DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN STARSHIP.

This is my second Starship fiction. I plan on making a second chapter to this story, so please stay tuned for it. (: Reviews are loved.

It started with one sentence. One sentence that seemed to take Commander Up's heart out of his chest and beat it to a nice little pulp.

Lieutenant Taz was reported MIA.

Well, technically it started about six months before that. Lieutenant Taz was assigned to a dangerous mission. They only took the best on this mission. There was a planet with known to have dangerous natives, but no ranger had ever lived to be able to properly describe them. All that was known about their appearance is that they had four eyes and four claws to match them.

Their mission was to retrieve a bag that had been left behind from a Starship Ranger before. It had vital information about the planet in it.

They had not signed Up for the mission as well because he had just returned from a shorter mission not too long ago.

The day of the mission he walked into Taz's room to wish her luck. He knocked a few times. His knocking was greeted by, "Venido adentro." He swung the door open to see Taz simply sitting on the side of her bed in her usual get-up. Her small bag was packed beside her. Her brown eyes were set on the wall in front of her. After knowing Taz for so many years, he knew this was usual for her before a mission. Said its her way of "cleaning her mind" and readying herself for what was to come. "Que Pasa?"

Commander Up walked over to the smaller women and sat on the side of her that her bag was not on. He smiled at her, "I just wanted to wish you luck on your mission. I know that you'll kick some major ass." And I just wanted to see you before you left for dead God knows how long.

Taz had the smallest hint of a smile playing at the sides of her lips. "Gracias, Up." She nodded a little. "Have they got you planned for any missions anytime soon?"

Up shook his head. "No, they're wanting to rotate around the Commanders and give the ones who are training a chance to go on a mission. So, I guess that leaves me training new recruits." He gave a small shrug.

Taz chuckled, "Oh, you're going to love that, aren't you?" she asked. She knew how much the Commander hated training new people; he didn't have enough patience for it.

He simply sighed and rolled his eyes. "Sure I will." He then became more serious. "Taz, you know how dangerous this mission is, right? You know it doesn't need to be taken lightly?"

Taz looked at the older man like he was insane. "Idiota. Do you think I'm estupido? Of course I know it's dangerous. But, I relish the danger," she said with a playful smile. One thing he had learned about Taz over the years was that she seemed her happiest in the most risky and life-threating battles. She seemed to bask in the adrenaline pumping moments. And of course, she shined during them.

He shook his head at her with a small laugh, "Yes, yes. I shouldn't have even said anything." He smiled, thinking of what to say to her. Looking her over, he noted to himself (not for the first time) how small her figure was. Maybe that's how she was such a danger to the things she fought- they didn't expect something so large from something so small.

So many things hovered on the top of his mind that he wanted to tell her, but with every thing, he could think of a way she could shoot it down. Besides, it wasn't like he wasn't not going her again- she went on missions without him all the time. So, he merely stood, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Good luck, again, Taz." He gave her a warm smile and walked out of her room.

Taz watched as the man left the room. Lately between them if seemed as if things were left unspoken. But, maybe she was just overthinking things.

Of course Commander Up watched as the starship that Taz was on took liftoff. He wouldn't have been anywhere else. He saluted along with all of the other Starship Rangers. She was on Starship New Hope. "Dead God Speed, New Hope," he said loud enough for some of the other Commanders around him to hear. Some echoed him.

Dead God Speed, Taz.

6 months later.

Starship New Hope now docking…

Commander stood to his feet when he heard this over the radio in his room. He had not been able to make it to any meetings about their mission since training kept him busy, but he would not miss this.

He walked out of his bedroom to began walking to the ship dock, but the Commander who did the overseeing of the mission from the ground pulled him to the side.

"Commander Rosa, good day to you. Can I help you?" he asked politely.

Rosa gave him a smile, but her smile did not seem genuine. It seemed like their was a sadness hiding behind it. "You were very partial to Lieutenant Taz, were you not?"

Up was slightly surprised, but did not pretend to deny it. "Yes."

She bit her lip. Up always thought that Rosa was a good Commander. She had many qualities you did not find in many commanders- such as compassion. But she also had the ones you need to succeed as a commander- such as the ability to be hard as stone when needed. "You were not able to attend any of the meetings about the Starship New Hope's mission were you?" Up shook his head, wondering where she was going with this and why she looked so concerned. She took a deep breath and rested her hands on Up's shoulders. "Well, New Hope's mission had to be cut short because the on-board Commander was killed, along with several of his rangers. Only two rangers survived to come back. They were able to give us a list of the dead bodies that they saw when I commanded them to pull back. All of the dead is accounted for, expect for Lieutenant Taz."

The more and more Commander Rosa spoke, the heavier his heart became. "…What are you trying to say?" he asked slowly.

"Lieutenant Taz was reported MIA."

Up closed his eyes and steadied him against the nearest wall. "M-missing?"

"Yes, Commander Up. Ranger Brendon called it in as he was tending to the other surviving ranger's wounds."

Taz. Taz was missing. Up tried to comprehend the information he was just told. But as hard as he tried to, he just couldn't.

Hours later, Commander Up found Ranger Brendon boasting with his war stories to some younger rangers. "Recruit Brendon!" he cried out. The younger rangers took one look at the Commander and split.

"Y-yes sir?" he answered. The ranger knew the commander would speak him with sooner or later. It just so happened to be sooner.

He got closer to the ranger, closer than the ranger would've liked. "Why was the Lieutenant left behind since you did not spot her body?"

"Our orders were to pull back and leave the planet, sir. Besides, all of the rangers were dead, even the Commander. We cried out for Lieutenant Taz, but we got no answer. We both came to the conclusion that she was dead, like the rest of them."

Up opened his mouth again to speak, but was cut off by Rosa, "Commander Up, leave the ranger alone, he needs to rest." Up looked over at the women who spoke. He took another look at Brendon, and then walked away.

"We have to send a ship back to the planet to look for her," the gray haired man said to the women across the table. "Rosa, you're still in charge of the mission, the mission has not yet been dismissed. Let me get a team to go back and look for her."

Commander Rosa shook her head. "I'm sorry, Up. I can't do that. It's far too dangerous. We cannot risk any more rangers' lives for one ranger."

Up was beginning to get angry. "Taz is not just a ranger. She's a damned good ranger, probably one of the best we've had."

Rosa sighed, "I agree with you, Up. But we just cannot risk it."

Up let out a frustrated cry and hit the nearest wall. Rosa closed her eyes and shook her head, but said nothing.

Up glared at the women for a moment, his blue eyes meeting her green, then turned and left after saying, "This isn't over, Rosa."

A few days later, Up had been notified of the mass funeral for the fallen Rangers, so he dressed nice, going to pay his respects. When they said they had taken the best with them, they really had. Up had gone on several missions with some of those men.

So, there he sat, in one of the uncomfortable chairs listening to someone drown on about their strong character and bravery. He then began to read off the names. He perked up when Taz's name was read. He stood quickly. "No."

The man reading the names paused and looked up quickly, "Excuse me?"

"Lieutenant Taz was never confirmed dead."

The man glared at him, "Commander Up, please take a seat."

Up looked around at him at everyone staring at him. "This is bullshit," he yelled, promptly leaving to his quarters.

Somewhere on a far off planet, Lieutenant Taz woke to her third week stranded on the alien planet.