Evil Parents of DOOM! (Final Space)

Chapter 2: A Special Mission

"We have a special assignment for you, General Avocato. We need you to prove your loyalty to the empire," the Lord Commander announced. Next to him, the taller form of the Lord Dictator stood in stony silence. Flanking them were two sets of heavily armed guards.

Avocato nodded, following his leaders down a long series of hallways, before they stopped at the door to the arena.

"This way," the little alien commanded, leading them through the doors.

The general glanced around as they walked, noting the bloodstains on the ground. That was strange. There hadn't been an arena battle in over a week, so it should have been cleaned up by now.

A familiar mohawk caught his eye, causing Avocato to freeze in his tracks. His son, little Cato, was kneeling on the sandy ground, his hands tied behind his back. Still, the general kept his wits about him – refusing to let his face show any signs of concern.

"Here is your task, Avocato. It's a tiny little thing, really. The Lord Dictator and I want you to SHOOT YOUR SON!" the little alien's voice came out as a guttural bellow.

The Ventrexian pulled out his firearm as sweat began to soak his fur. This was his first born - His only child! Avocato had served the empire loyally for more than a decade, and now they wanted him to murder...

"I decline," the general stated, whipping around to shoot the Lord Commander for ordering such an appalling thing. He didn't even have a chance to fire. The Lord Dictator was suddenly in control of his body, forcing the gun to his own head.

"DAD! NO, DAD!" little Cato wailed, tearing running down his orange cheeks.

"You're both insane if you think for a minute that I'm going to kill my own son!" Avocato managed to shout, glaring at the rulers of the empire. They glared back at him, clearly furious. And then they did something even more unexpected... they smiled.

Avocato felt his entire body drop, and he fell to the dusty ground in a heap.

"Congratulations, General Avocato. You passed!" the Lord Commander declared, clapping his hands in glee. He waved to one of the accompanying guards. "Let the boy go."

Once he was free, the Ventrexian child ran into his father's relieved embrace. "That was a test?" Avocato asked hesitantly. "You mean the gun would have misfired..?"

"Oh, goodness no. If you had pulled the trigger, your son WOULD be dead," the Lord Commander stated, laughing manically. Avocato pulled his son closer as waves of dread surged through him.

"If you had pulled the trigger, General, you would have failed, like all the rest," the Lord Dictator suddenly spoke, fixing his gaze on Avocato.

"But never mind all that. You passed. Eeeeee! Isn't that exciting?" the smaller ruler cheered, stepping forward until he was standing face to face with Avocato. His golden gaze flickered to little Cato, and he reached out a hand to stroke his cheek. "Children are so precious, aren't they? It's up to their parents to keep them safe in this terrifying world." The Lord Commander shuffled back to his husband's side.

"You see, General, the Lord Commander and I understand that our children are our future. Anyone willing to kill their own child just couldn't be trusted for this important mission," the Lord Dictator explained, resting a hand on his husband's petite shoulder.

"What mission?" Avocato was a breath away from fleeing the entire planet with his son, abandoning his post as General, and becoming a fugitive. A life on the run couldn't possibly be worse than spending another moment under the couple's tyrannical rule.

The rulers shared a sly smile. "Our son has been... unruly in the past. We feel that he needs a firm, but supportive hand to guide him to reach his true potential," the Lord Commander explained.

"You want me to train him..." Avocato guessed. As a general, he'd managed to catch a glimpse of the young heir a few times. He remembered a human teenager with blond hair, and a rather sulky attitude. No one had seen him in the last five years. There had been rumors floating around that he had been imprisoned off world for disobeying his parents.

"No, General. We intend to have you marry him," the Lord Dictator announced.

"What?"

The Lord Commander sighed. "He's in time out on an old prison ship in the Gama quadrant. We will provide you with the coordinates. You will fly to his ship, spend a little time getting to know him, and then return with him to be wed."

"And if I refuse?" Avocato asked, getting to his feet. He pushed little Cato behind him.

"You won't," came the rasping reply. The Lord Commander raised a hand, and little Cato was pulled away from his father. In moments, the youth was deposited roughly between the two leaders of the empire. "Not if you want your son to remain in ONE piece," the Lord Commander continued, resting a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Dad?" Cato whispered, clearly terrified.

"Alright. I'll do what you say. Just don't hurt my boy," Avocato agreed, his shoulders slumping.

"We knew you'd see it our way," the Lord Commander chuckled.

***

Once their general had been escorted to a ship, the Lord Commander turned to the guards. "Prepare little Cato a room next to Gary's. After all, he'll be family soon enough."

"What if my father doesn't go through with the wedding?" The Ventrexian youth suddenly asked, stopping the Lord Commander in his tracks.

"Well, my boy, that would be most unfortunate. We would have to remove him, and you, from our ranks. Permanently," the little alien promised with dark enthusiasm. An instant later, his entire demeanor switched to one of cheer and delight. "But that won't happen. Oh, I can't wait to dote on you once you are my grandson. I have so many things to teach you. How to fly a ship, how to cook a proper meal, how to CRUSH YOUR ENEMIES BENEATH YOUR FEET!" the Lord Commander laughed maniacally, even as Cato was led out of the room.

***

Wrapping his arms around himself, Cato wondered what kind of man his father was being forced to marry. If this Gary was truly related to the Lords of the empire, then he was bound to be batshit crazy, just like them.

"Come back soon, dad," he whispered, staring out at the moon through the bars on his new bedroom window.

***

Note: The Lord Commander's noise of delight in the show is so adorable! Also, he's super over-protective in my fics. And when he's evil, that over-protectiveness can go over to the deep end. I could just see him having bars put on Gary's windows to keep him from running away.