Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Do you see that ship on the horizon, DAX?"

ZEX looked over to his Sub-commander, who looked as unimpressed as always.

"It's hard to miss it, sir."

"It is, isn't it?" ZEX hooked one arm into a trailing lattice of ropes and leaned further out over the ship's railing to try and get a better vantage point. "I don't believe I've ever seen a ship like that before."

DAX made an affirmative noise, and turned to busy himself with adjusting the sails. ZEX was quiet for a few moments, still studying the tiny object on the horizon.

"I believe it's Precusor-make, DAX."

"Impossible, sir."

"Come and look."

He could feel DAX's annoyance as he came back to his side. ZEX hooked his other arm around DAX's shoulders.

"It's a Precursor ship! Look at it!"

He felt DAX's few free head tentacles twist skeptically against his arm. "It might be."

"It is!"

"They aren't supposed to exist."

"Master Nine has one, but only the Creator knows how he found it," ZEX said, a little distractedly as he peered more intently at the far-off ship. "A Precursor ship, DAX! Can you imagine taking it as a prize?"

"I can." DAX didn't sound nearly as interested in this possibility as ZEX, but then again, it was difficult to get him to sound interested in anything. ZEX, on the other hand, was very excited at the idea and the jingling of his head feeler's rapid motion made that clear enough.

"A Precursor ship... can you see the captain?"

DAX paused, some of his head tentacles twisting in concentration. "Yes, sir."

"Well?"

"It's a human, sir. By the looks of it... a young one."

ZEX paused, then moved his arm from DAX's shoulders to touch his trunk curiously. "Now that's odd... what would a human be doing with a Precursor ship?"

"Breaking Hierarchy law." DAX glanced at ZEX.

"True that, which does put them well in our jurisdiction." ZEX flicked his tongue. "How convenient! One would think that we're supposed to take it."

"Really, sir?" DAX said, more a statement than a question.

"You take things too seriously." ZEX rolled an eye. "Merely an observation! Can you imagine how pleased the High Council would be if I gave them a prize like this?"

"You have no such intentions, sir." DAX raised his head tentacles slightly, adjusting his hat in the process. ZEX waved an arm.

"Well, of course not, but sometimes it's nice to entertain the pretense." ZEX flicked his tongue again. "Hee! Hee! Hee! A Precursor ship... what a quarry! I do hope that young human can put up an interesting battle before we take it... I've never fought a Precursor ship before."

"Are we going to report this?"

"Now since when do we report anything? Especially something so... unusual." ZEX moved to climb further up into the rigging. "I think this is one of those special, private cases."

"So you say, sir. Shall I mobilize the fleet?"

ZEX paused in his climb, his tail and bandana fluttering in the wind. "Not too many... I'd prefer to face them one on one. It should be quite a refreshing challenge, and it's been so long since I've faced a human in naval warfare..."

"Don't get any ideas, sir," DAX called up, but ZEX was already moving.

---

It wasn't like this was the first time that he'd ever been in a melee like this before. He was the captain of his own ship (a Precursor ship, no less, that no one else but him could sail) after all, and he was very skilled at these things. Even if he was kind of young to be doing it, and actually really hadn't been sailing very long, but people totally blew that out of proportion. At least, the human Captain thought so. He was the only one who could save the world, a grand and important destiny and everything, so he was pretty confident that he'd be just fine. He could sail the Precursor ship, after all, and no one else could do that. So he could definitely do this.

So when a selection of ships approached and began to attack, he wasn't really that worried. He had a big, massive, death-dealing ship after all, he'd be fine. Even if these other ships were flying a pirate flag, and he hadn't really invested in the death-dealing part of his ship so far. Not that it would matter, he was sure, since he was supposed to save the world, and this was just going to be a minor setback.

After the VUX disembarked and battle got to the more personal, swashbuckling sword-fighting type, he felt a lot more confident since he was an awesome swordsmen, if he said so himself. Even if so far this really didn't seem to be going that well, but at least he'd dispatched some of the VUX that were attacking him, so there.

He was sure he struck a very gallant figure while he was doing so, too.

He was backing away, trying to think of who to attack next and what to do, when suddenly something hit him in the side like a cannon, nearly knocking the breath right out of him. Whatever it was wrapped around him like a snake, which was pretty weird but he was focusing more on breathing correctly at the moment. When he managed to regain his senses, he saw that he was suspended above the ocean below, and something was holding him.

A VUX! A VUX had swooped down on a rope and snatched him right off his ship! That was totally not fair, and he would have said so if he could breathe. He had no idea VUX arms were that strong, since the pressure on his chest was not helping. On the other hand, he didn't really want to fall to his death to the ocean below either, so he decided to wait until they landed somewhere.

The VUX touched down on their ship, jewelry jingling, and the Captain immediately began to try and get free. He'd dropped his sword when he'd been grabbed, which he really wished he hadn't done at the moment. Especially since this VUX still had his sword at his side, although they hadn't ran him through just yet and probably wouldn't anyway (like he'd die like this, that'd be ridiculous).

"Sir, the ship is ours!" some other VUX said, one wearing a hat. The Captain pushed against the VUX that was holding him, who had been primarily ignoring him but now seemed somewhat annoyed.

"Check the holds- Human, hold still!"

"Let go of me!" The Captain tried to untangle himself from the tentacle wrapped around his chest, but it felt like steel. This VUX must have been super-strong or something to be able to keep holding him like this 'cause he was fighting him with all his strength. That was a lot of strength. "Let go of me, you can't do this!"

He kicked out and managed to nail the VUX in the shin (or whatever equivalent the creatures had for shins) and was rewarded with an irritated grunt of pain. He thought that might make its grip loosen, but instead it just tightened in a way that made him begin to wonder if this was a good idea, since it was getting a bit hard to breathe.

"Oh, stop being so difficult!" the VUX said angrily. "You're overreacting-"

"Let go of me right now-" The Captain looked back towards his ship, which was overrun with the green creatures, and he raised his voice. "Help! Someone help! Let go of me, you can't do this to me, I'm a Captain-"

A hiss when he managed to hit the VUX near the eye, and an irritated sound. "If you'd just calm down-"

"Help! I'm being kidnapped!" Wasn't there a special word for this? "Shanghaied! I swear, if you don't let me go-"

All at once there was a flash of sharp, bright pain, and that was all he could remember.

---

"Honestly, completely overreacting." ZEX hitched up the human's limp body, and made his way slowly down the stairs deeper into the hold of his ship. "Hysterical, even! Some creatures..."

There, this would work for now. He had no need to restrain anyone on his ship so far, as their loyalties lied with him (and for some, with him alone, which could potentially cause problems, he guessed, but really, he couldn't complain), but it paid to have a brig somewhere, just in case.

"Sir, the battle's over." He heard DAX's voice as he slowly came down the stairs behind him. "What do you want us to do?"

"Oh, the usual. We'll take it back to Cerenkov and see what can be done with it. Get it prepared," ZEX said somewhat distractedly as he propped the human against the wall. These manacles weren't really designed for human arms, but with some rope he could make it work.

"We lost-" DAX abruptly changed his tone. "Sir, what is that?"

Some adjustments, and he'd like to see the human who could get out of that! ZEX stood and adjusted his clothing and turned to face DAX, tongue flicking merrily. DAX looked, as he expected, almost scandalized.

"Just a souvenir."

"Is that human alive?" DAX's pupil constricting, head tentacles beginning to writhe.

"Hee! Hee! Hee!" ZEX looked back to the human Captain, who, despite the trickle of blood running down his forehead, looked very handsome. "I believe we're allowed to take whatever booty we desire, as long as we get to it first?"

DAX's head feelers nearly knocked his hat from his head. "I don't think a human is considered booty, sir."

"Well, he is to me. So now he's mine," ZEX said matter-of-factly. "I've made up my mind, so don't try talking me out of it."

"You are aware that this is incredibly not legal, sir? Punishable by death, does that sound familiar?" DAX's voice slowly rising, and it was rare that ZEX heard him this worked up. "We're already- you know the rules about this- this could cause a worldwide scandal, sir!"

"Piracy isn't enough of a scandal?" ZEX found himself almost amused at how upset DAX was about this.

"Apparently not for you!" DAX pointed at the human. "You can't do this, sir, the crew won't allow it-"

"Well, the crew don't run my ship," ZEX said. "I do, and I'm allowing it."

"You do know what they're going to think, don't you?"

ZEX paused, then knelt near the young human again, still unconscious. He touched his face lightly with one arm. His skin was so smooth... "And...?"

"Do you really want to add humans to your list, sir? You already have a reputation for being a scandalous rogue, I don't think-"

"I've always wanted a human, DAX, did you know that?" ZEX said, a bit dreamily as he caressed the human's face. "They're so smooth..."

"Sir-..." DAX sighed in irritation and closed his eye. "Is there anything I can say to change your mind?"

ZEX sighed happily. "No, I don't think so."

"Sir..." He heard DAX come closer. "I disapprove."

"I thought you would." ZEX flicked his tongue and stood. "Please, let me know when he's awake. I want to talk with him."

"I don't think he'd want to talk to you, sir."

"Well, he doesn't have much choice now, does he? Being a prisoner of VUX pirates and all."

"They will kill you for this, sir. If not the High Council, then if the humans hear about this-"

"The humans? And what would they do? Like they'd be able to even come after me! You can do better than that, DAX, can't you?"

"...I'm not watching him," DAX said, twisting his arms together.

"Oh, DAX! It's always one thing or another with you! So much drama today." ZEX waved an arm in annoyance as he headed up the stairs. "Get someone else to do it then, and stop worrying. We have an incredibly rare ship and an incredibly beautiful prisoner, and frankly I think today was a success."

"Sir, someday..."

"Get myself killed, I know," ZEX called behind him. "Get YIK or FUP to do it, I'm sure they'll be glad to do something constructive. As long as they let me know as soon as he's awake."

---

"Sir, this is stupid."

"What is, precisely?"

DAX's head tentacle jerked out of the way, and ZEX pulled it back into place none-too-gently, causing DAX to flinch in response. It was difficult enough to thread the gold hoops through without him moving all over the place.

"...Everything," DAX said, somewhat sulkily.

"Honestly, DAX, you'd think I was hurting you! You look so much better with these, they augment your fearsome image." ZEX twitched some of his own head tentacles, emphasizing his words with the soft tingling of gold hoops. "They make you look very handsome. I don't see why you object so much."

Some of DAX's head tentacles twisting together, no doubt uncomfortably, and he sighed.

"Handsome, sir, honestly?" The same skeptical, almost annoyed tone as earlier that day. ZEX tugged the head tentacle he was holding lightly, causing him to flinch a little again.

"Well, what would you prefer? I think handsome suits you fine enough." ZEX huffed a little, ignoring how some of DAX's other head tentacles were curling around his armtip. "You're being so difficult today, DAX! Seems like everything's difficult today."

DAX didn't say anything for a few moments. "Sir, do you really think this is wise?"

"What's wise?"

"The human prisoner."

"I thought I already made it clear that I'm not giving him back."

"Sir, do you recall the other relationships you've gotten into?" DAX turned a bit, enough to catch ZEX with the corner of his eye. "With other species?"

ZEX crossed his arms. "I don't see what that has to do with anything."

"Every time, you've nearly gotten yourself or us killed."

"That's an exaggeration."

"What about the Ilwrath at Taurii? She tried to chew off your head."

ZEX looked off to one side. "She misconstrued my intentions."

"You were stroking her thorax."

"Out of curiousity! I didn't think she'd take it so personally!" ZEX, now annoyed, stood from the stool he was sitting on and walked to another corner of the room. DAX remained where he was, although he turned his body to follow him. "Hmmph, you'd think she'd be flattered at my interest."

"The Thraddash who broke your leg?"

"I think he was just in a bad mood-"

"The Utwig that stabbed you for pulling that Supox's leaves?"

"That was an accident," ZEX said pointedly. "I only intended to stroke, not pull. I heard it stimulates the roots. They should have thanked me!"

DAX looked towards the ceiling, head tentacles standing to keep count. "And there were all the Shofixti..."

"Well, if the Yehat weren't so protective-"

"Seven times you were chased off by a Yehat, sir. Seven."

"I can't help it, Shofixti are covered with such intriguing fur. I don't see why they can't make their own decisions without having a Yehat-"

"You caused that Spathi panic."

"That was not my fault, I simply worded my proposal badly and they panicked on their own-"

"And there was that Syreen that nearly blinded you-"

"She made the first move, not me. I only reciprocated!" ZEX turned away from DAX, tail lashing. "I didn't think she'd be so sensitive."

"Sir, do you really think this human will be any different?"

ZEX didn't say anything.

DAX stood, sighing slightly, and he walked over to stand by the Admiral's side. The two of them stood in silence for a few moments until DAX spoke softly. "I know what you're looking for. I think you're looking in the wrong places."

"Is that so." ZEX's voice was curt and short.

"I think this is a bad idea, sir. It's illegal, for one thing, and after the War, I don't think any human would-"

"We'll see."

Set in his ways, and this was going to go nowhere. DAX sighed a bit, turning to stare at the lamp hanging near the ceiling.

"Sir, what do you intend to do with that human?"

ZEX didn't say anything for a few moments. His tail moved and hit DAX's foot for a second before retreating.

"Everything I can," ZEX said, with a resoluteness that DAX thought was inappropriate for the subject, and then he could hear shouting coming from the decks. Rapid footsteps down the hall, and the door burst open. FUP was shivering, apparently on the edge of a nervous breakdown.

"Sir, he's awake!"

"Marvelous!" ZEX turned, brightening immediately. "Let's go have a chat, shall we?"

---

Really, things weren't going that well. Which wasn't like saying he'd given up or anything, 'cause he hadn't, but if he had to be honest, things really could have gone a lot better.

Well, he was alive, right? That meant he could still come up with a cunning plan, or something, and he could definitely, would definitely do that. That was the kind of thing that young heroes did in these kind of situations, and he was definitely a young hero.

Okay, so when he'd woken up and found himself in a ship's hold, manacled to a wall with a VUX staring at him, he'd kind of not reacted well. It was a manly sort of screaming though, the kind that was like, "get away from me, or I'll kick your throat in!" or something like that. Anyone would really react that way, it was no big deal.

Really, he was handling this pretty well, all things considered.

So after a whole bunch of VUX ran around (no doubt frightened now that he was awake), one finally came in and pulled him up off the floor, leading him back up to the top deck. No doubt to meet their evil leader. Well, fine! He was ready for him!

After being thrown a bit harshly to the floor (they didn't have to be so rough, what was that about), he looked up to see a VUX standing in front of him, and annoyingly enough, it was the same one that had snagged him off his ship earlier! Although he hadn't paid all that much attention to the details back then, given the whole kidnapping thing and all, but he was sure this was the same one. Had the same bandana wrapped around their head, gold earrings and rings on those head thingies, lots of shiny jewelry and colorful fabrics and stuff.

And... kind of swishy. Well, that was emasculating, someone like that captured him? They could have at least been sexy or something.

"Hello, human." The VUX stared at him with that single eye, flicking their long creepy tongue, whatever that meant. "I don't believe we've been properly introduced, have we? I'm Admiral ZEX-"

"I don't care! Let me go right now!" The Captain tried to pull his hands free, but whoever tied these knots must have been some kind of genius or something. "You can't do this!"

"Sir, I told you-" another VUX standing nearby said, but ZEX waved an arm and they stopped speaking.

"Human, I do hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I'm afraid we can do whatever we want with you." ZEX certainly didn't make it sound like it was bad news. "You're our prisoner, I'm afraid."

"I'm nobody's prisoner! Especially not a bunch of pirates'!"

"Captain, calm down. You do seem to have a tendency to get hysterical." ZEX took a few steps towards him, one of those tentacle arms resting on the hilt of his sword. "I do wish we could have met under better circumstances, but I think it's best if we left that in the past, don't you?"

"No!"

"Sir, we should just kill him-"

"Hee! Human bravado can be so charming." He sounded way too fond with that last bit, and the Captain struggled to remember why the name ZEX seemed to ring a bell. Some kind of rumors, or something... "Captain, really! Hostilities are over! It'd be best if you just accepted your position, and we came to some kind of terms..."

Terms? Terms with filthy pirates, who stole his ship? Never! There was no way he would ever be anyone's prisoner, not as long as he was alive!

Hey, now there was an idea.

"I'll never be your prisoner!" The Captain stood awkwardly and some of the VUX nearby moved as if to force him back down again, but ZEX waved them off. "You can't control the human spirit!" Man, that sounded good. He was born for this.

ZEX flicked his tongue again, holding out an arm towards him. "Human, as I said before, you currently are our prisoner. I'm afraid this is a point that can't be argued..."

"It can be argued, all right!" The Captain tensed up in preparation. "Like how you can't keep a dead man prisoner!"

As he was sprinting for the deck railing, he realized that his dramatic pronouncement didn't make a lot of sense. Shoot, he probably should have thought over it a bit more before he said it.

Man, the water was colder than he thought it'd be. Well, hopefully historians would take some creative license with his last words.

At was at that point that he realized that he was, in fact, sinking pretty fast, and that he might actually die doing this, and that maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

---

ZEX and DAX stared over the railing at the spot in the sea where the Captain had vanished.

"Well, he can't have thought that through all the way," ZEX said.

"Just let him drown, sir. It will save us all the trouble."

"Hold my sword, DAX."

"Sir..."

ZEX was still staring intently where the human had hit the water, arm holding out his sword, and DAX sighed and took it. In moments, the Admiral had leapt off the railing in a graceful arc, and DAX wondered exactly when his life had taken such an incredibly stupid turn.

"Ah, how romantic~"

"Quiet, YIK."

It took a little while, but soon enough ZEX surfaced, human in tow. It looked like he'd lost his bandana though... served him right.

"Throw down a rope, DAX!"

"Only if you don't bring the human up with you," DAX called back.

"DAX! Would you just lower a rope already?"

"I can't sir, the crew's having a mutiny over this entire affair. There's nothing I can do."

"Here you go, Admiral~" YIK tossed a rope over the side, oblivious as always, and DAX glared.

"Thank you, YIK. Remind me to have some words with you later, DAX."

In a few moments, the Admiral was back on the deck of the ship, YIK fussing over his clothes and the Admiral fussing over the human, and DAX wondered how he ever put up with this.

"Is he breathing? What a singularly foolish thing to do."

"You should just leave him, sir."

"Oh hush, DAX. Let's see... maybe if I put some pressure on him..."

Unfortunately, the human started coughing and gagging and showing signs of life. They were so close to getting out of this mess without too much trouble.

"There you are, human! Are you all right?" ZEX had pulled the Captain into his lap to try and resuscitate him, and now apparently saw no reason to let him go. The human was too disoriented to do much about it.

"Where am I? What happened?"

"You nearly drowned, human! That was a stupid thing to do, in my opinion."

"...Is this Hell? Am I dead?"

"Unfortunately, no." DAX finally walked back over, and held out the Admiral's sword. "Admiral, if you want to continue this discussion, I'd recommend doing it later."

"Hmm... I suppose," ZEX said, a bit reluctantly, and gave the human another squeeze before he stood. The human reacted with another coughing fit. "He did almost drown, after all."

"Sir, would you like us to take care of him for you?" YIK was standing nearby, voice was soft and dreamy as always. "I could find him some dry clothes..."

"Thank you, YIK, I'd much appreciate it." ZEX shook himself off a little and took back his sword from DAX. "Try to keep him warm, will you? That's important for humans, I believe."

"Of course, sir. Come on, human, up we go~" YIK lifted the Captain to his feet, although he wasn't in much condition to walk. She mostly carried him to the stairs leading below decks. "I have the most lovely robe that would look just marvelous on you..."

DAX watched her go, then winced as the Admiral tugged on one of his head feelers.

"A mutiny, hmm?" ZEX sounded somewhat amused, although the slightly painful tug made it clear enough that he was still annoyed.

"Well, there will be at this rate."

"Oh DAX. You worry too much. Everything will be fine, you'll see."

"...So you say."

---

It was really too bad she had to be stuck down here in the holds, watching the poor human. Her outfit was really designed for a good breeze, and she was pretty sure they were moving at a good clip through the water now. At least, she remembered them going pretty fast when she went below... they were probably still going that fast now. What time was it?

"Hey."

YIK looked up from the bracelet she was adjusting. The human was still tied to the wall (she wasn't sure if that was really necessary, but if that's what the Sub-commander said to do, then she'd do it) and wearing a very fetching shade of blue. She'd picked it out herself, and it looked perfect against his skin. Although, getting it to stay on him was a bit more tricky. He'd insisted on keeping that white ruffled shirt he was wearing though, which was a pity since it didn't match with the skirt she'd given him at all-

"Hey!"

"Hmm?" Was he talking to her?

"Do you still have my coat?"

"The wine-red one you had, with the soft texture?" YIK said, tongue flicking lazily. "Oh yes, human, I'm keeping it very safe. I'd hate for it to get any more damaged. The saltwater wasn't good for it... it's such a shame." YIK touched her trunk. "I do hope it doesn't get any unsightly blotches, it's the only one that I have now...they're not very easy to come by, especially after the War and how humans aren't allowed to sail anymore, and only human Captains seem to wear them-"

"Uh huh." The human didn't sound very interested in what she was saying, which was strange. "Listen, this ZEX guy..."

"Oh, you mean the Admiral," YIK said, pleased. The human paused for a moment.

"Uh, yeah. Him. Is he that same guy from the War?"

"The War, hmmm..." YIK again adjusted her bracelet, not sure if the side with the sapphires looked better against her skin than the side with the rubies. Maybe if she turned it so there were both visible at once? But how many of each color-

"Yeah, the War."

"Mmm?" Was he talking to her?

"The War. Is he the same guy from the War, the head of all the VUX fleets and everything?" The human sounded a little annoyed now. Strange.

"Oh yes, of course that's him. Who else would it be? You're silly." YIK turned the bracelet a little more to one side... it looked good enough in this light, but if she went back up on deck, she'd have to adjust it again, probably. The sun would probably give it a different kind of emphasis-

"So does that mean he's the same one who was, uh... was kind of... into weird stuff?"

YIK flicked her tongue and adjusted one of her earrings that had caught on one of her necklaces. Sometimes these things could be such a nuisance, but she didn't really have any other way to bring attention to-

"Is he?"

"There's no need to get angry, human," YIK said pleasantly. "What was your question?"

"Is ZEX into like... weird stuff?" The human sounded a bit awkward now. She glanced over at him and he'd changed color. Well, that was inconvenient, it didn't match his current color scheme at all. "I... heard some rumors I guess from Hayes but you know, I wasn't really sure or anything..."

"The Admiral isn't weird at all," YIK said smoothly, taking out an earring and raising her head feeler to hook it more carefully. "What a strange thing to say! He's a very good person, and very kind."

"Kind? He kidnapped me!"

"Hmm." YIK moved her head feeler back and forth experimentally. That would probably work. "It's just because he likes you, I bet~"

"Likes me?!" The human sputtered. "Why would- he can't- I'm not-"

"You're so stressed, human. You really need to learn how to relax." YIK flicked her tongue, although it didn't seem to soothe the human any for some reason.

"That's it, I've got to get out of here. I am not going to be- or, or let some pirate- I've got to get out of here. Let me out of here!"

YIK lowered her head tentacles, waving one at him amidst the jangling noise of countless beads and trinkets striking one another. "Oh human, I can't do that! They'd be very upset with me."

"You can't keep me here! I'll... I'll escape and, and I'll... I'll take my ship and blow all of you to pieces! Let me go!"

YIK turned back to adjusting her jewelry. "You're very silly, human."

The human made some strange sounds that seemed angry to her, but then eventually quieted down a bit. She'd almost forgotten he was there until he spoke again.

"There's got to be a way he'll let me go, right?"

"I don't think so," YIK said cheerily. "He's very fond of you. I think he plans to keep you forever." She sighed. "Ah, the Admiral is such a romantic~! It suits him, I think."

There, now the human had changed colors again! Although now he seemed very pale. Although that matched his shirt better, she supposed. How horrible it must be, to throw off your color scheme at a moment's notice! Perhaps human clothing was specially designed for that purpose? She hadn't noticed the human's clothing changing...

"I've got to get out of here. You, you're close to the Admiral, right?"

YIK paused, blinking for a few moments. "Well, yes, I suppose so. He's always very kind to me, he gets me fabric from all over the world when I ask-"

"Look, you've got to tell him, tell him he's- he's made a terrible mistake, and this isn't going to work out, and I have to get out of here right now, okay? Can you do that?"

Another of her earrings caught on her necklace! How annoying~ she thought she'd fixed it for sure this time. She adjusted the wrap around her shoulders and tried to fix it as best she could. She might have to switch this one out, and she really didn't want to do that since she liked this one-

"Hey! Hey, did you hear me?"

"Hmm? What did you say?"

"Tell him he's made a big mistake, and I'm not going to do anything he thinks he's going to do to me," the human paused, an odd look on his face as he maybe thought about his words a bit more, then continued, "and he better let me go right now, or I'm going to bust out of here and make him regret it! Can you remember all that?"

"Hmmm..." YIK touched her trunk again. "If you really want me to, I guess I could tell him for you."

"Yes! Thank you, uh... whatever your name is."

"I'm YIK, human! I already told you that~" She turned back to her jewelry again. "Really, you have no attention span at all..."

---

He knew he shouldn't have trusted the daydreaming one. She barely seemed to know he was there most of the time, except to give him unwanted fashion advice and ask about human clothing trends (why would she even be interested? She was a VUX!), and she'd probably forgotten his message the minute he'd given it to her. Least reliable messenger ever. He should have waited for someone else, but he'd been here a few days and he was really getting sick of this whole prisoner thing.

There was that angry, scarred one that watched him sometimes, but he really didn't want to attract his attention anymore than he had to. Something about that guy made him nervous. The fact he talked to himself didn't really help.

He'd pretty much given up on his threat being delivered, so when ZEX showed up one day out of nowhere he was pretty surprised.

"Hello, human." He sounded very pleased. Oh god, this was it. He wasn't even sure what was in store for him now, but there was no way he'd go quietly. "I understand you wanted to speak with me?"

He blinked for a minute. So she'd delivered his message after all! Although it seemed like she'd truncated it just a bit. "Yeah, I wanted to talk to you! I want you to let me go!"

"But we barely know each other just yet! It'd be such a wasted opportunity, don't you think?" ZEX still sounded rather jovial. "I was hoping that we could take these unique circumstances and exploit their... diplomatic possibilities."

"You're not getting any diplomatic anythings out of me! Let me out of here!"

"Human, you can be so stubborn." ZEX knelt down. "How about if we make a deal?"

The Captain stared at him skeptically. "What kind of deal?" He was not taking his clothes off.

"I saw you battling on your ship before I caught you. You're very skilled." ZEX touched one of his head tentacles with his tongue. The Captain wasn't quite sure what to make of the compliment. "I myself am a swordsman of some renown. I was hoping that perhaps we could match blades."

Well, it wasn't like he was opposed to that idea, exactly. "...What do you want?"

"Hee! Hee! Hee! Merely a chance to test my skill!" Okay, he did not expect someone like that to giggle... well, maybe he did. "Here are my terms, Captain... if you defeat me in our duel, I'll let you go."

"Really?" The Captain blinked, then again glared a bit skeptically. "How can I even trust you?"

ZEX paused, then flicked his tongue again. "I don't suppose you can, but think carefully, human. You won't have any better chance to escape, I assure you. And I do intend to keep my word."

Well, he definitely didn't trust him, but he did make a good point. Besides, even if he was lying, when the Captain killed him and all his crew and made his triumphant escape on his ship, it wouldn't matter much anyway. "So what if you win?"

"Then I'd like you to have dinner with me tonight." ZEX stood. "Pleasantly, without your typical hysteria. I think we're due for a calm discussion, don't you?"

Yeah, sure. The Captain was on to him. "Just a dinner, right? Nothing else?"

"Nothing else! Just a chance to get to know each other better." The way he said that made him feel so uncomfortable. "We should really be friends, human, not enemies..."

"You kidnapped me! And I'm not hysterical!"

"There you go again." ZEX waved his arms in something that almost looked like a shrug. "So tell me, Captain, what do you think? Do you accept?"

Well, there was no way he was going to lose, and it would get him topside and a chance to kill his kidnapper, so he really couldn't see a downside to this at all. He smiled confidently. "Fine. You'll be sorry you challenged me, you know. I was the best swordsman at Unzervalt."

Well, for his age, and he didn't have a lot of competition, but that was neither here nor there. ZEX seemed to regard him carefully for a few moments.

"Yes, well, that will certainly make things interesting. Unzervalt, hmm... I've never heard of that port before. One more thing to ask you at dinner, I suppose." Brightened again, and he was walking off. "I'm looking forward to it, human! I do hope you don't disappoint me..."

Hmmph. We'll see who's disappointed.

---

"Sir, this is a terrible idea."

"Do you think I'll lose?"

"Of course not, sir." DAX sounded offended that he'd even suggested it. "You do remember what happened the last time you let the human on deck?"

"If he jumps off again, I'll just rescue him again. He'll have to understand how things work some time."

"He didn't have a weapon then, sir."

"Oh DAX. If he comes at anyone but me, I'll disarm him myself. You know I can."

"...You're toying with him, sir."

"...And?"

DAX made a disapproving sound, but didn't say anything further. A few members of his crew had gathered after hearing about the supposed match, and ZEX drew his sword and tried a few slashes through the air. This was going to be so interesting! If the Captain was as skilled as he said he was, then it had been ages since ZEX had had a proper challenge... he wasn't known as the most brilliant swordsmen alive for nothing.

He'd sent PIK to fetch the human, fairly confident that PIK's general demeanor would cut the human's chances of resisting somewhat short. As he expected, PIK ushered the human out onto the deck without any fuss, mumbling something the entire way. It wasn't until they got closer that ZEX could make it out.

"You try anything, human, I'll kill you where you stand, gut you end to end and make jewelry out of-"

"Thank you, PIK," ZEX called, and the Captain almost looked grateful for the interruption. PIK glared at the Captain, tattered head tentacles twitching, before handing him a sword.

The Captain took it cautiously, jumped when PIK made as if to lunge for his throat but backed away at the last minute, and turned to face ZEX a bit uncertainly.

"It's time to see which of us is superior, Captain." Ah, this was going to be fun! "Admittedly, I have an undefeated record and countless years of experience behind me, but I'm sure you'll still provide an interesting challenge."

There, that had pricked the human's pride, and he straightened up and glared. "I'll be more than a challenge, ZEX. You'll be sorry you ever even gave me this chance."

DAX and those around them backed away to give them room, and ZEX leaned back, preparing himself. "We'll see, won't we?"

The human raised his blade to his forehead, other hand raised in the typical human fight posture, and he leaned back. The look of determination on his face was quite beautiful. ZEX watched him carefully, as he'd learned to do over the countless years of battle, for the small twitch, the movement that would let him know the human was about to attack. For each species it was different, for each there was a different place to watch, an expression to look for, but he'd been careful enough to learn them all.

He did have a reputation to uphold, after all. Even if he did get injured in the occasional tavern (or unfortunate circumstances that were by no means his fault), he had yet to lose to anyone in a sword fight.

A twitch, the human's features tightening and ZEX leaned back as the human moved forward, sword thrust directly for his midsection. Easily avoided, and ZEX moved out of the way quickly, his own sword raised to block the human's next attack. Of course, the human wouldn't want to leave himself open after missing... he'd be quick on the offensive. From what he'd seen, ZEX guessed this human was the aggressive type... wearing down the enemy's defenses with constant, nonstop attacks that prevented any kind of counter.

ZEX knew what he was doing.

He stepped back lightly, unconcerned as the human came for him with a fierce rage, a low growl coming from his throat through the clash of steel against steel. The human was getting emotionally involved already! Perhaps he wasn't as skilled as ZEX had thought... fury had a tendency to make one careless.

Parried, dodged to one side, avoiding his thrusts and jabs. The fact that the human was not landing any hits, and that ZEX had yet to truly attack him instead of just countering each attack, was beginning to frustrate the human, he could tell. His motions were getting clumsier, attacks desperate in a slight way.

Sword against sword, the human rushing towards him and he moved his body and arms to give him the proper weight, the motion to throw the human off-balance, nearly knock the sword from his hand. The human stumbled past him, a surprised noise escaping his lips, but he recovered quickly and raised his hand high, a strike to the head. ZEX expected that and had his sword in place to counter. He leaned back, pushed his tail against the wooden deck and moved forward, breaking through their stalemate and knocking the human back.

Perhaps time to make things a bit more interesting? ZEX changed his posture, sword tip weaving slight patterns, and the human came at him again. He fended off each attack with light flicks of his blade, sending the human off-balance each time. When the human made a furious sound, struggling to turn and bring his sword to bear, ZEX caught the shoulder of the human's shirt and tore through it.

The human stopped, apparently not expecting that, and he brought his hand up with something of a panicked gasp. He hadn't cut the skin of course, simply the white cloth which now hung around the human's shoulders in a very attractive way. ZEX moved backwards again, dancing out of range. "Be careful, human. I don't want to hurt you, after all... are you sure you aren't ready to give up?"

The human Captain glared at him, and ZEX waved a head feeler in response, a bright jingling from the small bits of glass hanging from it. He tensed again, plainly obvious, and this time let out an angry yell as he rushed towards him, sword held high. ZEX turned, spun away from him which took him off-guard, and used to the momentum from his spin to knock the human's sword from his hands. The continuing sweep of his tail knocked the human off his feet.

ZEX took a few steps forward, sword held near the human's throat, and the Captain lay there, eyes wide and panting. Completely caught off-guard. ZEX flicked his tongue.

"Want to try again, darling?"

Mmm, he was so rebellious. It shone in his tiny eyes, and ZEX already knew the answer. He scrambled away from him towards his fallen blade, and was back on his feet in moments. Good, he'd hate to think the human would give up so easily.

Out of curiousity, rather than good-naturedly countering him as before, ZEX assessed the speed and position that the Captain was approaching with, adjusted himself, and with the right shift of body weight, the human was again disarmed and on the deck.

"Oh dear, I thought you'd see through that. Tell you what, how about that one doesn't count?"

The Captain was back up again, his face red and he was shaking somewhat. ZEX held up his free arm.

"Don't overexert yourself, human! If you want to give up..."

"I'll never give up!"

And it seemed the human was intent on keeping his word. ZEX toyed with him for an hour or two, countering to test his reflexes, knocking him down every now and then as if to remind him to be careful. Each time, he offered the human a chance to surrender, and each time, the human got up again and charged at him.

It went on for some time, longer than ZEX expected, and he was beginning to feel it. This was marvelous exercise. The Captain stumbled for a moment, and ZEX swept him back down to the deck. This time when he hit, there was a looseness to his limbs that wasn't there before, and he was breathing very hard.

"Well, human?"

All he got in response were desperate gasps for breath, and he watched the human try to force trembling limbs to move. His hands reached out, tried for a moment to get up but his body had been pushed to its limit. He simply could not fight anymore.

ZEX knelt down beside him, touching his forehead lightly with one arm, and the human was too weak to get away from him. He hoped he wasn't injured. "I thought I warned you not to exert yourself, dear... you tried very hard."

"Not fair..." Between gasping breaths. ZEX touched his face lightly, studying the curve of it, the feel of bone through his smooth, wet skin, and he sighed fondly. The silly creature didn't know his own limitations, but he was so stubborn that ZEX couldn't help but be impressed.

Overcome with a protective, almost paternal feeling, and ZEX was sure of it now. This time it was going to work, no matter what DAX said. He slid an arm underneath his body and he could feel the human trembling, all his muscles exhausted, and he gently brought him up to sit.

"You can try again tomorrow, human," ZEX said gently. "You should rest before our dinner tonight."

The Captain tried to push him away, but he was in no condition to try and fight him now. His words were barely intelligible, mumbled and weak. "Don' need your help..."

"Oh, human," ZEX said, a bit chiding, and he set his sword to one side. He slipped his other arm beneath the human's legs, and stood. The human didn't weigh as much as he thought...although his feeble struggles made it a little difficult. He'd really worked his body to the point of complete exhaustion... ZEX had never fought someone so foolishly dedicated before. How charming!

Despite his protests, ZEX carried him downstairs back to the brig and decided he could forego the manacles for now. He doubted the human would be doing much of anything. Although, this did present him with a rather intriguing opportunity... surely the human wouldn't mind so much if he just took a look at him beneath his clothes? After all, ZEX would be doing all the work, he could just lay there and rest while ZEX satiated his curiousity, and perhaps some other things...

Footsteps coming down the stairs interrupted his plans, and he stood. It could wait, he supposed, until they were more alone. He went to lock the door, and heard the other VUX come up behind him.

"What a fool."

"He's very stubborn," ZEX said, watching the human curl into a ball and presumably fall asleep. Next time, human.

"He's very stupid." DAX reached out, taking ZEX's arm. "Sir, I need to talk with you about the course we're taking..."

ZEX lingered a bit, and DAX had to tug a few times to get him to finally leave the human behind.

Next time for sure.

Chapter Text

He could not believe he lost.

There had to be some kind of explanation for it, something that'd explain why he just couldn't hit that VUX. The ship moving weirdly, or some kind of drug in his system, or something that made him lose because he shouldn't have lost. That was exactly the kind of thing he should have won.

This wasn't how things were supposed to go.

He woke up in his cell (god, he was sore all over, what happened) when that one VUX with the hat came to get him. DAX, he heard ZEX call him, and he got the feeling that DAX didn't like him very much.

"You're going to behave yourself tonight," DAX told him as they walked along, his arms pinned behind his back by the VUX's creepy tentacle arms. Those things were way stronger than he was led to believe. He was going to have to get Hayes to revise his information on VUX when he got back to Sol.

"That's what you think," he said, and immediately wished he had thought of something that was actually clever. He was never going to be a great hero if his one-liners didn't make sense.

DAX twisted his wrist a bit, which was totally unnecessary and didn't hurt that much, really, the gasp was just of surprise, and he didn't seem very amused (well, the one-liners weren't really for him anyway). "You will behave yourself, or I will kill you."

"You'd be better off killing me now, 'cause I'm not giving in," he said in a brave, rebellious manner, although on further thought maybe he shouldn't be trying to provoke DAX, since the VUX had a very uncomfortably tight grip on his wrist and he didn't really want him to break it.

"I would, if the Admiral would allow it," DAX growled, a bit more annoyed than usual, and the Captain wondered if maybe he'd stumbled across something. He'd have to remember that later.

"I'm not going to do anything he thinks he's going to do with me." Think about your words first, come on. "If he thinks he's going to have his way with me, he's going to be disappointed. I'm not like that."

DAX was quiet for a few moments. "You don't think I've already told him that?"

Well... no, actually. The Captain was about to ask him for more details when they finally arrived at the cabin, DAX keeping both his wrists behind him with one arm while opening the door with the other. He was going to have to keep that in mind, their longer arms made it easier to restrain him than if they were humans...

These must have been ZEX's private quarters, he guessed, from the wide variety of pictures hung on the walls from artists of every kind he knew, and a lot he didn't. He could recognize most of the species represented, but noticed with an unfortunately familiar sinking feeling that most of them seemed to be of Syreen, Androsynth, and... humans.

Amidst all the silken drapery hanging from the walls, the soft pillows scattered here and there (that pile of them over there might have been his bed, but maybe that was a hammock over there that he slept in? That also had a lot of soft looking pillows and blankets near it... how did VUX sleep, anyway?), and the kind of casual mess that came with living in one place for a long time, there stood a simple wooden table with two chairs beside it. In one of them sat ZEX, looking a great deal more comfortable and at ease, and the other empty chair waited for him, he was sure.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," he moaned, mostly under his breath.

DAX pushed him forward a bit, but made a sound that clearly enough said that he felt much the same way.

"Hello, human!" ZEX said, cheery as ever. He had bits of colored scarves tied to some of his head tentacles now, amidst all the gold and silver. Was he dressing up for him? Oh no. The VUX gestured at the empty chair. "Please, feel free to sit."

"I will kill you if you try anything," DAX whispered to him. "If you endanger him in any way, the Admiral's feelings for you will not stop me from protecting him."

"I got it, okay?" the Captain hissed back at him, annoyed that his plan to simply run had hit an unfortunate snag, and a glimpse of the sword at DAX's side at the ready made it a snag that didn't look like it was going to go away anytime soon. "But I'm not doing anything with him."

"What are you two whispering about over there?" ZEX called to them, his voice still light and carefree. "If you start telling secrets to one another, I'll feel left out."

The Captain wondered at how a VUX would pout (since that's what he clearly heard in ZEX's voice) and then DAX shoved him forward. He stumbled a bit, his legs and arms still aching badly from his earlier exercise, and at a meaningful glare from DAX, he reluctantly sat down in the empty chair.

ZEX was all energy across from him, in constant excited motion and flicking his tongue. "So, Captain, I hope you'll keep this dinner a pleasant experience for us both." ZEX gestured at the table. "I had some of your human food brought from your ship. I hope it's to your liking..."

Well, apparently the VUX definition of food kind of varied. SOME of it was food, that was true, and some of it was drink, and some of it seemed to be clothing. That may have been unrelated though... he had no idea what ZEX did in here by himself, and he didn't really want to know.

The Captain scowled at him and crossed his arms. Like he was going to talk with a pirate.

"Oh, don't look at me that way, Captain!" ZEX sounded melodramatically wounded. "You make me feel like such a villain! The circumstances may not be exactly to your liking, but you really have to learn to adapt."

"I'm not adapting to anything," he said. "You kidnapped me, I don't have to put up with that!"

ZEX paused for a bit, thoughtful and still vaguely amused. "Well, technically, you do, my dear. There's not much you can do otherwise."

He scowled at him and hunched down further in his chair.

"Now, I was hoping to ask you a few questions, and perhaps have you ask me some in return. An exchange of information might help us relate to each other more easily." That creepy, smooth sound in his voice. "Is that too much to ask of you, human?"

Hmmph.

"Alright, I'll start then." ZEX leaned back in his chair, his tail keeping it from tipping entirely, and he rested one of his long legs across the table. Weird, his foot was like a fin or flipper type thing, and even that had bracelets on it. VUX must have been obsessed with jewelry or something. "How did you get that ship of yours?"

"Like I'd tell you!"

"Oh, what will I do with the information, human? I'm simply curious. I'm sure you don't have a functioning shipyard somewhere, much less one for Precursor ships, since that's very much against Hierarchy law..." ZEX glanced at him meaningfully. "And, given that we VUX are members of the Hierarchy, it'd put me in such an uncomfortable position if there was such a shipyard..."

The Captain glanced around (not nervously or anything), DAX still standing by his chair with an arm on his sword, and he decided it'd be best if he just stayed quiet.

"Although, you did mention an Unzervalt, didn't you?" ZEX said, casual, and he picked up a golden goblet from the table. "That you were the best swordsman there, isn't that right? And if I recall, all humans are supposed to be relegated to Sol port..."

He really wished he'd thought some things through a bit more now before he'd said them.

"So I find it very curious that you've apparently come from an unknown port, with a strange ship that I've never seen before, and that you're venturing into Hierarchy waters for some unknown purpose." ZEX paused, then looked at him, flicking his tongue. "It's very intriguing."

"What do you want?" This was getting uncomfortable.

"I just want to have a pleasant conversation with you, human! I would so hate to have to give you to the Hierarchy..." ZEX sounded falsely innocent, nonchalant almost. "But if you have no value to me, in terms of providing me with what I'm interested in, then I suppose I'd have no choice but to hand you over to the proper authorities..."

"Proper authorities? You're pirates, what authority do you even follow?"

"I did mention the Hierarchy, didn't I?"

"The Hierarchy doesn't support pirates, they support thralls," he said pointedly, feeling very clever. "And you're clearly pirates."

"Well, that is true. We are pirates," ZEX said a bit thoughtfully, then turned back to him. "Finally, we're getting somewhere! It is true, we do not operate entirely within Hierarchy law..."

"That's right! You can't turn me in, since they'd just arrest you too!"

"Mmm, not exactly." ZEX waved a tentacle at him. "We have an interesting... relationship with the High Council, and through them the Hierarchy. While we don't exactly operate within their laws, we do have a bit more freedom than most thralls are allowed, in exchange for certain... services we provide. For our society, and for the Hierarchy itself."

Was that bitterness in ZEX's tone at the mention of his society? Hmm. "So what does that mean for me, exactly?"

"I just wanted to put our conversation in the proper perspective." As light as ever. "I do so want to get to know you, Captain, for the two of us to share a... real relationship that has so far been impossible between our species for a myriad of reasons." Another casual wave of his tentacle. "In fact, my interest in learning more about you, and your species, is to the extent that I hardly see any reason to contact the Hierarchy about you, or your great ship. I would much rather keep you with me, so that we can properly learn more about each other..."

"You're blackmailing me?" the Captain nearly shouted, offended, and he caught DAX moving off the side of his vision and stayed in his chair. "You can't do that!"

"Of course I can, human! I think you underestimate me and my position, or overestimate your own. Either way." Curled and uncurled a tentacle towards him. "I will tell you now, I have no intention of giving you to the Hierarchy, as long as you can conduct yourself civilly and properly when required, and honor your agreements."

"My agreements..."

"Yes, and I don't think the two of us having a calm discussion over dinner is so much to ask, is it?" ZEX blinked at him. "Don't you agree, DAX?"

The Captain looked up at his guard, who just stared at his Admiral with an unimpressed kind of look and said nothing. ZEX looked back to the Captain, and while he had previously felt sure that this was going to get better quickly, he now was beginning to wonder if it was going to get a lot worse first.

"Now that I've properly set the mood for our discussion..." ZEX dipped his tongue into the goblet for a moment. "Tell me, how did you come to live in this Unzervalt place?"

He was going to have to be very careful about this. Too much information could be dangerous.

"I was born there."

"I see. And it's not within the Sol port region, is it?"

"No."

"Hmm..." ZEX stared at his goblet thoughtfully, then waved some head feelers in a way that he didn't exactly understand. "And you found your great ship there, did you?"

He didn't say anything, since he wasn't sure he needed to, although he was a bit surprised that ZEX hadn't asked him where Unzervalt was. Not that he would have told him anyway, he would die before he let his home town be discovered and destroyed, or worse. It was the last enclave of free humans in the known world, after all.

"I see. Hmm... are you interested in where this Unzervalt is, DAX?"

"No, sir," DAX said, perfectly neutral, and the Captain turned to stare at him in surprise. What?

Casual and nonchalant again. "I'm sure such things would just bore the Ur-Quan, so let's continue. Unless you had some questions of your own, human?"

What was going on? Was ZEX trying to get him to trust him? Well, being kidnapped kind of made that difficult, and blackmailing him didn't help either, but that was a weird thing to say. He wasn't entirely sure what to make of it.

"No?" ZEX looked at him, then went back to toying with that goblet again. "So what are you planning on doing with that fabulous ship of yours?"

This he didn't feel inclined to keep a secret, given that it was his God-given mission and all, and somehow he had the feeling that even if ZEX did know, it wouldn't change anything.

"I'm going to defeat the Ur-Quan Hierarchy, and free all of their slaves-"

ZEX sputtered for a moment, and then it was quite clear that he was laughing and trying not to at the same time.

"It's not funny!"

ZEX was trying to get a hold of himself. "Of course not, human, of course-"

"I am! I am going to defeat the Hierarchy!" More muffled laughter from ZEX. "You don't think I can do it? I can! I'm going to! I will!"

"Calm down, calm down," ZEX said, a bit breathlessly. "Of course you will, human."

That certainly hadn't improved his mood (how dare he laugh at him! Didn't he know who he was?), and it all only made him more fiercely determined to prove himself to the pirate. "I've got my big ship and all sorts of weapons, and I'm going to find the old Alliance members and bring them back and make a new Alliance, and we're going to finally get rid of the Ur-Quan for good!"

"Human..." Still very amused, and then he had a strange tone in his voice, something... like he was concerned, or cared about him, or... paternal, that was it. Wait, what? "Human, you do realize the odds that are against you? It'd be suicide."

"I'm going to do it," he said, determined, and ZEX flicked his tongue and leaned back.

"Well, if you're so sure about it, I wish you the best of luck." ZEX waved an arm and he didn't sound entirely sincere. How dare him. "If anything it should make things more interesting..."

"Why are you pirates?"

ZEX blinked, caught off guard by the question, and it took him a few moments to respond. "That's a very good question, human! You're very clever... where to begin..."

"The War, sir," DAX said, and it caught him a bit off-guard (he didn't jump though, he was just a bit startled). DAX was so quiet most of the time that he almost forgot he was there.

"I suppose. You do know me by my reputation, human?"

He nodded.

"Very unfortunate... if circumstances had been different, I would never have raised arms against any of your beautiful species." ZEX sighed. "I've always been very fond of humans, you know... your species is a particular fascination of mine."

"I thought all VUX hated humans." The Captain wasn't sure if ZEX was just lying to try and throw him off, or if this meant things were going to get really, really bad for him. He was really hoping for the former.

"Most of us do, but not all," ZEX said quickly, smoothly, and he gestured at DAX. "My Sub-commander there does not hate you, and most of my crew does not either. I do have a... special fascination for your species, but I am not the only sympathizer."

Special fascination, right. "So what does that have to do with anything?"

"Well..." ZEX paused for a moment, and his normal smooth, calm exterior seemed to falter. "As you know, the rest of my species have a very distinct hatred for yours. You're well aware of it, I hope?"

"Rand's insult." He nodded again.

"That's right." ZEX sighed, and it sounded genuinely sad in a way. "Now, I doubt you have any real understanding of our culture or society, and I expect you wouldn't, given the unfortunate war we were involved in, but, let's say, someone with sympathies as... broad and deep as mine for your species was termed..."

"Perverted," DAX said, and the Captain choked for a moment.

"Problematic." ZEX pointed at DAX, although his tone was strangely mild. "That was the official word for it, although unofficial insults were easier to come across. However, since I had done such great work in defending our species during the War, they couldn't simply get rid of me, as they had other human sympathizers."

"Get... rid of?"

"Vanished. Disappeared." ZEX waved an arm in almost a tired way. "However you'd like to think of it."

"Murdered," DAX said.

"Yes, that. We have a very strong focus on what should be normal, and our hatred for your species runs deeper than you're probably aware of." ZEX stared at him with that large, single eye, head tentacles moving a bit slowly. It was hard to read a VUX, but he got the impression from his tone and movement that he seemed a bit saddened by this. "I threatened them with my worldview, and my reputation kept me safe for a time. But not forever... I was rallying others to my cause, and it frightened them." A slow flick of his tongue. "So... after the War, they recommended I become something of a privateer."

"A pirate...?"

"To work for the High Council on more discreet, unlawful fronts, far from the public eye, with a great deal more freedom. They believed that, given the opportunity, I would get as far away from them as I could." ZEX paused. "They were right, of course. I swiftly cut most of my ties with them. They seem content to leave me to my own devices... to travel the regions around our influence, explore new areas, and on occasion, send them valuable things I find if they start to nag at me." ZEX twisted the goblet thoughtfully, staring at his reflection in its surface. "But on the whole, we're a great deal more free than perhaps we should be, and we're not dead at least."

This was getting kind of strange... it seemed like ZEX was kicked out of his species just for not being a human-hating jerk, and while he was obviously a bit too far on the other side of the spectrum, that did seem kind of unfair. Although, the Captain was quick to remind himself, he shouldn't be feeling any kind of sympathy for someone who had kidnapped him.

"So, you're not really attached to the Hierarchy then?"

"We send reports, mostly false, but no. We have no real loyalty to anyone." ZEX flicked his tongue, his tone lightening. "Apart from my own particular interests, that is."

"So... you're kind of neutral then, right?"

"You could say that." ZEX sounded somewhat amused by the idea. "I do love your species, human... I'd say my interests lie more with you than with any plans the Ur-Quan may have for their Doctrinal War."

This was food for thought, in a way. He'd assumed that the VUX would all be on the Hierarchy's side, and when ZEX started talking about reporting him, he wasn't entirely sure that this wouldn't be the sudden end to his grand adventure. Finding out that the VUX Admiral was neutral, and somewhat sympathetic to his species, if not his cause...

Well, he could check. "Do you want to be free?"

"Hmm?" ZEX looked at him, blinking a bit. "What do you mean?"

"Do you want to be free? From the Ur-Quan?" He jerked his head to indicate their unseen rulers. "Like everyone else?"

ZEX was quiet for some time, staring into his goblet and occasionally tasting its surface with his tongue. Eventually, he put it on the table and stood, looking strangely solemn and somehow much older than he'd previously acted or appeared to be.

"I've long been fascinated with your species, human." ZEX's voice was devoid of humor, quiet and thoughtful and a bit rougher than before. "When I fought against you during the War... it was painful for me. When I heard that the Ur-Quan had subjugated your race, forced you back to Sol and destroyed your docks, landlocked your ports, kept your species trapped at your home as they'd done to the others who refused to fight with them..." ZEX looked somewhat distant for a moment, an arm outstretched. "I thought I'd never see you again. It's been some twenty years since then, and I'd about given hope of ever meeting any of you on peaceable terms, having an amicable discussion."

He took a few steps away, looking out the porthole to the sea outside. "I've always felt a kinship with you humans, a desire to be with you in some way. With the Ur-Quan enslaving your homeland, preventing any escape or any contact... that becomes impossible." A long pause as he stared out, then a few quiet words. "I've always found it most unfair."

"So...?" Where was he going with this?

"Thrown out by our own society, roaming our assigned waters, unable to see the sights I want to see the most since our area of influence is carefully checked, and other races so trapped..."

"ZEX...?"

"We are a proud species." ZEX turned to look at him, holding an arm out towards him again. "It's a character trait we embrace, that others often mention." His arm slowly lowered, head feelers jingling just slightly as he kept staring at him. "We do not do well under masters."

"So you do want to be free!" the Captain said, somewhat triumphantly, and DAX rested an arm on his shoulder to make sure he stayed where he was. "I knew it!"

"Who wouldn't want to be free?" ZEX walked back to the table. "Perhaps the Mycon, but sometimes I doubt their clarity..."

"So why don't you let me go?" He was on to something, he had a way out of this! If he could just appeal to his better nature and convince him to give him back his ship and be reasonable, then this entire thing could be over with and everybody could be free, and...

ZEX stared at him for a bit, thoughtful again, and some of his head feelers curled towards him. "I'm afraid I can't, my human love."

"Why not?" he said, a bit angrily and DAX tightened his grip on his shoulder.

"I hope you'll forgive my perhaps selfish nature..." ZEX looked at the table a bit, running the tip of his arm along the rim of the goblet. "But I don't think I could bear the thought of losing you."

"What?" he sputtered, and DAX forced him back down into his chair with a low noise before he could stand. ZEX blinked at him, mildly surprised.

"Human, I told you, you have no chance against the Ur-Quan!" ZEX said. "Their fleets are massive and their ship designs easily trump any of ours-"

"I have my flagship-"

"You have one ship!" ZEX tapped the tip of his arm against the table. "One ship, human! You have one ship and no plan! If I let you go, you would die within the hour!"

"I would not!" he shouted. "I survived before I met you! You just got lucky!"

"Human..." ZEX started, then paused and touched his arm to his head, running it along some of his head feelers. "Please, try to understand. I'm trying to protect you... you are a rare and valuable creature, the only one of your kind left on our seas. I can't let you get yourself killed fighting an impossible war."

"It's none of your business if I want to fight an impossible war, and it's not impossible," he said, resolute and unwavering. "I know it isn't."

"You don't know anything, human," DAX said from beside him. "You have no understanding of the forces that you're up against."

"And you're willing to just stay here? Just, just stay slaves to the Ur-Quan forever and never do anything about it?" The Captain glared at ZEX, who avoided his eyes. "Is that really what you want? I'm sorry, I can't live with that. I don't care if I end up dying in the process, I can't live with the knowledge that people are suffering." Now he felt dramatic, positively heroic. This was much better. "If there's anything I can do, I'm going to do it. You can't stop me."

"You can't escape us, human. Can't you understand?" ZEX said, sounding strangely tired. "You're our prisoner."

"I'll break free." And he would. Eventually.

ZEX was quiet for some time, and then he stood and walked over towards him, slowly. The Captain backed away a bit instinctually, not that it mattered much with DAX on his other side keeping him from running, and ZEX reached out and touched his face for a moment. His skin was bumpy and weirdly warm, and he flinched away from it.

"Captain, we're both intelligent creatures," ZEX said, calm and again somewhat tired. "You understand my position now, and I hope you'll believe me when I say I understand yours."

"If you really understood, you'd let me go." Take that. ZEX sighed.

"I hope this conversation has given you some food for thought." ZEX glanced at DAX, who had tugged the Captain back up to his feet, arms kept tightly behind his back. "And I do hope at the least you don't see me as a simple scoundrel. Please, do think about what we've talked about tonight. Hopefully we can come to some kind of understanding."

"We will when you let me go."

Another sigh. "Alright, DAX, take him back down."

He wasn't about to give in. ZEX was just wrong, period. He could do this, he was supposed to do this. If anything this had only made him more determined to escape, if ZEX wasn't going to let him go. Who did ZEX think he was, anyway, telling him that he was going to get himself killed like that? He didn't even know him.

And he probably just wanted to... do things to him anyway.

"Oh, here." ZEX came up behind them before they left the room, and he held out a soft, green blanket, embroidered with grey thread. "It must get cold down there at night, my Captain. Please, keep warm."

There was something kind of weird about how he said that, and he wasn't entirely sure how the gesture made him feel (it was a bit hard to think of someone as a big jerk when they randomly gave you things out of the blue), so DAX took the blanket for him wordlessly, and before the Captain could think of something to say, they were out of his room and making their way back down below deck, lit by swinging lamps and stars.

"He won't let you go," DAX said, after some time. "Not until he gets what he wants from you."

Until?

The Captain sat down in his cell, manacles unused above him, blanket around his shoulders, and he thought.

Things suddenly got a lot more complicated and weird than he'd anticipated.

"Sir, I believe we're being followed."

ZEX looked up from the charts on his table, head tentacles raising inquisitively. "By whom, and from what distance?"

DAX took a few steps further into the room, adjusting the brim of his hat as he often did with his head feelers. "It was difficult to see them clearly, but I believe they were Arilou ships, sir. A small collection of them, and they quickly vanished when they seemed aware that we had caught sight of them."

"Arilou?" ZEX paused in thought, rifling through his memory for every detail he could recall about Arilou ships and tactics. "I haven't seen any of them since the War..."

"They didn't make any hostile maneuvers... they just hovered near the horizon line, as if they were watching us."

"Hmm." The motion on ZEX's head slowed in deeper thought. "From what I remember, the Arilou have a sort of alliance with humans, don't they?"

"You would know, sir," DAX said, neutral as he stood by his side.

"It wasn't very clear... there was so little communication back then. But I do recall how they quickly disappeared after the humans were enslaved... as if they were connected, I think the rumors ran."

"Do you think they'll attack us, sir?"

"I never got the impression that the Arilou were bloodthirsty." ZEX stroked his trunk with one arm distractedly, his tongue slithering in and out every now and then. "They did always stay close to human ships... but they did not seem designed for warfare. I can't see why they would take an interest in us. The War is over."

"Do you think they're interested in your human captive?" Not so neutral there, and ZEX rolled his eye.

"If you think this will make me let him go..."

"I'm being serious, sir. Do you think you've attracted their attention?"

ZEX stared at him for a few moments, and then returned to his thoughtful pose. "It's possible, I suppose... if they are as invested in humanity as they seem, it stands to reason they'd be wondering about their lone human's wandering."

DAX stared at him, silently disapproving, and ZEX looked down at his map.

"I'm sure they're not hostile... most likely concerned. Keep me updated if you see them again, and stay on course."

The following night, ZEX came down to the human's cell. He was curled up in a corner, blanket wrapped tightly around him, apparently asleep. He looked so beautiful that way, so peaceful. Far preferable to his typical hysteria. Who knew what got into the human sometimes?

ZEX knelt and tapped against the bars quietly. "Captain?"

The human slowly woke, blinking and staring around him in confusion until his eyes settled on ZEX.

"Captain, would you take a walk with me tonight?" ZEX held an arm out towards him. "I wanted to discuss some things with you."

The human stared at him, suspicious, and then shed his blanket somewhat reluctantly, walking over to him.

"You want me to take a walk with you?"

"That's right." ZEX flicked his tongue, and barely resisted touching the human's face with it. "I was hoping that our conversation during dinner provided us with some common ground, and that a sensible conversation between us wouldn't be so hard to achieve."

"That's all you want, right?" The human stared at him, still suspicious.

"Hee! Hee! Hee! My, you think me quite a rogue! I only want to learn more about you, darling. You are most intriguing to me... and I've never had a chance to properly converse with a human before."

"Hmm." Not convinced, and still suspicious. "I don't know..."

"I am trusting you not to run or jump ship while we walk together..." ZEX said, quite reasonably he thought. "Surely you can provide me the same courtesy, in trusting me not to take advantage of you?"

"Not really."

ZEX laughed again softly. "If you like, we can stay right here, with you behind bars... I thought you might appreciate the fresh air and some exercise. You must get very bored down here..."

The human hesitated.

"After all..." ZEX curled some head tendrils towards him, somewhat coy and teasing. "There's not much you can accomplish imprisoned, is there? You should take your chances where you can find them... and I'm sure you still have some questions for me, don't you?"

Fidgeting, toying with his fingers a bit (such odd little things), and he tried to put an authoritative air to his voice. "No funny business, alright? No touching or anything."

"Me?" ZEX lowered his head feelers in mock offense. "Captain, you wound me! We're both creatures of honor, aren't we?"

The look on his human's face told him that he didn't agree, not that ZEX was expecting him to. ZEX rested an arm on the door.

"Besides... what do you have to lose?"

Still suspicious, deliberating for a few more seconds, and then he stood and nodded. "Alright, but I'm serious... no funny business."

"Mmhmm." ZEX unlocked the door. "We'll see."

"How old are you, human?"

The two of them were standing by the railing near the port side of his ship, and the Captain blinked at his question, a bit startled.

"Me?"

"Yes, you. How old are you?" ZEX flicked his tongue, still in good spirits. After all, his human had only tried to dart off once, and had learned after spraining his wrist that trying to run when a VUX was holding your hand was not a good idea. ZEX was patient, assuring the human that if there were no more attempts, there was no cause for more injuries, and eventually the human had settled beside him, still a bit resistant, but gradually accepting his place. It did take time with these things, after all.

The human stared at him a bit, turning a bit red and he ran his hand through his hair (So delightful!). "Um... I'm nineteen, I guess... I'll turn twenty in a month or so..." A bit quickly. "People always say I'm mature for my age, though."

"I didn't say anything," ZEX said, laughing a little, and the human mumbled something and looked uncomfortable. "You are awfully young though, aren't you?"

"Well, how old are you?" the Captain retorted, apparently trying to embarrass him in return. ZEX waved an arm casually.

"Oh, I don't know. I've lost track over time... it becomes less important. Over fifty years, if I recall..."

"Fifty..." A moment of surprise, then he shook his head. "That's right, you were alive during the War, right?"

"Mmhmm." Pleased and encouraging. It was so much nicer when the two of them were talking civilly. "And the twenty years after. You were born after the War was over, weren't you?"

"Yeah... on Unzervalt." A bit avoidant again. Trying to protect his human colony, and far be it for ZEX to endanger humans now that he wasn't required to do so.

"So how did you become Captain of such a great ship? Are you a prodigy, my dear?" ZEX flicked his tongue at him, causing the human's red color to deepen. Hee. They were such strange creatures.

"I-I'm just the only one who can sail it. I don't know if that makes me a prodigy... it just kind of happened." A bit of sadness in his voice there, and ZEX raised his head tentacles in attention. That was unusual... something must have happened. A bit more thought...

"You weren't the Captain at first, were you?"

An awkward moment and the human fidgeted with his hands again. It was hard to read a human's face, but he got the feeling that he'd hit something sensitive. He hoped he hadn't offended him.

"Not... at first, no." The Captain stared at the water below. "She was... killed, by one of those red tumbling ships... and I took over."

"How unfortunate." ZEX looked to his human, his voice sympathetic. "Their numbers seem to be increasing to dangerous levels in recent days..."

A moment of silence, the sound of waves and rigging shifting around them, and ZEX watched his human as he stared thoughtfully into the water below them.

"Are you... happy, being a pirate like this?" Trying to change the subject he was sure. ZEX raised some head tentacles, his voice casual.

"It could be worse, I suppose. Ideally I would like to be free to pursue my interests without being hounded for them, but I can't turn down the freedom I've been given this way."

"You said they called you..." A pause as he searched for better words. "Problematic?"

"Mmm, do you want the whole story? It's not a pleasant one, by any means." ZEX looked up to the sky. "But my life has hardly been easy, I suppose."

"You said you don't hate humans..."

"That's right, I don't." ZEX sighed a bit. "I never have... I've always been fascinated by your species. I've always thought we could gain a great deal if we could see past our differences and communicate like adults. Instead we have pointless, childish bickering and namecalling, an entire war called on each other simply because our aesthetics don't seem to match..." Bitter, and this topic always got to him. "It's a tragedy that so many can't see past minor differences to accomplish something greater, I've felt... I campaigned for change when the War was over, tried to open my people's eyes to the idea of a peaceful union with you humans, and..."

ZEX gestured at the ship around him. "This is where it got me."

The human was quiet for some time, watching him. "You really wanted peace?"

"Of course." ZEX met his gaze, his tiny eyes staring at him in a way he couldn't quite identify. "My reputation may precede me, but it's the sad consequence of an unavoidable war. I wouldn't have fought against you, if I had a choice."

"And you tried to tell other VUX that? That we could have peace?"

"Yes... they didn't much care for my viewpoint." ZEX laughed humorlessly. "I spent most of my life fighting for them, keeping my species alive, sacrificing ships and lives to keep us from extinction during the War, and how do they repay me? Sending me as far away as possible, because I choose to see things differently..."

The human was still staring at him, perhaps thoughtful. It was hard to say. His voice was a bit clearer though... he sounded sympathetic a little. "It still bothers you, doesn't it?"

ZEX laughed again, again without much humor. "Is it so obvious? Hardly the hero's welcome I'd been anticipating, that was for sure. And for such petty reasons..."

The Captain looked away from him, again staring out over the water for a time. ZEX inched closer to him, resting an arm across his shoulders and ignoring how he tried to flinch away. He'd grow accustomed to him soon enough...

"Why won't you let me go?" For once, no anger or indignance in his tone. Surprisingly honest, and ZEX sighed.

"I wasn't lying to you before... I fear for your life, human. Even here, under my protection... you are in direct violation of Hierarchy law. The punishment for which is death, as I'm sure you know. If you are with me... at least I know you are safe."

"But what about the Ur-Quan? What about our freedom? Doesn't that matter to you? Can you really be happy just accepting things the way they are?"

"I am rarely happy with things the way they are." ZEX sighed again. "I adjust."

"I can't live with that." That determination that made him so charming again, and ZEX flicked his tongue in response, unable to help himself. "People have died to get me this far... I can't let them down."

"Captain... our goals are not in direct opposition. It's only my concern for you that keeps you from your work, not malice." ZEX touched the tip of his arm to his human's neck, and he jumped a bit in surprise. "I'm sure there is an agreement that can be reached between us that will leave us mutually satisfied, as long as we see each other as individuals, rather than adversaries."

The Captain moved a hand to try and bat his arm away, and ZEX instead curled it around some of his fingers. He was that red color again, and his voice was soft. "I don't... really see you as an adversary anymore, exactly... but I can't stay here with you. I just can't."

"Perhaps events will transpire that will make you change your mind," ZEX said, trying to be reassuring, and he led the human away from the railing. "But for now, I'll be content with knowing that we view each other in a more amiable light. Our relationship can grow as close as you wish, and I'm sure such a thing will only reap benefits for us both. But it is late, and I'm sure you are tired."

A bit unsure, still, and he still fidgeted a bit uncomfortably as ZEX kept his arm on his shoulders, but he didn't try to break away from him again. Growing to understand his position, perhaps, and that meant that their discussions could only progress further from here. An important step achieved in understanding between them, and the future held unlimited possibilities between them, he was sure.

He bade the Captain goodnight as he settled back in his cell, his blanket around his shoulders, and went to his own cabin in high spirits.

They walked together most nights afterwards.

"Do you have any family?"

"Me?" ZEX blinked. The Captain looked at him, blinking those beautiful small eyes of his in what ZEX assumed was curiousity.

"Yeah. Do you have any family?" The human tilted his head, and ZEX felt for a moment he should warn him to be careful before he caught himself. "I mean, I told you about my mom and dad... what about yours?"

This was a bit awkward. ZEX adjusted the knot on his head bandana with a few feelers, looking down to the water. "Hmm... I don't have any family anymore."

His Captain stared at him for a few more moments, then those thin strips of hair above his eyes moved on his face, angling up and together. What was that... concern? It was so hard to tell with human features, they were so indistinct and random. "Oh... sorry. I didn't want to bring up any bad memories or anything... I just thought that maybe since VUX might live longer than we do..."

"Oh, they're alive, as far as I remember, although I haven't checked in some time." ZEX kept his voice carefully distant, adjusting small bits of jewelry here and there busily with his head feelers to keep them from telling too much. "They disowned me."

"Disowned you?" The human sounded surprised. "Why?"

"They heard about my new occupation after the War, and why I'd been given such a remote assignment." ZEX did wish the human would change the topic of conversation. "Not that I had much fondness for them regardless. I left most things in my past behind when the War was over."

"They really..." Something in his voice... ZEX wasn't sure what it was. "They really would do that to you, just abandon you 'cause you were different?"

"Ah, there was political pressure too from other families, and the general prevailing opinion at the time, and there were a few heated exchanges between us- bah, it doesn't matter now." What a distasteful discussion. ZEX stuck out his tongue to taste the air instead. "I do what I like, and they can do what they like for all that it matters to me."

"Didn't anyone support you?" He couldn't quite tell what it was in his human's voice... sympathy? Anger? Concern?

"I wasn't entirely alone, no." There, this was a bit more pleasant. "DAX of course was by my side, as always, and most of the other crew members you may have encountered here are at least sympathetic to my views, even if they don't share them."

"But to have your own family do that to you... that's terrible. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to my mom and dad, or they did something like that to me." He sounded genuinely upset by the idea. ZEX made a mental note to have someone investigate if there had been any rumors about a recently discovered human colony or the like... it would be a shame if something happened to Unzervalt while his human was away. "That must have been rough."

"I manage, as always." ZEX waved an arm. "Not as difficult as it may have been for you. I was never close to my parents, and by the War's end I was more than old enough to strike my own way without their influence." As if such a thing was possible within VUX society, but ZEX preferred to think so. He so disliked being tied to a family name or reputation... they were so limiting.

"So everyone just sent you off here to be alone, huh?" The Captain was staring at him again in that odd way. "Well, apart from your crew and everything... but mostly everyone just ditched you."

Not quite familiar with that phrasing, and ZEX stood. "Mm, that was many years ago, and there's nothing to be done about it. Not that it matters much to me either way. We've been sitting for some time... I think it's best if we stretch a little, don't you?"

The human hesitated, although he wasn't sure why. Somehow thoughtful, a little... he eventually did take ZEX's offered arm, although he as usual rebuffed any further contact.

Then the conversation got to more pleasant topics, and ZEX moved to them without hesitation or a second thought.

He didn't know what it was. It wasn't like he was interested in him or anything (definitely not the way ZEX was interested, anyway), but he always had a habit of wanting people to like him. At least, that's what everyone told him back home, and while he didn't like it phrased that way exactly (it made him sound... needy? And he definitely wasn't needy), he did have to admit that sometimes he worked awfully hard to try and smooth things over with people who had insulted him, or that he'd insulted by accident (which was more common, for some reason), and there was something comforting in knowing that he could make friends with almost anyone anywhere. He was just that kind of personable, pleasant guy.

So he blamed that, in a way, for how he was slowly beginning to kind of lose his resentment for his kidnapper and instead seeing him as... a potential associate. Nothing more personal than that, of course (he was not into that), but he was kind of... intrigued in a way. ZEX was a bit more complicated than he'd thought (although he was still kind of creepy and he didn't really like how he looked at him sometimes) and he was becoming... a bit sympathetic. He didn't hate him now, at least, that was for sure, although he wasn't about to forgive him for keeping him prisoner or anything (he was going to escape any day now, actually... he just needed to find the right time).

But it seemed like ZEX had kind of gotten a raw deal, even if he was creepy and a bit too sexual about really weird stuff, and he felt sort of bad for him. A little. Anyone would feel that way, really.

And besides, there was no harm in just listening and talking to him, and ZEX was a good conversationalist (as long as the topic stayed away from his "luscious body") and he had a lot of old stories and information about the War, which the Captain had full intention of putting to use when he escaped to reform the Alliance again. ZEX had unfortunately lost track of most of the other Alliance races after the War, but whatever information he gave was important, and the Captain made sure to remember it.

After a week or two of walking and chatting with ZEX, he really wanted to get free to get back to work on what was really important (he did have a mission after all), and so when the two of them were sitting near the edge of his ship, as they always did, he decided it was time to drop another ultimatum.

"ZEX, I want a rematch."

ZEX looked at him, head thingies all perking up (interest, he thought, maybe? That seemed like it'd make sense.), and then he flicked that long creepy tongue a bit too close to him. ZEX always seemed happy when he did that... maybe a VUX smile or laugh or something, who knew.

"A rematch, my dear?"

"Yeah, a rematch. You versus me, blade against blade." He tried to give that a nice dramatic edge. ZEX flicked his tongue again. "If I win, you let me go."

"Mmm, got your wanderlust back again, I see? Ah, and now I'm even more hardpressed than ever to let you go..." ZEX's arm was creeping around his shoulders again, and he tried to bat it away. "How about if we change our arrangement?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, previously I asked for you to have dinner with me..." ZEX sounded a bit too casual about this... "And since we've made so much progress since then, it seems that asking for something like that simply wouldn't hold my interest."

"So what do you want?" the Captain asked, although he almost regretted it.

"Hmm, if we have our rematch, and if I win..." ZEX's tongue slithered out, and it touched the tip of his nose. "Why don't you spend the night with me, in my quarters?"

Now he definitely regretted it.

"You... you want me to..."

"I'm assuming that if you're asking me for a rematch, you think you'll win. Why else would you ask such a thing?" Still too casual, and his arm was touching him a bit too closely along his neck, gah. "So what does it matter to you if I raise the stakes a little? If you're as confident in your abilities as you seem to be, your freedom will still be assured either way."

"O-of course I'd win..." ZEX just got lucky before, and with stakes like that, there was absolutely no way he could afford to lose. "It's just... I mean, what would we do if we-"

"Oh, I'm sure I'd think of something. Hee! Hee! Hee!" This was a bad sign. "Of course, that's only if I win... if you want your freedom so badly, I'm sure you'll provide me with more of a challenge than last time..."

Ooo! "That was- you just got lucky! I don't know what you were doing, but I should have won-"

"Calm down, human!" Flicking his tongue again. "If that's the case, why don't we settle the matter tomorrow? I do so enjoy tests of skill..."

"Fine! And this time I'll win! Like I was supposed to." He crossed his arms, determined and a bit angry, and ZEX annoyingly enough seemed unperturbed. "Then you'll have to let me go."

"Of course... if you win." That long pink tongue flipping back and forth, and he could hear in his voice that ZEX wasn't taking him seriously. Well, he'd sure show him tomorrow to underestimate him. He wouldn't make the same mistakes again. "Then it's a deal, my dear?"

"It's a deal. Tomorrow I'm getting out of here." He stood, posing a bit dramatically in the process. "And you won't be able to stop me."

ZEX stood after him, laughing quietly under his breath, which was annoying. This was serious business! That arm slung across his shoulders again to lead him back down to his room (after all the pillows and blankets and things ZEX had given him, it was hard to really think of it as a cell anymore), and he was almost annoyed enough to shove him off, but resisted. He'd show him tomorrow, that was for sure.

It was later that night, after a restless hour of tossing and turning, that the full ramifications of what would happen if he lost hit him.

Maybe... just maybe, this wasn't a good idea.

Chapter Text

"You're in a good mood, sir," DAX said from behind him, with the inflection that clearly indicated he didn't think this was a good thing. ZEX looked at him through the mirror, pausing in tying the bandanna around his head.

"Hmm? So you've noticed!" Positively gleeful. "I can't help it, I suppose! Today is going to be wonderful."

"Is it, sir?" DAX gave him an even, unimpressed stare. "Why?"

"Hee! Hee! Hee! You know my human down below?"

"Yes." Unfortunately.

"He's requested a rematch..." ZEX closed his eye, making a soft pleased sound. "And I convinced him to change the stakes a little."

"He was fighting for his freedom before, wasn't he? What could he change the stakes to-" DAX was sighing in irritation, but as the realization came to him his head feelers perked up in alarm. "Sir, you didn't-"

"I did!" ZEX turned in an even smooth motion to face him, jewelry jingling. "I thought it'd take longer to get him to agree to it, actually. Who would have thought we'd make progress so quickly!" Another happy sound. "Ah, another sign that we're meant to be!"

"Sir, you- you can't..." DAX paused to regain his composure. He pulled his hat down a bit over his eye. "You're a VUX, he's a human, it won't work. The crew is already upset about having the human here... VIP in particular has been very vocal about it, she says it will bring us bad luck, and no one is happy about you speaking with him so often, and if they find out that you and him..."

"DAX, honestly! How long have you known me?" ZEX waved an arm casually. "Have I ever cared what other people thought?"

"That's the problem, sir." DAX pointed at him. "Just because you tricked a human into wagering one illicit night doesn't mean that there's any chance that this will work between you. You're different species, it's unnatural. I don't even know what you plan to do with him-"

"DAX, you really have no creativity at all." ZEX turned away from him dismissively. "You can't say you haven't thought about it, and I'm sure that if you spent some time, some possibilities would come to mind-"

"I can honestly say that I have never thought about bedding a human, sir." With more irritation. "No one on this ship has except for you, and you're the only one who doesn't understand why this is upsetting everyone. Even the human hasn't thought about it, only you! I wouldn't be surprised if you killed him somehow during the night-"

"I have no such intentions!" ZEX huffed. "I'm going to be very careful."

"That human is going to be terrified, sir, how can you in good conscience do something like this, he's..." If it had been VIP talking, he was sure she would have used some of the nastier slurs they had for the species, but while DAX didn't share a hatred of humans... "He's a human, sir. He's not like us."

"I think we're more alike than you give us credit for." ZEX was adjusting his clothing in the mirror again, a bit annoyed now by the way his tail was twitching. "You really do have no imagination. We're both sentient, aren't we? And he agreed to this as well. I did not pressure him into it... it was his idea to request a rematch, after all."

"That human is an idiot," DAX said, pointedly. "He's stupid, sir, and overconfident, and I'm not surprised he challenged you to a rematch. You're taking advantage of him."

"Well..." ZEX paused for a moment, then turned to give DAX a sidelong look. "Does that surprise you?"

DAX's head feelers twisted a bit. "No, sir. Not really."

"He agreed to it." ZEX turned back to the mirror, his tone light and falsely nonchalant. "I did not force him to agree to it, and I laid out my terms clearly. Really, the responsibility is his if he loses, not mine."

"Of course he'll lose, sir. You're unmatched in swordsmanship. You know that, I know that, everyone knows that, except that idiot human below decks apparently." DAX took a few steps towards him.

"Say what you like, I refuse to have it ruin my good mood," ZEX said, not looking at him. "I think my human and I have a connection, and I think if some people were a little more open-minded, they'd see that."

"A connection? He's a human, sir. Who knows what goes on in his head?" Probably not a lot, by DAX's guess. He sighed a bit, a head feeler reaching out towards ZEX. "Why are you doing this? Haven't you done enough already to make people hate you?"

"I have never done anything in my life with the intention of making others like or dislike me," ZEX said, a bit coldly. "Everything I have done, I have done for myself. I do not care what anyone else thinks or says."

"Sir..." Another sigh. "You don't realize how tense this has made everyone... this is dangerous, as well as short-sighted. There is nothing between you both... you are his captor, and he's trying to break free from you."

ZEX paused, and turned to look at him. "Is it that, or can you not entertain the possibility that a human and a VUX could form a relationship?"

His gaze was penetrating, but it was not as though DAX was trying to be dishonest. "Both, sir."

"I suspect it's much the same for the others on the ship." ZEX turned back to the mirror. "I don't care what anyone else has to say, or how they feel about any of this. I am in command of this ship and this fleet, and I will do what I feel is appropriate."

"Including bedding a human?"

"Yes, DAX, including that." Challenging him, and DAX didn't respond. "I don't think anyone has the authority to question my decisions."

"I'm not only speaking to you as your Sub-commander..." DAX said quietly. "I am speaking to you as a friend, and I'm concerned about what you're doing."

"Mmm..." ZEX had gotten tense over the course of their discussion, and he looked at DAX again and slowly relaxed. Remembering who he was. "The human won't harm me. He's rather weak, really... I've dealt with worse. There's nothing to be afraid of."

"You're always searching for something, sir," DAX said, inching a bit closer to him. "Some new creature to fall in love with, to pursue. Every time it's always ended badly for you. It will happen again... as long as you keep chasing the impossible, it will keep happening."

"That's the difference between you and I, DAX." ZEX touched DAX's trunk with his tongue a moment, causing DAX to blink and step back a little. ZEX flicked his tongue in amusement. "I don't think such things are impossible."

"This won't end well, sir. I know it won't."

"Hmm, well..." ZEX looked thoughtful for a moment, head feelers rising and lowering slowly. "If things do end as badly as you think they will, then you'll just have to tell me that you told me so, won't you?"

"Sir..." DAX said, then sighed. "Is there anything I can say that won't make you do this?"

"No," ZEX said, lightly, and he held out an arm. "Give me my sword, would you?"

DAX did as he was told, and ZEX tested its edge with one arm, feelers rising and twisting in excitement.

"This is going to be magnificent," ZEX said, barely containing his excitement, and he walked out on deck with DAX following close behind. A few members of the crew were tending to the everyday needs of keeping the ship on course and afloat, and while a few lifted head feelers to semi-salute the Admiral as he passed by, most continued in their work without noticing, or even ignored him.

ZEX may not have been paying attention, but DAX was. He was keeping notes, since no one else seemed to be trying to resolve the growing tension aboard the ship, and he sighed at the thought of a few more crewmembers he'd have to talk to later that night. He did so hate being sociable. ZEX motioned for him to wait on deck while he went back below.

"Hello, Sub-commander," a soft voice said behind him, and DAX didn't need to turn around to know who it was.

"Yes, YIK?"

"What's going on?" She came around to stand by his side. DAX gave her a glance, and it was difficult to see green skin under all the various types of fabric and jewelry she'd adorned herself with. You'd think someone so obsessed with fashion would know when to tone it down. "Is the Admiral going to walk his human again? He usually only does that at night..."

A kind of muffled, staccato growl behind him, causing DAX's head feelers to jerk a bit in surprise. He didn't even realize that PIK was nearby.

"He shouldn't do it during the day," PIK said, voice snarled with repressed rage and wavering at the wrong syllables. Whatever was wrong with PIK (and there were many, many theories about what was wrong with PIK, none of which had really been explored before he'd been shipped as far away from normal VUX as possible) had the unfortunate tendency of affecting his speech patterns in ways that tended to make most VUX uncomfortable. Not that PIK's general personality helped much either, but difficulty speaking just seemed like the Creator held a grudge against him. PIK was not popular. "Bad idea."

"Oh PIK," YIK said, as though there was nothing odd about the tone of PIK's voice at all. "I think it's sweet. The Admiral seems very happy."

"He's right though, this is a bad idea," DAX said, already feeling uncomfortable having so many people around talking to him. He really hated the fact that his job had been unofficially expanded to require so much discussion with other people. "He should have waited."

"Bad idea," PIK repeated, with uncalled for anger, and he moved to stand by YIK's side, twitching in an off-putting way. "This might backfire."

"Hmm, no. No, I'm sure the Admiral knows what he's doing," YIK said, completely unperturbed. PIK leaned in close to her, all too close and the few head feelers he had left reached out for hers, but she just gently shifted him away and PIK backed off without complaint, possibly unaware that he'd even been invading her personal space. DAX at times lamented the fact that, due to the High Council's interesting methods of getting rid of VUX they didn't like, that they were always doomed to a bizarre crew of social rejects.

Headed, perhaps, by the greatest one of all.

ZEX reappeared, leading the human behind him. ZEX didn't seem to notice the stares he got as a result, although the human's nervous behavior seemed to indicate ZEX was alone in that. When he handed the human a sword, however, the crew's interest was piqued. After all, watching a human get thoroughly beaten by their, albeit bizarre, resident genius of warfare was of interest to any VUX, regardless of their feelings towards the Admiral.

"I thought perhaps you'd renege on our agreement," DAX heard ZEX say when he came closer to them, the human testing his blade some distance away. "I'm glad to see that's not the case, Captain! I hope we'll have an interesting battle."

"We will." The human settled back into a ready position, sword held out in front of him. His facial features were still unfamiliar to DAX, but his voice was generally intelligible enough, and it was hard to mistake his determination for anything else. "Because I'm going to win, and you'll set me free."

"We'll see." ZEX turned to face him, saluting him with the sword while flicking his tongue. The human blinked at him, apparently a bit unprepared for that, and returned the gesture in his own way. "Let's waste no time then!"

"Oh," YIK said, a bit sadly beside him. "I hate to see them fight. I hope no one gets hurt."

"Human." PIK struggled for a moment to speak clearly. "If anyone'll get hurt, it's the human."

"He's right." And DAX didn't exactly echo YIK's sentiment. If the human got hurt, all the better.

"Seems like such a waste..."

The human made his move towards ZEX, ducking to one side with his blade held out horizontally. DAX knew the maneuver, as ZEX had taught him how to counter it back some time ago... a typical tactic employed by humans against their kind, trying to take advantage of how their necks didn't allow for their heads to twist as far as a human's. ZEX, of course, expected this, although DAX doubted there was anything the human could have done that ZEX wouldn't have been able to counter.

He heard a soft sound of effort as the human ducked low to the ground, coming at him as laterally as possible, trying to keep his motions smooth and controlled. ZEX watched him, followed his movement and used his tail to keep his balance. With a "hup!" sound, the human raised his sword in a rising arc from below towards him, and ZEX bent back to let the blade sweep harmlessly in front of him, tail braced against the deck behind him to keep him from overbalancing.

The human had picked up some tactics from his battle with ZEX before... he used the momentum to try and sweep around, to bring his sword in for another strike. ZEX's head feelers flicked for a moment, mind quickly reading his movements, his possible tactics, and when the human's sword came around, it met against his own blade with a loud clash. The human didn't seem surprised by this, no doubt expecting ZEX to counter, and pressed hard against him, to try and power him backwards.

"Should, kk." PIK batted at something near his head that wasn't readily visible. "Should push him back, bring him down, quick stab, it'd be over."

"No, the Admiral won't hurt him," YIK said, toying with one of the jewels hanging from her head feelers with her tongue. "He'll be careful."

DAX made a vague sound, not quite annoyed, but didn't speak further. In actual battle, the human would probably be dead now, he was sure. The Admiral was indulging him... no doubt he enjoyed the sport. Honestly.

ZEX moved his body, arms twisting to one side and he threw the human off balance. He stumbled, but did not fall as he had before, and was quick to retaliate. ZEX's body stayed in motion, his sword raised above his head to block the human's next strike, then across his body to block the next. He took a few steps back, letting the human push him back, and DAX could see the human's mouth pull up at the corners. What did ZEX say that meant... he couldn't recall at the moment. Some sort of battle gesture, perhaps.

"He's not bad," PIK said, grumbling a little.

DAX didn't want to agree with that, so said nothing.

Another twist, and the human stayed with him instead of falling to one side, breath hissing in effort, and ZEX's tail moved and grabbed at his foot. That caught him off-guard, and he gasped somewhat and ZEX was able to shove him forward and knock him to the ground. Before he could raise the sword to his throat, the human was scrambling away from him to grab his sword, stumbling back up to his feet and breathing hard.

"Hmm!" An interested sound as ZEX danced backwards, dodging each strike. "Very determined-"

An angry sound and the human swung for him. ZEX ducked back beneath it, sliding his blade along one side but the human recovered quickly enough to block that as well, his attacks relentless.

A few more moments of that, where ZEX seemed to falter for a few seconds which prompted the human to rush towards him, wanting to take advantage of the moment of weakness. ZEX made a grunt of effort as he met the human's blade and twisted again sharply, turning his body to knock the human off-balance and to follow up with his tail, knocking him flat.

"He's doing pretty well..." YIK said, with more interest than she showed most things.

"The Admiral's letting him," DAX said, arms twisting around each other in irritation at the thought. "I don't see why he just doesn't end it."

The human panted for a few seconds, apparently unprepared to be attacked that particular way, but when ZEX began to walk towards his discarded weapon, he got up on his feet and ran to beat him to it. ZEX backed away, obligingly, and the human switched hands with the sword a few times, shaking out his wrists.

"Are you injured, Captain?"

"No." Quick before he came at ZEX again, and ZEX kept his usual defense, blocking and parrying with an almost prescient ease. His efforts to disarm or throw the human off as easily as he had their first battle were not as successful... apparently the human had learned a few things. A quick study, in which case.

A slash at ZEX's face, which ZEX countered easily, sword flicking upwards in a loop that a human wrist couldn't imitate, nearly pulling the weapon from the human's hand. He kept a stubborn hold of it through, huffing with effort as he struggled to get through ZEX's defenses. Just when DAX thought that ZEX must be getting tired of the exercise, he shifted the human to one side and his tail moved again, but this time the human backed away from him before he could grab him.

Definitely a quick learner. Huh.

ZEX was breathing hard himself, and the human kept coming after him. With the human not being as easily disarmed or dismissed as before, ZEX seemed to be weighing his options. When the two of them clashed again, struggling to overpower the other, ZEX said somewhat breathlessly, "Surely you'll give me a better challenge than this?"

The human made a frustrated, angry sound in response, pushing harder against him. DAX knew what ZEX was doing... pushing the human into getting emotional, and therefore easier to handle. A simple tactic, although it was unusual that ZEX would use it.

"I'll show you-" The human growled, pressing against him with effort, and ZEX waited a few seconds, matching his strength, before falling back and to the side. Unprepared for that, the human stumbled forward without the wall he'd been pushing against, and ZEX reached out with one arm and grabbed the back of his shirt. He threw him back against the deck with one quick movement, prompting a short surprised sound from the creature.

This time, ZEX was quick to hold the sword at his human's throat. The two stared at each other, the human panting and ZEX's head feelers in a flurry of motion.

"Submit," ZEX said.

The human glared back at him. "Never."

ZEX took a step back, allowed the human to regain his weapon, and the two of them again met blades.

"That human's an idiot," PIK said. "He's going to get himself killed."

"He's very determined..." YIK said.

DAX sighed.

ZEX was apparently tired of playing and tired of defending. When the human came at him again, ZEX was ready to meet him, and his sword moved in quick, sweeping motions that human hands and arms could never equal. The human wasn't used to being directly attacked or at countering a VUX swordsman of ZEX's skill, and was quickly being driven back. ZEX looked determined, focused, with a kind of lack of emotion that was typical for him when in battle. Finally taking this seriously... this was the ZEX that DAX knew.

"Ah-" The human held his blade in front of him to block a downward sweep, and the block set ZEX's sword to one side and gave him momentum to come in again for a sidelong swing. The human stumbled backwards, trying to avoid it and barely managed to block it in time with another short sound of effort.

Each weakpoint ZEX expertly pressed, and yet, when he should have easily dispatched the human, he let him block his motions, let him stumble backwards to avoid him. Still being careful not to hurt him, but through toying with him.

The human was trembling somewhat, breathing harshly, and struggling to match every quick and precise strike. While he'd been fiercely determined before, it now seemed that the human knew the full capability of who he was up against, and was beginning to think that he was going to lose.

A quick learner, and yet so stupid. Humans were such bizarre creatures.

"That's more like it," PIK said, enjoying the spectacle and still an undercurrent of anger ran through his tone.

"Look how careful he is! The Admiral is a real artist," YIK sighed.

They were backing towards the railing of the deck, and ZEX gave it a quick glance with his eye. He darted to one side, trying to turn the human around back towards safer areas. It was a lapse in his attack pattern, and frustrated and desperate, the Captain lashed out while ZEX was distracted.

The tip of his sword caught ZEX's sleeve and tore it.

There was a moment of silence, where both ZEX and the human seemed puzzled that that had even happened. ZEX looked at the rip with a wide eye, and the human seemed too shocked that he'd even come close to hitting him to do anything else.

"Hmm!" ZEX touched the rip with his tongue. "That's as close as anyone's come in a long time." He looked back to the human. "You should be proud of yourself, Captain!"

The human blinked at him, confused, and without warning ZEX's sword was moving quick and smooth through the air. The human, possibly still caught off-guard by his sudden minute success, was unable to muster up an effective counter. He stumbled backwards with a whine of effort and fell, his sword thrown from his hand.

When he hit the deck he was already moving again, scrambling to his hands and knees to retrieve his weapon, but this time ZEX did not allow it. He walked over to him and placed a foot on his shoulder, then shoved him back down onto the deck in an unmistakably dominant gesture. The human again, did not seem to be expecting ZEX to stop him, and made a short surprised yelp in response. ZEX placed his foot firmly on the human's chest and pressed him down. Again, the blade leveled at the human's neck.

"Submit." Each syllable carefully spoken.

The human breathed hard and glared up at him, reached out with one arm for his weapon. Still too stubborn to admit he'd lost.

"I think this is over, sir." DAX was tired of watching this, and he made his way over to where the human's sword had fallen. "I think you've tormented him enough."

"I almost had you-" the human growled.

"Yes, almost," ZEX said, with a kind of satisfied, contented air. "But not quite."

"Let me up, I can still- I can still fight, give me my sword-"

"I think you're probably right, DAX." ZEX looked over to him, pointedly ignoring the human's comment. "I do have other business to attend to."

"You can't do that!" the human said, struggling to get up from beneath him, but ZEX pressed down hard enough to make him gasp for a second in surprise. Not that the fact he wasn't going anywhere any time soon stopped him from trying. "I haven't given up yet!"

"No, you haven't." ZEX leaned down closer to the human. "But those weren't our terms, were they? I believe the conditions involved you losing, and I'd say that you are in such a position right now."

"I am not! If you'd just give me back my sword, let me up, I could, get off me, let me try again-"

"Yes, that would define losing, I believe." ZEX flicked his tongue, still amused, and he looked over to PIK. He gestured for him to come near. "Here, take him to his cell, PIK."

"Yes, Admiral." He reached down, snagging the human's wrists and pulling him upright as ZEX backed away.

"I could have beaten you!" the human shouted, somewhat panicky.

ZEX quietly laughed to himself. "I'll be seeing you tonight, human."

A moment of dawning comprehension, and the human began struggling against PIK's grip in earnest, trying to reach him. "Let me- let me try again, I know I can do it, it's not over, I didn't lose, it doesn't count-"

PIK hissed and shook him a little, in warning, and the human reluctantly settled down somewhat. DAX could see why ZEX had chosen PIK to take him back below... it was unlikely that the human would try anything with him. He was clearly terrified of him, and it wasn't as though there was no good reason. Most of the crew felt uncomfortable around PIK... a human's simple mind would be easily frightened.

PIK dragged the human, still shouting and complaining, back below, and ZEX hummed to himself in a contented sort of way, adjusting some of his jewelry that had been knocked askew during their battle.

"Sir..." DAX sighed and his head feelers pointed at him disapprovingly.

"I think this went rather well, all things considered." As though he couldn't hear the human's cries behind him. "Amazing though, don't you think? He actually almost came close enough to touch me! I didn't think he was capable of it."

"Yes, sir." YIK came to his side, looking at the rip carefully. "I didn't think he was so good... he must have learned it from you."

"Yes, perhaps." ZEX sounded pleased with the idea. DAX rolled his eye.

"We have work to do, sir." A curt reminder, and ZEX waved an arm.

"Yes yes, I know." ZEX still somewhat flush with his victory and the prize it had earned him. "I'll follow you in a moment."

Honestly. He didn't think ZEX's newfound infatuation could be so... irritating. None of his older efforts had borne any fruit, after all, and this one had gone on far too long for his liking. DAX was a bit surprised, actually, at how annoying this entire thing was, and the fact that the human had actually cut ZEX's sleeve made him... angry, in a way. He wasn't sure why.

He'd been spending too much time around PIK perhaps. He still had until tonight to try and convince the Admiral not to go through with it... maybe he would get lucky.

He doubted it.

---

"If that human doesn't shut up..." PIK snarled at the wall that separated them from the human's cell, where he was banging on the walls and shouting. He'd been doing so for the past couple hours.

YIK pushed her playing piece to the next marked out circle. "Oh PIK, he's just upset he lost. Humans are very proud creatures, you know."

"I don't know..." FUP had finally stopped jumping at each loud sound, although his head feelers were constantly wringing. "He really doesn't sound happy... what do you think the Admiral will make him do?"

"Bet. Betting." PIK blinked hard. "That's right, the Admiral made a bet last time, right he. They talked to each other."

"Yes, that was what the Sub-Commander said." YIK nudged FUP, who looked at her with one wide-eye until she pointed at his piece. He moved it in a quick jerky motion. "They discussed things."

"He really sounds unhappy now..." FUP looked at the wall again. "Maybe the Admiral made him promise his species' surrender?"

"Already- They already surrendered." PIK's tongue stayed out too long. "He shouldn't even be here, humans are supposed to be at Sol and Sol only. Nothing to lose."

"That's right, there'd be no point in asking for surrender." YIK nudged PIK, whose twitchy eye settled on her for a second, before he turned to his piece to move it forward. "I think it was something more romantic, myself."

"Really?" FUP's head feelers motion got even more frantic. "Are you sure? I mean, everyone's been talking about it, and I know the Admiral is kind of, kind of strange, but I didn't think he'd ever really, do something like that, that could really..."

"Bad idea." PIK growled. "Backfire. This will backfire."

"It's really not fair." YIK sighed a little. "I think he really loves him. They should be able to be together."

"Yes," PIK said, too loudly and quickly, looking at YIK. "Yes, me too. I think that. Being together."

"But even if, even if they could..." FUP made a distressed sound at the thought. "I mean, you heard what VIP said earlier today, and last night too, and I know, she's been talking to some of the others, and I think, I think they're really not happy with this at all..."

"But the Admiral is so skilled." YIK picked up her piece with her tongue. "No one could ever hurt him. And the Sub-commander is always with him, so they'd have to get past them both."

"That's right, the Sub-commander..." FUP shuddered a bit. "He'd definitely do something about a mutiny... you don't think there'll be a mutiny, do you?"

"Pffah." PIK's head tentacles writhed. "If there is, I'll kill them all myself. Loyalty- it's we're together. Family, this crew, all of us together. Can't have dissent and traitors to the Admiral. The Admiral has supp- my support."

"But we may be outnumbered." YIK set her piece down. "I know that a lot of us are loyal to him... but a lot of us aren't. Like VIP." YIK's head feelers, usually in constant, lazy motion, for a moment twisted around each other. "I don't like VIP."

"I'll kkh-kill her for you." PIK grabbed her arm. YIK shook him off lightly.

"Oh PIK, don't be silly."

"I told the Sub-commander, you know." FUP looked around as the human gave the wall another kick. "I told him about this, and what VIP said, and everything going on, and he said he'd tell the Admiral. Do you think he did it yet? I don't know if he would have had that fight today if he knew what was going on..."

"I'm sure he told him. The Sub-commander tells the Admiral everything." YIK sighed a bit, twisting her arms together. "Almost everything, anyway. I feel bad for him sometimes..."

"Who, the Sub-commander?" FUP moved his piece before YIK had to remind him again. He looked to PIK, who glared back at him and caused him to pull in further in himself, head feelers pressed tightly against his head. "Why?"

"He's very strong," PIK snarled, still glaring at FUP, who was trying to shrink down into his seat.

"Oh, it's obvious." YIK nudged PIK, to realign him to the game. "Didn't you see how he was watching them fight today? He's jealous."

"Jealous?" FUP looked to her, and PIK moved his piece, which distracted him from his momentary rage and let some of his nervous motion cease. "You think? I didn't notice, but maybe..."

"Yes, he's very jealous..." YIK said, her tongue flicking out. "Now that the Admiral is paying so much attention to someone else. Unrequited love, so tragic~"

"Really?" FUP looked at her, as skeptically as he dared. YIK didn't seem to notice. The human hit the wall again, demanding to be let out with a hoarse voice for the thousandth time. PIK leapt from his chair in one quick, jerky movement, grabbing a nearby stool and hurling at the wall with all his strength, nearly breaking it into pieces.

"I'LL KILL YOU AND EVERYONE THAT EVER LOVED YOU IF YOU DON'T STAY QUIET!" PIK screeched at the wall.

The human didn't make so much noise after that.

---

DAX was being such a pain tonight.

ZEX knew that DAX didn't approve of what he was doing, as he'd made that clear to him almost every night with every status report, and ZEX would have thought the fact that he ignored his warnings would let DAX know that he wasn't about to be following them. Still, DAX gave him glowering, disapproving looks, and now followed him around, trying his best to convince him to give up what he'd rightfully earned for the sake of making some members of his crew feel better.

Really, he thought DAX would have more sense. What other answer could he possibly give?

DAX was frustrated, angry at his stubbornness, and he was sulking in one corner of his cabin. While ZEX didn't see why DAX was trying to hard to do the impossible, he didn't want to go to his human knowing that DAX was in a snit. That could have unforeseen side-effects that he really didn't want to interrupt what he knew would be a singular evening.

"DAX, it will be fine." ZEX sat down next to him, and DAX kept his body language closed-off and cold. "You worry too much. Nothing will happen... well, aside from-"

"You shouldn't do this, sir," DAX said. "It's dangerous, and you'll regret it. He'll regret it."

"You don't know that. I don't think anyone knows that until it actually happens, and there's only one way to find out." Trying to joke with him, but DAX wasn't responding. He really was being difficult today... time to pull out his secret weapon. Something he knew DAX would find hard to resist.

ZEX slid an arm around his shoulders, leaned in close to him so their head feelers could entwine. For a moment, DAX stiffened in surprised, gave the briefest, most cursory attempt at getting away that ZEX had ever seen, and then, with false reluctance, settled against him.

"DAX, you worry far too much," ZEX said, keeping his voice soft and calm. "Really, if you want to help this go over smoothly with the crew... why don't you help me ensure that no one finds out about it?"

"They'll find out about it somehow," DAX said, and gave him a sidelong glance. "You're not very quiet."

"Hee!" ZEX touched him with his tongue. "That is true, I do admit. But perhaps if I made a special effort tonight, to be quiet, would that please you?"

"It'd please me if you didn't do it at all," DAX grumbled, and his tail thumped against the floor. "I don't understand why you can't see how dangerous this is. You know it's illegal, and if the High Council finds out..."

"Hmmph, the High Council," ZEX said, a bit mocking. "I'm far outside their jurisdiction now, whether they know it or not, and I certainly don't think they have any say in what I'm about to be doing."

"And there's the Ur-Quan..." DAX held up an armtip. "If they find out about this, that we're breaking Hierarchy law by harboring a human fugitive, then we'll all be put to death. You know that."

"If they find out about it, yes," ZEX said, rolling his eye.

"And all of that... all of that doesn't matter to you, as long as you and that human can spend a night together?" DAX gave him an even stare. Still annoyed at him, and still somehow stubbornly fixated on this pointless crusade of his, so ZEX leaned in closer to him and stroked his feelers with his own, hoping to distract him somewhat.

"Mmm, you probably already know the answer, don't you? I won't lie to you... this is very important to me. You know that, don't you?" ZEX's voice was soft and low, and DAX sighed. "I've been wanting this for so many years... I simply don't believe that the risks outweigh the benefits. And I won him fairly, with no trickery involved. I even gave him several chances to best me, but he simply does not have the skill. I won my prize, and I intend to enjoy it. Is that so wrong?"

"Sir, you're not listening..." DAX said, somewhat distractedly as ZEX kept touching him. "You're being irresponsible, this could put us all in danger..."

"DAX, honestly, it's like you don't trust me all of a sudden." ZEX purred a bit, squeezing his thin shoulders. "How long have we been working together? How many storms have I weathered out on the high seas here? How many times have I safely guided us through catastrophe?" ZEX patted the side of DAX's face with his tongue. "This is no different. You have to trust me."

"I don't have to-..." DAX said, still out of sorts, but he was beginning to get that tone in his voice where he was realizing how pointless it was to keep fighting. "I trust your sailing skill, and your skill with a sword, without question. You're my leader, I've never doubted that. What I do doubt is your judgment when it comes to other species, and whether or not you're making the right decisions while you aren't thinking clearly."

"You really think that human has cast some sort of spell on me!" ZEX touched an arm to his chest in mock offense, although he looked up to the ceiling of his cabin for a moment. "Although, I can't say that's entirely untrue... he is a truly singular, magnificently different creature..."

DAX made an irritated sound, and ZEX squeezed his shoulders again.

"You worry about me so much, DAX! It's not good for you. You know I'm not going to change my mind about this, so why not just accept it? I'll deal with what comes when it comes, but tonight comes first." ZEX flicked his tongue. "Hee! Hee! Hee! And it will be a most special night..."

DAX sighed. "I really don't think this is a good idea... you shouldn't do this-"

"DAX." Chiding again, and he leaned in a bit closer towards him, curling his arm from around his shoulder to around DAX's neck in a playful way. "You are honestly being so trying tonight. Do I have to force you to stop fretting over me?"

"Sir..." DAX leaned back a bit, head feelers twisting. ZEX raised an arm and caught one of the gold loops hanging from DAX's head feelers, giving it a small tug. DAX's breath hitched and most of the motion near the affected feeler stopped, while the others nervously twisted tighter and tighter.

"Very well, if you insist," ZEX said, his tone still light and friendly. It was a complete inversion, in a way, to the tone he'd used earlier with the human, but hopefully the general idea of it would get across to DAX this time. Teasing and light. "Submit."

"Sir..." DAX gave him a strange look, and ZEX just flicked his tongue. DAX wavered for a few moments, still staring at him in that odd way, then closed his eye and lowered his head feelers with a sigh. There, finally playing along!

"Now that that's out of the way, go and clear the area around my cabin, and tell PIK to bring the human up here." He let DAX go, and pushed himself up to his feet. DAX watched him, blinking a little, but shook himself and seemed to be back on track. DAX usually presented in impenetrable wall, a kind of inflappable nature that was intimidating to some, but ZEX knew his ways around it. In a way, once you knew the path around someone's defenses, they were really much weaker than one would think.

DAX sighed again, not happy.

"Go on." ZEX waved at the door, and DAX stuck out of his tongue and left, grumbling under his breath.

ZEX went back to his mirror, to make some last minute refinements to his outfit. Hopefully, with that out of the way, the night would belong to him and his human alone.

---

YIK, FUP, and PIK were still playing their game downstairs when DAX came into the room.

"Oh, Sub-commander..." YIK looked up, waving a head feeler slowly at him. "Hello."

"PIK," DAX said, his voice short. PIK looked up, head feelers writhing madly. "You're to take that human to the Admiral's quarters."

There was a pause as the three seated VUX exchanged glances.

"Why?" FUP eventually ventured.

"You know why," DAX said, a bit darkly. "PIK, that was an order. Get to it."

"Yes, sir." PIK stood up, jostling their board in the process, and headed out of the room quickly.

"Sub-commander, I was... if you have a moment, I wanted to ask..." FUP held an arm out to DAX before he could leave the room. DAX fought visibly with the desire to just walk away, but finally lingered. "I was... did you tell the Admiral what I told you? About VIP and the others...?"

DAX turned sharply and left without saying anything.

YIK was fixing the pieces back into their positions with her tongue. FUP turned to look at her again.

"He's in a foul mood..."

"I don't think he likes the Admiral's new human very much..." YIK said, bringing one piece up to the level of her eye.

"You don't think he really is... jealous, do you?" FUP glanced back at the door.

"Oh yes, of course." YIK put the piece down. "It's obvious. It's just a little sad that he might not get what he wants..."

"You don't think..." FUP looked around again, lowering his voice to a whisper. "You don't think the Admiral's really going to...?"

"I think-"

"You can't make me do this- I didn't- I didn't lose- let go of me-"

"If you don't stay quiet, I'm going to pull your limbs off one by one, human-"

They glanced at the door, where PIK was dragging the human bodily past. The human was doing everything in his power to try and resist, grabbing anything nearby that could slow their progress, and PIK was losing his patience.

"Let go-"

"I'm not doing this, I'm not, I'm not I can't-"

The human grabbed the doorjamb as they passed, looking at the two of them desperately. "Please, you've got to help me-"

An almost unintelligible curse as PIK grabbed the human's wrist and yanked them free, causing the human to cry out a bit in pain as PIK dragged him away.

YIK looked back to their playing board. "I'm sure the Admiral is going to. I think he really does love that human..."

"I can't even..." FUP shuddered. "How are they going to...?"

YIK adjusted some of her head jewelry. "The Admiral's very creative... I'm sure he'll find a way."