Stan is walking through the Lexx looking for intelligent company. He has grown tired of explaining things to Lexx and 790 doesn't make things any easier. Its almost as if that robot was built to annoy Stanly Tweedle. Things would be so much better with a little female interaction. He is the captain of the Lexx after all. Shouldn't he be satisfied? Stan entered the passage to the cryo room. If only the Lexx could find him a suitable planet populated by good people. Pretty female people. Stan stops at the edge of the cryo room when he sees Xev. She's leaning on the pod that contains Kai. She presses one of her hands to the surface of the pod. The pained expression on her face is a mirror of the way Stan is feeling. Stan removes his hat and twists it between his hands. He understands exactly how she's feeling right now. Xev turns and walks out the other exit. Stan methodically straightens his hat and places it back on his head. He walks in and stands between the two pods and strains to see the contents of the pod that houses the last of the Brunen G.
"You know Kai, its a shame that you're dead," says Stan. "If you were alive at least Xev would be happy. I don't know what she sees in you, though. You're just a corpse."
Stan reflected back on the times that Kai had been there to save Xev and himself. Stan was never a fighter. The only time that he felt powerful was when he was in charge of the Lexx. If only he could be more like Kai. Not that he would ever want to go through what the last of the Brunen G had been through. The assassin had killed many people without thinking. That was before Stan met him. At least he's thinking now. He would probably save everyone a few more times. It's good to have an old assassin on board sometimes.
"Thanks for saving us Kai," says Stan, "You're not that bad for a dead guy."
On the bridge 790 watches the view screen. His simulated eyes rapidly move back and forth as he takes in the information. He uses very little of his processing capacity to scan the screen. Most of it is reserved for thinking of Xev. Or for planning the demise of all men. They are only competition for Xev's attention. He would start with Tweedle. That insufferable class 4 scum was always coming between him and Xev. Something special would be in store for Tweedle. That thought made 790 feel like singing. He often likes to compose songs about the perfect love that he had for Xev. A dot appeared on the view screen and distracted more of 790's processor. Dots always seemed to mean trouble but Xev had told him that they were important to her. That made dots very important to him.
Stan found Xev in her bed chamber. She was lying on her back staring at the ceiling. He approached her slowly so that he wouldn't disturb her. She turned and looked up at him.
"What do you want, Stan?" asks Xev.
"I just thought we could talk about something," mumbles her captain.
"Like what, Stan?" Xev asks.
"We've been alone on the Lexx for awhile now," says Stan.
"We're not alone, Stan, we have 790 and Kai with us," says Xev.
"They don't count. They aren't human. They don't have human needs," Stan says.
"Oh," says Xev as she begins to understand.
Xev sees the look of hunger in Stan's eyes. She understands the want that he feels but she knows that she could never feel the same way that he does. Not about him anyway. She feels very sorry for Stan and slightly for herself. Maybe if she gave Stan what he wanted then they would both be happier. They had been away from other people for a while now. Her thoughts again float to the dead man in the cryo room. If he was alive she would never be in these situations. But he isn't alive and Stan is.
"All I'm saying is that we have human needs that don't really need to be denied," pleads Stan.
"Alright, Stan, just this once," says the sultry love slave slowly.
"Do you mean it Xev?" Stan asks. "Its not nice to toy with me Xev."
"I mean it, Stan," Xev says. "But, I decide what we do and if we do it again."
"Whatever you say, Xev," says a very relieved security guard.
Stan moves in closer to Xev. He licks his lips in anticipation. For the first time in a long while Stan feels like nothing could ever go wrong. Xev looks at Stan and tries to convince herself that this is a good idea. She isn't attracted to him but she needs this almost as much as him. Maybe this will change their situation for the better. She steps closer to him as her love slave programming takes over.
"Stanly, I see something out of the ordinary," says the Lexx.
Relief washes over Xev almost as fast as the dread that washes over Stan.
TO BE CONTINUED