Aya lay on her back, looking up at the drab ceiling while Nos kept clacking away at the computer. Every once in awhile, he would grab a battery and suck it dry, then toss it aside, looking more and more tired the longer he typed.

Finally, Aya couldn't take it anymore, "Ugh!"

"What is it this time?"

"I have to talk to someone!" Aya replied, "I'm an extrovert! I have to talk!"

"I officially hate extroverts." Nos kept typing.

"You like this unnerving silence?"

"Unnerving!? Ha! I like the silence. It's easy on my headache." he bit another battery, "Bleck..."

"Um...can I just ask you something?"

"What?" he tossed the empty battery over his shoulder.

"What will help you get better?" she quickly added, "Just cuz I'm curious."

"Well...in essence, I would have to drink so much energy that my body recovers. I'm just so tired all the time right now. I need the energy."

"Oh..." Aya thought to give some of her energy to him, but brushed the thought aside due to her fear of being bitten. She changed the subject instead, "Um...so Nos? Where are you from?"

"What kind of question is that!?"

"I need to talk, remember?" Aya exclaimed, "I need social interaction like you need other robot's electricity. Besides. I'm just so curious."

"Curiosity killed the cat..." he replied off-handedly.

"But satisfaction brought it back!" Aya finished.

"Uggghhh..." Nos massaged his forehead, When will this moron shut up, "I was created in Emperor Zurg's laboratory. I was shipped to Star Command in my own coffin and I bit one of their rookies. I woke up the next morning and used my mind control to make him my slave, then I took control of Star Command with my imitation skills."

"Imitation skills?"

Nos' voice changed, "Yes, didn't you know it's rude to ask questions?"

Aya gasped. He sounded just like Ruby!

Nos smiled despite himself, "You see?"

Aya shivered, "Did they stop you?"

Nos glared at the screen in front of him, but didn't respond.

"Nevermind." Aya scratched her cheek.

Nos seemed angry, but he didn't speak as he took another battery out and brought it to his mouth. He didn't bite into this time, though. He just tossed it aside, "Ugh! I can't eat another battery! I need real food!"

"Nos!?"

"I'll be right back!"

"Wait!"

Too late. He was already gone.

"Eve! Come quick!" Leah screamed.

"Huh?" EVE stood from her desk, "What's going on!?"

"We're being attacked!"

"Forthright!?" EVE followed her sister down the hall.

"No! The energy vampire!"

"What!?" EVE saw what she was talking about, "M-O!"

NOS-4A-2 was sucking all the power from the little cleaning bot, who was screaming in fear.

"LET GO OF HIM!" EVE tried to shoot him, but found her cannon locked.

"It's not going to work!" Ruby cried, "He's already bitten you!"

"Is that how that works!?"

You must not disobey your master!

Nos glared at EVE, moving his mouth away from M-O, "How do you do that?"

EVE narrowed her eyes angrily, "Do what?"

"Resist my mind control. You're supposed to be my slaves!" he dropped M-O on the ground and Leah quickly scooped him up, darting back to EVE's side, "Why do you resist!?" his optics began to glow.

OBEYOBEYOBEYOBEYOBEY!

EVE held her head with one hand, "Ow! That hurts!"

"How do you do that!?"

"Get out of here!" Leah shot Nos and he dodged, "You haven't bitten me yet!"

Nos hissed in rage, "I'll come back! I'll have figured this out and I'll make all of you my personal army!"

And then, he was gone.

"Thank you, Leah." EVE said as Leah put her weapon away, "I know you don't like using your weapon."

"It's fine..." Leah cradled M-O in her arms, who had fallen unconscious, "I'll shoot someone if no one else can..."

"Right..." EVE patted her back, "Listen. I have an idea."

"Oh?"

"Of how to get Aya back." EVE replied, "Get the others together. I'll explain my plan then."

Nos came home feeling much more refreshed. He had backed M-O into a corner and sucked his energy, but not before breaking several steward-bots and draining them as well. He opened the door to his ship to hear a rhythmic banging sound.

What? He shut the door and hovered over to Aya's cell. She was hitting her head against the wall.

"What are you doing?"

She stopped, "You're back!" she grabbed the bars of her cage, "Who did you bite!? Tell me now!"

"When did you become so demanding!?" Nos glared at her, baring his sharp fangs, "Don't make me shut you up!"

"I just have to know!" Aya was legitimately terrified, "Who did you bite!?"

His eye widened. Did he not scare her anymore? No, she was shaking with fear. What fear though? "Why?"

"Because I have to know if you bit someone I know!" Aya shook violently, "Someone I love! You have to tell me! Please!"

Nos glared at her again. He didn't feel like his usual arrogant self lately, he had noticed, "I bit some of those stewards." he replied, "And that annoying mysophobe, M-O."

"You bit M-O!?" Aya cried, "Is he okay!?"

"Yes! He's fine! Now shut up!"

She flinched.

"Ugh...I think I may be close to figuring out how to get through you, but let's be honest, it's not coming fast enough!"

Aya shied away, "You really are evil..."

Nos snorted, "You just figured that out!? I'm a monster, big surprise, now will you stop...caring so much!?"

Aya went to the far wall in her cell and faced away, staring into the corner.

He went back to the computer, dumping his remaining batteries into the garbage can. What was with this girl!? He couldn't find his solution fast enough! She was whiny, bratty, talkative and just...obnoxious! He felt his headache coming back, but he wasn't going to bite into another forsaken battery! He would be fine for now.

His mind wandered back to Star Command. He hated those memories, and that probe had just brought them back to the surface. His first mission was a complete bust. Even though defeat was not in his program, they found a way to defeat him, and that messed him up royally. He had to teach himself how to accept defeat and come back for swift victory later. That was one reason he abandoned his position as an underling of Zurg, though he'd never admit that to anyone.

Now he just had to find a way to shut this probe up for good.

He didn't know what made him talk again, but he said, "Can I ask for your name?"

"Hm?" Aya looked at him, "Why do you care?"

"Curious." he said with no emotion, "And because I need a file name that makes sense."

Aya smiled to herself, "Aya. My name is Aya."

"Aya...how's it spelled?"

"A-Y-A." she said, "Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator Eve Probe Two 'Aya', to be exact."

"Eh. That's too long. I'll go with Aya." he dragged the file to his findings.

Aya turned her head enough to watch him type. He still had no emotion to his movements, though his pale complexion was clearing up from the energy he consumed. She couldn't really figure him out. What was his motivation, really? Was he a sadist like Ruby thought she was? Like Forthright is?

He felt her eyes on him and turned around, but she had already looked away.

Nos sighed, "Would you feel better if I didn't hurt your precious friends?"

"Yes." she automatically responded, "You won't avoid them now?"

"Of course not. I just thought I'd ask."

Aya kept her thoughts to herself after that, all the way until Nos called it a day and went to bed.