"Well, do you feel any different?" Vero really didn't but he assumed the change to Tallest and all of the coding that went with it, was more of a figurative change than a literal one. Sure, he felt a slight disconnect from the Collective, but that was the thing with Tallests, you were considered to be a separate entity. Did he miss it? At this point: not really. The Collective had been a little... glitchy for a while now. Something to do with the underhanded dealings the Control Brains had going on. It was something he had been trying to investigate for a while now.

"I feel like we are one step closer to our destinies, Vero." Xia clenched her hand into a fist, examining the way the gauntlets shown in the lighting of their luxury room back on Irk. "I have dreamed about this day since I was a smeet! Of course, you weren't there." She gave Vero an annoyed once-over not even bothering to compliment him in his new, blue armor. "Or if you were, you were like a janitor or something."

"Haha, well fuck you too." He laughed, not actually upset. Tallest had never really been something he craved, just something he knew might be in the cards for him, given his genetic heritage. "I'm just glad Therron and Pop-pop were able to get rid of that whole 'cutting off your thumbs and claws' thing." He wiggled his thumbs as emphasis. "I like mine intact. And I wouldn't know how to open a chip bag without claws."

"I mean it is nice not to-" Xia cut off as she processed the rest of his sentence- "what did you just call Late Tallest Red?"

"Pop-pop. Cause he's like our dad. I learned it from that human we met the one time? You remember, right?"

"What the fuck is a dad?"

"A genetic doner, I think. It's Earth slang. I'm using it to sound cool with the younger smeets."

"No one on Irk gives a shit about Earth, Vero, I don't think they even know what it is. And honestly, after looking at that human for as long as I did, I don't blame them. So don't bother picking up any 'Earth slang' you have no need for it."

"You don't know that though, I might." Vero was just being difficult. Pushing Xia's buttons because he knew how, and because her temper was a weak point. It always had been. "So technically you're lying right now."

"I am not lying Vero. Once we have defeated the Syndicate with our superior technology and tactics, we will make an example of Earth by destroying it."

"But Earth isn't a Syndicate planet." Vero pointed out, lying lazily across the fluffy cushions that he was only now learning his predecessors had access to this whole time- and yet had never once shared. They hardly ever left the Massive (save for holidays and special occasions) so it's not like they were using this suite. "I mean... it has Syndicate on it... but like if that's all it takes then technically Capitol Planet is an Irken planet because it has Irkens on it. So then we already own them, and thus we're just attacking ourselves. Is that what you want Xia? You want to attack ourselves?"

"Vero! Shut up." Xia was very firm, and a shorter Irken might have (rightfully) scurried away in fright from her outburst. But now they were in a position of equal power and there wasn't much that one could do to the other. "Now, we have a lot on our plate to get a war underway. I need to consult all of our best generals! We need to get the Academy in tip-top shape, we need to talk with our weapons development teams..."

"Oof that sounds like a lot for our first few days. Shouldn't we get ourselves acquainted with the position before trying to irradicate a fellow empire for revenge." Vero was trying his best to reign in his fellow Tallest before she escalated things.

"It isn't a lot. It is necessary. Our predecessors were slain while we were on the Massive, Vero. The Syndicate spilled the blood of our Tallests!"

"Allegedly."

"All- are you fucking serious? You can't believe they're still alive. You're stupid Vero but you're not that idiotic. They brought a Parasite on our vessel that was clearly a threat. We should have killed them when they were at the door!"

"What about the pizza?" Vero raised an antenna questioningly.

"THE PIZZA WAS OBVIOUSLY POISONED VERO!" Xia whirled around in exasperation, slamming her hands onto the cushion on which Vero was lounging, throwing her weight into the gesture and launching Vero off of his comfortable spot and onto the floor.

"It was? Oh shit." Vero pulled himself up off of the floor.

"Vero you fucking dick- it never ceases to amaze me that we are cloned of the same doners, grown in the same tube- and still you are so Mothra-damned stupid- or maybe your just a Mothra damned asshole. It is the only way they could have snuck passed our superior defenses." Xia sighed, shaking her head. "It figures they would attack the food supply; such an underhanded scheme is just like the Syndicate."

"I don't think you know much about the Syndicate."

"And you do?" She scoffed. Vero sighed, slowly getting to his feet.

"The Galactic Syndicate, founded during the Reign of Tallest Star, began with a unification of five planets, led by Tangea. They were at odds with the Irken Empire, growing in size until peace was reached during the Reign of Tallest Miyuki. We rely on them for trade as a great deal of our weapons are constructed from Syndicate alloys. They are also one of the few major societies willing to sell Irken product throughout their territories meaning a great deal of our economic prosperity-"

"Vero! No. One. Cares!" Xia rolled her eyes.

"Well then you don't give a shit about economics." Vero protested.

"No. I do. But you're doing this to be obnoxious." She pressed her fingers to her forehead inhaling deeply. "I am not going to let you ruin this for me. I am Tallest now, and I am going to make this Empire stretch across the universe."

"That goal seems unrealistic as the universe is an infinite expanse without true boarders."

"MOTHRA DAMN IT VERO!"

"I'm not trying to be a downer; I'm just trying to keep your grounded."

"VERO!"

"Ughhhhhh fine. But I'm trying to help, you know."

"Then help with the preparations." Xia glared at him, clearly not believing in his willingness to help. Was she right? Sure. But Vero would never admit it. "The plan is simple, so simple that even you, Vero, should be able to follow it." The exasperation in Xia's voice was all the evidence that Vero needed to know his attempts to get under her skin had been working. "We will board the Massive and set course for the Elite Training grounds. While we travel, we will meet with our top generals to discuss what is to be done about the Syndicate Traitors. Do you follow me so far?"

"Yes." Vero nodded. "We should also meet with our interior decorators because I am liking this lounge but I am not loving it." He gestured around him. "And I should be loving it."

"We're not even staying here that long. We are literally about to leave." Xia gave him a very annoyed look.

"That is true. But also, if this is any indication of the taste of our predecessors, I am thinking I probably won't love the Tallests' quarters."

"No. We aren't doing that. That's stupid."

"We get to do your thing, it's only fair we get to do mine too."

"No. Because your thing is trivial and I am nearly certain you are wasting time because you're too lazy to do what needs to be done."

"What needs to be done?" He repeated her words with a blank stare. "Like the laundry? Oh Xia, we have servants for that now. Don't be dumb."

"I'm being-!?" She cut herself off inhaling deeply and massaging the sides of her head, her antennae drooping. "Okay listen: we finish declaring war on the organization that murdered our leaders, and then you get to redecorate however you want."

"But what if I want to use green?"

"Use green. That law is stupid and we're un-making it. But right now, there are more pressing matters at hand. Okay? Can you just shut up and obey the rules for a few days?"

"Yeah." He nodded, finally getting fully to his feet, pulling out his reader and idly scrolling through the Irken Legal Code. "I think I can at least do that."

"Very well, then let us get to the Massive, the Generals are summoned and we shall begin our planning."

"Can we stop by the Mothra Statue before we leave and get photos in our uniforms?"

"No. Vero what did I just say about shutting up?" She whirled around to face him and he could see the fire in her eyes. He shrugged.

"Figured I'd ask. " he followed her through the halls where banners of red and purple were being replaced with ones of blue and gold. All around him Irkens were bowing, stopping in their tracks to stare. Vero had always known this would be a possibility for him one day- being Tallest had been on the table ever since he found out that Tallest Red was one of his genetic donors. However, it was not something he had craved like Xia had. Ever since they were smeets she was obsessed with the climb to power. He probably should have felt similarly- most Irkens seemed to have it in themselves to strive for perfection. However, he never really had that need. In the purest sense of the word this apathy made Vero a defect. (A part of him wondered if his defect was from his other genetic donor, but not knowing who that was, he might never find out). But his defect was so small and easily missed that, being a tall Irken, those who thought to question it never dared to bring it up.

"The Massive will run differently now that we are in charge." Xia was clearly excited. He could see in her expression how her mind was racing with ideas to improve Irk. Sure she had some great ideas, he had heard some of them, but she was just as rash as he was apathetic. Maybe the smeetery had failed in an attempt to balance the two. "No more standing guard at doors dealing with food drones- we are going to turn this back into the warship it was meant to be!" She made her way to the boarding platform; her long strides made the smallers leap out of the way to avoid being g kicked aside in her hurry.

"I always thought the Massive was supposed to be more like a symbol." Vero chimed in as he strolled along behind her. "I mean in terms of military equipment it is a little outdated by now- and I mean Zim took it over the one time which doesn't look super good. "

"Do NOT mention that name. Our predecessors were too soft of the Defect and gave him too much reign. We will not make the same mistake."

"I mean it'll be hard since he's dead, right?" Vero shrugged.

"I... is he?" Xia stopped short and Vero nearly crashed into her.

"I mean he was with Skoodge and Skoodge is dead." Vero pointed out.

"He was, wasn't he? Shame to lose such a great Invader like Skoodge. Ugly as sin, but damn good at his job."

"I miss him too." Vero patted Xia on the shoulders. "But if I close my eyes and put my faith in Mothra, it is almost like he is still with us."

"Well," Xia frowned, arms folded over her chest, "if Zim is dead that does make our job considerably easier." She began walking again, "It is on us to prevent another disaster like Zim from ever happening again. We'll need to be stricter in monitoring the smeet production."

"Sounds fair." He didn't care one way or the other but it got Xia off of the war topic so he was fine with it. They made it to the boarding platform slowly rising into the Massive which had already been redecorated with plenty of gold and blue. The Tallest Emblems had been altered so that one reflected a female Irken. It was a little more effort to change everything since Vero and Xia were another set of Tallests and being different genders meant they could not share a single emblem for identification. It was evident that everyone on board had gone out of their way to fix things up so that Vero and Xia would have their vessel ready and waiting. Xia surveyed the Massive as she walked through, gesturing to various things she didn't like.

"That will have to go." She pointed to one of Therron's many statues that he had set up around the ship. "And Red's display case for his stolen spear, I want it renovated so it can hold my battle ax. Also, you have the female Tallest logo on the left of the bridge, I want it on the right." For someone who had told Vero his interior decorating ideas were a waste of time, she sure had a lot of notes.

"Oh can you make like a blue and gold outline behind the logos with a sweet fade or something? That would look really cool." Vero figured he had to get some if his own ideas out there before Xia was back on track.

"No a fade effect would look good, you're right." Xia squinted at the logos thoughtfully. "Now we need our generals in here at once. Set course to Graduatia- the graduation planet for the Elites. We will need young, bloodthirsty Irkens who are at the top if their class for the beginning of this war. I will speak with Sig; he will know the best Elites for the job." And there she was, ready to fight once again.

"Sig disappeared." Vero pulled up his reader, showing her the ever-growing list of Irkens who were MIA as of late. "He has been missing since after our initiation. I think Jax hasn't reported in either."

"Anj?"

"Gone."

"Lena?"

"Gone."

"Surely Reys is there."

"Yeah... no? Apparently not."

"Wait." Xia put a hand up to silence Vero. "Why are so many top trainers missing and I am only NOW hearing about this!? Who the fuck is running the Academy right now!?"

"That would be..." Vero began searching through his little reader as quickly as he could. "Hmm... Echo and Bap it seems." Xia shook her head looking clearly irate.

"Well, they were both great Invaders at one point so I suppose that isn't terrible. But I am going to be investigating these disappearances."

"I mean, I would hope so," Vero replied quickly. "Missing Irkens seems like a problem to me. One that might need to be dealt with at some point." The Massive had already taken flight, the movement aboard was so smooth the only reason Vero could tell they were in motion was the Navigators hurrying about trying to plot a course.

"Probably kidnapped, taken as hostages to be brutally tortured by the Syndicate." Xia narrowed her eyes in disgust. "The things I have planned for them... fetch our generals!" She instructed one of the Navigators who immediately panicked and ran to oblige leaving the crew short staffed. If Xia had turned just slightly more to her left, she could have instructed one if their errand staff to do the same job- which would have made a lot more sense, but Vero knew how much she loathed to be corrected. So he kept quiet.

"You know while we are on Graduatia there is the matter of the next Rising Tallest now that you are Tallest." One of the staff spoke up. Xia scoffed, tossing her head in annoyance.

"Nonsense. We just got our jobs we don't need to train anyone else."

"Yeah," Vero seconded, "we have no idea what we're doing anyway; so we really can't train anyone right now."

"You don't need to train him, persay, but you should keep your heir on the Massive in case of an emergency." It was clear from the way the staffing Irken kept her distance from Xia, that she was truly petrified.

"Why? So he can kill us while we rest, sneaking in through the air vents and cutting through our PAKs? Easily escaping back, the way he came? Having all the alarms disarmed because of his newfound status? Gaining his new position as he steps over our bodies?" She glared down at the smaller who cowered away a bit more. Vero blinked, looking over at her.

"That was oddly specific, wasn't it?"

"Part of being Tallest is planning for every scenario."

"Yeah, but that was like... vivid. You didn't..."

"No, Vero obviously not. But a good leader plans for every scenario." She ignored the staff member and looked back toward the doors as they did open and four of Irk's best and brightest rising generals filed in. "Ah yes! Welcome, come in! Mer, Glee, Rin, and Glar! We bid you to come in and join us for a war council."

"Yes Almighty Tallest X, we are honored to be here." Glee replied bowing deeply.

"We live to serve our Tallests." Glar confirmed.

"Very well then, we have a long discussion ahead. I hope you brought snacks." Vero knew this was Xia's attempt at a light hearted joke, but it just left the Irken generals scurrying to find food as Xia lead them out of the main hall into the war chambers. They had only been in the war room a few times, mostly to help clean it when Vero had gotten them in trouble. It wasn't like Red and Purple had ever really spent much time in there themselves. Seeing it decked out in blues and golds with Syndicate planets floating on the hologram in the middle made Vero's squeedleyspooch turn in his abdomen leaving him a little queasy.

He didn't want a war. He knew what that would entail for himself, for Xia, for all of Irk. He was just disconnected enough from the Collective due to his defect, that he was semi-conscious that night the Syndicate came. Remembering the way his body had moved on its own, controlled by an outside force- hunting down the members of the Syndicate trying to escape. It all felt like a distant dream, dragging the Tangean Captain to a cell beneath the ship, unable to talk, seeing everyone with those dead, empty expressions. The first thing he had done when he regained control was tell Zeke. The tiny reporter had predicted disaster and disaster had come like a whirlwind.

He couldn't allow this to escalate.

"Generals, trusted advisors," Xia began speaking drawing Vero back into the moment. "The Syndicate have committed the highest treason, murdering our beloved leader and Tallest Purple right on the Massive. They probably are the murderers of Invaders Skoodge and Tenn as well."

"Yeah but they also killed Zim? Right?" Vero interrupted much to Xia's visible annoyance. "So we should give them some kind of reward too."

"We don't know that he is dead. But if he is, we will give the Syndicate member responsible a trophy or something." She waved him off.

"We have quite a few ideas, taking on Capital Planet would be the most direct route into the Syndicate." As Glee spoke, Xia was nodding along, invested. A few of the Generals were muttering their agreement and unwrapping their various snacks they had managed to scrounge up. "However their defenses are strong. I recommend we start from the satellite planets with very little Syndicate protection and work our way in. Of course. Once the War Protocol is officially activated, we will have no trouble seizing their poorly defended 'peaceful planets' in the outer quadrants." The map zoomed out to show the area being discussed. Vero stood up, grabbing Glar who was midway in a burger, and dragging him to the wall where a vent opened up and Vero shoved Glar through the vent in one fluid motion, wordlessly throwing him into space. Xia blinked, completely dumbfounded by what had just transpired before her very eyes.

"Vero..." she said his name very calmly but it didn't last: "WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!?" Vero sighed, clearing his throat and pulling out his reader:

"And I decree," Vero read aloud, "that every Tuesday aboard the Massive shall become Taco Tuesday. All other goods are forbidden save for taco toppings and appropriate sides. All Irkens who disrespect the sanctity of Taco Tuesday will be thrown out into space to think about what they did." Mer raised her hand.

"Are quesadillas allowed?" She asked looking at her own food.

"I mean they are in the Taco family so you may be safe." Vero replied as Xia snatched his reader away from him.

"That is the STUPIDEST law I have ever heard. I knew we only had tacos on the Massive on Tuesdays but I had no idea it was the fucking law! Are they serious!? Was Therron that stupid and petty?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Vero raised an antenna, a bit of a smug expression worming his way onto his face as Xia shoved the reader back in his arms clearly frustrated.

"Vero, just because Therron writes dumb laws doesn't mean we need to enforce them."

"Are you going to talk about our deceased Tallests like that? Disrespecting them in front of my salad?" Vero gestured to his own food.

"Shouldn't you throw yourself out of the airlock for eating a salad?" Xia glared at him.

"Actually," Vero cleared his throat going back to his reader. "The Tallests can eat whatever they want on Taco Tuesday because honestly if I have to hear Voel complain one more time I will throw him out of the airlock. " Vero read aloud. Xia slapped her hand to her face slowly dragging it down.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah weird laws am I right?" Vero squinted at the screen for a moment, deep in thought.

"The point is, Vero, those laws are dumb and those Tallests are dead and- Vero? VERO NO STOP!" And as she tried to grab him, Vero had picked up General Mer and tossed her out of the airlock as well leaving Glee and Rin simply staring at each other in shock.

"Turns out quesadillas were not allowed," Vero called through the airlock after the general. "SORRY MER! MY BAD!"

"This- this is so fucking stupid. I am going to unmake this Taco Tuesday law right now. And you know what? That green law too. Gone. Both of them!" Xia clapped her hands together as if smashing a particularly annoying bug, and pulled them apart wiggling her fingers as if showing Vero the law had been crushed in her grip.

"That is great Xixi, but do you know how to do that?"

"I..." Xia opened her mouth, closing it again, looking deep in thought. "Sym will know."

"Okay sounds good." Vero played along contented as he finished his food in one gulp and followed Xia out of the War Room and into the Agenda Chambers where Sym was sat at her desk, furiously typing away. She looked up as the two walked in, seeing the livid expression on Xia's face, she stopped what she was doing and turned to give her full attention.

"How may I assist you today, My Tallests?"

"Sym," Xia slammed her hands on the desk and Sym simply looked at them for a moment and then back to Xia. "I need to unmake two very stupid laws. How do I do it?"

"Oh that is an easy task. I can do it from here," she gestured to her screen. "I just need the password."

"The...what?" Xia's face fell.

"The password. " Sym began typing again and the little screens in her office illuminated with Irken witting. "Law 2145 B subsection Delta QR12: From now on any changes to the Irken legal code are going to require a password because I swear to Mothra that if I find out one more of my staff have been thrown into space because you don't like their shoes-Therron- I am going to fly this whole ship into the fucking sun."

"Heyyyy~" Vero piped up as Xia stared in disbelief at the screens. "Look at that! A law from our poor deceased dad."

Sym blinked. "What's a dad?"

"Don't get him started." Xia held a hand up. "Look don't you know the password? You're the Chief of Agenda for Ghidora's sake."

"I can see where you might think that, but no." Sym shook her head. I can't know the password because then Therron could get me to tell him."

"If you don't know the password then how do you know if its right?" Xia glared at her. Sym turned her screen around displaying a little input box.

"I just type it right here."

"Fine. Okay. Who has the password then?" Xia tapped her foot, choosing to not use the hover belt, most likely so that she could stomp around and prove how mad she really was.

"That would be the employee of the month." Sym replied helpfully.

"We have an employee of the month!?" Xia seemed more and more annoyed as each level of the Irken legal system unfolded before her like a set of stairs built by a raging lunatic that went straight into a wall. "Why was I never employee of the month! I was the best fucking employee on this ship."

"While I am sure that is true, My Tallest, the Employee of the Month title cannot be given to an intern."

"Okay. Fine. Who the fuck is it then?"

"I will have to look it up." Sym turned her screen back around. "Last month it was Invader Raz."

"Hasn't she been missing for like a year?" Xia questioned.

"Yes. But she is very popular. The contest is a bit rigged if you ask me." Sym replied shaking her head. "System is being a little slow today with all the updates that come with your promotion. This will take a moment."

"Okay, fine: you get us that name. I am going to have the Navigators turn this thing around so we can pick up the two generals you-" she turned aggressively toward Vero pointing a clawed finger directly in his face, "decided to throw into space for no fucking reason!"

"Um, I had a reason?" Vero retorted indignantly. "I was obeying the law?"

"Fuck the law! I don't want to hear another word about it!"

"But Xixi-"

"NO! NO! NO! JUST- JUST SHUT UP! NO!" she began to storm toward the central navigation chambers. "If you say one more word about some dumb-ass law our predecessors made up, I am going to throw YOU into space!"

"But Xia-"

"SHHHHHH!" Her antennae were flat back, her teeth were bared, as the click of her boots on the humming metal tiles echoed through the wire-lined halls of the Massive. The doors to the navigation chambers flew open and she stormed in, causing the Navigators to scurry to get out of her way. "Turn the ship around. Almighty Tallest V decided to be an absolute asshole and we need to pick up a few Irkens."

"U... um..." the Navigators all exchanged uncertain glances and Vero could see Xia's anger boiling over.

"What is it now?" Xia seethed through gritted teeth.

"We can't turn the Massive, m-my Tallest. I... it only goes straight." Navigator Char spoke up quietly.

"What do you mean you can't turn the Massive!? It is A FUCKING SHIP! It has steering! I CAN SEE THE STEERING!" She gestured emphatically at what was very clearly a wheel meant for keeping the Massive on whatever course was needed. "IT'S RIGHT THERE! YOU HAVE A NAVIGATOR STATIONED IN FRONT OF IT!"

"Y...yes..." Char winced, a few of the Navigators (including the one in front of the steering) scurried under the tables to get out of the line of fire. "But according to Law 1564-A Subsection Omega LN 2: The Massive only goes straight because I am not turning this thing around one more time due to the fact that you forgot to pack your favorite chips. I swear we will get more; there are literally a billion stores that sell them."

"You knew about this horrible law," Xia turned very slowly to face Vero, "didn't you?"

"I did." Vero couldn't stop the grin that was creeping over his face.

"And you let me come... all the way down here because...?"

"Because you told me to shut up."

"That's it. I don't care that you're the Tallest. I am going to throw you out of the airlock!"

"Joke's on you I don't fit. Purple tried." Vero was enjoying this more than he probably should.

"Forget these horrible laws! They are nothing but a hindrance! We can't go to war if we can't even turn a ship!" She shoved Char and Vero aside and went straight to the ship's steering, grabbing with both hands and trying to manually pilot the Massive.

It didn't budge.

"The controls are locked-" Char began to explain but Xia cut her off with a furious roar.

"I KNOW THEY'RE LOCKED!"

"Wow, no need to yell." Vero held up both hands submissively. "These guys are just doing their job."

"No they aren't. No one can possibly do their job in this madhouse!" Xia turned to Vero, fuming. "You. Did. This." With each word she pressed her clawed finger into the chest plate of his armor. "You just had to throw two- TWO- of our generals into space! You could have ignored those horrible laws- in fact- any Irken with a halfway functioning PAK would have known to avoid those laws! That's it. Forget the airlock. You need to be recoded!"

"You can't recode me for obeying the laws." Vero hated to admit it, but at the sound of that word his blood had turned to ice inside of him. He felt that churning of his squeedleyspooch once more. He knew the Control Brains wanted more from the Irken Empire than he was ready to give. But Xia- Xia had fallen for their plan- whether through willful ignorance or true deception. She wanted blood and was willing to give the Control Brains everything in her pursuit. He had to avoid going to them. As Tallest, he had the advantage of a slight increase in his disconnect from the Collective just enough to keep his thoughts independent of the Control Brains.

"First of all, I am the Tallest. I can do whatever I want." Xia was getting in his face; he could almost feel the anger radiating off if her.

"Yes, well, by that logic: so can I." Vero countered, maintaining his ground. Their eyes met; Vero forced his typical blank stare as he held his own under the fiery gaze of Xia's crimson eyes. They were only interrupted by a communication over the intercom.

"My Tallests, I believe I have located the Employee of the Month." Vero had never been gladder to hear Sym's voice droning through the Massive's intercoms. Xia immediately turned away giving Vero a moment to catch his breath.

"FINALLY!" Xia began dragging Vero by the arm, back toward the entry way to the main part of the Massive where Sym kept guard as the Chief of Agenda. "When we are done, Sym, find out if I can have a fellow Tallest recoded."

"Why?" Sym blinked.

"For being a moron." Xia retorted.

"No, it is because I am obeying the laws." Vero objected. Sym looked between the two of them.

"You can't have someone recoded for obeying the laws. In fact, it is more likely Vero could have you recoded for not obeying them."

"Wait, what!?" Xia reeled back looking horrified. "But surely you have seen how stupid the laws are!"

"Yes, but if a Tallest could be recoded for being stupid we would not have had Tallest Purple for as long as we did." Sym replied calmly. Xia rubbed the area between her eyes, clearly realizing she had lost this fight.

"Okay. Fine." She let out a long, exasperated, and truly defeated sigh. "Let's just get this password and go. Who is the Employee of the Month?"

"That would be Dan." Sym replied looking at her screen.

"Who the fuck is Dan?" Xia crossed her arms looking truly annoyed.

"He is one of our cooking staff." Sym pulled up the image of a generic looking red-eyed Irken in a little chef's hat. "It took a while to find the right Dan as we apparently have like fifteen Dan's aboard the Massive right now. But it should be chef Dan."

"So the password to change the very laws of our people is in the hands of a chef." Xia blinked.

"A five Nova chef." Sym added as of it made some sort of difference.

"Right." Xia looked unimpressed by these credentials.

"Oh I know Dan!" Vero perked up. "He is a really good cook."

"Let's just get this stupid password and move on with our lives." Xia sighed. She began heading to the kitchen, clearly getting more and more angry with every hitch in her plan. Vero followed her, Sym following alongside him. Together they walked to the large kitchens that provided the highest quality meals a Tallest could ask for. As they entered, the chef Irkens lined up along the walls standing at attention, all eyes on the new leaders. Xia looked up and down the line, her eyes scanning for the Irken in question. "All right, which of you is Chef Dan?"

Three Irkens raised their hands and Xia once more slapped her hand to her face, slowly dragging it down in frustration.

"I told you it is a common name." Sym looked unempathetic.

"Okay." Xia spoke more clearly, though her anger was evident in her forced, thin smile. "Which of you is Employee of the Month Dan?" A single Irken stepped forward. Xia waltzed up to him, towering over him like something out if a nightmare. "Now Dan," she had a chilling tone to her voice, sickeningly saccharine, "what is the password to change the laws of Irk?"

"And congratulations, by the way," Vero added, cheerfully. "Employee of the Month, that is quite the accomplishment." Dan did not seem to be put at all at ease by Vero's niceties. He blinked at the towering figureheads of Irk (and Sym).

"P... password...?" he repeated meekly.

"Yes. The Password. What is it?" Xia was becoming impatient.

"Password."

"Yes, Dan, the password! What is the fucking password!" At this point, Xia had clearly had enough stalling and grabbed Dan by his collar picking him easily up off of the floor. "Give it to me! Give it to me now or I swear I will feed you to a Parasite pit!" Those were not a real thing. And Vero was fairly sure Xia knew that, but she didn't seem like she was much in a mood to be corrected as her curled antennae lay flat against her head.

"The p-password is password! Please don't hurt me!" Dan cowered away from his leader, though it did him no good as Xia let out a scream of raw, unbridled frustration, and threw the chef across the room. His PAK legs caught him and he was unhurt, but Xia looked ready to kill. "ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS!? THE PASSWORD IS- " she took a deep breath. "This has to be a joke." She began laughing in complete disbelief. "The password is password- of course it fucking is!"

"I'll input the password, my Tallests." Sym turned to go and Xia immediately grabbed her by the arm. The Chief of Agenda hesitated, looking back at her leaders.

"I am coming with you and the first fucking thing we are doing is getting rid of the password law. Do you hear me?"

"Yes my Tallest but-"

"DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME, SYM?"

"I... I do." She pulled away looking quite unaccustomed to being treated the way she had been. She walked down the hall back to her office, going straight to her computer and typing in the password. "It's accepted."

"Good. Now, I never want to do this again. So first order of business is undo the law requiring a fucking password." Xia instructed. Sym nodded, typing furiously. She pressed a button and a holographic document appeared before the two.

"You will need to sign, both of you. Here and here." Two blanks illuminated. Xia and Vero both signed their names. "Now the password law is no longer in effect." Sym confirmed.

"Perfect." Xia finally seemed to be calming down. "Now let's undo the law about the Massive going straight. Then we can get those generals Vero threw out and we will all be able to put this nightmare behind us."

"I can't do that, My Tallest." As Sym replied, Vero saw Xia's calm shatter. Her whole body tensed with rage, she was physically shaking, and her eye twitched.

"And why..." Xia's voice was slightly higher than normal, very clearly strained as she spoke, "can't you do that, Sym?"

"Well" Sym cleared her throat "Law 487- L Subsection Gamma XR21 clearly states: you must wait two days in-between making changes to the legal code so that you can really fucking think about what you are about to do and make ABSOLUTELY certain that it isn't some dumb change you are making because you got mildly inconvenienced."

"NO! THIS IS BULLSHIT!" Xia threw herself in to the desk at full force, face centimeters from Sym's. Sym didn't flinch. "I AM YOUR TALLEST YOU WILL DO AS I SAY!"

"I can't." Sym replied firmly. "I cannot break the law just because you don't like it, m'am. If you have a problem, you can take it up with your predecessors."

"NO! You take it up with Red and Purple when you join them in HELL!" Vero grabbed his co-ruler by the arm, pulling her back before she tried to do something, they would all regret. Sym stood very calmly, walking out from behind her desk, perhaps in a way to remind Xia that though not quite Tallest, Sym was very tall. "I can't deal with this! I'm taking it up with the Control Brains. They have to have a way to overwrite this nonsense."

"They don't. They are computers, not gods." Sym tried to explain but Xia pushed passed her, going toward the wall.

"Which of these FUCKING BUTTONS takes me to the Control Brains. I'm not putting up with this insanity a second more!" Xia began probing at the wall.

"Wait! My Tallest not that one!" Sym tried to stop her but as Xia pulled the lever the floor beneath the three of them opened up and they plummeted into what looked like a small theater beneath the Agenda Office. As they collected themselves, as best they could, the screen lit up. Vero was trying to shake off the initial daze of falling when he heard the Announcer speak.

"So you are here to see the Tallest!?"

"Is... is this a movie?" Vero sat fully up.

"Why is there a movie theater under your office?!" Xia tried to stand up but little bars locked in over their laps as the unmistakable voice of Therron came over the screen.

"WELL YOU CAN'T!"

"Oh... oh fuck no..." Xia tried to get the bar to lift up on her lap.

"Yeah... it's..." Sym sighed, defeatedly resting her elbow on her lap bar and her cheek in her hand. "It's a ride, actually." Xia let out a scream of rage as she struggled more fiercely against the metal bar, seemingly forgetting it had held a Tangean, a Kryptonian, and at least one confirmed Invader prior to their entrapment.

"Well I for one am excited!" Vero piped up as Therron continued some sort of egotistical rant on the screen behind him. "I love rides."


Here's the big Vero and Xia chapter. I am REALLY excited to see what you guys think of Tallests V and X. There might be one or two more chapters with them (if it's all right with you guys!) since there is a lot happening with them.