Finally Beaten ~Taz x Up~

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

A few days before...

Junior flicked the switch on his intercom. He bit his lip, waiting hopefully. A picture started to form on the screen, grainy and grey at first but then it was clearing up - a figure was clearly visible.

"Hi, Dad." Junior said nervously. "You wanted me?"

Dr Space-Claw's colossal fist banged against the table.

"Yes," his father boomed, "I want you to do a job for me."

"Um..ok?" Junior said, his stomach dropping. The tasks his dad set him were almost always impossibly impossible. "What do you want me to do?"

Space-Claw paused.

"Are you sure you're up for it?" he asked devilishly. "You've always been a big disappointment to me."

Junior resisted the urge to punch the screen in fury, embarrassment and hurt. It was enough that Space-Claw used his son to do evil, but to taunt him and call him a 'big disappointment'? Junior narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, yeah?" he muttered. "Test me."

"Fine." retorted Space-Claw. "I want you to find out the location of the Over-Queen and her eggs. Then I want you to take the Over-queen back to Earth."

"What?!" yelped Junior. "That's absurd!"

"Ah." sneered Space-Claw with satisfaction. "I knew you were a wimp from the moment I laid eyes on you. You're a disappointment to me!!"

"FINE!" roared Junior, flushing with rage and shame. "I'LL DO IT! JUST GET OFF MY BACK!!"

He made to switch off the intercom, but Space-Claw held up a finger.

"Wait, son." Space-Claw said in a dangerously quiet voice. "I have one more task for you."

"Name it." Junior muttered through gritted teeth.

"Get the Rangers. The ones that have start to live on the Bug Planet you are now on. I want every single one off. That. Planet." Space-Claw said with relish.

"So," said Junior nervously, counting on his fingers, "Specs, Krayonder, Tootsie, the Mega-Girl Unit and Commander Up."

"And Taz." added Space-Claw, drumming the table impatiently.

"Uh, Taz?" Junior repeated, blushing. "You mean, KILL Taz?"

"DUH." Space-Claw said. "Kill them all."

"Fine." Junior replied in a strained voice. "Bye Dad."

He flicked the switch on the intercom and walked out of the room, upset and confused.

It was the late evening when Junior snuck out of his ship. He easily found the hive where most bugs were sleeping. He crept into one of the chambers and instantly saw a small green fly snoring in the evening sun, his wings shimmering in the setting sun. Junior felt a surge of guilt as he pulled out a syringe filled with drugs. He carefully took aim and pressed down. The point of the syringe inserted itself into the bug's thorax. Junior leapt into the shadows as the little bug leapt up, clutching his side in pain, and ran out of the room. Junior bit his lip, tears stinging in his eyes. If this plan worked then the whole Hive would get infected...and maybe pass it onto the Rangers. Junior found himself wishing to the stars as he crept back to the ship: Please not Taz, everyone but Taz....

*******

Taz and Up's friendship was blooming once again. They were strolling around outside when Taz suddenly pinched her nose with apparent disgust. Then Up caught it too. A disgusting stench, like rotting flesh, dustbins and rancid coffee rolled into one. Taz pointed to the direction where the smell was coming from, and they advanced in on the scene. It was grisly: there were dead bodies everywhere, and that wasn't all: they were bugs' bodies. Up's eyes widened in disbelief, the bodies were black and decaying, with purple and muddy-yellow pus oozing steadily out of massive brown boils. The bodies were almost skeletal; most of the skin had rotted away to reveal blackened and charred bones. There was a sudden retching sound behind Up. The Commander smiled to himself as he rushed over to held a paling Taz. Badass as she was, Up had forgotten how squeamish it is. Up helped his friend to her feet, then nearly collided with a figure in a white overall and white face mask. The figure saluted and said in a familiar voice,

"'Scuse me, Commander, Lieutenant. Only I have a lot of work to do round here."

"Specs?" Up asked curiously.

"Yes, Commander?"

"The hell kinda clothes is that?" Taz asked, picking at Spec's overall, which covered her arms, legs and neck.

"It's protection, Lieutenant." Specs answered, pushing the two away as another white-clad figure hauled a few more corpses into the pile.

"It's some kind of epidemic." said Specs, directing Up and Taz back to the Starship. "A small green fly flew into the Over-Queen's chamber last night. He claimed to have been stabbed by a human. Then, two hours later, his skin started to shrivel up, then it turned black."

"Uh. Disgusting." Taz said, clutching her stomach.

"Then the boils started to appear, big brown ones, bursting with pus-"

"Stop!!" Taz yelled, gagging. Specs giggled and Up chuckled and he lead Taz back into the Starship.

"Is there anything we can do to help, Specs?" he asked.

"Oh no, Commander. Just stay out of the way of the bugs, we don't want you and Lieutenant Taz to catch the illness." Specs said, then she saluted once again and marched off.

"Oh my dead GOD." said Taz in horror, clutching her mouth. "What caused it?"

"I don't know any better than you do, Lieutenant." Up said worriedly, opening the door to his dorm. "I'm getting to bed. I want to think about this."

"Me too." Taz agreed. "Night, Up."

"See ya tomorrow, Taz." said Up, shutting the door with a soft snap.