Chapter four
A buzzing com on her desk across the room woke Zenon the next morning. She blearily opened one eye to glare at the offending piece of machinery. "Unuhhhh…too early…" she mumbled into the pillow, right before she pulled it over her head.
The com beeped suddenly, and Protozoa's amused voice came over the channel. "Zenon, I know you're awake." He waited a little while, then said, "If you don't get up, I'm going to tell the boys about that time I trapped you in the dumpster."
Zenon growled and jumped out of her comfy bed. She plopped down on the computer chair at the desk and glared sleepily at the smug musician on the screen. "You ungrateful…I wouldn'ta gotten trapped if I hadn't wanted to make you a goin' away present." She mumbled.
"And I loved it, really!" he said, smirking at her.
"And I loved getting busted by the commander." She muttered. "Now, did you just call to bug me, or did this call have a purpose? My training doesn't start 'til twelve. It's only…nine." She groaned and rubbed her eyes.
Protozoa laughed. "Now now, no need to be grouchy, Pet. I just thought you might like a tour before you go and get lost later." He said, grinning wickedly.
"And what makes you think I'm gonna get lost?" she grumbled.
"Because the Manor has over thirty rooms, that's why." He said laughing at what he called her 'morning face'. After staying with her a week, he got to know her various expressions, and her morning face never varied. "And I thought you'd like some breakfast. You still don't know where the dining room is."
"Ummm, breakfast does sound good right about now. Give me twenty minutes. SOME evil person woke me up, and I need a wake-me-up shower."
Protozoa laughed again. "Alright, when you're ready, come knock on the door across the hall. That's my room."
Zenon looked at him with her mouth open. "Then why in space did you use the com system?" she asked the smug rock star.
"To get on your nerves. See you in a few minutes, love." He reached over off screen and hit a button, but not before blowing her a kiss and a wink.
"Why that smug son of a…I'll show him a thing or two…wink at me so early in the morning will he…I oughta…" she mumbled a continual string of harsh punishments for the annoying singer as she stumbled to the shower, then proceeded to shriek when the water was freezing cold after she had turned the hot knob. "I'M GONNA KILL HIM!"
* * *
Protozoa had tears running down his face, he was laughing so hard. He had heard the resounding shriek that had come from Zenon's room, and enjoyed it fully. Revenge was his for that soap that turned his skin blue.
"She's going to kill you, you know." Said Mr. Maxete, chuckling.
"I know, but I'll die with a smile on my face." Said Protoza evilly.
"Or maybe you'll just die!" said Zenon, bursting into the room and striding over to him. Her hair was still damp, and there was blood in her eye.
Protozoa jumped up from the comfortable lounge chair he had been sitting in and fled behind the coffee table, being sure to keep it between him and Zenon, who was stalking him like a tiger stalks its prey. Mr. Maxete just sat and enjoyed the show. "Zenon! I'm hurt! You didn't enjoy my harmless little prank?"
"Harmless my…" She glanced over at Mr. Maxete. "Behind!" Zenon vaulted the table and tackled him. After a few minutes of wrestling around, with Mr. Maxete cheering for Zenon and laughing, Zenon had him pinned on his stomach, an arm behind his back commando style. "Say uncle!" She demanded. "Say 'I sing like a space distortion' and I'll let you up!"
Protozoa struggled futilely. "How the bloody hell did you get so strong?" he muttered. "Last time this happened, I had you down in less than a minute."
"Funny thing, the army guys offered a course for any who wanted to take it on self defense and hand to hand combat. I took it, I aced it, I help teach it now." Said Zenon. She grinned evilly. "You do know you're completely at my mercy." She slowly inched herself into a better position, straddling his back with his wrists under her knees in a position where he couldn't get out, but he wasn't in pain either. Then she went in for the kill. She quickly ran her hands up and down his ribs and under his armpits.
"NO! Not *that*!" said Protozoa in horror, before he was in total convulsions. "This isn't fair!" he almost screamed. Mr. Maxete was almost as bad as he was; the poor man was bent over, scarcely able to breathe. "Alright! Alright! I sing like a space distortion! Now let me up!" he howled. Zenon smirked triumphantly and let the poor, gasping man up. He stumbled over to the chair her had been sitting in before and glared at his still roaring manager. "Fat lot of help you were!" he grumbled. "Oughta get me a new manager…guy can't even beat screaming girl-fans off…"
Mr. Maxete just sniggered. "And where would you get another manager who'd put up with you?" he asked comfortably.
"I'd find someone!" he growled.
Zenon broke in. "Guys, not that this conversation isn't fascinating major, but I'd kinda like that tour now. And breakfast wouldn't be a bad idea." She said, leaning up against the wall. She had her legs crossed at the ankle, and she was buffing her nails against her shirt, periodically bring them up to look at, then buffing them again.
Protozoa chuckled, then swung her over his shoulder. "Come on, Pet. Gotta fill that rumbly tummy. Then maybe you won't be mad at me when you find out there's a concert tonight."
Zenon stopped shrieking and pounding his back. "What? A concert?! Full stop and reverse! No way am I ready to just jump into a real, live, honest to space *concert*!" she yelled. "Are you *nuts*!?"
Protozoa laughed all the way down to the dining room.
* * *
"…neanderthal! I said put me down!" A continual torrent of abuse assaulted the ears of the astonished band. They were sitting in the dining room, inhaling copious amounts of food, when they saw their esteemed leader carry in a girl. A very pretty girl. A girl who was spouting such obsene words at such a high velocity as to make them blush!
"Hey 'Zoa, who's the girl?" said Germ, the drummer. He grinned. "A new flame?"
Protozoa grimaced at him. "Shut up, you wanker. You know Zenon."
He grinned. "Yeah! I remember her! She's the one who skinned you for fifty creds at poker!"
Zenon laughed. "Yep, that's me! And he still hasn't got any better. We played the last time he was up on the stay, and he lost a hundred." She grinned evilly. "Plus his pants."
The band laughed until one of them choked on the apple he had just taken a bite out of.
Protozoa frowned and dropped Zenon on the ground. He marched with wounded dignity to the table and helped himself to the pancakes. "As I recall, we later found a certain *little girl* was cheating." He grumbled.
Zenon made a face. "That was never proven."
"Yes yes. Now eat your breakfast, you have to have that tour. Then you have to meet Benny. He's the guy you're gonna be working with for the next seven months."
"Fine with me." She looked over at the rest of the band. "You guys got any embarrassing stories about 'Zoa over here? Anything I can use for future blackmail?" she asked, smirking.
The band started to regale her with stories, while Protozoa sank down in his seat, groaning.
* * *
"Tell Mike we have a malfunction of the left laser light." Said Benny tersely. The time until the concert had flown by. After breakfast and a quick tour of the Manor, Zenon met her superior, Benny. He seemed like a nice guy, but when he was working he was dead serious. She got out of the meeting just in time to see the band rehearse. During the concert, she didn't have *time* for pre-job butterflies. She had to be on her toes at all times. It was almost over though. One more song, and it was done.
"Thank you ladies and gents. For my last song, I'd like to dedicate it to a very special girl, and I hope she knows who she is." Said Protozoa, winking up at the catwalk where Zenon was working. The audience cheered, the band smirked at the catwalk, and Zenon ducked behind Benny. Who threw back his head and laughed. Protozoa launched into the song he had created for Aunt Judy's wedding.
Zenon came out from behind Benny, who wandered off, grinning. He'd let her have her fun. The concert was almost over anyway. She leaned over the catwalk and grinned down at the stage. Protozoa glanced up as he was dancing, and didn't take his eyes off of her for the rest of the song.
* * *
After the concert was over, the band and crew were backstage, cleaning up.
Protozoa watched for a familiar head of blonde hair, then brightened when he spotted her. "ZENON!" he yelled, striding over to her quickly. He grinned. She looked so cute in her little heaphone set! "What did you think of the concert, love?"
She grinned at him. "It was great!" she said cheerily.
"And how did you like the little dedication at the end, Hmmm?"
She blushed. "Umm….I…well.." she was unable to answer as a chillingly familiar voice rang out over the general babble of the crew.
"ZENON!"
Zenon went pale. "Oh god, not her…" she said quietly. Protozoa looked at her with concern.
"Zenon, how could you! You left the station, and you didn't tell me! You knew as your best friend I'd want to come with you." Said Margie, sweetly. She batted her eyes at Protozoa. "Hello! Do you remember me? I'm Zenon's friend, the one who found you on Nova Linda Cove."
Zenon smiled at him. "Excuse us for a minute." She said. Then she grabbed Margie by the dress front and pulled her a little distance away. "What are YOU doing here?" she growled.
Margie smiled Sweetly. "Since I broke up with Orion, I just couldn't stay up on the station. Too many bad memories. Daddy was nice enough to let me come down and stay with my mom on earth."
"You broke up with Orion?"
"Yes, the poor boy, he was heart-broken, but he just got too dull for me. And he was too immature. I need a nice, stable guy, with a good career. Can you think of anyone?" she said, looking over at Protozoa.
"Stay away from him, Margie."
Margie grinned unpleasantly. "And just how do you think you're gonna stop me, Zenon? I've taken every guy you've even been remotely attracted to, I think I can do it again."
"You're crazy. You can't get near him." Said Zenon, rolling her eyes.
"Did I mention my mom is Nikki Valentine, the movie star? She lives three houses down from Microbe Manor. I think you'll be seeing a lot more of me than you think you will."
I don't own them, I never plan to own them.
The next chapter will be long in coming, but it will be a longer chapter than what your used to. And after that will come one more chapter, and then the epilogue.
A buzzing com on her desk across the room woke Zenon the next morning. She blearily opened one eye to glare at the offending piece of machinery. "Unuhhhh…too early…" she mumbled into the pillow, right before she pulled it over her head.
The com beeped suddenly, and Protozoa's amused voice came over the channel. "Zenon, I know you're awake." He waited a little while, then said, "If you don't get up, I'm going to tell the boys about that time I trapped you in the dumpster."
Zenon growled and jumped out of her comfy bed. She plopped down on the computer chair at the desk and glared sleepily at the smug musician on the screen. "You ungrateful…I wouldn'ta gotten trapped if I hadn't wanted to make you a goin' away present." She mumbled.
"And I loved it, really!" he said, smirking at her.
"And I loved getting busted by the commander." She muttered. "Now, did you just call to bug me, or did this call have a purpose? My training doesn't start 'til twelve. It's only…nine." She groaned and rubbed her eyes.
Protozoa laughed. "Now now, no need to be grouchy, Pet. I just thought you might like a tour before you go and get lost later." He said, grinning wickedly.
"And what makes you think I'm gonna get lost?" she grumbled.
"Because the Manor has over thirty rooms, that's why." He said laughing at what he called her 'morning face'. After staying with her a week, he got to know her various expressions, and her morning face never varied. "And I thought you'd like some breakfast. You still don't know where the dining room is."
"Ummm, breakfast does sound good right about now. Give me twenty minutes. SOME evil person woke me up, and I need a wake-me-up shower."
Protozoa laughed again. "Alright, when you're ready, come knock on the door across the hall. That's my room."
Zenon looked at him with her mouth open. "Then why in space did you use the com system?" she asked the smug rock star.
"To get on your nerves. See you in a few minutes, love." He reached over off screen and hit a button, but not before blowing her a kiss and a wink.
"Why that smug son of a…I'll show him a thing or two…wink at me so early in the morning will he…I oughta…" she mumbled a continual string of harsh punishments for the annoying singer as she stumbled to the shower, then proceeded to shriek when the water was freezing cold after she had turned the hot knob. "I'M GONNA KILL HIM!"
* * *
Protozoa had tears running down his face, he was laughing so hard. He had heard the resounding shriek that had come from Zenon's room, and enjoyed it fully. Revenge was his for that soap that turned his skin blue.
"She's going to kill you, you know." Said Mr. Maxete, chuckling.
"I know, but I'll die with a smile on my face." Said Protoza evilly.
"Or maybe you'll just die!" said Zenon, bursting into the room and striding over to him. Her hair was still damp, and there was blood in her eye.
Protozoa jumped up from the comfortable lounge chair he had been sitting in and fled behind the coffee table, being sure to keep it between him and Zenon, who was stalking him like a tiger stalks its prey. Mr. Maxete just sat and enjoyed the show. "Zenon! I'm hurt! You didn't enjoy my harmless little prank?"
"Harmless my…" She glanced over at Mr. Maxete. "Behind!" Zenon vaulted the table and tackled him. After a few minutes of wrestling around, with Mr. Maxete cheering for Zenon and laughing, Zenon had him pinned on his stomach, an arm behind his back commando style. "Say uncle!" She demanded. "Say 'I sing like a space distortion' and I'll let you up!"
Protozoa struggled futilely. "How the bloody hell did you get so strong?" he muttered. "Last time this happened, I had you down in less than a minute."
"Funny thing, the army guys offered a course for any who wanted to take it on self defense and hand to hand combat. I took it, I aced it, I help teach it now." Said Zenon. She grinned evilly. "You do know you're completely at my mercy." She slowly inched herself into a better position, straddling his back with his wrists under her knees in a position where he couldn't get out, but he wasn't in pain either. Then she went in for the kill. She quickly ran her hands up and down his ribs and under his armpits.
"NO! Not *that*!" said Protozoa in horror, before he was in total convulsions. "This isn't fair!" he almost screamed. Mr. Maxete was almost as bad as he was; the poor man was bent over, scarcely able to breathe. "Alright! Alright! I sing like a space distortion! Now let me up!" he howled. Zenon smirked triumphantly and let the poor, gasping man up. He stumbled over to the chair her had been sitting in before and glared at his still roaring manager. "Fat lot of help you were!" he grumbled. "Oughta get me a new manager…guy can't even beat screaming girl-fans off…"
Mr. Maxete just sniggered. "And where would you get another manager who'd put up with you?" he asked comfortably.
"I'd find someone!" he growled.
Zenon broke in. "Guys, not that this conversation isn't fascinating major, but I'd kinda like that tour now. And breakfast wouldn't be a bad idea." She said, leaning up against the wall. She had her legs crossed at the ankle, and she was buffing her nails against her shirt, periodically bring them up to look at, then buffing them again.
Protozoa chuckled, then swung her over his shoulder. "Come on, Pet. Gotta fill that rumbly tummy. Then maybe you won't be mad at me when you find out there's a concert tonight."
Zenon stopped shrieking and pounding his back. "What? A concert?! Full stop and reverse! No way am I ready to just jump into a real, live, honest to space *concert*!" she yelled. "Are you *nuts*!?"
Protozoa laughed all the way down to the dining room.
* * *
"…neanderthal! I said put me down!" A continual torrent of abuse assaulted the ears of the astonished band. They were sitting in the dining room, inhaling copious amounts of food, when they saw their esteemed leader carry in a girl. A very pretty girl. A girl who was spouting such obsene words at such a high velocity as to make them blush!
"Hey 'Zoa, who's the girl?" said Germ, the drummer. He grinned. "A new flame?"
Protozoa grimaced at him. "Shut up, you wanker. You know Zenon."
He grinned. "Yeah! I remember her! She's the one who skinned you for fifty creds at poker!"
Zenon laughed. "Yep, that's me! And he still hasn't got any better. We played the last time he was up on the stay, and he lost a hundred." She grinned evilly. "Plus his pants."
The band laughed until one of them choked on the apple he had just taken a bite out of.
Protozoa frowned and dropped Zenon on the ground. He marched with wounded dignity to the table and helped himself to the pancakes. "As I recall, we later found a certain *little girl* was cheating." He grumbled.
Zenon made a face. "That was never proven."
"Yes yes. Now eat your breakfast, you have to have that tour. Then you have to meet Benny. He's the guy you're gonna be working with for the next seven months."
"Fine with me." She looked over at the rest of the band. "You guys got any embarrassing stories about 'Zoa over here? Anything I can use for future blackmail?" she asked, smirking.
The band started to regale her with stories, while Protozoa sank down in his seat, groaning.
* * *
"Tell Mike we have a malfunction of the left laser light." Said Benny tersely. The time until the concert had flown by. After breakfast and a quick tour of the Manor, Zenon met her superior, Benny. He seemed like a nice guy, but when he was working he was dead serious. She got out of the meeting just in time to see the band rehearse. During the concert, she didn't have *time* for pre-job butterflies. She had to be on her toes at all times. It was almost over though. One more song, and it was done.
"Thank you ladies and gents. For my last song, I'd like to dedicate it to a very special girl, and I hope she knows who she is." Said Protozoa, winking up at the catwalk where Zenon was working. The audience cheered, the band smirked at the catwalk, and Zenon ducked behind Benny. Who threw back his head and laughed. Protozoa launched into the song he had created for Aunt Judy's wedding.
Zenon came out from behind Benny, who wandered off, grinning. He'd let her have her fun. The concert was almost over anyway. She leaned over the catwalk and grinned down at the stage. Protozoa glanced up as he was dancing, and didn't take his eyes off of her for the rest of the song.
* * *
After the concert was over, the band and crew were backstage, cleaning up.
Protozoa watched for a familiar head of blonde hair, then brightened when he spotted her. "ZENON!" he yelled, striding over to her quickly. He grinned. She looked so cute in her little heaphone set! "What did you think of the concert, love?"
She grinned at him. "It was great!" she said cheerily.
"And how did you like the little dedication at the end, Hmmm?"
She blushed. "Umm….I…well.." she was unable to answer as a chillingly familiar voice rang out over the general babble of the crew.
"ZENON!"
Zenon went pale. "Oh god, not her…" she said quietly. Protozoa looked at her with concern.
"Zenon, how could you! You left the station, and you didn't tell me! You knew as your best friend I'd want to come with you." Said Margie, sweetly. She batted her eyes at Protozoa. "Hello! Do you remember me? I'm Zenon's friend, the one who found you on Nova Linda Cove."
Zenon smiled at him. "Excuse us for a minute." She said. Then she grabbed Margie by the dress front and pulled her a little distance away. "What are YOU doing here?" she growled.
Margie smiled Sweetly. "Since I broke up with Orion, I just couldn't stay up on the station. Too many bad memories. Daddy was nice enough to let me come down and stay with my mom on earth."
"You broke up with Orion?"
"Yes, the poor boy, he was heart-broken, but he just got too dull for me. And he was too immature. I need a nice, stable guy, with a good career. Can you think of anyone?" she said, looking over at Protozoa.
"Stay away from him, Margie."
Margie grinned unpleasantly. "And just how do you think you're gonna stop me, Zenon? I've taken every guy you've even been remotely attracted to, I think I can do it again."
"You're crazy. You can't get near him." Said Zenon, rolling her eyes.
"Did I mention my mom is Nikki Valentine, the movie star? She lives three houses down from Microbe Manor. I think you'll be seeing a lot more of me than you think you will."
I don't own them, I never plan to own them.
The next chapter will be long in coming, but it will be a longer chapter than what your used to. And after that will come one more chapter, and then the epilogue.