I have laryngitis. I sound like a hyena. Wonderful. Blame this on Garbage- #1 Crush.

No one but Shirley here belongs to me. Wow, I kept screwing up on 'belongs'. Well, the title was inspired by Garbage as well.

I know how to hurt
I know how to heal
I know what to show
And what to conceal
I know when to talk
And I know when to touch
No-one ever die from wanting to much

The world is not enough
But it is such a perfect place to start...my love
And if you're strong enough
Together we can take the world apart...my love

People like us
Know how to survive
There's no point in living
If you can't feel the life
We know when to kiss
And we know when to kill
If we can't have it all
Then nobody will

The world is not enough
But it is such a perfect place to start...my love
And if you're strong enough
Together we can take the world apart...my love

(I...)I feel sick
(I...)I feel scared
(I...)I feel ready
(I...)And yet unprepared

The world is not enough
But it is such a perfect place to start...my love
And if you're strong enough
Together we can take the world apart...my love

The world is not enough X2

Garbage, The World is Not Enough

THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH

Chapter 1

Mars, Late night

Queens Chamber

Silence. The queen is asleep. A guard hovers by outside. Everything is still.

Then, a dark light centers quite suddenly around the mirror. It swirls on the crystalline surface for a moment, before taking the shape of the Queen. The mirror image sneers. "Wake up. Wake up now."

The Queen stirs, turning her head the other way, mumbling something unintelligible.

The mirror image frowns. It fades backwards.

Morning comes, and it meets the same thing it has for quite some time now. Except this morning, The Queen is still asleep, a look of frustration on her face, hair tangled violently about her. Outside the door, a centurion knocks. "My Queen?"

She wakes with a start, eyes flickering open at first wide and confused, then they gain semblance of memory. She groans as she sits up, rubbing the back of her head. "Yes?"

"Are you alright? You havent been down yet."

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. I just had a rough night."

"Very well." The centurion moves away.

The Queen blinks, and stands up. She casts a glance at the mirror. The silence is interrupted by a low whisper. Her eyes momentarily widen, and she shudders, tearing her gaze away from the mirror to pick up a comb.

She heads to the throne some five minutes later. Nothing is out of the ordinary today. Yet she still felt an inexplainable sense of dread. "Bring up the location of each of the commanders not currently on Mars."

She is not sure why, but she needs assurance. Instantly a centurion obeys, and a multitude of screen locations flash before her.

It was just a dream, she breathes lowly. A dream I cant even remember. There is no reason for such a feeling of terror. No reason at-

Her thoughts are interrupted as she views Commander X-2 deep in a heated argument over his monitor with Duck Dodgers. She smirks, and is tempted to listen in, but a call interrupts her. She views the screen, not recognizing the name. A full view comes up, and she blinks, startled.

"My Queen." A martian girl, almost as tall as her, bows low, revealing strands of purple hair behind a simple earth poets hat.

"Sh-Shirley?"

Shirley smirks. "Yes, correct again. Long time no see."

(A/N: I know they dont have mouths. But they must, you know. To kiss and stuff. So lets say they can see each other smirk and stuff.)

"Indeed." The Queen responds, shocked. She hadnt heard from this girl in years.

Shirley looks up, grey eyes waiting for an answer.

The Queen shakes herself out of her reverie. "Yes, Shirley? What do you have to report?"

Shirley sighs. "I'm afraid it's not good news. Do you remember the Head of the department for Study of Non-Planet entities?"
"Yes.." She responds. She remembered him well. Not that he was very outstanding, but that he had a strange look every time someone spoke to him, and seemed to be listening to something no one else could hear. Of course, this annoyed some species.

If anything had happened to him, she could name a few civilians to point her on the right track...

"Yes, something happened." Shirley said. "But I dont believe that it was anything youre probably thinking of."

The Queen was taken aback for a moment. She had forgotten how Shirley could almost read her thoughts. Then she frowned slightly. "What do you mean, Shirley?"

The purple haired martian sighed, and flicked back a piece of unruly hair. The Queen could sense what was coming.

"Shirley..."

"But we were working in this big project, and..."

The Queen sighed, and her eyes narrowed, but not in frustration. Sometimes when Shirley decided something had happened the way she thought it had, all you could do was listen. A slight noise announced a call waiting, and The Queen was spared the task of listening. "Hang on Shirley. I have to take this call."

"But-"
"I am a Queen, you know."

"I know, but-"

"Shirls..."

Shirley sighed. "Can you at least send someone to help me?"

The Queen thought about it, but only for a moment. They were old friends, after all.

"Okay, I'll send someone."

Shirley sighed in relief. "Thanks so much!"

Now, the Queen thought to herself as she switched calls, if only I can find someone who wont complain about being sent to the Non-Planet core...

"Greetings my Queen! I hope you are well!"

"Commander X-2!"

The commander hesitated. He had seen what looked remarkably like a giant smile.

"Uh, My Queen, I was just calling to tell you that my mission was a sucess, and-"

"Wonderful, Wonderful! I have a great new job for you."

"Oh! Well, of course, I-"

"Perfect! You'll be working with Shirley for a while, her boss has dissapeared."

"Dissapeared? Working with Shirley?" The Commanders eyes widened.
"Yes, Yes, but that was an accident, and-"

"Wait...Shirley works in the Department for Study of Non-Planet entities!"

"Yes, she does."

"But if I go there-I'll be- Its- the whole department is a laughingstock!"

The Queen sighed. "Please?"

And looking into those eyes, the Commander knew he couldnt resist.