Author's Note: Okay, it's been a while since I last posted, so here's the skinny. The planet is a kid paradise, and while Kai plays baby-sitter to a few devilish runaway inhabitants on the Lexx (plus there's still an unidentified box thing in the cryochamber), Vlad has done some escaping of her own. Meanwhile, Xev has been turned into a little girl and has run away from Stan. All caught up? Good luck.

As she piloted the moth down to the planet, Vlad pondered on her immense boredom. It was amazing how humans could be so bored and so infuriated at the same time. It hadn't been difficult for her to slip out of the galley, for the assassin had busied himself with disgusting imitation humans. He would pay dearly later, she promised herself. He had no right to take anything from her, let alone a weapon. She would repay him by taking something more precious; if not his life, then perhaps the life of his whore; Vlad didn't know, and she didn't much care. Right now, she simply was interested in finding entertainment, and entertainment was not on the great insect. She would have to find entertainment elsewhere, and that was logically on the planet.

She landed the moth, and saw that the atmosphere was not suitable for breathing. She knew she was crazy (and who wouldn't be with the images constantly flashing through her mind), but was sane enough to know that she would have to get creative if she wanted to get to the whore and the fool safely. Spotting a small opening in one of the facility towers, Vlad wasted no time in entering it with the moth, paying no mind to what potential threats were inside. Her first order of business was to find a weapon of any kind, of course.

Xev was long gone, and Stan had absolutely no clue as to where to look. He had a limp now, since her sudden growing down had her forgetting her strength (of all the things she could still do, it had to be beating him up). He mumbled to himself, trying not to completely lose his mind from all the chaos being dumped on him at one time. He wanted to just go back up to the Lexx and find Kai so he could deal with it, but as he weighed his options of either looking for Xev or babysitting the five toddlers of terror plus Vlad, his current mission seemed like a trip to Nimbus 9. "Why does stuff like this always happen!" he mumbled, paying no attention to the odd glances he was getting. "The Lexx isn't a daycare center for crying out loud!"

He suddenly jumped as an alarm spontaneously went off, practically belching out a warning, as a voice came over a city-wide loudspeaker. "WARNING, WARNING, WARNING. ALL EVELLE PERSONEL AND CITIZENS, THE LAB HAS BEEN BREACHED. REPEAT. THE LAB HAS BEEN BREACHED. PLEASE KEEP WATCH FOR ANYONE YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH,"

"Oh that's just great!" said Stan, running in no particular direction. "Kai, you so owe me!"

He wasn't watching where he was going, so he slammed head on into someone. "Ow!" he yelped, rubbing his nose. "Didn't ya hear the-"

He was looking at Melfus. "Yes, of course I heard the warning, considering that I am the one who issued it," he said. "You may as well come along with me. This concerns you, or rather that upstart of a crewmember you failed to supervise,"

Stan followed Melfus through the scrambling crowd, wondering why exactly the young man walked instead of ran. "Supervise, whaddya mean supervise?" said Stan. "It's not like I'm in control of her, Xev can do whatever she wants!"

"And that is precisely why she ran off regardless of your wishes," said Melfus. "You call yourself captain, yet you neglect any duty relating to your title,"

Stan was starting to get irritated with this kid talking about him like that to his face, and it didn't help that Melfus seemed like a younger version of Prince in terms of personality. "How did you know about her running away from me!" said Stan.

"There is little we don't know, Captain Tweedle," said Melfus, leading him down an alley that was surprisingly empty.

"Hey, this isn't the way to the shuttle deck!" said Stan.

"We're not going to the shuttle deck," said Melfus, opening a building door that led downstairs.

Stan stopped moving and looked at Melfus warily. "I don't know," he said. "I'm not going anywhere...not without Xev,"

Melfus turned around and fixed his cold eyes on Stan. "Look at you," said Melfus, his tone of voice completely changing. "Stop looking at me with that simpering face because it's nothing short of pathetic. You humans are all the same. You're all so weak and afraid to face danger when you sense it. Instead you stand there hoping that you're wrong, that you're not in danger, when in fact you are,"

Stan didn't have the time to question what was going on, because then he heard a child scream, and saw that there was a blue-haired woman standing in the doorway next to Melfus. In her arms was Xev, struggling to get away, crying her eyes out in her childish state as the woman clamped a hand over her mouth. "Hey, let her go!" said Stan. "She's not right, she doesn't have a chance this way!"

He gasped as both the woman's eyes and Melfus's turned over from their bright colors to inky black. Insect black. "We need young hosts, so we can grow, Captain Tweedle," said Melfus. "Even if you've already been an adult for some time, we don't care...we have to live...the humans must be destroyed,"

Stan turned to run but there was a boy blocking his way, with the same black insectoid eyes. "Where are you going, Captain Tweedle?" he asked. "Are you so afraid that you will leave your comrade? I can see being afraid of the others. But me? I'm only a child,"

"L-Look we'll uh...we'll give ya the kids on our ship!" said Stan, thinking quickly. "Just let us go!"

"Oh," said Melfus. "So you'd sacrifice the lives of innocents to preserve your own...you're going to make a poor host. Too bad we're hurting for them right now,"

Stan hadn't even had the time to react, because before he knew it, something sharp had penetrated his wrist and it became increasingly difficult to see or breathe.

The endless tunnels and pathways inside the tower were mildly amusing, but Vlad was having a difficult time. She knew exactly where she was going, and yet there were no living things around her. Just metal and walls, and stairs. As she continued down the stairs, she constantly glanced at her surrounds, somewhat entertained by the size of the place. Vlad continued on her way, until she heard voices. Smirking slightly, she pressed herself against the wall and moved into the shadows. "The intruder vessel entered the tower the weak spot on the western side," said an adolescent male voice. "The sensors only picked up on one human,"

"Only one?" said a second voice, this time that of a young girl. "Disappointing,"

"It will have to do," said the male. "Our bodies are decaying. Do you wish to die?"

"Why of course not," said the female. "However...our latest additions are proving to be difficult,"

Vlad couldn't believe her luck; a planet full of children and she had found ones that looked to be at their maximum age of twenty-one. They had several weapons; weapons that the former executioner wanted. She waited for them to come around the corner, and sprung out in front of them, striking the female in the face with the palm of her hand. She looked up, nursing her nose. Vlad was surprised to see that her eyes were inky black, but she didn't have the chance to look closer or get too excited because the male aimed what seemed like a gun at her. Vlad grabbed the barrel of the weapon and yanked it out of his hands, disposing of her with just a few simple strikes to the face with the butt of the weapon. She dropped the gun weapon, and then grabbed the female who was rushing at her, who was making high-pitched inhuman sounds, and unceremoniously snapped her neck. "How disappointing that you do not know those who serve you," said Vlad, circling around the male, who was bleeding on the floor.

He spat out blood and laughed, her black eyes showing no emotion. "We have no need of servants," he said. "But your shell will do. We'll be sure to make use of it,"

Vlad's nose crinkled in anger, and she stomped hard on his throat, pressing her boot into the windpipe. "I surrender nothing. If you will not accept my service, I shall kill you,"

"Go ahead," the male choked out. "Two deaths are insignificant to the hive,"

This only angered the former executioner more, so she did as she'd promised by squashing the insect's head with just her boot. She then wiped the black blood spatter off her face with her hand, and continued on without the weapons. Vlad detested any kind of guns; for they offered death too quickly.

Stan found himself in a dark room, staring up at two of the insect-eyed faces who had captured him. He couldn't move, and figured that was because of the table he was strapped to. Xev was nowhere to be seen, which he couldn't decide was good or bad. He struggled, and found that he couldn't get away, and wasn't exactly surprised. The girl laughed. "This isn't your first time being captured, is it?" she asked. "Really is a wonder you're still alive,"

Melfus held up his hand to silence her. "Don't celebrate yet, Fala," he said. "That little brat still got away. She bit you, didn't she?"

The female insect known as Fala looked sheepish as she looked down and covered a bloody mark on her right hand. "...Yes," she said, as she sidled up to the table. "But we have a new shell, don't we! It doesn't matter if mine is damaged, because-"

Melfus struck her across the face with the back of his fist. "Selfishness merits punishment!" he barked. "Allow others to have a chance, won't you? Your shell was damaged because of your own neglect to protect it,"

"Whoa, whoa!" said Stan, still struggling to move. "I like my shell to myself! Like you said, selfishness merits punishment. "

"Human opinions mean little to us, Captain Tweedle," said Melfus. "But that doesn't suggest that I'm not going to explain our situation to you...you deserve to understand what you're going to die for," said Melfus. "I'll try to put it into words you'll understand. Many young people once lived on this planet...and we insects had nowhere to go. We had lost the Insect War in the Light Zone, and our numbers were too few. We came here, hoping to accomplish what our leader planned to achieve. It was easy; so many innocent beings, so much curiosity. All they had to do was get close for us to transfer our essence to them. We made lots of nice hosts, but since no one ever grew up...we had to have some way to make more hosts. That's where you and all of the other visitors come in. Fala here came up with the machine and we built it. It's been so long since we've been able to transfer ourselves, but it's become second nature for us to act like human children, and guess what? You bought it!"

"So what about the kids on our ship!" said Stan. "They aren't-"

"No," Melfus said bitterly. "Stormy and her friends got away. We had no chance of finding them until now, so I suppose I should thank you! Now we can continue! Look at your crewmember now! Look how she's improved,"

"Improved!" said Stan. "She's off somewhere sucking her thumb, waiting for her next sugar binge! Wouldn't you rather have something more intelligent-"

Stan knew he wasn't getting out of this one unless luck stepped in, so he decided to pump them for information on the unlikely chance that Kai or Xev suddenly showed up. Xev wasn't the only one who hadn't learned things in Kai's absence, after all. "Yes, it may seem juvenile to beings such as yourself," said Melfus, circling the table. "However, sucking her thumb is better than sucking other things, wouldn't you agree? The more we reverse the ages of our shell, the lesser damage becomes. Our species is not what it once was we cannot heal our bodies the way your species can. We have to take care of our shells...and they age so quickly. That is why we must take what we can get, and what we can get is you. Even if you are most likely too old for the transformation,"

Melfus and Fala then reached up and pulled some kind of metal machine that was hanging from the ceiling over the table, so it was hanging over his midsection. He sighed and scrunched his eyes shut, knowing that either he was going to be face to face with Prince again, or suddenly craving candy bars.

Meanwhile, the colorful streets and childish atmosphere disgusted Vlad. Insects were beings above herself, and she served the true insects. These were pitiful imitations that hid behind the masks of youth while underhandedly dealing out death and stealing new bodies for themselves. Her master had been different. True, he also stole bodies, but he was one of the last great insects. He had power, where these child insects only had large numbers to fall back on. It was deplorable; she had already been attacked several times and she found that she needed no weapon. These insects were strong like her, but their bodies were so soft, she needed only her fist to dispatch them, whereas her master would have deprived her of protoblood and violence for years for even trying to attack him.

Vlad looked down as she felt something clinging to her leg, wrenched it up, and threw it like she had so many other victims, but this one rolled up in a ball and rolled back at her. It screeched, and she immediately knew what it was. She effortlessly stepped out of the way and grabbed her attacker by the back of the pressure suit. Holding the squirming creature in front of her face, she said bitterly, "I have no idea how you've gotten small, nor do I care. Leave me now and return to your assassin or I shall drop you and squash you as I have these other vermin,"

The miniature Xev started to bawl, the horrible sound causing Vlad much irritation. "Silence your childish behavior or I shall do it for you!" she said. "State your business or die!"

"I'm sorry!" Xev bawled. "Y-You have to save Stan! The monsters got him!"

"Why?" said Vlad. "I have no allegiance to you or that fool,"

"T-They took him away!" said Xev. "I-I'm sorry I ran away! I'll make it up to you!"

Vlad unceremoniously dropped the crying child and stalked off in the direction of the alleyways, completely uninterested, only to be confronted by a small boy. "Your skin is so pretty and flawless," he said, his black eyes flashing. "Even if you're not beautiful like the other girl, Fala will still like you,"

"Step aside," Vlad commanded.

The boy wouldn't move, which was probably a mistake. Vlad picked him up by the face and squashed him, his chunky black blood spattering her. Xev slowly edged up to the Executioner as she dropped the husk of a body. "H-He was the one who did this to me," she sobbed.

Vlad looked sternly at the child and then to the blood on her own hands. She thought about the situation, wanting nothing more than to rid herself of the whore at that very moment. Of course, if the whore did not return, the assassin would suspect her and then kill her. Vlad knew it was unfitting her of herself to do so, but she went against her will and knelt down in front of the child. She then forced the child's mouth open and rubbed the blood around the inside of her mouth. Xev immediately began to gag and Vlad shoved her onto the ground. She stood up and watched, knowing that what she had done would soon be understood.

It was revolting to watch, as the other woman twitched and jerked about on the ground like a severed limb. Even Vlad found it difficult to watch as bones grew and body parts matured, but soon Xev suddenly coughed a few times and stood up, restored. Once she regained her bearings, she let out an ear-shattering cluster lizard screech and lunged, but Vlad simply stepped out of the way. "When treated with the blood of an insect, a human body will react to the species of which the blood belongs. It was an unfortunate guess that you have been restored," said Vlad.

Xev got control of herself and swallowed hard to keep from throwing up. "H-How did you know?" she asked.

"I did not," said Vlad. "It was preferable that it would have killed you, however the cycles of time have their way of showing me things. Things I must respond to,"

She then continued down the maze of alleyways, leaving Xev with no choice but to follow her. "But Stan needs-"

"I have no obligation to any of you," Vlad interjected. "However, I am finding myself curious to learn more. I will allow you to follow me...but if this mewling continues, I shall find an insect worthy of destroying you if I do not do it myself. Come, the trail of fear is strong,"

Meanwhile, Fala hit a switch in the impossibly dark room, and Stan felt his body burning with the electricity being passed through it. Melfus was laughing at his screams. "Whatever you are holding in," he said. "Please, feel free to let it go. You will have no need of it anymore,"

He then smiled and pointed upward. "You see this needle?" he asked. "It's full of my blood, Captain Tweedle. It will reverse the aging process on your body, and will proceed to transform your mind. You'll be so innocent you won't have the capacity for fear! Just a few more minutes and your body's gonna be weak enough to accept it!"

"You people are really sick, you know that!" Stan whined. "You can have those kids, really! I'm no one's gonna min-"

The electricity suddenly stopped, but Stan kept whining, even when he heard a loud splattering sound. A cold fluid of some kind sprayed him, but he didn't want to open his eyes until he heard someone clicking their tongue. "You can open your eyes now, Stan,"

He cautiously opened one eye and looked around, and finally deemed it safe to finally look around. Melfus was caught in a headlock, and was struggling against Xev's grip, who was just smiling. Vlad, completely filthy with insect blood up to the middle of her upper arm, was standing on the other side of the room; one hand through Fala's chest and the other embedded on the controls for his table. Xev gave a hiss and then let go of Melfus long enough to knock him out with her elbow. "That's what you get for trying to take over my body!" she half-growled.

She looked up and smiled angelically, just making Stan feel worse about being saved by two women (more to the point, one woman and one homicidal maniac). "Get me offa here!" he whined.

Vlad relieved herself of the carcass and wrenched her hand, visibly injured from the punch, out of the machine. "No," she said firmly, walking toward the exit.

"Come on, Xev!" he said. "Help me out, will ya?"

Xev just smiled and neared the table. She leaned down and said in a low, sweet tone, "Y'know Stan, I would,"

She then took a firm hold on his throat, and snorted, "BUT YOU ALMOST SURRENDERED FIVE INNOCENT LIVES TO THAT SELF-ABSORBED NUTCASE!"

On their return to the Lexx, with the happy news that their guests wouldn't be staying (they had discussed that the children were free to get back on their ship and explore the universe again), Stan and Xev found four out of the five children sleeping out on the bridge. Len was missing, and Xev, noticing immediately, sped off in search of Kai, while Vlad distastefully slunk off into another part of the ship. Stan rolled his eyes and followed closely behind Xev. For someone who had just been having a tantrum because she wanted candy, she seemed to have already re-adapted to being an adult. A usually irresponsible adult, but an adult nonetheless.

Kai was in the cryochamber, working on the protein regenerator, re-attaching everything that was broken off, and digging out all foreign objects (which were beyond recognition) shoved in by the children. He ate as he worked, Lexx food as always. He seemed to have finally found a use for the dream box, since his lunch was perched on it, and so were various toys and food items he had extracted from the protein regenerator. Even though he looked positively exhausted, he seemed very content about something, or at least as content as Kai could look since his expression hardly changed.

"Hey, four outta five, not bad dead man!" said Stan. "So what happened, did Vlad sneak out when-"

"Uh Kai?" Xev interjected. "Where's the other twin?"

Kai swallowed the last of his meal, stuck the spoon in the bowel, and nodded slightly in the direction of the cryopods. If Stan didn't know better, it looked as if the assassin was avoiding Xev's eyes. Sure enough, Len was in a fourth cryopod (one difference between this new Lexx and the old one was that it was always growing more pods), frozen in place, his eyes and mouth wide open and hands stuck in the position for pounding on the glass. Stan couldn't help it and burst out laughing, amazed that maybe the dead did a have a sense of humor after all, but Xev's face curled into a frown. She couldn't decide whether she wanted to strangle Kai, or embrace him, since he was finally starting to show the tiniest bit of personality after so long. "How could you do that to a little boy!" said Xev. "He must have been terrified!"

"He is having a time out," said Kai, going off toward bridge. "I will...direct the children's vehicle out of the Lexx, and inform them of the special cargo. I will return shortly for this one. Do not open the cryopod until I return,"

"But you might have traumatized him for the rest of his life!" said Xev. "Doesn't that bother you?"

"No," said Kai.

As the assassin headed toward the bridge, Stan stopped laughing as soon as Xev shot him a death glare and punched him hard in the shoulder. "I still have a planet to blow up," he sighed, and left Xev to herself.