literature

Intro for Alluria

Deviation Actions

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The surface of Food Courtia was bustling with its many inhabitants in search of sustenance. It was a cheerful atmosphere all around as most were full and happy. They were also used to such a fast-paced lifestyle. Any newcomer would surely believe what they were seeing was an unpleasant experience for the city dwellers, but the misconception was just that: a misconception. Fortunately for the ones that had just landed, all seemed perfectly normal.

"Well, we're here," Rotor announced in the most obvious of tones. His vision focused on the other Irken next to him. "What's your plan this time?"

Roz glanced at Sor-Mel and shrugged. "We'll just be getting food, Rotor. No need for a plan. Honestly, you haven't stopped planning since we left Irk."

Rotor didn't look thrilled. Roz noted this. "Okay fine," he rolled his eyes. "If ya' need a plan, then you stay with the cruiser and Sor-Mel and I will-"

"Wait, why do I have to stay here? I'm the one that's been here before. Shouldn't I be the one to-"

"Uhh…Irk to Rotor! Hello! I was stationed here with you too and-"

"Enough you two! No wonder Irkens can't get along with other civilizations," Sor-Mel piped in. She looked at the both of them, shaking her head. Yes, they had saved her life. Yes, she had declared feelings for Roz. She was even starting to tolerate Rotor's constant whining. But she just wanted to get on with this and continue the trip to Devastis. If they kept it up, she would have her Hornling in the most glutinous place in this sector of the galaxy.

Roz softened his eyes and once again made his buddy feel like gagging when he said, "Aw, you're right Sor. You're always right." He smiled. Sor-Mel rolled her eyes. After a moment in La-La Land, Roz came back to the surface. "'K, let's do this. You're staying Rotor, 'cause I said so. Contact me if any officials show up. I'm pretty sure there are people out there that don't buy the stuff about us being dead." Rotor looked like he was about to question this, but he only nodded. "Good. We'll be back soon." Roz waved him off and walked with Sor-Mel down the street as Rotor toyed with the cruiser's control panel. When he brought his head back up, he noticed a strange fellow scampering after his two friends. He didn't think much of it at the time and continued with his work. He did find it odd that an Irken would be wearing such a ridiculous cape however.



Roz's back was turned. He was scouring the vendor booths for the proper Vortian food, "Hey Sor-Mel, which ones did you say you liked again?" He turned the Vort Dogs over to get a glimpse of the ingredients. "Are ya' listening? What're you-" He checked behind his shoulder to see what was going on with Sor-Mel. "Can't believe I gotta' keep an eye on her all the time. Has she forgotten some Irkens won't be happy with a Vortian running around? And all alone too! Sheesh!" Then he heard the shriek. He gasped and swiveled around to see her being dragged off by an Irken with a terrible fashion sense. "Sor-Mel!"  He stowed the Vort Dogs in his pocket and took off after her captor.

"Unhand me you pathetic excuse of space!" Sor-Mel cried, struggling to get away from this lunatic of an Irken. "You vill get it if you don't release me!" She spat. The one holding her scowled, but looked more pleased than anything else. He laughed cynically, the kind of laugh only a mad scientist could utter.

"Feisty, much? Forgive me Vortian, but I kinda' need you for an experiment. It's not often I find a Vortian subject!" He laughed again. It should be obvious at this point that he is in fact, very much insane. He continued to make his way with her to his secret lair as Roz sped it up. He didn't know what his new adversary was planning, but there is no trusting a guy with a cape.



Soon she was in a lab of sorts, trapped in a transparent tube. Her head hurt and it took several moments for the fuzziness to dissipate. She could see a small Smeet in a similar contraption adjacent to her. Above his tube was a series of thick wires running along the ceiling. There were sparks emitting off one of them. The most unpleasant feature, though, were the colors of the room. The walls were magenta and the floor, brown. It was apparent that the designer of this space lacked any real tastes. Sor-Mel frowned not only at the sad rendition of what could've been a beautiful lab, but at the actual situation she was in. She knew Roz would come for her soon, free her from her captive state, and save the day or whatever, but she'd much rather not have to go through another process of being saved. She considered busting out herself, yet thought better of it as Sir Cape was now standing in front of her encasement. He had a wide, sinister grin plastered to a head Sor-Mel thought to be too big for him. It looked like she would soon receive a spiel about this guy's plan. She wasn't expecting him to drone on longer than five minutes before enacting what he had in store. Unfortunately, this wasn't so. Leaning toward her with his hands clasped, he said, "I suppose you'd like to know just what I have in store! I'm Atlas by the way! You must be…"

He awaited a response, but only a glare issued from the Vortian's eyes. If this deterred him, Atlas didn't show it. "By now, you should be fully aware that you've been captured," he paused for a beat, anticipating the fearful response Sor-Mel would soon procure on her face. Instead, he received what looked more like a very irritated look. He scowled in disappointment. "Anyway," he bitterly began. "I'm Atlas, your ingenious captor!" He bowed, twirling his hand. Even in her imprisoned state, Sor-Mel couldn't help but snicker. Besides the redone introduction, she figured Atlas was probably just as harmless as Rotor, only more annoying and deranged. She knew she was in for a long tirade. Her doubts for actual experimentation were quite evident in her thoughts.

Atlas droned about his experiments, some random guy he was friends with once, his hatred for baseball, his brain being too good for Irk (his reason for leaving, which was probably untrue), and just about everything in between before actually getting to the part where he'd inform Sor-Mel of her fate. It was assumed that he thought it rude to skip introductions. When asked for her name for the second time, Sor-Mel at this point was sitting down, much too intoxicated by Atlas' ever present lack of communication skills to bother replying. Not to mention, the guy was dull as all get out. Atlas sighed and stuffed his hands in his pockets. He didn't like being ignored. He shook his head and got over himself…temporarily.

"So anyway, I've been wanting to do a brain-body swap with a Vortian and Irken. To make things more interesting, I wanted to use a male Smeet and a female Vortian. Unfortunately, both those things are hard to come by. I got the Smeet by leaving a trail of candy from the upstairs restaurant to my lab. So once that was done, all I needed was a Vortian. I searched for months, but all I could find were male escapees from the war. Plus even if I decided to use one, they had huge guns and other weapons. But then I saw you…a Vortian refugee being taken back to Irk as a prisoner. It was a good thing that soldier was too busy to notice me. And I thought…what would it really matter if I stole his prisoner? She'd still be a captive if I took her. So, there you go." He looked very proud of himself.

Sor-Mel slapped her forehead. Then she remembered the body switching part. "What is the point of this experiment? Is this for your own entertainment or is it really for the good of all?" Though she was a scientist herself, she wasn't keen on her organs being rearranged whether or not it would even work. It would be easy for Atlas to fix the machine once he realized it was having issues. She also knew that it was even easier to distract him. This guy sure loved to hear himself talk. While Sor-Mel awaited a response, Roz was contacting Rotor.



"Hey, we've got a problem, Rotor! Sor-Mel's been taken by…someone!" There was no other way in his mind that he could describe Atlas' appearance without sounding completely ridiculous. He was growing impatient with his friend to take so long to respond. He thought he might've sounded a bit overdramatic, but there was no time for games. 'Perhaps he thinks I'm messing with him. I mean, I have really been picking on him lately. Usually, he's the one teasing me!' The thought went away quickly when he heard Rotor's amused voice on the other end.

"Yeah, you took her to get food," he chuckled. "What's the big deal?"

Roz ran as he talked, even though he had lost track of the cruiser twenty minutes ago. He was questioning now why he hadn't contacted Rotor earlier. "Not by me, Rotor! I was looking for food when this weird Irken in a cape shows up and takes her! They flew off in his cruiser!"

"…A cape?" Rotor asked, wondering if it was the same person he saw that had been following them. Roz didn't answer so Rotor took that as a "yes". "Okay, okay! So Sor-Mel was kidnapped. That's very random, but I guess I could lock a signal on the cruiser. Do you remember the serial number on the cruiser?"

Roz couldn't remember seeing one. "Ah, no. But it was blue and green, odd colors for a cruiser if ya' ask me. Can you still locate her position? Get DNA readings of something she's touched. Vortians don't have P.A.Ks so we can't just do a P.A.K. trace." Roz was about to continue when a stranger tapped him on the shoulder. He turned his head, expecting to be attacked. "Uh…what do you want?"

The creature blinked a few times. "Did you say someone with a cape took your friend?"

Roz was confused, but he shook it off. "Yeah, do you know him?"

"His name's Atlas. He's really creepy and does all kinds of crazy experiments on people. He draws a lot of attention to himself and is always going off about an old friend of his. He's supposedly on the run from the authorities so I guess him talking that way isn't the best idea. If it helps any, most of us think he lives underneath one of the seven "Donuts Iz Gud" restaurants."

Roz nodded his thanks and repeated back to Rotor what had been told to him. They would find Atlas in no time. Roz could only hope Sor-Mel wasn't being experimented on at this very moment. The thought alone made him shudder so he would have to hurry. Rotor fed Atlas' location to his friend and said he'd meet up with him there. Roz disconnected the connection and headed east. 'Please don't let her be turned into Vortian soup,' he randomly thought.



Atlas squealed in delight; explaining his logic and reasoning was always a favorite topic of conversation for him. He bypassed Sor-Mel's bitter tone and took her questions as sheer interest. "I'd say it's a little bit of both! Doing this experiment will provide great research for future generations! Think of it! Irkens and Vortians alike will know how it is to live like the other. They'll be able to see through each other's eyes, so no more stupid wars. Not to mention the medical research this would bring! It's incredible and wonderfully ingenious! But more importantly than all that, it will indirectly help me regain the friendship of my best friend, Skitz!" He cackled evilly.

He spoke so much of Skitz that Sor-Mel thought he was in love with the guy. She noticed the encased Smeet cringe when that name was mentioned. She could've sworn the Smeet was mumbling, "Not again. Not again. Not again! Oh for the love of Irk, not again!" The poor Irken probably heard the Skitz stories for months, over and over. Sor-Mel had only been here a little less than an hour and she was about to go out of her mind. "I don't see how those two things could possibly relate, but that is too pathetic to believe. And what is with this Skitz person? I can name a few reasons why he'd decide to find better friends. You mentioned something about brain nanos and putting them in his brain. I don't think it's customary to do that to friends."

The response she gave was one Atlas had heard many times. He always had an answer ready; it was the one he gave every time. The more he spoke, the more childish he sounded. "I put those nanos in his brain 'cause he kept forgetting about how he was supposed to be my friend! He and I used to do everything together. Make comics, write stories, be science partners, everything! I was his only friend for the longest time and he was the only one I've ever had! But then he joined that stupid baseball team and got a stupid girlfriend! Then he forgot about me and stopped being interested in science! So I made the nanos to make him forget about his distractions so he'd hang out with me. But then…one nano was corrupted so it undid everything! Skitz remembered what I did and I got expelled. I had to flee from Irk so I could do my work in peace."

Sor-Mel groaned. Her captor was beyond help. Hornlings and Smeets had better social skills and sense at that. She had no idea why he was so determined to be friends with someone that apparently hated him enough to have him expelled. She wondered if Atlas would have more friends if he didn't experiment on them so much. "Still, what has that have to do with switching bodies? You forgot to answer that." She glanced at the Smeet who appeared to be rocking back and forth with his hands tugging on his antennae.

Atlas looked positively stumped. He thought his explanation was just fine. He rubbed his hands together nervously, trying to form his ideas into words. After some time of this, he took in some air and exhaled deeply. "It has everything to do with it! If this works, which I'm sure it will, I'll be able to choose a candidate for myself to switch bodies with. I won't look or sound like me so Skitz won't know it's me! Then I can use my modified nanos to make him forget about what I did so I can change back. It'll be like nothing ever happened between us!"

'He is the most absurd Irken I've had the unfortunate luck of running into.' She didn't want to bother telling him he was going through so much work to be friends with Skitz again. Why not just apologize and be done with it? She wondered how many other times Atlas had made plans to befriend him. Atlas didn't wait for a reply this time. He was ready to begin the body-switching process. "Now, behold my ingenuity! You will soon see through the eyes of a young Smeet and he will know how it is to be Vortian!" He stepped over to a control panel and started up the machine. He was still unaware that it needed repairs. Knowing that he was serious about this now, Sor-Mel was admittedly worried.



Roz stood outside the restaurant Atlas was supposed to be living under. He checked to see if Rotor was near, but he wasn't able to see him anywhere. He couldn't wait for him though. Rotor would be smart enough to find his way into the secret lab without Roz to help him. Roz pushed through the swinging doors and was instantly hit with the delectable scent of fresh donuts. His stomach grumbled, but he had to resist the temptation to order some. He made a mental note to grab some on the way out. He followed the coordinates Rotor had given him until he found himself facing a janitor's closest. He made sure no one was looking when he pried the door open and stepped inside. His eyes had to adjust to the darkness, but he managed to locate a switch for the light to come on. He closed his eyes from the oncoming brightness. Once he opened them, he searched the room for a lever or anything that would bring him into the lab. In the darkest corner of the room was a lone mop bucket with the dirtiest cleaning solution Roz had ever seen. He grimaced as he came closer, peering into the murky depths. That's when he noticed something shiny at the bottom that captured his attention. The readings on his scanner indicated that the entryway to the lab was just past the wall the bucket sat in front of. He glanced back at the glistening feature and decided it had to be important. The prospect of sticking his hand in that was far from pleasant, but the reward would be even greater. Roz shut his eyes and frowned as he plunged his hand into the solution. In another moment, he took hold of the object and tugged…



Rotor was caught up in traffic. Food Courtia was an endless lunch hour where no one ceased in the consumption of food. It wasn't even the Foodening and cruisers were swarming the fly zones. Rotor would have to come up with a new strategy.



"Hm, something's wrong," Atlas mumbled. "The machine isn't collaborating right. The transferring process is only working half-way." He scratched his head, trying to find the source of the trouble. Then the sparking wire was finally within his view. He had no idea why he hadn't seen it before. "Ah-ha! So that's the reason for the slowness! That'll be an easy fix." He made for his supplies when he sensed an intruder in the vicinity. He gasped as Roz came from behind a wall. He recognized him as the soldier from the vendor booth. "Before you say anything, "Finders Keepers", got that??"

Roz glared at him and pulled out his laser. "Let Sor-Mel go!" He wouldn't aim the weapon at Atlas unless his directions weren't heeded. "I know you're on the run, but I won't call the authorities as long as you don't hurt her." No matter what happened, Roz was still going to report him. It was obvious that Atlas needed to be put away for lunacy. Sor-Mel thought that was the cheesiest thing she had ever heard, but she was glad that she would soon be free from Atlas' ranting. She stood up to ready herself for the escape.

Atlas was confused that an Irken soldier cared whether his prisoner was hurt or not. 'Maybe he has orders to keep her alive,' he considered. He leapt in front of Roz. "I never planned on hurting her, although there could be side effects to the experiment," he hesitated to build suspense. "You want her? Then you and I must duel!" He completely ignored the part about the authorities. It didn't concern him at the moment.

Together, Sor-Mel and Roz said, "A duel?" Their faces were blank as though they couldn't comprehend what had been issued out of his mouth. Sor-Mel decided that she was incorrect about Roz's statement being the lamest one. Roz almost laughed. "Are you like from a different time period or something? 'Cause nobody says that anymore." He shook his head in pity. "But if it's a duel you want, it's a duel you'll get. I'm sorry, but that's just too messed up," Roz half-chuckled.

Roz received a scathing look from Atlas. "You're just like all those others that made fun of me in school! They never understood! None of them did! They just laughed and said I was stupid even though I was smart! Well, guess what bucko?? That's gonna' change when they all realize just how important I am to the universe at large! So here goes nothing!" He jumped to his control panel again and pressed one of the many buttons attached to it. A long, metal arm shot out from the ceiling to Roz, who in turn shot it away with the laser. A second arm came at him from behind and he had to dodge to the right to avoid it.

"What kind of battle is this??" He yelled. "You're not even fighting me personally! I was expecting a real fight!"

Atlas shrugged. "Well, too bad for you because this is how I roll! Whining won't get you anywhere!"

Another arm zipped toward Roz. It grabbed his leg and he struggled to release it. He braced himself as one came for his head. He reached up to it and grasped onto it before it could latch around a second part of him. He kicked as hard as he could from the ground, using the above robotic arm as a method of shaking off the one holding his leg. It worked so he swung from the arm he was holding to knock Atlas over. The kick Atlas got sent the wind right out him. He fell over, gasping for breath. Roz dodged the arms still trying to nab him and ran over to the panel to shut them down. He scanned for a button or lever that would release Sor-Mel. None of them seemed to be the right one. "Hang on Sor-Mel, I just have to find-"

"Looking for this?" Atlas made it to his feet shakily, holding onto a leg for support. In his other hand was a small device, silver in color. "Did you think it would be that easy?" He grinned evilly as he envisioned the horror Roz was feeling. "Or maybe you just thought I was stupid. Well guess what? I'm not!"

Roz was definitely not horrified, but he wasn't ecstatic either. As for Sor-Mel, she was hitting her glass capsule in annoyance. The two males stared each other down, possibly deciding on their next move. Roz drew his gun on Atlas. The latter jumped back in shock. "I was trained to take down my enemies, and right now, you're one of them. Now, let her go, and I'll letcha' live," Roz explained.

"Shoot him! It vill teach him a lesson or two," Sor-Mel interjected. "Or better yet, put tape over his mouth so he vill stop talking."

Atlas shielded himself with his cape as if that would do him any good. "All you soldier types are the same! You always think violence will solve everything! But if you want it that way, so be it! If you shoot me, I'll blow the place up!" He thrust the device in the air. "See this thing? Not only does it release my subjects, but it also acts as a detonator! Good if I need to get out fast if authorities ever come looking for me." He made it appear that he was about to press the supposed explosion button.

Then Roz heard his communicator go off. "I'm in," was all Rotor said. Roz hid his grin. He was fairly certain that Atlas was bluffing, but he would go along with it until his buddy showed up. Considering what Sor-Mel had said of Atlas, Roz knew he just had to keep him talking. "Alright, calm down," he started. "Perhaps we can make a deal. Hand over the device, and I'll personally capture myself so you can go ahead with your experiment." He soon learned that this was not something Atlas wanted to hear.

"Nonsense!" Atlas held it far from Roz's reach. "You really do think I'm stupid then! If that's the case, I'll just trap you myself!" He was about to click one of the buttons when a laser shot out at the device and flew out of his hand. "What was that!?" He frantically looked for both the device and whoever had entered.

Roz picked it up before Atlas could get to it. He turned to Rotor. "Nice going! You made it just in time!" He gave Rotor a thumbs up and found the release button for the tubes. Sor-Mel hopped out when the glass went away, but the other tube was still in a state of disrepair so it wouldn't open. Nobody seemed to notice that. Roz smirked at Atlas. "To answer your previous question, yes, I did think it would be easy."

Now that he was outnumbered, Atlas looked nervous, but his voice remained confident. "You've got a lot of nerve, soldier! And you've forgotten the rules of "Finders Keepers". I took her so she's mine now! And don't think I've reached my limit in ways to get my property back!"

Roz stood up straighter and glared back. "First off, we have her now so we get to keep her, which is what that whole game's about. And secondly," he paused, switching his laser to stun. "Sor-Mel is no one's property but her own!" He aimed his weapon at Atlas and fired. Caught up in the moment, Roz blew on the tip of his gun for effect as Atlas fell to the ground. He smiled at Sor-Mel. She smiled back, rolling her eyes. She still couldn't understand why he was so different from most Irkens she knew. Not many Irken soldiers would help their enemy in battle, and they certainly wouldn't aid them in other situations either. If Rotor hadn't known him since they were Smeets, he probably wouldn't be with them now; he'd just grown so used to Roz that he didn't question him as much as he used to. He accepted his quirky traits for the most part, just like Sor-Mel was starting to do too.

"Let's just go before he's up again. I contacted the authorities so they should be here soon. And well, if they find out it was me who called and see you guys, we'll have some problems. Besides the whole 'death' thing, the cruiser we have is kinda' stolen if you remember," Rotor anxiously explained. He was relieved when Roz nodded without protest.

"Alright then. Looks like we'll be heading to Devastis with whatever supplies we have. Hopefully, we'll have enough to eat until we get there." Roz's announcement signaled the three of them to exit. They ran up through the lab, out of the restaurant, and made their getaway in the cruiser, leaving Atlas and everything they knew about him behind. The authorities would be there to arrest him and rescue the Smeet in due time. At least, that's what they thought anyway.



Roz came into the room and sat on the bed next to Sor-Mel. "How's the healing going?" He lightly touched her bandages. Back on Irk, she had been struggling under a long, metal rod when Roz and Rotor found her. It left a gash just below her abdomen. Luckily, it hadn't cut through the protective sac the Hornling was in. Thinking she wouldn't make it, the rest of her squadron moved on to another sector of the battle; they couldn't waste time helping one of their own with an Irken military camp so near. She herself had some training in combat, but she was really just a Vortian scientist that had the misfortune of being thrown into battle. They needed everyone they could get since their numbers were dropping every day. She didn't have any choice in the matter and unwillingly became a soldier; her pregnancy wasn't known to anyone at the time. Roz had been the first to know about it. She originally refused to be rescued, too stubborn to have her saviors be Irkens. She also hated the idea of her child growing up in a society where Vortians were slaves to the Irken Empire. It took some convincing, but she eventually accepted whatever fate going with Roz would mean.

He and Rotor took her to the medical tent where a doctor helped clean and patch her up. The other injured Irkens weren't pleased, but the doctor was against not helping a patient if they needed it, whatever species it was. He even whipped up a first-aid kit and assisted the three with their plans. He also explained to Roz how to properly handle the birth when the time came. When Sor-Mel finally started talking casually to Roz, he learned that her ex-boyfriend had fled the scene when he found out she was pregnant. They had plans for marriage, but it wouldn't come to fruition. Roz never once seemed perturbed by any of this information; he was willing to help raise it. As for Rotor, he thought they were all nuts, but there was no going back at this point. The reason for going to Devastis had to do with the doctor once working alongside Vortians there before the war. He knew a place they would be safe for a while.

Sor-Mel frowned. "I'm fine, Roz. It is as if I never sustained an injury. You know most of my recovery was done on Irk. It has almost been two months since then." Then she gave him a small smile. "You worry so much. But thank you. I have never had someone care so much for me, not even…" She trailed off, not wanting to mention the name of her ex. She looked away in shame. "I'm sorry."

Roz didn't mind. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, using that to say it was okay. They sat there in silence, not wanting to ruin the moment. Roz knew they wouldn't be able to stay on Devastis too much longer. They would have to leave eventually and find another location to reside permanently upon. As much as he longed to return to Irk, Roz was aware that it wasn't possible. He was starting to feel guilty for dragging Rotor into this, but he was like a brother to him. He couldn't imagine having an adventure without Rotor. Not to mention, it would become very lonely if Roz was the only Irken on the journey.

They glanced up when they heard something shatter down the hall. Roz stood up, but he didn't even make it to the door when a very familiar Irken barged in with Rotor in his grasp. The latter appeared to be out cold. "Rotor!" Sor-Mel and Roz called out in unison.

Atlas' eyes were wild. "Didn't expect to see me again, did you? I bet you thought I was nabbed by the authorities. Well, I kinda' was, but it's not too hard to evade people of lesser intelligence. And how did I know you'd be here? I faintly heard you mention where you'd be going when I was stunned, and that lab Smeet confirmed it. I just had to give him more candy."

"What'd you do to Rotor!?" Roz growled, ignoring his foe's long explanation.

"Don't worry about him. He'll come to soon enough. But I couldn't have your little friend running off to officials again. And now, I'll kindly ask you to come with me." He added, "As if you have a choice" under his breath.

Before the others could suggest anything otherwise, Atlas shot them both with tranquilizer darts. Everything became hazy and they keeled over, the darkness consuming them.



"Uh…where are we?" Roz groaned, rubbing his head. He took in his surroundings and saw that they were in a lab that was vastly different than Atlas' previous one. Everything was shinier and cleaner looking. He didn't care about any of that though; he had the hunch they would be brought to a place like this. To his left and right were Rotor and Sor-Mel, both in separate glass tubes. Roz was in one as well. "You guys okay?"

"Yeah," Rotor sighed. "Well, physically anyway. But I've found that even if you feign being asleep, he keeps talking."

Sor-Mel hand her hands on her hips. "I cannot believe we are stuck with him again and that we are in these tubes. I am tired of tubes," she mumbled.

Roz nodded. "We'll get out, don't worry. We know what he's capable of. I think I might have a plan. What was the name of his friend again?"

"Skitz," Atlas cut in just as Sor-Mel was about to answer. He had just entered the room. "And forget your plans because none of that will matter when I explain your assignment," he said while grinning.

"What do you mean by 'assignment'? I'm not doing anything for you." Roz eyed Atlas suspiciously. He hadn't the faintest idea what Atlas had in store.

"I thought you might say that. I think you might want to change your mind though." He displayed a slide-show of a planet the three of them hadn't seen before. "While I was searching for you, I found out about a contest in which people are paired up with an opponent to fight to the death. Not my cup of tea, but the final winner ultimately gets whatever they wish. Are you following me, so far?"

'I bet this was an Irken's idea,' Sor-Mel thought. There were only three Irkens she could say she truly liked: Roz, Rotor, and the doctor.

Roz tilted his head. "But what does that have to do with us?" He tried to stay angry, but he was genuinely curious at this point.

Atlas stopped the screen on a picture of the planet that highlighted the different terrains and statistics for each of them. "Oh, you have it wrong. Only one of you has what it takes to be in this competition. And that's you, soldier." He pointed at Roz. "See this planet? It's called Alluria, and if what I've heard is true, it was originally meant to be a safe haven for all species. But of course, a creation of science never seems to be used as intended. The minds behind it all never get any credit, no say in anything and it really-"

"Yeah, yeah, we know you're against everything, but why me? I have a feeling I won't be getting anything out of this," Roz interjected. "And stop calling me 'soldier'. It's Roz."

Annoyed that he was interrupted, Atlas crossed his arms. He still had the same wild look in his eyes as he did the other night. "Because Roz, I know you're a capable fighter. I think you would've found an alternate means for escape even if Rotor hadn't shown up. Take that as a compliment. I'm also willing to cut a deal with you. Can you guess what it is I most want?" He placed a hand on his chin and smiled sinisterly.

Roz glanced at Roz and Sor-Mel. They shrugged; Atlas was unpredictable no matter how repetitive his actions and speeches were. He looked back at Atlas. "Let me guess. You want Skitz to be your friend again. If so, it isn't worth it. I won't risk my life so you can have a reunion with your old pal."

Atlas surprised them by laughing. "Oh, I'd like that alright, but that's only part of it! The thing I desire most happens to be way more important to me. I want to be accepted by the Irken community, recognized for my scientific prowess. I don't want anymore of this hiding. I want a lab that isn't falling to pieces and subjects that don't run away. I want Irkens everywhere to look up to me and change their views on science." He turned to Sor-Mel. "That's one thing you Vortians got right: less military, more research."

Sor-Mel rolled her eyes again. "As if that makes me like you. If you were Vortian, behavior like yours would be just as intolerable as it is on Irk."

Roz saw that Atlas was about to argue with Sor-Mel so he quickly said, "If you're so bent out of shape over this, why not do it yourself? Why use me to do your bidding?"

Atlas looked thoughtful for a moment. "I'm no fighter. I am a scientist. Sports were never second nature to me. You're a soldier. You've been trained for these things, as if you had a choice. So now, may I finish?"

"I think I know where this is going. I bet you already signed me up, didn't you? And if I don't concede, you'll experiment on my friends. Am I right?"

"You're a smart one, aren't you?" Atlas chuckled. "So yes, you're right. But I plan on sticking to my promises. I'll keep them alive and not do anything to them if you go along with this. I'll even allow you to remain in contact with each of them so you will know if there are problems. I'll be keeping a close eye on the competition so you can be fed information on your opponents as it comes in. If one of your friends wants to relay it to you, I'll let them."

"What happens if I were to lose?" He watched Atlas' expression carefully, looking for signs that his friends would be okay.

Atlas noticed this. "What? Did you think I'd automatically kill them if you should lose? No, I'm not the type. If you lose, but still survive, and if I've seen that you've tried your best, I won't harm them. However, you'll all have to be my lab assistants as a result. And if you win, you may go as you please. Oh, and Roz?"

Roz was quiet for several moments, trying to take it all in. It took all his will not to yell out in anger. "Yes?"

Atlas smiled. "Don't think I can't be kind. When you win, and tell them what I want, you may ask for something you'd like as well. What is it you most desire?"

Roz looked at Sor-Mel, his face growing hot with emotion. He smiled sadly at her with such warmth that she looked away shyly. He turned to Roz, his best friend, the one he couldn't do without. He knew what he wanted, but he was scared of whatever lied ahead. He wasn't sure if he could do this if they weren't at his side. Was he really courageous enough to do this on his own? He faced Atlas again. "I'll keep that my secret. But if I find out you're doing anything to them, I'll be back so fast you won't even see me on your monitors. Do we understand each other?"

Atlas nodded. "On that, you have my word." He gave him a small bow, but it wasn't done in arrogance this time. It seemed like he really meant everything he said. Perhaps there was more to the caped Irken than was let on.

Sighing, Roz nodded as well, partially in defeat. He couldn't be sure if Atlas would keep his promises, yet he was sure something would be done to them if he went against him. Maybe going through with this would finally get him off their backs. "Alright. You have yourself a deal," he began, his voice beginning to crack. "Will you let me tell them goodbye?"

A choking sound came out of Sor-Mel's throat. Tears were forming in her eyes, though she tried her best not to let it show. She wasn't one to show much outwardly emotion. Rotor on the other hand, wasn't crying, but his gaze was one of the deepest despair. He had learned the hard way that when Roz decided on something, he would go through with it no matter what; no one could change his mind.

"Oh, very well," Atlas stated. "But make it quick. The shuttle leaves soon." He pulled a lever on his console and each tube meshed together to form one. None of them could risk any kind of escape with him there. He could just as well release a deadly gas into the containment unit.

The three of them stood there staring at each other, neither of them sure how to say farewell. Rotor broke the awkward silence when he moved forward to hug his friend. The hug didn't last very long and he ended up shaking his hand. "Are you seriously going to do this? I'm willing to be experimented on or even killed if it means you'll be free. Heck, I'll go in your place."

"I have to, Rotor. What else is there? And don't say that. I don't like thinking about something like that. I wouldn't be able to stand myself if I let you take my place. You've been my best friend since we were young Smeets in training. You stuck by me even when you realized just how quirky I really was. My other friends don't compare to you. I'll be okay…" Roz put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm really going to miss you, buddy."   

Rotor looked down. "Yeah, me too. I wish you weren't so stubborn though." He laughed lightly. "You and your ideas…" He shook his head, but smiled to give him reassurance. He was hurting deep down. He just couldn't let Roz know that.

Before Roz could reply, Sor-Mel jumped in front of him and clung to his neck. "I do not wish for you to go, Roz. Why does it have to be you?" She held him tightly, reveling every moment she had him in her arms. "I have not known you especially long, but I feel like it has been many years. What would I do if you died?" Her eyes were blurry from all the tears streaming down her cheeks. "There is no one else that has such love for me as you do." She closed her eyes, imagining that they were far away from all of this.

Roz returned the embrace, slightly surprised by her sudden emotional outbreak. He wondered if this would be the last time he would see her or Rotor. He took in her aroma; the smell of peaches, Vort food, and pine wafting through his scent receptors. He was almost lost in it, though he had to admit, he was still adjusting to the Vortian food smell. It wasn't one an Irken could get used to right away. "Don't you worry about me. I'll make it, I promise. I will because I know you'll be here waiting for me. That'll give me the strength I need to keep going when times aren't looking so great."

He pulled her back. As much as he wanted to keep holding on, he had to make the final transition to farewell. "But if anything should happen, just know that I've loved you from the start. That word wasn't even in my dictionary before I met you. But I don't want you to be sad. I want you and Rotor to keep on at it. I'll be around. I'll be in whatever star you see in the sky, and more than that, I'll be here." He took her hand and placed it over her heart.

Sor-Mel was silently crying now, but she nodded in return. She gave him one final kiss and stepped back. She knew that the longer he stayed, the more she would try to prevent it.

Atlas had his eyes averted from their view, not wanting to let them see how much pain and sadness their friendship and love for each other was causing him. It brought him back to the days when he once had all that himself. He knew that if he didn't part them now, he wouldn't be able to bear it. "Time's up! You've said goodbye so no more of that nonsense! We have to leave." He had attempted to keep his voice level, yet it came out as the angriest sounding one they had heard from him so far. He had the misfortune of seeing them enact in one more hug. After that, he separated the three in the same way he put them together.

Sor-Mel pressed herself against the glass as Atlas led Roz out of his encasement. Roz looked back one final time and completely stopped paying attention to Atlas when he explained the utility belt he would be given. Time seemed to slow down on itself in those last few moments. He saw Sor-Mel mouth the words, "I love you" and Rotor give him a wave. He thought back on all the memories they had made during their life and the journey they began only months ago. It was then that Roz realized just how real this was shaping up to be. He wanted nothing more than to run back to them, but he kept walking.

Roz had a new destiny now. He didn't know what that meant exactly or what would happen along the way. All he knew was that he would be fighting for his life as well as for his friends once he set foot on the planet of Alluria.


Christina Price. Age 21. Friday. December 31, 2010. 11:53 P.M.
After working on this non-stop all week, it is done!!!! :D

My audition for :iconbattle-of-alluria:
Round 1: [link]
Ref: [link]

Read to find out who gets put in. Sorry, but Graze didn't make the cut. As much as I like the guy, writing for him is hard. oO I'm not very good with gorey violence either. ^^; But it's nice that you do like him. :)

I got soooo carried away when writing it. It's only an intro, but it has as many words and pages as an actual round entry. |D But all that will be important for later on. Plus I've been dying to write something like this for a bazillion years and I was planning to write a story with these guys in it since 2009 I think. XD I'm probably just as insane as Atlas is. XD

Find the pun and you win a cookie! Oh, and doncha' love the delicious cheese-fest? What can I say? I'm a sap for stories like this. I'm also a hopeless romantic. :P

I really do like this story though. I hope I won't be burnt out when round 1 starts. But it's been super long since I last wrote this much in only a week! 18 pages of story! A miracle has happened! ^^

But do tell me if you see any spelling/grammar errors. Some are intentional (like in dialogue), but I really get annoyed when I find ones that aren't. And gah...I'll be speaking like these OCs forever after this. My endings are never that spectacular, but meh, I tried.

P.S: The doctor had a name once, but I can't remember what it was for the life of me. |D

HAPPY NEW YEAR BTW! 8D I'm here typing stories when I could be.........I got nothing. :lol:

BoA © :iconrandominuyasha:
Skitz © :iconinvdrzeec:
Invader Zim © Jhonen Vasquez
Roz, Rotor, Sor-Mel, Atlas, the Smeet, the doctor, and story © Me
© 2011 - 2024 InvdrDana
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AbleRyder's avatar
^^ Honestly, I read only half...I couldn't keep up...