Klaus beamed and caressed one of the tentacles, "This is going to be fun..."

...........................................

"So how you feelin'?" Randy VIII asked, in no hurry to squeeze back into his clothes.

Klaus stretched, "Good, that was a lot of fun, and I got it all on film!" he said.

"You gon' give me a copy?" asked Randy.

"Of course....how much do I owe you for tonight?" asked Klaus, his face falling a little as he forced himself to return to reality. Randy was with him because he was being paid, this was all just business....

Randy paused to look at the clock, calculating his price based on how much time they'd spent together that evening and what sorts of things they'd done. "...Tell you what, honey. Things went a little different than usual, so tonight I'm workin' for tips."

Klaus gave him a small smile, kissed his cheek and then handed him a diamond the size of a baseball.

Randy grinned. "With tips like these, who needs hourly rates?" He frowned suddenly. "Don't nobody take that literally, now," he added. His smile returned as he traced a finger along Klaus's chin. "But my offer still stands on hangin' out with me again sometime--off the clock."

...

Bert and Paul headed to the pub, "Do you know Randy IX very well?" Bert asked.

Paul shook his head. "Nuh-uh, but I seen 'im around," he answered.

"You familiar with the rest of my family?" asked Bert, "Randy VIII and the lot?"

"Yeah, they're a pretty well-known bunch," said Paul. "Wrastled a few of 'em at the gym. You live with Randy VIII?"

"He's my adopted father," said Bert, "What's your story, Paul, is it?"

Paul nodded. "Not much to it. I'm a hundred and six, been here my whole life. I'm a hairdresser... and part-time space invader."

"A hairdresser?" Bert asked, "no offence, I wouldn't have thought it,"

Paul grinned, showing off a set of enormous sharp teeth. "You oughtta see me with a pair of scissors."

"I'm sure you can work miracles," said Bert, resolving not to be near Paul when he had scissors.

"What do you do?" Paul questioned from behind a pitcher-sized mug.

"I'm in college right now, I recently became the heavy weight boxing champion at the statewide tournament," said Bert drinking from a considerably smaller mug.

"Oh yeah?" Paul looked him over. "You ever get into it with that Randy VIII?"

"We have our occasional matches, they usually end with me getting a tentacle stuck somewhere," said Bert.

Paul raised an eyebrow at him. "He does get pretty excited about fightin'..."

"Yes, excited...that's the word for it," Bert chuckled.

"First time 'e beat me in a wrastlin' match I 'bout got a little nervous," Paul admitted gruffly. "You shoulda seen the look in 'is eye."

"I've seen that look you're talking about, but I'm not afraid of him," said Bert.

"No? Looked like 'e wanted t' eat me," Paul muttered.

"He might have...literally or metaphorically it's hard to tell," said Bert.

"Them special classes are a little nuts." Paul tapped at his head in gesture as he emptied his mug. "But that one in particular..."

"He's a little further off the deep end than most," said Bert, "I know..." he gave a fond little smile.

Paul eyed him. "That don't bother you?"

"No, not really, but then, I live with him when I'm at home," said Bert.

"What's that like?" asked Paul. "He give you them crazy looks?"

"Some times he looks at me with this intensity, like he's scrutinizing me," said Bert.

"Kinda weird," said Paul. "Why'd 'e do that?"

"Cause I'm a clone of his Schikelpotamus," Bert explained the situation with him, Kurt and Randy.

Paul gave a whistle. "Well, that's a hell of a story..."

Bert nodded, "Yes, I suppose that's why very little surprises me at this point,"

"I guess it wouldn't," said Paul with a smile. "You ever been out in space?"

Bert shook his head, "No, but Randy offered to take me to the planet next time he goes,"

"It's a nice place," Paul replied. "Done a lotta my training there."