"Does that connection look good to you?" Vard questioned of the floating drone at his shoulder, motioning to a singled-out wire of to the untrained eye looked like a jumbled mess.

It merely nodded in agreement as it hovered there via anti-gravity repulsor technology, probably the most interesting aspect about it since it was so small and possessed one for movement. Fabricated by hand, not to mention the AI software upon it was reverse-engineered from the coding intended for a SIR unit…not entirely legal as per Armada regulations, but it was better than not having anyone at all to talk to.

Being a Communications Technician had its perks, one of which he was rarely sent to the front lines on any enemy world for combat. Formally trained in doing so, he was capable, but it was nerve-racking to avoid having your head blow off on a daily basis. Vard still managed to his part for the Empire's efforts in universal conquest by providing communication between command vessels and ground forces on various levels. He'd like to think that he's saved a few lives, despite the sheer lack of respect he gets from his colleagues.

"A discussion for another time though," Vard spoke to himself as he pulled a protective mask over his face and eyes, preparing to weld more connectors together for the comm relay he was assembling for ground forces, part of an exercise more than anything. He had done the very same thing on Praxxus 7 mere days ago, only to have all his hard work all for naught. The only positive thing to come from that disaster was that he made it out alive…but many of those in his unit did not.

As he was melding two of the metal-braided connectors together, someone lifted his mask up. The sheer brightness of the welding sparks brought instant pain to his eyes as he yelped in pain, covering them.

"Hey, Vardy," a taller Irken soldier beckoned with a smug look about his face, tossing the mask to the ground beside the Communications Technician, "I'm feeling a bit parched out here in the sun, why don't you go grab me something to drink?"

Vard rubbed his eyes, finally able to see once more, blurred, but eyesight was still a possibility.

"I-I'm a little busy at the moment," he respectfully answered, "and please don't do that, it's very painful and could blind someone."

"What was that? Sounds like insubordination to me, Vardy."

"…I outrank you though."

"Rank doesn't mean dookie in case you haven't noticed, you sniveling smeet. Now go get me something to drink before I get upset."

Reluctantly, Vard put his tools down and made his way to his feet, nearly a foot and a half shorter than the other Irken soldier. He promptly shoved Vard, tripping over the conduit he was working on, and landing on his back on the other side, laughing at the smaller Irken's plight.

"It's too easy with you, Vardy, you're almost as dumb as that one Invader, what's his name? Zim, yeah, that's it."

Vard refused to show that comments like that, constant, scathing comments hurt him. The ones that hurt the most though was the mentioning of the similarities in height between him and Zim. No one ever wanted to be compared to Zim, no one.

"Who's in charge here?" A voice requested, garnering both of their attention. Vard turned to see it was a Spec Ops Commander…shorter than the usual Commander, but the uniform markings where there no less.

"Uh, I am, Sir," the bully of an Irken saluted, Vard still on the ground, trying to get up.

"Do you think it's fitting of a leader to mistreat those in their command?"

"No, Sir, I don't."

"Then why are you doing it to this soldier right here?" He continued, rage clearly in his eyes, but reserved in volume. "It's people like you that make me sick, you know that? If the time ever came, I bet you'd want your soldiers to aid you and save your life, wouldn't you?"

"I don-"

"Wouldn't you?"

"Yes, Sir!"

"I'm more than certain with the display I just witnessed, he'd let you die…and I don't blame him." He increased in crescendo, belligerent of the Irken before him, "…get out of my sight, you disgust me."

Taken back, the Irken finally slinked away after a moment of stunned silence. Vard attempted to get to his feet, watching as the Spec Ops Commander offered a hand in assistance.

"You alright, Sergeant?"

"Yes, Sir, I am, thank you," Vard managed as he was lifted to his feet, nearly dwarfed as he came up to the Commander's waist. He promptly dusted himself off and went to attention in his presence.

"You're Sergeant Vard, Communications Technician, correct?"

"Yes, Sir, Commander, I am," he responded, still in awe of the intimidating stature the Spec Ops soldier before him possessed, yet it wasn't matched by the gentle tone of his voice.

Without a reply, Vult handed Vard a datapad, allowing him to take it.

"I expect you to be there on time, Sergeant," Vult said over his shoulder as he walked away with a smirk on his face, "I need a soldier like you in my unit, I am looking for the best, after all."

"….in a nutshell, that's basically what happened," Vard finished up his story, turning to find Tak still engrossed in the conversation. He wouldn't have been surprised if she had fallen asleep in boredom. "and now I'm here, trying to fit it."

"Hmmm…." Tak pondered, tapping a finger to her chin, "you really let others treat you like that? There is a fine line between orders and mistreatment, if it was me, I'd ripped his spooch out and showed it to him before he expired."

"…I'm not violent though."

"You're a soldier, for Irk's sake," Tak countered, surprised that someone as soft as he was a Spec Ops soldier of all. "Have you actually taken another life yet?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I should be proud of it or enjoy it," Vard answered, backing his stance. "I do what is commanded of me, if it involves taking lives, then so be it, but I'm not one to take amusement in it. Who am I to judge who lives and who dies despite the choices the greater powers have made for both sides?"

"Why don't you just lay your weapon down next time and let them shoot you then? It will save you the trouble of killing yourself," Tak commented without realizing how painful it would have sounded to him until it already escaped her mouth.

"…I've tried before," he weakly stated in a near whisper.

"Look, I didn't mean that," the rogue Irken tried to make amends, "but I see what you've been searching for around you on this vessel in this unit. If it means anything…you belong here more than anywhere else I've seen in the Empire. I do have to commend anyone who has such an expertise of technology since you did remove my components from my PAK, not to mention that…thing." She pointed to Cypher as it hovered about, interested in its surroundings.

"You're rather…strange, you know that?" Vard finally concluded, looking over at her.

"How so?"

"You and I sit here and have a pleasant conversation, while before you were in our custody, you nearly killed my commanding officer and hurt my friends in the process. Yet…I'm not angry at you or for what you did." He explained with a smirk, his eyes still hidden behind the oversized goggles that covered them.

"You're the first Spec Ops soldier I've ever spoken with that didn't turn out to be a psychotic thug that took solstice in ripping spines free of the enemy, so the same can be said for you," Tak gestured nonchalantly, stretching her legs as she walked about the cell. Her wound on the right side of her torso was nearly healed, but very tender to the point of inhibiting her movement.

"So…what's your story?" Vard questioned politely, hesitant at first.

"The usual," she responded, "Irken Elite with Invader training, denied my chance to take the exam and be a part of Operation Impending Doom I or II for that matter, and currently tasked as a Janitorial Drone on Dirt, from which I left in search of the one that denied me my rightful place as an Invader."

"You're after revenge then?"

"No, it's not about revenge," Tak seethed, but quickly settled, knowing that he didn't know any better. "I'm going to take his mission and prove once and for all to the Almighty Tallest that I'm worthy of being an Invader, not him."

"What about your assignment on Dirt?" Vard questioned curiously.

"As I told the one before you, I'm leaving Dirt once more as soon as the lot of you are gone and busy with something else. There isn't a soul on that rock that can contain me there, and I will find a way off of it once more. I only hope that the Almighty Tallest decide against pulling your unit away from important matters to chase little ole' me down again."

Vard simply nodded in agreement, finding it was oddly…serene to be around the prisoner. At least it was never a dull moment.

Mess had come once more, essentially a lunch break for anyone from the rigors of constant training, watch over an unwanted guest, and a trip back to Dirt that was taking what seemed like an eternity.

"Aero, I know your…thing is causing some rather unpleasant things to happen in your body at the moment, but you do need to calm down," Sula whispered across to the trainwreck that was Aero. She was very twitchy, color was void in her face from the sickness she was experiencing from the rapid and sudden influx of hormones. It was going to be difficult to convince those who started asking questions that it was simply the recovering from a concussion.

"I am calm!" She expelled, clamping her hands over her mouth, unaware of her volume until it was too late. "I can't take this anymore, Sula, you gotta do something, anything."

"There really isn't anything I can do, Aero, I'm sorry," She apologized politely, despite her friend's ravaged look of pain and seething rage at it. At this point, she wouldn't be surprised if she started foaming at the mouth.

"I'm about to lose it, I can feel it," she commented, her tone fitting that of someone that was on the verge of going insane, "I can't keep any food down, I can't sleep, my mind is constantly running about random…things, things I don't even care about. My uniform doesn't fit correctly like it's supposed to, especially right here," she motioned, cupping herself with both hands on the chest.

Sula promptly pushed her hands down before any of their friends looked over in curiosity.

"Don't forget sudden mood swings and irritability," she added under her breath, but knew Aero was a friend, and one in dire need at that, "I know it's painful and not pleasant at all, but I really don't know what else to do at this point, this is a very rare and unprecedented case."

Aero sat there, thinking of something, anything to beat or at least lessen the pain she was in.

"What about putting me under?"

"You mean Sedatives?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Aero responded as if she was on the exact opposite, "knock me out for a while with some drugs, I come to, and it's all passed, and whatever transformation or mutation that's supposed to happen will run its course and I'll be fine…right?"

"I don't have anything aboard this ship to keep you under for more than a few hours, and I don't want to risk an overdose by using a lot of it to lengthen it." Sula concluded, leaning closer, "and for the last time, you're not mutating, it's a natural process…."she sighed exasperatedly," how about this…I give you a diagnosis of a moderate concussion, Corr and everyone will leave you alone for a few days, strictly bed-rest, and you can ride it out there? If you need me, just call like I said before. You'll get through this, Aero, I assure you that."

"…you promise?"

"I promise," Sula smiled, "this falls under my expertise, so I'd like to think I know what I'm talking about."

She simply nodded, shakily standing up from the table, and proceeded to return to her quarters. Haxx stepped over with his bowl in his hands, a perplexed look on his face as he watched Aero leave.

"What's wrong with her?" He asked of Sula apparently since she was the only one near him.

"She's…not feeling too well, took a nasty bump on the head when you guys were down there. I'm giving her a few days bed rest so she can heal without any complications."

"A few days? What did she do, crack her skull open and lose part of her brain?" He pressed, mouth full of food. "I've never heard of a concussion taking more than a day or so to heal thanks to the PAK."

"I assure you its bad enough to warrant rest," Sula informed matter-of-factly, turning to face him, "…enough for you to leave her alone and not ask questions."

"Easy, I was just curious, you don't need to get on my case, sheesh," Haxx responded, walking away as he shook his head. He sat back down at a table with Rha and Tuu.

"So how was it watching the vodeta?" He asked of Rha, watching him drop his utensil back into the bowl in disgust.

"I really wish you'd pull your head out of your c'hurta and drop it," he responded with a hint of venom in his voice. "Did you not listen to a single thing that Captain Corr said? I tried to get it through your thick skull, too. The Commander's going to pull through and the mission's a success, just take it as it is and drop it. She's not as bad as you're making her out to be once you get to know her, I did by just talking to her. Making something like this personal is only going to bring about problems for you in the end."

"You siding with her then? Is that it?" He accused.

"Haxx, there are no sides!" Rha responded fervently, "she's a Janitorial Drone on her way back to her assignment, that's it! If you think I'm joking, I'm not, seriously…just drop it and go about your business."

"Fine, if none of you want to let me know, I'll find out for myself when my turn for watch comes around," he stubbornly continued.

"You'll regret it," Tuu commented, surprising both of them since he rarely spoke, "she's dangerous, and with your…charisma, it's a disaster waiting to happen."

"What do you know?" Haxx waved off since he never talked to them to begin with, "besides, she's locked up in a cell with none of her fancy gadgets…what could she possibly do?"

"Hey Tuu," Rha ignored Haxx, "10 monies says she attacks him somehow."

"…I'll take that action."

"Forget both of you then," the Heavy Weapons specialist motioned, standing up from the table. "I'm going down there right now and relieve Vard just to prove both of you wrong."

"Double or nothing it happens within 15 minutes," Tuu responded to Rha's bet.

"You're on." He obliged, turning to the exiting Haxx, "just as a head's up, her name's Tak, at least you can get that much out of the way before she maims you or something."

"If there's ever an opening for a comedian in the Armada, I'll be sure to refer you," Haxx sarcastically said to whom he thought of being a friend.

"Sula, you overheard that, ri-"

"As soon as I'm done eating, I'll get my equipment together," she interrupted dryly, knowing that the sad truth of it was it was going to happen, one way or another. "I'm not using any anesthesia if he hurts himself just for making me do extra work. I've seen enough blood from anyone to last me for a while as it stands."

Haxx's stupidity was going to get the best of him and was bound to end up caught on the receiving end of something horrible at the hands of Tak, whom was far from putting up with his antics at this point.

This was just an assumption; of course, there was the highly unlikely event that he managed to prove them wrong and not entice her into violence…but it was Haxx, after all, so "highly unlikely" was putting it lightly.

The stubborn Haxx strolled into the room, Vard looking up quizzingly.

"Haxx…what are you doing here?" he asked of him, "I thought Captain Corr told you to stay away from the prisoner."

"Yeah, sure," he agreed, not really paying attention to what he was saying as he stared intently at Tak, whom appeared to be catching a bit of sleep against the wall opposite the bars, shrouded in darkness. "How about you go ahead and grab yourself something to eat, Vard, take a little break. I'll watch her until you get back."

"Well…I am a bit hungry," he commented, but shaking his head, "no, I can't abandon my orders. I was told to watch over her until the next shift change, which doesn't come for another hour and a half. You're not even in the shift rotation, Haxx, you have no business down here."

"I come down here, trying to be nice by doing you a favor, let you go eat with everyone else, and you start spouting off about orders, rules, and regulations? Come on, now, you know me Vard. Besides, that's all water under the proverbial bridge now, I cooled off, I'm fine now."

Unknown to either of them, Tak may have appeared to be resting, but she had one violet eye open just enough to see the two of them converse.

Vard still eyed him warily, regardless of the façade he was putting on. Ultimately though…he didn't care, it was just Haxx after all. Unless he went to that absolute extent of actually letting Tak out for some inexplicable reason, there wasn't much of anything either could do to the other.

"Fine, sure, whatever, Haxx, have fun," he finally caved, standing up, "don't blame me if something happens to you. I'll be back right back down after I'm done."

"Take your time, we'll get along just fine down here." He cracked a faux smile.

Shaking his head, Vard finally exited from view. Haxx picked the chair up, moving it to where he could sit backwards in it, legs straddling either side of it as he faced Tak in her cell. She continued to appear as if she was asleep, unaware of her surroundings while he seemed to be rummaging around for something. She promptly felt the blunt end of a metal rod be jabbed into her side sharply. If it had been her injured one, she would have cried out in pain for sure.

"Hey, Drone, wake up," Haxx ordered, poking with each word. "I said wake u-"

Tak snatched the end of the rod up, holding it in place with impressive strength.

"Stop pestering me," She ordered, eye still closed, "I'm resting."

"You've rested enough, vodeta, now on your feet, me and you are going to have a little…talk." Haxx maliciously stated, garnering the attention of one eye snapping open.

"What did you call me?" The Janitorial Drone demanded through grit teeth. She released the rod, letting him promptly retract it since it was intended to get her attention more than bother her.

"You heard me," he made clear, not caring, "I've got questions, you're going to give me answers."

"Insulting a captive is the LEAST productive thing you do if you're looking to interrogate them, you idiot. I suggest you quit while you're ahead before I get upset," Tak spoke as if she was an expert on the matter, "now go away…you're annoying me."

"You haven't even seen the beginning of annoying, vodeta."

"I'kveda mirudu udessa c'hurta," Tak spat in their native tongue, taking the Shadow Striker back a bit. It was rather rude and insulting, very much so for, well, for anyone in general. It was then Tak finally made the realization. "Wait a minute…you're the one I stabbed in the leg, aren't you?"

"So what if I am? What of it?" Haxx challenged in his usual bravado.

"You're making a big deal over that, all of this nonsense?"

"Nonsense?! It's much more than just nonsense! It was my leg…and you almost killed the Commander!" He angrily informed, Vult's current condition finally popping in his head. He always seemed to have an issue with priorities.

"I warned the lot of you to leave me be, you didn't listen, you paid the consequences," Tak mad explicitly clear, getting to her feet and approaching the bars of the cell. "If it wasn't for your marksman's incredibly lucky shot, I would have ripped all of you limb-from-limb and be on my merry away. Quit making this into a personal vendetta."

"Luck had nothing to do with it, vodeta," Haxx stared hard at her, a smug smirk of satisfaction on his face, "he's the best shot in the Armada, hands down."

"So he just waited while I picked all of you apart and nearly killed the other one? Maybe he hates you as much as I do then. Another thing, call me vodeta again, and you'll regret it." She finished, peering through angered slits of eyes.

Haxx simply laughed as he looked at her, mere inches…and the bars of the cell, of course, separating the two of them. He was quite possibly the most annoying, idiotic Irken she had met…next to Zim, of course. Everyone was above Zim, which was sad to begin with.

"I'm shaking in my boots," He sarcastically said, motioning with his hands, "what could you possibly do to me from there, in a locked cell that I should be fearful of…vodeta?"

Almost as if she had been planning it for hours, Tak reached through the bars with lightning speed and latched onto Haxx's uniform collar. Seizing the element of surprise to its fullest, the rogue Irken pulled with all her might and slammed Haxx's head off of the bars of the cell. Dazed, he was unable to break free of her grasp. It was quite fortunate that the force of the mighty blow against the bars rattled the hatch door open. Pulling him up against the bars before he could resist and escape, Tak brought the left side of his head into the opening.

"Maybe you'll learn to do as your told in the future," She growled, then promptly sinking her teeth deeply into the flesh of his jaw, clamping down, and refusing to let go.

Haxx was instantly snapped from his daze and began howling in a combination of pain and rage, fighting against the vice grip she had on him. His positioning against the bars prevented him from getting a blow in to make her let go, all he could do was flail against them. The more he tried to pull away, the more it hurt as flesh started to tear asunder.

"AAAAAH! AAAAAAHHHHH! GET HER OFF ME! GET HER OFF ME!!!" Haxx bellowed frantically, hoping his voice would carry to ears and get the assistance he needed. It didn't help matters any that he could feel his warm blood running down his neck from the wound, more than likely mixed with her saliva.

Vard looked up from his meal, perplexed. He always wore his comm. equipment in the form of headphones which increased his hearing dramatically. They came in handy for picking up transmissions, as well as minute sounds just below the threshold of hearing, physical interference or otherwise.

"Did anyone else hear that?" He questioned to Sula, Tuu, and Rha who were all at his table still.

"Does it sound like Haxx?" Rha asked nonchalantly.

"Yeah, actually…he's…maybe we should go down there, like right now." Vard suggested, watching as Rha fished in his pocket, slamming a handful of coins down in front of Tuu. "Don't insult me by counting it."

"I only bet when the odds are in my favor." He commented as he slid the money into his hand, standing up.

"I should have known better, but there was a slim possibility he could have at least waited for a few moments, but look who we're talking about here," Rha answered, turning to Sula, whom had a case of her medical supplies with her already. "Looks like you get to play doctor with Haxx after all."

"I'm estatic," she drolly commented, shouldering the bag. "I'm sure whatever he's managed to do, he probably deserved it."

"SOMEONE…ANYONE?! COME ON, GUYS! HEEEELPPP!!!" Haxx continued, fighting back the tears in his eyes. Tak remained fixated on his face like a rabid weasel. The more he struggled, a sharp jolt recorsed through his body from the source. It may not have been life-threatening, but it hurt like no other, far more than the vibroblade wound she gave him prior. Maybe this would have been one of the better moments to simply let things go and not hold a grudge. He kept looking towards the door to the corridor in hope of watching someone come to his rescue.

Instead, he found them simply walking in without any rush. He'd be upset if he didn't have a crazy Irken female latched onto his face.

"Would you shut up!?" Rha responded, "we can hear you through the bulkhead in the mess hall."

"OH, GOOD, GLAD TO SEE YOU'RE SO CARING?!" Haxx sarcastically commented, trying to push away from Tak, "GET HER OFF OF ME!!!"

"Calm down," Sula replied, "I should just leave you be, but I'm driven by my duty for the unit."

"I'm sure you brought this on yourself, didn't you?" Rha continued, poking him in the shoulder. "She was pretty complacent until you came down here."

What Haxx wanted to know was why his fellow squadmates, his so-called friends, didn't seem to care that Tak was ripping a chunk of flesh from his face.

"YES, YES, I DID!!! NOW, PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF IRK…get her off of me…it hurts," He frantically responded, slowly degrading into nearly begging like a smeet. He may not have been physically sobbing, but tears were strolling down his cheeks.

"You're never living this one down," Rha commented with a smirk as Sula pulled out a tool used for spreading open incisions.

"Now…Tak, was it?" She attempted very respectfully, "I know he may have upset you, but could you please be a dear and let go of him? I'm sure this is going to scar, so he won't forget this."

"Uhh-uhh," She growled, shaking her head in defiance. Haxx let out a renewed howl as she applied more pressure, sinking even farther if that was possible.

"Very well, hard way it is," Sula stated, putting the separator in Tak's mouth between it and Haxx's face, maneuvering it to have each arm of it to the top of her mouth and lower jaw. A simple squeeze forced Tak's impressive bite open, enough for Haxx to pull away and fall to the floor, clutching at his wound frantically. The collected pool of dark green blood didn't help matters any in traction on the metal floor. Sula simply retrieved her tool without causing Tak any discomfort.

She simply retracted back into the cell slightly, blood dripping from her mouth, disturbing enough as it wasn't hers. The wicked smile didn't help matters any.

Haxx, on the other hand, was scrambling to get the rifle against the wall and was going to put a bolt between her eyes.

"I'kveda vodeta murata!" Haxx angrily seethed as he brought the rifle up, powering it up. Rha and Tuu forcefully disarmed him, pinning him to the ground after kicking the rifle out of his reach.

"Haxx, knock it off!" Rha forcefully ordered of him, struggling to keep him down, even with Tuu's help.

"I'm going to kill her! Let go of me, Rha!" He continued, ignorant of his request in blind rage. "She bit me in my face! She's gonna die!"

Rha brought a closed fist down hard onto the side of his jaw that was ravaged by Tak's bite, knocking him unconscious. He was positive that the blow would have done the trick by itself, but impact on the trauma area made it easier with such a rapid influx of pain.

"Is he dead?" Tuu commented unsurprisingly as his body went limp from the blow. He couldn't see Rha deliver an impressive right to knock him out.

"No, he's out cold though," Rha heaved for breath, standing up, "I wish he'd stop being stupid and learn his lesson like any normal person would."

"How bad is it?" Vard questioned cautiously, showing just enough care for his comrade to not be included into his stupidity.

"I'm sure it's quite horrible," Tak commented through the bars, his blood still on her face, "I think I swallowed a bit of his flesh. Nice punch, by the way, Corporal."

"You…please be quiet," Rha managed, unsure as to how to comment. "If Captain Corr sees thi-"

"If I see what?" His voice beckoned from behind the cluster of Shadow Strikers, garnering their instant attention. Corr caught glimpse of an unconscious, wounded Haxx, blood streaked about from his attempt to grab the rifle, and Tak's grisly visage. To say he was upset would be a fatal understatement. He looked accusingly towards not only Tak, but those present.

"I want her shackled and gagged for the remainder of the trip," He ordered lowly, blood boiling. "As for the rest of you, him included," he pointed to Haxx, "conference room, now," he motioned.

More or less stunned from how angry he looked, they weren't quick to move.

"I SAID NOW!!!" Corr bellowed in command. His voice carried during training, so the enclosed space had enough acoustics to make all of them, even Tak, jump.

For some reason, they had a good feeling that today wasn't going to end well.