Disclaimer: Starship & all related characters are property of Starkid productions.

85. Sick.

A fault in the air filtering unit had left a few of those on-board feeling under the weather. The illness wasn't long lasting, or contagious, but it left the victim completely out of action. The doctors on board had quickly figured out that the level of severity depended on if you'd had all your shots of #KxZZ-86 as a child. Taz had never had those shots. Leaving her bed ridden, drenched in sweat, shaking with cold and slipping in and out of sleep. The Doctors assured him she'd be fine and that it should pass before the week was out. None the less, Up stayed by her side the entire time. Keeping her cool, and making sure she didn't thrash out of bed and onto the floor. He refused to let the rest of the team see her. Taz was prideful and private; never in a million years would she want the others to see her in this state.
So Up sat with her alone, it pained him to see her like this. She was usually so strong, so self-reliant and loud. But now she lay weak, vulnerable, completely reliant on him, and quiet except for the occasional whimper. But he would not leave her alone.
Because even though she was all those things, she'd been that way for too long.

31. Flower.

There was a bouquet on her pillow. After deciding it wasn't harmful she picked it up and examined it. At the centre was a gardenia, nestled in the centre of four red amaryllis. They in turn stood out above a ring of alternating daffodils and edelweiss; all gaps filled in with four-leaf clover. Suspicious, Taz pulled out the book on flowers and symbolism Up had unexpectedly given her yesterday. As she analysed the gift she found herself turning pink. When she'd finished she sat back, with her hand over her mouth, and thoughtfully stared at the flowers. She made up her mind and left the room.
The next day Up couldn't have stopped himself from grinning if he'd wanted to, having come back to his quarters the previous evening to find Taz sitting on his bed holding a single ipomoea surrounded in jerusalem-oak.

27. Foreign.

The way Taz thought was foreign to him. Her views on rudeness and disrespect were bizarre enough on their own. But how she could look in a mirror, see her-self plain as day, and not find her-self beautiful shocked him. He would never understand it.

92. Nightmare.

Cold metal. Fingers grasping. See them through her chest. Holding her down. Can't move. Dying. Dying. Up was...

Taz awoke suddenly but silently. Her knuckles white as she grasped the sheets by her head. She was drenched in sweat. She stared wide eyed at the clock on the bedside table.
03:00
Taz sat up with a sigh as she rubbed her eyes, trying to calm her breathing and stop her trembling. Always the same dream. Always. Taz sat and shuddered. He was always lost in the end, but he wasn't really, right...? The darkness played on Taz's insecurities, and she knew she had to see. Because she needed to know he was fine. Shakily she got out of bed and made her way across the cold metal floor and through the darkened hallways to his quarters. She reached out a trembling hand to open his door but stopped halfway. What if he wasn't there? If he wasn't there, what would she do? If he wasn't there she couldn't, she couldn't...
Taz pressed her hands flat on the door and kept her head down trying to hold back frightened tears. Why was he so important to her?

Weakness

She curled her hands into fists, and finally opened the door. Light slid into the room and Up stirred slightly. Taz gave a sigh of genuine relief. She pulled the covers back over her commander, but when she went to go back to her bed she realised the distance. She couldn't handle that right now. She shut the door and, thankful that the commander's quarters had a couch, settled herself in to sleep.
When he awoke the next morning Up would, without question, cover her properly and give her a pillow.

61. Fairy Tale.

Once upon a time...
There was a strong Lady-Knight named Taz of Short-Temper. This Knight had the strongest and most impenetrable armour in the entire kingdom- she had won it in battle at the age of fifteen and had worn it ever since. A Sorcerer made a prophecy which said anyone who could get through the armour and touch Lady Taz, would be given what they most desired, and something both rare, and of immense value. Several men and women, of great renown and skill, fought Lady Taz in an attempt to penetrate the armour, but the Lady defeated them all. None could match her in combat.
One day another Knight of great renown appeared in the Kingdom. He was known the world wide as Sir Up the Badass. He announced to the first village he arrived at in Short-Temper that he planned to penetrate the armour. Word travelled faster than Sir Up could travel and quickly reached the ears of Lady Taz herself, who just sneered; no-one had ever gotten through her armour and as far as she was concerned no-one ever would.

After many moons Sir Up arrived at the Lady's village. Taz stood ready to meet him in a field outside of town. Up was shocked. In all his years he had never found maidens beautiful, all pale with long golden hair, smiles and flowing dresses, but here stood a vision clad with the simplest armour, with darkened skin, black hair and the fiercest scowl he had seen in his life. The Knight fell to his knees in front of the Lady.
"I beg your forgiveness Lady" Up said, bowing low. "Surely you have spent time readying yourself for battle, but I cannot fight you".
Taz stepped forward, angry. "What do you mean cur? Why am I not worthy to fight?" she snarled, and Up's heart leapt as he gasped.
"You misunderstand me. I find myself unable and unworthy to fight such a beauty as yours." The Lady was taken aback, for not once had anyone called her beautiful.
"Sir, surely you jest and attempt to mislead me." She glared at the man at her feet, who shook his head and took her hand, making her jump.
"Milady, I swear to you as a Knight that I will never make jest of you or be false with you."

The Lady was stunned, and found herself curious of this strange Knight. Thus it was that the two Knights began a companionship. As a duo they were fiercer in battle and better known than they ever were separately. The two became closer and closer with each passing day, with Sir Up becoming more enamoured of his companion, whilst Lady Taz found she was able to be herself with this man, developing a growing attraction for him each battle. People continued to approach Taz in hopes of great riches and pride, Taz continued to defeat them on her own and Up, at the Lady's demand, never once interfered.
All was well until one day a stranger approached Taz to win her armour. The Lady rolled her eyes as usual but conceded to the fight. The stranger was brutal; he did not conform to understand rules of combat and almost destroyed Taz, while Up had looked on, open mouthed and helpless. Finally Taz fell and rather than stop there, as was generally accepted, the stranger ran her through on the ground and with a pulse of magic from his blade shattered the breast plate, leaving Taz bleeding profusely and dressed only in the remains of the armour's shoulder piece. The stranger shouted to the sky, calling out for his prize, but foolishly left his back to Up.
Seeing his Lady dying on the ground Up was enraged, and with an animalistic yell and one deft stroke he struck the strangers head from his body, leaving him dead on the ground. Up then carefully removed the sword and gently lifted Taz into his arms. He removed the remainder of the fabled armour and laid his hand flat on her stomach, weeping at the sight of her wound. Just then the two of them felt a great lightness and heat. They looked into each other's eyes, thinking this to be their last moments together. Taz finally, reaching forward to place a hand against Up's face, rewarded Up with a smile and two simple words.
"Thank You."

Just then the two of them felt an unbearable heat, and all they could hear were the words of the prophecy repeated over and over again. Once the repetition stopped, the two of them stared at one-another. Taz was fully healed and once again fully dressed in her armour. Up had gotten what he wanted most, for his lady to live. He did not care what rare and valuable thing he had won for he still had his Lady.

Taz could've told him, but was too full of pride to do so. But everyone who encountered them after that day could tell.

Up had won her eternal devotion and, most importantly, her love.

The End.