I don't own Saber Rider or anything you recognize

Well things were going pretty well for the star sheriffs seeing as how the quadrant they were in was relatively quiet and they were taking a break when some news came that almost devastated the sheriffs

"you wanted to see us Dad?"

"yes April I did, Fireball, Colt have either of you heard from Saber lately?"

"no, the last time I heard from him was at a station on his way to his folks two weeks ago"

"longer for me than Colt the last time I heard from him was when he told us his plans to visit his folks and told us we were on vacation"

"what's this about daddy?"

(sighs) "it might be nothing but interference due to storms lately but we've lost contact with Saber Rider"

that didn't sit well with the sheriffs and they immediately demanded to go out and search for him

"I'm sorry but I can't allow that until we have more proof of his disappearance"

"understood sir" (Colt under his breath) "even if I don't like it"

"I know you don't like it Colt but orders are orders"

well two months passed and they finally started a search for Saber, unfortunately it ended after a month due to hard evidence of his death by someone or something out for revenge. Three years later much had changed within the star sheriffs, while uniforms were relatively the same their armor was a lot stronger due to new more powerful enemies plus interestingly enough one unit only had three people in it despite the fact that they were supposed to have four. The unit with only three people was interesting all on it's own, they had this kind of bond that transcended friendship but it wasn't love per se either

"hey Fireball?"

"yeah Colt?

"do you think that if he were here Saber would…?"

"I'm sure he would Colt, I'm sure he would"

"yeah but…"

Fireball just hugs him tightly

"don't say that Colt"

suddenly they heard another voice

"yeah Colt you're doing fine as a leader never doubt yourself on that"

they both turn at that voice

"April since when were you…?"

"I was coming to tell you we need to get to Alamo station but you two needed your little moment so I waited until now"

"April do you really think…?"

"yes I do"

"but I'm not…"

"no one's asking you to be Colt, never forget that"

"alright then we're needed at Alamo station?"

"yes I wasn't told why but they sounded urgent"

"well if they sounded urgent than let's go"

and so a few hours later they were at the Alamo station not knowing they were about to get a huge surprise

"Colt, sheriffs we know you've been busy on patrol for the past few months but another unit recently raided a slave camp and found survivors and brought them here"

"what are we here for then?"

"well because one of the survivors he's…oh just come with me"

and so they follow him and are shocked at who the doctor reveals in one room

"Saber is that really you?"

"yes April, gentlemen it's me"

Saber had also changed in the three years he had been missing, his hair was unkempt, he looked beyond tired and also multiple scars on his body

"Saber where have you been all this time?"

(sighs) "it's hard to say April since I was moved all over during my captivity, how they missed my Emergency Badge Unit" (EBU) "I have no idea but it's the only thing that's kept me going sometimes and it's what allowed the star sheriffs unit that found me identify who I was, and the DNA testing has proved it"

"I'm glad you had your EBU with you Saber"

"now than how long have I been missing anyways, and where's your fourth team member?"

just then April's father commander Eagle shows up

"I'll handle this one you three, first of all welcome home Saber it's good to know you're alive as for your questions, for one thing you've been gone for three years…"

"three years but how?"

"we had evidence of your death Saber, Steed, your gun and saber all destroyed and what we thought was what was left of your DNA for identification and as for why those three don't have a fourth member well…let's just say the one person they did try having with them didn't work out"

Saber didn't miss the sudden winces when the fourth person was said to not have worked out and realized that something was missing. Three hours later command had his full report on what happened to him during his captivity and how he was taken captive in the first place and they were angered at illegal fighting rings but were also glad it was Saber and not some poor innocent person at that station that had been taken captive, otherwise they might never have found out about them. After Saber's report April and the other two decided to explain exactly what commander Eagle had meant when he said the one person the group had tried didn't work out