I'm sorry about the constant annoying interruptions in this story- unfortunately there may be a few more, but I shall try to cut down XD

In a few weeks time I have my finals/HSC, which means I will need to be studying very hard, and thus updates will be sporadic. I have already written chapter 8 and most of 9, which I hope to get up some time this month, but if apart from those if there is a lack of updates, well, that will be why.

Anyway, here's chapter 7. Some stuff actually starts to happen now. Enjoy.


'Ten-hut!'

Doctor Space-Claw observed his son's funeral from his balcony, breathing heavily through the mouthpiece of his helmet. Rows of identically dressed starship rangers stood like statues, saluting the coffin as it was carried out across the courtyard, and as one of the Generals began a speech.

Beside him, his new wife sobbed into her handkerchief.

'Oh, he was such a sweet boy!' she sniffled, 'Even though I never actually met him, except over the phone, I loved him like he was my own son!'

Space-Claw was beginning to wonder if marrying a person you'd met online was such a brilliant idea after all. The woman's chirpy personality was a constant hindrance to his evil plans.

Doctor Space-Claw was not an ignorant man. He knew precisely what his son was up to on 15A2's last mission; he'd given the go-ahead for everything. Experimenting with bug-human hybrids had been his obsession for several months now- anything to make a human better, more advanced was considered, and he'd tried out many of his experiments on himself. The loss of his son was not particularly upsetting to a man with such lofty, obsessive ambitions- but he had been a valuable pawn in Space-Claw's grand schemes, and feigned affection was vital to ensure the trust of the G.L.E.E. As far as they were concerned, he was a devoted, if somewhat eccentric father, concerned for his son's strange fetishes and marijuana addiction.

No-one had been clever enough- or perceptive enough- to see the truth- that most of Junior's doings were his bidding and not the pot, and all done in an attempt to cover up Space-Claw's other, vastly more evil plot. He'd been working on this since the robot war officially ended, but as it drew ever closer to completion he needed more and more distractions. It was important the G.L.E.E didn't suspect him- that the truth remained a secret until the last minute. From within, and in control of the League, he had a much better chance of bringing his plans to fruition.

And no-one had ever questioned the stories they were spoon-fed about Junior- until now.

Of course, it had to be Commander Up who caught on. Worse, both him and Lieutenant Taz- the two best rangers in the galaxy- suspected him, and if the two of them started to oppose him he'd have no chance. The others would undoubtedly follow their lead- whether it be from reputation, fear or experience working with them nearly all the rangers had developed a self-sacrificing respect for them, and would follow them in battle to the death.

Both were on their way to becoming very serious problems for Doctor Space-Claw. On their own they were tougher than entire armies combined- not even being sawn in half had kept Commander Up down for ever- now he was back to his old self almost as though nothing had happened. Combined they were practically indestructible.

Space-Claw had come to the conclusion that his only option was to get rid of them. Get them out the way- but in a manner that could, and would, be interpreted by the rest of the G.L.E.E as an accident.

He'd already begun to formulate Commander Up's downfall. It was brilliant- the first reconstruction had been completed and he'd lulled everyone into a false sense of security. If stage two, well, didn't go according to 'plan', and there was every chance that it wouldn't, considering the enormous risks involved, everyone would chalk it down to an accident of science.

There was no doubt about it; Space-Claw was a diabolical mastermind. And one day he'd brag about that.


The weeks passed fairly uneventfully. Up's leg seemed to be healing according to the doctors' specifications. With each passing day the pain dulled, he found he had better control over it, and although it still had the habit of losing all feeling and collapsing every now and then, he was almost completely used to walking, running and kicking with it. Taz hovered closely by him whenever he seemed to have difficulty, supporting him on those occasions when it collapsed, and maybe it was just Up's imagination, but since that awkward morning a few weeks ago, her grasp on his arm was just that little bit more gentle, her tone of voice more sincere when she spoke to him. Of course, he couldn't be sure. He couldn't base his judgement on one incident- particularly an incident during which the person in question was unaware of what she was doing.

Every so often Taz would catch Up staring at her, a strange, faraway look in his eyes, and she wondered just exactly what he was thinking. She wondered if he was remembering oh, mierda, he couldn't be remembering that embarazoso incident the other morning…she should have known it all felt too real to be a dream; should have restrained herself. In her only slightly conscious, just-waking state, she'd allowed herself to respond to her feelings, and it was only when Up's alarm had shattered her dream she'd realised she'd carried some of her intrinsic desires over into real life.

She'd tried to pretend it hadn't happened after that. She'd treated it merely as something she'd been completely unaware of doing, changing the subject as quickly as possible. She'd almost let her true feelings show, like an estúpido infatuated teenager. She couldn't do that. She resolved that day to be more careful- but it wasn't long before her feelings got the better of her.


Something strange hit her not long after she had made this promise to herself. It was turning out to be an ordinary day- Up and Taz walking down to lunch together, and Taz watching him closely in case he needed her help. She could have left him to fend for himself at least two weeks ago- Up rarely experienced trouble with his leg any more, but somehow she couldn't bring herself to detach herself from his side.

They had almost reached the mess hall when Up abruptly stopped, turning and putting one hand on each of her shoulders.

Most people wouldn't dare risk touching Taz, but she and Up were friends- they were there, they'd reached that stage long ago. She didn't try to hurt him, as she normally would have done. She had to keep her tough persona showing, though, so she scowled.

'What?'

'Taz, look, you've been doin' a lot for me lately, and, well I just wanted to say…' Up paused, as if debating about saying something and changing his mind at the last minute. 'Well…thanks. I appreciate it.'

Taz smiled just a little, the words nearly slipping off her tongue before she caught herself. For a moment she considered just giving in and telling him that she l- no, she couldn't do that. If he didn't feel the same way, she'd just be making an idiota of herself in front of him. She would never give him that satisfaction. Still, they were alone, and she'd almost just gritted her teeth and done it- when would she ever get the chance again…

'Commander!'

Mierda. So much for that idea. Both turned to face the approaching Krayonder.

'Holden was lookin' for you- both of you, he needs to see you in his office. I think it might be urgent.'

Taz and Up exchanged glances. Urgent?


Taz was muttering dirty words under her breath as the crew of 15A2 approached the crumbling building, zappers raised. Damn Holden and his estupido orders. She'd had a full schedule for today- working out, training recruits, sparring with Up, and now she was stuck on some lifeless planet, preparing to invade a precariously dilapidated stone building vacated some two hundred years ago because there might possibly be a handful of robots somewhere in there. Taz agreed with the General on principle- stamp out any threat of a robot war reprise as soon as it appears- but why he'd needed the crew of two starships to man such a simple mission. Boy, he was getting over-the-top these days.

Alongside her, the members of Starship 17G5 glanced around, zappers at the ready. Taz rolled her eyes as Lieutenant Criss strutted past, his weapon hanging idly from his hand. She just didn't understand how an idiota like that ever made Lieutenant. Beside her, Commander Crawford was muttering away into his communications device.

'Yes, sir, we've reached the location…no, we haven't yet entered the building…'

She felt a strong desire to punch him in the face. Crawford always seemed to take control of every mission the two starships did together, despite the fact that Up was a far more qualified- and competent- commander. And he would never sit there grovelling into his phone when there was a job to be done.

'Is he done yet?' Up murmured, crouched on her other side. 'We gotta get this over with.'

Taz tutted in sympathy. 'Sometimes I just wanna tear the estupido cap from off his head and choke him wid it.'

Up chuckled, and Taz swatted at him. 'How's de leg holding up?'

'Not too bad- let's hope it doesn't decide to play up just as we find the damn robots.' He hesitated, looking over at Crawford again. 'Ah, screw it. I'm taking you guys in now regardless.'

Up stood. 'Okay, let's get this done. Once we get inside we'll split up- Lieutenants, search the east wing. Krayonder, Specs, Lang- the east. Crawford and myself'll go to the top floor to see if they left anything important behind. Tootsie, stay behind with Megagirl- I don't think this mission's really gonna be her cup of tea. Everyone else, get into pairs and let's go kill some robots.'

Taz admired the masterful way he delivered his instructions- it brought back fond memories of those pre-famous-injury missions, before he'd become soft. 'Hell yeah!' she shouted, hoisting her zapper over her shoulder and following the large group, as they moved toward the ruins, a very disgruntled Crawford following.


Up stepped through the archway with caution, treading carefully on the narrow bridge. He didn't trust the foundations of this building, or this bridge at all, and if they didn't watch themselves, they could end up in the deep crevasse below. He held a small device out in front of him, which emitted soft blip noises as it scanned for signs of robots. This shouldn't be too hard. There were fifteen of them, and from what Holden had outlined, the few surviving locals had only complained of two or three robot-like shapes in the vicinity.

As he stepped off the bridge, planting his feet on (slightly) more solid ground, Up felt the first tremor run up his leg.

Oh, damn. Don't do this to me. Not in the middle of a mission.

Up winced, and noticed Taz look over her shoulder at him, eyebrows raised. He shook his head and gritted his teeth, ignoring the strange sensation in his reconstructed limb. He didn't care if it fledged into bone-splitting pain, he didn't care if it fell off, he was not going to blow this.


Taz stood, feet apart, zapper shoulder-level, glaring at the doorway. Almost two hours in, scouring the building from top to tail and finding nothing, and she was getting restless. It had been an almost welcome change from the monotonous task when the robotic buzzing and clicking had sounded from the next room.

'Okay, idiota,' she told Criss, who was busy fixing his hair, 'when I say de word, we shoot de bastardos as dey come through de door- got it?'

'Sure,' Criss murmured, pulling his weapon lazily out of his pocket.

The clomp of metallic footsteps was coming closer. Taz bounced lightly on the balls of her feet, shutting one eye and taking aim. The footsteps had reached the door, as it began to creak she pressed her index finger to the trigger, preparing to squeeze it…

BANG!

A ball of fire erupted from the end of Criss's weapon, hitting the robot squarely in the chest as it entered and sending it flying across the room and into a pillar.

Taz's eyes were wide. 'Jou estupido, moronic hijo de puta! Dat was a flare!' She struck him across the head with the back of her hand. 'Now look what jou've done!'

The force of the two-ton metal monster crashing into it had demolished the pillar, sending a good portion of the roof crashing down on it.

The ruins shuddered and shook, the floor a few feet away from them caving in.

Criss looked up as the foundations of the building began to tremble. 'We gotta get outta here. This place could collapse any second.' As if on cue, a shower of rubble rained down from somewhere above them.

Taz hated to abandon the place, especially when there could be robots down there- robots she could, nay must kill brutally, but he was right. In setting off that flare, the moron had managed to destroy whatever shreds of stability the ruin had left. Idiota. She was going to have words with Holden when they got back about having Criss fired- that is, if she didn't kill him first.

'Pull back!' she shouted. A few hundred yards away, Crawford turned, taking in the destruction around them.

The floor beneath their feet was beginning to feel unsteady, and Taz could have sworn if she stomped hard enough it would crumble under their feet. Crawford nodded.

'You heard her! Get out! Forget the robots, just go!'

They ran for it, abandoning the robots and charging for the bridge, each only feeling safe to breathe once they'd crossed the archway and were standing on firm, solid ground once more.

'Okay, people, let's move!' Crawford was shouting, counting off his team as they sprinted past. Taz mentally ticked off Tootsie, Bug, February, Krayonder and, wait…not there was Specs, as they followed suit, but something, she couldn't help thinking, was terribly wrong. Commander Crawford's orders were still ringing through the air; where were Up's? She strained her ears, hoping to pick up his surly voice as it barked similar commands, but she found nothing.

Where was Up?

'Taz, look!' that was Criss's voice. She followed his gaze, and swore loudly when she saw what he was looking at. The bridge had collapsed into the abyss below, and Up was on the other side of it.


Not much actual TUp in that one, but I promise you a LOT more in the next chapter. I know there will be, because it's already done.

Yeah, this mission they're on is a bit annoying, but it will have a purpose.