//------------------------------//
// 4-gotten: Igliak, Politics and Diplomacy 
// Story: The Sparkle in his Eye 
// by Tatsurou 
//------------------------------//

	Auto-pilot slowly and carefully brought the Lombax fighter in for landing at the starport of Luminopolis.  As the cockpit opened, Qwark reached the end of the acceptance speech he was practicing.  "-in conclusion, I humbly accept this award for subduing the insidious Light-Eating Z'Grute against near impossible odds!"  He gently lifted himself out of the ship and set himself down on the ground.  "How was that, Twilight?"

"Not bad," Twilight admitted as she hopped out.  "But...when did you fight this...Light-Eating Z'Grute anyway?  I'm pretty sure we'd remember something like that."

"You are the one who told me my skills were reaching the point that, with the right amount of self-confidence, I could do hero work in my sleep," Qwark countered.  "And we have been sleeping a lot ever since we started in on all that paperwork."

"You seriously think you took out a giant monster in your sleep?" Azimuth demanded as he leapt out of his ship, spear strapped to his back.  "I thought Ratchet said you were learning to reign in your ego."

"Well no need to be rude about it," Qwark complained.  "I have fought giant monsters before after all.  And any chance your ship could get Aphelion's upgrades?  That canopy is cramped!"

"Sorry, BBBFF," Twilight apologized.  "Without an AS installed, there's no internal force to guide, shape, and control the Zoni related tech.  Without it, the Quantum Drive would run out of control and supernova in a brand new time rift...and then we'd need another Great Clock."

"Alternatively, you could lose some weight," Azimuth grumbled.

"Where do you get off talking to me like that?" Qwark complained.  "You're not my father!"

"No, but Ratchet asked me to make sure you two remembered to take care of yourselves," Azimuth countered.  "While I'm not happy about being somewhere between a bodyguard and a babysitter, I'll do the job since you are family."

"Do you think you two could drop that already so I can enjoy the sight of the city?" Twilight snapped.  "I've never been here before!"

"Sorry," Qwark and Azimuth apologized.

Smiling, Twilight glanced around at the soaring buildings, dark blue night sky, and the thousands of lights shining everywhere.  "It's rather pretty, isn't it?" she asked mildly.  "Pity it's probably going to all be destroyed by the time we leave."

"Twilight, I know we talked about how there was a 99.9% probability that this was a trap, likely set by Nefarious, but do you have to be such a downer about it?" Qwark pleaded.  "I mean, your very existence is proof that that 0.1% happens sometimes, right?"

"Last I checked, being the jaded veteran always expecting the worst was my job," Azimuth added.

"But it's the Intergalactic Tool of Justice Award!" Twilight complained.  "Seriously, Tool?  Would any sort of award call someone stupid, useless, or socially inept?"

"Maybe it means that my greatest effectiveness is when I have someone to point me in the right direction," Qwark countered.  "In essence, making me the right tool for the job.  Say, someone like you, LSBFF?"

Twilight stared at her BBBFF, her jaw hanging.  "Did...did you just make a valid logical point?"

"I know, right?" Qwark squealed proudly.  "I've been working on that one all week!"

"Somehow, I doubt it will hold up," Azimuth stated, pointing forward.  "I'm pretty sure that's the mouth of a paralyzed Light-Eating Z'Grute that the acceptance podium is set up in."

Indeed, the massive fanged maw that surrounded the podium was as large as a train, and the rest of the beast was just as massive in scale, with huge hands that reared up over the ground.  Dark blue stony skin covered most of its body, and glowing bright blue eyes stared blankly forward.

Qwark stared at it for a bit.  "Maybe it's the one I defeated?" he suggested lamely.  "It is...kinda symbolic if that's the case..."

"Also, Nefarious and Lawrence are directly above us in the light/camera pod," Twilight indicated, glancing up from her Nav-com read out.

"Aw, come on!" Nefarious complained.  "I had this whole big speech prepared and everything!  Why'd you have to go and spoil it all?  I've been working on this for months!"

"It is pretty obvious..." Twilight began.

"Will it make you feel any better if I go stand at the podium and let you make your speech?" Qwark offered.

"What?" Twilight demanded, shocked beyond belief.

"What?" Nefarious gasped, nearly as stunned.  "You'd...you'd really do that?"

"Sure!" Qwark replied eagerly.  "I well know the frustration of having a plan you've worked on for a long time blown right out of the water in the first few minutes.  And what else do we have?  Shooting each other until someone falls?  That's hardly very dramatic or impressive!  Won't do anything for the polls."

"You're...seriously going to put your life in unnecessary danger just to get higher ratings?" Azimuth asked, confused.

"Uncle, in my heroing career, I was a movie star before I was a politician," Qwark countered.  "Do you really have to ask?"

Azimuth worked his jaw a bit, trying to come up with a counter argument.

"And Twilight," Qwark continued, "aren't you the one who said I should try and find ways to resolve situations other than immediately punching my way through?"

Twilight stared, jaw hanging, completely gobsmacked.

"So I'll just duck back in here," Nefarious offered, hiding in the light/camera pod again, "and you step up to the podium and call for House Lights, and then I'll leap out and do my big speech and pretend this part never happened?"

"Sounds like a plan!" Qwark agreed.  "Camera's not on yet, right?"

"Lawrence?" Nefarious asked quickly.

"The camera will not be engaged until the lights are, sir," Lawrence replied readily.

Nefarious braced himself to leap out...but stuck his head back out.  "I'm still going to be trying to kill you once I give the speech, though," he added.  "Not gonna pull any punches just because you let me have this."

"No more am I for you giving me warning," Qwark agreed as he made his way to the podium.

Twilight shook her head in stunned disbelief.  "Is...what is this?" she demanded, confused.  "I thought Qwark was Nefarious' nemesis, and vice versa?"

"When two foes have fought each other often enough, a certain amount of mutual respect builds up," Lawrence explained.  "When seen from the outside perspective, it can be...confusing."

"You said a mouthful," Azimuth grumbled.  "I'm guessing Qwark will throw a hissy fit if I just shoot Nefarious out of the sky before this gets started?"

"Probably a full blown tizzy," Twilight admitted, sitting down.  "We might as well just enjoy the show until we start blasting..."