Twins of Irk
Tin stumbled a bit when Pid crashed into him slightly. He snickered a bit drunkenly. "Can't you stay on your feet?" He asked the purple-eyed Irken.
"No." Pid replied leaning on the corridor wall.
Tin glanced around the unfamiliar hall. "Where are we again?"
"That's your room." Pid pointed to one door. "And, wait that's not my room, that's my room." He pointed to another door that was his.
They weren't flat-out drunk, just buzzed.
"Right, my room." Tin fumbled for the print ID panel until his door slid open.
"You know what?"
Tin paused and turned slowly to Pid. "What?"
"I don't remember." Pid obviously wasn't one who could hold his liquor. He opened the door to his own room and disappeared within.
Tin shook his head and slunk into his room. "Lights." He yelped at the bright lights. "Dim! Dim!" The lights lowered until he could see with little pain. The door slid shut behind him.
It was a really nice room. He had slowly gotten used to it, he still got lost trying to find it but that was beside the point.
He crashed into his bed curling up slowly and trying not to make himself dizzy.
His eyes closed and his breathing evened out.
Somewhere on the other side of the room a taller-than-average figure slipped out from behind a couch. Purple eyes glimmered slightly in the dim lights. In his hand he held a small silver device. He regarded the thing scornfully.
After a moment the figure was sure Tin was asleep. He crept forward holding the thing out like a weapon.
He suddenly paused his arm lowering slowly. "What am I doing?" The figure asked himself in a breath. He stalked to the door preformed an override on the print ID panel and disappeared into the hall.
* * *
"Pid wake up!"
"Gah! No yelling." Pid rubbed his forehead.
"You're such a light-weight. Come on, walk it off." Tin said poking Pid with a pen.
"Stop it, are you always so childish?"
"Possibly." Tin replied poking Pid a final time with the pen before the other Irkens' hand shot out and took it. "Just get up already."
"How did you get in my room?" Pid asked looking for his boots.
"Those ID pads are so easy to get past it's not funny." Tin handed Pid one of his boots.
Pid got up and rubbed his eyes. "What time is it?"
"Later than it should be. We have to meet Kilew for out next measurement soon."
"What did you let me sleep so long for?" Pid demanded trying to make himself look presentable.
"You seemed like you needed it, and don't jump down my throat, we're not really late, just mildly late."
Pid grumbled to himself as they left his quarters. "Next time we're just going to not get drunk the night before our measuring."
"Oh sure, let's be sensible about it all." Tin play-hit Pid on his shoulder, something Invaders did with their platoon members.
As they exited the small hallway into a larger portion Tins' eyes wandered up. The Size of the hall never ceased to amaze him.
"I just hope that Kilew isn't mad. You know how she gets when..." His voice trailed. "Fer?"
Tin blinked. "Fer? She never says anything about him."
"No, there." Pid pointed across the sparsely populated Hall. "Fer!"
A purple-eyed Irken looked up from another he was talking to. His antenna shot up in a common sign of distress and shock. He dropped a clipboard he had in his hands and bolted in the opposite direction from Pid and Tin.
"Hey, where's he going?" Pid started after him. "Fer wait!"
Something whipped past him. It took a moment but Pid recognized Tin leaping through the hall with the aid of extra legs. The few people in the hall gasped as the red-eyed Irken sped past them tackling Fer to the ground.
Pid lifted himself with his own extra legs and hurried over where Tin was hauling Fer off the ground with a gentle growl.
"Tin, put him down! Fer, why did you run?"
Fer squirmed. "No, put me down, I can't be seen with him!" He was a lot smaller than either Pid or Tin, he had stopped growing some time ago.
"Can't be seen with who?" Tin asked. Pid didn't like the tone he used.
"Pid, I." Fer bit his lip and his head fell forward. "What a mess."
"Tin, sake of the Tallest, put him down." Pid said. Tin complied but still held onto the front of Fers' uniform. "Now, what's going on, why did you run like that?"
"I'm not supposed to even look at you. I was only supposed to watch you for so." He clamped a hand over his mouth.
"Watch me?"
Fer started cursing as Tin lifted him roughly and carried him to smaller hallway. Pid followed wondering if Tin would kill the smaller Irken.
"You're going to talk." Tin said in a low voice. "And if you don't." One of the red eyed Irkens arachnid legs slammed into the wall that he had forced Fer against.
"Alright I'll talk! But I can only say so much." Fer squeaked.
"Just talk." Tin let him go but kept close. His height alone was intimidating enough.
Pid blinked at his friend.
Fer rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm trying, really I'm trying. This is such a mess I can't tell you how badly I'm going to regret this." His purple eyes closed. "Just know that I'm sorry in advance."
"Sorry for what?" Pid asked. His body jerked in surprise as the smaller Irken threw himself at him claws and attacking extra legs flared.
Tin reached and missed Fer. His instincts smacked him and he pulled Fer off of Pid. It was easier than it should have been.
Fer collapsed in Tins' grasp.
"Fer you idiot." Pid said half in shock of what just happened. The Ghala blade was buried hilt deep in Fers' stomach. He knelt down by his friend.
Fer coughed, dark red seeped out of his mouth and stained his clothes. His hand grappled for Pids'. "I'm sorry." His eyes dulled and his arm went limp in Pids' hand.
"He forgot about that blade." Tin said closing Fers' eyes.
"No." Pid said. "He couldn't have, he gave it to me. He meant for me to kill him."
"Why would he do that?"
"I don't know yet, but I'll find out." Pid said opening his hand revealing a small data-crystal.
* * *
"Nursery Watcher."
Kilew looked up. "Yes what is it?"
"The young one, Fer, he has been relocated."
"Bring him to me then, I want to speak with him."
The male who had brought the news stalled. "I can't."
She blinked. "Why not?"
"He's dead, killed by a Ghala, it was almost immediate."
She sat there silently for a moment. "Call the rest of our council to me."
"Yes ma'am." The male left.
* * *
"Can you decode that?" Tin asked looking at the complex code that flittered down the screen.
"Yes." Pid said sliding his fingers across the touch-pad. "Fer and I have a code we would sip each other notes during classes." A vague smile crossed his face. "Well." The smile vanished. "We had a code."
The monitor blinked to life with an image. Fers' face was plainly visible. "Hello." He said slowly. "I suppose if anyone is watching this, then I have done one of two things that I can't bring myself to say." He paused taking a breath.
"If this is Tin, I apologize. I made you commit your action against Pid. If he is indeed dead don't blame yourself. Blame me. If this is both Tin and Pid then I failed to finish my task. The both of you live and I am dead. Please Pid, don't worry, I would have wound up like that either way."
Tin made a motion to say something but the version of Fer on the screen kept talking.
"To clear this up. I first have to say that as far as I know at least one of you runs the risk of being eliminated should my faction have its way. The Nursery Watcher has only so much power now. The others see her decision as a joke. There have never been two Tallest, and most think there never should be.
"Neither of you has any reason to understand what I just said. But the both of you are not identical by chance."
"I knew it." Pid hissed.
"One of you." Fer continued. "Was a mistake. The records don't show which one. You were both destined to be Tallest and split up to observe you both on your own. We had hoped one of you would eventually be taller than the other. That has not happened yet and by my own calculations, it never will.
"The Nursery Class has complete control over the Irken Empire. They decide who goes where and train everyone in a position of power subliminally through the same nanites that control their height. My faction is determined to keep it that way. Except for me."
His image lowered his eyes. "If Pid is dead my loyalty is proved. If I am dead." He sighed. "Then you must keep your mouths shut about all of this. I only tell you what I know too keep you from blundering around and getting yourselves hurt. But keep your eyes open. I don't know what else might happen."
Fer straightened himself up. "By now my death has been recorded, the Nursery Watcher has called a meeting and this 'problem' is being absolved. If they find out I told you anything you will be in danger. If you destroy this crystal once it turns off you will both be safe." He waved to them. "Good-bye." The screen went blank.
Pid took the crystal out of the reader, set it on the table and crushed it with a desk decoration. He turned to Tin slowly. "We have plans to make."
Tin stumbled a bit when Pid crashed into him slightly. He snickered a bit drunkenly. "Can't you stay on your feet?" He asked the purple-eyed Irken.
"No." Pid replied leaning on the corridor wall.
Tin glanced around the unfamiliar hall. "Where are we again?"
"That's your room." Pid pointed to one door. "And, wait that's not my room, that's my room." He pointed to another door that was his.
They weren't flat-out drunk, just buzzed.
"Right, my room." Tin fumbled for the print ID panel until his door slid open.
"You know what?"
Tin paused and turned slowly to Pid. "What?"
"I don't remember." Pid obviously wasn't one who could hold his liquor. He opened the door to his own room and disappeared within.
Tin shook his head and slunk into his room. "Lights." He yelped at the bright lights. "Dim! Dim!" The lights lowered until he could see with little pain. The door slid shut behind him.
It was a really nice room. He had slowly gotten used to it, he still got lost trying to find it but that was beside the point.
He crashed into his bed curling up slowly and trying not to make himself dizzy.
His eyes closed and his breathing evened out.
Somewhere on the other side of the room a taller-than-average figure slipped out from behind a couch. Purple eyes glimmered slightly in the dim lights. In his hand he held a small silver device. He regarded the thing scornfully.
After a moment the figure was sure Tin was asleep. He crept forward holding the thing out like a weapon.
He suddenly paused his arm lowering slowly. "What am I doing?" The figure asked himself in a breath. He stalked to the door preformed an override on the print ID panel and disappeared into the hall.
* * *
"Pid wake up!"
"Gah! No yelling." Pid rubbed his forehead.
"You're such a light-weight. Come on, walk it off." Tin said poking Pid with a pen.
"Stop it, are you always so childish?"
"Possibly." Tin replied poking Pid a final time with the pen before the other Irkens' hand shot out and took it. "Just get up already."
"How did you get in my room?" Pid asked looking for his boots.
"Those ID pads are so easy to get past it's not funny." Tin handed Pid one of his boots.
Pid got up and rubbed his eyes. "What time is it?"
"Later than it should be. We have to meet Kilew for out next measurement soon."
"What did you let me sleep so long for?" Pid demanded trying to make himself look presentable.
"You seemed like you needed it, and don't jump down my throat, we're not really late, just mildly late."
Pid grumbled to himself as they left his quarters. "Next time we're just going to not get drunk the night before our measuring."
"Oh sure, let's be sensible about it all." Tin play-hit Pid on his shoulder, something Invaders did with their platoon members.
As they exited the small hallway into a larger portion Tins' eyes wandered up. The Size of the hall never ceased to amaze him.
"I just hope that Kilew isn't mad. You know how she gets when..." His voice trailed. "Fer?"
Tin blinked. "Fer? She never says anything about him."
"No, there." Pid pointed across the sparsely populated Hall. "Fer!"
A purple-eyed Irken looked up from another he was talking to. His antenna shot up in a common sign of distress and shock. He dropped a clipboard he had in his hands and bolted in the opposite direction from Pid and Tin.
"Hey, where's he going?" Pid started after him. "Fer wait!"
Something whipped past him. It took a moment but Pid recognized Tin leaping through the hall with the aid of extra legs. The few people in the hall gasped as the red-eyed Irken sped past them tackling Fer to the ground.
Pid lifted himself with his own extra legs and hurried over where Tin was hauling Fer off the ground with a gentle growl.
"Tin, put him down! Fer, why did you run?"
Fer squirmed. "No, put me down, I can't be seen with him!" He was a lot smaller than either Pid or Tin, he had stopped growing some time ago.
"Can't be seen with who?" Tin asked. Pid didn't like the tone he used.
"Pid, I." Fer bit his lip and his head fell forward. "What a mess."
"Tin, sake of the Tallest, put him down." Pid said. Tin complied but still held onto the front of Fers' uniform. "Now, what's going on, why did you run like that?"
"I'm not supposed to even look at you. I was only supposed to watch you for so." He clamped a hand over his mouth.
"Watch me?"
Fer started cursing as Tin lifted him roughly and carried him to smaller hallway. Pid followed wondering if Tin would kill the smaller Irken.
"You're going to talk." Tin said in a low voice. "And if you don't." One of the red eyed Irkens arachnid legs slammed into the wall that he had forced Fer against.
"Alright I'll talk! But I can only say so much." Fer squeaked.
"Just talk." Tin let him go but kept close. His height alone was intimidating enough.
Pid blinked at his friend.
Fer rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm trying, really I'm trying. This is such a mess I can't tell you how badly I'm going to regret this." His purple eyes closed. "Just know that I'm sorry in advance."
"Sorry for what?" Pid asked. His body jerked in surprise as the smaller Irken threw himself at him claws and attacking extra legs flared.
Tin reached and missed Fer. His instincts smacked him and he pulled Fer off of Pid. It was easier than it should have been.
Fer collapsed in Tins' grasp.
"Fer you idiot." Pid said half in shock of what just happened. The Ghala blade was buried hilt deep in Fers' stomach. He knelt down by his friend.
Fer coughed, dark red seeped out of his mouth and stained his clothes. His hand grappled for Pids'. "I'm sorry." His eyes dulled and his arm went limp in Pids' hand.
"He forgot about that blade." Tin said closing Fers' eyes.
"No." Pid said. "He couldn't have, he gave it to me. He meant for me to kill him."
"Why would he do that?"
"I don't know yet, but I'll find out." Pid said opening his hand revealing a small data-crystal.
* * *
"Nursery Watcher."
Kilew looked up. "Yes what is it?"
"The young one, Fer, he has been relocated."
"Bring him to me then, I want to speak with him."
The male who had brought the news stalled. "I can't."
She blinked. "Why not?"
"He's dead, killed by a Ghala, it was almost immediate."
She sat there silently for a moment. "Call the rest of our council to me."
"Yes ma'am." The male left.
* * *
"Can you decode that?" Tin asked looking at the complex code that flittered down the screen.
"Yes." Pid said sliding his fingers across the touch-pad. "Fer and I have a code we would sip each other notes during classes." A vague smile crossed his face. "Well." The smile vanished. "We had a code."
The monitor blinked to life with an image. Fers' face was plainly visible. "Hello." He said slowly. "I suppose if anyone is watching this, then I have done one of two things that I can't bring myself to say." He paused taking a breath.
"If this is Tin, I apologize. I made you commit your action against Pid. If he is indeed dead don't blame yourself. Blame me. If this is both Tin and Pid then I failed to finish my task. The both of you live and I am dead. Please Pid, don't worry, I would have wound up like that either way."
Tin made a motion to say something but the version of Fer on the screen kept talking.
"To clear this up. I first have to say that as far as I know at least one of you runs the risk of being eliminated should my faction have its way. The Nursery Watcher has only so much power now. The others see her decision as a joke. There have never been two Tallest, and most think there never should be.
"Neither of you has any reason to understand what I just said. But the both of you are not identical by chance."
"I knew it." Pid hissed.
"One of you." Fer continued. "Was a mistake. The records don't show which one. You were both destined to be Tallest and split up to observe you both on your own. We had hoped one of you would eventually be taller than the other. That has not happened yet and by my own calculations, it never will.
"The Nursery Class has complete control over the Irken Empire. They decide who goes where and train everyone in a position of power subliminally through the same nanites that control their height. My faction is determined to keep it that way. Except for me."
His image lowered his eyes. "If Pid is dead my loyalty is proved. If I am dead." He sighed. "Then you must keep your mouths shut about all of this. I only tell you what I know too keep you from blundering around and getting yourselves hurt. But keep your eyes open. I don't know what else might happen."
Fer straightened himself up. "By now my death has been recorded, the Nursery Watcher has called a meeting and this 'problem' is being absolved. If they find out I told you anything you will be in danger. If you destroy this crystal once it turns off you will both be safe." He waved to them. "Good-bye." The screen went blank.
Pid took the crystal out of the reader, set it on the table and crushed it with a desk decoration. He turned to Tin slowly. "We have plans to make."