Beep beep beep.

The Commander slowly opened his eyes and shut off the alarm clock.

Blasted thing always wakes me up too early.

As he slid out of bed, he glanced at the calender on the wall. His face froze. No... it couldn't be... he thought it was still weeks away.

The doors suddenly burst open and two short robots rushed in.

"Come on, Dad! It's time to get up! We've got places to go!" said XL.

"Should I get your spacesuit for you, Pop?" XR asked.

"Get out! Both of you!" Nebula shouted.

"But today's the annual Star Command father-son picnic!" said XR.

"You promised you'd take us." reminded XL.

Nebula ground his teeth. "I know. BUT IT ONLY STARTS IN FIVE HOURS! SO GET OUT!" he yelled.

"Alright, alright. Yeesh, you don't have shout." said XR.

"Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed today." XL whispered to XR as they left.

Nebula sighed. Why had he agreed to take them in the first place? Probably because they wouldn't stop nagging.

He turned to the window and stared into space. For once he wished that an army of hornets was on their way, or perhaps a few Raenok warships. Anything to get him out of this stupid picnic.


"Can I ride on the pony?" asked XL excitedly.

"No." answered Nebula grouchily.

"Aw, come on. Pleeeeeease?" XL pleaded.

"Oh, alright! Anything to get rid of you!" said Nebula, handing XL a few unibucks.

"Gee, thanks Pop!" said XL, rushing off.

"I hope you don't want a ride as well, XR." said the Commander.

There was no answer.

"XR? Where are you?" the robot had disappeared from sight.

"So, you think you know which shell the pea's under? Alright then, that'll be five unibucks. If you're right, you'll get it back plus five more, and if you wrong I keep the money." came XR's voice from behind some crates.

Nebula snuck up to the boxes and peered over. XR had set up a stand with identical three shells lined up together, and a group of children had gathered round. One was holding out a five unibuck note.

"XR! What in blue blazes do you think you're doing?" demanded the Commander.

"Pop! What are you doing here? I thought you were with XL." said XR nervously.

"Are you trying to con money off children?" asked Nebula furiously.

"Who, me? No! I'm just... showing them what someone who WAS trying to con them would look like."

Fortunately for XR, Nebula didn't have time to say anything else, because a runaway horse suddenly charged past, almost knocking him over.

"Whoa, horsey! Whoa!" screamed XL, who was riding the horse.


"Can't I turn my back on you two for one minute without you getting into some kind of trouble?" Nebula growled.

"Let's enter the sack race, Dad!" begged XL.

"Yeah! You and XL can do that, and then you can do the three-legged race with me." said XR.

Nebula gritted his teeth, and allowed himself to be led by XL to the starting line.

"This is gonna be great!" said XL, getting into the sack.

Nebula picked up his own sack and stepped into it. He was going to have nightmares about this day for years.

"Ready... set... go!" shouted an LGM, drawing out each word.

Everyone else was off the starting line in an instant, but XL remained stationary.

"XL, why aren't you moving?" Nebula called back. If they were going to do this stupid race, they should at least try to win it.

"I can't hop." said XL miserably.

"Then why'd you want to enter in the first place?"


"So, which ride should we go on? The ferris wheel?" asked XR, as the group strolled across the picnic site.

"How about that one? It looks just like my centrifigator!" said XL.

XR winced. "I think I'll pass."

"You two can go one whatever blasted rides you want. I'm staying here." said Nebula, fed up with their shenanigans.

"Aw, but it's no fun without you, Dad." said XL.

"How many times do I have to say this? I'M NOT YOUR DAD! You're both robots!"

"But you signed and initialled our work orders, Pop." said XR, pulling out his work order.

"I thought it was a request for a two week vacation to Mahambas VI!"

"But aren't you glad now that it wasn't?" XR grinned.

"Not at times like these!"

"Aw, you don't really mean that. We know how you feel about us." said XL.

"Yeah, you love us! If you didn't, why would you send a whole army of rangers to rescue me from that Raenok prison?"

"Or give me a job at Star Command?"

"Or let me join Team Lightyear?"

"If you two don't cut it out right now I'm going to - "

"You love us! You love us!"

"That's it!" the Commander got up and began chasing the two robots. "When I get my hands on you..."

"Smile for the Star Command newsletter!" said a blonde ranger with a camera.


"XR, why's the Commander holding you in the air and shaking you in this picture?" asked Booster, looking at the newsletter that XR was holding.

"Oh, we were just having a friendly family frolic." said XR.

"I take it the picnic went well?" said Mira.

"It was great. I can't wait until next year." replied XR.

Commander Nebula, who was walking past, heard the last two comments. His face went white. Surely they wouldn't rope him into taking them again next year?

Of course they would. Somehow, they always got him to do what they wanted. Just like real children.

No, I did NOT just think that. They're robots. They're not my sons!

Yeah, right.


Author's note: This chapter was a lot of fun to write. It's longer than the last two, but that's because there are so many funny things I can imagine the trio getting up to at the picnic. In fact, I wanted to make the chapter longer, but didn't want it to drag on too long. Nebula/XR/XL interactions are a joy to write.

I don't mean to beg, but please, please, pleeeeeease review!