Empyrean Iris Story Collection

Positive Reinforcement

"Glados! Stop nipping at people."

The spiderling, now somewhere between a terrier and a border collie was getting big enough now that she could actually do some damage with those large glittering teeth, though Adam was having trouble disciplining her. She always had a choleric temper, but the longer things went on, the worse she got.

Adam had a bandage on one hand fro where she ha d bitten him, and worst of all, he was the one she actually liked.

Sunny, Conn and Krill huddled at the back of the shuttle while the commander attempted to keep the spiderling still by holding her on his lap.

The other two, Cortana and Hal were curled up together at Sunny's feet, relatively mellow, and downright friendly in comparison to their sister.

"No, no no no." The spiderling continued to repeat, squirming and wriggling in the commander's arms as he attempted to pilot the shuttle.

If he was any less of a pilot they might not have survived the flight, but somehow, they managed to land, the path of their engines deforming the grass with the power of the engines, before setting down and finally settling into place.

He shut off the power and in frustration looked down at Glados.

"Glados! Stop it, right now."

She didn't listen to him, instead proceeding to nip at him again. Her jerked back away from her, but still, she caught him a glancing blow on the cheek.

A stream of blood beaded up in the wound.

Sunny could tell by the look on his face that he was livid. Adam wasn't known to be an angry person, so to see him like this, during a time other than war was.... Disconcerting to say the least.

Their issues with Glados had escalated in the past few weeks, so much so that Adam was constantly bandaged from her antics, and others around the ship were almost to wary to approach the captain knowing that glados would be there. It had ruined his social life, and had even driven a block between him and his closest friends, Sunny, Krill, Conn, Katie, Ramirez, and Mav.

The man was at the end of his rope, and had even contemplated dropping her off back on her home planet to let her real parents deal with her, but Sunny could tell he felt really guilty about even thinking that.

So, he had made a decision.

To consult the smartest human he knew.

His mother.

He tucked the still wriggling glados under one arm the expression on his face, so done than Suny and Krill said nothing. Even Conn kept his thoughts to himself, uncharacteristically, as Adam marched towards the door and pushed it open.

They were already waiting for him when he stepped outside.

A blond woman with a hair a little longer than shoulder length, and a quiet man, graying at the temples wearing a baseball cap. They both smiled upon seeing him before their eyes dropped to the snarling ball of anger under his right arm, and the two little scuttling figures at his heels.

Mr. Vir raised an eyebrow, "So.... this is our....." He glanced at his wife, "Three quarters grandchildren?"

Martha just looked on in fond exasperation at her son, "Its like when Thomas was a kid, he used to bring home little animals and ask to keep them as pets, but I swear every time you come home you bring a new alien."

Adam walked to stop in front of them mouth tugging up at one corner though he didn't smile, again very uncharacteristic.

At Mr. Vir's feet, Hal and cortana had begun sniffing his pant leg recognizing the smell. The man glanced down looking a little off put but willing. After a glance from his wife, he knelt down and allowed the two to sniff at his hands. Cortana rubbed her head against him opening her mouth, and letting off that strange distorted voice, "Adam?"