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Description
Nos was working on his ship, set on a pedestal two rooms away from where he and the girl slept, when he heard a satisfying beep from the girl’s collar. “All charged.” She smiled and turned it on, letting her eye glow to life again. She rolled out from under the coffin shaped cruiser and looked up at him warmly. Affectionately, even. “We should be able to work faster now that I can use my eye.” They had spent their time after she came back working on his ship. It was coming together nicely now that he had a bit of help since she was feeling much better.
“That won’t be necessary.” He helped her up onto her feet. Poor thing- she was still a little bit sore. “We’re taking a...break.” She saw that terrifying look of hunger in his eyes again and flinched. Renee plopped down on the couch. She put up her feet, trying to look relaxed and happy. He saw what she was doing and chuckled. “Pet, you’re going to do something for me.”
He made her sit up and she winced unhappily. “Not again… you said you wouldn’t bite me anymore.” She whined, more scared than anything. It was like waiting at the doctor’s office to get a shot. But, instead of the smell of industrial grade cleaning material she was surrounded by the blank musty air of an old and unused office building. It still had that familiar cold feeling of impending doom though. She shivered despite the day’s warmth.
“I know what I said,” He looked her in the eye, monocle glowing. “But I simply couldn’t go on without you. You know how dangerous it is for me outside…” He stroked her hair, tucking a lock of it behind her ear thoughtlessly. She tried to shake it off fearfully but was hypnotized in the glow. She squirmed and mewled unhappily. “Do not fear me, my pet.” He breathed. She stilled, clawing at the couch covers minutely. He came forward and but a hand on her shoulder, smiling.
Renee couldn’t do anything for herself under the hypnotism. She was simply aware, frozen and vulnerable as the energy vampire crept up on her. “Okay, funny stuff’s over Nos…” She strained, hoping it was some cruel joke despite her better judgment. He laughed again and took her by the chin, tilting her head upwards much more gently than before.
“Do not fear, my pet, I’ll be gentler this time.” He assured. Renee gasped as he bit down into her silvery collar again. The tiny clots of blood that had welled up in her wound burst and were disintegrated by a flow of electricity. She tried not to cry out in pain this time and just sat there. She clenched her teeth, fighting with the urge to just pass out. He kept feeding, not heeding her tenseness, emptying the battery and savoring it. He would let her rest and charge, and then do it all over again, and again, and again. And she knew it good and well.
It suddenly occurred to Renee that the energy vampire was releasing nanites into her system as he fed. That was where most of his control over a robot came from- invading nanites. She let loose a short, strangled yelp as he finally released her. The bite glowed a deeper, hardier red this time. She fell back, experiencing a sudden sense of vertigo. He patted her, ruffling it caringly. “You have served me well. Now, rest up.” Nos nodded to her. She was already dead asleep.
~~~
“I’m personally glad she’s gone.” XR said, punching a fist into his hand at the lunch table. Ty was sitting with them today, and he looked at XR unhappily.
“XR, how can you say that?” He asked, stirring a spoon in his chowder. Renee had been missing in action, pronounced dead, for over two weeks now. Alan was on leave, taking care of his hand and managing the funeral with Ginger.
“Because she nearly got us all killed.” He pointed at Ty. “By selling me and you out to Nos-4-a2.”
“But no one actually got hurt.” The man frowned. He ran a hand through his brown hair. “Except for her, and now the energy vampire took her out once and for all. Do you really want to thank him next time he comes after you, XR?”
The robot deflated. “No. No I don’t. But,” He started again. “She’s the whole reason he’s alive.”
“All three of you were in the same boat.” Mira shook her fork at the robot ranger. “And she’s the only one that really paid for it in the end. Ty,” She looked at the other ranger sympathetically. “You got away. XR got away. Renee didn’t.”
“That may be true, Mira,” Buzz broke in. “But Ty and XR are still left with the scars.”
“And our friend’s daughter’s body is left to rot somewhere.” The Tangean stood up to turn in her tray.
“Well, guys,” Ty swallowed the last of his juice listlessly and stood up to take up his dishes to. “As much fun as it is talking about how Nos-4-a2 killed our academy friend’s daughter, I think I’ll head back to work. Lost appetite, you know?” He walked off.
Buzz frowned, and then took his tray as well. Everything would go back to normal soon enough anyway.
~~~
XL was looking through the small package of photos he kept in a secret compartment on his side. It was full of pictures from the last couple of years while he was on star command. The photocopier liked to take pictures and loved the memories they held.
He went through them regularly, and you could tell. They were bent and torn on the edges from a lot of clumsy but caring handling. XL sifted through the memories- XR and Commander Nebula with him at the father son picnic was the first.
The highlights were usually signed, and he liked reading what people had to say about the pictures. The bot didn’t know why, but he always asked people to sign the pictures they were in. But XL wasn’t concerned with that now- he flicked straight to the back and found the latest picture- on of him and Renee.
It was from his birthday party that the girl had planned a month and a half ago. She had even gone through the trouble of getting the date of his activation right and everything. In the photo she was hugging him, eye glowing happily. He shuddered at the sight of the ‘extra monocle’. (As XR called it, though XL had never understood until recently.) So Renee had been under Nos-4-a2’s mind control the whole time, even then… it bothered him. He turned the card over and looked at her signature-
Happy Birthday, Hotbot, have a good one ;D- Renee
She had even put a winky face at the end of the message. He had considered it a token of affection before, but wasn’t sure what to think of it now. “XL?” XR came in and spotted the photo. “What are you doing?”
“Just taking a break.” He tried to put the pictures away in time but his brother snatched the one he held. The older bot frowned ashamedly and looked down.
“What’s this?” XR asked. He flipped over the picture and saw Renee hugging XL. The robot’s eyes brightened and he laughed. “This was from that party she planned you, right?” XL nodded quietly. “Man, I had forgotten how much she liked you.”
“Liked me?” XL looked surprised. Had she? That did explain why she spent so much time with him… Was the only one that spent much time with him.
“Yeah, she was stuck on you, bro.” XR smiled at his older brother.
“Really? Huh.” He took back to photo and put it away. When XR was gone he took it back and smiled.

Description
Nos was working on his ship, set on a pedestal two rooms away from where he and the girl slept, when he heard a satisfying beep from the girl’s collar. “All charged.” She smiled and turned it on, letting her eye glow to life again. She rolled out from under the coffin shaped cruiser and looked up at him warmly. Affectionately, even. “We should be able to work faster now that I can use my eye.” They had spent their time after she came back working on his ship. It was coming together nicely now that he had a bit of help since she was feeling much better.
“That won’t be necessary.” He helped her up onto her feet. Poor thing- she was still a little bit sore. “We’re taking a...break.” She saw that terrifying look of hunger in his eyes again and flinched. Renee plopped down on the couch. She put up her feet, trying to look relaxed and happy. He saw what she was doing and chuckled. “Pet, you’re going to do something for me.”
He made her sit up and she winced unhappily. “Not again… you said you wouldn’t bite me anymore.” She whined, more scared than anything. It was like waiting at the doctor’s office to get a shot. But, instead of the smell of industrial grade cleaning material she was surrounded by the blank musty air of an old and unused office building. It still had that familiar cold feeling of impending doom though. She shivered despite the day’s warmth.
“I know what I said,” He looked her in the eye, monocle glowing. “But I simply couldn’t go on without you. You know how dangerous it is for me outside…” He stroked her hair, tucking a lock of it behind her ear thoughtlessly. She tried to shake it off fearfully but was hypnotized in the glow. She squirmed and mewled unhappily. “Do not fear me, my pet.” He breathed. She stilled, clawing at the couch covers minutely. He came forward and but a hand on her shoulder, smiling.
Renee couldn’t do anything for herself under the hypnotism. She was simply aware, frozen and vulnerable as the energy vampire crept up on her. “Okay, funny stuff’s over Nos…” She strained, hoping it was some cruel joke despite her better judgment. He laughed again and took her by the chin, tilting her head upwards much more gently than before.
“Do not fear, my pet, I’ll be gentler this time.” He assured. Renee gasped as he bit down into her silvery collar again. The tiny clots of blood that had welled up in her wound burst and were disintegrated by a flow of electricity. She tried not to cry out in pain this time and just sat there. She clenched her teeth, fighting with the urge to just pass out. He kept feeding, not heeding her tenseness, emptying the battery and savoring it. He would let her rest and charge, and then do it all over again, and again, and again. And she knew it good and well.
It suddenly occurred to Renee that the energy vampire was releasing nanites into her system as he fed. That was where most of his control over a robot came from- invading nanites. She let loose a short, strangled yelp as he finally released her. The bite glowed a deeper, hardier red this time. She fell back, experiencing a sudden sense of vertigo. He patted her, ruffling it caringly. “You have served me well. Now, rest up.” Nos nodded to her. She was already dead asleep.
~~~
“I’m personally glad she’s gone.” XR said, punching a fist into his hand at the lunch table. Ty was sitting with them today, and he looked at XR unhappily.
“XR, how can you say that?” He asked, stirring a spoon in his chowder. Renee had been missing in action, pronounced dead, for over two weeks now. Alan was on leave, taking care of his hand and managing the funeral with Ginger.
“Because she nearly got us all killed.” He pointed at Ty. “By selling me and you out to Nos-4-a2.”
“But no one actually got hurt.” The man frowned. He ran a hand through his brown hair. “Except for her, and now the energy vampire took her out once and for all. Do you really want to thank him next time he comes after you, XR?”
The robot deflated. “No. No I don’t. But,” He started again. “She’s the whole reason he’s alive.”
“All three of you were in the same boat.” Mira shook her fork at the robot ranger. “And she’s the only one that really paid for it in the end. Ty,” She looked at the other ranger sympathetically. “You got away. XR got away. Renee didn’t.”
“That may be true, Mira,” Buzz broke in. “But Ty and XR are still left with the scars.”
“And our friend’s daughter’s body is left to rot somewhere.” The Tangean stood up to turn in her tray.
“Well, guys,” Ty swallowed the last of his juice listlessly and stood up to take up his dishes to. “As much fun as it is talking about how Nos-4-a2 killed our academy friend’s daughter, I think I’ll head back to work. Lost appetite, you know?” He walked off.
Buzz frowned, and then took his tray as well. Everything would go back to normal soon enough anyway.
~~~
XL was looking through the small package of photos he kept in a secret compartment on his side. It was full of pictures from the last couple of years while he was on star command. The photocopier liked to take pictures and loved the memories they held.
He went through them regularly, and you could tell. They were bent and torn on the edges from a lot of clumsy but caring handling. XL sifted through the memories- XR and Commander Nebula with him at the father son picnic was the first.
The highlights were usually signed, and he liked reading what people had to say about the pictures. The bot didn’t know why, but he always asked people to sign the pictures they were in. But XL wasn’t concerned with that now- he flicked straight to the back and found the latest picture- on of him and Renee.
It was from his birthday party that the girl had planned a month and a half ago. She had even gone through the trouble of getting the date of his activation right and everything. In the photo she was hugging him, eye glowing happily. He shuddered at the sight of the ‘extra monocle’. (As XR called it, though XL had never understood until recently.) So Renee had been under Nos-4-a2’s mind control the whole time, even then… it bothered him. He turned the card over and looked at her signature-
Happy Birthday, Hotbot, have a good one ;D- Renee
She had even put a winky face at the end of the message. He had considered it a token of affection before, but wasn’t sure what to think of it now. “XL?” XR came in and spotted the photo. “What are you doing?”
“Just taking a break.” He tried to put the pictures away in time but his brother snatched the one he held. The older bot frowned ashamedly and looked down.
“What’s this?” XR asked. He flipped over the picture and saw Renee hugging XL. The robot’s eyes brightened and he laughed. “This was from that party she planned you, right?” XL nodded quietly. “Man, I had forgotten how much she liked you.”
“Liked me?” XL looked surprised. Had she? That did explain why she spent so much time with him… Was the only one that spent much time with him.
“Yeah, she was stuck on you, bro.” XR smiled at his older brother.
“Really? Huh.” He took back to photo and put it away. When XR was gone he took it back and smiled.