Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Navigating Close Encounters of an Idiot Kind

Chapter 1 First Contact

Never in her life did Nav wish this to happen.

Seeing both Purple (or was it Pur? She could never remember) and Red get announced as the new Tallest was something Nav never thought of. But she stood among the other many Irken who was just tall enough to be so close and clapped and cheered along as well.

A grand party was thrown, (after the 'threat' during the ceremony was gone) but Nav stood in the back. Watching her fellow tall-but-not-Tallest-tall Irken form a line to entertain All Mighty Red and Purple.

(again was he called Pur or Purple?)

(in a sense Nav didn't care, not when she was taller then the shorter Irken's, she could almost enjoy the same sweets and spoils her new Tallest enjoy)

"How lucky of us!" a ruby (but it doesn't look ruby) eyed Irken cheered next to Nav. Another fellow Irken Navigator that clapped her three clawed hands together and bounce of her toes. "In what way?" Nav asked keeping her round eyes on the Irken. Nav's antennae curled forward showing her curiosity at her coworker. However the waved ends often tangled into one another without Nav even knowing. Which had her always checking her antennae.

Sure enough, to Nav's distain the curly ends had curled around eachother. Placing her smoothie down on the table head nearby she reached up to gently unfurl the two black antennae. "Well, why else? We have two, two All Mighty Tallest!" The other Irken grinned out before frowning at Nav. She could feel the distain in the glaze that watched Nav detangle her knot. 

Every Irken had normal (each one had hooked antennae and maybe the rare swoop at the end of their antennae) antennae but not Nav. Like a Defective, Nav had the misfortune of being a sole Irken who had their antennae in curls or even coils. On lucky days those curls and coils turn into waves.

They curl and coil at the end and it's all the more reason, Nav keeps her antennae flat and close to her skull. "Two, yes that is greater then just one sole All Mighty." Nav agreed, releasing her hold on the coiled antennae of hers'. Only after she successfully detangled the two.

Her fellow co-worker hummed in a stand offish way and brushed away the single defect Nav owned. "I wonder how many planets will be under our control with the two Tallest!" 

Forgetting about the coworker and the blender she had with frowning at Nav, the olive skinned Navigator nodded with a toothy grin before pointing at her empty smoothie and then swinging the claw to the smoothie machine on the other side of the room. Getting the hint the green skinned Irken nodded and faced the two Tallest who are currently laughing and coughing on some popcorn.

With no one really looking, Nav bent her head lower, half crouching down to the Table Head Irken and gave the poor sucker a smile. "Thank you for holding my cup." Is all she murmurs before pushing past the short Irken.

She didn't care if the shove had the poor loser stumbling and bumping into another high ranking Irken. She did want she thought was polite enough before ditching the thing. She's part of the few Irken that are thought and seen as the second tallest, the one's who might be in the runner up for being a All Mighty Tallest. Snorting she waited inline for a refuel on Berry Blue Blast Sugar Rush Smoothie, a claw reaching up to cover her mocking smile and her sneering snorts of laughter.

Her? A Tallest? as if that could even happen. 

Slowly she turned to watch the All Might Tallest as they laugh and toss snacks at whoever stood before them. "Dance! Give me a dance!" Tallest Purple shouts out, a angry sneer on his smooth face. Crinkling the space between his purple eyes and wrinkling his mouth. He has sharp teeth but his co-tallest is to busy snorting and hackling into his raspy laughter to save the poor Irken in front of them. 'Poor Smud, he shouldn't have gone in front of the Tallest table. No matter if he was a Military General.' Nav thought idly rubbing the cups paper edge.

Slowly other Ikren Navigators, Military General's and the rare soldiers filled their smoothie cups before making way for the taller (but not too tall) Nav. 

She choose the somewhat popular, Berry Blue Blast Sugar Rush. Watching as a small, stubby Food Service Drone take her foam cup from the counter and refill it with the picked flavor. 

Nav has always loved the sugary drink. Since she was a smeet all the way to when she became a high ranking Navigator during Tallest Miyuki's reign. 

The drone gently hands her the smoothie, tiny three clawed hands avoiding Nav's own hands. "One Berry Blue Blast Sugar Rush." He grunts out, red eyes turned downwards. Staring at the floor. Taking a slow sip of the smoothie, Nav gently curls one claw around her antennae. The polite words of 'Thank you' want to come forth but she keeps them tucked inside.

With a final tug on her curled ends, the black antennae giving a final bounce, she turns away and makes her way back to her spot.

The flavor of the drink brings back all those old memories of younger times. When Tallest Miyuki was alive and ruling, when Tallest Red and Tallest Purple where just Elite Irken Invaders along with Nav. When they weren't so bratty and snobby. (She shouldn't view her new Tallest like this but during the Tallest ceremony she caught them not slicing their thumbs of.) 

Nav came from the same cluster of smeets as Red and Purple, same with Zim but no one talks about that Defective Irken. Slurping down half her smoothie and giving herself a brain freeze, Nav wonders if the two Tallest remember her at all.

During their smeet years, in the underground nursery Nav was the odd Irken in the clutch. Older Irken who looked at her already wrote Nav as a Defect to the Empire. Then the Control Brains shocked everyone, even the now dead Tallest Gavi. 

Nav was given the future of being a Navigator.

A real shocker to all those who looked at smeet Nav and tugged on her curled antennae.

'Hah! I showed everyone.' Nav thought, puffing her chest out and snarling in her enemies faces.

Zim at the time wasn't so happy. He was upset and threw little smeet tantrums over Navs luck on the draw. "Unfair!" the tiny Irken shouted, "It should be Zim not that-that Defective!" She remembers Zim growling that out, snaping his jaws in anger.

Red and Purple (both being just slightly taller then Nav) as smeets weren't so upset over Nav's fated position. In fact, they thought Nav was weird yes, but not weird and annoying like Zim. From her memories they just watched Nav be her weird smeet self and laughed when she happened to make them snort.

She was known as the 'Weirdo' in the clutch. Often crawling the piping in the underground hutch, staying low and on all fours as she snarled and hissed at anyone who got to close.

Mostly those who got close to Red and Purple. After all after she was popped out of her capsule they were the first Irken she saw. 

Not only that but Zim often spent some smeet days with Nav. Chatting her antennae off and when he either got annoying or pulled on the curled antennae of hers, Nav would aggressively bare her teeth at the Irken. 

When the straw of her drink didn't pick up any more of her blue smoothie, Nav forgot about her smeet days. The party in honor of the two new Tallest is closing to a end. Mostly because Purple got upset over the lack of jokes and dancing, Red because she was tired of the ordeal. Cleaning Drone came by, picking up crushed cups and spilled drinks.

Tallest Purple was loudly grilling the small Irken, mocking them of their height before shaking a annoyed Tallest Red as Purple oooed and ahhed at a somewhat tall Irken.

When a Cleaning Drone walked towards Nav, she crushed the empty cup in her claws. Stopping just in arms reach, Nav tossed the smoothie cup into the trash and nodded as they moved on.

As the rush of everyone in the room flood outside, the two Tallest stood where they sat, a small circle of space given to everyone. Two other female Irken stood by the Tallest's sides. Not quite next to them but clearly with Tallest Red and Purple.

No one seemed to care.

Nav saw the soft and fond look in Tallest Red's eyes as he stared down at one of the females.

Tallest Red seemed to care.

Nav also, in a sort of worried way, saw the soft and spikey look in the other female Irken as she glanced at Tallest Red.

Tallest Purple couldn't care no matter how hard he tried.

'How odd.' Nav thought as she passed the four tall Irkens. 'I don't think I've ever seen those females.' She thinks trying not to get her boots stepped on.

"oh her?" The same co worker Nav talked to a few days ago nodded. Her name is Kat. "She's a high ranking Invader you know." Kat had a defective eye color. Her eyes are a shade of blue, but with the rounded red tinted glasses Kat always wore, no one seemed to care.

(Nav faintly traces the hooked antennae Kat has. How she isn't seen as a defective for that and how she hides the blue color of her eyes while Nav is forced to show her curled antennae)

With a rotating wrist, Nav silently asked Kat to continue her story. "Lyn." Kat snorted out upset at Nav in a way. While Nav might not know this Kat in upset that Nav has a higher Navigator position. "Invader Lyn, she's quite the Invader. One of the best we have ever seen, really." Kat moves back to the control panel infront of them both.

"Is Lyn a high ranking Invader or just a new Invader setting a name for herself?" Nav asked echoing the movements of Kat. They are on duty anyways. "Who cares." Kat grumbles rolling her eyes and ending the talk with Nav there.

"Yeah sure, I'll just ask someone else." Nav snaps out huffing at her lower ranking coworker. Nav pretends that she didn't see Kat flinch under her snappy response.

Nav is part of the second tallest Irken. Same with the other Irken female that Tallest Red so fondly stares at.

'Oh whatever, if Invader Lyn is making a mark for herself then surely more people know more about her. This may be my first encounter seeing Lyn, but it won't be the last.'

A few hours went past, nothing else really happening. The newest Tallest are slowly settling into their new jobs and are forced to meet every other high ranking member that works for them. Nav is one of them and when the meeting for this part starts neither of the Tallest appear. Nav stands behind her boss, both had been picked picked for this event. Her boss Highest Navigator Pip, stood tall, which wasn't really that tall. Pip was just your average height Irken. Nav easily dwarfed Pip in being tall, but with Nav's defect of curled antennae she wasn't picked for the Highest Navigator spot. 

Beside them stood the others. Each around Nav's height but with the stance of Navigator Pip. Across them, on the other side stood the Invaders and other Military related Ikren. From there Nav can see her. The female Irken that Nav questioned Kat about.

Invader Lyn. 

She stood amongst the other Invaders yet Lyn stood like a Tallest. It was eye catching but the female Irken didn't waver once during the time the Tallest didn't show up. Those around Lyn whispered with glee and smiles, as if it was a honor to be by her. 

When Nav glanced at those around her she felt bitter, as the Irken next to her sides frowned and glared at Nav.

Why is it Invader Lyn got more respect then High Ranking Navigator Nav?

 The doors to the meeting slide open with a hiss. Highest Navigator Pip perked up, his hooked antennae raised forward and he even elbowed Nav to follow his lead. With a sound of discomfort Nav raised her curled antennae forward as well, like everyone else. But the one to walk through the doors first wasn't the two Almighty Tallest.

Instead it was the ever lovely, Archvist Pax. 

The other female Irken that shared fond looks with Tallest Red. All antennae lowered slightly, not expecting the nice Pax to enter first. 

She can hear a soft grumble of anger somewhere in front of her but when Nav glanced away from Pax, the sound stopped rumbling.

'who made that sound?' 

Was left unaswered through the whole meeting. From when Pax explained to the high ranking Irken that the Tallest with be arriving soon and all the way to the end, when the two Tallest did show up and 'meet' everyone.

Tallest Red brushed past Lyn, even Nav could see the Invader's sorrow at not being seen. Another Invader behind Lyn gently gave Lyn a small pat before whispering something. "Thank you, Dez but I can handle it." Lyn's growl was heard but no one seemed to take it in. Instead Tallest Purple was the one to gush over the work Invader Lyn has done.

When it camed to Pip and Nav to be introduced to the newest Tallest, something happened that Nav will never forget in all her years.

Highest Navigator Pip was mocked by Tallest Purple. "You're so short, are you sure you didn't get lost Pip-squeak?" He asked, one hand waving at Nav's boss while the other hand cradles a drink close to his body. Tallest Red stood next to him, a frown on his face aswell. Like they couldn't believe that Pip was someone important. 

Pip's antennae was flat to his skull as she stuttered and huffed in bewilderment. A long green claw was shoved into Nav's face as Tallest Purple caught the much taller Irken behind Pip. "You, on the other claw are much taller. Why aren't you in front?" He asked, his movement's to fast as his drink spilled onto Pip. "Curled antennae just aren't the trend." Nav answered moving her antennae in view. 

The glaze she got from Tallest Red and Tallest Purple made Nav squirm and wiggle her fingers. Did they have to go so silent when they look at her defect? "Oh, shit wait!" Purple gasp out, effectively spilling all of his soda onto Pip. "Red, Red bro! I think this is that freak back in the smeetries!" He harshly whispered out.

Nav could only grin and bare the words the two said. "Nav. Her name is Nav, It's not hard to forget." Red mumbles before waving his claws in the air. After that they move on forgetting Nav and Pip just as fast.

Never in her life did Nav wish this to happen. But she was glad that by the end of the meeting, Pip was covered in dried soda and fuming that he was called short.

Maybe the two fools she graduated with will make fine Tallests.

Oh how Nav could never have foreseen the future.

Chapter Text

Chapter 2 The Emperor and the Peasant

Nav struggles the next few days, maybe even the next few months she doesn't know. Kat is keeping her busy by asking Nav questions that even a freshly hatched smeet should know. Not only that but because Nav is one of the second ranking Navigators, Highest Pip is making her run around like some sort of Yuti who had their head chopped off. "Again? How can you forget how to mange the panel? It's not that hard to even find the pathway the Tallest are taking us-" Nav started off with a snarl and a frown as she jabbed at Kat's own navigation panel. "Almighty Tallest, Nav." Kat cut her off, arms crossed as she too frowned back at Nav.

"What." Nav stopped her aggressive movements to stare down at Kat.

She was leaning over her seat, to tower over Kat's own desk at the main room of the Massive.

"It's Almighty Tallest. Not just 'Tallest'." Kat said the last word with the tone of something nasty. As if she was speaking to a smeet who didn't know better.

"Right sure, Kat. I'll start calling them that when you understand how to actually do your fuckin' job." The harsh flinch Kat made after what was said had the smaller navigator falling silent. Nav finished up the work Kat couldn't do and slowly sat down at her main desk. A slightly larger navigation panel that was painted the same soft pink hue the whole Armada had.

But the lines and small grooves that make up the panel was inked in a soft yellow. It was a way to mark any Irken on when they graduated. (Tallest Red and Tallest Purple had the same soft yellow lines, then the same colors as the other Tallest. But once they became Elite Irken Invaders the lines changed to be dyed red and purple)

Gently Nav traced the inked colors on her desk before her claws turned to her suit as well. Only the mid section, buttons and the ear pieces had the yellow paint on them. Her high collar, skirt and the rest of the uniform was dyed the same color as the Armada. When she glanced over at Kat she studied the same ear pieces she wore on her head.  Unlike Nav, Kat wore a mixture of red and purple. 

No wonder Kat was so dumb and snappy. Kat was brought into this job during Tallest Red and Tallest Purple's rein.

'wonder if Kat knows that they didn't care on who she is. But Tallest Miyuki hand picked me! Because I was perfect for the navigator job!'

But she kept those nasty brewing thoughts to herself. Nav is alone after all, with her curly antennae and the aloofness she gives off. "...thank you." Kat hissed out. Her blue eyes squinted down at her black gloves and her antennae snapped downwards as she murmured those words. Nav could only offer her lower co-navigator, not even sparing the Irken a glance.

She may be a defect with her coiled antennae, but Nav was still a tall Irken. She was given other Irken's respect whether they liked to or not. Not only that but Nav stood at the same height as Archvist Pax. The one who Irkens gave their respects too because they enjoyed her over Nav. (she pretends it's because Pax is sweet and extremely smart. Not because Pax has normal antennae.)

Kat worried her gloved claws together, sweating softly as Nav fell silent after she showed her thanks for the help. After all Kat was never good at being a standard Irken navigator. She wasn't meant to be sitting at the front panels helping steer the Massive and answer incoming calls. Kat was only good at the maintenance that came with being a navigator.  Fixing the Massive, repairing damages that can happen both inside and outside was where Kat shone.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3 Pieces on the Board

Her antennae are irritated and they tingle for the next few hours when Lyn and Red left. Kat doesn't seemed bothered, only picking up her glasses, rubbing her antennae once to loosen them and going back to work. As if Red didn't have a screaming match with Lyn. Nav is baffled, slightly upset that everyone just brushed that off. Attempting to just let the heated moment go, Nav rubs her fingers gently through her antennae and messaged the base at her skull.

It doesn't help much, they still tingle from the emotion left in the air but at least they aren't irritated anymore. "Well, that was unexpected." Kat prompted out after fixing her panel. Her gloves are shiny under the lights over head. "I didn't think Invader Lyn would yell at Almighty Tallest Red." She finished watching Nav rub her wrists all over her face. "What were they yelling about?" Nav grunted out still rubbing her face. She can feel the pressing emotion Red had on her antennae and they bobbed back to relay the info.

"Something about Lyn's recent capture. Didn't you hear? Tallest Red didn't want us listening but his growls said it all." Kat whispered in awe. Somewhere behind them another Irken is waving a fan, the air stuffy after the event. "Oh, well, sort of." Nav finally pulled her arms away from her face to tug the high collar down. Kat was surprised to see freckles dotting the bridge between Nav's eyes and cheeks. Colored a darker olive green. "I wouldn't talk about it. Best we just forget what happened." Kat returned to her newest task, organizing the newest reports she was assigned. 

Nav sat there, in her slightly more comfy chair, watching out the wide window in the room. Smaller fleets that hang around the Massive sometimes flew into view before moving out of the way. She wishes to be back there. In her old fleet where she was a elite flyer with unbelievable engineering skills. 

She wasn't like the invaders who come and go once given a new order. No, Nav was just another simple fleet Irken who was meant to hover near the Massive. "Those where the days," she hummed gently tracing a claw over her skirt. Her PAK still wielded the Irken symbol for the fleets, she has yet for the PAK to show her new position in the navigation room. 

Kat has her PAK showing the correct job symbol. Maybe Nav will take a trip to the Control Brain rooms, where she can get her PAK rebranded. It's not a painful process, it's just a simple they black you out, the ones who work with the PAKs come in and just change the outer shell then they wake you up.

It's easy.

It's not hard.

Even Zim went through the process. Many times.

But he's a fool and Nav just never had the time since Zim caused that one blackout.

A soft light flashing caught Nav's eyes and when she looked down at her panel she got a new list from other high ranking Invaders. Swiping them out of the way Nav went back to the info page she had pulled up. Different butterfly wings flooded her screen. Organes, blacks, purples, greys and every other color was there. Each Papillon member had different patterns and styles. 

'Do the patterns have a purpose? Is it like here? Who ever has the largest and complex pattern becomes a type of leader?'

Nothing was said about the patterns and the sizes. Only their weaknesses and what they are good at. From whose important and to who doesn't matter. Most of the pictures for the planet came from Lyn. Since she was the one to conquer the planet, the photos for important Papillon members also came from Lyn. In the coming days more photos will flood the info pages. No longer would Lyn be the sole photographer. 

Nav spent her work hours studying and tracing every photo Lyn took. She spent the most time looking at the smeetries too. Or the Hatchries? From the short summary given to each photo that is what the Papillon called the hatching areas. Also set deep underground, but in the photos their version looked warm. With fabric lining the floors and grooves that held fancy looking lamps. Some type of rock that is glowing a soft ember.

In one photo there was even a nanny Papillon shown tending to the smeets. She wore earthy tones, her clothes looked soft and made out of fur. Her yellow and red tipped wings where loose by her sides as her gloves cradle a wrapped smeet Papillon. Those antennae of her's looked like any other Irken's. Curved and skinny.

She had a fond look as she gazed down at the bundle.

It was strange and so very different from what Nav recalls. So much warmer and welcoming. No PAK was tossed onto the nanny Papillon and the smeet she held. Nav found it strange and she couldn't understand why they would need a Nanny to deal with the smeets. Lyn had marked the Hatchries as important. 

The other photo Nav spent her time at was the one for the food court. It was above, with some sort of metal or smooth wood above each shop. Many Papillon are gathered there, buying or hackling for the food being sold. Some held weird drinks colored yellow or golden even a rare clear. But there was one stand that a tall Papillon stood at. Long fuzzy antennae dipped forward as his apron advertised meat.

Another difference with the Irkens and Papillons. 

They could eat meat while the Irken's cannot.

"I'd stop looking at Lyn's report." Kat's black glove slammed onto the photo showing the tall Papillon. Her other glove reached over and pulled the high collar up and over Nav's face. "Highest Navigator Pip is making his rounds here and I don't want him yelling at me all because you can get away with this slacking." She was shaking as she tucked both arms back into her workspace. Nav didn't snap at her for reprimming a taller Irken and for that, Kat is just thankful over.

"They're pretty interesting. They use their wings to block the rain." Nav uttered finally getting to her task. "I don't care." Pip's footfalls can be heard in the room after that. Light and somewhat dainty as he peered into each navigator's panel. Nav could hear him mumbling to certain navigators and even growling at some. Her sensitive antennae tingled with the growls but all it told Nav was-

'Some one is being bossy today!'

When he stood next to Nav, barely hitting the navigator's shoulders all Pip could do was wiggle his antennae at her. Pleased yet also not. He still smelled of the soda Purple dropped on him. "What reports have you done, Nav?" He questioned eyeing her folders. Marked REPORTED and UNFILTERED. "I've informed Tallest Red and Tallest Purple of Invader Lyn's recent take over." She answered, waving her antennae back at her boss. They picked up his slight anger to her yet all Pip can pick up was her aloofness. "Keep up the work, Kat-" Pip moved on fast.

He may be her boss but Nav was still taller. "I will be meeting with Archvist Pax later." She quickly thrust the wording onto Pip and her antennae bobbed in pleasure as the tiny Irken flinched slightly. "Does your PAK need work?" He asked after clearing his throat and pulling on his gloves. "No, but I have important business with her." Kat was frowning, unhappy that Nav is demanding Pip to let her see Pax.

No one can really get away with that unless you're tall. Which Nav is; Pip is not. 

"Yes, then. You may. . ." Pip could only agree, a deep frown set into his face. "Thank you Pip." But it was weakened slightly with the words Nav uttered. 

It was always a pleasure when a taller Irken says thank you.

It was harder then Nav thought finding Pax. Every time Nav went down to the Control Brain room, the tall female was never there. When other Irken's who work there asked Nav her business she can only shrug. "Is Archvist Pax here?" She would ask, looking down at the Irkens. They would chitter and wiggle their hooked antennae before giving Nav a, "No."

Some days Nav couldn't drop by the Control Brains, during her work shift she would find out Pax was there. Nav would growl the whole day, upset she missed her chance. (she didn't see how nervous that made some Irken.)

Once Nav even caught Pax following behind Tallest Red. Her posture relaxed and content to just follow him around. Lyn was also following, a distance away but with her posture angry and spikey. Her blue eyes glared at Pax whenever the female got close to tell Red something. Even Tallest Purple was there but he was busy stuffing his mouth with sugar to ever care about the females.

They passed by Nav that day too, as she sat on the floor tending to a panel that was acting up. Pax looked at her whilst no one else did. 

It was harder then Nav thought.

About a few months later did Nav get her chance. After reading report, after report made by Lyn. After each report, down at the bottom in shaky hand writting did Nav see her slowly get more and more damage. After see Lyn attack a shorter Heal Drone for touching her.

Rubbing her antennae, Nav could almost feel  the anger Lyn let out. Nav made her way inside the much colder Control Brain rooms, Pax was supposed to be here today. Her tablet was humming with incoming data and reports, now it was filled with a newer Invader. His name is Minut and like Lyn he's been making a name for himself.

But he wasn't as angry when the Tallest brushes away his efforts to fond over new snacks or even a tall Irken.

"Pax?" Nav called out, shoving past other Irken, one's she isn't looking for and they don't toss her a glance. "Pax, I would like a word." Nav called out, softly stepping over wires and other cords. A Control Brain over head is humming and softly glows a red color as it moves slowly. 

'They've always freaked me out. With their gentle movements, and soft colors. But they speak so sassy, I don't want to spend too much time here.' Nav slowed her pace under a large Control Brain, watching as it slowly moves to look at another Irken who stood on a platform of sorts. A light is shining on them and it shows their green colors eyes as they await the Brain to talk to.

"Navigator Nav?" Flinching, said Irken turned to her right where the elegant and nice Pax stood. But she looks different, holding her posture more stiffly and her hands clutch another tablet. "Yes, I wanted to talk to you?" Nav moves out of the way, the small pathway she stood on has other Archvist's pushing past. 

None of them really get upset at Pax and Nav.

They are taller then them.

Pax is frowning softly, her eyes glancing at the Control Brains littering the room, hanging to the ceiling in little bundles. "Oh- Of course, follow me." She stumbles on her first word. Her face flushes for a moment before she swiftly starts to walk away. Nav isn't bothered, stuffing her long gloves into the pockets of the thick skirt and sticking close to Pax.

'She's worried about the Control Brains seeing her act like a defective.' Nav noticed, her eyes catching the more collected pace Pax is going at. How her antennae are pressed close to her skull. Sticking to the walls yet also having some Irken move out of the way. 

Her work place is different from Nav's. Whilst Nav could get up and leave whenever she requested it, Pax is stuck here. Following her work hours.

The Control Brains are important and demand the Irken's who work under them to always be on duty 24/7. Sometimes, because Pax is still seen somedays with Tallest Red. Pax finally stopped leading Nav deep into the chilly rooms, choosing a spot that is covered in wires. All of which are neatly roped to the walls and ceilings. "Here should be good." Pax mumbled, placing her tablet on a lone counter in the room. To Nav, she looks more relaxed here, where ever here is. "If you say so, I wanted to ask you about defects." Nav is quick, jumping on her one chance to ask Pax these things.

"Defects?" Pax echoes back looking shocked.

"The Control Brains work with encoding every Irken under the Empire." Nav starts keeping her wide eyes on a worried Pax. "That must mean you encounter a lot of. . . bugs? Glitches? Defects." Nav has her antennae perked up, her curls dangling between Pax and herself. Slowly she lifts one claw to point at her defect. Pax is following her movement like she was about to attack her. 

(Nav is fully trained to kill, after all she was trained along side the Tallest, but without the further training they got. In fact Pax is awere that the Control Brains wanted Nav to be a Highest Warrior if being a navigator didn't work out.)

(The Irkens whose sole purpose is to kill other alien races.)

(Pax is listening but feels like is this all a distraction. Like Nav was posing as a friend to jump her.)

"I do encounter a lot of bugs that is the cause of defects in some smeets." Pax answered finally, watching as Nav tugs and lets her antennae bounce from the action. "Well, what can you tell me of mine?" Nav finally relaxes, her stance becoming more loose and her defective antennae is picking up Pax's disstress. 

'why is she so scared of me? I'm just a navigator with some questions.' Is left forever unanswered as Pax also relaxes. "I can-" Nav stumbles for a moment letting Pax take  short breather. "With my antennae, I can feel your emotions. The same happened with Lyn. . .and Tallest Red." She finishes her sentence, faintly recalling all the days ago when the two growled in her work space.

"Oh, yikes, that." Pax mumbles before perking up at Nav. She shuffles closer to Nav, gently reaching out to the other's antennae. "You said you can pick up my emotions. Which is strange because normal-" Pax flinches at that word, nervously cradling the curled ends. Nav doesn't do anything but stare back. "-normal antennae can't do that. I guess it has to do with how long yours is and how they spiral at the ends."

Pax is still holding one of Nav's as she grabs her own normal antennae and pulls it forward to compare the both. Pax's antennae are curved slightly, rare but not unknown among Irkens. The end of her antennae is swooped slightly, with a little shine to the thicker parts. When Nav glances between the two she is slightly sad over the differences.

Her own defective antennae are way longer then Pax's antennae, even if they are the same height. But the ends are curled and coiled like Pax said. Not ending in that elegant swoop, instead they are frayed, like a open wire. The very tips of those ends have a small bump, they shimmer under the lights no shine like Pax has. "They're longer and they have those split ends, which might be the reason way you catch emotions!" Letting go of her perfect antennae, Pax is back to examining and studying Nav.

Nav can't feel the touches to the curly ends, they felt numb as Pax twirls a claw around them trying to get the split ends to stick together. "Tallest Red has the same length of antennae as well so I won't be shocked if he. . . " Pax talks fondly about Red. Nav could see it in the way her touches to the antennae become softer, and the way Pax's emotions flood the room.

Whilst other Irken can't pick it up, Nav could and it feels so warm, so happy as Pax gushes over Red. Standing close to Pax, she could see the way her eyes glow and the tiny smile that is forming. "But his isn't split." Nav cuts off Pax's happy rant, uninterested in the talk about Red.

(nav forces down her longing to be as close to the Tallest that Pax is at. She just wants someone to talk with everyday without the  sneers thrown her way. Like Pax gets, how she isn't called a freak.)

(maybe she can befriend Pax.)

Pax stills for a moment, like Nav shocked her. "Oh, uh, no his isn't like yours. " She flushes for a moment but before anything else can be said Pax's tablet is pinging. Their time together is up, "I'm being called to work. I hope that could at least answer some of your troubles." Pax is moving away from Nav, softly gathering herself back together for work.

It's strange watching as Pax throws on her work face. No longer is it the friendly Pax but instead its the Irken she is meant for.

"Thank you, I know being a defect is hard work but maybe we can talk like this again. Being the only defective Irken with what I have is lonely and harsh." Nav starts as the transformation of Pax unfurls. Pax seems to understand as she grabs the tablet and offers Nav a slight wiggle of her perfectly normal antennae. "We can try talking about the many defects there are in Irkens another time. It was nice getting to study a tall Irken's defect."

They part ways then, Nav following Pax before they leave at the sliding door entrance. It's cold inside the Control Brain rooms but with that many computer parts together they have to keep it chilly. As to not over heat them and cause a major emergency. The doors slide shut behind Nav, no sound made whatsoever, and when she turns to look at the entrace the symbol for the Conrtol Brains is painted there, large and imposing.

"Rarely is there tall Irkens like you Nav. And me!" Pax is laughing there, a small crack in her work face.

Nav gives it a longer look before making her way back to the Navigation rooms. The hallways and everywhere else is warmer. She feels her claw tips and even her antennae start to warm up. Nav passes by other smaller Irken who make room for her, as to not slow her down. Lyn is there too, looking upset and livid as she storms down. The leaking emotion that comes from Lyn as Nav pausing to watch the Invader.

"In fact it's even more rare that a tall Irken comes out defective like you!" Pax waves at Nav, sounding more like what she's supposed to be like. "Like me? " Nav wanted to add on that Pax is also a tall defect like herself. 

Both know this but it's easier for Pax to hide it.

Lyn is growling and shoving her way past unmoving Irkens. Her scarred face is scrunched up in anger and she even scratches at a few Irken as they stumble out of the way to slow. Curled antennae tingle under the strong emotion Lyn is giving off but Nav is surprised to see the Invader take a calming breath at the Control Brain's entrance. With her back facing Nav is able to see the cracks and scuffed PAK Lyn sports. 

Her own PAK hums in stressed worry, like it's worried over Lyn as she's carelessly neglected to care for her Invader PAK. 

"Let's talk more about this another time!" Pax is fully geared to go back to work. Tablet in her claws and the defect Pax has tucked and bundled away. "Sure, it's nice to find out more from you." Nav agrees with a soft nod.

Lyn takes one more breath before running her wrists over her antennae and the stub of a antennae. Suddenly Lyn wears her own mask, her anger is mostly buried below but it's still shimmering as the doors open.

Lyn steps through like Nav did awhile ago.

Pax gives Nav a friendly pat on her PAX. "I can even help you switch your PAX to the correct job symbol."

The doors shut behind Lyn. Standing still, her irritated antennae are bobbing and thrumming with the livid emotion that came from Lyn. It's like a trail that Nav is craving to follow. But she doesn't, instead she pulls out her work tablet and reads over Invader Minut's reports.

Nav pulls down on her high collar before giving Pax a even brighter smile. Something Nav can get away with. 

Invader Minut is a interesting invader. He is average height with green eyes. He's the same height as Lyn but his notes are not going down the same route that Lyn did.

Pax is greeted by another Irken asking for a talk alone. She's afraid that she would have to tell them to go away, her free time is taken but she isn't allowed that opportunity. 

Nav is reaching her work room as she finishes her work. The green eyed Invader has already taken over 10 planets, just a little slower then Lyn. But he doesn't do the same impressive photo taking Lyn does.

Lyn is greeting Pax, alone with just the two of them. A large Control Brain is watching the show down between the two females. 

"Are you done chasing her?" Kat's snarling is what greets Nav as she settles into the work chair. "Yes, I am. Do you know anything about Invdaer Minut?" Nav asked hooking the tablet onto the navigation panels. "Ugh," Kat is groaning as she holding her head.

No one but Lyn knows what has happened in this room. It reeks of iron and the remains of Pax.

"He graduated in the same clutch as me." Kat is somewhat proud as she says this fact, like it's some grand thing. "Oh really?" Nav is looking at the photo of Minut. He looks ugly and just plan weird.

At least, for now. Lyn is ripping the ugly antennae the bitch has, it takes a bit of effort but she gets the things out and she shoves them into her pockets. The video she sent to the Tallest will show them.

Nav isn't allowed to ask any more questions. The flood of disgust and searing anger is leaking into the rooms. Her antennae trace it to the vents above, where the emotions of three Irken is coming in. tingling and feeling sensitive Nav is forced to feel the same emotions the Irken are feeling.

Tears are brought into her eyes, which have Nav roughly rubbing at them as her defective antennae bob to the sorrow hanging in the air. They soak in it, like some sort of melted sugar it drapes and wraps around Nav.

It's painful and sad.

She hopes those three who feel this strongly get better.

(she doesn't know that the reason it's so strong is that it's coming from the Tallests.) 

Chapter Text

Chapter 4 Freak off a Leash

The rain was always pouring, steady with it droplets falling from the skies. There's feet shuffling around and muffled shouts that the sound of rain drowns out to all who bother to listen. Overhead stormy clouds gather, dark and looming as it thunders and crackles with claps of lighting within the clouds. Three fingers grab ahold of the rain coat and tug it closer to their chilled skin. 

The raincoat made on this planet is designed after the glasswings Papillion. It's a elegant style that everyone loves, it's used for everything meant to kept this consent rain at bay. The over hangings above are based on the wings itself. See through and the same webbing of black, shaped to the wings and even slowly swirling in circles. Many of those overhanging's are mounted up, layered so not even a gap is left as they turn in slow circles.

Everything here has some sort of butterfly or moth design to them. Pêche has always loved the way his planet was designed, to the turning fans above to the flower pattern pathways. It's always been so lively and happy here, even if there has been times of civil war amongst the different species of Papillon.

(he pretends not to notice how some Papillon sub species are extinct thanks to these wars)

At least things used to be so pretty and calm. Now there isn't even a chance for different Papillon to fight one another as now the planet has been conquered by the Irken race. "Ugh, now I wish for the rain to stop." A dainty glasswing Papillon hissed out shaking their head and their shoulders to get rid of the rain clinging to them. "All thanks to that Irken bitch." She hissed out, her needle teeth bared before she relaxed.

Pêche stood next to her, rubbing his palms. After Invader Lyn had conquered the planet and left the world was left alone for a few days, until another Irken came in and started sorting everyone into their new jobs, he said his name was something like. . . Docky? Dunce? Dounky?

It's hard to know Irken names when they don't translate well into the Papillon language. The only reason Pêche or any Papillon knew Lyn's name was because she knew their language from being a fake, false Papillon.

"Been flying long?" Pêche offered since it looks like the glasswing was talking to him. She turned her black oval head towards him and her shiny orange eyes stared wide at him. She had curly lashes that caught some dew drops. "Yes!" She gasped out exhausted from her new job. "Glasswings aren't meant for this type of work! Our wings are too fragile to be a delivery bug!" She's waving her thin hands around in the air, she has all four of her claws but her gloves are the thin type of leather, meant for some vanity type of worker. 

Not a labor type of worker. 

She's going off about how her job isn't right, how that Irken who came after Lyn is going to pay for making her had bruises on her arms and hands. Her thin stick like antennae are bouncing in her movements and they have small bands of gold wrapped around the tips and the base. "Did you make jewelry?" Pêche  cut the glasswing off, pointing at her antennae that held some gold, when he glances at her wings he's surpiesd to see no gold or any type of jewelry there either.

(there's some old piercing holes at the tips of the glasswing's wings but nothing hangs from her.)

The female stops her rambling to eye Pêche from huffing. "Yes, you can say that." She's rolling her right hand in the air before she's doing the same messaging motions Pêche is doing. 

They both lost their old job to become a delivery bug as she said. The glasswing made some vanity type of objects and Pêche made food of sorts.

Used too at least.

Pêche turns away from the female, finally his hands aren't hurting and he can get back to finishing the boxes he has to drop off to the Irken ships at the docking ports. Opening his wide wings, he ignores the gasp the glasswing gives behind him and takes off from the ground. The rain isn't a problem to the Papillon when they fly, the only one's that have trouble are those who wings' are just too thin to fly for very long.

His antennae tuck and fold closer to his head as he takes his time flying in the air. Thick gloves and clothes are perfect for flying in cold winds and always-falling rain in this planet. It's normal, waking up hearing the rain fall and it's normal when the rain clouds stay when you tuck into the hanging bed in your room.

(the first thing Pêche knew when he hatched from the Hatchery was rain. It's a sound that you hear that's only muffled deep underground. The nanny had hushed his cries and showed him the red that hatching day, him and every other hatched Papillon that came out that day. How peaceful was it looking up at the glasswing window on the ceiling. The dirt and clay around the wiindow kept the rain out but it was so wonderful seeing the rainstorms as a hatchling, the rain falling and the clear window catching the droplets before the arch had them slipping off.)

With a hefty landing, Pêche made it to the Irken infested area of his home planet. The earthy tones that once ruled the area was drowned in the space colors the Irken wear and bore to the world. That bright pink and magenta color. Some Irken stood working outside too, tiny little Irken's with some purple tinted wears, their gloves are the same as Pêche's, only thing is all of theirs' are short and lack the care Pêche's has.

He had to land slightly away from the shipping port, the crude umbrellas that protect these Irken are too small for any Papillon to land under, only meant for tiny Irkens. There's a lone leaf umbrella stand, it's wide and just big enough for other delivery Papillon to fly under and to shake off at. From there they have to lean over and hand the bags or boxes over to the Irken that stands under their tiny umbrella.

That's how most drop offs are like. Crowded, full of the tacky Irken's and their uptight snobby attitude. 

Papillon who are stuck here are silent most of the time. Wings folded and tucked under their arms and out of pulling distance. Those Irken are like hatchlings, demanding, tiny and very grabby. 

Pêche walks under the leaf overhang, shaking off the water that clung to his jacket and head. He feels like a type of chien when he shakes off the water, it's normal but at the same time under the watcherful eyes of Irken it feels like a taboo thing to do. To shake off the water.

"Next!"

The tiny olive skin Irken is shouting, every time he gets a new shipment. Then the empty clawed Papillon steps out of the way, away from the feisty Irken and then they spread their pretty wings and off they go, onto the next order.

"Next!"

There isn't a lot of the Pieridae Papillon here, clustered under the overhang. Pêche feels sorry for the many dainty Papillon that stands next to him and under the leaf. They weren't meant for long flights and hefty bags of product.

"Next!" 

Pêche watches as a Hesperiidae steps forward, their tiny arms struggling to hold out the boxes they had to drag here. Every other Papillon hisses and chitters in soft worry as the Hesperiidae's arms shake. The Irken on the other side narrows their green eyes, as if judging the other ailen. But there's a relif of sighs as the box is taken from the tiny Hesperiidae.

"Next!"

The Irken shouts this out, ignoring the Hesperiidae as they step back into the rain. Every one can see the drain that is taking over the tinier Papillon, it's unfair and plain unlucky if you get slotted to the wrong job. Pêche shoves his bags of goods over to the Irken, they grab onto the leafy bags in a haste, not wanting any of the contents to spill out onto the muddy puddles.

They glare at Pêche but what can they do? 

He steps into the rain and turns his back onto the Irken. Here in the rain every Papillon is safe, the rain burns and scolds the Irkens easily. Like the fire crytals do to the fruit. It's safe here in the rain, but Pêche knows better. He makes quick work to rush out of there, his wide wings taking his far away in quick time.

Those PAK's that litter the back of every Irken is the true worry. While they may not be waterproof they still hold a threat unknown to every Papillon.

"Next!"

Well, at least that's what everyone thinks. But Pêche knows better, he's seen the horror that PAK can bring.

And as he soars through the rain, his wings slicing the rain as he heads to the nests of homes, he grins. Tipping his head back he takes in the rain storm. Thunder rumbles above, the clouds are split by lighting and he can hear Irken's scream.

He's also seen the horror's of what the rain does to a unprotected Irken.

Nav is standing with the other Irken in the hanger room, a sort of meeting is happening again after the act Lyn pulled. Tallest Purple and Red stood in the center, the last meeting of the day is with the 'important' and taller Irken of the Armada. They're speaking and shouting on their platform, their words unknown and muffled to Nav. There's a image of Lyn behind them, displayed on the window. It moves and distorts at times, the hologram of Lyn is glitching, her blue eyes can look so calm at times but then the image flickers and Nav can see blood on Lyn.

Kat is standing next to Nav, her normal antennae pointed forward and towards the Tallest. Her eyes are wide and sparkling, every quick movement is followed by her head, like every other Irken in this room. Nav doesn't follow along, her eyes are busy taking in Lyn in her glitchy photo before they slowly trace over to the photo of Pax.

Pax photo isn't as glitchy as Lyn's photo. In fact, the image of Pax is normal. She's shown in her lab outfit, the white coat is clean of any blood, her red eyes bright as she gives a tiny smile. Her perfect antennae are still there. . .

"...keep a eye...for any one. . .Lyn . . .traitor to the Irken race. . ."

Idly Nav digs her hands into the pocket's of her skirt. The urge to grab her defects are strong, but the angry and distressed emotion of the Tallest had Nav refusing to go through with her urge. Faintly she can feel the ghost touch of Pax.

When she twirled her claw over the ends and when she spoke fondly to Nav. Like they were friends, even if Pax looked scared of Nav, she would never do what Lyn had done. Attack another Irken? That's unheard of, well, not really, but killing them? For no known reason? That's unheard of. Kat is chittering now and when Nav tunes into the other Irkens as well, they are chittering back at the Tallest.

Both of which stood tall and very murderous. 

Nav chitters in too, late to the group but no one really cares that she's late. Everyone is wiggling their antennae at Tallest Red, who stood the most aggressive out of the two. His back his turned to the group, but his claws are bared and his teeth are shown at the image of Lyn. His snarls rumble deep under the tile floors and they bounce around the room.

When Nav glances at Purple, her head bowed into the high collar she starts to understand.

Tallest Purple is more calm of the two, whilst he isn't poised to lunge, he still has his claws bared for a attack. His eyes are sadly tracing his co-tallest, their long antennae is lowered as he slowly turns to the image of Pax.

Two emotions that is being shown. Nav's curly antennae start to tingle and rumble, it makes her skull start to tickle and she shivers slightly to get rid of the feeling. Her right antennae is picking up the anger Red has towards Lyn. It's strong and runs deep into her skull. It's telling her that something is there, it's right there, why can't you tell?

Her left antennae is soft and gentle in it's signals, it's picking up the somber emotion Purple has towards the whole situation, like he could've stopped this whole thing in a way. It's there, you see? It's right there you just need to look.

Kat picks up her head, her elbow bumps into Nav as a sort of 'hey-follow-the-lead' when Nav doesn't pick up her head aswell. When Nav does she sees that everyone is now filtering out of the room. "It's over?" She whispers to Kat, standing up from the chair, Kat is standing next to Nav before nodding. She looks normal, like she couldn't pick up the clues in the air.

"Yeah, their backs are turned to us." Kat points out, no bight in her voice. Nav follows behind Kat before the tiny Irken moves out of the way and has Nav lead. 'Right, I'm the taller of us.' Nav makes easy work leaving the room, but she chances one last look back at her Tallest.

Purple is huddled next to Red, who no longer has his teeth bared. Their antennae are almost touching but Purple is talking to Red.

After the important meeting, one that Nav still can't recall, everyone is left tense. The Tallest aren't seen as much anymore, no longer are they hanging around the snack areas, no longer are they laughing and pointing at the shorter Irkens.

Nav is left alone at the snack rooms, it's empty once again. For the third time this whole week, the room usually has the Tallest here. It's the more fancy and better one of all snack rooms. The big table that sits of the Tallest is empty, void of any activity.  

It feels all so wrong, Nav is nervously rolling the snack bar between her claws as she steps closer to the table. It's a warm magenta color, the seats look comfy with the plush that covers it. When Nav runs a claw on the surface of the table she leaves behind a clean streak of her action. Her black glove comes back with a layer of dust. No one really sits down to eat here.

They take the food and drinks and then they eat it somewher else.

But here in the dimly light room, Nav is alone and she breathes in the dust. 

Nav takes a seat at the Tallest table. With no one here, who is there to stop her? But she doesn't dare take the seat that Red and Purple own. Instead she pulls another chair from a different table over. She uses a napkin to clean the table before she settles down.

Her drink leaves a ring of sugary residue behind every time she picks it up to take a sip.

It's cold in the room, with no one else to make the place warm with their bodies.  

Turning to her right, she can look out the wide windows, into the space that slowly moves by. Other fleets are flying past every so often and even if the ghost of her Tallest sit with her, Nav feels calm. There is no tension here. No strained air between Irkens when they stand next to one another.

As Nav sips from her soda, she thinks back to the strained air between everyone. Lately there has been more and more cullings of Irkens. Those who are deems "LIKE LYN". Nav isn't sure how to feel, when she gets another report saying a Irken she was assigned to was killed. Indifferent in a way, less work for her but then it leaves her open.

With that free time Nav is forced to watch and feel the emotion of other Irken's. Lately the Invader class has been feeling icky. It makes Nav's head hurt and her antennae are always irritated when she runs into Invaders. Like a itch that makes her angry and just not in a good mood.

(They're under pressure now, if they act too much like Lyn then who knows what will happen to them)

Then there is the defects. The one's with the bad, bad defects. The unlucky Irkens who have one arm, or too many PAKS attached to them, or they are too short. (the ones who glare and snap at the Tallest) Nav hates them the most. They cause her curly antennae to throb and ping her skull with clues. It's terrible being left with them. Not only are they. . .odd but they are always talking about Lyn.

Every Irken tires to either kill them or just stir away. Whoever talks about Lyn or even acts like her are then put on a private trail with the Tallest and the Control Brains. 

Everything has been terrible lately. Nav has been stuck with Highest Pip for awhile now, he drags Nav everywhere he could. From collecting other navigators to even dropping off items to the Tallest. But lately only Purple has been answering. Red is no where to be seen.

She feels him, his emotions leaking out like a trail. She can follow it like nothing, it's too easy when it comes to tracking poor lonely Tallest Red. 

The sound of someone else talking made Nav spill her soda, in a quick panic she smacked the falling cup away from the Tallest table. There the soda was thrown everywhere and the sticky drink covered the floor around her. "I-I'm so sorry! I don't know-" But when Nav glanced up, from the mess she made no one was inside the room. 

It was just Nav and the dust, but by the window a hologram was playing a video.

It was glitchy and slightly laggy but there on the record stood Lyn. Sitting still, Nav's antennae swirled forward and pointed at the video. "Uh, wha-how?" Nav mumbled watching as Lyn patted her uniform down before clearing her throat. "Irkens!" She started off strong, her blue eyes looked dull, but at the same time the holo was so laggy Nav wasn't sure if Lyn looked any better since she left.

As Lyn talked, something about why she did what she had done, Nav frowned down at the spilled drink. The scared eye Lyn had was squinted slightly and she still had the other antennae of hers'. Not much as changed about Lyn since the murder. However everything here has changed, no one is save if they act the slightest like Lyn. Yet said Invader is 'free' as she stated in the video.

The voice of Lyn is clear as day, but it sounds so hollow and so full of revenge. 

Nav stood up from the table, careful of the spill and went to throw the cup away. Lyn ruined another thing for Nav. First it was Pax and now it was her soda. 

She stood near the window, where the video is being played and traced the shape of Lyn. She would've been such a good Invader. "If she took care of her PAK but now look at her." Nav pointed at the side veiwig of Lyn's PAK. There she can trace the chips and cracks it held. The ghost of the Tallest nod along to Nav. Then the gold bracelet's Lyn wore caught Nav's eye.

Gold wasn't a thing Irken's really keep. It's only real use is to pay for things, not to display on one's self. Taking a step back, Nav's eyes widen before letting out a breath. "How morbid." She whispers to the dust, fainting tracing her down defect antennae as she eyed the gold. Lyn was cruel but this was beyond anything normal of a Irken.

Those wanted posters of her make more sense now and the rumor that spread around about Pax's missing antennae is now found.

Lyn ends the video calling for help. Help that those who were treated just like her. Those who are wronged by the Tallest.

Defects.

Lyn wants defects from the Irken Empire.

Lyn ends the video calling for help via defects.

Nav leaves the snack room amess, she never threw the cup away and she knocked over a few chairs trying to get outside the room as quick as she could.

She doesn't like how well worded Lyn's video was and she has a feeling this could be troublesome. Her tablet is pinging with messages by someone. Kat? Pip? Other Invaders? Who the hell cares.

There's so many new emotions going on at once that Nav's antennae are also overwhelmed. Unable to pick apart each one.

Everyone is panicking and there's joy over the call Lyn made. Anger for Lyn showing her face. Distress for what Lyn has started.

But the two that Nav can pick up are the Tallest. 

They are not happy.

Chapter Text

Chapter 5 Sweet Tooth

It's another meeting, once again the Tallest are yelling and screaming and just having a fit over what had happened with who-shall-not-be-named.

(Lyn.)

Nav is standing with the other Irken in the hanger room, another meeting is happening. Only 2 hours after the video was played everywhere.

Tallest Purple and Red stood in the center, this time every Irken has been called in. Their words unknown and muffled to Nav, yet in a twisted way she understood what they're saying.

With the anger that's taken over Tallest Red, all that's really coming out is his snarls and growling. It has the smaller Irken's in front of Nav curling inward and shaking with each loud sound.

Tallest Purple is also mad, but he isn't the same like Red is. He stand still, sort of in the back drop as he lets his co-tallest yell and shout as much as he needed.

(Needed, not wanted. Because this time Nav is tuning into her antennae, understanding what they are picking up and she can taste the anger Red has yet her mouth floods with sadness.)

There is no image of her, no one speaks her name and it's best everyone forgets.

But everyone knows Lyn, everyone spoke about Lyn and it was best that everyone remembers Lyn.

Kat is standing next to Nav, almost behind her but she's there looking small and frail as the meeting goes on. She's whispering something but Nav couldn't care if she really tried. 

Nav, moments before this meeting started, over heard Kat gossiping to a Invader. The words they spoke hurt Nav, made it feel like she was never really important to Kat in any way.

("You know her, Nav? That tall Irken with the defective antennae?. . . Yeah! Yeah her! I think we should be careful around her. . .after all Lyn was requesting help from defects.")

Ouch.

Nav can cry over this after the meeting. Instead she stands tall, unflinching like Kat is under the growls. So what if she has a defect? She's not like her. Nav sniffles slightly, her connection to emotions are cut off.

Everything she was taking in feels muffled and muddy. Like she couldn't hear the words yet they sound unlike what she is hearing.

Every interaction with Kat makes sense. How she would be so snappy to Nav, so rude yet wanting to be nice.

'She just wanted to be nice because I'm taller.'

It hurt, dug deep into her olive skin and as her shoulders sagged under her own emotion she can understand now.

How Tallest Red can be shouting up there on his platform. How Tallest Purple is just somberly watching his buddy before taking over at some point.

(she also understands Lyn in that twisted rage.)

Kat has her claws clutching her skirt, fearful of the harsh words coming forth from Almighty Tallest Red. It's brutal yet the raw truth of what must be done. 

Her blue eyes glance over at her co worker, Nav, who is stands there with idle movements. She's always been slow to these meetings.

Her dumb face always staring yet nothing is sticking. Kat's antennae twitch, under her flash of anger to Nav before they still under the words of Almighty Tallest Purple.

It's unfair how someone like Nav can take a higher position in navigation and yet still be so-so-

Defective. 

Kat bows her head to the final words Purple is saying, she takes in the words easily and she watches as Nav slowly bows her head as well. It's sad, having to help Nav take the correct actions at the right timing.

But soon Nav will be culled.

Kat wouldn't have to deal with Nav and her weird questions.

It's been only two days before another out burst happens. There's rumors of such things happening but Nav has never seen them up close.

Well, sort of. She was pushed in the hallway leading to the Tallest's room and she hit the floor with a grunt. When she picks herself up, looking for the bundle of tablets she was carrying she is greeted with the sight of a tiny Irken.

He's standing on his PAK legs, tall in the middle and he's shouting about his unfair treatment. Highest Pip is also on the floor, staring wide eyed at the defect.

"Oh," Nav mutters, sliding herself closer to the walls and curling in on herself. She's making herself look smaller then she really is, as she see's the other few scattered Irkens scramble around.

They're shouting too, all these words being jumbled up and messing with Nav's head.

"Get the guards!"

"Someone get the warriors!"

"The Tallest! Protect the door!"

"Doxx!? What are you doing!?"

"Nav? Nav! Get up! We have to go!"

"IT's all BECAUSE of my height! Now I know, all thanks to LYN! I'LL SHOW every one of you!"

The first Irken to face this traitor's wrath is Highest Pip. Nav was helping him get closer to the wall when a PAK leg shot out in a flash of light and stab her boss in the leg. It's a nasty wet sound that Nav jumps back from. 

She kicks herself away from the sudden attack, before watching Pip grunt out from the impact. He scrunches his face in pain as more shouts are let out. There's other Irken's trying to get out of the hallway.

But Nav slowly stands up from her place against the wall, her gloved hands press onto the walls as Pip let's out his own PAK limbs.

(each PAK has different limbs on the job you are enlisted in. Invader's have the best limbs. Suited for taking over planets and even weapons meant to cull.)

Nav is left on the side lines, Pip is turning around with his zipper teeth bared and his claws wide open. It's the signal that means 'HEY, LOOK I'M ACCEPCTING YOUR FIGHT'. Every Irken knows that bared teeth and open claws mean a fight.

Everyone has gone through a fight with another Irken. As smeets or even when your older. Grimacing, Nav shuffles away slightly, but she stops when she steps on a tablet. Glancing down, she's upset that she cracked the screen,

But that doesn't matter when the hissing and the sounds of PAK limbs sliding on each other is flooding the room.

The place reeks of emotions. Nav sits down on her heels and let's her antennae tell the story as the two fight and tumble around. Biting and scratching.

(Navigator PAKs are only fitting with limbs meant for that job, the limbs may be long, but the ends are not sharp. The tools within the PAK only hold the tools meant for repairing a ship. )

There's blood being thrown everywhere, Pip is left to the mercy of this upset Invader defect. Doxx, he was always meant to be the winner in this tumble. Nav can pick up his story of abuse from other taller Irken in his life. Never meant to be something amazing because of how tiny he is.

It's the sad life he is stuck with, even if he has conquered more planets then other taller Irkens. Nav watches as he stabs Pip through the gut, the metal PAK leg is covered in blood, no longer the shiny iron it once was. Pip has many stab wounds on him, but he still bares his teeth and gives a wet growl.

It bubbles up in his throat before his own, blunt PAK leg takes a jab at Doxx. It hit's the Invader in the chest, leaving him breathless as he tries to take in air.

It sounds wheezy and faint. They both have bite marks and scratches from this tussle.

"T-try and e-end me you. . .you fu-cking disgrace. . ." Highest Pip wetly coughs out, he is arched on the floor, some PAK limbs lay loose around him in the puddle of his blood. He's shaking as he raises up on his legs.

Doxx isn't bleeding as much, but he is on the floor, crumbled up in a heap of limbs. He's still gasping from the blunted end of Pip's PAK legs.

Slowly, Nav inches forward, something under her skin has her stalking forward, claws open as she circles the two tiny Irkens under her wide gaze.

"I. . I don't thin-k you. .  .were ready.." Pip is still going on about his rant, one of his eyes is shut closed. Both from a cut on his head and to the attack Doxx had done to it. He reaches a hand towards Nav when she circles to his side. 

It's a sign for help, since his legs can't keep him up. They're becoming weak slightly and he doesn't have enough PAK limbs to fill in the job.

Nav slides up next to Pip, standing tall next to the hurt Irken. She offers her arm to him and let's him go on with his winning speech to Doxx.

She can taste the shame Doxx is feeling and she can feel the proud joy Pip is experiencing with winning a fight to the death. Doxx is left laying there, accepting his lost as Pip babbles on and on. There are no other Irkens here to bare witness to the fight, but Nav is here and under her green skin she is upset. Upset over Pip not finishing the job on killing Doxx for trying to kill him and trying to bring harm to the Tallest.

When she chances a look at the door leading to the Tallest Room she isn't shocked.

It's still sealed shut, with no noise coming forth.

"C-come on Nav. . . let's head to-to the medics. . .he wi-ill be dealt with. . " Highest Pip lets go of Nav to make his way down the hallway. He limps and leaves a trail of blood in his wake but he is proud. With his head raised high he makes his leave.

Leaving Doxx with Nav. 

When she looks down at Doxx he bares his teeth up at Nav. "Fuck off," He hisses still sounding out of breath. "Oh, feisty." Nav notes out before she punces the Invader. She doesn't hesitate with her attack unlike Pip. Doxx is left snarling and trying to use his sharp ended PAK legs to stab Nav like he did to Pip, but he freezes when Nav gives him a shock. He chokes up with the little air he gained back and wheezes when Nav pulls away for a moment. 

She watches him struggle under her wide eyes. 

Her own PAK limbs are out. They catch the lights and they shine with the reflection of Doxx pinned under Nav. Taking up the hallway, like a maze of silver her PAK legs stab themselves into the walls and floors of the room. "My, my aren't you dumb." She mutters as she flips Doxx onto his belly. "Wha-what!?" He gasps out, eyeing the sharp serrated ends. His mind races, flying fast as he tries to connect the dots. This tall irken wore the outfit for navigators--she shouldn't be having serrated PAK limbs.

"Highest Pip may have the standard kit for every navigator on the Armada." Nav starts as she digs the tazer in her hand deeper into the skin of Doxx. "But I was a fleet commander before this job." She has the prongs nip into the base of his skull as her left hand runs its self over the Invader PAK.

She can feel the distress in the air with her antennae. "But on behalf of every Irken and on the Tallest. I think your time here has run out."

--

Nav catches Highest Pip in the med bay, there he is sitting on a high raised chair whilst these cute dainty looking Irken flutter around him and tend to his wounds. He as some tubing and other. . . odd things attached to his PAK as he get's patched up. "Nav! There you are." He greets with a wide grin, no longer sounding so moist. "Highest Pip, im glad you got here just fine." Nav answers his call, slowly sliding up next to him but not in the way of the medics.

He doesn't say anything for a moment, he takes in Nav and for a moment she's worried he'll ask where she was. What took her so long. Until--

Pip is preening under Nav's gaze, a stark difference to how Kat would've been like to Nav. Highest Pip has never been really rude to Nav, only being demanding because he is her boss.

She can understand that.

"I'm glad you won the fight," Nav continues on, idly tracing every wrapping on Pip and every medical patch he now sports. "For a Invader he sure fought like a smeet." She finishes, her eyes landing on the eye patch Pip sports. He will be carrying these scars for the rest of his long life. But it's something to be proud of, it means he won a fight and lived to gloat about it.

Under her words Pip sits straighter, making a few nurses cry in worry, "Of course! I had to watch out for my apprentice and my Tallest!" He shouts, his one normal antennae wiggled in pleasure. the other one was crinkled, like a cloth scrunched up.

All Nav can do is wiggle her antennae at Highest Pip, letting him soak in her prasies and attention.

(she doesn't tell him of her acts in the hallway. How when she got Doxx to stay still under her PAK legs she tore open Doxx's PAK opening and rifled through the thing.)

Once Pip is patched up, with the cute nurses telling him to lay off fighting, Nav and Pip are walking back down the hallways. To the area the fight took place to pick up the thrown tablets. "None are brok-en I hope?" Pip mutters, limping next to Nav. "One, I stepped on it without knowning." Nav answers, feeling bad for ruining the work tablet but not too much. "That's fine, it's just one." Pip grumbles with a slight shrug.

(Doxx is screaming, trying to kick her off but none of it works. She grabs ahold of a wire, thats snug to his back and twists the thing under her claws. She listens to hi choke and go limp. "This is your punishment." She mutters to him, gutting the inside of his PAK slowly.)

When they get to the hallway, there is no sign of Doxx, only some iron PAK limbs and the blood that was splattered and smeared everywhere. Pip takes in the air like it's something sweet. "I see some over there." He points out after taking a prideful lungful. Nav goes to work fast, picking up the tablets she sees and the ones Pip points out. He cannot help thanks to his wounds, but Nav doesn't mind. She gathers them in her arms and nods to her boss. "All ready to go," She calls out, following behind his stumbles.

(She doesn't kill him. Oh, no, no, he doesn't get that from her. Instead he is forced to have his PAK slowly gutted out and become empty. When Nav is finished with her work she carefully closes the PAK up and stands up. Her own PAK legs slowly fold up and tuck themselves back into her PAK.)

(Doxx gasps and shutters, his PAK is empty. No wires or compartments inside to keep his body alive. Soon he will die. Woefully he traces the stalking Irken, she's something evil with the act she just did and yet--)

(She stands up and circles around Doxx, he cannot move and he can only fearful stare up at the shadow Nav casts over him.)

("Is it bad that I saw Kat in your place?")

Doxx stands trail in a one on one with the Tallest. No one knows what happened to him but every one knows what his fate was. The Tallest call Highest Pip in after the trail takes place and when Nav asks Pip what happened Pip is proud to say that the Tallest gave him praise for 'defending what is important!'. He wears a new badge to his uniform and proudly shows Nav a sticker he got too.

It's placed on his PAK, on the top and it's a image of a smiling hotdog with cheese dripping over it.

Over the following days more attacks like Doxx happens too. It increases one after another, it has some Irkens on edge and Nav isn't too worried really. They ignore her and attack other Irkens. For once her defect is protecting her from attacks.

During these moments, Nav is able to befriend Highest Pip. Suddenly he isn't just boss anymore. He no longer has her running around being a errand boy. Pip is lingering by her desk more, chatting to her and even mentioning when her favorite sweets are in stock.

Kat becomes more and more of a enemy during this time too. Kat sneers at every moment the two talk, she sticks her chin in the air and huffs angrily when Highest Pip asks Nav to join him during lunch. Suddenly, Kat is the errand boy, work tablets needed to be signed off are thrusted onto her table and she leaves with a scalding glare to Nav before stomping away. 

One day Kat even hisses angrily at Nav. At the time Nav didn't bother to listen, something about working with Pip to get closer to the Tallest to pull something. 

Kat has been...out of it since Nav has gotten closer to Highest Pip. 

During Nav's time alone after work she sits on her bed. Her hands rolling a item between them over and over. Here in her room, she recalls what she did to Doxx. Her PAK hums it's soothing sound as she stares at the bundle of wires.

She had ripped them out of Doxx, they are multi colored. Red, Blue, Yellow and even a Purple, all bundled and tangled up into a ball with some wires poking out.

("Is it bad that I saw Kat in your place?")

Maybe it's long over due, but Nav should ask Kat to hang out some time. Maybe visit that Papillon planet together under the plan of a vacation. 

Pêche is laying in his over hang. It's a small round house, hanging high in the tree tops. Made out of silk and broad leaves. It's his families house, passed down to him and when he marries, when they have hatchlings the house will be given to them. He did at one point write down his son's name to have the house be given to him but his son...

he never--

that Irken--

...it does not matter anymore. 

(Only one. Out of the clutch a normal Papillon pair have only one of the hatchlings will get the house.)

He got lucky when his mother and father only had him.

(not that they had a choice anyways, his siblings all perished and only he made it)

Hanging his coat up by the opening, no door needed, he shook his wings and antennae free of any subborn droplets. It's been a few months under the ruling of the Irken race, lately it's gotten a little too tense with his new rulers. Something happened on the Irken's main ship. Something drastic enough to have the Irkens stationed on De'uit be tensed. 

Settling into his room, he pulled his smaller second pair of arms out from his tucked wings and bit into the fruit he stole. It's a giant mangue, something the Irkens have learned to love. It's a fruit that's been put under lock and key now, so it's something that many Papillon have been smuggling out.

From what Pêche has gathered, Lyn had gone insane and has it out for her own race. Now after that? He's not sure, Lyn went insane a few days before every Irken got tense and wary. 

'How strange, I'm sure you wouldn't be happy dad, but then again you were never a normal Irken.'

Pêche slowly eat his mangue. Watching as the rain continued to fall as he laid in his bed, following the distant movement of Irken ships flying off his home planet and some reentering the rain clouds.

When he finishes off the sweet fruit, Pêche eyes his room walls. In the twig photo frames is the photos of his life and everything that just makes him. . .him.

From the photo of his mother, smiling with her warm colored wings wrapped around a tiny Irken Invader. His father is shown staring wide eyed at Pêche's mother, like she was something so out of this world.  His blue eyes sparkling and glittering in the photo. They had just gotten married under the Papillon laws. 

It marked his father a traitor and a defect when word got out to the Armada. 

Pêche wishes that he could just not understand Irkens. But his own father is a Irken Invader. So when Pêche is forced to see and interact with his half kind he, in a twisted way, understands them. How they bark and demand stuff from him and his race. It's a wonderful thing seeing another Irken, after his father left. But Pêche doesn't hate them. No, not when they have the same shade of green his father did.

The same weakness his father did to the rain.

How they look so amazed at the colorful wings like his father was to his mother.

It's just not fair.

Chapter Text

Chapter 6 Burying the Hatchet

Pêche was just breaking through the tree lines, tall plants that have thick trunks and broad waxy leaves. Big enough to catch the sparse sunlight that cracks through the clouds and waxy enough to stop the downfall of heavy rain. What he didn't expect to see was her.

She stood out like a brightly colored Papillon, hunched slightly over some loose dirt but her eyes stood out the most. That and her humming PAK as both she and Pêche stared at eachother. He also didn't think he would be here where he is right now.

Staring at the female Irken that is ogling at his homing nest. "Wow!" She would gasp, looking and even gently brushing her claws over woven furniture. She has olive skin with the oddest outfit Pêche has ever seen on a Ikren before. "How cool." She would whisper bringing a leafy cup towards her eyes. They're a type of deep red, like a murky red gem sitting in a puddle somewhere.

She also didn't have a drop of water clinging to her, then again she was wearing some sort of raincoat when Pêche saw her and invited her inside. His homing nest was high in the tree tops, so he had to wait and idly watch as she used her PAK legs to scale up the tree. "Very. . .neat?" She mumbled gently, with a care unseen in Irkens, placed the cup down to admire another Papillon made thing.

Thankfully none of Pêche's neighbors saw this Irken.

"Are you done?" He grumbled out, laid back on a silk chair, it was made out of grass fiber and of course, silky strands to glue it together. "Oh, yes." She pipped out and yet Pêche watches her grab another object to turn this way and that.

Just who is this Irken female?

What was she doing alone in the forest?

Why was the dirt around her littered with pools of green tinted puddles 

Why did she look like she just came out of a fight as a victor?

Oh who was he kidding, sliding down farther into his chair, Pêche just stifled a sigh and let the Irken go around his place of living.

Something deep in his bones are telling him it's best not to know at all. 

She just knew that they knew of their fate when the cargo ship docked. When the smell of rain hit their green faces. The sights of bright Papillon wings fluttering and flashing against the grey storm clouds over head. "This doesn't look very safe." They mumbled pulling a purple raincoat closer to their body. What ever body heat they had was gone with the rains' winds. "Oh! It'll be fine, also isn't this much more safer?" She answered back with a bright grin. They shivered but it wasn't thanks to the cold air. 

"Come on, I know they sell some good honey covered fruits here!"

"What's yer name?" Pêche asks placing a honeyed pastèque infront of his sudden Irken guest. "It's Nav, may I have yours?" Nav bounces the important back at Pêche. Who in turns wonders why the Irken names are so very short and so very strange. "Pêche." He watches Nav eye the honeyed pastèque, which the flesh of the fruit has a stick stabbed on the bottom for holding, she grabs the thing correctly but she doesn't bite it just yet.

Her antennae twitches for a moment. 

"Pesh?" She mumbles out.

Pêche wilts for a bit.

She watches the way they react to everything. At first they jump at every wing that bats and they flinch everytime they step into the rain. "What is there to worry?" She questions over a cup of sweetened. . .something. "It's just that-Lyn captured this planet! What if she's here? She's been missing for awhile and I don't want to get jumped by her and a bunch-of-of defects!"

They flinch after the ending word. Like they understood what they just shouted.

Staring at eachtother, only the rain filled up the space.

"You know, Papillon don't have a word for defects."

"What?"

"They use the word incomplète."  

The rain rains harder, thunder gets louder and she watches with wide eyes as they stutter. "In fact I think that's a name of this really pretty waterfall. Let's go check it out on another day." She gives them a smile, intending to look innocent and friendly. They frown and something sparks in their blue eyes. Anger. 

Nav is dipping her head slightly, Pêche waves her off before trying to help this Irken pronounce his name better. Papillon have more flowy, airy type of speaking. "It's a pretty name. Different from Irkens but I don't handle the smeets and thier names." Nav mumbles. It's a odd sentence she uttered out but Pêche isn't about to question Nav now. Instead he asks about one word. 

"Smeets?"

"Oh!" She brightens up, her smile has her spot between her eyes bunching up and the freckles that dot her olive skin are shown to Pêche. He's staring at her with interest now, since she's so-so very incomplète.

"Your hatchlings! We call them smeets!" She finally chops into the treat Pêche gave her. 

He swears that there are stars in her murky red lens for eyes. (they're the same type of eyes he has but he wants to think they are not related species)

Pêche has his own honeyed snack, when he eats with her he wonders if Nav knew enough about Papillon culture that eating with someone you don't know means you're interested to know them.

But as she purrs (?) away, eating her snack Pêche knows that Nav didn't look to deep into his culture. Just enough to know the top shavings of it. "Well, my mother-" he sees the way Nav's antennae swing towards in, "- was named Amère." 

Next thing he knows,  Pêche is bringing this tiny Irken to his bedroom. The room that holds the most silk. "Wooow." She whisles out, her antennae stay pointed forward and they track Pêche where he moves. Idly he touches his own Irken like antennae and wonders why his doesn't act like Nav's.

"Here's a photo of my late mother." Pêche uses his second set of arms to hand the tiny Ikren the photo. She awe's at the pair before being sucked into the photo. Her pointed claws trace the female Papillon. "She has the same colors as you. Pretty." She mumbles.

Next thing she knows, there's yelling and biting and just a brawl happening at the waterfall. She asked for it! For saying that word to her of all Irkens. She's shorter then her by inches, but that doesn't mean she is the faster of the two, 

Everything is drowned out by the rain, from the shouting words and even the snarls that are happening. But she eyes the faint smoke that raises off of her. It's like a blood scent, it's calling to her and no matter how she wanted to end this fight, she want's to see the bitch burn and sizzle under the rainfall. Words are thrown, things are said and most of all she won't shut up about knowing about this all the time. 

Her PAK maybe like Nav's PAK. Has the same tools and even the same limbs. The only problem is that Her PAK limbs are just not enforced to heavy blunt hits. It only takes a total of 19 hits from Nav and there she lays.

Helpless on the muddy floor, hissing at Nav and hissing at the puddles she fell in. 

"You-you traitor! You work for her! For Lyn I knew it!" 

Her skin bubbles up and welts form under the rain drops. A purple raincoat is left shredded on the muddy floor. 

"You...you'll be just like Lyn! You'll...you're a-after the Tallest!"

She  wiggles on the mud and grunts in pain as the rain burns and scalds deep into her exposed skin and wounds. More useless words are gruggled out through wet lungs. Names long dead are spit out and Nav listens in awe. 

The rain ruins her PAK and sparks fly thanks to it as well. 

The PAK is beyound ruin. It's ruinning her thoughts and memories. 

Nav idly twirls a PAK limb in her hands. The metal is thin and it bends under her hands so easily. The wiring inside of the limb will sell high here in Papillon since Irken tech is so advanced. "I wonder what purpose your PAK wiring will be put into." Nav mumbles tossing the thing to the ground.

Slowly she steps closer to her enemy. 

Under the pale rain clouds, with the rain drops falling down harder.

Nav thinks that this weather knows her a little to well and wants to help.

He isn't ready when Nav hands him the photo back. She eyes his face, his hands and then his antennae. "You don't have the same looks as most pure Papillon do." her words chill him to the bones. His wings twitch slightly under her glance.

Pêche may be taller then this Irken female. But he knows how powerful all of them are. "No I don't, you can say I'm incomplet."

(incomplet.)

(incomplète.)

(defective.)

Nav stands over Kat's body, her flimsy PAK has been broken down to smaller components. Make's it easier to carry here on the planet. In no time, Nav has buired the body of Kat. Which has bubbled up and looked plain gross thanks to the rain. She's like a weird. . .mushroom looking thing now and no longer a Irken navigator at all.

What Nav doesn't expect is to hear a Papillon wing's flutter down and the soft thud of one.

When she turns to look over her shoulder she is met with a eye full of huge, huge wings that look like they have eyes.

Chapter Text

Chapter 7 Molting some Skin

Nav spends a few days on the planet filled with the Papillon kind. Her tour (you can say) has her always close to him, he's always pulling the raincoats over her head tighter then they need to be and he even rants how she can't be seen. "Why?" Nav asks for the fourth time he mumbles it out. Pêche stutters for a moment, as his main set of hands pull Nav's raincoat over her head slowly. She tucks her defects inside the hoodie as his second pair of arms hold her shoulders still.

Both are aware of how deadly Nav is and Pêche makes sure to hold the Irken female gently. "Because the other Irkens here will think of you differntly." Pêche settles with before he pulls away.

She's always asking him why whenever she is able too. Learning new things is always a joy to Nav. Especially if the subject is something that not fighting and not Irkens. Today she sits in the food courts they have here. Pêche had to lean down to Nav's height to tell her about the place. "It's called Magasins de Restauration." He pushes the Irken to a table stand. Styled after a pretty flower.

Nav is tracing the tables fake flower petals, her eyes are sparkling under the design and she shifts the attention to the mushroom like seats. However she looses the gleam of interest when she sees the two heights of the seats. "I'm getting the smeets seat, aren't I?" She shifts her unhappy look to Pêche. The tall, tall Papillon male is already settling down in the chair meant for the taller kind. 

He doesn't meant her eyes but he idly taps some fingers on the blooming flower table. The petals make for a flat surface to eat on but the middle dips down, making it a mock version of a flower. "Wonderful." Nav hisses out as she goes to climb into the smeet chair. It's taller, meant to have the hatchlings more fitted to the table.

"I hate this." She hisses out, getting comfy on the mushroom chair. Nav doesn't like the gentle look in Pêche's eyes as he watches her. He is looking at her like she isn't some deadly alien that could end this whole Magasins de Restauration. "It's meant for the hatchlings, yes." Pêche finally speaks something to her after they sat down.

Nav ignores what he's saying. She pulls the raincoat hood over her head instead and glances to the other Papillon nearby. There's some sitting around the other flower tables. Achene a different color, however none are like Pêche at all. They come in all heights, most never reaching below Nav's height but there. 

There in the far edges of this food shop.

there's a family huddled around a flower table. The same table that Pêche and Nav are at. There's a female with bright yellow wings folded around her body, she's laughing and eating something that looks shiny. There's a male with her and he's smiling and chuckling along with the female. Nav can't spot the color of his wings but his antennae stick out straight and far from his skull.

When Nav goes to look at the female's antennae there's a body in her way. leaning forward, Nav curls in on herself and looks down at the table. It's another Papillon that is standing at the table. He smells strongly of sugar and from what Nav saw for a moment before ducking down was the color of grey..

"Is this yours?" He asks Pêche, pointing to the small form of Nav who kicks her legs under the mushroom cap. "Tu peux dire." Nav isn't sure what Pêche has just said but she's hoping it's something kind.

Kind, something Kat never was even if she was terrible at lying. "Okay, foire. What do you want?" The waiter asks, and idly Nav connects the dots that this Papillon is like a food drone. But he smells nicer and maybe even looks better then the ones at the Armada. "Chaire chair, for the both of us." Pêche sounds kind. Like he is with a friend.

It almost sounds the same as when Pêche first meant Nav all those days ago. "I'll check, not sure if those Irkens took our last shipment to the dumps." and he's gone. Like a passing fleet. Nav slowly picks up her head, the PAK under her lays is humming softly. But the rain pour outside of the umbrellas drowns out the Irken tech.

"What did you see before he came by?" Pêche asks, placing a sweet drink infront of her. She reaches for it by nature, it's become normal for her to grab the items Pêche hands her. Like it's just something they are meant to do. "I saw a family." She whispers full of awe. 

Nav leans back again, as far as she could to catch the family she was eyeing down. "You look dumb." Pêche's wounds are faded. Why should Nav care when she spots a tiny bundle in the arms of the male. It's wrapped up in layers. The outer one being something like the glasswing coat Pêche wears.

It's tiny...so dainty and so....smeet like. 

Two fluffy antennae stick out from the bundle, they wave and bounce to the movement of the male. "Oh," Pêche is also turning around, catching the sight of the two Papillon couple with their hatchlings. "That's a uhm, smeet they have. Usually there's like four of them." He waves his straw at them, its a white and green colored thing that has Nav's focus on now. It's almost the same as the plastic ones at the Armada.

When she reaches for her drink and the straw Nav is faced with the strangeness of how very....underdeveloped the planet is. 

Pêche is talking about what's normal for a family of Papillon's to have. "five, maybe even the rare 12 hatchlings are born. Each have their own little clutch slot in our Hatchries. " His words are muffled, like he's speaking through a metal wall. Nav is squinting down at her drink, trying to understand the words he is saying. It's strange to her, like a bitter snack bar.

But she doesn't tell him to shut it nor does she really complain over this. After all she wanted to learn more about this place and event the aliens that walk it. "After a certain amount of nights, they all hatch. Then a care taker will come by when the hatching is happening." Pêche is still talking as Nav shifts forward to take a sip.

Usually the drinks here are better tasting, it feels less...fake then the slushies Nav has when she's at the snack bar. It's more normal tasting and far sweeter then any thing on the Armada. Not that she would say that once she heads back to the main ship of course. Oh no, she'll just suck it up. Nav will just go back to her old habits, no longer will she have Pêche to talk to.

"That's kinda why we have four arms. At least that's what most Papillon believe to be true. It was either that or just something we evolved to have. No real purpose. But yeah, they come by, swindle us in bundles of fur and pelts. All to keep the hatchlings warm."

Pêche was nice to talk too and listen. It's something that Nav has gotten far too used to on this rainy planet. When it's late at night and Nav is busy tuning into the Irken radio waves she can hear Pêche snoring away from his room. There is no thing as doors here, so when she turns in her chair at the living space's chair she can see the lump that is Pêche raise and fall.

"Then they show us the glasswing windows. On the ceiling. It cuts through all the dirt and grass and everything in the way. All so we can see the rain clouds. It's important to us. After all it never stops and in a way it keeps the freaks out from the Hatcheries."

Nav rarely sleeps, so listening to him snore away on his over hanging bed of silk is a strange sight. But she never stares too long, who knows when he might wake up to her just watching him. If she was the one sleeping, she might kill Pêche just for stalking her at night.

So she never stares too long. Instead she turns into the device that comes out of her PAK and she pays attention to what is going on on the Armada. 

At some point during her stay the Tallest had another major attack, then suddenly it's nothing coming from them. No one has heard anything of the Almighty Tallest and no one has even seen the two. 

"But that's our hatchery. Is it the same for you Irkens too?" Near the end Pêche's voice stopped being so muffled. Shivering Nav shook her hand in a 'kinda' gesture. Then she held up one finger before slurping her drink down as fast as she could. "We are made not born, then we get placed in a pod until we are finished incubating."

"Afterwards a metal arm will come by and-" Nav cut her story off, a arm of a Papillon came into her space with a plate smelling of grilled sugar. "Here's your plate, enjoy." The food drone Papillon gave a little bow before moving away. "What is this?" Nav grabbed a fork and used it to poke and move around the seared....fruit?

Pêche never answered her and when Nav looked up, he was already chewing into his plate of food. "Try it," He offered. 

Her antennae wiggled and tingled under her hoodie. They jolted at the way Pêche stared down at Nav, like they were warning her something in the air. But with the rain and them being tucked under the raincoat Nav is left alone. She can't tell what they're telling her, just that they now tingle when she looks at Pêche.

"Is this safe for....Irkens?" She whispered taking a quick glance down at the plate. "I don't know what you lot eat." Pêche grumbles out, chewing on the slice he just cut out.

It smells wonderful and so tempting . But it might not be safe to consume.

"Lair." She growls out reaching the knife to cut the sugary food. It has sugar, which will help her eat whatever it could be. But the pinkish look that is under the glaze of sweetness is unknown to Nav.

Pêche is chuckling at her but that's not important.

"How did you know I was lying?" Pêche asked Nav. They had finished their little dinner date, not that Nav is aware of. Now they sit in Pêche's home, Nav leaning over the main entrance over hanging. Her curly antennae swirl around until they point at Pêche. "My antennae are defects, they allow me to know more then I should normally." She answers, sticking her arms out into the rain.

Pêche watches the female Irken roll her palms this way and that, her attention on the rain drops that gather on the leather gloves before falling off. "Ah, right you are all about being perfect." He mumbles ruffling a hand through his fluff. It wraps around his neck and even covers a bit of his shoulders and collarbone.

When he looks at Nav he can see how smooth skinned she is. All Irkens are smooth unless they sport any defects or scars.

Nav has no scars so her olive skin is smooth and soft.

When Lyn took over, all Pêche could remember was the blue eyes and the scar that she had on her face.

"Stop thinking so much, I can sense them." Nav groans out, dropping her arms and turning to glare at Pêche. They stare at one another for awhile before Pêche bows under Nav. He doesn't feel like dying. "When do you leave, Nav?" He asks instead moving to sit down at the couches. He has two cups on the table, his has very little sugar unlike Nav which is filled with pure unfiltered honey.

"Eh, soon maybe. The Armada isn't looking to safe but Highest Navigator Pip needs me. " Nav moves away from the entrance, she shakes her gloves of any droplets and settles by her cup. "Now more since Kat is missing." She curls her tiny three claws around the warm cup before settling into her seat. 

Her curly antennae settle down closer to her head but the ends are tangled into a knot now.

"Kat? Highest Pip?" 

Pêche watches the knotted antennae, the urge to reach over and gently fix them is strong but instead Pêche reaches for his own cup. His second pair of arms tuck into his sweater, trying to keep to himself. Nav doesn't seem to refuse any physical touch Pêche offers, but the longer he spends time with this female Irken the more he finds out that she isn't quite the norm. From the way she acts to the interest she shows to his home planet. 

To her curly antennae when compared to another Irken that rules this place.

Nav isn't the norm for Irkens.

In a way Pêche feels better about this but at the same time he worries for her. Because Irkens are not meant to be friendly to other aliens. "Yeah,,, yeah Kat. She came with me down here." Nav's voice brings Pêche back into now. Away from his thoughts and other findings about normal Irkens and whatever Nav is supposed to be. "Where is she then?" He asks around the curve of his cup.

He doesn't see the glance Nav throws to his door way. He doesn't spot the way Nav shifts in her chair. 

"I'm not sure. Last I saw her was the day you found me." When he lowers his cup, Pêche can see the shift in his Irken roommate. She's staring down into her honey cup, with her knotted antennae dangling in front of her. Between the two of them. "Oh, that's a shame." Pêche leaves it at that, wuikcly connecting the dots on when he first saw Nav to what she just said now.

It's not comforting know he is housing a Irken that murdered her own.

"It's okay!" Nav moves forward a bit, her eyes looking up at Pêche and they watch, both, as the cup in her hands spill a little. "It was meant to be, her uh-her PAK had some virus." Nav mumbles gently placing her tea cup down. She is holding her two hands together, before she quickly changes her mind to fix the knot in her antennae.

"What?" Pêche also places his cup down, interested in the strange words Nav is speaking.

PAK? Virus? Meant to be?

He watches Nav struggle a moment, collecting her thoughts as she calmly detangles her curly antennae. "Yes, you can say it was a illness she had. I didn't see it until recently. After what she did Kat wanted to blame me. Saying I was helping her! Like-like I'm not loyal to our Tallest! I'm just, I'm just not the norm but I'm not like her. I won't attack Pax because I was envious."

Pêche is swallowing harshly, unsure what Nav is saying and who is this her she keeps bringing up. Was it Kat? Or is Nav talking about something else that she just refuses to say? He knows about the Tallest. Their ugly faces is on every imported box Pêche has to deliver and he hates seeing the icon of the two with thier red and purple tints.

Why did they have two Tallest? It would be far better with only one but Pêche can't do much about it.

In a ugly way, they are also his Tallest but he refuses to even dive into his other half.

"So I had to lure her away, aftercall. Then I dug through her PAK. To find out what was going on with her and why Kat wanted me gone." Nav draws in a breath, her hands leaving her antennae finally. She even twirls a finger around the ends.

Gathering up the split ends and making them into a single neat curl. "What did you find?" Pêche pushes her cup towards Nav. Hoping she would take a sip and calm down. She did, she took the invitation Pêche gave her and took a sip of the drink. 

"Well, first off. A Irken's PAK is the most important thing about them. That's all you need to know, and well, Kat's PAK had the old memories of a past Irken that was a defect." Nav's words are like a harsh bow. She unveiled the whole story of Kat onto Pêche then. 

(and the fact that their PAKs also host past lifes? Pêche is left eyeing Nav's PAK as she talks. Wondering who used to have her PAK too.)

Kat houses the memories of a defected Irken who worked as a common food drone for the Armada. Often he would try and throw doubts onto his higher ups, hoping he could climb the harsh rankings that is apart of the Irkens race. But he never got his break and it took over 90 years until a taller Irken found out what the food drone was doing. 

Instead of just breaking his PAK and getting rid of him once and for all, they recoded his PAK after his trial. After that, Nav just shurgs, like she couldn't care to remember what the ending fate of this defect Irken. "They must've messed up the recoding." Nav settles with, placing her finished tea cup down. "It infected Kat's PAK and had her slowly becoming what he once was."

"So she was targeting you because she wanted your spot?" Pêche asks, after a few heart beats. He wonders if Nav is upset over the ordeal, how Kat slowly became a defect like her past PAK owner. "Mmhm, but I took care of it." Nav stands up then, gathering her tiny hoster and even her cup. She leaves the room and Pêche can hear her shuffle away farther into his own home.

Chapter Text

Chapter 7 Insert Bar Joke

"Here, take this." Nav is pushing a weird item into the palms of Pêche. It's a crudely made radio type of thing she had made. It's shaped like a microphone, but the top can project a holotype, whilst the at the very bottom is the mic and speaker, even the thing that is needed to transmit the radio signal. "What is this?" Pêche is rolling her crudely made project in his hands. 

Nav watches her....friend for a moment, he's sitting on the edge of his over hanging house with Nav tucked between his large frame and the curving of the entrance archway. It's stiff and kind of digging into her thighs but she sits there anyways. Listening to the thunderstorm with Pêche next to her.

Here in this moment, studying the way Pêche explores her craft and the backdrop of rain, Nav feels the most at ease. "It's like a radio." She explains reaching over to show him how it works. "Sometimes I forget you Papillion kind are still so primal." She says it in a joking way but the snide in her tone slightly leaks through.

Pêche doesn't seem to care, somewhat used to all Irken's way of being the so called 'Higher Life Forms in all of space!'. He hands the weird metal stick thing over to Nav and snorts, "I tend to forget you Irken's are so high tech." But he leans down to see Nav's hands at work.

Her defects tingle and twitch under the gentle touch of Pêche's own antennae. "It's only connected to my line of communication." Nav looks up, after twisting the middle section and there the thing glows a faint red color, before a dull buzz is ringing just below the rain shower. She watches the way her antennae curl slightly around Pêche's antennae, unlike hers' Pêche's antennae stay still and they don't react to any form of touch. "So you're saying I can only call you?" Pêche is reaching forward, one hand hovering over the item between them.

"Yeah, can't have any other Irken's coming down and killing you, huh?" Nav places the item back in Pêche's awaiting claws before softly detangling her antennae with her friends'. He has Irken antennae, hooked perfectly and even looking sort of like a Tallest's antennae. But they don't twitch away when Nav grabs them, and Pêche doesn't seem to have any sensors in them as she moves them around.

Unlike her own, which have working sensors within them. They flinch slightly at her cold gloves which make Nav shiver but otherwise there is no problems. They move and swirl around on her skull at certain times. But now that she studies Pêche she can see the parts that are Irken in him don't quite work well.

Kinda like her.

"Can I call you now?" He's finally glancing away from her radio stick and towards her. Nav catches the way Pêche's brown eyes soften a bit when he stares at her. "Sure, press the button on the side-right here." She presses the button first, trying to rush her actions. The gentle looks Pêche gives her and the soft gestures make Nav squirm and wiggle in her skin. 

Her PAK starts to flash a soft pink in intervals, they make Pêche jump before her leans back on his dominant arms to watch the way her PAK reacts and opens. Under his gaze of interest, Nav blooms wanting to show off the pride and joy of the Irken technology. A compartment on the top cruve of the PAK opens up in a hiss, before a sliver leg is jetted out. It curves above Nav's back and over her head before it settles itself in front of her face.

When Pêche is back to leaning forward Nav counties forward, she tugs the thing closer to her and then the very tip of her high end PAK limp starts to unfold, into a mini TV like screen and in the hologram displayed Pêche can see himself.

"What!?" He all but yelps out, it has Nav kicking her legs out in joy as her laughter rings out loudly.

Since that small moment, Pêche has been asking about the PAK. From what else is there, how does it work, when did she get it? Does every Irken have the same limbs?

She happily answers each question he throws at her, because if she's being honest to herself, Nav enjoys seeing the awed look on Pêche. How his brown eyes brighten up like a freshly blown up planet.

It's bright and so capturing that Nav forgets her main point of gifting the holo stick to him in the first place.

It's during the night that she pushes Pêche awake from his rest. He had just came back after his work, leaving Nav alone in his house and it made her upset that they couldn't spend her last day here together. "What...what?" Pêche's words start of slurred and slow but when Nav gives a harsh push Pêche is more awake. "I'm departing tonight." She blurts out fast. 

Her tiny claws are reaching for Pêche's own, larger hands. But they swerves from his main hands to grasp his secondary pair, they're smaller and just slightly bigger then Nav's. "Huh? What?" He's groaning, squeezing her tiny hands back gently before rubbing his eyes. It's 'midnight' and he worked all day today. In fact in a few hours he will have to be back at work again.

"I'm leaving. Heading back to the Armada." Nav watches Pêche, how he is slowly waking up and during her whole stay Nav only slept for one whole day. she feels bad slightly, waking up when he has a job within a few hours. Coming from a race that is all about jobs and compeleting them perfectly, it drags her souring emotion down knowing she could be ruining Pêche's work ethic. 

"Armada....back to your base?" Pêche stopped rubbing his eyes, to glance at their hand holding. It's not normal for either race to hold hands, but he has never refused it when either of them reaches out to one another.

Faintly he wonder's if this is a old forgotten courting gesture done by Irkens. 

Papillion don't hold hands, at least not when they are trying to court one another, this form of act is done by dying patterns into their neck fur.

Pêche isn't sure what it is for Irkens.

He has a feeling neither does Nav.

She's nodding her head, before tugging her claws out of Pêche's grasp. Nav doesn't catch the sight of him still following her movement for a moment before tucking them back into his wings.

"It's getting worse on the Armada, the Tallest have gone into hiding now and they've left this guy called Rarl Kove in charge for now." She pulls out the tool she crafted Pêche, it's been colored and painted in a mock off color of the Irken empire. 

(Nav said it was because it was made from Irken items so it had to be the same color of everything else, but here on this rainy planet there is no dye that is the same shade and tone of color.)

Nav holds her craftwork up, between them and she points at it as she explains her departure to Pêche. "Rarl Kove is another tall Irken, but not that tall really. Anyways, he's requesting most Irken to return to the Armada to report into his 'Very Important, Totally Pressing' meeting about the Tallest leaving." She gently pulls Pêche out of his laying position to have him sitting up. He's towering over this tiny Irken female. 

Here when Nav gestures around, waving the important metal stick around in her talks, Pêche understands.

He understands why his mother fell for his Irken father all those years ago. 

They're cute in a odd way, with their rounded off features and the way they speak. As if they know everything and can't be touched.

"He's the Advisor to the Tallest and since he is now in charge of us I have to go. He's requesting all Irken's who aren't invading or helping with I.D. II to go back." Nav's bright face falls slightly, upset at the request of Rarl Kove.

"Sounds like you don't really like em." Pêche offers out, gently prying his holo stick from Nav. He didn't like the way she was waving the damn thing around in the air.

If it breaks whilst Nav is gone, how is he suppose to fix it? Pêche isn't some smart tech Papillon, infact most Papillon didn't even know about high tech until Invader Lyn took over. So with her waving the object around like nothing cause Pêche more stress then ever.

Nav watches him for a moment, her long talk going for a stand still in the gentle gesture of Pêche removing the holo stick. She catches the serial number of Kat's PAK ID on the side before nodding. Agreeing to the words her pack member just said. There's a brief moment, where Nav never finishes off her story. 

What else is there to say? Suddenly their time together is ending, this moment where she can finally connect to someone is being torn away from Nav. She's always struggled with her clutch of Irken siblings. To form the pack others so easily make, all because they glance at her antennae and scorn at Nav. She is only accepted temporarily into the pack because she's tall.

One of the tall Irkens in a already small pool of other tall Irkens.

She's in the grouping with Rarl Kove and what used to be Pax. There's others there too, like Lord Sizz-Lorr and that one announcer she sees everywhere.

But its always changing, sometimes she's right behind Rarl Kove but a new Irken comes in and Nav gets bumped below Sizz-Lorr. Right above the announcer a lot of Irkens like.

It never really matters because Nav is never below number 7 out of the 10 tallest Irkens. The Tallest aren't apart of the list, mostly because they are the Tallest.

And yet, here on the rainy planet Pêche lives on she's found someone who doesn't sneer at her. He doesn't pretend to stand her presence because she's tall. Instead he willingly let her into his life. He doesn't stare at her defect for too long, doesn't question why she isn't normal like every other Irken does on the Armada.

For once Nav is a normal Irken. With no defects.

"I wanted to still talk, after I leave." She mumbles, standing farther away from Pêche than when she woke him.

Pax viewed her the same way. She saw Nav like any other Irken, only that Pax saw a small connection between them, she saw the way Nav was isolated from others from her antennae. Nav saw the way Pax acted around Tallest Red and how she tried to hide it.

Under the dim light of the Control Brain room they formed a tiny connection, that was ended before it could be fully planted.

The same can be said here, in Pêche's room. Nav has been slowly moving herself out of this place, where the fire stones glow faintly. It's all that day long ago, Pêche, under the faint lighting almost passes for a perfect Irken. Tall, imposing in his height and even his antennae.

"Is that why you made the Holo-Stick? So we can still talk?" Pêche questions softly, not getting up from his spot on the bed.

In the next moment the perfect Irken image is broken. From the shine of his wings wrapped around his tall frame and to the fluff on his neck. There is some sticking up at odd angles on his head too. His skin isn't the normal green either, so whilst he may pass like a Irken. He still isn't one.

Nav stands by the archway, it's round and tall to fit Pêche. "Yes, I didn't want to....I didn't want to just stop talking." She's getting into dangerous territory now. Her curly anetanne flatten and lower a bit, she pulls her navigator collar higher up to cover her mouth. It's time she goes back to where she is meant to be. "I'll come back, here to visit." She dodges the big red flag. 

Her PAK is humming and whirrling softly, under the pressure of emotion. Something she's been intone with since her hatching. "Okay, I'm..." Pêche is stumbling over his words, a small part of Nav is nitpicking at that stumble in speech. Irken's are not really meant to stumble, even in speech.

But Pêche isn't Irken, even if under the dark storm clouds he can be a false image of a Tallest.

(Sometime later, Nav is sitting in her personal room and thinking about that. How Pêche looks too close to a Tallest. He has the same height of Tallest Red and Tallest Purple. Even the antennae length.)

"I'm going to miss you." Those words has Nav groaning softly, a faint rumble to her noise of distress. Both know that Irkens don't say those words, not really. But to Pêche it's normal. His mother said it to him when he would leave to schooling, and couples would say it too. 

Even friends to one another.

He feels slightly bad for making Nav uncomfortable, under his words but he means it.

He's gotten too used to the sight of the female. Here in his hanging home and even next to him when they do leave to the towns. "Sorry, I know you lot aren't used to those words." Stiffly she mumbles out a soft, 'It's okay,,,'.

Rubbing her palms over her face and then her wrists over her antennae, Nav can only pretend her movements are cleaning her of the words. They're strong and the emotions in the air have her antennae tingling in a nice way. "It's not something we say to one another, mostly to like, food items or sorts." She squeezes the words out, her eyes dodging the soft look on Pêche.

She hates it but that's a fat fucking lie.

"Right, right. You lot are so odd." Pêche is shuffling a bit before he stands up. He offers his hand to Nav, in hopes that maybe she can hold his hand one more time.

They both eye his open hand, before Nav hovers her own claws over his. "I shouldn't," She mumbles, her other hand fixing her collar. It cover's her mouth and the freckles that dot her nose and cheeks. "But for one last time." and she takes Pêche's hand.

Hopefully not for the final time.

"Where is Navigator Kat?" Is the first thing Highest Navigator Pip asks to Nav. "She died whilst on the planet." Nav answers fast, pulling herself out of the fleet ship. She took a ride on a shipment, the Irkens commanding the fleet allowed her to stay so long as she helps in repairs. which was easy, all in a job of a navigator really. "Really? Died?" Pip frowns, slightly doubting the answer.

Standing next to the other Irken, Nav wonders if he is starting to get suspicious of her. "Yes, afterall that was the planet she took over. Some defects had fled there in hopes of easy shelter." Nav had went over any and all answers she can use. All to cover over her murder.

It had to be done, she tells herself as Pip accepts her answer.

Kat was slowly becoming a defect, who can ruin the Armada from the inside out.

The Tallest will understand.

They walk side by side, from the docking port and go deeper into the Massive ship. "Has anything else happened here?" Nav asks, watching the passing Irkens. Most are sticking alone, no longer are they in groups. Some are even eyeing one another and even hissing faintly at those too close.

She makes sure to get too close to her boss.

Pip is waving his palm in the air, before nodding. "Yes, a lot of trails has already happened and as you heard Kove is now in charge, as appointed by the Tallest...he's...decent." Pip sneers out before halting at a door. It lead to the main Navigator room, where Nav works at. "We are tasked to weed out other defects working to take the Empire down. If you spot any of this report it to me and from there we can inform Kove about it."

The first day back is spent relearning everything. From the hallways being ever so slightly different to stop Irkens from touching, to the snack bars. No longer are there many Irkens hanging together. The most Nav has seen together is 3. The second day, Nav is sent to deliver some tablets to Rarl Kpve, he is in the other main navigator room, the one the Tallest take command in.

When the doors slide open, there are less then normal navigators in here. They stay hunched over, tapping away on their work panels. Walking on the walkway, Nav hovers next to the platform meant for the Tallest only.

In the seat of Tallest Red is Rarl Kove, he has his legs crossed and kicked up on the Tallest Navigator panel. A tiny Table Head Drone is next to the seat, she looks shaky and too weak for the drone work but she stays still so well that the sugar drink on her head doesn't shiver or shake.

Even if her legs does.

Rarl Kove is flicking through his own personal tablet, what he's doing on it isn't seen by Nav but he senses her there, waiting for his attention. 

She shivers, not liking how her antennae feel the air shift and how they tingle. He's happy, soaking in the position Kove now sits in and Nav can see it in the way he kicks off the Tallest Navigator to turn the seat around. His green eyes light up when he spots Nav, but in the sense that Irkens go to him now. "Speak." He snaps out, placing his tablet down for now. 

The Tallest chair almost smacks his servant drone in the head, but she quickly moves out of the way.

"Incoming tablet reports." Nav keeps her words short, wanting to leave the space fast.

Why is Rarl Kove so....himself? Not even Tallest Red was this way, those few times Nav spoke to him.

Kove glances away for a moment, tapping his chin before pointing to the Table Head Drone. Under the movement she shakes. The ice in the cup rattles. "Place them there and leave." Kove then turns the chair back forward, leaving the red chair to be all Nav sees.

Fuming at Kove, Nav gently steps up onto the platform, placing the 10 tablets on the drone. She watches them widen their stance, braced for the heavy weight.

She chitters a soft sound, before she takes her leave. 

Nav thinks about the encounter with Rarl Kove for a long time, how he looked happy and pleased to be sitting in a Tallest Chair. Her antennae bounce, telling her that the emotion he gave off was strong. It smelled of joy and just something good. 

It wasn't the way Pax felt when she talked fondly of Red.

It was like the icky, disgusting version of that emotion. 

Then she wonders to the drone he owns. It looked so small and dainty when Nav first saw them. Have they always looked like that? Like they can't handle the table head gear?

Either way, Nav is fast to push those thoughts away. She has important work to do here on the Massive. Which is to just stay alive really. Maybe help in finding Defects who want to impose on the Armada. The third day Nav gets to watch as some Irken soldiers escort a caged Irken away.

Sadly before that whole capturing, Nav had to suffer in that the resisting Irken smacking her snack food and her drink out of her hands. He was screeching about something with Lyn and the Tallest, but she couldn't bring herself to listen. The short fucker just really had to do that to Nav of all Irkens.

Before he could pounce on her a large soldier stepped in and jabbed his spear into the side of the resisting Irken. Sparks flew and then the guy fell over, face first into her hot dog. "My apologizes." The soldier dipped her head at Nav before clasping a cuff on the fallen Irken. 

"it's okay, it happens now." She mumbles, kicking the knocked out Irken in the arm. Two other Irken soldiers come forth, they clasp something else onto the kicked Irken, it wraps around the PAK and forces the arms right under the tech. Straining the limbs. "Here, take this and get another order. Sorry for the troubles." the female soldier passes a coupon to Nav and that was how they dragged the fucker outside the room.

They don't hoist him up, and just grab a leg and drag him out.

There's another capturing of a resisting Irken in the room Nav is inside of but this time around, she isn't under fire.

Unfortunately it's a different Irken and they end up getting killed. 

It's the same ranting, about how unfair the Irken Society is. About heights and the treatment of them, she's a decently tall Irken, just not really making the perfect height of a normal Irken.

She has purple eyes, a lighter color of purple and she has hooked antennae. From her PAK design, anyone can see she worked in the med bay. Those around Nav are whispering, staring wide eye at the defecting medic drone. Those Irkens are always the more 'cuter' ones, with more rounded features and their pretty eyes. This one doesn't look anything like that. She's snarling and hissing, grabbing ahold of a coding drone.

The coding drone drops his papers, and other tablets before letting out a yelp. His glasses clatter to the floor in the room, it's open and connected to the hallway. Meant to just relax from walking everywhere. It's there that Nav took a break from reporting back from Rarl Kove, and it's there in the room that everyone watches this Medic Drone threaten a Coding Drone.

"I'll-I'll get the soldiers!" Another irken shouts rushing outside and into the hallways. It's there that his lavender eyes Irken uses a PAK limb to stab at the coding drone a total of 4 times. "Come back here! You'll all pay! For-For following the-" There's screaming as the drone attempts to take out more. But it's shut down fast when Nav stabs the arm of the medic drone.

The sliver to her PAK limb is covered in blood now, it's pierced through the thin arm of the attacking drone. When she turns around to try and snarl at Nav the tiny thing freezes up. No other Irken here is equipped with attacks. Sure they all go through the standard miliatry training but no one's PAK is fitted for attacks.

They all have blunted ends and rounded edges.

Not Nav however, she was fully equipped for killing. 

"A medic drone resisting?" Nav notes out, grabbing ahold of the tiny thing. She holds the free arm of the thing easily and she twists them under her and onto the floor. When Nav places a knee on the PAK it bends slightly.

It's made cheaply but not enough to break under pressure. "Wait-wait! Wha-what is a navigator doing here!?" She shouts, wiggling and trying to release her own PAK limbs.

Nothing is coming out even if the small doors to the PAK is opened. With her weight alone, Nav is preventing them from popping out. "A fatal mistake really." Is all Nav says before the few remaining Irken drones cheer and chip in joy.

All grateful that Nav stopped the resisting medic drone. When the soldiers finally rush in they thank Nav slightly before dragging a kicking and crying medic drone away. A few gentle chips from the wittnessing Irkens are nice to hear, but it upsets Nav that none of them really stepped up to tackle the lavender eyed Irken. There was more then enough here to pounce her and overwhelm the thing before a soldier comes along.

Instead, Nav had to step up and save the coding drones' lives and the few other normal Irkens.

It's all a pain but Nav is still smiling into her high collar at the chips of thanks.

"I heard about the medic drone Hoggs." Pip brings up when they eat together. Nav is stuffing her face with a hamburger, there isn't any meat inside of it but it's made out of sugar filled things. It tastes too fake and it makes Nav crave the more natural food Pêche shared with her. Highest Pip is talking, eating his bag of chips but it's all muffled because her head is filled with those moments long ago,

It's been almost 2 months since she left Pêche and she still hasn't bothered in calling him. She's been busy, Nav tells herself as she pretends to listen too Pip. Things have been getting worse and worse so she hasn't been free to chat with Pêche.

There's been attacks! She sums up.

I've been pulled from my work to be with Kove! She thinks.

The resisting Irkens have gone up, and I've been in the crossfire! She rationiazes.

The way he looked at me fondly and said he would be missing me is just making me too embarrassed to call him! She agrees too. 

"It's nice to see you're taking action on the recent attacks." Pip forces the image of Pêche out of her head and Nav is nodding. "Anything for the greater good." She mumbles, looking at the table in the snack bar. It's not a flower.

"When the Almighty Tallest come back maybe they'll hire you to be thier personal navigator!" Pip is gushing out, prideful in her. She can feel it in the air, it lingers and feels heavy agnasit her antennae. But the words brings a soft smile to Nav's face. "No, I don't think they need a personal navigator. Both Tallest know how to use a navigator panel."

Maybe Nav can call Pêche soon, she misses the sound of his voice.

Chapter Text

Chapter 9: Sunny Side up

She spent her few hours before her naps to talk to him again. Softly she whispered her words to him as she hunched over her device. Nav's PAK hummed and whirled softly, she'll sleep soon! After she talks more to Pêche about her awful day today!

After he tells her about what's happening on his side! Then she'll turn it off and curl up in her bed and nap for a few hours until work calls.

But she never did, she'll curl up mid talk with Pêche on her bed, and listen to him with wide eyes. It's okay, Nav tells herself as she folds her arms under her pillow. His voice is still donning on about this new fruit stand that showed up nearby. It's soothing and more deeper then the males here on the Armada ship. They all have that sharp tang to them. Whilst females voices are just as high they aren't enough to be gritting on the ears.

Pêche didn't have any of that. It was smooth and sounded rich too Nav, maybe if the others' listen to him talk they'll say the same.

She pretends the anger that flares from the thought isn't what she thinks it is.

"But it's mostly calmed down now." Pêche Mutters, he isn't seen on the hologram, but Nav can hear the static of shuffling and moving around. "Really?" She mumbled, around the pillow she held. "Yeah, ever since the Tallest left it seems like the Irkens here are busy doing thier own thing to boss us around really." He explains, which all makes sense given what is really happening.

"Why did they leave?" Pêche asks, his face shows up on the holo gram and Nav couldn't help the sharp tooth grin she gave him. He smiles back, shyier then Nav but it is still a smile. "You don't know?" Nav whispers, hearing the Irkens walking around outside her little room.

It's not little, but compared to the Tallest's it is very, very little.

Chirping, which Nav found out Pêche does back without knowing why, Nav went on and explained to him. During her speech she faintly wondered if this was a good idea. What if he used this to strike back at the Empire? To reclaim his homely planet and to be free? He starts to become a Lyn? Fighting and killing Irkens for so much as living.

But he smiles softly and the soft gentle look in his golden eyes has Nav explaining everything. Even if her PAK hums in worry, what would it matter?

So what if he might expose the true reason? So what if he does strike back on the Empire? Who cares if his planet becomes free from the Irken hold? Seeing the soft look in his eyes has Nav craving more of it.

She'll tell him everything if he looks at her like that.

Months pass on like that, Nav walking into the Grand Navigation Room and working away. Opening logs, sorting them, tallying those that are important and which are not, passing them on to either Highest Pip or the new Irken beside her. He's tiny, with shockingly the ever so rare yellow eyes. He doesn't speak to Nav but he doesn't treat her any different, his name is Bumble which she did snort at.

If it called for it, Nav had to face the ugly and horrible Karl Rove. She hated those moments, where she had to gather the tablets needing his signature or his input and make her way down the many hallways before she enters the Tallest Navigation Center. There she would have too address the Irken she hated and wait for him.

Wait!! For!! Him!!

Because he was always kicked back, enjoying his snacks and never really doing his work. Tallest Red address Nav better then this...this fucker.

Even Tallest Purple! But he was more pushy with Nav, tugging her arms or her shoulders when Purple talked to her about the tablets.

But Karl Rove just swirled around on Tallest Red's chair, looked her up and down before pointing one claw at the table head drone. Where she would drop the work load on the Irken, who shuffled and stumbled before making her exit. She always leaves the room upset and growling, it makes her sad slightly seeing the smaller Irkens around her shiver and chirp softly at her. Anything to calm her anger because she's tall, which makes her all the more upset and it is a endless cycle for Nav.

Bumble only gives a angry Nav a hum before ignoring her again, that one change has her calm enough to finish the day. 

Then after work Nav heads to the snack bar, any snack bar because rarely do any Irken lurk in them now. Where she sits at a table chewing through her meal and staring outside the window. The food tastes different, no longer as good as before her interaction with Pêche. Every 3 weeks, on certain days the snack bars do haul in food and other important items of Pêche's work place.

(Nav is always the first one in line, sure she hisses and snarls and those in line forcing them to give up their spots for a tall Irken but it's because these items are from him these dumb fools won't understand if she calmly explains anyway.)

On those days Nav is the happiest. Even if she encounters Karl Rove. Bumble gives her a snort, before he tunes her out and Highest Pip is grinning at the joy on Nav.

Then there are those days where the attacks happen. Defeats rebelling and doing anything and everything just to follow after Lyn's request. It's all a whirlpool of events. Work, Eat, Talk, Filter, Attack, Praises, Gifts, Repeat. Those who helped stop these attacks started to gain gifts, whether it be to tour a Tallest Building or some kind of item. 

Nav once got a ticket to the Tallest Snack bar. ("I can already go there." She mumbled handing it off to Bumble. "I don't need a fucking ticket.") But then Highest Pip walked in one day, into the Grand Navigation room with a....ailen. They were covered in feathers, but thier feet had talons which looked deadly enough for protection. "Hello, Nav! I've got to inform you of something today." He explained.

But who cares about whatever words he was saying because who is this thing beside him? It holds onto a spear that most Irken guards use, but on the alien's neck is a heavy collar that beeps every so often before it is slotting around and settling back down.

They wear garbs that are dyed the Irken Empire theme, with even the symbol printed on the front. Nav stares this thing down and it gives her a bored look as well. "...oh!" Pip snapped his fingers jostling Nav out of her stare.

"This-" He waves a claw at the feathered guard before proudly stating,  "-is a yuti guard! It was gifted to me for fighting that defeated Irken all those months ago! He's not much use really but if it ever calls for it, this yuti guard can help take down other defeats." It's shuffling the talons on the glossy floors, making Nav wonder if it'll leave marks.

She doesn't say much at first before pointing down at the tiny thing and the tiny Pip. "We aren't supposed to have other aliens on board. Is this a new law allowed by Rove?" She asked grumbling and slowly growing upset. 

Why did Pip refer to the alien as a 'it'? Doesn't he know other aliens have names too? Like him and Nav? Who else is enslaving these yuti aliens like guard pets? They have other Irkens to do this job!

They don't need a weaker alien to become a guard....pet. It's all confusing and Nav hates it. She hates the collar on the yuti and she hates Pip for even bringing this fucker in front of her.

Highest Pip falters a bit, his grin not so bright under the distaste Nav is displaying. Even if he was her boss, Nav was still a taller Irken. "Ah, well it's a new thing alright. Only few Irkens have them really...like the cooks and med drones!" Nav snorts, bringing her arms closer to her body before nodding. This convosation is over and she says it is. Pip has no say and he bows to her statement. 

Nav doesn't see Pip or the yuti for the rest of the day. 

Pêche is staring at Nav like she does to him. All wide eye and listening completely. She tells him with waving arms and wide gestures about the things that upset her. From how ugly Rove looks to his weirdness of his new job and then to the yuti guard. "None of this is normal." She explains in a huff. "We have other Irkens for that job. They're made to be guards. We don't need any yuti aliens on here!" She hisses out with a snarl.

It bunches up her freckles and makes her look funny, which explains that loving look Pêche throws her. "What about us?" He asks for a moment. It makes Nav pause, slowly weltering down her thoughts and movements. 

What about him?

"We are uses as shipment. Moving boxes and other items to and fo." He explains seeing Nav's blank look. "Ah." She jerks then, his words clicking. "You've seen them, Pêche" She whispers his name out fondly. Like it was something only meant for her to say in the safe place of her room.

"They're tiny things, those Irkens. They can do the shipment but they'll buckle under it all." She traces one claw in the air, drawing the shape of boxes and bags. Then she does the shape of the Irken Symbol. "They're all pretty tiny. Those Irkens, they aren't really strong like the taller ones. So their PAK limps are basically useless too." She mumbles patting her PAK limb. 

Her's is the second strongest PAK ever made. Right behind the Tallest.

Pêche is nodding along, like he can understand the wise words Nav told him. It explains everything but at the same time it explains nothing. "But you!" Nav gasps reaching forward and pulling her holo tablet closer, taking in the form of Pêche. He's wearing a thicker coat this time with his fluff combed down. He's handsome in his own way. Being both Pappillon and Irken.

(she wonders if she can trace his ancestor. All Irkens have a ancestor, they're all related and yet not. They have one comment ancestor before the cloning started. Nav's ancestor is the same as most medic drones and other navigators-a decent sized Irken that went by the name Gritty.)

"You're all muscle and fibre." She rushes out wiggling her antennae. "And with your wings it's a lot faster for you to travel through the trees and vines!"

She spends the rest of the time gushing over Papillon looks and how well they work for thier jobs. Pêche mostly laughs before doing the same with Irkens.

It's all light hearted and bright.  

Then morning comes and Nav's happiness is ruined. She is gifted the present of a yuti egg. It's huge and has some weight to it in Nav's arms. The egg shell is spotted and speckled with white. The base is both a rich brown and a bright red that reminds Nav of rubies. "For saving us!" The group of coding drones gather around her in a circle. All wiggling thier hooked and perfect antennae at her.

They have nerdy goggles on and the long white coats on them. It reminds Nav of her and she can help the ache of longing in her. 

She hasn't thought of Pax in forever and it feels terrible.

"To display?" Nav softly asks, gently tracing her gloved hand over the egg shell. Pêche had cooked Nav eggs once. They weren't as large as this one and he said Nav had to be motherly to them.

("Motherly? Now you're making up words." Nav twisted her mouth around the word, she clutched at the tiny green egg in her hands before looking at Pêche. He scoffs back at her, repeating her words in a mocking tone before gently unfurling her claws. "Motherly, because the egg will crack if you handle it like that!" He laughs out before showing her how to properly handle an egg.)

"yes!" One drone calls out clapping her claws together. "It's one of the rarer yuti eggs! It's also one of the largest to be held on thier planet!" Another shouts, they're all shouting and chittering loudly under Nav's presence. But none of it really matters because Nav is rubbing the egg softly. 'Motherly.' she reminds herself. "Thank you." 

Cradling the giant egg, Nav places a large red pillow on the floor. It's raised slightly, off the main floor and it had a nice light shinning onto the pillow. The softest and fluffiest she can find. Giving the egg shell one last rub all over the sides and top Nav settles the heavy thing onto the display pillow. 

Like it was meant to be there, it's color pop and shine under the light. Where it'll stay until, unfortunately Nav either cracks the egg or it gets thrown away. But it sits there on display like it's the most perfect thing in the world.

"Motherly." She reminds herself, making sure the egg won't wobble out of the pillow. She tucks it into the red pillow, before softly and gently giving it another rub. The shell is thicker then the green egg Pêche gave her. So it won't crack right away but Nav still frets over her touches.

Now a new thing has been added to her routine. Before she leaves her room, she tucks the egg in and even rubs it. After she returns she checks on her prize once and then leaves to chat with Pêche. When she first showed him the egg he was laughing and joking at Nav saying she was truly 'mothering' the hell out of it.He even asks about the label, resting on the pillow. 'Perhe'.

("What?" She gasps jerking the holo tablet away from the egg. She flushed a deep green under the words. "What does that mean?? Mothering? Isn't Motherly just another word for gentle?" She's screeching at a laughing Pêche now and she's worried that there's another thing wrong with her. "It's okay! It's okay, Nav!") 

Then in the middle of her nap Nav is jerked awake. It's a creeping feeling that drags itself up her legs and past her spine and settles deep into her PAK. Something has happened. Whatever it was has Nav sitting up and glancing at the egg on display. Perhe is still there not tilted or even slightly out of place on the red pillow. 

So no attack has happened on the ship but the feeling is still setting into Nav. Standing up she shuffles around her space, lifting boxes and chairs anything to check. 

Nothing is wrong and in her dark room the only thing bathed in light is the egg. 

Standing on the right side Nav sees the thing that had her jerk awake. On the top right side of the curve is a single thing crack. Lowered down to the egg's level Nav is sadly tracing the line. It's just one single crack, not even enough to show a hole into the egg but still.

She had been so careful with the damn thing.

Why is there a scratch on the egg?

For the next few weeks Nav's mood dimmed, upset at herself that the egg had a dent in it's perfect look. Bumble asked about it once but Nav just expressed her distaste with "Lyn and her fucking plans." Which he took and accepted. Pip still had that yuti guard with him and he just assumed it's becasue of them that Nav is upset.

Pêche understands her worry when she told him every night. "It's okay!" He tells her each night. "Maybe the drones did that?" He explained hopefully.

Nav doesn't explain the expanding crackles to him and each day when she gently rubs at the egg she worries. What is the reasoning behind the expanding crackles? Each night she lays awake staring at the egg listening to it crack, she wants to pull her antennae out and stomp on the drones who gave her a faulty display egg.

Then it hits her. As she cradles the red and brown egg closer to her body, arms circling around the heavy thing. It shivers and quakes in her arms but she holds on fast. Letting it shuffle and shake in her arms before a loud crack has it stoppping.

It's cracking, this wasn't a fertile yuti egg was it? Nav cradles the still egg close to her body. It's stopped the shaking but she can still hear the soft pressing on the cracked side of the shell. But here this close-she knows what is really happening. Her prize gift for being a 'hero' is hatching into a baby yuti warrior...on the Armada of all things.

Chapter Text

Chapter 10 From Okay to Better!

Days pass, months ago by and yet Nav can't help but cling softly to the edges of her room. The yuti egg has been slowly chipping away at it's thick egg shell as well and that's the main cause for Nav lingering more at the archway to her quarters these days. After every 18 hour shift at work Nav wonders back down to her room with her arm bundled to the top with snacks.

(She eats there, in her room now just to keep an eye on the egg.)

And it's those moments that Nav sheds her Irken imagery. She's huddled down by the pillow the yuti egg sits on and she chitters to the thing. She's not sure if the yuti species even know Irken language however Nav is willing to teach this smeet yuti the language. No other Irkens question Nav when she leaves her station to go to her room.

Why would they question a tall Irken? They just wiggle their antennae and let Nav slip through. Even with all that has been growing and happening as of lately. Highest Navigator Pip allows Nav to go and leave whenever she pleases. He grins a sharp smile at her, waves a black glove and lets Nav go. The other shorter navigators give Nav lingering stares of questions--'Leaving so soon? Where to this time? Who are you seeing? Is there something you're hiding?'

They all question Nav with their colorful eyes. Red, purple, blue, green and the ever rare yellow eyes all follow Nav when she stands up from her work panel.

Once a green eyed navigator even followed after Nav one day. Catching Nav loading her arms with many, many snacks and sweets. "What are you doing Nav?" He asked staring up at her. "Oh," Nav stumbled with her load, a chip bag falling and hitting the floor in the snack bar. 

It's a common snack bar, meant for every other short Irken. Nav goes there to gather the less sweet snacks because soon that yuti egg is going to crack open and that smeet bird ailen is going to need to eat. Sugar is healthy for them. So she's been crashing the snack bars of the lower Irken's to get the food that the smeetling can handle. "I'm getting food, can you hand me that bag Turls?" Nav asks leaning forward to nod at the bag.

Turls turns his green eyes to the bag, navigator collar blocking most of his face before he spots the bag. He leans down and grabs the bag and stacks it upon Nav's load. He doesn't expect a thank you and Nav never gives him one. "Why are you collecting so much? Are you sharing with someone?" He was being nosey, Nav grumbles and fixes her pile.

"Yes, I have a staff member coming in soon so I have to prepare for their arrival." Nav explains giving up and letting the shorter navigator know why she's been leaving work so much. 

It's well known that the taller Irkens can have a set number of staff members. The Tallest can have as many as they want--NO MATTER if that staff member is Irken or not. Nav turns around and ditches Turls in the snack bar, she has things to plan out why linger with him? Especially if there's the matter of suspicion in each and every Irken.

The Yuti smeet is joining Nav's staff member. She'll have to register the thing in the data pool that a slot has been filled. 

Tallest can pick as many as they want. The second tallest Irkens can only have 3 to 2 members in their staff members they are also allowed to have any type of ailen join their ranks with little to no questions really.

Every other Irken rarely or almost never get any staff slots. Only a S.I.R unit if they're really lucky. Nav stops at the door that leads to her room. Other Irkens wonder around the hallway, wiggling their perfect and normal antennae at Nav before moving forward. She ignores all of them, suddenly they want to be buddy buddy with her. 

Stories of Nav's efforts of taking down three defective Irkens spread fast and now everyone is staring at her like she's some hidden hero within their ranks.

Nav uses a PAK limb to open her living quarters and the door slides open with a hiss. 

She's no hero, Nav will never be a so called 'hero to the Irken Empire!' as they've been calling her. She's tired of being called forth to take down deviant Irkens and dragging them to the guards cell. Suddenly, she's been noticed and she hates that fact. All these Irkens that flock after her ask for her attention and her praises, empty promises of a groupee she can join.

Every Irken has their pack group. Irkens that stick together somewhat like (as Pêche referred to it) friends. No Irken will admit to it being like a group of friends sticking together but that is what it really is.

Nav was never allowed into a pack group. Only for a temtpary moment in time, before she was promptly kicked out with claws and bared teeth. A nice example of this is the two Tallest.

Tallest Red and Tallest Purple only need one another and no one else to really invade in their pack. Pax was allowed in, but Nav smiles into her collar, she was allowed inside because of Tallest Red.

Only Pax, Tallest Red and Nav know the reason why.

But Nav discovered the reason on her own, Pax was easy for Nav to understand. They both feared being rejected but strived for the greater good of the Empire. 

(Nav often wonders if Pax would've allowed her inside the pack. Then she worries about Tallest Red and Tallest Purple, would they accept her like Pax would've? Might've? She's not sure but the idea of hanging around two Tallest and the wonderful, perfect Pax makes Nav feel sick to her core. She would be the unwanted one in that pack, ruining the perfect imagary of two Tallest and the amazingly perfect Pax. Nav can't hide her defects, so she swallows the thought and hopes it doesn't come forth again late at night.)

Nav dumps the snacks onto her counter, robotic arms come forth and they start to sort the food themselves. Nav had built them into her room after a few days of watching over the yuti egg. She won't be in the room most hours of the day, so she made the limbs to help take care of the yuti smeetling. Using old bits and parts from Kat's PAK she had dismatled.

No one is aware that Kat never brought back Kat's PAK. No one questioned Nav when she let out her white lie of why she came back alone. The Control Brains never pinged Nav in for questioning and life moved on.

Kat was no more, her PAK did not come back. She is forever forgotten and Nav intends to leave the memory of the Irken behind.

(Images of Nav biting into Kat's throat and tearing into her with silver PAK limbs as the rain drowns out her screams.)

Chirrp! Chirrup!

Nav quickly gathers herself close to the yuti egg. There's one gap in the egg shell that perfectly allows the smeet-thing to breathe and stare at Nav with orange eyes. "Hello there, Perhe." Nav grins at the orange eye that blinks back from within the egg shell.

It chirps loudly, responding to the name Nav has bestowed it. From there the rest of the day is spent lingering by Perhe's side, gently rubbing the sides of the shell and fondly tracing the gap in the egg.

Perhe.

Perhe, her little yuti smeetling that she'll protect because that's what Pêche told her. She has to be motherly to the egg and that meant making sure Perhe eats well and becomes a healthy yuti warrior.

The egg moved from being on display to now residing in the bedroom of Nav's. Where she even made a small circle bed for the egg. Perfectly in view of Nav and perfectly safe from any harm. When it comes to her nightly calls with Pêche she makes sure to show both Pêche and Perhe each other.

"WHAT!?" Pêche shouted out from his side of the link. Perhe responded with a slow blink and then she loudly chirps back at Pêche. Nav grins brightly before softly rubbing the egg shell. "Is--there's a bird inside it?" Pêche is still amazed at that fact. Shocked and stunned at the sight of a orange eye staring back at him. "Is that even safe?" He wonders out loud watching how lovingly Nav pets the egg and how fondly she stares down at Perhe.

"It is, solely because am one of the taller Irkens." Nav sighs out after fretting over Perhe. The yuti smeetling is excited and it chirps loudly at the new sight of someone else. Someone who isn't Nav and from what the yuti can understand this is someone important because her mother is all smiles and grins.

Then comes forth the most important thing that Nav has been chewing on for awhile now. "Would....would you like to join me, Pêche?" She asks pulling herself away from Perhe. But she's quickly placing her claws on the egg again, the presence of Perhe and the feel of the egg keeps Nav calm. It's soothing in a way and as Pêche thinks of an answer Nav wonders how it would feel to hold the smeetling in her arms no just the egg casing.

"What do you mean?" Pêche's voice calls to Nav and she complies to glance at him. He's wearing a rain coat and everything about him is neatly tucked in. His second pair of arms are folding under his wings and his fluff around his collarbones are nicely groomed. "I mean-I just, I won't be here all the time for Perhe. I made some nanny limbs to care for them when I'm at work."

They both know how demanding Nav's work is. How most hours of the day she is working away sorting through reports and in coming calls. "I just wanted to see if you want to be apart of my staff." She sighs out, tugging at her high collar.

Perhe lets out a chirp and wiggles around inside her thick casing.

There's no quick answer from Pêche; it dawns on Nav that maybe she shouldn't have assumed he would say yes without question. It was all a dreadful idea and Nav tugs on her curly antennae, maybe she can just ingore this mishap and they can pretend that Nav didn't say anything at all in their next call--

"Sure, what do I have to do?"

It was all to easy. Nav grins deep into her collar and watches as Karl Rove signs and approves of the work load she handed over to him. The lime eyed table drone shuffles and peers up at Nav. She knows that the overjoyed emotion Nav feels is flooding into the air.

Other navigators below the walkway stare at Nav before wiggling their perfect antennae back; also happy that a tall Irken is in a good mood today.

Every small and tiny Irken knows that a happy tall Irken is a good thing so no one questions Nav as to why she's so overjoyed.

"Is there a reason you're so....happy?" Karl Rove sneers out looking over his cup to glare at Nav. She even curled her defected antennae today so they look like any other normal antennae this fine day. "Yes, Karl Rove sir. " Nav dips her head slightly to the male Irken, she can play pretend and blow up his ego a bit. It's a sure easy way to get what she wanted this way. 

"Then spit it out, Navigator." Rove hisses out slightly peeved at the happy Irken. But Nav can pick up the smell of pride in Rove. "There's a new import of the Berry Blue Space Blast bar today. It's a limited flavor of pure sugar powder on top of it." Nav quickly explains. She watches the way Rove pauses in his mindless approve, tapping the pin on Tallest Red's Panel. 

"Once you are dismissed send a drone over with a box full of those items." Rove waves off and he's back to signing away. Eyes lifeless as he approves all these tablets and calls.

Everyone knows Karl Rove never reads these things. Every navigator does.

It's why most of them hate him too. Since he approves of everything it causes a mess of meetings and calls. 

Nav likes it only for today.

She watches her personal tablet get approved and stacked onto the table drone's head. She bunkers down with a frown. 

It's the request for a staff member to join Nav's slot. It's the file Pêche needs to show his boss and every one else that he has been given the new job to become a personal assistant and that he needs to be aboard the Armada as soon as possible. 

Nav grins broadly and eyes the lime eyed table drone. The tiny thing shivers under Nav's stare before they calm down. Once all 34 tablets are approved and signed by Karl Rove, Nav takes each and every one.

She offers the table drone a sugar bar, the lime colored Irken takes the surprise gift with a gleam in her green eyes. 

Nav bows to her height, scaring the poor thing slightly. "Between us too, you didn't see anything." It's not a threat, more of a.....'I may have sneaked something pass Karl Rove by abusing his lack of attention but hey, here's a highly sought out snack so let's be friends for now.'

Lime eyes follow Nav as the taller Irken walks away. Head held high and every other navigator chitters back with a smile. Nav is well liked for being a so called hero, so most things she does will be over looked. 

The table drone stuffs the pure unfiltered sugar bar into her skirt pockets and pretends that nothing bad happened here. It's her masters fault for not being good at his job and why would she rat out Nav when that tall Irken offered a peace offering.

'Signed approve for added staff member to Irken : NAV

I am sending in this request, Karl Rove Sir, to get your signed approval on adding a staff member to my staff slots. He is to be my own personal assistant and only that. He comes from another planet, one under our control and he is to be sent over to reside along side me on the Armada and will do so as soon as possible.

SIGN HERE X____Karl Rove________'

How easy it was to pull the coat over Karl Rove's eyes. 

When Pêche was due to come aboard the Armada a lot of things had happened that day. First; Tallest Red had made contact with the Irken Empire. Second, Nav was the one to accept his call to have Karl Rove get torn into. 

(Her tablet rung loud and it blinked fast. When she lifted it to see why it was acting so weird she almost dropped the thing! Nav had never ran out of a room so fast before, she slid into the Grand Navigation Room and slotted the tablet into the coms link. It bypassed all other incoming calls. Before Karl Rove could even blink there on the screen was one of the beloved Tallest.)

Watching how angry and upset Tallest Red was at Karl Rove brought a smile to Nav's face. Every other navigator inside the Grand Tallest Navigation room stifled their laughter and held in their snickers.

Everyone liked how much of a fool Rove became when he had to stumble off of Tallest Red's chair. 

Thirdly, Perhe had chosen that now was of all times was a perfect moment to hatch!

After the whole call with a very mad (and freshly scared) Tallest Red, Nav was then sent to inform just about everyone about this news. She opted out for the easiest of ways, she forward a rather simple and bland email out to everyone who was 'deemed important to know' about Tallest Red.

It won't be her trouble on who gets it after that.

Walking into her room, to prepare to pick up her newest staff member Nav was frozen at her door way. 

egg shells scattered the flooring, bits and pieces of the brown egg was just about thrown every where. Stepping inside to let her door slide shut Nav nervously tapped her claws together. "Perhe?" She called out unsure either the growing fear is because of--oh she doesn't know MAYBE THE FACT THAT PERHE MAY BE DEAD!?

"NA NA NA!" a voice chirped out and it instantly knocked any fear and worries away. "WAIT!"  scrambling forward on stiff legs Nav turned into her bed room where, right on her bed in a pile of pillows--

was Perhe.

The bird yuti twisted around in her nest, she's missing most of her feather and Nav couldn't hep the look of disgust on her face. "Na na nanana." The smeetling garbled out tiny little talons digging into the pillow she sits on. "Wow, you are ugly." Nav snorted out stepping closer to the very thing she's been tending towards. 

Perhe looks all flesh like with some of her bird like bones poking out of her paper thin skin. She's just a shade of brown with some patches of pink on her. But Nav wraps the smeet in the blanket, forcing the tiny bird into a tightly knotted swaddle.

She's only seem Papillion nannies do this to the hatchlings. So it can also apply to Perhe, right?

It proves to be a task and a half, the baby yuti fought Nav with each step. She didn't want to be swaddled up but Nav has to still pick up Pêche from the hangar. "Perhe, stop fighting me!" Nav hissed out grabbing at her tiny little bird like talons for feet. The baby chirped out something then fought some where.

It's truly a wonder how Nav got the thing to be swaddled but she did it. Now, Nav stands waiting inside the shipping dock keeping an eye out for the ship hauling that carries Pêche.

Perhe is swaddled and carefully bundled close to Nav's chest. She's staring wide eyed at the other passing Irkens. No one really pays Nav much attention, everyone is buzzing with the information that Tallest Red is returning soon! With that, they turn a blind eye to the wiggling bundle Nav keeps close. 

'I still have to feed you, but I'm not sure what yuti smeetlings eat....bugs? We don't have bugs here...' It's going to a wild ride trying to keep Perhe fed and happy but that's why Pêche is coming aboard. He's going to be the nanny to this baby yuti not Nav.

Even if the idea of Pêche and herself raising Perhe makes her flush.

The ship carrying Pêche arrives after an hour of standing around (at some point Perhe fell asleep and Nav pulled out her tablet to start working a bit, it was taking that long). When the ramp released and the Irkens inside filtered out Nav was right there, eyeing each and every ailen that came off.

Carrying boxes of imported goods or other items the Empire can use. And like a tower in a city of only cabins there was Pêche!

He kept his wings folded and tightly clutched to his body, arms carrying the boxes he would need to reside in Nav's room. His fur ( fuzz? Fluff?) on both his head and collarbones had been groomed down and if anything he sure does look like a fancy Irken.

Other Irkens on the Armada gave pause, confused on this towering giant of a ailen--he can closely pass as Irken too thanks to his father. "Pêche!" Nav calls out pushing gawking Irkens out of her pathway. 

Pêche was the same height as the Tallest, the only thing that makes him not Irken is his skin tone fuzz and the giant monstrous wings he spots. 

The lack of a PAK as well. 

"Nav! This is....something else." Pêche mutters bending down slightly to whisper to his dearest friend. He eyes the bundle of cloth she's carrying around like it's something important to her. "Yes, well...welcome to the Armada." Nav tells him, looking up at Pêche and he can't help the rush of warmth in seeing her round face covered in freckles.

She is truly another alien alright. 

As he followed behind the Irken female Pêche can't help but glance around and stare back at the other Irkens. There's so many different types of them that it makes Pêche's head ache slightly. Each one wears a different garb and they too stare up at Pêche with wide eyes.

All of them have colors ranging from red, purple, blue, green and maybe a off yellow.

But their clothes and garbs all have the same range of magenta. Such a bore, that simple color that takes over everything. "Navigator Nav?" The voice makes both Nav and Pêche pause in their tracks. Standing in front of Nav is a small Irken male whose eyes are a nice shade of purple. "Grand Navigator Pip, what is it?" Nav asks tightening her hold on the bundle she carries.

Pêche frowns before fixing his face, he was told about this Irken before. It's Nav's boss and she hasn't been liking the male as of lately. The object for her displeasure is no where in sight.

"Who is this that is following you?" Pip sneers out looking up at the impressive height of the alien. "That would be my newest personal assistant, Pip." Nav nods behind her, catching the brown colors of Pêche's wings. The thought of Pêche no longer being able to fly makes Nav frown. 

She took away his freedom of flying. Yet he's here, with her and maybe that isn't such a terrible thing. No longer being able to fly anymore.

"Personal assistant? Did Karl Rove approve of this?" Pip is still questioning Nav, letting his eyes examin Pêche who stands there, out of way and calmly behind Nav. "Yes, he personally approved of him." Nav settles with frowning down at Pip.

It's there that Pêche remembers the height rankings that reside inside of the Irken Empire.

Nav is clearly the taller one out of the two Irkens, he wonders why Pip is questioning Nav. Shouldn't he be taking her word and leaving it at that.

'I'm partly Irken too...does that mean I'm above Pip then? Since I'm the tallest of Nav and Pip?' Pêche can seeing Nav and Pip talking to eachother, mouths opening and closing in some silent talk. It's not silent Pêche is just too busy thinking. 'But I don't want to be above Nav, she's my equal even if I'm just half Irken...'

"A Papillion being apart of a tall Irkens staff is strange." Pip settles with uncomfortable with the way Nav is glaring down at him. He swallows down the knot in his throat. Genetic code inside of him and even his PAK is forcing Pip to be submissive to Nav. Even if he is the boss. "Yes, well I've come to find out they're quite the show stopper, not only that but they're amazingly good at personal work." Nav nods out turning to look at Pêche.

Pêche. A unusally tall Papillion. Who works hard and is also half Irken.

He stands tall in this hallway, staring down at Pip who shivers under him. It feels like a Tallest is in the room, with the fancy outfit Pêche wears and the height adding onto it. "How did you manage to find the tallest one of the Papillon kind?" Pip whispers out. If Pêche was colored green and slicked down his head fur, he can clearly pass as a new Tallest.

'Tallest Pêche, yeah no it doesn't sound right.' Nav shurgs thinking about how closely Pêche looks like to the Tallest. "Anyways, Pip we must be going I have to show him how to work properly." Moving around Pip, Nav waves good bye and ditches the male Irken behind. Pêche is closely behind her, calmly trailing after the female even if other tiny Irkens baffle over his height.

Pêche can almost pass as a Tallest, Nav makes sure to not let Pêche and any Tallest stand in the same room. That'll be quite the thing to explain.

Chapter Text

Chapter 11 Reassignment

"I understand. We hope to see you soon, my Tallest."

Red said no more and cut the transmission.

Cheering erupted from the control bridge as those aboard it gleefully celebrated at the return of one of their leaders. Antennae were wiggling and individuals were hooting happily. Their morale was boosted upon seeing him alive and well. Now that he was making his way to rejoin the Armada, they reveled in the hopes that the war would end that much quicker. With his return, the Resisty would tremble and crumble. Perhaps with the return of their other, beloved Tallest, the enemy would stand no chance…

Rarl folded his hands behind his back. He watched as the pilots received the coordinates from their Tallest and gave the Massive's position in return. Two years had passed since he had last seen the Tallest. He saw he didn't necessarily miss either of the brats. Now that one of them was back, he was afraid. He had no idea what two years of exile and hiding had done to them. He wouldn't know until he met them and that's what bothered him.

Nav stumbled to a halt peeking her head pass the door archway and watching the other navigators and pilots cheer. Pêche leans in as well, his neck fuzz brushing the very top of her skull. "Tallest...?" Pêche mumbles into the thick fluff on his neck and collarbone. After the land email she forwarded to 'important Irkens' Nav can only hope no major parties break out any time soon.

She'd be invited to them and forced to cheer and slurp down syrupy drinks.

One thing that cannot happen now that Perhe hatched and Pêche is on the ship. 

"I'll explain later, lets go to my room before any one else notices you." Nav ducks away in time. Rarl had just started to glance at the open door just as Pêche ducked away too. Yet he was able to spot the Irken antennae Pêche sports slipping away. 

"Your room? Am I going to share your room or is there an extra bedroom?" Pêche struggles to keep pace with the smaller Irken female. For his long legs he cannot catch up. Fair given this is an unknown ship and Nav must know the ins-and-outs of this place like nothing. She doesn't slow down, not even when other busy Irkens get in her way. A simple huff of her mouth and the tiny things are stumbling away before gawking at Pêche who stalks behind Nav. Is it that strange for these Irkens? To see another alien as tall as their Almighty Tallest?

(Pêche was not deaf to the words thrown around since he stepped onto this ship. He does not forget the status Irkens have in regards to height.)

There's mumbling coming from Nav. Her lower face tucked into that high collar of her uniform as she fixes the hold she has on that weirdly shaped bundle of fabric. In the middle of her soft mumbles the fabric reacted and jerked about in her arms.

"Nav, what do you--"

"Navigator Nav!"

Pêche flinched harshly at the voice who cut him off. His curved spine-which was bent only to peer down at the moving fabric- straightened up before he redirected his eyes onto the Irken who addressed his friend. Nav tightened her hold on the fabric, grumbled low in her chest before steeling her nerves and looking at the one who called her. Idly, she was aware of the quick way Pêche perked to attention even if he was not the one called for. Perhaps on his planet he was just used to the demanding tone of controlling Irkens. 

Turls stands in her way. His tiny form blocking the entry to the Rooming Hall for other navigators and pilots. He sticks his thin arms out to the sides, trying to take up as much space as he could with both perfectly swooped antennae pointed forward and at Nav. Face squished up and green eyes narrowed he jerks his jaw over her shoulder. 

"You are aware that there is an undocumented alien following you, yes!" Turls shouts out. At his words the other two he addressed perked up even more and both looked over their shoulders. Nav got an eyeful of Pêche's stomach and chest, and when she leaned a little to the right of his tall imposing frame she could only see the bare hallways. 

Looking up at him she gave him a confused look as if she was missing something, in turn Pêche shook his head and shrugged his many arms. 

"Navigator Turls, there's...no one following me." Nav started out slowly eyeing the way her fellow Irken's arms shook and his form hunched up. There was power building up in his frame. 

A threat.

It shot through her PAK and ran its way up her spine and into her skull. 

Turls is a threat.

'To who? Me? No...Perhe?' But the little yuti had settled into the knotted mess of the swaddle. She hadn't moved or kicked since Turls called out, perhaps something built into smeet yuti, the need to stay still with unknown sounds. 'Then...that leaves only one left...'

"That tall Papillon right behind you!" Turls hisses out his antennae swirl on his skull before laying flat. He crouches even lower to the flooring and two PAK limbs shot out from his back. Sharp pointed limbs stay targeted to Pêche even as the Papillon male jerks back from the fast movements. At the same moment, Nav's down much stronger PAK limbs shot out and deflect Turls robots arms. Sparks fly and the sound of metal hitting metal echoes in the hallway. "Stand down." Nav all but growls out baring her teeth at the smaller Irken. 

His frame shakes and shudders for a moment before he takes one step backwards. His robot limbs (one of the limbs lay broken and twisted--no doubt from her deflection.) lower as well. "I...surely you are not protecting him?" Turls whispers out eyes wide in shock. "Who--" Nav steps forward trying to understand the lower ranking Navigator only to stumble back into Pêche when Turls juts his PAK limbs out again at her. 

He's trying to hurt her in some way, Perhaps to get Nav to understand. But she doesn't understand. What is he trying to tell her?

"He...! He must be tricking you! Surely!" Turls is rambling to himself trying to understand what is in front of him. 

But nothing is wrong.  "I'll...I'll ler Rarl know! Y-yes!" Turls nodded to himself yet he couldn't make it even one step forward. With movement swift and study Nav gave Pêche the bundle Perhe is sleeping in and grabs Turls by his antennae roots. In a sharp jerk she forces Turls to his knees and shakes his head around like some sort of stubborn wire in the wall. "Shut up. Shut up and listen!" She grows out snapping her jaws.

Pêche fumbles with the bundle of fabric, shocked to feel something very much alive inside and the sudden aggression Nav is displaying. She's hissing and growling something to the tiny Irken but all her angry words are lost to him. Spoken in that funny Ikren language that Pêche doesn't know a lick of. However, what she means behind those growls and clicks is clear to anyone whose ran into an angry...upset and fluming Irken.

Before he knows it Turls is chittering out something and other mindless words to calm Nav down. With her stance straight and wide Nav is truly the perfect image of an Irken.

Note to self....keep Nav happy.

Tallest Red was inbound. The news of one of the Tallest returning home--The Armada-- had the whole ship in a restless frenzy. Irkens fluttering around bustling to get the ship in top conditions. Nav wonders down hallways, peeking into the snack rooms and other minor eating spaces watching the Cleaning Drones working over-time to have the areas sparkling clean. Before she had lift one boot into the space the drones hiss and warble out words. Not threats since Nav is taller than them all but under their heavy masks and cleaning PAKs they throw her wary looks.

After all, they just mopped and waxed the floors only to have another Irken ruin their work?

Nav hums in understanding and yet she still treads into the freshly cleaned room. Ignoring the huffy response, the drones make as they trail behind Nav. Mops dragged over the floor she foots on. Boot marks swiped away the moment her heels lift up. Smirking into the high collar Nav tracks her way around the outer edges of the bar, looping through the wide tables before halting at the snack bar itself. 

Glancing over her shoulder, pass the high navigation collar, there the drones are sweeping up after her marks and waxing over the area once more.

'Is that how cleaning really works? I doubt they have to wax again...' Leaning forward Nav taps away on the tablet displaced. Screen also freshly cleaned, lucky for these tiny Irkens, Nav wears her gloves and they are always cleaned. She's here for one thing only:

Anything with sugars below 10%.

It sounds bland and disgusting to her, even now as she scrolls past many snack options and food choices, who in their right minds want food with so little sugar? Nav is grimacing and grumbling into her collar, antennae twitching just barely due to her distaste at the options in the food panel. 'This is for Perhe, she needs low sugar options as she's still a smeet...' Another high sugar meal scrolled pass, drinks and smoothies are ignored. The most Perhe can consume are the cheap food snacks.

(Pêche had mentioned something like fruit and such would do well. “Bugs would be ideal…” He hummed.)

The bars with thin choco coatings with salted nuts mostly as the filling. The bland and flavorless cookie's that only have strawberry jam in a swirl on top for sugars. Huffing and hissing Nav selects those two options and requests 30 of each snack. The panel loads for a few moments, enough for Nav to blink back into the snack bar and hear the idle chittering of the Cleaning Drones. They're mumbling about which rooms they've already cleaned, and which ones need to be recleaned again.

"...Tallest......Grand Hallway....Smeet Rooms..."

Blinking Nav tugs at her long gloves and taps her claws on the counter. Not a grease stain in sight. "...Rooms...Karl....Blu.... Control Room..." Words filter into the air and some lost in the space. Most of what these drones talk about require a sort of warrant to allow the drones inside. Tallest Rooms and other 'Important' Rooms need long and annoying steps to allow most Drones inside for them to do their tasks. Tallest Rooms would require papered approval along with a Guard to keep a close eye on said drone. 

SWIPE CARD

The panel flashes in bright bold red colors, demanding Nav's attention. It works only partly, enough for her to dig out her card and swipe for the payment. Crinkling of bags and snacks echo in the hallway, Nav keeping her required items close and AWAY from every other Irken that rushes through the hallways. Every Irken is running around chirping and wiggling their normal perfect antenna. Tallest Red is making his way home. Everyone is bursting with joy and the unbridled feeling of something grand. For the Tallest is coming home. Nav glares and follows the movement of other Irken workers. Other navigators filter into rooms, carrying tablets, papers, and other important coms. Guards rush about checking and double checking each panel and corner in every room. Spears jutted into anything and jabbed into cracks. Unlucky maintenance work needed from the brutes the are picking the area cleaned.

Fair reason for the ruined panels and torn wires.

Tallest Red was coming home and the whole ship must be swept and looked over at least ten times to weed out any threats.

One tiny table head drone smack into Nav’s legs. Chip bags crinkle and Nav can hear the snacks inside the foil breaking and turning into crumbs. Surrounding Irkens, small and medium in size stumble to a halt, glance at each other uneasily before reaching out their claws to pick up any dropped item. “a-ah!” The drone head wiggles her tiny stumpy antennae at Nav before all-but breaking her spine in half to bow at Nav. Warbles of apologies come forth as a Scientist Irken places a soda bottle into Nav’s arms (when did Nav buy soda?) whilst an Invader places a dropped sugar clump bag into her arms as well (that too, did Nav just grab mindlessly earlier? Too focused on those Cleaning Drones?) The ones who helped don’t linger for any ‘thanks’ from Nav, they brush her front off from any dust—from the drone—before hastily hissing down at the poor lime colored Table Drone.

Nav swirls her defects forward, mildly interested in the verbal shake down about to happen, before skittering away once the sounds of Irken Guards shouting. Ducking and hutching her height lower Nav was able to bleed into the crowd of other fleeing Irkens from the scene.

Minor fights popped up recently, everyone pressed and snappy for perfection. Rarl Kove demanding everyone to be at their finest for the sudden arrival of Tallest Red. Fumbling to a stop in the halls to her room Nav glances behind her shoulder pad and at the flurry of smaller Irkens. The ones she hid with as an escape from the Guards.

A good clump of them could be traitors. Panicking at the sound of an Irken Guard’s shout. Humming Nav faces forward and moves onward. She may-or-may-not be apart of them. With the growing fondness of watching Perhe babble and chirp out mimics of words and the way she softly watches Pêche nanny about her room.

“Oh, is this your child?” Pêche had mumbled out dropping his bags and boxes by the sliding door. Nav had frowned at the pile of stuff left in the small hallway, in fact when Pêche turned his back she used a PAK leg to prod at the stuff like that’ll make it move. “Perhe is not my child—she was….is a gift.” Nav moves away from the new items and wonders to where Perhe is chirping away.

There they are: Pêche and Perhe meeting each other for the first time face-to-face and not over the little holo-cam stick. The yuti bird recognizes Pêche’s features. From his eye color, the little fuzz on his face and the neck fluff. Yet when he draws near the first thing the little smeetling does is open her beak wide and lets out odd warbles of chirps. “What is she doing?” Pêche laughs out settling his tall lanky self-down on the floor. Promptly Perhe snaps her beak shut with a soft click and scampers over to the male alien.

“I’m….not sure.” Nav mumbles worrying her claws over her gloves. But oh, what a sight it is to watch all four of Pêche’s arms circle around Perhe and draw the smeetling close to him. Perhe settles her wrinkly, ugly mug of a face into his neck fluff and snoozes away.

Together they both stumble through raising a smeetling. (“Hatchling!” Pêche corrects) Frist scare was when Perhe got sick and icy cold to the skin. Nav fumbled in her role of care-taker unsurely holding the yuti bird away from her body. “What if she is carrying something?” Nav had defended herself when Pêche all but scolded her. Something wired in her PAK forced Nav to sit through his rambling and lecture before watching the way Pêche dressed the yuti smeet.

(it was his height. Pêche is a tall alien, its in her PAK coding to OBEY the Tallest. But he isn’t a Tallest yet Pêche is the same height as them.)

The first set of clothing the smeet yuti wore was the very fabric that came from Pêche’s planet. Waterproof, weather-proof and very…very fluffy. Perhe was practically drowning in fluff. “Ah,” Holding Perhe out by the armpits Nav could only see her tiny brown-ish beak poking out from the fluff. “Le tissu est trop grand.” Pêche had all but laughed out before plucking the yuti out of her grasp. “We will…fix that later.” He grinned down at the thing, lower arms softly cradling the yapping bird whilst his main arms sorted and fixed his bags.

Her defected flickered and the tips felt warm. Raising her claws up and gently rubbing the curls they did feel warm.

“I will be sharing your room?” Pêche mumbled out the words leaning down a great bit in order to peer into her living space. It is so tiny, her room. A small bed shoved against the wall, a table of sorts with no doubts all her uniforms and work tablets in the drawers with a fancy looking lamp of sorts. It’s so drastic to his own home. No smooth polish wood as walls. No colorful fabrics for rugs and wall décor. Not even Nav’s own bed looked comfy to sit on. “I don’t have another room.” She mumbles moving forward. Pêche watches her arms lift up with the action of tidying her room up only to fall short.

There is nothing in her spotless room to fix for his approval. Instead, her dainty claws reach to her frayed antennae and swirl the ends into one swoop. Standard of all Irkens. Not her however. “C'est bien ce que je pensais.” At his words Nav turns to him with a thoughtful look, her eyes glitter and shine with a brain far smarter than his own. The way her claws still and her posture stiffens up. Her PAK whirls on and he can hear her chewing over his words. Trying to pick apart what he just mumbled out.

Nav doesn’t understand his Papillon language but soon—perhaps too soon—she will know every word.

Pêche explains a few things that Lyn never documented and what was never written into the tablet logs on each alien planet taken over. The fluff that lines most of the Papillon clothing is tied into the Silk Weavers. A type of Papillon whose main job is making the silk which can be washed and brushed to mimic the fluff that lines each Papillon’s neck and collar. “Why not shave your fluff and use that?” Nav asked staring hard at Pêche’s own neck. She watches the way the air in her room makes the hairs (is it hair or fur really?) wave and flutter about softly; only to bristle up and spread outwards at her words.

It doesn’t look so fluffy and elegant anymore, instead it helps broaden out Pêche’s figure and make him look spikey. Aggressive.

“Because” he hisses out which in turn Nav faintly hisses back out with a faint snarl. “Silk Weaver’s have a trait for it. A knack. Other Papillon cannot mimic the silk they make. In fact that silk they make aren’t even the stuff made from their fluff.” Pêche grumbles out. Nav slowly nods before scrunching her face. She doesn’t say anything waits for anything else he has to say.

A moment of silence before he huffs and caves in. “The fuzz on our necks are not the same to silk and other fabrics.”

“What.” Nav fumbles in her agitated stance, sitting on the floor of her living room and numbly blinking back at the tall Papillon. “So…it’s like they were encoded for that job?” She questions, hoping for a slight chance that the fluff on his neck would bristle out again. It does not react to her words this time. Only Perhe reacts by chirruping a word that almost sounded like ‘no.’

Pêche nods his fuzzy head before turning his attention back onto Perhe. The yuti opens her beak wide, lets out a tweet before slurping down the fruit slice Pêche offered.

Papillon have coded jobs…

“Why can’t we leave?” Pêche asks blinking awake. It’s been a few days since he’s moved into the Armada. The sounds of never-ending machinery is draining on his soul. The longing for non-stop rain instead is strong but seeing Nav every day in her room curled over a tablet working through the night out weights most sickness for home. “I don’t…” Nav mumbles tucking her mouth into that funny high collar. She pauses in her response, claws hovering over the newest file that she must read over. Something about Invaders reporting in and she must filter them.

Best, good, decent, poor.

All about perfection these Irkens.

“I just don’t want you be hurt.” Nav’s words bring Pêche to look away from her glowing tablet. Her fingers thumb at the metal outline edges before swiping through the report file. He read the thing but not a single Irken word stayed in his mind. “Us. But why would we get hurt?” His innocent question was twisted somehow. In the way Nav’s freckles bunch up in the way her face scrunches up and her curly, frayed antennae flatten back. “Because Irkens these days aren’t very trusting.”

Wondering into the Smeetry whilst another rebellion fight was going on was strange. So, silent to the point of hearing the clash going on over the soft whirling of robotic arms can be heard clearly. Words of freedom, what is right and wrong, about Lyn and the two missing Tallests thrown around only to seep into these rooms and bounce around.

The Smeetries now adays have been fortified and reinforced to prevent any breaking to the capsules. Anything to stop the Irkens from producing less invaders for the Empire.

Now, how did Nav end up in such a place?

She had to talk to the Irken in charge of the Smeetries. Apparently his section of the Smeetry has reported less defects than the others. The tablets clutched between her arms need his signature before she sends them off.

Only, the fight outside in the halls broke out once Nav walked pass the doors. A small, short Irken Drone with bright blue colors attempted to break into the Smeetry Assignment Room across from Nav and all things went up in flames. So, here Nav is; wondering through the walkways looking at each egg capsule and the timers for when they are to hatch. No other Irkens comes forth to stop or assist her. Perhaps, too busy making sure the newly fortifited walls are working. At one point Nav stops at an egg capsule, the screen below the big thing has a date typed on it and other less important things. The smiling face engraved on the lid stares back at her.

“Excuse me! Hey! Lady don’t touch that!” There’s an Irken smeet in this capsule. Perhaps two if it is rare. Yet twin Irkens are only the result in a defect coding. Most of the time one twin Irken absorbs the other Irken. “Hey stupid, are you listening!?” The loud hissing makes Nav pull away from her thoughts and to glance down right away. There a little Irken with the outfit for machine check up stands. He’s short to most Irken standards and stocky but that comes with most machine-jobs with dyed threads a dual color of red and purple.

An Irken hatched under Tallest Purple and Red’s reign. (Or is his name Pur? Maybe Nav will ask.)

“What?” Nav asks tucking her freckled nose farther into the high collar. With her attention on the small-fry the poor Irken stumbles in his words before frowning and jerking a wrench around in the air. “I said don’t touch these capsules! They’re very delicate and anything can cause a defect to form in these smeets!” He’s rambling about something along the lines of her and how the smeets must be hatched without any ‘important Irken touch’! “Do you work with the Smeetry machines then?” Nav slices his heated rant in half. The male claps his jaw shut so quick Nav is impressed he didn’t bite a chunk out of his lip. “Yes, I make sure the arm’s and coolants are at perfect levels. Up to date. It goes with the job of being the Head of this Smeetry.” He mouths out the words slowly. Untrusting of Nav.

With the sudden raise of Civil War thanks to Lyn that is all understandable. If Nav were to let the inner-works of how a Smeetry works then the rebelling Irken can very well ruin the Empire. “Is that all you do? Maintenance work?” He isn’t hunched over with the table gear most small Irken wear. Nor does he wear the same clothing Invaders wear. What is this Irken?

He frowns at her questions and snaps out a, “I do maintenance on all things in this Smeetry. But, rarely they ask me to do maintenance elsewhere.” He settles with eyeing Nav down like an ugly defect.

He isn’t wrong. She is a defect.

But…so is he.

This Irken whose been praised on hatching the less amount of defects—is a defect himself. Whilst most advisors are chosen for that job by the placement of their PAKs, other Irkens who have misplaced PAKs are culled. When a PAK is attached too high on the back, too low. On the back of their skulls instead of the back.

Yet this Irken male…

has three PAKs.

Nav leaves the Smeetry afterwards, chewing over his words and the strange Irken had told her. After he had signed what she needed out of him. Questions bubble up and stay inside her skull the whole time.

(How does he see? Isn’t it hard to have that many PAKs? Why wasn’t he killed?)

She runs into him the next day, during a tablet drop off to Rarl Kove. He’s been flooded with more reports, requests and demands after Tallest Red’s return started making the rounds again. Only instead of him being inside the Smeetry and tending to the wires there he was standing next to Rarl Kove fiddling with the loose fabric of his attire.

“Oh, you.” Is all he says when Nav stands behind him. How he knew it was her or event someone he encountered before is a wonder.

 “The Maintenance Worker.” Nav shoots back rolling her stiff shoulder. Hours of holding Perhe close to help the yuti sleep had strain and aches forming in her muscles. Odd for Irkens after all they are sturdy and made for labor. (Pêche had laughed when Nav winced from her aches.) “My name is NOT Maintenace Worker.” He hissed back only to flinch when Rarl Kove throw a look at him.

He’s on thin ice for having such a feisty attitude. If the worker isn’t walking carefully, he might just be taken in for an interview with the Control Brains. Wiggling his perfectly swooped antennae he chitters out an apology to Nav before hunching in on himself. Where a PAK should be shown on his back there is nothing but the plain slope of his clothing uniform. Once her paperwork and other minor tablets where signed and ‘read’ over Nav pulled the Maintenace Worker to the side in the hallway. Tiny Irkens filtering through bumped and ran into them both only to skirt away after seeing Nav.

“What? What do you want now?” He grumbled shaking loose his arm from Nav’s claws. “Your PAK. PAKs. How do you function?” She pressed crowding into his space and lifting his arms. She fumbles with his loose uniform lifting the apron like uniform before flapping the strings tied over his waist. “Stop touching me!” He hissed slapping her arms away and taking a step away. His mouth furrows into a frown at Nav and pats his clothing down as if it’ll shake away her lingering touches. “If you weren’t wearing the Irken uniform for Navigators I’d think you’d be one of those freaks whose all into coding.” He huffs flicking an antenna at Nav. (and her other question comes forth. How does he see?)

“What’s your name? And you haven’t answered.” Nav straightens up before tugging on her glove edges. Soon she’ll be on break after she drops off the tablets and paperwork. Then she can give Pêche and Perhe some snacks or a drink and back to work.

“Quail, and to answer your rude question the ‘main’ PAK is the one on the back of my skull, there. The result of a placement glitch really.” He fumbles with the heavy thick material of his apron before removing his claws. “That doesn’t—” “I need to get going now.” Quail snips out before Nav can finish what she was saying yet he doesn’t move away right away.

One perfect antenna twitches before it settles and Quil’s face smooths out. “Are you done poking at me? I have to go before I get questioned….again.” Nav considers his wary words before humming.

“I’m…done.” She settles with finally. With her words Quail nods stiffly, pats his uniform down before turning away. He wonders back to the Smeetry he works over.  There, as he turns around to leave Nav, one large PAK thrums to life on the back of his skull. Perfectly centered.

Three PAKs.

Certainly, he does not have an easy life.

Nav lets the Irken walk away. He taps at one PAK in the center of his face and shudders for a moment. Steps stuttering and arms braced outward as if he was going to fall. Quail, in the end to her disappointment, does not fall after his little visual glitch.

For the rest of the work shift, through mindless reading and scrolling Nav doesn’t forget about Quail. He carries out orders and does his job amazingly yet, he carries an unusual defect and the control brains allowed him to live freely repairing ruined wires and other work inside the Armada’s Smeetry. Pêche laughed when Nav finally makes it to her room. Perhe bundled now in Irken cloth and dyes. On her tiny clawed feet are metal plates, standard for imprisoned yuti being used as guard pets. They also tend to wear Control Collars, heavy-duty metal that clamps around their dainty feathered necks to control them. Only those imprisoned and captured from the Resisty's cause wear those collars.

Perhe does not wear a Control Collar.

She’s struggling to walk with the protective metal plates on her shins and the sharp jagged points that go over her talons. Added damage should she ever need to attack. (Nav was frowning as she clipped the armor and claw additions. “What’s the matter?” Pêche asked leaning over Nav. The soft brushes of his collar fluff touching Nav’s nape had her turning away. Embarrassing for an Irken…)

Hopefully, for everyone in this pack, Perhe would never have to lift a claw. “Her hour in the stuff is over.” Pêche has been spending most of his time laying on the floor. Rugs and other unimportant blankets lay scattered every where now. Something about space still missing with Pêche’s inner clock. “Any better?” Nav drops off her bags of goods, stepping away to let the robotic arms sort and store each item she brought. This time around she was able to get the fresh goods and produce from the docking ships. Items and foods even drinks from other planets. Before any of them could be brought into the right rooms to be processed and pressed into something else. Fruits, snacks and other drinks. Hell, Nav even brought the water bottles that came from some sort of bat-like planet.

(Water is used in the Armada to help cool the Control Brains. Untouched cave water from that bat-planet collected from sparkling caves. Nothing else works quite as well as water. Sealed until the items arrive at the right Control Brain Room.)

(Pax had to deal with water surely. Red must’ve been so stressed.)

Pêche hums a word, mumbling something as his many hands easily free Perhe from her muscle training. Once the plates are off and properly placed on a table surface Pêche flops down onto the floor. Like the flowers from his planet Pêche looks wilted and sickly. His palms dig motions into the muscles where his wings join into his back. Shifting in his pile of blankets of a bed and always being uncomfortable.

Yet he stays here. Softly smiling at each word Perhe babbles out and the way she chirps out some songs. Fondly crowding into Nav’s space and watching her claws tap away at the tablets.

“Do you regret accepting?” Nav mumbles pinching the sheaths on the feathers on Perhe body. Her tiny beak plucking and pinching the sheaths off every feather she could reach. What was once an interlocked barbule is now an unfurled feather. Unable to reach the back of her neck and skull Nav is left to help pluck free each interlocked feather.

“Regret what?” Pêche sits beside both females one hand holding his head up as the others help with cleaning Perhe. “Preening Perhe? Not really it’s kinda nice popping the feathers free.” He chuckles out doing a much faster job. The yuti bends her neck lower letting each little barbule split open and easier to help preen. “No, not that. Being here. On the Armada.” Nav snaps out rolling a feather free. This one plumage is spotted red and white.

“And not see you every day? Never.”

Perhe lets out some warble of a chirp at the sound of Nav’s voice. Pêche responds back to the yuti in kind before laughing as the tiny smeetling scrambles to kick away the threads caught on her tiny talons. Nav only makes it to behind the sloping couch before Perhe is running (stumbling) her way towards Nav. She flaps her slightly-covered arms up and down like it’ll push Perhe the extra distance.

Once to her boots the yuti halts and looks up at Nav with wide orange eyes. She moves her head each side before chirping out the one word she knows clearly.

“Y’up!” Along with her little boney wing-arms being held out to Perhe’s sides fully.

Nav reaches down, three pointed claws careful in not japing into Perhe’s soft skin and the yuti smeet warrior is being held. The motion is somewhat familiar. The act of placing the smeet onto her hip to hold correctly is smooth and aided by something long flushed out.

Yet awkward once Perhe sits comfortable on Nav’s hip. Overly long scaly like legs bump into every pocket and belt Nav wears. Her talon claws scrape against the bottom curve of her PAK and Nav’s skin crawls with thoughts. With one careful jerk of her pointy claws Perhe can go between the metal plate of the PAK and her skin allowing an easy slice to kill her.

But that never happens.

Perhe curls her talons inwards, tucking the sharp weapons away and cooes happily at being held.

The yuti would never do that to Nav. At least, not Perhe. Her little yuti smeet.

“I brought fresh produce.” Nav mumbles out the shivering sensation of talon brushing metal still bouncing around her skull. Pêche grumbles something, stretches out each of his long, lanky limbs before pushing himself into a stand. Once fully up he flutters his thin wings, flashes of black, jade green and blue flicker into Nav’s eyes and distracts her from evil thoughts of yuti and death. The joints the wings are attached too pop in a nice way and Pêche rubs softly at them with his second pair of hands. “Did you get water? It’s kinda tiring drinking slushies all the time and Perhe needs water.” He stresses out playfully running a knuckle between Perhe’s eyes and over her beak tip.

The yuti smeet lets out a chirping giggle before following him with her wide eyes. Water. Yuti drink water. None of that sugared crap that the Armada has. The struggle its been to walk into Control Brain Rooms and get even a box full of the filtered danger liquid. “Yeah, I was able to get some.” Nav shudders at the stuff. She even wore extra protective rubber gloves when handling the bottles.

Idly she runs a free hand over her forearm. She still has that scar the last time water touched her even for a moment back at Pêche’s planet.

The fuzz that covers his skin must protect him naturally from the stuff. He did mention that Papillon aren’t too fond of the stuff either.

(In a murky, dull memory Nav remembers the alert file sent to her desk. About Lyn raiding a Military training world. Right before Pêche came to the Armada. The file was read and scanned over. Soldiers lost, who they were the ranking and what was left of the burning planet. Only one PAK was not found: Dez. She too had experienced water like Nav. Wherever Dez may be, Nav can only wonder if the Invader made it free from Lyn’s raiding.)

“I think the far right Fleet area might be clear of anyone.” Nav mumbles out around a plastic straw. Pêche and Perhe sit beside her sipping on their own sealed lids of water. It was awkward and a troublesome act for the yuti to do, unsurely chewing on the straw before figuring out how to get the water. Hours of watching Pêche and him struggling to show the beaked alien how to inhale finally proved useful as Perhe slurps down the stuff loudly. Pêche watches the way Nav lifts her lip in disgust at the way Perhe drinks water easily. Sharp zipper like teeth are shown before Nav smooths out her face for a look of awe and something deeper.

There’s something there in the way Nav’s eyes shine and watch Perhe.

Pêche doesn’t point it out in case the strange ‘defect’ emotion would be erased if he does.

“What are you implying?” Is what he points out instead. When Nav looks over at him, he understands. “You have to stretch your wings right? Maybe…we,” Nav flicks a finger between herself, Perhe and himself, “can go down there for you to stretch your wings?”

The Fleet Docking area is far larger than he thought. It almost looks similar to the Flight Field in his home world. The huge different being the lack of plant life and other Papillion grublings wanting to test out their newly dried wings. Pêche was one of those young grublings 19 years ago. He stood between his grandparents for his father was killed and his mother died of heartbreak. Pêche was at the Flight Field only twice in his whole life.

For himself when he was at the ‘coming of age’ moment and for his son.

“Do you have to go somewhere high to take off?” Nav’s voice brought Pêche back to the present. She holds the baby yuti in her arms, she took awhile to get used to all the lanky limbs of the hatchling but finally the Irken female got a good hold on the little thing. “Y’up Yyy’uup!” Perhe squeaks out the words, wide yellow eyes soaking in the new area before drooping low.

Babies always have low energy, even in other aliens.

“No…no, I don’t really need somewhere heigh, maybe.” Pêche mumbles rubbing a palm over his neck fuzz. Smoothing out the puffed out ends and composing himself. “Sure, sure.” Nav hums out.

Out of the corner of his eye, Nav fumbles with a sleepy Perhe before pulling out some…tablet of sorts. She’s fiddling with the object as the yuti hatchling snoozes away slowly. The Irken is no longer watching him with her eyes.

Her attention is on her work tablet.

It’s a soothing comfort and a bitter taste to not have Nav’s attention.

Flexing his jade-colored wings, shimmering under the lights in the Fleet Docking, Pêche wilts slightly. Ah, no wonder it’s so bitter.

He braces his knees just like he remembered from so long ago.

He’s in love.

And he takes off.

Chapter Text

Chapter 12 Of Warriors and Leaders

It was quite the celebration and everyone on board the Massive wanted to be there. A countless drove of Irken bodies crammed into the hangar bay, all of them eager to catch a glimpse of their leader's magnificent return. The whole of the Armada was also alerted regarding Tallest Red's arrival so that there wouldn't be any fatal misunderstandings. He was indeed operating a Resisty owned shuttle and there didn't need to be any egregious miscommunications regarding that.

It has been a while since Pêche had been aboard the Armada. Perhe has most of her feathers by now too. As well as understanding some Irken words. She’s speaking mostly coherent words but the other times she’s busy singing something. Pêche shrugs at those moments but whistles along to the avian smeetling.

Today, Nav is in the hangar bay, pressed against the wall as the rest of the Irken’s clutter forward wanting to see Tallest Red first hand once the ship he hijacked pulls forward. Murmurs, muttering and other idle chat filters into the air. The throng of cadets and drones in the hangar bay was impressive. They all stood shoulder to shoulder, ready and anxious to greet their overlord. Most of the room was taken up aside from a singular space in the large hangar. Rarl Kove and some medical personnel stood waiting at the edge of the parking space, waiting to receive their leader. Nav’s defective antennae are throbbing under the intense feelings in the air, picked up from the surrounding Irkens by her. They tingle and twitch with each spike and dip in emotions.

The base of her skull, where skin melts into the black antenna felt raw and exposed. She’s already spent an hour rubbing and kneading the skin there and re-curling her frayed antennae ends. Nothing seems to help and Nav is ready to call it a day and retreat into her room. So, what if she doesn’t see Red? She rather bury her face into Pêche’s neck fuzz and see Red another day.

Rarl Kove is muttering and ordering the medic drones by his side. His voice is clipped and even, no room for any other words.

Nav can’t make out a single word under the flood of emotions her frayed defects are picking up.

"Yes, Grand Advisor," the head medic replied. "From what you described, we are treating injuries on the face and arms?"

"Yes. Almighty Tallest Red fought one of the savage bird people of Yutus. He won of course but the one he fought was one of their mightiest warriors. She didn't go down without a fight."

"We are prepared for anything, Grand Advisor. He'll be in ship shape after we're finished with him."

"Good."

Ah, there we go. One swipe of her wrist and Nav can finally focus on what is happening. The Irken lined up next to her and in front of her finally fell into silence allowing Rove and the medic drones to fill in the air.

Yutus.

The home world of Perhe. A home she would never experience. Where culture for her avian kind is drastically different from the Irken culture she is brought up in. What would the Yuti aliens say if they ever saw Perhe? Would they mock her name, as her name isn’t the usual naming that Yuti aliens pick, since her name comes from Papillion culture? Would they call Perhe a traitor for being raised to support the Irken Empire?

What would the Yuti say if they ever meet Nav’s child?

During her idle thoughts, a metal ting! broke through her mind. A metal ramp retracted out from the base of the automatically opening doors.

Tallest Red’s ship has arrived and landed in the spot cleared for it.

"Come on, my Tallest!" someone screamed in the throng. "Let's see you!"

Literally half a second after the drone cried out, a tall, thin figure walked down the ramp. He stopped when he made it to the bottom and looked around, surveying the adoring crowd that gathered. For a beating moment, enough for every Irken waiting for his arrival to breathe in, no one made a sound.

Then the silence was shattered.

Cheerful screeches and shouts rung out for the lone figure of just one Tallest. Nav cringes at the sound and so does Red momentarily before he puffs up at the sound. Covering her antennae Nav weakly cheers along too. She’s just another face among the other Irkens cheering out together, even as weakly as she cheers, for once does Nav feel apart of her kind.

During a lull of cheering, Rarl’s voice rings out with joy. Strained yet forcefully happy as he approaches Tallest Red. His words are murky at best since the loud screeching had all but blown out Nav’s hearing. Rubbing and swiping at her defects Nav is forced to watch the show unfold.

Rarl Kove is tense and stiff as he greets Tallest Red. His antennae are wiggling along with every other Irken in the hangar.

Nav is the only one she can see not wiggling her antennae.

But, surely, Rarl is like that because of the bloody ragged appearance of Tallest Red and nothing else.

Shortly after whatever Rarl said (perhaps something along the lines of, “Almighty Tallest! You look awful!”) medical drones stepped forward with quick bows and soft chitters. Two stand balanced on their PAK legs to tend to the wound on Red’s face. At their fluttering Tallest Red seems to sag slightly in relief.

“Sire, you’ve grown!” Finally, words bleed through and Nav can easily follow along to what is happening in front of her without having to guess what they might be saying. Once Tallest Red is escorted (more like stomps his way out) to his rooms Nav can go to her room where she can inform her two pack members about this moment.

“That is wonderful! We are very pleased to see you but I’m sure…” Rarl’s words fade out, droning on and on about something and Nav can’t be bothered to listen any farther.

Behind her, dulled by the thick metal walls there is some faint banging.

Odd, mostly every Ikren is here. Who would be banging away knowing something important is happening? Quickly, Nav glances over to the entrance. No one is there It's fine, totally, so Nav refocuses on the two main figures. 

Rarl and Red are talking to one another yet no one else seems to hear the odd clanking and banging that kicks up once more. One antenna lifts up to listen closer…it…sounds like someone stomping around inside the walls. A maintenance drone must be working on the panels or wiring without knowing what is happening...but every Irken knows what is happening today. At this very moment, surely? 

“Thank you all for your…enthusiasm and gusto.” Red calls out to the crowd who starts to cheer once more. Half-heartily, Nav softly cheers too but her mind is more focused on the banging getting louder. The crowd settles to a stop as Tallest Red continues in his speech.

Nav looks towards the two Irkens beside her, they seem far more interested in the speech than that strange uneven clanking happening behind them inside the walls.

Does no one else hear that? The ever-growing bangs as they clank closer and closer?

"My fellow Irken, this is our universe and this is our time. It always has been! As the true masters and owners of this universe, are we going to let these filthy traitors and rebels challenge us? Are we going to let them get in our way?"

A loud, spontaneous "no" rang out from the gathered Irken. They cheered and shook their fists in the air. Nav can taste the anger and determination in the air. Spearheaded by Tallest Red who oozes out the emotions like a broken cup. Unlike her kind, suddenly feeling so far detached to them, Nav can only faintly pick up the shared emotion.

Usually when a Tallest pumps out strong emotions, it becomes a chain reaction. Smaller, lessor Irkens soak it up and share that emotion. However, Nav can only stand to the side, detached to the shared emotion and can only pretend that she’s a part of this crowd.

BANG

BANG

BANG

That sound faltered for a moment, only during the pause in Red’s grand speech. Only to pick up once more in a far steadier rhythm. Tallest Red’s mere presence was a huge morale booster and with him speaking to all of them, it made them swoon under his spell even more. Nav can only imagine how it will go once Tallest Purple makes his return as well.

Will he, too, say some grand speech like his co-tallest? Or would it be something far different?

“…Whether you're a service drone, an Invader, a pilot or a Tallest, you will contribute and make this work! Together, we will bring perfect and complete order to our Empire and make sure all who stand against us are destroyed!" The ending of Tallest Red’s speech brings Nav away from that strange banging. She could’ve sworn someone cursed under all that loud banging.

Once again, the throng burst into a concert of screams and joyful cries. Just as they fed off of their Tallest's words of encouragement.

Nav attempted to join along her fellow Irken, craving the need to feel apart of her Empire. As always, with her delayed cheering Nav falls short.

Always left behind.

Giving up, Nav falls quiet as the others cheer and yell in agreement to Red’s words. He stands tall and proud, the shape of a Tallest that knows his power during these times. Towering over the smaller Irken and glowing under the caring medic drones who tend to him.

Nav stands on the outside. Peering into the crowd of perfect Irken who stay clustered around their Tallest.

(bitterly she wonders if she felt like this. was she just as alone as Nav feels then?)

She’s alone on her side of the Empire. Always mutely looking on as her Irken kind cheer and talk to each other with bright smiles under the watch of the two Tallest. No other odd Irken stands with her on the outside. The ones who do tend to deviate which ends in their death. They stepped out of line and they were culled swiftly.

Shot down.

Snuffed out.

Tossed into the darkest spot in space to die.

So, Nav stands alone. Claws clasped together, longing the comfort of other Irken to accept her like they did Pax so long ago. Like that will be an easy fix.

“Uh, it’s Leeza, my Tallest.”

Pax had been one of the first Irkens to look at Nav’s defects and ponder over them in amazement. There was a offering there, in Pax’s eyes, someone to feel comfortable with. For once, Nav could feel like she’s apart of the Irken Empire without feeling like she’s on the outer edges. How kind her eyes looked during that one talk they had.

“Hmmm, good point. It is pretty cool, isn’t it?”

“It is!”

That loud banging picks up again, throwing Nav off her mindless thoughts quick. It definitely is someone in the walls making their way to the hangar now. It’s no longer if this worker was aware of Tallest Red being in here but rather they know it. For whatever reason they choose to go through the roundabout way of seeing Tallest Red. But the vents?

“There you go, my Tallest,” A medic drone cheerfully says her words a heavy flush over her face. “Try to avoid touching it. In about two days, we’ll inspect it to make sure it’s healing properly.”

Taking the long way…

Nav leans forward a bit, peering at the entrance that leads to this hangar. Some other Irken, too shy to step inside are peering inside and listening closely. It’s crowded but there’s enough space for whoever is inside the walls—vents—to join them. Leaning back Nav squints up above her, the banging has now reached the room and the Irken inside the vents is now fiddling with the vent gate to get it open. The sound draws Nav to glance up right where the vent entrance is at.

“Thank you, Nurse Leeza,” Tallest Red mutters his thanks to the drone just as the vent gate is pulled into the vents.

This Irken did not need to remove the gate to see and hear Tallest Red.

Cold dread zaps up her spine and Nav stiffens up at the rifle barrel that now peers out of the open vent. Her eyes snap to the center, right where Tallest Red is standing.

Coiled antennae perk up, frayed ends split open and wide soaking up the burning anger and bitter hate that comes from this traitorous Irken.

“You’re very welcome my Tall-…” The medic drone that tended to Red shifted ever so softly, only enough to block the blaster shot meant for Red. Her head caves inward thanks to the bullet with only a small shutter to her steps from the impact. Her PAK lags in her death, still keeping the dead medic drone propped up in the air before staggering in its weakened strength and she crumples to the ground.

Every Irken watched in muted horror like some show as the drone falls to the floor bleeding at the feet of Tallest Red.

Nav sucks in a breath and all hell is let loose. She’s shoved and pushed to the side, some Irkens rushing forward to protect Red along side guards whilst others duck for cover. A stray elbow smacks her gut and Nav wheezes out her air to look up at the vent.

It’s being hastily shoved back into place, no doubt the shooter is panicking now since they missed their target.

"Protect the Tallest!" a guardsman yelled out. "Go! There's an assassin here!"

Being shoved along with the crowd Nav barely catches the sharp eyes of Tallest Red looking her way. He’s quickly spotted the hastily retreating assassin just as Nav did too. He’s quick, faster than those Irkens panicking and rushing around him.

It helps that Tallest Red was so tall too.

His own PAK legs shot out, somehow avoiding the Irkens nearest to him and those powerful robot limbs push him forward and within a blink of an eye Tallest Red is in front of Nav; or more accurately the vent the assailant was inside of.

Without him saying so or needing to shove Nav out of the way she’s quick in throwing herself over to the side and onto the other Irkens. They squawk and yell at Nav’s sudden weight, but they scramble with her to make room for Tallest Red.

There’s rattling of a gun, trapped between the hastily shut vent. The poor shooter was an idiot that he trapped his gun between the vent frame and the vent gate. With a rather bone-rattling yell Red’s wrist blades got out and clearly sliced through the piping and bars to the vent gate clearing out a space for Red to reach into the vent and drag out the Irken.

Nav kicks backward, away from the bars and piping that clattered to the floor along with the rifle meant to kill Red.

He’s yelling something to the assassin, as he yanks out the Irken. Those pressing on Nav’s back all stare wide eyed at Red and nervously down at the gun.

No one makes a move towards the weapon.

Swallowing her spit Nav bends forward and grabs ahold of the gun.

Just as her fingers brush the gun, the traitor is slammed into the floor, meet with Red’s boots as he too drops from his hold on the ceiling. In a mad panic Nav clutches the gun to her chest not wanting the Irken to get a hold on his weapon to try anything again.

Red pins him to the floor with no mercy, he rounds on the tiny thing with bared fangs and a stance meant to kill. With swift calmness Nav flicks on the guns safety on and empties out the ammo canister. If there was some freakish luck this Irken can snatch the gun from Nav’s tight grip, then he cannot fire one bullet at all.

“You’re not going anywhere!” Red snarled out, and at his words the once panicked crowd now pushes forward and traps the shooter in a open circle. He’s now face-to-face with Tallest Red and no easy escape in sight.

Challenging Red, the tiny Irken mimics Red’s stance and his own flimsy PAK legs shoot out as well.

“You’re a pretty horrible shot, you little spitball!”

“I’m a service drone, you idiot, not a soldier!” The assailant spits back up towards Tallest Red. Antennae pinned back and claws bared.

It explains why they trapped the rifle barrel between the vent gate and the wall. The words from the shooter must’ve struck a chord in Red as in no time he lunges forward, making Nav flinch back at the swiftness, and tugs the tiny thing up into the air and close to his face.

Yet the Irken doesn’t falter in it’s blistering words only boldly claiming, "I couldn't believe my luck when I found out one of the Tallest was coming back," the drone smiled impishly. "I knew I had to take matters into my own hand."

Idly, as the ex-drone rambles with some minor words from a fuming Red, Nav thumbs at the weapon in her grasp. Soldiers and guards now line the circle, ready at any moment to rush forward. How did this service drone get ahold of such weapon and access to the ventilation is a wonder. Perhaps, if Red doesn’t kill the drone, they’ll squeeze the answer out of them.

No Irken can easily get their claws on powerful weapons and the vent systems.

How long did the service drone plan this?

Did they have to make friends to allow them to slip through?

Or did she have allies to help them slip through?

“Who told you to do this?” Red urged out, “Did some Resisty scum put you up to this?”

“Oh, my Tallest, there is more to it than just that.” The mocking tone the drone used to address Red is loud. No one just attempts a shot on Red only to still refer to him as their Tallest.

Everyone is focused on the two in the somewhat corner of the room, yet Nav stands on her toes and glances to where Red once stood.

There still in a heap is the medic drone who saved Tallest Red’s life. She may have dead but she did in the end, protect Red.

“…I’m one of those folks who want to destroy the Resisty but don’t really like you.” He hisses out and those words draw Nav back to what is happening in front of her.

Red looks scandalous, like what the drone just said offended himself and the next line of Tallest.

"I'm your Tallest, you have no choice!"

"You're an awful Tallest! I couldn't bear the thought of you coming back and bossing me and everyone else around! You're the worst! So, I tried to take matters into my own hands."

"You've should've left the killing to the professionals, tiny." Red grinned maliciously. "Look at the trouble it got you into now."

Thinking on it now, when Tallest Purple comes back to the Armada, Nav truly hopes his return would be different than this. She can’t bare to deal with another attempt on a Tallest life.

If it’s anything like what is going on now, Nav will gladly stay in her room and spend it with Pêche.

“Remove his PAK and wipe its data out!” The command is yelled out. Words burning and blistering as he shakes the service drone in his clawed grasp.

The very words every Irken fears to hear.

“He,” Red raises the service drone higher displaying his face to everyone, “was a defective!”

Then, like a broken item no longer useful, Tallest Red jerks his arm back and tosses the drone to the floor. With no moment in between the guards and soldiers surrounding the ring dive forward and grab at the assassin. He’s manhandled and dragged through the hangar; every eye follows the hollow laughter from the traitor before settling back on Red with some sort of emotions brewing in their glaze.

"Let that be a lesson to every single one of you!" he raised his voice, speaking to all of the Irken in the hangar. "This is what will happen to traitors! I will show no mercy and my revenge will be fast and terrible! We won't stop until they're all hunted down and exterminated! I will not let them undermine my authority and challenge my rule! I am your Tallest and you will all accept that or die! Am I understood?!"

Nav shifts the gun in her hold. She’s shocked at the sheer volume of Red’s voice. All this yelling must be straining on his voice. The last time she heard him be this loud was something Zim did.

Her movements catch his eye. He falters only for a brief moment at the sight of the gun before he rushes forward after no one says a word.

"AM I CLEAR?!" Red roared, spittle flying from his mouth.

"Yes, my Tallest!" the crowd retorted in unison.

Nav doesn’t speak a word, she holds his stare before softly bowing low to him. Somehow, in their short moment of eye contact he understood Nav’s lack of agreement. He moves on from her form and sweeps the crowd in one heaving breath. She’s safe.

Unspoken words (of what? Nav isn’t sure really) shared between them.

Tallest Red trusts her now. Or at the very moment he does. He doesn't have a clue about her but many he remembers her face when she used to chat with Pax those years ago. Her loyalty, even if she is defective, lays with both Tallest and the Empire. Thus she would never try an attempt on either Tallest. Perhaps later in the months, days or weeks he will call Nav in for a test on her loyalty, how such a test goes only Red shall know. Either way Nav will stand with the Empire even if she's so alone. 

She hands the weapon over to the soldiers, and there they sperate. Red stomps off to somewhere else. Hissing and snarling the whole way. Guards and soldiers scramble and trip over their legs to catch up. Nav swirls her defects into a perfect swoop and wonders the opposite way.  

Chapter Text

Chapter 13 To Know the Enemy

Pêche, when Nav finally makes to her room, was shocked and choked on the water he was drinking. Perhe, not having a clue, could only giggle and laugh at the state Pêche is left in. “WHAT!?” He’s yelling and just fumbling with his words. He’s sitting on the stool by her kitchen with Perhe seated in a sort of ‘high’ chair. She’s pecking at some loose nuts on the space in front of her and laughs occasionally at Pêche.

“I don’t think I have to repeat myself.” Nav hums idly brushing her palm over Perhe’s growing feathers. She isn’t so ugly looking now. Her feathers are filling out her weird skinny avian body and soon she’ll be the perfect picture of every other yuti Nav has seen. “I know, I know but I can’t believe he almost got shot…”

She forgets, at times, that Pêche has never been exposed to these things. What did he say their planet is like with leader figures? That they mostly talk things out before they fight? Maybe she's mixing it up.

“Is it really that shocking? Didn’t you witness your leader’s death?” Nav questions rolling some cheese balls into Perhe’s range. Pure, raw cheese imported in from some weird hooved aliens. They are a funny bunch but easy to conquer given they were friendly. In fact, they even accepted the Empire with open arms and send yearly gifts.

“Chef Calfoutis? No, no…I uh,” Pêche hums tapping his fingers on the glossy marble of the kitchen table “I was busy with my son.” He settles with finally giving Perhe some dried out fruit.

He finally looks over at Nav after she doesn’t say anything after his words. She’s standing by Perhe who doesn’t seem aware of the silent treatment Nav is giving Pêche. Worried he had upset her Pêche opens his mouth to try and save himself only for the female Irken to beat him to saying anything.

“What…is a…son?”

It’s something he was not expecting Nav to ask.

“Well, it’s a…smeet…that has half of my code and another Papillion. Off-spring, descendant.”

He had to word it differently, slightly. In a way that any Irken can understand. Nav slowly blinks her eyes and nods slowly, then all at once his words struck her and she slams her hands on the counter. Thankfully that only makes Perhe laugh and not cry.

“ANOTHER PAPILLION!?”

“Well yes! That is how hatchlings are made in my planet!?” Pêche gasps out leaning away from Nav as she rounds the counter to draw closer. “No pods? Capsules?” She’s by his side now, giving a soft rub to Perhe before her red eyes narrow at him. “No! Of course not!”

“Then how do you make another smeet with two sets of codes? Wouldn’t that just overload the coding drones?” Nav sneers out jabbing a single claw into Pêche’s chest.

Shockingly that one jab forces all his air out of his lungs. Curled over the counter, four sets of arms cradling his chest Pêche can only grumble. He forgets how strong pure Ikrens are really.

“There’s a whole courting and season to make hatchlings, no weird…drones or whatever else you Irkens use!”

Nav chokes, or lets out a odd stutter of a sound before shaking Pêche’s whole frame with her tiny claws. “COURTING!? UGH…! You…! Your race…” During her little rant Nav stumbles and flushes a dark green color that blends her freckles into one color. “Mate!?” She finally gasps out only to quickly detach herself from Pêche. Almost looking like any contact longer and Pêche’s odd social habits might rub onto her like some sort of infection.

However, when she jerks away Pêche’s center of balance was shifted, and the tall lanky male fumbled onto the floor.

“WHY DID YOU LET GO!?”

“BECAUSE…! WHAT IF YOU SPREAD ANYTHING TO ME!?”

If Pêche had known revealing he had a son would’ve shifted the dynamic between himself and Nav he would’ve kept that to himself. It’s been another week of no real talk between himself and Nav. She’ll draw near, scrunch up her face and talk formally to him. She’ll ask about Perhe, what food she needs to get or about stretching his wings again.

Fed up as well as missing their old banter Pêche dares to strike out finally.

Females are tricky, at least his experience with female Papillions were, surely Irken females will be the same. Only feistier and more outward in their wants.

Perhe was rocked to sleep, then nestled into her bed that was just soft pillows and fuzzy blankets. Pêche makes sure to tuck the little yuti into the bed and a peck of affection on her feathery head before he faces Navs bedroom. They share her bed together, Pêche indifferent to the act of cuddling and Nav struggling to accept the comfort that comes with being close to another being. Since that little ‘I-have-a-son’ talk she’s taken to staying up longer and avoiding the nightly routine of sharing the bed.

This night will be different however.

Letting out a sigh, Pêche mockingly mimics the motions of ‘please-keep-me-safe’ and steps towards the bedroom doors. They slide open with ease, not a sound letting loose. Nav is hunched over another tablet, this time she wields a sort of pen that allows her to hand-write personal notes and other words. “I’m going to bed.” Pêche announces dragging the box that houses Perhe. She barely stirs and snores away like a high pitch whistle.

“mmmph.” Nav hums out twirling the pen in the air. “Okay.” She burrows her face deeper into the high collar of her uniform and blearily blinks.

It gives Pêche enough time to dress into far more comfortable night clothes and time to think of his next plan of action.

Nav is clearly tired. She’s rubbed her eyes five times so far and keeps nodding off.

The most that can happen would be him getting a scar. Or his antennae cut. Or his wings being ruined.

With that settled, sucking in a sharp breath he scoops up Nav like he would Perhe and holds her up in the air. “Ack—” she lets out a choked-out shout, her lower legs swing and almost kick into Perhe’s box only to tuck inward and avoid that disaster.

Nothing bad happens. Nav lets herself be dangled in the air like a soggy bath towel. “What?” She kicks her legs now, twisting in his four-armed hold and grumbles.

Seemingly forgetting she has a PAK attached to her back that can easily shoot out limbs that’ll end this right now.

“Spill, Nav. What’s eating at you that you rather avoid me?” Pêche starts his questioning. She’s like a wiggling grub whose just learned how to crawl in their jumper. He’s been through his motion before, with his own hatchling once he was allowed to take them home.

“I am NOT avoiding you.” Nav grumbles out in a hissy way. She kicks even harder only to freeze up when she noticed Pêche was using both set of arms to hold her up. She gives up in her useless wiggling and accepts her fate by sagging heavily.

Irkens are so heavy.

Pêche strains only for a moment before catching his strength. He can only be grateful he’s half-Irken.

“You are, is it the whole act of courting that has you avoiding me?”

“no…” She weakly protests.

“Right,” He smugly answers. “I keep forgetting you Irkens are such prudes, really.”

“hey wait a minute, what does—”

“But, I suppose you’ve all scrubbed that out of your systems each generation. But, that shame of being prudes still lingers no matter if you lot came from a tube or a womb.” Pêche nods his head once, affirming his words in his skull as Nav only blankly stares up at him. She’s adorable in the same sense all Irkens are. With smooth skin, round colorful eyes and a loyalty to their Empire its no wonder how Pêche’s mother fell for one so easily. It’s a true wonder as too how his Irken father also agreed to having a child.

A hybrid.

A mix.

A mutt.

Pêche has been called it all, as a young hatchling he had to suffer with the knowledge that he was never fully Papillion. His clutch-mates didn’t think much of it yet the hathlings that came a year before him had many things to say. Yet, the hidden strength that comes from the lean build of an Irken bloomed fast in Pêche and many older Papillion dropped their judgmental eyes and views to have Pêche be a labor worker.

“…I have no idea what you’re on about,” The grumbling words of Nav makes Pêche focus back onto her and he hums in wonder. What could she be so hooked up on? “Irkens as a race are not…we are not…” She struggles to find her words, her head tilts to the sides show casing her refusal to look at Pêche any longer. “…prudes…” She finally settles on with a scalding hiss.

It makes Pêche chuckle for a moment, before he lowers his dear friend to the floor. For a moment Nav sways, she eyes the door leading outside her room but settles with staying where she is at with Pêche.

“Do you even know what that word means?” He prompts gently knocking his elbow into her shoulder. It jostles the young Irken for a moment before she huffs in mock annoyance and shoves at his second pair of arms. She has the strength to knock him on his ass and then some yet she only weakly shoves his extra limbs out of her space. “Of course! It means,” her words are spikey, choppy and clearly showing how much Nav is embarrassed by explaining the definition of the word.

“Yes…?” Pêche grins out softly pawing at her curly antenna that flicker and bounce in her heightened emotion.

Nav groans out as if she’s been stabbed and pulls at Pêche’s green sweatshirt. She clutches at his upper arms next and shakes him to the point he feels like his bones have been moved out of place.

“It means!! When you or someone—!” She shouts her words.

Pêche lets out one loud burst of laughter before his extra hands clamp down on his mouth.

If he laughs now Nav might never finish her definition.

“claims to be or…or is easily—!” Her face flushes a darker green, her freckles all but disappear on her face.

Pêche sucks in air, choking on the inhale as he curls up to keep everything inside.

Nav’s hands follow his curling and she gets her arms caught up in Pêche which allows him to fondly clutch at her three fingers. She shakes her limbs which by extension rattles Pêche’s large frame easily.

“SHOCKED BY SEX OR NUDITY!!” Nav all but shouts her words before crumpling up like a wet paper. At the same moment Pêche bursts out into loud laughter and wipes at his eyes to clean the fresh tears running down his face. Their noise together is loud enough to be heard outside in the dorm hallways and its because of that, that Perhe wakes up and lets out a loud wail of a chirp.

Nav settles into her bed, with more blankets and pillow as the days drag on, with Perhe bundled up in her lap. The yuti hatchling (‘smeetling!’) slowly falling back into her sleep once more. After their loud burst of sound Pêche left to get something for Perhe to calm the bird. When he had returned he was surprised to see Nav bundling up Perhe into her arms to rock the hatchling. Her movements were choppy and jerky in the sway but still something within her had the Irken female attempting to sooth the crying bird alien.

Feeding Perhe a slice of meat, the smell making Nav’s mouth water, the bird settled heavily into Nav’s flat chest to sleep. “I am shocked!” Pêche chuckles out laying down next to Nav. His form is still to large for her bed yet he still curls himself into the space and his extra set of arms cling to Nav to keep him on the bed.

Irkens are heavy. Papillions are rather light.

Seeing her face fold in confusion Pêche goes on with his soft spoken words. “You went to rock Perhe to calm her down.” A palm brushes gently over the soft downy feathers on Perhe’s head. “You Irkens are so interesting.” He mumbles fondly.

“I…” Nav stutters softly. Refocusing Pêche’s attention from the yuti to Nav. “…had no idea what I was doing. Something just told me to calm Perhe down…so, I did.”

There’s something there—in the way Nav’s claws hold Perhe gently. Pêche hums thoughtfully but he keeps his thoughts to himself in fear of snapping Nav out of her weird in-between funk.

There they fall asleep together. Nav slides her eyes shut first, allowing Pêche to rearrange the Irken to be tucked closer to his side where she slots in perfectly. Perhe lets out a low whittle of a sound before tucking her beak into the fabric and sleeping too. Perfectly surrounded by Pêche and Nav.

Pêche is the last to sleep. He lays awake listening to Perhe’s high-pitched snores and the soft breathing of Nav. Outside her small room is the sounds of other Irkens mulling about. Muffled words, the thuds of boots, the sounds of wires and machinery being heard. This place is daunting in the sounds of metal and unknown slang.

Lance grew up here. Born and raised in the Armada to be a perfect invader. The only fault to his plan to take over De’uit was meeting Amère.

A Irken Invader; a perfect warrior meant to invade De’uit and conquer the Papillion ridden planet in the name of Tallest Miyuki.

An Irken Invader; whose plan crumpled to a halt when royal Papillon Amère offered her hut to Lance. Shelter from the rain.

A chance meeting. All it took was that one night and before Lance knew it Pêche was made.

Snuggling deeper into the small bed of Nav, Pêche uses all four of his limbs to drag Nav and Perhe closer to himself. Irkens are fighters, meant to defend and attack with everything they have in themselves before they crumple to the floor. Papillions are docile. Dainty and flashy with their wings, meant to care and tend to the next set of Papillion Hatchlings with every claw in the community.

Pêche is both Irken and Papillion. He’s somewhere in the middle of both. He’s strong and can maim when he can. He’s caring since he raised his son and now he is doing the same tending to Perhe.

Its awkward and weird being in the middle of two drastically different species. Surely, however, this middle ground is normal? Pêche cannot be the only Irken mix running amuck…surely?

That night was the ends to something Nav dragged on far longer than she would’ve liked. When she woke up, snuggled into the fuzzy fur on Pêche’s neck she can only sigh in acceptance. It was long overdue anyways, the longing to be close to Pêche was too strong of a pull it seems.

His words before has Nav thinking. Pêche is something she has never seen before. A Irken mix off-spring. Perhaps to others, something like himself is somewhat normal.

Never having stepped foot off the Armada before that fateful day Nav was stunned when Pêche explained he was partly Irken.

Tall, fuzzy with the short fuzz that Papillion have with four arms and colorful, flashy wings.

He is anything but Papillion at first glance.

Pêche, however, still lacks some Papillion features.

Claws thumbing at Pêche’s wings Nav checks off her list from what she’s researched about the De’uit population and their unique features.

-Wings? Pêche has them, a full set. Tiny scales folded and mended together to form the appendages and they are both flashy and colorful. Forewing and Hindwing perfectly formed and connected to his thorax.

-Plumose Antenna? Granted both Irken and Papillion share the antenna feature, however Irken antennae can move and lack the fuzzy odd plumage that coats Papillion. So far, Pêche’s antenna stay still and unmoving even in his peak of emotions. His antennae are also thin and smooth much like other Irken but Nav checks it as a ‘no’.

-Compound eyes? No.

-Three sets of arms? Somewhat, its clear as anything that Pêche has four arms. Yet, it appears that he's missing a third set.

-That weird fuzz that line their skin and puffs out on their neck? Yes, that is clear since Nav is shoving her face deeper into the feature.

Now inside? Nav cannot say for sure. Pêche’s guts and bones can be vastly different from his other half but the only way to truly see is if she tears open his stomach and peer inside. Something she will not do nor allow to happen.

So, at first glance Pêche is everything that is Papillion. Nav knows better however.

Perhe kicks her scaly legs outward, her tiny claws poke and prod at Nav’s side and the tiny smeet-yuti lets out a weird thrill of a sound before she chirps out a lovely sound.

It’s officially, ‘morning’ on the Armada and Pêche beings to stir awake.

Nav clocks into her work right at the correct time. Highest Pip stands next to her waiting to walk with the female to the workstation. His crinkled antenna has mostly healed from that first encounter all those months ago, yet it is seem as a scar making his ruined antenna a praising and not a curse to display. Once the little ding is heard he swipes Nav away into work handing her tablets for readings and approval for the most part. “I need another report from the Smeetries.” Highest Pip says shoving only two tablets onto her desk. They slide easily into her view and Nav picks them up quickly.

“Again?” She asks looking over the report. It’s something for the media on the smeetry on board the Armada. With a ship this large it was only a matter of ‘can-we?’ with adding the smeetry. Only two are on board. One smeetry is ran by Quail and the other by Nessle. Unlike Nessle however, Quail runs his section alone with no other Irken Drones in place.

(faintly, Nav thinks back to the PAKs he has.)

“Yes! This time it’s about the work of Quail, I hear they’re very hard to get ahold of! Answering to no one but the Almighty Tallest!” Pip rambles off clapping his claws in joy. “I’ll…see if I can catch him in his work.” Nav mumbles out thumbing the edges of the tablet.

She’ll have to try and track down this so-called busy Irken worker.

Wondering down to the lower levels, where the hallways twist into a maze with dim lights Nav finds herself in front of Nessle. The two smeetries are located on the lowest floor of the Armada. Out of the way and away from the hustle of work.

Nessle is a light, sickly green Irken whose color is more yellow than anything.

Feisty little Head Smeetry Drone, “What is this?” Her voice is high and reedy.

“Report page that requires some questions over how you run the Armada Smeetry.” Nav spits out the words easily. She’s peering into the entrance of Nessle’s workplace where she can spot the arm limbs and capsules lining the wall. The next set of Irken Invaders are inside there, some will be outstanding and others will not. Has Nessle heard of any haf-irkens?

Nessle makes a sound of understanding before clicking her jaws close. There she turns towards the entry to her smeetry and calls over another Smeet Drone. Short, tiny and small this Drone rushes forward and answers to Nessle’s call and bows deeply at Nav. “Take this to my office, you—” A sharp claw is shoved into Nav’s chest. “—what else do you want? There’s two tablets in your hands.”

Thumbing the edges of the tablet Nav points farther down the hall, right where the symbol for other smeetry lays. “This tablet is meant for Quail, do you know if he’s in his work?” A flutter of steps and that other drone rushes away with a soft trill.

Nessle hums, rubs a palm over her pointy chin and shrugs. “She might be, however I’ve never really seen her leave her smeetry room.”

(later in the arms of Pêche after feeding Perhe, Nav thinks of the pronouns every one has used for Quail. He, him, she, her, they, their…just what is Quail?)

Nav fumbles for a moment at the words Nessle uses. “She? Is Quail not male?”

“Quail has no set gender at least from what I can recall.” Nessle shrugs faintly.

“So that means I can refer to Quail as any form?”

“Correct.”

Nessle settles the question with a final nod before stepping back into the cold, chilly room that is her smeetry. Nav glances to the walls where she can spot the name plate.

NESSLE SMEETRY

“Once you’ve completed the questionnaire make sure to drop the tablet off to the Grand Navigator room.” Nav finally looked back at the smaller, much tinier, Smeet Drone and watches as Nessle nods along to her words. “Sure, sure thanks for stopping by.”

As Nessle steps away and back into her room the doors stutter and groan in a effort to shut once more. Nessle barks out orders to her crew and the sound of rushed footsteps can be heard before the door is shut.

It’s loud, rushed and crowded within Nessle’s smeetry.

The same, however, cannot be said about Quail’s Smeetry.

QUAIL SMEETRY is branded on a gold name plate and the doors slide open without any real troubles. The place is the same as the last time Nav had to step inside the room. It’s cold and the air bites at Nav’s exposed skin. No one comes running to greet her unlike Nessle’s workspace. Not a sound is heard only the soft whirling of hidden machines and other gears working. Fortunately, outside the smeetry there are no protests, just other smeet drones wondering to and fo yet never entering Quail’s space.

After all, he runs this smeetry alone so there are no drones walking in and out.

It, also unfortunately, means that Nav lingers in the smeetry far longer than one needs too. After three hours of standing around Nav leaves the smeetry and goes back to the Grand Navigator rooms. She can try again another day. The next day Nav is back in the lower levels. This time she spots Nessle outside the smeetry talking with two other drones that wear the same outfit as herself. Nav passes by without any greetings and struts back into Quail’s Smeetry. The air is even more chilly, making Nav tuck her face deeper into the high collar of her uniform. Only one drone walks in today only to turn around and dash away at the sight of Nav waiting.

Another three hours pass by with only the eerie smiling icon faces on the capsules to company Nav before she leaves.

On the third day, Pêche asks what she’s been doing at work. “I’m hunting down that Irken with three PAKs.” Nav huffs out shoving on her work uniform. She is not embarrassed nor shameful of Pêche seeing her bare. He does not seem bothered either, only holding out parts of her uniform she needs. When did she no longer feel embarrassed? “That’s possible?” Pêche questions eyeing Nav’s own PAK on her back. It’s shiny and without a single flaw. “Sometimes, it’s rare for normal Irkens to get more than one PAK. Unless they are to be chosen to become an Control Brain.”

Pêche makes a sound of horror at the news.

Nav also spots Nessle’s finished report tablet on the flat surface of a Table Head Drone. He’s curled up and clutching at the thick wires that keep him attached to said object. Nav swipes up the finished tablet murmuring a quick thanks before she returns the tablet to Highest Pip. “Still no luck with the other smeetry ruler?” He asks placing the completed tablet to the side.

Nav only answers with a drawn out groan.

Highest Pip lets out a cackle.

Finaly, finally, on the fourth day does Quail make an appearance. “I am not filling this out.” He growls out waving the tablet around like it’s something worthless. Nav lets out a sigh and rubs her wrist all over her face. “Answer them correctly or incorrectly I do not care. I spent way to long trying to catch you just to hear you say that.” She groans out squinting her eyes at Quail. He’s only a head shorter than herself.

With the PAK on his face, only exposing his mouth, Nav can only guess what look he’s making. “Unfortunately for you,” He starts holding the tablet correctly, “I am blind.”

Nav lets out an even louder groan. Quail makes a smirk of sorts before thrumming his claws over the tablet with the questions needing filling out. He takes no pity, only loosely holding the tablet whilst his face swings over to the capsules next to them both. There’s the white-noise of silent ticks filling the large Smeetry before Quail shrugs and grasps for the pen.

His fingers miss the first few sweeps before finally he gets the pen in his palm.

“Are these questions I need to write out answers for or just click them?”

“They’re click answers. Nothing personal or too much work related really.”

Quail hums, mouth tugs into a frown and his antenna flick in confusion.

“Then what are these questions about?”

Nav never gives him an answer, instead she stares wide eye at the PAK implanted in Quail’s face. She doesn’t know the questions, never bothered to read them. Hell, they could be about Quail’s favorite color and the pattern of wires for all she can know. Since Nav never gave an answer, Quail hisses out a sigh and starts fiddling around with the tablet in his hands allowing Nav the chance to really glance over the male Irken.

Past encounters with Quail were only fleeting and mostly grumbles and hissing on his part.

He’s blind, so Nav stares unashamed at the two PAKs she could see from her spot. It’s one thing to have a PAK be misplaced. It’s another thing when an Irken gets two PAKs and it’s a concern when an Irken gets three.

There was an Irken when Nav was just a smeet who had her PAK misplaced. It wasn’t a drastic misplacement unlike Quail. Her PAK ended up being only two inches higher on her back letting the PAK settle closer to her neck and base of her skull. It didn’t take long for the Control Brains to call her in and the Irken was never seen again.

Nav isn’t some Smeetry Head Drone nor is she a Archivist. Maybe there was something far deeper in the placement of PAKs. And yet…here Quail is. He stands on the Armada and he is clearly a few years younger than herself, so why is it that Quail prevails and others do not?

She doesn’t get much thought on the matter once Quail shoves the pen and tablet back into her arms. “Here, read them and check that I didn’t miss any.” He snaps out, antenna twitching in annoyance. “Do you hate not being able to see?” Nav blurts out as she glances over the screen. He only correctly clicked three answers out of the 15 questions. “…Perhaps some days, yes. Other days it’s a blessing.” Quail hums out rolling his broad shoulders. Is he aware of the way he looks? He’s not some slim perfect shape most Irkens wish for. He has a narrow waist yet his shoulders are broader than most. Perhaps Quail is related to Sizz-Lorr in some way. They both have that broad structure. “I…see.” Nav stiffly mumbles out still staring at Quail’s shape.

He's different and not perfect. From his broad shoulders all the way to his three PAKs.

“I cannot.” Quail smirks out chuffing in his laughter.

In response Nav shoves the tablet back into Quails claws, “You missed 12 questions.”

During the rest of her stay in the Smeetry, Nav asks her burning questions.

How do you have three PAKs?

“I was in the line up for becoming a Control Brain, that process is on pause due to the recent events.”

Do you need many PAKs for such a thing or certain ones?

“Depends on which Control Brain you become.”

Why do you only run this Smeetry?

“Smeetry Drones just get in my way.”

How can you see where you walk?

“How much longer are you intending to stay here?”

At least the ones she could get an answer for. Sooner or later on his own with little help from Nav, Quail correctly finishes answering the questions he missed and kicks her out of the Smeetry.

You win some and lose some.

Nav drops the tablet back at her work station, reports in to Pip and finishes the rest of her work day. During the lull of files and reports coming in, Nav researches the yuti species in the name of Perhe. She’s been dropping her colorful feathers all over the floor in Nav’s room these past few days. Pêche and Nav being from a different alien species are left fumbling and in a lost for what to do. Pêche said that his kind had something close to what Perhe is going through.

(“My son did the same thing with his Calli-Wear. At a certain age they shed their skin—”

“SHED THEIR SKIN!?”)

Nav shudders at the memory. So, she takes to the files the Irkens have for the avian planet. Not much is written down about their domestic life, in fact the most the file talks about is the planet weather, the way the yuti picks the next War-Queen and who is the current War-Queen. The file hasn’t been edited nor touched in a few years.

Kalix is listed as the old Queen. The current Queen?

Lyn.

Nav lingers on the three lettered name. No one utters her name anymore. No one dares to even whisper it in fear of the Tallest over hearing. Not much is truly known about what type of relationship Tallest Red had with her but something was clearly there. One-sided but there.

A stain that wouldn’t fade.

Nav knew more than anyone else (other than the two Tallest) that it had to do with Pax in some way. She had seen her entering the Control Brain room Pax worked at.

She moves on from that name. It’s better if she forgets anyways in honor of Pax. Her claw itch with the idea of just editing the name out. Just erase her very name from the file. It's a stain that ruins Perhe's avian file. Even if it never mentions the smeet-yuti. Before Nav can get scolded in a later date for editing a file without proper citations an incoming message flashes on her screen.

Smaller and lessor ranked Irkens wonder through the hallways. It becomes less and less as Nav walks towards the Tallest room, the only other Irken she runs into at some point are only Elite Irken Guards. She gets stopped in a total of ten times.

Each one asking the same set of questions:

Why are you here? What business do you have? Does Almighty Tallest Red know about your meeting?

Nav answers each one with a blank tone. I have an incoming file for Tallest Red. I need to deliver this file for Tallest Red. Yes, he is aware, I sent him a message.

Finally, finally at the foot of the Tallest Room, Nav starts to doubt herself. The file in her tablet is addressed to Red and solely Red. It’s locked, encrypted with some unbreakable code.

(okay it’s not some unbreakable code, its pretty standard and any Irken that has training in decoding can crack this thing open in a few years.)

The only difference is that the title of the incoming message is in the color red. Most Irkens who report in and send messages leave the text in bland black. They don’t know how to change the text color. In fact, such a feature is only saved for the Higher Ranking Irkens.

It’s a feature encoded into their PAK.

Nav had paged Tallest Red for an urgent message needing his look over. He didn’t answer until four even hours later saying she can drop by his room later. Staring down at the message, only at the title named Red, and wonders who this could be. What message could be inside the file? Who has colored text other than the two Tallest?

The door slides open, Nav looks up…and up…at Tallest Red.

He stands at the opening a sort of natural glare settled into his face since his time back. That wound on his face is still healing, most likely it’ll scar. “What? What is the message?” He demands. Really, he just asks about it but Nav assumes he is demanding about it.

Wordlessly Nav offers the tablet.

Tallest Red shifts his eyes from Nav down to the offered tablet. His arms come forward only to stutter to a stop. His eyes narrow into a slit before glancing behind Nav. Confused, Nav looks behind her as well. There is no one else in the hallway. Only the two guards at the entrance to the hallway. Tallest Red must get what he was searching for before swiping up the tablet.

“It’s locked.” He states blankly.

“It is.” Nav agrees twirling a finger through her defects. She watches as the antennae bounce away and look perfect.

She’s about to offer her assistance in unlocking the file for him but the request wilts in her throat. Tallest Red, surely, knows how to break open an encrypted file. Tallest Red doesn’t say anything else afterwards, he swipes and fiddles with the file and Nav is 80% sure he is going through her files and tabs.

If it was Tallest Purple, it wouldn’t be a problem on the sole idea that Nav thinks he’s an idiot and a fool. In the nicest way she can say such a thing. Between the two Red clearly takes the more mature role but Nav grew up with them both.

Equally, they are both idiots and fools.

At the same time, they are far from such words.

“Here.” Red offers back her personal tablet after what feels like an hour. Looking at the clock in the corner of the tablet: only 20 minutes had passed. She wants to ask who it was, what did the message contain but nothing comes out. Nav bows to Tallest Red, wiggles her defective antennae at him and takes a step back.

As Nav leaves she makes sure not to glance back towards the Tallest door. She tucks the tablet under her arm and keeps the object there. Those two guards shift their weapons out of her way and their heavy stares follow her all the way out of the hallway.

When Nav informs her boss of the delivered message, Pip lets her know she’s free from work until tomorrow. She heads to the docking bay, where a new shipment of fruit and other goods are being unloaded. Using her high status against some poor worker, Nav snags home a box mostly full of fruits and water bottles.

Carrying it to her room is easy, most Irkens move out of the way and keep her walkway clear. Once through her door and letting them slide shut Nav thinks about the file. Settling the crate by the cabinets Nav leaves the wall arms to sort and put the items away.

Chirping and chuckles filter out from her bathroom.

Nav peers through the ajar door and spots Pêche giving Perhe a bath. Water in the Armada is made up of different minerals allowing Irkens to clean up without the fear of burning their skin and PAK. They rarely need to ever use such plumbing.

However, Pêche and Perhe both actively use it without much fear. In some sick way Nav is envious of the lack of fear with water in them.

Perhe takes to the water quickly, she flaps her thin wings and attempts to dip her head under the water to get the stuff all over her. Pêche sits behind her and cups some of the water in his palms to pour over her head. Perhe lets out a trill of notes before puffing out her plumage before nibbling at the roots of her feathers.

Grooming.

Since she is busy getting the in-between and roots of her feathers, Pêche splashes himself with the water and rubs the droplets into his fuzz. The fine fur that covers him from head to toe works wonders in blocking water from soaking him. So, he is forced to rub the liquid into him in order to wash himself.

(“My mom used to make soap for a living as a side hobby.” Pêche explains one late. Perhe is curled up in his second pair of arms and snuggles deeper into his neck fuzz. “So, I just need these items in order to make us some. Don’t worry,” He gives Nav a bright smile. “I’ll make sure it won’t irritate you or anything.”)

With them being busy Nav pulls away and heads to the living room. She drags out her tablet and attempts to find the message Red had decrypted and read.

He deleted the message.

Settling into the couch cushions, Nav doesn’t let that disappoint her. In the end, she wasn’t meant to know about the contents at all. Accepting it with little troubles on her end, Nav goes back into researching about yuti and their feathers.

Perhe lets out a burst of giggles, the wet slap of her wing beats overpowering Pêche’s own burst of laughter.

For her pack, she’ll learn all there is to yuti smeetlings and how they grow up.