Chapter 17—Unease Amongst the Survivors—

Rachel's P.O.V….

"Never!" I shouted at Curtis. "You are never going to get me to agree to that."

"Wren will have Zim beside her the whole time Rachel," Curtis calmly stated.

"So. That doesn't matter. She's not going without me."

"She needs you here Rachel. Since Zim is going with her she needs you to be here to take care of everything else while they're off ship."

"It's not fair though! We've done everything together so far through this whole crazy, fucked up fiasco," I muttered.

"I know it's not. But she has enough trust in you to prove that she can put you in command while she and Zim are off ship. Not only would you rip that ship apart to get to her, but so would Bez. And she believes in you enough to try and reign him in so he doesn't do as much damage as destroying the other ship," Curtis soothingly said as he slid his hands up and down her arms.

"I hate you," I muttered with a weak scowl.

"I know you do," he smiled as he kissed my forehead. "But it's logical."

"Sometimes I despise logic," I sighed massaging my temples. I felt a self-inflicted headache coming on. "I just feel like I don't know if I could handle this much responsibility though."

"You'll do fine," Curtis reassured me with that lopsided smile of his that always melted my heart.

I smiled back at him weakly. "I hope so. I just don't want to have to go over all the reports that will come in. They always seem to flood in when she's not about to take care of them."

"They only seem to flood in when she's not there because you hate them more than you hate hearing people bicker about job postings," Curtis laughed as he hugged me.

"You know me too well," I sighed over dramatically. "I do despise listening to people complain and bicker over job postings. If I set the postings, it sticks. No matter how much you complain it's not going to change!"

Curtis only laughed harder and kissed my forehead again before looking at the watch on his wrist. "I need to be off for my shift. I might face the wrath of someone if I'm late."

"I wouldn't be mad."

"When it comes to my work, I'm more afraid of my personal assistant. He does not like when I'm late and he has to deal with my waiting appointments. He prefers files over people"

I laughed despite my slightly soured mood. "I think I know how he feels sometimes. Go, before I keep you here all to myself."

"Is that a promise?" he grinned.

"It's more of a threat because I'll make you deal with the reports Wren's leaving me with while she's gone."

Curtis pulled a face. "That was not what I was thinking of."

"I know," I grinned devilishly. "I definitely know that isn't what you were thinking of. But it would make me beyond ecstatic," I purred sliding my arms around his neck.

Curtis wiggled away from my grasp.

"I'm off my dear! I'll be back after my shift. I love you!" he shouted back as he bolted for the door.

I collapsed onto the chair behind me in a fit of giggles.

Curtis' P.O.V….

Later….

A flin, it had been a flin since the beginning of these damned talks with the Forshites. And I wasn't sure how much longer Wren could hang onto her patience. They waffled as much as they said iffle. Which started to grate on her nerves as well. I started to wonder if that twitch in her left eye would be permanent after these talks.

I'd only been sitting in on these talks, replacing Zim who unfortunately had to leave because of a security dispute upon Bez that had almost gotten out of hand. Rachel was none too happy about it, seeing as she wished to be right there beside her best friend. She was only slightly mollified though that I was there instead. Then at least it was almost like she was there as well. But I had a feeling that if they both would have had to sit through this someone would have said something they would have regretted later.

"This is bloody ridiculous," Wren typed to me across our vids. "I'd get more out of a wall."

I covered a smile with my hand, faking that I was scratching my jaw. "You have to admit though, they are fairly fearless. They would be very good on our side," I wrote back.

I watched as an ear twitched back slowly. Her version of a quiet bodily sigh. "I know, I just wish these talks would hasten. My migraine has not gone away for this whole damned week."

"Zim could help with that you know."

Her ears twitched with annoyance this time. "We are not the bunnies you and Rachel are. And we have not come to that point in our relationship yet thank you."

"Touché," I replied suppressing a grin.

"And finally, with word from our leaders, we have been given the conformation that these talks have been for naught. Our people will sign a treaty with your's iffle!"

Wren's ears flicked forward. "Excellent news! When shall you wish to sign this treaty?"

"As soon as possible iffle?"

"That would be acceptable with I and my crew," Wren smiled widely. "Please, let us not delay. We have taken enough of your time as it is."

"Nonsense. It is we who've taken your time hiffle… You have a very important mission to try and finish."

"Thank you for your consideration. You honor us with your thoughtfulness."

Later….

"Finally!" Wren groaned as she sprawled across Zim's legs. We were all lounging in Rachel's and my room and Zim had his legs propped up on our coffee table. Zim gave a small 'oof' as he glanced down at his girlfriend. She gave a final, lithe stretch before finally settling.

"It wasn't so bad," I laughed as I flopped down across from them.

"Liar!" Wren hissed, ears laid back and glaring at me.

Zim chuckled as he ran his fingers through her hair. She instantly relaxed as he began to knead the muscles at the base of her neck.

"It wasn't. You should have seen Wren bouncing all the way back to the shuttle. It was like saying all the kids in school could have icecream for lunch instead of tuna surprise," I grinned sliding an arm around Rachel's waist and drawing her to my side.

"You sat in on one meeting," Wren mumbled as she purred when Zim continued to work on her neck and started to her shoulders.

"Do you think Andy is doing ok?" Rachel asked after a semi large pause.

I stopped a smirk that flitted across my lips as Zim tensed slightly at the name. Wren rolled her eyes only slightly and smacked his leg with her tail. He started to rub her shoulders again.

I could tell Andy was still a sore subject but Zim was getting better with the thought of Wren's old friend. There would always be that fear of abandonment because his own empire turned their backs on him. But with Wren, after time that would diminish greatly. She had so much love to give along with her stubborn side. And he had the confidence to share with her. They were definitely made for each other.

"I think they are doing just fine," Wren said with a yawn. "Hell, if we're doing as well as we have. I wonder if anyone else has done as well."

"You humans are too stubborn and annoying not to give those slavers hell," Zim said as he paused to pull one of his gloves off and ran his fingers through Wren's hair.

I laughed with everyone but my thoughts kept rolling as I watched those two. Zim was rarely seen without his gloves on, ever. It was taboo to him in a way. But when it came to Wren, he had no problem at all with literally taking his gloves off. Only seeming to ever touch only her, those gloves seemed like the last barrier between the two of them.

Suddenly I felt as if I were interrupting something personal between the two. I also realized that I really needed to get away from work. I really shouldn't be looking into them this much or analyzing them as if they were one of my normal patients. Love is love and shouldn't be analyzed to death.

Narrator….

Wren smiled as she sat in her chair. "Toran, let's get the hell out of here. Set a course for the Hidden Hope. We have a resistance to check up on."

Toran gave a grin as he saluted her before turning back to his consol.

The trip took less time than they thought and soon they were giving the sequence for the opening of the gates. The hailing signal was an exuberant greeting of many ships and the station. It looked to be as busy as ever when they entered the center of the field.

Off Bez….

"So, how are our guests?" Wren asked as they walked onto the emptied Irken vessel used to house those of the Resisty that were left.

They passed several non-Irken crew as they made their way down the hall. Each greeted Wren with either a nod or a hello. Wren smiled back.

"They're still iffy on everything," one of the Sharshans walking with them supplied. "They still get defensive if an Irken even gets in sight of them. Keeping the Irkens away though is near impossible. This vessel is one that is still in need of repairs so they have to be here for maintenance. It's getting quite irksome to deal with."

"I can imagine," Zim said with a frown. "Is that all that's happened?"

"It is actually. We've let them access all the general information on the systems. Nothing that could get them into trouble of course. Since everything started, the Delalines have started chronicling everything that's happened from everyone and combining it into once general census of information. They even asked Bez for information of everything from your memories that aren't private to help with the compilation. So everything they've looked at is mostly that and some other general information. They have even been accessing information about the unknown threat decimating the planets in their path."

"What has been the reaction to that?" Curtis asked as he slid his hands into his pockets while nodding to a crew member that passed.

"Part of them thinks that it is all as real as it gets. Another part thinks it's just all completely false and a trick of the Irken Armada. They want to talk to you in person Captain. Since you tricked them they want information from you and you alone it seems." That statement made it seem that this worried the poor Sharshan.

Wren hummed. "It'd be horrible if we kept them wanting," she said with a twitch of her tail and a wisp of a smile on her lips.

They made quite an entrance as two guards at the entrance of the great room opened the doors and allowed Wren entrance with a deep bow to her and those with her. She strode into the room with her tail held high and her stride even and confident. She didn't waver in her step as several Resisty members shot out of their seats and took a defensive stance at the sight of Zim following behind her. Many growled at them before stepping back into larger groups.

"Wren, are you sure this is a good idea?" Rachel asked quietly while coming up beside her.

She shrugged in response. "It was either this or come alone. Which would you have preferred?"

"This plan," she deadpanned leveling her friend with a look that clearly states she was not amused.

"That's what I thought," Wren smiled. "And I also thought it was a good compromise to let you keep your weapons. You have a fairly good reaction time so I'm not worried."

"Goody, only just enough pressure to make me nervous," Rachel snorted.

Wren rolled her eyes as she stopped in the center of the room. The Sharshan who had accompanied them in brought a folded chair from off his back and set it up. She looked at him with a small startled look before she smiled brightly at him and gave him a nod. This treatment was rare and only meant for the leaders of their people, not a Captain. She certainly didn't feel she should have this sort of service. Wren sat anyway with a regal twitch of her tail and a crossing of her legs.

"You look like some snooty director or pompous royalty," Rachel whispered to her.

Wren giggled behind her hand. "I feel like one. At least it's a chair and not just a cushion like the Xinan has."

A murmur came from the Resisty as their leader stepped forward. "So, you finally decided to show up after you captured us," he sneered as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Wren observed his closed off stance and gave a lip curling sneer of her own, "Saved your lives sir. There's a large difference between the two."

"It doesn't matter. You still sided with the Irkens and captured us. Are you going to turn us over now?"

Wren snorted with Rachel. "Highly unlikely. They have other things to deal with. They also know I don't give people over just to anyone. Plus, once again, you're not captives."

"We're under guard. We're captives."

"The guards are more or less a safe guard for the others. They keep you from attacking my people."

"I told you," Tiz said exasperated. "If we were more willing to accept all this, they'd trust us more! They don't want to turn us over to the Tallest or anyone."

"They don't sneeze without worrying if I'll attack them," Wren said with a wave of her hand. "Of course, that may be because I almost killed them for trying to kill one of my crew. You don't hurt one of the people under me and expect to get away with it." She growled showing sharp canines and her eyes flashed dangerously. "I may be female but I don't roll over for anyone."

"You may not roll over for anyone, but you would spread your legs," he sneered.

Wren's tail wrapped around Zim's leg before he even had a chance to more. He stilled and growled at the leader of the Resisty from where he stood. He fists clenched so tight the material of his gloves creaked. Rachel tensed from her spot beside Curtis, hand going to the weapon at her hip and her eyes narrowing dangerously. Curtis' grip was so strong on the back of the chair it creaked at the pressure.

Wren's expression stayed stony. She stood stiffly and the several members of the Resisty stepped back a step unconsciously as they watched the Sharshan step back several paces, his ears down, flat against his skull. Wren's fur and hair seemed to fluff up as she stepped forward toward the other leader with deliberate, slow steps. She stopped at an arm's length from him.

She startled all of them when she hauled off and punched him straight in the jaw. There was a sound almost sickening as his jaw broke. He fell back, landing on the floor. As he tried to get up she put a foot on his chest and pushed him back down to the floor.

"Stay down you sorry excuse of a piece of flesh," she snarled dangerously. "And listen. I became Captain when there were only four of us and a ship. It was by some fucking fluke of the cards that I got to where I am. I don't spread my legs for anyone to get what I want. I've fought tooth and claw to keep my position as Captain, to keep my people safe. I've got the fucking scars to prove that fact. I don't need some sorry excuse for a renegade to try and puff out his chest as a show of dominance. It don't work that way fucker.

I saved your lives, all of you, because I didn't want to and couldn't stand it if I had left you there to die. And this is how you treat me? If it were anyone else they would have left you there to rot. Or they would have destroyed you without a thought. The least you could do is be grateful you son of a bitch!"

She stepped back off of his chest. "Now, get the fuck up. When you're ready to grow a set and talk to me like an adult, then send word. Otherwise, I want nothing to do with you."

Wren turned on her heals and stormed out of the room. Rachel snarled at the leader before pointing to her eyes and then pointing to him in an 'I'm watching you gesture.' The Sharshan quickly packed the chair before following as well.

"Good going," Tiz snarled as he sneered down at this 'leader.' "That was pathetic sir."

On Bez….

Wren snarled as she paced her office. "Fucking morons!"

"They've had a week or so to think about things. So they're anger probably has been growing that long," Curtis said, taking a seat and watching her pace just as Rachel sat on the arm of his chair.

Zim watched her from his place of leaving against the wall. "Still not wise to insult someone who saved your life."

"I'm with Zim. That was really stupid. And if they still insult us, then what?"

"I'll rip their fucking throats out with my teeth!" Wren growled pausing and showing her sharp canines.

"Grashe, none of that," Zim said soothingly as he walked over to her holding his arms out to her. He gently curled her into his chest.

"I'm not a slut," she murmured burying her face into shoulder.

"We know you aren't Wren," Rachel smiled from where she sat. "He was just trying to get a rise out of you."

"Well, it worked," she muttered, ears flattened against her skull. Zim rested his chin on top of her head as he ran a soothing hand down her back.

A been came from the door way, startling all of them momentarily. "Come in."

"Ma'am, you might want to come to the ship holding the Resisty. There's been a scuffle and they're demanding to see you."

Wren frowned before detaching herself from Zim's grasp and making her way to the crew member. "What sort of scuffle?"

"I'm not sure ma'am. The guards just said a scuffle."

Wren continued to frown. "Huh."

Wren's P.O.V….

"What the hell's going on?" I roared as we entered the room that we had only left only an hour prior.

Furniture was broken and scattered across the room. Several of the members of the crew were holding various wounds, some were minor, but some were slightly severe in nature.

Everyone froze before looking at me and disengaging from their fight. Several members stepped away from each other to form a loose military formation.

"Well?" I snarled coming toward them, stepping over broken chairs as I went. Everyone's eyes turned to the floor. No one dared look me in the eye.

"I feel like I'm housing an all-boys school back on Earth!" I growled as a few of the Resisty shuffled their feet. "Those who feel as if you're going to faint sit the fuck down for god's sake. What the hell caused this?"

No one answered or said a word.

"Well?"

From behind me I could hear Rachel trying not to giggle. I tried my hardest not to smile because I felt so ridiculous at the moment. Like I was scolding children.

"Well?" I repeated crossing my arms over my chest and began tapping my foot. "Is someone going to explain?"

Whispers came from throughout the crowd before one of them stepped forward. A few of them tried to grab the crew member as he came through the group.

"Tiz, get back here!"

"What are you doing?"

"You're going to get yourself killed!"

I raised a brow at the sight before me. This Tiz character sported a blackening eye and a split lip. He was cradling his right arm with his left hand. He marched his way up before me stopping about couple feet in front of me.

"Well?" I asked putting my hands on my hips and leveling my best glare at the poor little being in front of me.

"I started it."

"And?"

"And I'm not sorry I did," he said as he looked me straight in the eye.

I hated to admit it, but this kid impressed me. At least he looked young to me. And without looking back at the guards that had been posted at the door I barked orders.

"Merda, call medical and get them over here. They need checked over. The really serious ones get taken to Bez. Kursa, see that we get maintenance in here. If we can salvage anything that would be wonderful. Send a few more security down just in case too please."

Twin yeses came from both guards. "Zim, Rachel, Curtis. We get to escort this one to my office. I was the full story when we get there." I gave him my most scary grin.

Now again I was impressed. The Tallests couldn't even stand there without flinching from that look. This kid had balls.

Curtis' P.O.V….

Impressed would be my feelings toward the Resisty crew member that didn't even blink at the grin that Wren had used. I've known her a while and that one still scares the shit out of me. And right now he was being quite calm as we walked towards Wren's office. Others might have had a breakdown by now.

"Tiz! What happened? Captain! You didn't do this to poor Tiz, did you?"

Wren's laugh rang through the hall. "Cina, I may have done a lot, but beating him up isn't one of them."

We watched as Cina rushed to the Resisty crew member Tiz and looked him over. Worry evident in her big brown eyes as she took the hand of his good arm.

"I'm fine Miss Cina," Tiz murmured. "I got myself banged up. The Captain had nothing to do with it."

"Where are you taking him?" Cina asked looking over her shoulder at Wren.

"My office, Cina. If you don't mind, could you go fetch a nurse or doctor to my office for me? I promise he won't get hurt any more than he is now."

"We promise Cina," I added. "We just wanted to know what happened on the other ship. There was a fight and he stepped forward."

She eyed each of us before nodding slowly. "I'll go get the nurse. I'll see you in a bit Tiz."

He only nodded as he watched her rush off.

"You almost got attacked there Wren," I laughed.

She laughed herself. "Never get between a little Latina lass and her friends."

"At least she finally found a friend," I said more to myself than anyone else. "She's got a good head on her shoulders but not quite good around most people."

"They make her nervous," Wren said with a smile. "She's got a good instinct though. The friends she makes last a long time. Tiz is a lucky one."

I only nodded as we continued our trek. When we finally made it, Wren motioned for Tiz to sit. He looked like he was going to refuse the offer.

"Trust me, sitting is a good idea," Rachel said as she sat herself down on the edge of Wren's desk. "You don't want her to make you sit."

Wren smirked a bit at that. "Listen to the Short on. Do it yourself."

Gingerly he sat down, not sure what the hell was going one.

Wren went to one wall where a small kitchenette was set up. She removed a small bowl with a cloth from a drawer and ran some water into the bowl. Bringing it over to Tiz she dipped the cloth into the water, wrung it out and slowly reached out to grasp the poor alien's bruising jaw.

"Now, Tiz was it?" he nodded as well as he could in her grasp. "Tiz, what exactly happened? And I don't want just that you started it." Wren said as she softly dabbed at his split lip.

He winced and tried to move away from her grasp. She only took a firmer grip on his jaw. "Tiz, please tell me."

"I-I defended you ma'am. Rarck started in on you and your crew and almost everything was false. Well I felt it was. Especially when Cina is part of your crew. And Captain Andy. He let me go to the bridge on his ship. Everyone was so nice and you saved us. I couldn't let him keep it up. He's so stupid sometimes and I just punched him. I couldn't help it.

"I don't think you're what he was saying. You hold yourself better than that. Your crew admires you for what you've done, not because you're loose ma'am. And when you're not glaring or snarling or yelling you have such nice eyes. They remind me of my mom's before we ran and joined the Resisty. I just got tired of hearing him," he blurted out, his cheek flushing a darker color as he adverted his gold colored eyes to the floor.

Wren smiled. Tiz was right though, when she smiles her eyes do sort of glow. Funny how I never really noticed that before.

Wren took a second to rinse the cloth in her hand out in the bowl before she wrung it out a second time.

"Well Tiz, I sure hope Rarck looks worse than you at the moment," she dabbed at his lip again making him smile and wince at the same time. "Sorry about that hun, I'll try not to make you smile too much."

I blinked as I cataloged this moment. I was amazed at just how fast she could change from a warrior Captain to a nurturing woman in only a matter of seconds. Both were as natural to her as breathing was. Part of me wondered if this had always been part of her nature or if everything that had happened caused her to mature faster than a woman her age needed to.

Wren looked over her shoulder at Zim. "You don't mind getting a cold pack from the freezer do you?"

He shook his head before following through with her request. Everyone jumped a little and Tiz stiffened suddenly as the door beeped.

"Relax," Wren soothed as she took the pack from Zim and wrapped it in a dry cloth. "Come in!"

"I hope you didn't do anything stupid Captain. I'm going to start charging you for every time you hurt yourself!" an Irken doctor said as she bustled into the room.

Wren laughed as she gently applied the compress to Tiz's eye. "Not me this time ma'am. Tiz here started a fight to protect my honor in essence. He's favoring an arm, got himself a split live, a bruised jaw and a lovely black eye starting. You don't mind, do you?"

"As long as it's not you. I'm getting tired of patching you up."

"Yes mum. Would you like me to also eat all my dinner before dessert?"

"You better, or else," she scolded with a grin.

Sometimes I worried about the dynamics of the crew of Bez. But it seems to work and the banter between the two eased the last of Tiz's tension from his frame and he gave a lopsided smile as best as he could.

"Now Cina, get your hide in here and help. If you're going to hover then at least hover where you can hand me things!" the nurse called as she entered the room setting her bag down on Wren's desk.

The girl eased her way in with an embarrassed flush on her face. "Yessum."

"That's a girl. You'll be a damned fine nurse in no time at this rate."

She smiled brightly at the praise.

Well hell, look at that. Chapter 17 and it only took forever….. I'm sorry it took so long but I hope you like this chapter!