.
Attack on Perth
Miyuki floated through the Biggest making her way to the infirmary and reviewing her interaction with the Arachnean queen. Hypolit had not gotten away with her behaviour, she'd made sure of that. The treaty had not been nearly as favourable towards the Arachneans as it might have otherwise been. She pursed her lips. It had been two gruelling hours before at last they'd come to an accord. She'd had her fair share of dressing down Hypolit in that meeting. Frankly, it was a miracle they'd parted on as fair of terms as they had. For now, Arachnea was useful, but they wouldn't always be. The moment they stopped being an asset was the moment Irk would conquer and destroy them with extreme prejudice for what they'd put her commander through. The Biggest was now lifting off to make for space once more. She didn't relish the next two planets on her list.
Sighing in frustration, she entered the infirmary where Spork was. She paused. He was half sitting up and looking annoyed with the doctors working around him. "Leave us," Miyuki ordered.
"Yes, My Tallest," they all said before scurrying out.
Miyuki watched them go, then looked at Spork, who was watching her warily. She approached his bedside and perched on it, then offered a playful little smile. "Who is the Irkenette you have waiting for you back home?" she teased.
He stared at her blankly like he had no clue what she was talking about, but then seemed to realize why she was asking. "There isn't one. I lied to her. Irkens don't fall in love. Even if we did and there had been an Irkenette I wanted, take a look at me. Getting her would be impossible."
Miyuki's smile vanished. "They have gotten to you, haven't they?" she said in concern. He was quiet. "You never struck me as the sort to particularly care what others thought of your looks."
"I'm not. The gloom will pass. Snack time!" He pushed the buzzer.
"Yes, My General?" a nervous Irken said, popping up on screen.
"Send me donuts!" Spork barked.
"Yes sir!" the nervous Irken immediately replied before signing off.
"Did you manage it?" Spork asked, looking at Miyuki again.
"Manage what?" Miyuki asked.
"Forging an alliance with Arachnea?"
"As a matter of fact, yes, I did. I took her for all that could be gotten away with as well for her disrespect," Miyuki said.
"When did she disrespect you?" Spork asked.
"She disrespected you while believing you were a co-Tallest. That was reason enough to make her hurt for it."
A service drone hurried in with donuts. "Where's my soda?" Spork asked.
"Soda, My General?" the drone nervously asked.
"You don't have donuts without soda!"
"But-but you never asked…"
"Anticipate it. Get me soda!" Spork ordered, snatching the donuts. The drone scurried out in alarm. He looked at Miyuki. "You should throw him out the airlock." Miyuki gave him an unimpressed and mildly annoyed look. He blinked at her. "Donut?" he offered, holding the bag out.
She blinked at the bag and hesitated a moment. "Maybe just one," she said, reaching out. She took one and began to munch on it, then suddenly grabbed a bunch and devoured them quickly. He blinked at her in surprise, taken aback, and she grinned sheepishly with an awkward giggle and shrug.
"You like them more than me," he flatly said.
"They are delightful at that," she tightly replied. The service drone returned with two sodas. Spork snatched one. Miyuki took the other and nodded at the drone in acknowledgement. He bowed to her then hurried out again. Miyuki looked at Spork once more. "How are you feeling?" she asked.
"I still can't move my lower half."
"That you've regained some mobility is a relief to hear," she said.
There was silence between them for a moment. "You fight good," Spork suddenly said.
"Well. I fight well," she corrected. He rolled his eyes and took a donut, biting into it. She observed. "You have only two fingers," she quietly said, breaching a topic she'd been trying to avoid so far. He froze briefly before shoving the rest of the donut in his mouth and pulling out another. "They were so certain of your position that they even took your thumbs?" she asked. He stayed quiet. She looked away. "I'm sorry I arrived so late. Perhaps if I had been on time, you wouldn't have had to sacrifice anything."
He was quiet a beat. "How about we not?" he finally said. She gave him a curious look. "It's just better not to think about some things. This is one of them. It happened. Move on or be drowned by it."
"I suspect you're speaking more of yourself than me," she said. He was quiet, munching on his donuts somewhat bitterly. "Perhaps I should go," she said softly. He said nothing. She shifted a little, then bowed her head, rose, and floated out of the infirmary. Oh why had she run so late that day? She'd known the great measuring was coming. She'd known she was a contender. She should have been there. She couldn't begin to imagine how much it had stung him to have everything ripped away so abruptly by her sudden, unannounced presence. She should have been on time. He was right, though. If she let herself dwell on it, she would never let it go and would keep bringing it up. Then he would never be able to escape it or let it go. She was lucky enough as was that he hadn't determined to assassinate her yet. At least she presumed he hadn't determined to do so, since she was still alive and he was clearly the superior warrior. Had she apologized too soon, she nervously wondered? She sighed, she needed to stop thinking about this now. It was best for everyone if she did.
IZ
He emerged from the infirmary in shades of green when they were closing in on the next planet. She watched it approaching nervously. For all intents and purposes, this was enemy airspace as far as they knew. She glanced over at him and furrowed her brow in concern. Was he well enough to be up again? "You should rest longer," she said.
"I'm fine," Spork replied. "Besides, you're gonna need me there. Just in case."
She smiled at him. "We will face it together then," she said. She turned to look towards the planet once more. "I'm glad you're alright," she quietly added.
"So am I," Spork wryly replied.
She giggled a little. He was witty when he wanted to be. She enjoyed that lighter side of him. It was nice to see it existed. She caught herself playing with her lekku and wondered why she had begun to. She stopped and focused on the planet once more. It was of significant size and she couldn't help but feel a little intimidated by it. As long as she kept her composure, though, everything would be fine. She could handle this.
"Why were you late?" he suddenly said, and any mirth she might have felt immediately dissipated. She wrapped her arms tighter around herself and said nothing. He didn't press, just waited for her answer.
"Fear. I wasn't ready to lose everything."
"You gained everything," he flatly said.
"No. I didn't." She bowed her head.
"What do you mean?" he asked, mildly intrigued.
"Never mind. Most Irkens would think it was ridiculous anyway," she said.
"I already think you're ridiculous claiming you didn't gain anything," he flatly said.
"My excuse isn't a passable one. Not to you."
"You haven't even told me what it is," he flatly replied.
"How unfavourable is this planet?" she asked, quickly changing the subject.
Spork was quiet, she glanced nervously at him. He pursed his mouth then looked toward said planet. "It's unfavourable enough," he said. She was relieved that for now at least he would let it go, but he seemed off somehow.
She looked curiously at him. "Is something bothering you, Spork?"
He was quiet. "It reminds me of Kadien," he finally said.
"Kadien?" she asked.
He was quiet a minute. "Where I was tortured," he eventually said.
Immediately her eyes filled with concern. "Oh," she said, stuck for words. There was a beat of silence. "You don't need to accompany me, you know. There are enough soldiers to get the job done. It might be better, in fact, if you remain here. In case something goes wrong." He said nothing. "You could use the extra rest."
"Fine," he at last replied. She smiled at him, then left to prepare for the visit.
IZ
Discussions had not gone well. A pity, she thought. That meant it must be marked for conquest instead. Such a waste. They had gotten off the planet unharmed, by some miracle, and were now on the way to the next one on their list. Another planet with negative feelings towards Irk. Perth. She was wary of that one. They liked taking captives for experimentation or pleasure. They had quite a diverse collection but had yet to obtain an Irken. She aimed to keep it that way. "If you wish to talk, Almighty Tallest Miyuki, then come to our planet's surface," the large-jowled leader—they called him the emperor—said.
"I have no intention of doing any such thing," she replied.
"You wish to forge an alliance, do you not?"
"I do," she replied.
"Then come," the emperor almost mockingly said.
"Oh no. We know what you're planning. You still don't have an Irken in the collection, do you? Well you're not getting the Tallest. Or anyone," Spork said.
"There's nothing more to talk about, then, if you aren't even willing to come to the surface and speak to us face-to-face. Funny. For all our disdain of your kind, we never took the Irkens for cowards."
"There's cowardice then there's practicality," Miyuki replied. "We have the latter."
"In spades," Spork threw in. "We know about your Irken hunting parties." Miyuki gave him a shocked look. "Lots of them," Spork dryly said, catching her gaze. Miyuki frowned, turning back to the screen.
"Let bygones be bygones. We'll send no hunting parties during your visit and in turn you don't explode things when said visit is done," the emperor said.
"Very well," Miyuki said.
"As long as we give a timeframe for how long the big spaceship gang thingy waits before attacking," Spork said.
"Armada, Spork, armada."
"What kind of stupid word is that?" Spork asked.
Miyuki frowned warningly at him then looked back at Perth's ruler. "Be warned, majesty, that if we're not heard from within the day, our armada will attack. And it's quite the splendid armada indeed," Miyuki said.
"Of course, My Tallest," the Perthling emperor replied before cutting the transmission.
There was silence a second before Spork hailed the rest of the Armada and addressed them. "Alright, everybody get into hiding! Behind asteroids, signs, cloaking devices, whatever. Just in case they try something funny," he said. The armada began to disperse. Spork turned back to Miyuki. "Who are their allies?"
Miyuki looked up the planet's name and frowned a little. "Kadien, Meekrob, Gladitoria, Hobo One through Eight, Blorch, Kri… That's just to start. They're well connected and a slaver race. Much like Irk. We will have to be most careful."
"Yep," Spork said.
A beat of silence. "Stay close to my side," she said suddenly, looking at him.
He blinked blankly at her. "Is this another protective thing?" he warily asked.
She smirked a little. "For both of us this time," she said. He considered this, then nodded in agreement.
IZ
The bulk of the soldiers on board the Biggest remained there. Miyuki and Spork, the commander in orange and red again, brought along fifty in total—at Spork's insistence—and floated off the ship, making for the palace up ahead. Slaves were everywhere looking absolutely wretched. "Okay, so maybe they're a little more into the slaver thing than Irk is," Spork muttered to Miyuki, who was visibly uncomfortable. Of course, he couldn't have claimed to be any different in that.
"I don't trust this," Miyuki said.
"Never trust anything," Spork replied, eyes shifting every which way.
"Now don't be excessive, dearest," she replied.
"What's with you and the pet names?" he asked.
"I'm not quite sure. They simply come," she replied.
"She's going to lose him."
"More likely he'll lose her."
"They'll lose each other. You know how the emperor operates."
"Hold your loved one over your head to get you to do whatever he pleases you to, but never let you see them again."
"For all anyone knows, their friend, sibling, lover, or whatever, is dead."
Miyuki and Spork exchanged uneasy glances. Here was hoping this 'emperor' wasn't that stupid. "Are you ready to fight your way out of this?" Spork asked.
"Always," she replied, unfurling her robotic limbs a bit.
"Good, 'cause we might have to. Soldiers, intimidation!" Each one of the irken elite unfurled their robotic limbs completely and began walking on them instead, hardening their expressions into cold and dangerous ones. Spork unfurled his own robotic limbs, bending them in but making sure they and the serrated ones were visible. Miyuki followed his cue and did the same.
They entered the throne room and the Emperor was visibly chagrined, watching the Irken elite, their Tallest, and their Commander warily. "Emperor," Miyuki greeted, respectfully dipping her head, though she maintained eye contact. Spork didn't bother. Just glared.
"Tallest Miyuki, why so hostile?" the Emperor asked.
"No hostility meant, Your Excellency. It's at the recommendation of my General for my own protection. After all, Perth and Irk are in the process of building a relationship. We don't have one yet."
"Do you not trust us?" the Emperor said.
"No more than you trust us, Emperor," she replied. "That's what we're working to fix now, isn't it?"
"An Irken for a treaty. This General of yours perhaps," he said.
"Why does everyone want my General?" she demanded more testily than intended, eyes narrowing.
"Would you offer yourself instead? A consort may be useful," the Emperor challenged.
"Her General will be dead and buried before that ever happened," Spork said, frowning darkly.
"I have been under the impression anyone who isn't the Tallest is expendable and replaceable," the Emperor said.
"You thought in error," Miyuki said. "Maybe that was the way with my predecessor, but not with me. My General won't be traded for a treaty. None of my soldiers will be."
"Then no treaty will be had," the Emperor said.
"Then you'll just be marked down for destruction," Spork said.
"No you won't!" Miyuki blurted, noticing the Perthling soldiers lifting their weapons to attack. At least not immediately, she inwardly added. "That said, though, remaining Irk's enemy is not in your best interests. Not in the least. Come now Emperor, we can come to an accord."
"Your General's head," the Emperor replied, upping the ante.
"Cracking down will do none of you any favours," Miyuki said. "My General's head remains intact."
"Barely," the Emperor said.
"No thanks to your allies in Kadien," Miyuki somewhat darkly replied.
"Oh, we're aware," the emperor said.
Immediately Miyuki stiffened up, eyes widening a little. She blinked at the emperor, then turned to Spork in shock. Spork was glaring daggers at the man. Miyuki turned back to the Emperor. "I beg your pardon?" she coldly asked.
"Perth, you see, helped Kadien capture your General the first time around. Kadien promised that if he survived the torture, he would be handed over to us to contain," the emperor said, eyes locked on Spork. "General, you're either very brave or very stupid to cross into our territories again." Miyuki felt a chill run up her spine. She looked quickly back at her Commander.
"I mean, I have a whole armada at my back this time," Spork replied.
"You're on our territory now, Irken scum. We are more than prepared to take on your armada," the emperor said.
Spork was quiet, considering the situation and looking around at the position they were in. Finally, he met Miyuki's stunned gaze. "You should probably go back to the Biggest now," he said. Miyuki was stuck for words. "You really, really should go back to the Biggest. My last word of advice? Mark Perth for destruction. They're one of those planets that's more trouble than they're worth. Destroy them in my memory or something." She could only gape. "Go, My Tallest. Without the armada, I'm not getting out of this."
She started, catching on immediately, and nodded meaningfully at him. She looked over at the Emperor once more, who appeared ready to order an attack at any moment. She floated backward, away from Perth's ruler. "If you can defeat him, emperor, you may have him," she said. "I'll be on my ship." Spork smirked ever so slightly. She turned around to face him and lightly touched his arm. His smirk immediately vanished and became a stunned look. "Survive," she murmured to him. He could only stare. She floated away without the Irken soldiers, and Spork watched after her, trying desperately to understand her.
"Seize Irk's General!" Perth's Emperor ordered the moment Miyuki was out of sight. The emperor's soldiers all ran at them together.
"Retaliate!" Spork ordered. The fifty Irkens with him met their opponents in battle determinedly.
IZ
Miyuki floated rapidly away from the palace. "She lost him. Pay up," one of the slaves in the yard said to another. Miyuki set her jaw. She'd done no such thing.
Racing aboard the Biggest, Miyuki said, "Hail the armada! We launch an attack on the capitol of Perth immediately!"
"Yes My Tallest!" the comms officer immediately replied, though he was taken aback by the order. Quickly he did as she commanded, relating her orders to the armada. The Biggest flew into space to join the smaller Irken ships, and together the armada descended, targeting the capitol of Perth.
IZ
Spork held his fifty soldiers together as best he could. In fact, he held them together so good that they were outfighting the more numerous enemy. He barked orders left and right, fighting alongside them without hesitation. He was absolutely determined to survive this encounter. He wasn't failing a second time. Mostly because if he did, he wouldn't be able to boast that the first time had only been a pure fluke. Also because he probably wouldn't survive being Perth or Kadien's captive a second time. He dodged a series of attacks aimed at him and took down the four that had attempted to swarm him. He really, really hoped Miyuki had actually interpreted his silent message correctly.
When suddenly explosions were heard from outside, along with the sound of laser fire, he could have cheered. "Emperor, the Irken armada are descending on the capitol!" one of the enemy soldiers nearest to the door cried out.
"Hah! We offered to do this the easy way!" Spork exclaimed, pointing victoriously at the emperor.
"Kill them!" the emperor ordered. Just then the entire palace was shaken with the force of a powerful blast, then numerous others following it. Chunks of debris began toppling into the castle.
"Get outside!" Spork ordered the Irken soldiers. Quickly they scrambled to obey, skittering out en masse with Spork on their heels. They stopped short when a blast hit the ground in front of them, then darted out when the danger was passed. The armada rained down death by laser without mercy, and Spork could have kissed the Tallest, which was a thought he immediately banished from his brain. He turned around to face the enemy who would soon converge on them again. Almost immediately they were set on and he and the soldiers were thrown into mortal combat.
IZ
Miyuki stood stoically in the Biggest, looking down coldly on the fleeing, screaming people and the mass destruction the armada was raining down. Perth's own armada—at least what was stationed of it in the capitol—was appearing. "Units one through one hundred, focus attention on the approaching armada! One-hundred-one through two hundred, continue to besiege the city," she ordered. The armada split in half to do as she had commanded. The half besieging the city redoubled their efforts and focused most attention on bringing down the castle. It was toppling quickly. Miyuki caught sight of Spork and the fifty soldiers she'd left with him battling furiously with the enemy battalion. "Fire at the mouth of the palace so no further reinforcements reach our soldiers," she ordered.
"Yes, My Tallest," the comms officer replied, doing as she said. The laser struck just above the doorway bringing down a load of debris that effectively trapped everyone who was left inside the castle.
"Take the building down!" Miyuki ordered. All the Biggest's weaponry was focused on the palace. Miyuki checked upon her soldiers and Commander once more. They were gaining ground, beating the enemy back. She could have cheered them. As soon as they had overwhelmed their opponents, she said, "Land the Biggest and open the door for them!"
"But My Tallest, that leaves us vulnerable!" the comms officer protested.
"Do you have a better idea of how to get them back on board?" Miyuki replied. The comms officer looked uncertain whether she was challenging him or genuinely asking. She frowned a little. "I'm genuinely asking."
"Beam them up?" the comms officer said.
"That leaves us as well as them vulnerable," Miyuki replied.
"But at least we'll still be in the air. It means a quicker getaway," the comms officer said.
"Hmm… very well. Try it your way," she said.
"Yes, My Tallest," the comms officer replied. He activated the tractor beam and caught up half of the Irken soldiers, lifting them towards the Biggest.
"Units one-hundred-one through one-hundred-twenty, circle the Biggest and protect it!" Miyuki ordered. The units in question began to do so. The first half of the soldiers were soon on board. The comms officer activated the beam again. The second half ran towards it, but just then the emperor broke through the debris blocking the door with a furious bellow. The soldiers looked back in shock and alarm. The emperor charged out practically foaming at the mouth with murderous intent.
"Go!" Spork ordered. The soldiers broke for the beam again and raced into it. Spork turned around and soared towards the emperor, slamming into him and beginning to stab and rip at him with his robotic limbs as they fought violently, tearing into one another.
Miyuki's eyes widened when she noticed the scrap between Spork and the emperor. "What is that fool doing?" she demanded in alarm.
"This is personal for him, My Tallest. I'm afraid he may not retreat until the emperor is defeated," the comms officer said.
"Unacceptable," Miyuki testily replied, eyes narrowing. "Open communications with him!"
"Yes, My Tallest!" the comms officer said. He input some commands. "You're through!"
"General, fall back immediately!" Miyuki ordered sharply. A dial tone answered her. She blinked.
"He um, cut you off, My Tallest," the comms officer nervously said.
"Then call him again!" she replied. "He will hear me or so help him!" Helplessly the comms officer did so. "How dare you cut…!" she began. Dial tone again. She screamed in fury. "Again!" the comms officer obeyed. "Spork!" she furiously shouted.
"What?!" Spork demanded.
"Get into the beam! Now!" Miyuki furiously said. She got the sense he was about pull his little stunt again and quickly said, "Don't you dare cut me off or the emperor will be the least of your worries!"
"Don't ask me to give this up," he replied.
"Get in the beam or I'll kill you myself," she darkly threatened.
"Fine. If I don't die, I'll see you at my execution," he replied.
"Why are you so infuriating?!" she demanded. He was quiet. "Don't think I won't come down there and rescue you if I have to," she lowly warned.
"Hey, it's your funeral," he replied.
"It's yours if no one helps you," Miyuki said. "I'm coming down."
"Why?" he asked. She hung up on him this time and angrily floated towards the teleporter.
"Beam me down to the surface!" she ordered the comms officer, standing in it.
"Yes, My Tallest," he uncertainly replied.
IZ
Miyuki appeared on the ground, highly unimpressed, and floated towards Spork and the Emperor, whose combat by now had gotten excessively bloody. Spork did seem to have the upper hand, but soldiers were arriving to back their emperor up. Miyuki picked up the pace and began lashing out at said soldiers, determined to keep them away from Spork and the emperor. Spork's attention was now wholly on his opponent, and the advantage he had seemed to have increased even further. It was five minutes of her fending off the soldiers when she at last heard the emperor bellow in agony. Quickly she looked back. He was collapsing to the ground and a scowling Spork, covered in his blood was glaring down at him. Miyuki flew quickly towards her companion. "Are you satisfied now?" she asked.
"As a matter of fact, I am," Spork defiantly replied.
"Good. Then to the Biggest!" Miyuki said, grabbing his arm and pulling him with her quickly. He was too flustered by the contact to think to pull away. She dragged him into the beam and slowly the two were lifted towards the Biggest. The soldiers raced towards them, getting into the beam as well, but Miyuki and Spork just exchanged dubious looks. The moment they were inside the Biggest, the beam was cut off and the soldiers fell to the ground screaming.
"Boy they were dumb," Spork said.
"Not half as dumb as you for that little stunt of yours," Miyuki testily said.
"Hey, I made it, didn't I?" Spork replied.
"Did you kill him?"
"Even if I didn't, I came pretty close," Spork said.
Miyuki sighed. "What am I going to do with you?" she ruefully asked, heading back.
"I mean, you were pretty intent on the execution thing," he said, floating at her side.
"I was angry," Miyuki said. "If I actually wanted you dead, I would have left you to fend for yourself."
"I'm touched?" Spork more questioned than said.
"As well you should be," Miyuki replied. "I've been far more tolerant of you than I would have been for most anyone else."
"Because I'm tall?" he asked.
"Because there is mutual benefit to an enduring partnership between us," she replied. She hesitated a moment. "Also guilt," she more quietly said. He stared at her blankly, trying to figure her out. She felt her cheeks warm at the scrutiny. "Now, back to sieging Perth's capitol."
"Are we wiping it out?" he asked.
"Ruining it for certain," she replied.
"I'm on it," Spork said, floating quickly ahead of her to take command.
IZ
They left the capitol in ruins, the emperor dead or almost there, and the slaves revolting in the aftermath. Smoke curled high into the sky as the Armada flew away. "Well, that happened," Spork said, sitting on a seat in the bridge next to Miyuki. "I'll put Perth down as still an enemy."
"Soon to be a subjugated one if the emperor or his successor don't come to their senses," Miyuki said. "The next planets I trust will be far easier than these have been?"
"They're on good terms with us, so they'd better be," Spork said.
"I must say, you held things down on Perth quite spectacularly," she praised.
"You held down the armada surprisingly well too."
"I haven't forgotten my elite and invader days," she said. "I was a touch out of practice, but if you feel I managed it well, then I must have. Thank you."
Quiet a beat. "Is that part of what you lost when you became Tallest?" he asked. Her smile faded a little and she was quiet. "Sorry," he muttered, though he wasn't sure where that 'sorry' had come from. He'd never apologized for anything his entire life.
For a long time, she said nothing. Soon, though, she answered him. "Irkens have no need for friendship or love." He gave her a weird look. "I felt both," she said quietly. He stared at her blankly and blinked, trying to process this. "Goodness knew most of my comrades never felt either towards me in turn. As an elite I could pretend otherwise, though. Not so much as Tallest." She considered her next words. "It's lonely up here on this pedestal. I never liked being alone. How my predecessors could stand it is beyond me." He continued staring at her. "I don't suppose you can comprehend a word I'm saying, can you?"
"I mean, I get it, but I personally always liked being alone," he said.
"Then you would have been better suited to this position than me by far." She turned to him. "You know, you're the first one that has spoken to me so organically since I became Tallest. No one converses with me on my level anymore. Not truly. None but you. Perhaps that's part of the reason I would prefer to keep you around as well. I know you do it out of defiance and spite more than anything, maybe even condescension, but if you truly want to punish me for taking your place, behave towards me like every other Irken aboard this ship. Thank you for the little while that you didn't, though."
He stared at her for a long, long time. She tried to ignore it and pretend his gaze wasn't fixed on her. "Anyone who isn't the Tallest is expendable. That's what I learned when the last Tallest pretty well gave me up to Perth and Kadien without batting an eye because the plan had fallen a little bit behind schedule and he wasn't willing to risk himself for some lesser. We got there in time to see the armada taking off. They attacked from the sky and killed off a lot of the Kadiens, but also most of us who were left behind. The ones that survived weren't enough to stand against the reinforcements from Perth. They executed what was left except me. Kadien wanted me alive, so Perth gave me over on the condition that if I survived the torture, they got to contain me. It was months before the comms officer arrived on a stolen ship and saved me." He paused a moment, tapping his chin thoughtfully, then looked at her once more. "I wasn't kidding when I said he was special. I mean, he was special enough I unalived your predecessor to save him."
She started, eyes widening a little in shock. "You what?" she asked.
"If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead," he flatly said.
"You-you're a defective," she said, amazed. "My suspicion was right."
"What, and you aren't?" he asked.
She was silent. "I will say nothing if you won't," she at last said.
"I wouldn't have told you anything at all if I didn't figure you'd keep it quiet. Whether or not I promised you that I would," he replied with a shrug. "Who knows? Maybe a defective Tallest will actually get stuff done."
She nodded and considered her next words. "Were you given any respite as their prisoner?" she finally asked.
"Not even a little," Spork dryly replied.
"If the comms officer defied the previous Tallest just to go back for you, I assume he is defective as well," she said. "That or incredibly loyal or both."
"I'd guess both, but then again I inspire a surprising amount of loyalty from the soldiers and the elite," Spork said.
"That doesn't surprise me, given what I've seen of you," she said. "The moments of total panic notwithstanding." He narrowed his eyes at her. "You know exactly what I mean," she dryly said.
"My Tallest, we'll be arriving at the next destination within twenty-four hours," the comms officer said.
"Good," Miyuki said.
"Let's go eat food," Spork said. Miyuki nodded in agreement.