Possessed

Property

All was quiet aboard the Massive. A guard or two patrolled the halls, but it was the rest period, and two thirds of the Irkens on board had put themselves into rest mode. The other third looked forward to their turn with longing as they roamed the decks and ports. Their bootsteps echoed off the walls, reminding them just how unnecessary their rounds were. Nothing ever went wrong during rest hour.

Well, not for the most part.

A shout rang down the hall, the sound chasing a short, peach-colored creature with a patch of black fur on the top of its head. It pelted forward, its hands stretched forward and its eyes squinted almost shut. It wore a pair of black leggings, such as several Irkens had, but this thing was most certainly not Irken.

At least three guards followed it, gaining slowly. One had drawn a stun pistol and fired it several times, but the creature dodged, as if used to evading such blasts. Frustrated, one guard dropped behind and pulled a communication device from his PAK.

"Unit 4-G6, an alien has escaped and is coming your way. Intercept at point 7X4T."

The alien seemed to have a destination as it led the chase in the general direction of the escape pods. Its breath came in short, jerky gasps, but it pushed itself on, oblivious to anything but what lay ahead. Perhaps its blind determination kept it from seeing the PAK leg stretched across its path.

It tumbled to the ground, rolling several times. It sprang up, but the fall had cost it. The guards in pursuit had caught up, and all aimed shock pistols at the offending being. At this close range, there would be no missed shots. The creature's shoulders slumped, and its head drooped as it stood still.

"Oh no you don't," snarled one guard, pulling the trigger. A savage grin pulled at his mouth as the alien stiffened, jerked, then collapsed to the floor, writhing. "You think you can just surrender and that's the end of it? Escape attempts have consequences."

The other two guards closed in, along with the one that had tripped it. Blows fell on the alien's unprotected body, some from fists, some from PAK wires, some from boots. The creature curled into a ball, attempting to protect its softer front. It bit its lip and squeezed its eyes shut as the blows came harder.

"Who do you think you are, hyuman?" One guard laughed, aiming a kick at its ribs. "Do you think you own this ship? That you can go anywhere anytime?" Raising a hand, he shot a look at his fellows. They drew back, and the guard knelt by the human. Grabbing its chin, he jerked it up. Weary eyes opened, staring back at the guard. Odd eyes, mostly white with brown and black circles.

The guard pulled back his lips in a sneer, revealing his zipper-like teeth. "Do you think you are free? Idiot." Reaching his hand around, he pressed a claw against the human's shoulder. It arched its back, hissing loudly, fists clenching.

"You are the property of Irk. The Almighty Tallests' grace is the only reason you are still alive." He pressed harder on the brand he himself had placed on the prisoner minutes after its arrival. A strangled cry issued from its throat, and the guard grinned in satisfaction. He traced the Irken symbol, familiar as his own name, burned onto this foreign skin.

"My name," the human bit out, "is Dib. And I'm nobody's property."

"Is that right?" The guard smirked. "We'll see what the Tallests have to say about that after rest period. In the meantime," he nodded to the others, "Make sure it gets back to its quarters in one piece." His eyes glinted. "And if it escapes again, it'll be demotions for all of us, so keep it locked up!"

Steps echoed down the hall, growing louder and more commanding every second. Professor Membrane marched past flustered receptionists and scurrying interns, not sparing a glance to anyone. Pausing to press his hand against a palm-locked door, he tapped his foot impatiently. Even the loss of a few seconds was an irritation, especially when such an exciting discovery had been made.

The door slid open with a sigh, and the Professor entered, his boots clicking faster as he hurried toward wing 5. He pulled aside his goggles for the eyescan that would open the correct door, and stepped inside.

A short brunette in a white labcoat glanced up from a monitor, relieved. "Professor, you're here, thank heavens. You have to do something, it hasn't stopped yelling for 24 hours. It's wearing on everybody's nerves. The soundproof room has no effect on its vocal amplification somehow."

Rubbing his hands in excitement, the Professor murmured, "Fascinating, it emits soundwaves that pierce right through the insulation. Mark that down as one of the things to be studied about it." Pausing, he glanced at the monitor. A small green figure faced directly toward the camera, mouth wide open and arms gesticulating. It spoke in perfect English—perhaps shouted in perfect English was more accurate—and its orb-like red eyes glared ferociously. At the moment, it was demanding its release and the release of the small robot they'd also taken into custody.

Membrane gave a short laugh. "What a silly creature, to think we'd release it now. There's so much we can learn from it! The possibilities are endless. You," he pointed at the brunette, "Mark this creature down in the logbooks as Subject A1, property of Membrane Inc." He winced as the creature's tone took a sharp climb for a few seconds before dropping. "And distribute aspirin to all the staff, on me. We'll have to work with this from now on, and can't have my staff sick with headaches."