The next time I see that dog I expect it to be a model citizen.

10/18/02

He sat still as a stone, hands fastened behind his back and large, yellow optic sensors firmly trained on the minute hand of the clock. It was nearly five minutes after the time Commander Nebula had asked to see him in the conference room.

His fingers drummed on the top of the table. We-e-ell, apparently he wasn't gonna show- heck, five whole minutes. Obviously this was a wash and he'd just-

"A-Tyrma!"

XR flinched. 'Ma' is a derogatory suffix attached to the name of a robot to remind them of their lower social status; it is a reprimand. Well, this was already going well.

Command Nebula came over and stood above him, hands on hips. "A-Tyrma!" he repeated.

XR looked up at him, making himself small and penitent. Mouth small, eyes big, looking up at Commander Nebula with his very cutest expression... ah, there. Perfect. Who could give this face a pink slip?

Nebula shook his head at him. "A-Tyr, how'd you manage this kind of a screw-up?"

Sad puppy face. Saaad puppy. No one says no to the sad puppy.

"I can't just let you off with a pay cut this time," he said. Sad puppy. Sad puppy. "This was a major screw-up!"

Uh, okay, ouch. Like he hadn't known that already. He drummed his fingers on the table.

Nebula hung his head, sighing.

XR waited patiently.

"Illegal weapons trafficking, illegal drug trafficking, illegal pornography trafficking- and don't think I don't think you didn't help yourself to that last one."

Why, that hurt him to the core. What kinda pervert did Commander Nebula think he was?

"I didn't know what was in the packages, sir," he said.

"Hmph. You prolly didn't. But sweet mother of Venus! It was the mob!" He slammed his hands down on the table. XR pulled back, blinking. "Didn't you realize at any point that you were dealing with THE MOB?"

"I. N-no." He hugged himself.

Nebula groaned and raked one hand down his face. He took a seat next to XR.

XR stared at the table.

Nebula's head went up. "Okay. Here's what I'm gonna do. You know Kila Jookiba."

"How could I not." Stupid snitch. Granted, she'd probably saved his life but still! What a snitch!

"I'm not clear on the details and I don't wanna be, but I know she was involved in that mess you cooked up," he said. "We're finding all kinds on dirt on her. We have her here in a cell on Star Command, but she's not... doin' well here."

"So I heard," XR said, wondering what this subject was leading to, and knowing it couldn't be anything good. He'd heard Kila was making herself a huge pain in the neck- lashing out at guardbots, running around her cell like a mad thing, chewing on the bars of her cell... basically acting crazy.

"So." Nebula leaned forward, bringing his hands down on the table again. Thud. "Here's the deal. You'll be suspended from regular duty for two months."

He swallowed, blinking. "Excuse me, sir?" he squeaked. Two months? Two months alone? Without his team? His hands started to shake.

"Yeah, that's right!" Nebula snapped. "During that time you'll take Miss Jookiba into personal custody."

He gasped. "What?"

"That's right! You, A-Tyrma, are going to make that girl into a model citizen!"

"M-model- citizen?" he stammered.

"You're gonna teach her right from wrong, you're gonna reform her! And if you can't-" He stood, his eyes narrowing. "It's curtains for you."

XR stared at him, ticking. "But, but. Dad-"

"I didn't wanna give you a second chance in the first place, understand. You've had too many second chances! But your team, they insisted. So there it is. Two months, model citizen, or else! Understood?"

"Y-yes, sir," he said, trembling.

Commander Nebula nodded. "You'll find her in the cell block. Here."

A ring of car keys hit the table in front of XR. He stared at it.

"That's for prisoner transport. There's a two-seater in the launch bay you can use if you need to take her anyplace. Anyplace does not mean the casino! Understand?"

"Understood," he said quickly.

Nebula nodded. "All right. Dismissed!"

XR scrambled out of the room. Two months. Model citizen.

Oh, sweet mother of Venus.

-end

-toooo be continued?!-

A/N: Yes, that's the end... FOR NOW. Bwahaha.

The sequel will be up either next Friday or on Labor Day for a special story kick-off date... depends on whether I can has beta.

Until then, there are plenty of story extras linked to in my profile... :D