanishing. "Oh sweet mother of Irk, tell me that's not you..."
Jendai spread his arms wide, slightly embarrassed. "Sorry Kaml," he murmured, letting the tenor tones his friends knew break through the sorrow. This seemed to ease the mechanic a bit. "What did the Tallest tell you?" Jendai asked, rising.
Kaml blinked, craning his neck to see Jendai's face. "That I was supposed to come here with Lidgers and Min to see you," he replied. "He never said why. Sweet Irk... How did this happen, 'Dai?"
"Sit down, I'll tell you."
Again, the story came out. Again, it was met with fear, horror and disbelief. This time though, he explained the situation with his old friend. "And now," Jendai ended. "Kasden wants me to choose between staying here and being something I've hated all my life, and leaving everything behind for some planet no one here knows." He sighed, setting his head in his hands. "Either way, I lose. I just need to figure out which way I lose less."
Kaml climbed up on the bench beside him. His orange eyes were dark as he considered the things Jendai had been pondering for an hour. "The way I see it, 'Dai," he finally said. "is either you lose yourself and everything you believed in, or you lose a way of life. Plus," he laughed. "there is NO way I can picture the mighty Jendai Kaalae being called 'Blue' and wearing a dress."
He laughed softly, more to make Kaml feel better than out of real humor. "You saying I should leave Irk." It wasn't a question.
"Yes, 'Dai, I am," came the reply. An awkward pause followed. "Where you gonna go?" Kaml mumbled.
"As far away from Irk as my ship'll take me," Jendai said briskly. "I don't need the pain of seeing the stupid sun anytime soon." A depressed blue eye turned to Kaml, looking almost haunted. "Thanks, Kam."
A smaller hand shook his. "No problem, 'Dai," Kaml responded, leaping lightly to the floor. "Contact me when you can... if you can. You hear me?"
Jendai smiled. "Send Lidge in," he said. "I want to tell her and Min the news. Leave Min for last though."
"Sure."
He watched the orange-eye depart from his life, rising to stare out the window. Moonlight washed soothingly over his chest and turned the olive-green to white, lightening the bruises and cuts to gray. His antennae twitched at the sound of the door opening. Lidge. He heard her hesitate, felt eyes on his back, then her footsteps came closer. It was then he turned, giving her a sad smile. Her eyes discreetly moved over his bare chest, stopping momentarily on the wounds. Jendai had forgotten how appealing one could look without a shirt... Now, he knelt down, folding his excessively long legs elegantly under him. Neither Irken spoke a word until the tension grew unbearable. Finally, Jendai made the first move. He decided not to tell her of his choice. "I'm being banished, Lidgers," the mechanic said quietly, careful to cover his emotions for the female's sake. "Off-planet. Forever." Her eyes fell. Gently, he placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. He tried to put a smile on for her sake. "It's better than what they gave the Coalition members..." This time, he didn't bother covering his sorrow. "They killed Leeri..."
Lidge didn't bother covering hers either. She burst into tears, shaking with sobs. Jendai's heart tore. He gathered the young Irken in his arms and held her tightly against the tears. "I don't want you to go," she choked out finally. "You... I..."
He considered her reaction a moment. "What is it, Lidgers?" Jendai pleaded, tilting her face up to look him straight in the eyes. "Tell me."
"I... I..." She cried out, ceasing to speak and pressing her face against his chest. Her tears stung in the cuts. "I... I..."
One of the guards opened the door cautiously, yelling at Lidge to get out. Annoyance clear in the tilt of his antennae, Jendai growled to himself. He didn't want this goodbye to end anymore than Lidge seemed to. He had always expected to watch the sassy female's skills grow; watch her receive her own voot runner and personal tools. He'd been there for her assigning to Kaml, been there to watch her first completion and even seen her name taking. Those moments were something he would never want to forget. Jendai hugged Lidge tight, then, kissed her on the cheek. He was unsure of why he did it exactly. Maybe the thought of losing another female he'd loved in one way or another compelled him. He tried to give it a gentle, non-implying feel. Sadly, he gave her a push towards the door. She stumbled forward, not allowing herself to even look back at her teacher's friend. "I'll miss you Lidgers," Jendai murmured as the door slammed shut behind the teen forever.
Jendai stayed on the ground, still staring at the moons. They were half-full now. He was so intent on them, memorizing their shape and color that he didn't notice the door opening once more. What did wake him up was a soft wail of fright. His head snapped around, eyes focusing on wide gray orbs. "Min," he murmured. "It's okay. It's just me. Your Teacher."
"Teacher Kaalae!" the little Irken cried. Without waiting for a reply, he raced into Jendai's arms, crying harder than even Lidge had. "I'm so glad you're alive!" Innocent eyes looked upwards at him. "You were really sick and miss Leeri sent me away. And then I got brought here..." he paused, tracing a bruise on his Teacher's arm with a gloved hand. "You got hurt. And taller."
"Yes, I did," Jendai murmured. He sighed. "Listen Min-"
"Are you gonna be a Tallest?"
"No, Min." He made the small Irken look at him. "I'm leaving Irk. The Tallest say I have to."
Hurt filled the gray eyes. "Why, Teacher Kaalae?" Min whimpered. "You didn't do anything bad. You just got all tall. It isn't fair!" He stopped ranting. "What am I gonna do?" he asked. "I need you to teach me stuff."
Jendai gave his student a sad smile. "Kaml can teach you when Lidge is old enough to go off on her own," he explained. "You'll be okay. I promise." A thought crossed his mind. He stood, still smiling at the tiny child. "Kneel down, Min," Jendai ordered.
Min's eyes widened in understanding. He smiled too as he knelt on one knee, bowing his head almost to the floor. Jendai paused for a moment, trying to decide the best way to do this. He then sank into almost the same position as Min, holding his head upwards. "Min," he said, tenor voice rolling through the room, even passing through the door. Moonlight fell over the two, bathing everything in silvery light. "I, Jendai Kaalae, am your Teacher. Do you promise to listen, understand and learn from me-er, your replacement teacher for as long as you need me-him?"
"Yes, Teacher Kaalae. I will," Min said, just as clearly. His little voice wavered slightly.
The mechanic took a deep breath before continuing. "If I give you my name, Kaalae, given to me by Daske Kaalae, given to her by Elgan Kaalae, do you swear you will keep it in honor and give it only to your student once they have fulfilled your requirements?" It was all coming back to him now, his own name taking. Daske's rough old voice repeating two teachers back, filling him with pride as he knelt before her and the rest of West Jihi. He smiled at the memory.
"I will, Teacher Kaalae." Min's voice trembled again. It sounded like he was crying.
"Then," Jendai began, swallowing around the lump in his throat. Mother of Irk, this was hard to do. "as the 4032nd member of the Kaalae name, I grant you the name. From now on, you are to be known as Min Kaalae, 4033rd member of the name." Finishing, he touched his antennae to Min's, completing the most sacred part of all the ritual.
Min was crying. Once he was sure Jendai had finished, he threw his small arms around him. "Thank you," he sobbed. "Thank you, Teacher Kaalae!"
"You're welcome, Min," Jendai answered. He patted Min on the back, trying to ease the thoughts he figured the little Irken was having now. Again, the shout of a Soldier broke their moment. "You need to go home now, Min," Jendai said gently. "It's time for me to leave."
"No, Teacher Kaalae!" he cried. "I still need you!"
"You don't, Min," Jendai murmured. "Kaml will take care of you." He forced Min to look at him. "You will always be Min Kaalae now. That's all you ever needed from me. Now, go on home. It's late and you need to sleep."
Min tightened his hold briefly. Jendai returned the gesture before allowing his student to leave. Tear-filled gray eyes never left him as Kaml's gloved hands took Min away. The little mechanic barely had time for a wave. The doors closed, locking Jendai from his old life.
He stood, watching the moons move across the sky for hours. Finally, he moved. Jendai walked over to the pile of clothing, selecting the ones that would banish him, and slid them on over his beaten body. With that accomplished, he picked up the medical unit, pricking the sensors into his arm. A relaxing feeling came over him as the technology did its job. The cuts and bruises vanished, leaving his skin thickly scarred, but fully healed. That was the one drawback to the handheld units-they always left huge scars. His hand still looked the same. He flexed it nervously. It still worked, even with the warped fingers. Next, he sorted out the Tallest armor from the package, replacing it with scraps from his old uniform. There was a large amount of room left inside. He licked his lips, trying to find where the dimensions were typed in. Finding it, he shrunk the box to fit the holograph capsules and a tattered uniform. His miniscule chores completed, Jendai settled down on the bench to await Kasden's final arrival.
"Do you enjoy hurting your friends?"
The mechanic winced under the Tallest's wrath. Kas hadn't been too happy to see Jendai's choice. For a moment, he'd stood in the doorway, staring numbly at what the other Irken wore. Then his anger had surfaced. "Do you enjoy crushing us?" the Tallest barked, glaring at what had been his friend. "Because, you know, you seem to be doing that a lot!"
"No, Kas," Jendai answered, his antennae flicking back. "You know why I'm leaving."
"No!" the other Student snapped. "I don't!" Armored arms folded over more chest armor. "Mind explaining?"
Jendai looked away. Why exactly was he choosing this? He almost came out and used Kaml's words, then something made him stop. Instead, he shrugged his thin shoulders. "Guess I didn't want to change anymore than I did," he mumbled. Kas raised an invisible eyebrow confusedly. "Everyone is trying to make me something I'm not!" Jendai nearly shouted. "Regert, Leeri, you... Why can't you all just leave me alone!? I'm a mechanic! Not a teacher, not Almighty Tallest! A mechanic!"
The Tallest was quiet for a while. "What do you want me to do, Jendai?" he asked, his voice soft. "There isn't anything I can do. What Leeri did to you has been done. It was awful, I know that, but I can't change it. All I can do is give you what you'll need to get off this planet and onto another one alive." He sighed, turning to look out the window. "I brought your voot runner and anything Red thought you might need."
"He was in on this?" Jendai asked, unable to hide the note of disgust.
"I had to, 'Dai," he explained. "He's the only one who would know without getting suspicious." His antennae drooped. "The voot is fueled and ready for departure. All you need to do is drive her out of my sight." The proud posture was replaced with a slumped, defeated slump. Purple armor gleamed dully in the weak sunlight drifting in the window. Kas didn't look like a Tallest anymore. He more resembled the beat-up, scrawny purple-eye Jendai had saved from Des all those years ago.
"Kasden, I..." Jendai started, taking a reproachful step towards him. He wanted to make amends for his mistake. "Look, I'm sor-"
The Tallest stiffened, his fingers curling into what looked like fists. His antennae twitched inward. "Just go, Mechanic." The last word held an almost scornful manner. When Jendai hesitated, he whirled to face him, eyes blazing. "Didn't you hear me, Mechanic? I'm your Tallest, stupid Student. Therefore I order you to get off of this planet and out of my sight!" He spun back to the window, his antennae now slicked back, letting Jendai know how much those insults stung him as well.
"Fine," Jendai replied coolly. The Tallest showed no signs that he'd heard. Jendai stalked to the door, the package clenched in his hand. He could remove the chip from his back pod himself in the sanctuary of his voot runner. There would be no one to stop him there. Two Elite Guards-neither Sen-met him at the door, ready to escort him to his ship, without the use of cuffs this time. Before they could, he turned back to Kas. "And as one of your own height," Jendai snapped, careful to keep his voice emotionless. "I order you never to forget who you were before you were Almighty Tallest. I order you never to forget the name Aman as easily as you have forgotten Kaalae." He left then, purposely flicking his antennae inward and not taking a farewell glance over his shoulder.
Yet, he could have sworn he felt a few tears that did not belong to him glide invisibly down his face as he vanished down the dark hallway.
Chapter 5
"One steals the life like a thief in the night
So look to the sky
He hold the keys for your life and mine
So Is this the end for us my friend?"
-Creed, "Is This The End?"
"Zim, you mouth is hanging open," Jendai chuckled.
The Invader abruptly shut it. He was still mesmerized by the thought of his superior having another side, a life beyond ruling the Empire. Unable to comment on this, he quickly thought up something else to say. "You knew the Tallest?" he asked.
"Very, very well," the blue-eye replied. He set the empty bottle down. Human alcohol was weaker than the stuff on Irk, rendering Jendai able to drink more than the usual human amount without feeling the effects. "Mind if I use up some of the space?" he asked, indicating the empty bedspace between them. "I'm tired."
Zim moved back, allowing Jendai to stretch out. He groaned, massaging the useless muscles in his legs as if they hurt. Suddenly disgusted, he pounded a fist against the dead limb. Nothing happened. No reaction. Nothing. "It's hard for me to live like this Zim," he said, a confiding tone in his voice. "I used to be able to out-fight a Soldier... Now I'm a helpless blob surviving on a miserable space rock no one on Irk's even heard of."
"I'm honestly surprised the Tallest didn't kill you," Zim told him. "I suppose this... Kas got a few words in on your favor after all."
"I'm just lucky Red's a dumb ass who listens to him," was the flat response. "Otherwise, I'd be dead like Leeri and not having this conversation with you right now."
It took a few moments for Zim to grasp this. "You mean...?"
"They executed Leeri for treason against the Empire."
"Oh sweet Mother of Irk..."
~ ~ ~
Shadows played over the beaten face, turning it into a frightening mask of mingled fear, pain and defiance. Blue eyes were dark with emotions, black bruises ringing them. The beatings had become more frequent since his visit to the Tallest Complex. It was as if the Soldiers resented his going there. They came back at least twice a day, reopening the cuts and re-breaking his shattered bones. He'd fought back almost every time, not letting himself give in to desperation and despair. Each time, he came away with worse injuries than before. The wrist of his stronger arm felt sprained, and he was sure at least two of his fingers were broken. If he ever worked again, it would be difficult if he couldn't get his fingers set properly.
Jendai sighed, leaning against the wall. He'd used the scraps from his boots to attempt in holding the shattered finger bones in place. If he...
"Oh Irk, it doesn't matter!" he shouted suddenly. In a burst of anger, he slammed his hands against the wall, crying out in the sudden pain that raced through his limbs. The pain only made his rage worse. He cursed everything in every way he knew how. The rage left him weak and shaky, but no better than it had found him. "It doesn't matter," Jendai mumbled, pulling his knees to his chest. His head buried itself between his them. "Nothing matters... Kas isn't going to get me out... I would have heard from him by now... It's been four days..." He bit back tears, ignoring the sting from the cuts as a few slipped past his defenses. "I'm doomed..."
He probably would have stayed there, a crumpled mess on the floor, if noises from outside the window didn't startle him. There was no way to keep the elements out... if Irk had anything other than wind. Surprised, he moved to the bench, looking out over the prison yard. A huge crowd of Irkens stood in a mob around a platform. Large screens magnified the platform so all could see. Jendai blinked in confusion. "What the...?" he murmured, leaning as close to the lazer bars as he dared. The crowd was chanting something he couldn't quite make out. His antennae tilted backwards nervously. The feeling of dread intensified as a group of Irkens were marched onto the platform, cuffed and severely beaten. Their tattered uniforms marked them as Students... "Leeri..." he moaned, recognizing the smallest of their ranks by her colors. She looked just as badly beaten as he was-if not worse.
"Prisoners!" one of the Soldiers called, his voice carried over the mass on speakers. "We have here for your entertainment, the lowest of the low!" A sick feeling filled Jendai at those words. What was going to happen to Leeri? And the rest of the Students? What were the Soldiers doing to his Class? "These are the members of the filthy Coalition! These are the feeble-minded worms who decided they would upset the very balance of how things work!" The speaker paused at cheers from fellow Soldiers. Why Soldiers were imprisoned was beyond him. "They have committed the ultimate crime against the all-powerful Irken Empire! They have committed TREASON!"
A few Student prisoners cheered at this, only to be silenced by blows from the Soldiers guarding them. Anger rose in Jendai, but was quickly quieted by the feeling of dread. The punishment for treason against the Empire or its leaders was death.
Death...
"Oh Irk!" he half-moaned, half-sobbed. "Irk, no! Leeri!"
"The time is now!" the Soldier went on saying, not hearing his piteous cries. Cries wrenched from the bottom a half-broken heart. "The time for them to PAY for what they have done!" Angry sounds rose from the crowd now. "It is time for them to die!"
A tortured cry tore its way from Jendai's throat, to be answered by one from Leeri. There was no way she could have heard him. The act was purely instinctual. Instincts born from the act of loving another more than you loved your own life, loving so hard and so long, you couldn't think straight after. Leeri's purple-red eyes looked up towards his cell, and for a moment, he imagined they locked with his blue ones. Then a Soldier roughly grabbed her, forcing her forward, breaking their gaze. She cried out as his hands grazed her injuries. The crowd reacted in a surge of angry chants and thrown objects. Jendai was unable to breathe. His hands gripped the window ledge as if the tightness of his grasp alone would be able to save Leeri. He shouldn't be this emotional! He should hate her, should despise her! For all she had done to him, he should laugh at her demise. And yet a part of him, the adamant, Soldier-defying part of him, refused to hate her, and only wanted to love her still. It only wanted to hold her tight, run his tongue through her mouth, taste her lips, feel her antennae around his powerful wrists... It was that part of him that screamed again, and that part of Leeri that answered him.
The Soldiers lined the rest of the Coalition members up against the far wall, making them face their doom. The barked command was given. As one, the Soldiers drew their blasters. The crowd erupted in anger, and it took all the guards' strength to keep them back. "Leeri!" Jendai cried out, his voice contorted with emotion.
She started to call his name in response. The crack of blaster fire stopped her.
Sickened and enraged, Jendai whirled away from the window before he could see the body he knew almost as well as his own crumple. His rage boiled up, rage against whoever ordered this, rage against the world. He pounded the walls, kicked at the door, screamed. He did anything he could to vent his anger. He dared whoever had issued this command to come before him and fight him! Hate simmered at the edge of the rage. In a powerful, violent movement, he picked up the bench and threw it across the cell. The crash and splintering of the bench hitting the floor was most satisfying to his anger.
The violent emotions drained out of him in a single moment, leaving the mechanic dazed, sickened, and horrified. He sank to the floor, numb. How could she leave him all alone? Alone. He was alone. Leeri. He needed her, needed to love her, needed to feel her. She was gone, why was she gone? He loved her... Loved her! Shaking, he curled up into a ball, rocking back and forth. A soft chant, an old mechanic tune, the very same song he'd sung for Leeri so long ago, issued from half-crazed lips.
That was how the Almighty Tallest Purple found him a day later.
The usual entourage of guards was hustled out of the room, ordered to stay out no matter what they heard. Soundlessly, the Tallest entered the cell, looking around disdainfully at the surroundings his friend was forced to live in. He set down the package he carried, not wanting to spoil the surprise... if he could get Jendai to act sane. Gently, he tapped Jendai's cold, clammy shoulder, trying to get his attention. Instead of the reaction he'd thought he'd receive, Jendai reacted almost violently. The mechanic leapt to his feet, blue eyes clouded in hatred. They focused briefly on the Tallest, then snapped away to something distant out the window. He was trembling, every muscle in his beaten mechanic's body twitching. The Tallest cringed at the sight of the wounds inflicted on the olive-green skin. He should have known. He'd felt the blows himself. Why hadn't he ordered no guards...? Again, the hate-filled blue orbs centered on his purple ones. "'Dai!" he almost whimpered, moving back slightly. He was afraid and made no effort to hide it. Jendai was powerful. "What in the name of Irk is wrong with you?"
"She's dead!" Jendai moaned, his voice a low, growling mockery of its usual tones. "Leeri's dead! They... they killed her!" The tortured expression left his face, only to be replaced by an insane look of anger and hate. "You... You ordered her to die! You're just as bad as they are! Soldiers!" He snarled, clenching his hands into fists. A cry of suffering ripped from his body as he charged, swinging his fists. The Tallest ducked out of the way, suddenly glad he'd made the guards stay out. Their presence would most likely have only made Jendai angrier. Still growling like an animal, Jendai paced the room, circling him. His powerful fists were drawn close to his battered body. A fighter lurked inside the normally amiable mechanic. The utter loathing in his friend's eyes stunned the Tallest, as he imagined the remote look in his he usually adopted stunned Jendai equally. Jendai leapt for him again, swinging his fists at him. One caught him straight under his chin, sending him staggering to the ground.
He lay still, sprawled on the damp floor for long moments. Cautiously, he opened a purple eye. Jendai stood a few paces off, his fists drawn up protectively. As he slowly climbed to his feet, Jendai backed off, the fight sucked out of him by the memory of his blood brother's pain after his punch. His antennae drooped. "Kas...?" he murmured dazedly. One hand moved to touch the spot under his chin where the Tallest's pain was felt. "Kas. How did you get here...?"
"I walked in," Kasden mumbled, rubbing the spot where his friend's fist had connected. "Then you went nuts and socked me." He looked at Jendai. "I now understand why Des feared you."
"I... I thought you were..."
"You thought I was Red?" the Tallest finished. He looked at the dark room, the pale shaft of moonlight shining on only a bit of the floor. "I suppose in this poor light, I could be mistaken for that genetic accident."
Jendai's eyes focused on him once more, this time, they were filled with sorrow. "Did... did he order it?" he asked, his voice small and quiet child-like.
"Did he order what?"
He looked away. "Leeri's execution," the mechanic mumbled, his fists clenching, then releasing.
The Tallest sighed audibly. He moved over to the bench and turned it right side up before responding. It was heavier than he'd expected. "Don't hit me for saying this, 'Dai," he began, sitting down heavily. "but... yes." Kasden watched the mechanic pace again, his movements stiff and elegant. Even without any training, Jendai moved like a Tallest, acted like one and at times expected to be obeyed like one. This sparked his idea up again. Yet, it had to wait until Jendai was rational once more.
"Why...?" Jendai moaned. He was shaking. Kasden stood again, moving over to him. Carefully, he maneuvered the dazed Irken over to the bench, making him sit. "Why, Kas...?" the blue-eye asked again, a few tears forming in his large eyes. "It... it... it was awful..."
"I made a deal with Red, Jendai," the Tallest said slowly. "If he let you live, I would have to let him execute the Coalition members..." Another sigh. "I know it isn't fair. But, I still consider you my friend."
"So, I'm worth more to you than innocent lives?"
The question caught the Tallest off guard. He blinked, trying to decipher the meaning of the statement in his normally quick mind. Before he could say a thing, Jendai waved him off. "I'm sorry, Kas..." he mumbled. "It... it's just a shock still. I loved her so much..." He looked sideways at Kasden. Tears were being pushed away from his eyes. "Thank you..."
"I brought you some stuff," Kasden said suddenly. He stood, looking around for where he'd deposited the package. Finding it, he moved over to it, scooped it up and returned to his sitting position. Jendai took it from him, suddenly eager to open it. The first thing he pulled out was a handheld medical device. "I figured you could use it after out little meeting," he explained. "You look worse off now. There's extra power cells in there too, in case you use up the first batch." Next, he pulled out a set of tools, almost identical to his own. The mechanic smiled softly. After that came a few holograph capsules, taken from his own apartment. He didn't even need to look at them to know which ones they were.
The next thing he pulled out rocked him. His reflection stared back at him from a wrist guard adorned with a single blue stripe. Stunned, he pulled out more pieces of the armor, staring at each for a few seconds before setting it aside with the tools, holograph capsules and medical device. Before digging through the rest, he set the box down to better examine the armor and skirt. It fit the shade of his eyes perfectly. "How did you... Why?" he asked, finally looking his friend in the eye.
"Never in history have there ever been three Almighty Tallest," Kasden murmured. "Two... well, that's rare but... it happens. Three? No way." The purple eyes focused on him. "But tradition was made to be broken." He settled back, almost relaxed. "As for the color... you'd be surprised how many blue-eyed Tallest there's been."
Jendai picked the package back up. At the bottom were a pair of black gloves, black boots, and the oddest-looking set of pants and a shirt. He pulled out the gloves first, savoring the feel of the material over his fingers. They were amazingly his size. The boots were the same. He eyed the shirt and pants oddly. The pants were mechanic black with blue rings around the legs and a diamond shape across the middle. A darker blue cuff adorned each pant leg, along with a band the waist. Unlike his shredded garments, the pants flared out at the bottom, a style that was becoming increasingly popular among Students. It was the shirt that caught his attention next. All colors of blue were worked into a pattern of overlapping triangles that started where the waistband would be and ended at the collar. "Wow..." he breathed. "This is great, Kas..." Jendai paused to admire his colors once again. "How'd you do this?"
"I just said I felt like wearing your colors and," the Tallest snapped his fingers. " 'poof!' I get these things." His voice grew serious. "Listen to me, Jendai," he said. "You have two choices here. Either you put on the armor, or you put on the other stuff. One way, you become Tallest, stay on Irk, and live somewhat normally. The other way, you're banished to wherever you can go... forever."
The other was quiet for a long time. Frustrated, Kasden stood, almost refusing to look at Jendai. "I'm not going to tell you what I think," he said. "But when I return in two days..." Now he looked at him. There was an unusual distress in his violet eyes. "You know what I expect then..."
He turned to leave. "Kas?" Jendai queried softly. Noticing the slight movement of his friend's head, he went on. "I can't decide something like this by myself. Now that Leeri's gone..." he almost choked on those words. "Please let me talk this over with someone."
"Who?" the Tallest asked in a clipped tone.
"My student, Min and my friends, Kaml and Lidge Tikem," he didn't even need to think about it.
"Fine." Kasden bowed his head as the door slid open. "They'll be here in an hour, 'Dai. I swear it."
Without even saying goodbye, he departed, murmuring inaudible things to his Guard. Jendai stared at the clothes for a long while, thinking hard. "You also swore you'd get me out of this, Kas..." he muttered to the air. Leaning back against the wall, he sighed. "Let's hope you can keep at least one promise."
One hour later, a dazed Kaml Tikem was shoved through the cell door. The orange-eye's robotic legs emerged; ready to defend their owner. His eyes fell on the slumped form on the bench, widening in horror. "J-J-Jendai?" he stuttered, the robotic legs vanishing. "Oh sweet mother of Irk, tell me that's not you..."
Jendai spread his arms wide, slightly embarrassed. "Sorry Kaml," he murmured, letting the tenor tones his friends knew break through the sorrow. This seemed to ease the mechanic a bit. "What did the Tallest tell you?" Jendai asked, rising.
Kaml blinked, craning his neck to see Jendai's face. "That I was supposed to come here with Lidgers and Min to see you," he replied. "He never said why. Sweet Irk... How did this happen, 'Dai?"
"Sit down, I'll tell you."
Again, the story came out. Again, it was met with fear, horror and disbelief. This time though, he explained the situation with his old friend. "And now," Jendai ended. "Kasden wants me to choose between staying here and being something I've hated all my life, and leaving everything behind for some planet no one here knows." He sighed, setting his head in his hands. "Either way, I lose. I just need to figure out which way I lose less."
Kaml climbed up on the bench beside him. His orange eyes were dark as he considered the things Jendai had been pondering for an hour. "The way I see it, 'Dai," he finally said. "is either you lose yourself and everything you believed in, or you lose a way of life. Plus," he laughed. "there is NO way I can picture the mighty Jendai Kaalae being called 'Blue' and wearing a dress."
He laughed softly, more to make Kaml feel better than out of real humor. "You saying I should leave Irk." It wasn't a question.
"Yes, 'Dai, I am," came the reply. An awkward pause followed. "Where you gonna go?" Kaml mumbled.
"As far away from Irk as my ship'll take me," Jendai said briskly. "I don't need the pain of seeing the stupid sun anytime soon." A depressed blue eye turned to Kaml, looking almost haunted. "Thanks, Kam."
A smaller hand shook his. "No problem, 'Dai," Kaml responded, leaping lightly to the floor. "Contact me when you can... if you can. You hear me?"
Jendai smiled. "Send Lidge in," he said. "I want to tell her and Min the news. Leave Min for last though."
"Sure."
He watched the orange-eye depart from his life, rising to stare out the window. Moonlight washed soothingly over his chest and turned the olive-green to white, lightening the bruises and cuts to gray. His antennae twitched at the sound of the door opening. Lidge. He heard her hesitate, felt eyes on his back, then her footsteps came closer. It was then he turned, giving her a sad smile. Her eyes discreetly moved over his bare chest, stopping momentarily on the wounds. Jendai had forgotten how appealing one could look without a shirt... Now, he knelt down, folding his excessively long legs elegantly under him. Neither Irken spoke a word until the tension grew unbearable. Finally, Jendai made the first move. He decided not to tell her of his choice. "I'm being banished, Lidgers," the mechanic said quietly, careful to cover his emotions for the female's sake. "Off-planet. Forever." Her eyes fell. Gently, he placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. He tried to put a smile on for her sake. "It's better than what they gave the Coalition members..." This time, he didn't bother covering his sorrow. "They killed Leeri..."
Lidge didn't bother covering hers either. She burst into tears, shaking with sobs. Jendai's heart tore. He gathered the young Irken in his arms and held her tightly against the tears. "I don't want you to go," she choked out finally. "You... I..."
He considered her reaction a moment. "What is it, Lidgers?" Jendai pleaded, tilting her face up to look him straight in the eyes. "Tell me."
"I... I..." She cried out, ceasing to speak and pressing her face against his chest. Her tears stung in the cuts. "I... I..."
One of the guards opened the door cautiously, yelling at Lidge to get out. Annoyance clear in the tilt of his antennae, Jendai growled to himself. He didn't want this goodbye to end anymore than Lidge seemed to. He had always expected to watch the sassy female's skills grow; watch her receive her own voot runner and personal tools. He'd been there for her assigning to Kaml, been there to watch her first completion and even seen her name taking. Those moments were something he would never want to forget. Jendai hugged Lidge tight, then, kissed her on the cheek. He was unsure of why he did it exactly. Maybe the thought of losing another female he'd loved in one way or another compelled him. He tried to give it a gentle, non-implying feel. Sadly, he gave her a push towards the door. She stumbled forward, not allowing herself to even look back at her teacher's friend. "I'll miss you Lidgers," Jendai murmured as the door slammed shut behind the teen forever.
Jendai stayed on the ground, still staring at the moons. They were half-full now. He was so intent on them, memorizing their shape and color that he didn't notice the door opening once more. What did wake him up was a soft wail of fright. His head snapped around, eyes focusing on wide gray orbs. "Min," he murmured. "It's okay. It's just me. Your Teacher."
"Teacher Kaalae!" the little Irken cried. Without waiting for a reply, he raced into Jendai's arms, crying harder than even Lidge had. "I'm so glad you're alive!" Innocent eyes looked upwards at him. "You were really sick and miss Leeri sent me away. And then I got brought here..." he paused, tracing a bruise on his Teacher's arm with a gloved hand. "You got hurt. And taller."
"Yes, I did," Jendai murmured. He sighed. "Listen Min-"
"Are you gonna be a Tallest?"
"No, Min." He made the small Irken look at him. "I'm leaving Irk. The Tallest say I have to."
Hurt filled the gray eyes. "Why, Teacher Kaalae?" Min whimpered. "You didn't do anything bad. You just got all tall. It isn't fair!" He stopped ranting. "What am I gonna do?" he asked. "I need you to teach me stuff."
Jendai gave his student a sad smile. "Kaml can teach you when Lidge is old enough to go off on her own," he explained. "You'll be okay. I promise." A thought crossed his mind. He stood, still smiling at the tiny child. "Kneel down, Min," Jendai ordered.
Min's eyes widened in understanding. He smiled too as he knelt on one knee, bowing his head almost to the floor. Jendai paused for a moment, trying to decide the best way to do this. He then sank into almost the same position as Min, holding his head upwards. "Min," he said, tenor voice rolling through the room, even passing through the door. Moonlight fell over the two, bathing everything in silvery light. "I, Jendai Kaalae, am your Teacher. Do you promise to listen, understand and learn from me-er, your replacement teacher for as long as you need me-him?"
"Yes, Teacher Kaalae. I will," Min said, just as clearly. His little voice wavered slightly.
The mechanic took a deep breath before continuing. "If I give you my name, Kaalae, given to me by Daske Kaalae, given to her by Elgan Kaalae, do you swear you will keep it in honor and give it only to your student once they have fulfilled your requirements?" It was all coming back to him now, his own name taking. Daske's rough old voice repeating two teachers back, filling him with pride as he knelt before her and the rest of West Jihi. He smiled at the memory.
"I will, Teacher Kaalae." Min's voice trembled again. It sounded like he was crying.
"Then," Jendai began, swallowing around the lump in his throat. Mother of Irk, this was hard to do. "as the 4032nd member of the Kaalae name, I grant you the name. From now on, you are to be known as Min Kaalae, 4033rd member of the name." Finishing, he touched his antennae to Min's, completing the most sacred part of all the ritual.
Min was crying. Once he was sure Jendai had finished, he threw his small arms around him. "Thank you," he sobbed. "Thank you, Teacher Kaalae!"
"You're welcome, Min," Jendai answered. He patted Min on the back, trying to ease the thoughts he figured the little Irken was having now. Again, the shout of a Soldier broke their moment. "You need to go home now, Min," Jendai said gently. "It's time for me to leave."
"No, Teacher Kaalae!" he cried. "I still need you!"
"You don't, Min," Jendai murmured. "Kaml will take care of you." He forced Min to look at him. "You will always be Min Kaalae now. That's all you ever needed from me. Now, go on home. It's late and you need to sleep."
Min tightened his hold briefly. Jendai returned the gesture before allowing his student to leave. Tear-filled gray eyes never left him as Kaml's gloved hands took Min away. The little mechanic barely had time for a wave. The doors closed, locking Jendai from his old life.
He stood, watching the moons move across the sky for hours. Finally, he moved. Jendai walked over to the pile of clothing, selecting the ones that would banish him, and slid them on over his beaten body. With that accomplished, he picked up the medical unit, pricking the sensors into his arm. A relaxing feeling came over him as the technology did its job. The cuts and bruises vanished, leaving his skin thickly scarred, but fully healed. That was the one drawback to the handheld units-they always left huge scars. His hand still looked the same. He flexed it nervously. It still worked, even with the warped fingers. Next, he sorted out the Tallest armor from the package, replacing it with scraps from his old uniform. There was a large amount of room left inside. He licked his lips, trying to find where the dimensions were typed in. Finding it, he shrunk the box to fit the holograph capsules and a tattered uniform. His miniscule chores completed, Jendai settled down on the bench to await Kasden's final arrival.
"Do you enjoy hurting your friends?"
The mechanic winced under the Tallest's wrath. Kas hadn't been too happy to see Jendai's choice. For a moment, he'd stood in the doorway, staring numbly at what the other Irken wore. Then his anger had surfaced. "Do you enjoy crushing us?" the Tallest barked, glaring at what had been his friend. "Because, you know, you seem to be doing that a lot!"
"No, Kas," Jendai answered, his antennae flicking back. "You know why I'm leaving."
"No!" the other Student snapped. "I don't!" Armored arms folded over more chest armor. "Mind explaining?"
Jendai looked away. Why exactly was he choosing this? He almost came out and used Kaml's words, then something made him stop. Instead, he shrugged his thin shoulders. "Guess I didn't want to change anymore than I did," he mumbled. Kas raised an invisible eyebrow confusedly. "Everyone is trying to make me something I'm not!" Jendai nearly shouted. "Regert, Leeri, you... Why can't you all just leave me alone!? I'm a mechanic! Not a teacher, not Almighty Tallest! A mechanic!"
The Tallest was quiet for a while. "What do you want me to do, Jendai?" he asked, his voice soft. "There isn't anything I can do. What Leeri did to you has been done. It was awful, I know that, but I can't change it. All I can do is give you what you'll need to get off this planet and onto another one alive." He sighed, turning to look out the window. "I brought your voot runner and anything Red thought you might need."
"He was in on this?" Jendai asked, unable to hide the note of disgust.
"I had to, 'Dai," he explained. "He's the only one who would know without getting suspicious." His antennae drooped. "The voot is fueled and ready for departure. All you need to do is drive her out of my sight." The proud posture was replaced with a slumped, defeated slump. Purple armor gleamed dully in the weak sunlight drifting in the window. Kas didn't look like a Tallest anymore. He more resembled the beat-up, scrawny purple-eye Jendai had saved from Des all those years ago.
"Kasden, I..." Jendai started, taking a reproachful step towards him. He wanted to make amends for his mistake. "Look, I'm sor-"
The Tallest stiffened, his fingers curling into what looked like fists. His antennae twitched inward. "Just go, Mechanic." The last word held an almost scornful manner. When Jendai hesitated, he whirled to face him, eyes blazing. "Didn't you hear me, Mechanic? I'm your Tallest, stupid Student. Therefore I order you to get off of this planet and out of my sight!" He spun back to the window, his antennae now slicked back, letting Jendai know how much those insults stung him as well.
"Fine," Jendai replied coolly. The Tallest showed no signs that he'd heard. Jendai stalked to the door, the package clenched in his hand. He could remove the chip from his back pod himself in the sanctuary of his voot runner. There would be no one to stop him there. Two Elite Guards-neither Sen-met him at the door, ready to escort him to his ship, without the use of cuffs this time. Before they could, he turned back to Kas. "And as one of your own height," Jendai snapped, careful to keep his voice emotionless. "I order you never to forget who you were before you were Almighty Tallest. I order you never to forget the name Aman as easily as you have forgotten Kaalae." He left then, purposely flicking his antennae inward and not taking a farewell glance over his shoulder.
Yet, he could have sworn he felt a few tears that did not belong to him glide invisibly down his face as he vanished down the dark hallway.