Chapter Nine
Don't Tell Me We're Forgiven


"Our efforts have been in vain, it seems. But it is not too late to stop this slaughter! Irk is ours! We protect it to our deaths!"

There was a thunder of cheers from the ranks of the Uprisers. They had stayed behind after a call-to-arms from Lidge. They knew of the Soldiers' failures. They knew what they had to do. Their minds had built that robot, their memories could destroy it. They knew Min was out there, alone, trying to do the work of many by himself. They knew he would die unless they acted.

All they had to do was convince the Tallest to give them the means to do so. Convincing them would not be easy, considering how the Uprisers intended to meet with them.

Lidge gave the signal, and the entire able force of Uprisers moved out.




Nothing had ever made him this nervous before. Not the blasted Uprisings, not war, not Impending Doom's launch... nothing. But as he stared now out the huge windows at the mass destruction before him, Red felt nothing by helplessness. The reports had been brought to both Tallests, bringing them grim news. The Soldiers were powerless. He had never lost faith in his Class's ability to rescue his planet in times of crisis. Though... now...

His fingers clenched around the windowsill. Being powerless was completely new to him. He hated it. He loathed it. There was nothing he could do to help his race. Nothing his Class could do. Nothing, save abandon the planet... their home.

Abandon Irk?

How dare anyone dream of doing that! How dare they decide to admit defeat so easily and leave the only true home they had without a fight!

"Why aren't the tactics WORKING!?" he snapped, smashing a fist into the windowpane. The plexiglass rattled under the assault but did not even bend. It was made to stay strong against even the more well muscled Soldier blow. This was Red's way of coping with the enormous frustration before him. He knew no, nor did he wish to practice, any other method. Purple's way, he knew from experience, was to grab the nearest stiff drink and stare hopelessly out the huge windows. "We DRILL on this sort of slarking stuff first Academy YEAR! And EVERY year AFTER that!"

Purple took another drink of Amrinae. It wasn't a casual sip, as it usually was, but a hasty, panicky gulp from a bottle held in shaky hands. "We should blow it up..." he hissed faintly, alarm in his wide violet eyes. "Shoot it, do SOMETHING! Irk, I told you I didn't like that thing! Why did we have to use it!?"

"None of our weapons, or any weapons we've heard of can hurt that thing! The shielding is too heavy! That's the whole reason we BUILT IT!" Now Red beat his head against the glass. "BLAST IT!"

"Is there... anything we CAN do...?" Purple muttered. "If it's that strong... Irk, Red it's hopeless..."

Fierce crimson eyes locked on his. "Slark you!" Red snapped. "Blast me to Blorch if I let some psychotic short thing destroy my entire planet!"

The other Tallest's antennae fell back. He backed against a purple wall hanging, seeming to want to hide in it... anything to avoid Red's wrath. Fortunately for him, the whole of the Soldier's frustration was being taken out on the hapless window. Purple swore he could see a crack forming in the glass. He was seriously considering finding some sort of sedation for Red when the door buzzed. The Soldier Tallest whirled to face it, as if the door were some sort of attacker that he had not noticed before. Purple reacted with less aggression.

An average sized scholar stepped in. There was a deep cut on her forehead, allowing blood to drip into the tan eyes. She leaned heavily on the doorway, obviously in pain. "Sirs... Uprisers... they're in... they've gotten into the building..." she gasped. "They... they demand an audience with you..." Her eyes rolled back in her head.

Surprisingly, Red caught her before she fell. He didn't want to know why she was still on Irk, or how she'd been wounded. Silently, he held her out to Purple, his eyes narrowed. "Get a bandage on her head..." he growled.

"You're letting them in." Purple took the limp body holding her so no blood leaked on him.

"Watch me. They have a good reason for hanging around here after Evac. was ordered. I intend to hear it. You can leave if you want. No sense in both of us being executed by them."

In minutes, the room was nearly filled with black-clothed, black-eyed Irkens. Each were armed with a stun blaster, each stayed respectfully behind a tall female with a white Student symbol on her black uniform. She stood directly in front of the Tallest, staring up at them boldly. After a moment, she knelt in a sweeping bow. The rest of the Uprisers followed her, some in shock. Her face to the floor, she addressed them. "Sirs. We know we are in violation of so much, but, believe us, we have our share of adequate reasons," her tone was polite to the extreme, edged with subtle force.

Red frowned. "We'd like to hear them, if your ladyship would care to explain them..." He folded his arms, daring her to look him in the eye.

"We... we realize how great of a crime we have committed in the Uprisings. We know we should, by all laws, be punished dearly for it." Black eyes locked with Red's accepting his dare and boring into him. "But what we also realize is that the Invader cannot be stopped unless we act. We cannot act without the proper weapons, which you have the authority to grant to us." Her eyes dropped. "Also... one of our own has taken it upon himself to try and stop the Invader alone... We... we cannot allow him to die when we are able to save his life..."

At this, Purple allowed himself a small nod of agreement. He glanced at Red, watching the other Tallest's antennae move. He wasn't thrilled. In fact, he looked half ready to physically throw all the Uprisers out the window, despite the strength of the glass.

"I'll make you traitors a deal," Red said slowly, choosing his words cautiously. "If you can take care of the Invader and then hand over your leader to us, we will make some of the changes you want. But, if you don't succeed and don't produce your leader... you will all be executed. Once Irk is restored to normal, that is."

There was a quiet murmur among their ranks. The female at the head of the groups seemed to consider Red's words only briefly before she chose. Once they'd quieted, she spoke up. "We... we agree, sir," she said, her eyes shut and her antennae flat. "By Irk, we agree."

The Soldier actually smiled. It was a slightly sardonic smile, but a smile nonetheless. "Then let's get you some lazers and get out there."





He hadn't thought he'd make it. He'd thought he would miss, plummet to his death and take the Kaalae name with him to his grave beneath a gray flower. But fate, fate and the traits attributed to his name, made his robotic legs splay out, grasping for any secure surface. It made them latch into a crevice in the robot's armor plating, holding him securely against the metal. The robot's shields protected it against lazer assault, not against a tiny Irken body. It was the one design flaw Min knew about. He'd heard Lidge talking about it to some other Upriser of some importance. For once, he thanked her aggravating devotion to her cause.

The robot moved quickly, causing him to swing sporadically with each step it took. More of his robotic legs hooked into the crevice. Eventually, Min was stable enough to assess his situation. He shoved the metal rod into his boot and surveyed his positioning. On any Irken-made machine that required an interior driver, there were both exterior and interior access panels. The exterior was placed as a safety precaution in case the driver was trapped inside. An Irken trained as a mechanic or technician was able to open the panel, shut down the vehicle, and rescue the driver. He just had to find it, tweak some wires and his task would be done. Stopping the thing was out of the question. You could override the stop command from inside... but if the shields were deactivated... he was sure it would buy a Soldier squad enough time to get the thing on the ground in pieces before the Invader could reset his shields.

Most likely, it would be in a place not easily accessible to an attacking enemy. That ruled out his previous assumption of it being on the thing's torso. Thus it would be small, and in an odd position. He wasn't sure exactly where he would find the panel. No mechanic in West Jihi had really studied the plans for this thing, as most of those in charge had been too busy running the Uprisings to pick one up from the distributor's.

He hung on, even as the robot whirled, firing on some unfortunate Soldier squadron. The heat from its blasters was clearly felt, even though no part of Min's biological body touched the actual robot. His eyes darted for any possible place. Anywhere. That panel had to be here somewhere...

His eyes locked on the robot's blaster. Where else wouldn't an enemy dare look that an Irken would? Min shivered. Heat waves rose from it and it moved constantly as the Invader aimed, then fired on any structure still standing. There it was, near the barrel of the attached gun, a small, upraised panel. His spirit sank to his boots. How was he supposed to get near it now? The temperature of the blaster alone was enough to burn him alive. Who knew how hot the surrounding metal would be?

Grimly, Min rose up higher on his robotic legs, clinging to the wildly swiveling arm. He hoped this height would keep him safe while he worked, and that his presence would go unnoticed. Trying desperately not to look at the ground, he approached the panel cautiously. Heat seared into him as the blaster went off. Min tried not to cry out, pushing forward determinedly. Once, the arm swerved so unexpectedly that he almost fell off. Only his robotic legs saved him. For a long while, he clung there, his pulse racing so badly he could hear it above the groan and squeak of the robot's movements. Glancing down brought him back from his fear. He could see a small mass of black moving towards their position.

Uprisers...? Here...? Min scrambled, regaining his place along the arm, hurrying to open the panel. If the Uprisers came before he was finished, they would all be killed! His friends... his Class... Min couldn't take any more slaughter.

He drove a mechanical limb deep into the place he assumed the panel was located. Heat ate through his uniform and he could feel blisters forming on his skin. Feverishly, he worked, grasping the leg in his hands, moving it both with the strength of his will and body. He could feel the metal warming too quickly in his hands. After a long while, the panel creaked open, its hinges almost ripped off by the force of Min's exertions. Now, abandoning his fear, Min crouched closer to the blaster that should have been considered a small sun. He could hardly make out the engraved Irken script written neatly on the various wires and buttons. There! Shielding! It was a small, plain bunch of wires that were easily missed. A wave of triumph surged through him as he reached down to sever them with a flick of the half-melted robotic leg.

The arm jerked. Off-balance, Min fell, his limbs grasping for any hold that would save him and finding none.






"Hold positions!"

Behind her, the Uprisers stopped, crouching hidden among bits of rubble. A building had toppled here quite recently, providing them with ample cover for their wait. This was the place that the remaining Soldier squads would meet them. Lidge gripped her blaster tighter. She wasn't afraid the Tallest would go back on their word, they were too important to do that. Soldiers on the other hand... She cast a glance up at the robot. Its arm jerked, then settled back down into regular motion.

"They always look smaller from far away..." Regert murmured, taking a position next to her. "Idiots. Building something that powerful and not having a good way to stop it. Slarking Soldiers..." He eyed her. "You didn't have to turn yourself in, you know... we could have taken this thing out without their help--"

"Be quiet Regert!" Lidge snapped, antennae flicked in and eyes blazing. "Be quiet and wait."

They didn't have long to wait. A Soldier squad slipped among them, its members filling in small gaps in their ranks that the Uprisers had not noticed. Their commander approached Lidge, his dark red eyes darker in grief. His cloak was stained with dust and rose-colored blood. "Commander..." he acknowledged, lowering his antennae briefly in her direction before crouching down beside her. "We have the weapons, you have knowledge of how to beat this thing. Can we work together...?"

"That all depends, Rael," she answered curtly.

"On what?"

"On whether or not your Soldiers will obey my orders."

He nodded slightly, eyes glinting over the mask. "I can assure you that any Soldier in my ranks will listen to you. They respect you for how you fought during the Uprisings."

Lidge considered this a moment. "All right. Now we just have to wait..."

"For more reinforcements?" Rael gave a hollow laugh. "We're the only ones who cared to help you, Commander."

"I know." Black eyes studied the mutilated piece of an apartment she hid behind. The wallpaper let her know that it had been an blue-eye's... Silently, she hoped they weren't cowering in the remains of Jendai's old building. It would break her into hundreds of shattered pieces if it was. "We're not waiting for reinforcements, Commander Rael..."

"Then why don't we attack?"

Now she stared out at the towering robot, a lingering sadness in her gaze. "One of our Class is up there... on the robot... trying to halt it so we may have a fighting chance... we have to wait until we know he's done it."

Rael sighed. "With all due respect, that does not sound like a workable plan, Commander."

"It's all we've got. And I doubt you really want to go up against that thing when it has full shields."

He nodded again. "I will tell my ranks to wait for your signal..." Briefly, he glanced up at the robot and shook his head. "May the Mother of Irk protect that Student's soul..."






Everything hurt. All he wanted to do was crawl into a hole and await the end. Kaml could give Pira her name. He'd do that for his adopted student. But if he were to wait for the end... how were the hundreds of deaths resulting from the robot's continued rampage to be avoided? Min couldn't let anyone else die.

One of his robotic legs was gone, ripped off by the fall. It hurt just as bad as it would have if the limb had been real flesh, and not metal. A number of bruises and blistered burns covered him. He climbed through the pain, back up the torso where he'd managed to find a hold. Back along the arm, back to the searing heat. Limping, he approached the hole where the panel had been. Min smiled faintly. It would be simpler this time, and he would accomplish his mission. No one else would have to die. He glanced down hurriedly, looking for the Uprisers, wanting them to be there when he made his triumph.

They were gone.

Shocked, Min looked longer, harder, for any sign of them. Nothing. Nothing but a newly fallen building where he'd last seen them. No. It couldn't be! They couldn't be dead! But... how else could they have vanished so quickly? His mind, warped by pain, fatigue and stress, could devise no other likely solution. He'd failed. All his friends had died... because he'd been too slow to save them. He stared, horrified at first. As he looked on, gripping the arm tightly with his remaining robotic legs, his horror turned to rage mingled with all-consuming hatred.

Fighting to keep himself in check, he stood over the panel's hole, locating the right wires once again. He stared down at the gray lengths of twisted cord, sweat and tears running down his face. A few of the blisters on his face began to bleed, dripping blood down onto the wires he stared at. In a violent motion, he slammed the pipe from his boot down into the panel hole, not caring what he hit or how much damage he did. He wrenched it, pried parts loose and sent them sailing down to the ground far below him. Each vindictive rip was accompanied by a shudder from the robot, as well as a pained cry from Min. He could feel the pipe melting in his hands, the hot metal mixing with his burned gloves. Savagely, he kept tearing at it, until at last, he saw the flicker of the shields as they finally gave out and died.

Of their own accord, his hands ripped away from the pipe, the metal taking away bits of flesh and glove. Relief flooded Min, washing away the hot lust for revenge. He closed his eyes, feeling his grip on the robot's arm slip until it gave way. Min fell, limp, to the ground. Halfway down, his robotic legs emerged to break his fall. The three slender limbs saved their master from his death, but in doing so caused their own. Each one shattered as it touched the ground, leaving Min lying amongst their shards, and the shards of devastated buildings.






The huddled mass saw too easily the death of the shields. At Lidge's command they leapt eagerly from their hiding, both Classes mingling to gather weapons, rally one another and fire. Those with the hardest-hitting distance weapons remained by the shelter of the decimated building, firing in columns. The rest charged forward, aiming their blasters at more crucial points-such as the robot's legs or joints. Red and black uniforms swarmed across the distance separating them from their target, both checking, worriedly, for survivors and shooting.

It never faced them. The whole while they ran, its back was turned to them, its arms making feeble motions, as if it wanted to run away. At the head of the charge, Lidge stopped, Rael pulling up beside her. A few of the fighters stopped as well, but were quickly urged onwards by either commander. It was a melee. Irkens tripped over one another in their eagerness to stop this thing. Above, you could hardly see anything, save for a mass of blaster fire. The robot wavered on its feet. Anyone could see it was feeling the strain of withstanding a constant barrage. "Pull back!" Lidge ordered. "It's going to fall! PULL BACK!"

There was a grinding, moaning sound as the metal of the robot seemed to almost decay under the fire. Irkens scrambled back, hurrying to get away. A Soldier tripped, only to be hauled to her feet by a Student duo. Some were blinded by smoke, and had to be led out of danger by those of the same and the opposite Class.

Its torso exploded.

Fire, metal and smoke were everywhere. Those caught too close to the blast were thrown forwards into their fellow Irkens, or into bits of rubble. Irken cries filled the air. Lidge found herself on the ground, covered by Rael. The Soldier held onto her, preventing her from being injured as best he could. She gripped his uniform. Until the blast subsided, it didn't matter what Class anyone came from. The stronger dropped to cover the weakened, the faster pulled the slower out of the way, and the older yanked the younger away from harm. It was survival, nothing matter save your life, and the lives of your fellow Irkens.

Gradually, chaos descended into a form of order. Heads lifted, frightened eyes assessed damage, and antennae swiveled for any sign of a survivor nearby. Rael allowed Lidge to stand as well, his mask hanging by mere threads to the rest of his uniform. Dust had turned his green skin a light tan and his dark eyes were clouded. There were small tears on his back, tears that cut through his uniform, some drawing small trails of blood. "Thank you," she muttered, biting her lip.

Rael only nodded. "Let's get them up... we need to get the wounded out, and search for any survivors."

"I'll contact the Tallest. They'll want to know. I'll ask them to bring med-teams down from orbit."

"And I will tell you if we find your friend... Alive or dead..." Rael moved off into the still-settling dust, his cloak dragging through the rubble. Lidge could hear him giving orders. His tone never changed, no matter if he was speaking to Soldier or to Student. That was just how Rael was though. She turned her back to the charred shell of a robot, and began contacting her leaders.






It wasn't the blast that sent him into unconsciousness. It was the heavy sheet of metal dropped on him by the blast. He could feel it crushing him down into the ground before he lost contact with the conscious world. Therefore, he had no idea of anything that had happened, or how long he lay there, until he was awoken by the scrape of rubble being moved.

A haze of pain settled across his vision. He was lying on his back, the pain of broken limbs, both robotic and not, paralyzed him. The skin on his face felt as if it were bubbling. He shut his gray eyes and concentrated on getting his voice loud enough for whoever was digging to hear. At first, all that would come was a raspy croak even Min could barely hear. The mechanic kept trying, willing himself to be louder, to make his voice heard. There was a pause accompanied by startled shouts and the skittering sound of robotic legs over rubble. He quieted briefly. Had they heard him? They must have, else they wouldn't have called for help. Gradually, light from above pierced into his eyes, forcing him to close them. "I'm here..." he whispered, trying his best to make his voice heard. "I'm alive...!"

"Mother of Irk!" He heard one voice shout.

"Rael! Captain! We found him!" cried another.

There were a few moments of indiscernible conversation before a new, calm voice spoke down to him. "Min Kaalae?"

His lips moved in a faint echo of the word "yes". Eventually, he found his voice. "Yes..." he hissed as best he could.

"Hold on... we're bringing the med-team over here... you'll be all right. Don't fall asleep." Min faintly heard a swish of cloth as the speaker left. He tried to obey the order not to fall asleep, but it was so hard... He hurt so badly... What could a little sleep hurt an ailing body? He found himself relaxing into a semi-conscious state once more.

Shortly after, the mechanic woke with a jolt. The great weight on his body was gone. He was being lifted into a varse runner that was already filled with other injured Irkens of mixed Classes. A few looked at him, their different colored eyes huge with pain, fear, loss, or even a twinge of respect. Someone was standing over him, analyzing him carefully. Gentle hands guided him back down when he raised his head. "Don't. You'll be okay... just rest now."

"Lidge..." he mumbled. "Uprisers...?"

"She's okay... so are most of the Uprisers..." the Irken he assumed was a med-worker stroked his antennae soothingly. "Don't move around now... you're going to a med-center... it's all right now."

He nodded slightly. "Can I sleep...? Tired..."

"Go ahead... if you take a bad turn, I'll be here to bring you out of it..."

The mechanic nodded again, slipping into a dreamless sleep.





His hand was limp, covered by many thin bandages to keep the remaining skin intact. There was no movement from the severely damaged body, save the gentle rising and falling of breath from a bare chest. Sitting beside someone who was half a corpse was not a place one would normally wish to spend his or her time, unless you were Lidge Tikem. She sat by her old friend, gently stroking her fingers across the back of his shredded palm. It didn't surprise her in the slightest that he lived. Kaalaes, in her experience, could take the worst physical punishment and still be able to open their eyes to make a joke or comment on how they missed their ahki.

She felt guilty. More so than when Kaml was shot. This time, it wasn't just her teacher, it was her dear friend and countless others.

How on Irk was she supposed to have known Cerol was right? That what the other mechanic had ranted had been more than just insane babblings? Min had told her, that was how. He'd told her, and she hadn't listened to a single syllable of his speech. There had to be some explanation why she had refused to listen to him. Why she would fly into a rage over some cause, completely disregarding the lives of her friends, her teacher and her race. Lidge lightly pressed Min's hand to her cheek. There was a slight warmth in his hand that comforted her. What vice of hers had egged her on like this?

Revenge.

Lidge bit her lip. She could see it now. She had wanted revenge on the other Class so badly... Wanted it so badly it had blinded her to all else but the sweetness of obtaining that seemingly forbidden article. It wasn't the first time an emotion had hindered her judgment. Years ago, her bizarre love for someone constantly kept her from seeing his great faults, and his accidental involvement in the plot that had gotten him banished.

But the thought of overpowering emotions brought up another track in her mind. She knew her actions had been in response to her love for another. Still, the question lingered, taunting her and daring her to answer it. Who had she been avenging? Her Class? Wikki's death had definitely had a traumatizing effect on Lidge's younger self. She could clearly recall almost every detail of that awful night. Everything from Rikea's twisted grin of pleasure to how long the pauses were between drops of blood from Shil's wound to the floor. As much as she was traumatized by this, something about it didn't really seem to fit with the urge for vengeance she felt.

Maybe... she had been avenging... Jendai...

Involuntarily, her hand tightened around Min's. His eyelid's flinched slightly at the pressure, then soon lapsed back into healing sleep. Oh dear Irk how he reminded her of his teacher! His walk, his actions... nearly everything he did was similar to Jendai's way of doing things. She sighed heavily. Thinking back on her actions though... it was highly likely her whole endeavor had merely been to right the wrongs done to someone she would never see again, and had never even realized her feelings toward him. If she had not known him, had not felt for him, her bizarre righteous rage would never have manifested itself. She had thrown her life away in the name of someone all of Irk had forgotten. She had let so many others do the same... none of them even knowing why they truly fought.

She was going to rot in prison for this. They would kill her, she knew it. They would execute her for treason. Her life was going to be cut short in the name of a vengeance that would never even be realized by the avenged party.

Her tears fell unwillingly onto Min's bandaged hand. Worthless. All of it. Nothing was going to change, despite the masses dying for it. All the planning, all the fear, the work... it was all wasted. In her grip, injured fingers bent faintly, moving to hold hers gently. Lidge's antennae pricked. The mechanic stole a glance down at the bed, trying to hide her tears. Min's gray eyes stared up at her, hurting with a different ache than the one plaguing her at the moment.

"You're here..." he murmured, fighting the pain so clearly etched in his face. Why more pain medication wasn't prescribed, Lidge wanted to find out, then correct as soon as possible. "You came to see me..." A faint flicker of a smile crossed his lips.

Lidge smiled back, her cheek still pressed against his hand. "I'd come to see you if you were in a center halfway across the universe..."

His smirk widened, then faded as recollections of the events that had brought him here came back. Pain flickered in his eyes. He looked at her urgently, brow furrowing. "How... did... did... I...? How many... died...?"

"A lot..." she admitted after a while. "But..." Magenta eyes locked with gray. "more would have, if you hadn't been so brave."

"The Invader...?"

She fidgeted. Honestly, she didn't want to admit it to Min... but she'd been so wrong... Sighing, she tightened her hold on his hand again. "They... they found uthane in him..." she murmured. "A lot. But... it sort of saved him in a way. They're not killing him because of it..." Another pause. "Once he recovers, he's being banished to that food-planet for a long time."

Min was silent. His eyes were dark, brooding. In the quiet, Lidge felt her gaze wandering across him. The blankets were arranged in such a way that they left his chest exposed. Although covered in a sealant to help heal his bruised and broken ribs, she was keenly aware of how he was built. Unconsciously, she felt her hand grip his even more. It came to her attention how close she'd been to losing Min forever... just as she had lost his teacher. If he'd died... what would she have done then?

"Lidge...?"

His words didn't register. Neither did the fact she was kissing him until she felt him stiffen at her touch. Her eyes flew open, almost as startled as Min was. A long, awkward pause hung in the air. Min's face was set in a stunned expression and he did not blink. Finally, hesitantly, she allowed her lips to brush his again. Min didn't flinch this time, though whether it was from fatigue or from returned affection, Lidge didn't care to find out. She kissed him harder. He suddenly jerked back from her, staring wide-eyed at the doorway.

"Hmpf. Kaalaes and their love affairs. Couldn't wait until you could at least hold her without killing your hands, could you, Min?"

Lidge turned towards the door, her face a strange pallid blush. The ex-boss of West Jihi stood there, leaning casually against the frame as his red eyes glinted playfully at the two. A small smirk was wound across his solid face. "Don't worry," he chuckled. "I'm not telling Kam a thing. Poor guy'd have a fit."

Frightened, Min's breath came in little gasps. Regert's eyes lost all their mirth. "Calm him down, Lidge!" he ordered, hurrying to Min's side. "Make 'im breathe in a pillow or something! By Irk, I never should have said anything!" As he said this, Min's gasps turned to a dry, hoarse, laughter. Blush crept into his cheeks, the first color that had been there since Lidge had walked in the room. Regert clapped his hands. "That's my boy!" the ex-boss laughed.

Lidge blushed too, squeezing the bandaged hand she still held.

"Teacher!"

"Lidgers!"

"Hey, Kid."

Without any ceremony, Kaml limped into the room, carrying an excited Pira. Shil supported her love at his right. The young female wiggled in his arms, despite her hip, holding her arms out to the bed containing her teacher. She had such a look of joy on her face that Min had to smile in return. Gently, Kaml handed Pira to him, reminding the little one to be careful with her teacher, that he was fragile and was easily broken. Min wrapped an arm around her, holding her as close to his battered body as he dared to. Pira carefully nuzzled his shoulder, purring in delight at seeing him again. There were tears on Min's cheeks as he held her, safe in his arms.




There didn't seem to be any room for another Student body in the hall. Nevertheless, Shil ushered him in. Barely healed, Min's boots still stung the soles of his feet, and his hands smarted from the gloves he wore. His ribs hurt with every stride. He could only imagine the looks his burn-scarred face was getting. The scars weren't that noticeable though, unless you were looking for them. Shil tried to support him as best she could, but their differing heights made the effort a challenge.

Nearly a month after the disaster of Impending Doom, the Tallest had decided it was time the Uprisers upheld their part of the bargain Lidge had made. A gathering had been called in the Tallest Complex's own meeting hall. Every Student or Soldier who had participated in the Uprisings was required to attend the meeting. It was here the Students hoped their ideals would be made into laws, and their leader made into a prisoner.

Working his way through the crowd to an empty place, Min careened into someone. Pain spiked through him as his injuries were jarred. "Oh! MIN! Oh Irk, forgive me!" the other Irken turned to steady him.

It was Swar Aman.

Min swallowed heavily. "I... it's all right... Swar..." he muttered. Why was she, of all Irkens, here? She was the one Student Min never would have pictured being involved in this insanity. And where had Shil run off to?

"Good to see you up and around, Min," the scholar said warmly, giving him a very careful hug. More quietly, she added. "Purple asked me to. Scholar work... nothing else..." Her voice was reassuring to him. "Don't worry..."

He nodded, a hint of a smile on his scarred face. "Thank you, Swar. Thank you so much..."

She released him, looking up at him with an expression of tenderness teachers gave their beloved students. "You're welcome, Min Kaalae," Swar murmured. "I will make sure all of Irk knows how you earned your name. I promise." With one last, careful hug, she slipped away into the crowd, her cape making no noise as she moved.

Eventually, he found a seat next to Cerol. The other mechanic looked emaciated, dark, black circles under his eyes and hallows in his face that should not have been there. His good eye locked on Min's face as the barest flicker of an emotion similar to happiness lingering in his features. "You're alive," he whispered. His voice was small, shaky, a thin shadow of the cool, composed aloofness it had once held. "Thank Irk..."

"Hard to keep us Kaalaes down," Min joked. "We keep popping up, like rat people."

This earned a hard laugh from Cerol. Though, it sounded more like a choked bark than a laugh. Maybe the disaster had hit the poor guy harder than Min had originally thought. He didn't have time to say more before the meeting was called to order.

Guards marched onto the platform first, their blasters openly displayed at their hips. Soon after, without their usual ceremony, the Tallest followed. Their faces were set in stone. Red's eyes glittered with a feeling carefully hidden emotion, while all traces of feeling were hidden from view on Purple's face. Swar Aman attended both, standing at a respectable distance. "This is much better," Red began, folding his arms irritably. "I can see all of your eyes this time."

A quiet murmur came from the crowd.

"Fine then, let's get this over with," growled the Soldier Tallest.

Purple cleared his throat, studying a datapad in his hand. "You wanted changes, and we've made them," he said cautiously. "We'll read them now, and afterwards..."

"You hand over your slarking leader to us, providing he isn't hiding like a little coward," interjected Red, his voice harsher than usual.

The crowd agreed, their voices low and nervous. After they had quieted down, Purple began to read again. He kept his voice purposely monotone, expressing neither favor nor dislike for any of what he read.

"Firstly... any Soldier accused and convicted of Student abuse will be publicly humiliated and imprisoned. Any further offenses will increase prison sentence and increase the likelihood of permanent banishment.

"Secondly, Students and Soldiers will be considered equal in all situations of political standing. Special measures will be taken to ensure that this will happen. Any tampering with the new system-by either Class-constitutes a moderate prison sentence. The same punishment applies to other actions of disregarding the law."

The Tallest set the pad down, watching it with quiet eyes. He said nothing more. Red gave him a look before speaking. "That's it. Everything you wanted," he growled. "Now then... Where's your leader?"

/Well I would like to think
the world hasn't seen
that all the best is still to come
and I know life ain't easy\

Min felt cold. He heard the words of the Tallest, but they somehow felt hollow, unreal. How could they just waive away the crimes all the Uprisers had committed in exchange for the life of a single female? How could they forget the horror of Impending Doom, and the plight of those left without a place to call home? Why would they pretend Irk was never damaged? He shifted his weight. The Tallest weren't the only ones trying to forget...

/I pass them sleeping on the street
With bloodstained hands and dirty feet
And I can't ignore them
Any more than I already have\

"Come on. Quit being a frightened little smeet and show your face!" Red barked again. The Soldier's face was cold. His order was accompanied by a nervous mutter in the crowd. The Students waited impatiently for Lidge to gather her courage, showing each other false grins of hope. Many let time pass without daring to breathe. A few made the sign of the Mother of Irk, muttering quiet prayers to themselves.

/So we laugh, and we smile
and we play our games of sweet denial
But don't tell me we're forgiven
If we hold, all our breath
If we kneel right down and just repent
You can't tell me we're forgiven\

He knew he had committed his share of heinous acts against his own kind. Vividly, he could remember the faces of the Soldiers met with and defeated by the business end of his blaster. Even when he'd tried to look away, he'd seen the same pain and hurt around him. He'd seen the same pain and hurt he felt within himself. The same things he'd seen in Lidge's eyes the day she was by his side and had kissed him so lovingly. Absently, he ran a finger over the scars he knew lay beneath his uniform, a testimony to the pain he'd felt. Scars almost like those his old teacher bore...

/Start with me
I cannot lie
When my heart doesn't follow my eyes
Turn away from all the suffering
That surrounds
our time on this earth
for some their life has been a curse
I say I'm sorry and I should change
You know it just could be me someday\

Lidge was on her way up to the platform by now. Her jaw was set, her antennae flat against her skull. There were tears in her eyes. Min reached for her as she passed him, but Cerol gently held him back. He was forced to watch her climb the short stairway, alone. There was no one able to help her, comfort her, or be with her now. It made Min's chest ache. Lidge had been given a zeal for life... a gift rendered vanished by her lust for revenge. The repercussions of her actions had caught her and were holding her in place for judgment by crimson and lavender eyes. Despite how much it hurt, Min's hands clenched into fists.

/There's no way out of here
I don't want to die and leave it all behind
Each day a part of me disappears
But who am I to judge what's been sent from above?\

"Sirs... I am the leader... Lidge Tikem..." she murmured the lines she'd had memorized for weeks. "Here I am before you... Do with me as you will..."

The Tallest stared down at Lidge, their gazes slightly uncomprehending. It was Red who recovered first. "Fine. It's about time you showed up." He scrutinized her. "Let it be known, to all Students and Soldiers that your punishment was my decision and mine alone. Purple had no involvement in this at all. If he'd had his way, you'd get off without any consequences."

Not surprisingly, the other Tallest made no comment in his defense. This meeting had thrown him into the same morose mood as the rest of his Class.

"Therefore," Red continued. "I give you the punishment of four years of imprisonment on Devastis."

No one made a comment. No one moved. Lidge didn't give a single sign she had heard, until her shoulders slumped. Then, suddenly, she knelt before the Tallest, her body taught with a dejected grace. Stunned, there was another long pause. Red's eyes grew huge, while Purple's became tinged with even more remorse. In the audience, Regert Shrig copied Lidge. The rest of the Students followed suit, silently and solemnly.

/We can't laugh, we can't smile
When so much just ain't right
It can't go on forever...
If we hold our breath,
If we kneel right down and repent
You can't tell me we're forgiven...\

Min's face was damp, and his shoulders shook as he leaned against the ground. His face was pressed into the carpeting alongside Cerol's. Both of them prayed, in small, wavering, voices, that this was the end of this madness. That soon, they could return to their lives again...

/You can't tell me we're forgiven...\

And that they were forgiven...