Chapter 10:
Redemption
I
Captain Gantu indelicately cast the broken tree from the sleeping 627's head. He then pulled a second glass sphere from his belt, all the while feeling a rattling from the one in his other hand.
"Struggle all you want, abomination," The Captain teased Stitch, who punched the glass as hard as he could to no avail. "Our top scientists have been working on that glass for over a year. It wasn't originally meant for field purposes, but the thought of it came to me not too long ago." With one massive, three-fingered hand, Gantu twisted the empty sphere open, scooped 627 into it, and then shut it.
"Very effective, no?" He smirked as if he were selling the portable prison. Noticing the twisting motion made to open the sphere, Stitch stood on the wall of the glass and attempted to rotate it to his right.
"I see you weren't watching closely enough," Gantu teased further, ginning his grin that was one tooth short. It was here that Stitch noticed the right of the Captain's two fin-like appendages was bandaged. "No more hints for you. I've got enough to worry about on this mission with my men losing fingers. I quite like you as you are,"
"How'd you lose your tooth?" Lilo asked curiously, while Stitch only glared at Gantu. "And, uh...That other thing?" She pointed at the bandaged fin.
"My last encounter with these monstrosities," Gantu began, nodding at the two Experiments in his hands. "One of them, not either of these two, bit me like he was trying to eat me and then tore out one of my teeth in a fit of rage. He also shot me weeks before that. Several times, actually. He's really not so fond of me for some reason,"
"Maybe it's because you bother people when they haven't done anything wrong," The girl sneered in an altered voice. Both aliens' hearts skipped a beat at the statement; Gantu's for the words, and Stitch's for the painfully familiar voice. He had hoped that crushing the doll's head was the end of it,
"I-I do apologize," The Captain tried to regain control of his voice. Stitch was surprised that Gantu had been so upset by the remark. "But with you and 626 in such close proximity, I had little choice. I had to strike while the iron was hot, as they say; while his back was turned,"
"Yeah, yeah, can you just open this thing, you giant asshole?" Lilo rudely demanded, her altered voice persisting. Gantu sighed wearily.
"I'm sorry, but after so many years, I can't risk allowing one of these terrorists to escape. I promise, once I get him to a cell and we ask you a few questions, we'll get you back here. Eventually. I promise," He received no response but a spiteful glare. He shook his head and marches through the trees, arriving at his ship, which was black and lined with white and the size of five pods, within as many steps.
As the glass spheres were attached to the ship's stern with thick metal restraints, Stitch's fist strangled thin air. He could feel Scrump's cold glance behind him, but could not bring himself to meet her eyes, as if he would be frozen to death just from making eye contact. He had thought nothing would be worse than the frigid, lonely, rainy night he had spent in the animal shelter, but now he preferred crashing into Earth to being taken to his doom with three people who hated him. He wished there was at least some insignificant object nearby that he might suffocate instead of the air. As it was, there was nothing to interact with but the glass that rendered him useless. He brought his fist back and, with a deafening roar of outrage that nearly destroyed his voice, struck the glass once more. Nothing. He heard the ship whir and looked through the glass at the sandy ground, prepared to watch it shrink into an unspecific dot on the planet's surface. Then he looked under his fist, still pressing into the glass; a tiny crack had formed, barely noticeable, but the very sight of it gave Stitch a sensation like he was being tickled by the air. He quickly punched the crack with as much force as his last hit, and it grew ever so slightly. The whirring grew louder. The former terrorist hit the crack again and again as hard as he could and then even harder, and soon the crack was as big as him. The chill from Scrump's icy glare had dissipated, but then both Stitch and Lilo felt the ship hovering above the ground. His blood feeling like lava, Stitch brought his head back, clamped his eyes shut, and then thrust it into the fractured glass with all his might. He was successful. So successful, in fact, that not only did he break through the glass, but the surprise of his victory combined with the force of the headbutt cost him his footing, and he fell forwards, landing with his face in the sand. He returned to his feet more hastily than any recovery he had ever performed, his heart reaching before his hands for Lilo. He would pull her from the shattered sphere, and his two enemies would leave and not realize until far too late that their cargo had, once again, eluded them. Unfortunately, the nightly black ship's thrusters sent Stitch to the ground once more, and he was stopped only by a tree. When he stood back up, he felt like ice again as he watched Gantu's ship take to the skies, taking Lilo out of sight with it. Stitch stared with wide eyes at the now-empty sky for a moment, and then felt something rising up his stomach, into his throat and approaching his mouth. He released it, wishing it would find the ship and shoot it down.
"FU-" The Experiment was interrupted by something skinny and aggressive coming down on his head. It did not hurt much; he was more irritated that someone would think to attack him, and that they could not have chosen a more inappropriate time to do so. Turning around in frustration, his anger was quelled by the discovery that his attacker was Nani, wielding a tall and crooked stick. Her anger, unlike Stitch's, was still plentiful.
"Where's Lilo?!" She demanded, her face as scarlet as Stitch's. "That had better be your blood, you little-"
"Yes, Stitch's blood," The Experiment answered lowly before being graced with another obnoxious smack from the stick.
"I know you know where she is!" The older sister pressed, as if shouting would increase the quality of Stitch's eventual answer. "If you've hurt her, I swear to God, I'll-"
"Stitch knows where Lilo is," He answered more firmly. "And did not hurt her," Not physically, he thought glumly.
"Then tell me where she is!" Nani attempted another swing, but this time Stitch caught the stick and threw it swiftly out of her hands and to the ground.
"Stop hitting Stitch!" He ordered, becoming as loud as she. He thought of adding 'Or Stitch will hit back,' but the words never reached his tongue. "Stitch cannot help if you hit him," He added more warmly. Nani took a deep breath as her face resumed its natural color.
"Just...What are you? What was that red monster that attacked me and, it seems, you? But most importantly..." She knelt down as she and Stitch looked each other right in the eyes, both pairs heavy with concern. "Where is my sister?"
"Gantu take her," Stitch answered curtly. "Meanie, want take Stitch to prison, but take Lilo instead. Stitch from space and so is red monster. Red monster, name 627, hate Stitch, and Gantu hate Stitch, for bad things I did. Lilo in Gantu ship in sky because of Stitch," He explained as quickly and softly as he could. He saw Nani was about to respond and knew her reply would not be positive, so he took her hands hastily and continued. "But Stitch can save Lilo! Stitch has plan that will work!" A moment's pause, but the Experiment was glad that the answer he earned was more cooperative.
"Alright..." A brief answer, only because she knew that there was more to be heard.
"Stitch need Nani's help for plan. Stitch can get to ship and will, but Stitch need beat 627 forever before save Lilo. Stitch can do all this, but need Nani to be out in water. Very far. Then Stitch bring Lilo down. Okay?"
"Okay," She ignored any shred of hesitance. "I can do that,"
"Good. Thank you so much. Stitch is very sorry. You are great mom." He gave her a quick hug; Nani's surprise and Stitch's urgency did not allow the older sister to reciprocate. "Stitch and Lilo see you in water!" He shouted back as he ran in the direction of the ship. Nani darted in the opposite direction.
The eldest Pelekai's brain was manic with thought. She did her best to calm her brain over the mental echoes of Cobra's words, 627, and Stitch's true origins, and focused all of her energy on helping to save her sister. Her first consideration was that her surfboard was the most immediately accessible form of water transportation, but then she pondered its efficiency. Stitch had requested that she be particularly far out on the water, and she doubted if she could paddle the board over enough distance in time. There were no other options, though. Then she came across the one person she wanted to see least of all; Cobra was approaching her as hastily as she was running. Even that 627 creature would be better to see right now, Nani thought. Then, like an arrow of recollection that shot through her skull, she remembered more than one occasion when the social worker mentioned owning a boat, and suddenly seeing him was almost as relieving as seeing Lilo safe.
"Ms. Pelekai-" Cobra began in an unusually concerned tone, but he was interrupted as Nani stopped in front of him.
"Mr. Bubbles, thank God!" She heaved. "Look, I'm sorry about my rant, but I really, really need your help! This is going to sound unbelievable, but-"
"I know, Nani," It was his turn to interject. "Your dog is some fantastical foreign creature being pursued by another of his kind,"
"You've seen him?"
"The tall, fire-colored one, yes. He rendered me unconscious by pinching a nerve in my neck,"
"Yeah, he did the same to me. Look, Lilo's been taken by that red monster and some Captain, but Stitch has a plan to save her! He needs us to go out on the water as far as possible!"
"We can use my boat," Cobra said curtly before turning around and marching in the direction he had come from.
"W-Wait, really?" Nani questioned while keeping up with him, surprised at the ease of earning his assistance.
"Of course; I want Lilo safe as much as you do. You should know that,"
"You don't even think I'm bullshitting you?"
"I've seen you lie, Nani. In fact, I've seen many people lie. I can see it in the face and the voice and the flow and choice of the words, and you are not lying,"
"Oh...Good,"
II
When Stitch emerged from the forest and onto the road, he was torn between which part of his stratagem would be the most taxing; the confrontation with 627 and Gantu or finding a way to reach them. He knew that even a planet as undeveloped as this one must have some means of traversing the skies. Looking up, he found a green sign that hung over the black road, showing several white symbols, words, and numbers, but the only one Stitch cared for was the one of some cone-like shape sporting what were undoubtedly wings. The arrow pointed straight down the road, which curved only to the left. All I need to do is follow the road, he thought, and then steal, um, borrow a ship of some kind and catch up with Gantu. He lacked confidence, however, in his running speed. Then he heard a quiet whirring sound that grew increasingly louder behind him. When he turned around, he saw a red vehicle without a roof hurriedly approaching his direction.
"I could kiss you," The Experiment muttered with relief as he held two hands out, stopping the car like buffers would a train. The tires screeched against the pavement for a moment before stopping. When Stitch heard the driver's door click open, he stepped silently to the opposite side. When he heard the door slam shut again, he knew that the driver would be too busy searching for whatever stopped his car to notice somebody leap into the driver's seat and drive off without him. Stitch did exactly that, learning quickly to press his foot on one of the pedals beneath him to accelerate the vehicle. He never saw the driver's face, but he did hear his voice as he zoomed down the road.
"Aw, man, that's a rental!"
Don't worry, bud, I won't damage your vehicle, Stitch thought. He quickly pressed his other foot on the second pedal to confirm his prediction that it would slow him down when necessary, and it did. Then he pushed on the accelerator as far as he could control, thinking to himself that Lilo was already a third of the way saved.
III
"For Bowman's sake, Private, stop shivering!" Captain Gantu demanded as he attempted to bandage the bloodied hands of his three-legged subordinate. The four injured soldiers sat on a bench at the back of their ship. The interior was the reverse of the exterior; white lined with black, seeming almost like a rendition of purgatory. Out of the corner of his eye, Gantu could see the red light from the autopilot switch, which was on the dashboard in the cockpit in front of the pilot's seat, all of which were deliberately built bigger than most military vessels to accommodate the Captain's towering size.
"Listen to your Captain, Pleakley," The Lieutenant, who sat next to the shivering private, ordered through clenched teeth. Each soldier had their hands wrapped in bandages and their helmets removed. The two shaped like raptors had faces similar to the creatures and red skin of different shades; the female lighter than the male Lieutenant. The largest one, who only had one of his massive hands wounded, had a smaller head with purple skin and three horns staring from his forehead and ending at his scalp. The hesitant private currently being bandaged had green skin, a single, short antennae poking from the top of his head, and one giant eye that held back tears the size of hand grenades.
"I'm sorry!" The Private snapped back at his Lieutenant. "I'm just maybe a little upset at losing my fingers, alright?!"
"That's fine, Pleakley," Gantu responded, less stern but stern nonetheless as he continued bandaging the Private's hands. "But I do need you to be still,"
"Yes, Captain," Pleakley said, trying to make piece together his shattered voice through his teeth.
"Right, then." Gantu, after finally tying off the bandage, stood up as his troops offered their undivided attention. "Once we return to base, we can see into getting you some robotic replacements for your damaged hands. Even if some of you might disagree..." He looked specifically at the Lieutenant and the Private, who sat in the middle. "You all showed great bravery in standing up to one of the most brutal terrorists we've faced in eight years. Thanks to each of you, we now have not one, but two of Hamsterviel and Jumba's Experiments in our custody." The soldiers who had clenched their teeth and bit their lips in anguish now responded their Captain with a smile, including the irritable Lieutenant and the reluctant Private. "Because of you, we are now one step closer to finally smiting this rebellion once and-" Gantu's voice was outmatched by the ear-piercing sound of ripping metal. The unit looked to the port side as the seated officers leaped to their feet, discovering a crimson-furred hand with ferocious black claws had emerged from the wall like a demon crawling out of Hell. The hand-sized hole grew violently into one big enough to allow 627 entry into the ship, leaving behind a passing view of the clouds, white like an unpainted canvas. Gantu swiftly drew a blaster from his belt, but the soldiers were surprised to find that the Experiment did not seem on the verge of attacking. He was not even in a battle stance. He only scanned the ship's interior with a glare that increased when his scan disappointed him.
"Where is he?" He questioned the Captain.
"That glass was supposed to be strong enough to hold you!" Gantu exclaimed with furious terror.
"You didn't have me in mind when you were making it, though, did you? I'm far stronger than any one of those loathsome Experiments, and I've grown tired of your interference, Captain. Now, I asked you a question, and I expect an answer,"
"I take it he's not in his sphere, then,"
"No, he's not, Captain," 627 was growing increasingly irritable. Gantu noticed the officer with three horns and one intact hand silently approach the furious Experiment from behind. "Do you know where he is? Yes or no?"
"Damn..." Gantu muttered at the news that both Experiments had escaped. Then they all just lost their fingers for nothing, he thought glumly. He returned his attention to 627, hoping that it wasn't too late to tip the scales again as he found that his horned subordinate was now right behind the crimson creature. "Maybe he's in that forest where you two fought,"
"Thank you, Captain. That wasn't so-" 627 suddenly found a giant, black-suited arm around his neck. He backed up as he surged electricity through his entire body, but the purple-skinned soldier persisted in his attack despite the scorching pain. He was so fixated on strangling 627 and withstanding the torturous electricity that he automatically stepped backwards as the Experiment did. Entirely unintended by both parties, the soldier found himself stepping out of the giant tear 627 had entered through, where he barely grasped onto the edge with his one satisfactory hand. The red Experiment ceased his electric defenses, turning around with a look of fright that matched that of the soldier's four comrades. 627 was quick to reach a clawed hand for the horned officer's arm, but as soon as the soldier saw the hand reaching for him, his only set of fingers loosened, and he vanished into the unpainted canvas like a pebble in a stream.
"Oh, God..." 627 whispered, his eyes tied to the blank clouds for what felt like a century as his arm remained in its friendly outstretched position. The last five seconds replayed perfectly in his vision over and over, as if he were strapped down and force to watch the loop as a form of torture. Not of torture, he thought, but of punishment. He was dragged violently from his isolated thoughts when Gantu shot him in the back of his head. The bullet had been a plasma one, so 627 did not feel pain from the impact, but, as the Captain had hoped, the sickening surprise in the midst of distraction sent the crimson assassin falling forwards in the late soldier's direction. Like that same soldier, 627 was able to grasp the ship by means of the adhesive pads on his palms. He spent several seconds where he was, steadying his breathing and struggling to maintain his eyes' dryness. He eventually wondered why none of the soldiers had come to pry his grip loose, and that's when he heard a chopping sound ripping through the air. Turning around, he was bewildered to find a small, white helicopter approaching the ship, and he was infuriated when he looked through its window and discovered who the pilot was.
IV
"Nearly there," Stitch told the young helicopter pilot, whose face he never got to know because his hand was clamped over the man's eyes. He was clad in a navy blue t-shirt and shorts which Stitch assumed was the uniform of the surprisingly massive place where he retrieved the bizarre air vehicle.
"G-G-G-Great," The pilot stammered, shivering in the seat beside the one Stitch sat in.
"Okay, listen," The Experiment began firmly as he pulled up beside Gantu's black ship. "I will leave soon. I will tell you when. Then you take control, open eyes, and not look right. Okay?"
"O-Okay!"
"Promise not to look right,"
"I swear on my grandfather's grave that I won't look right when you leave!"
"Good,"
"Y-You're gonna use a parachute, right?"
"Parachute..." Stitch recalled glancing at two grey vests with illustrated instructions that depicted two bland characters floating safely in the air on what appeared to be makeshift wings. "Make fall slow?"
"Uh...Yes?" The pilot was confused by the question.
"Good, good. Make easier," Stitch muttered as his plan shifted in his head to accommodate the discovery of the marvelous parachutes. "Yes, I will use parachute."
"A-Alright. G-Good...Y-You know, y-you're steering pretty well with just one hand." Stitch looked at the U-shaped steering wheel, which he grasped with his two hidden hands while his right primary one covered the pilot's eyes.
"...Thank you," The former revolutionary replied. He turned to look at the young man, despite the fact that the concealed eyes could not look back at him. "Thank you very much," He told him sincerely. "You help save someone. I am sorry I scared you. I did not mean to. You are very good and you will get back down safe,"
"Um...You're welcome," The pilot's stammer seemed to have been smote by Stitch's words.
"I am going to go now," The Experiment warned. "Take wheel and do not look right,"
"Alright. I'm ready," The young man responded. Within just four seconds, Stitch left the cockpit, was replaced by the pilot, snatched the two parachutes under his lower arms, and leaped out of the helicopter. The pilot, keeping his promise not to look in the black ship's direction as he descended beneath the clouds, never learned anything more about Stitch's appearance besides that his palm was strangely sticky.
The blue Experiment, pursued by a recovering 627, landed on the floor of the ship like a seed landing on sand, his secondary hands holding the unused parachutes firmly against himself. When Captain Gantu and 627 prepared to fire their respective projectiles at him, though, Stitch held his hand out forcefully at each of them and shouted loud enough to deafen them.
"STOP!" He ordered desperately. Neither of his enemies lowered their weapons, but they did withhold their fire. "Stitch does not want to fight!" The blue Experiment continued, being completely sincere and yet not at all believing his own words. "Stitch only want take Lilo back. Let me take Lilo and then no fighting. Or more fighting after Lilo safe. Lilo is Stitch's family, and I not leave Lilo behind. Family small, and now is broken, but Stitch won't let you..." He turned to the glowering 627. "Or you..." He turned to the supercilious Captain. "Hurt them! Please, give Lilo. Please be good." He looked Gantu right in the eyes, hoping that he would see the smoke of extinguished fire in his own. Instead, the giant soldier only smirked.
"And give you time to plan an ambush? Not likely!" The Captain declared as he lifted an enormous foot to stomp on the blue Experiment, who was swift in his evasion. Stitch, keeping a tight grip on the parachutes, landed right next to the three surviving officers, making the timid, one-eyed Private jump like his heart had been jumpstarted, but he was invisible to the former revolutionary.
"No ambush!" Stitch emphasized. "Just get Lilo home! Get Lilo safe!"
"It doesn't matter!" Gantu argued. "This; you, me, 627, the rest of you hideous bastards, the Galactic Federation and the countless people lost to you over the years! It's about the beginning of your final curtain! If one innocent person should be harmed in the crossfire, it's but a necessary sacrifice to finally bring closure to the people whose lives have been lost or ruined by you abominations!"
"...Okay," The blue Experiment's eyes narrowed as he leaped up at the Captain's face, driving his head into the massive, grey forehead as hard as he could. Gantu fell on one knee, clutching his skull while Stitch landed on his feet, ready to follow up with another attack. From the corner of his right eye, he saw the three fingerless officers maneuvering hastily around the battle, perhaps in the hopes of reaching the oversized cockpit. From the corner of his left eye, he saw a scarlet glow that undoubtedly originated from 627's burning eyes. Acting quickly, Stitch continued with his follow-up attack, jumping up and scissor kicking Gantu into the back of the giant pilot's chair. As he was in mid-air, 627's laser projectile zoomed beneath him, instead hitting the head of the reluctant, one-eyed Private. The projectile continued even after hitting the head, but the Private did not continue running with his comrades.
"Pleakley!" The two raptor-like soldiers exclaimed in horror and misery as they turned back and knelt by their ally's still body. Upon discovering the corpse, Stitch and a sitting Gantu turned to find 627, whose expression equaled the combined shock present on both fingerless officers' faces.
"I-I-I-I'm sorry!" The crimson assassin stammered as badly as the helicopter pilot had. "I-I was trying to hit 626, but he jumped and then that officer was there and-" Water appeared where the scarlet beams had come from. The tears persisted even when 627's eyes narrowed at Stitch. "Look at what you made me do!" He seemed ready to pounce at Stitch, but instead he darted to where the two surviving officers knelt, pinching the backs of their necks until they fell into a less motionless state than the Private. Quicker than a bullet, 627 did the very same to Gantu, who did not drift away without grasping the red Experiment entirely in his enormous hand, trapping him briefly after he was asleep.
"You never thought of doing that, did you?" 627 accused Stitch as he pried the gigantic, thick fingers away. As he freed himself, his nemesis seized the opportunity to hop into the huge pilot's seat and shut off the automatic pilot. His grasp on the parachutes had never loosened.
"Pinching the neck to knock them out cold?" Stitch responded as he took hold of the oversized steering wheel. "No, I never did. That's a good trick, actually. I heard you used it on Nani, too. Mind telling me where you learned it before you kill me?"
"My friend told me," 627 answered as he stormed out of the unconscious Gantu's hand.
"Your friend?"
"Yes. You remember, you bastard. The military ran in his family, and he shared that technique with me,"
"That was very nice of him." Stitch saw his enemy about to attack him once more, and swerved the ship in a hard left. 627 steadied himself with the adhesive pads on his feet while holding the sleeping Gantu in place almost automatically. When he realized what he was doing, his stomach curled into a painful knot and pulled on itself until 627 felt like vomiting. The crimson Experiment looked over his shoulder and found the two unconscious raptor-like soldiers, along with the late Private, sliding along the floor as the ship was leaned to the left, and heading straight for the hole that he had torn in the ship's side. Running faster than he'd run in his life, 627 arrived at the edge of the hole just as the two handless officers slid over it. Even after grasping the edge with his lowest set of hands and reaching for the soldiers as far as he possibly could, his claws only barely scraped the bottom of the female officer's boot. The ship had completed its turn and descended from the eternal clouds by then, and the assassin could only watch in blood-curdling devastation as the soldiers, the Private not far from them, shrunk into diminutive spots above the vast ocean, vanishing forever with nothing but tiny bursts of white against the water to signify their conclusion.
"Ah, there they are," 627 could still hear Stitch's voice muttering from the cockpit. "Hey, isn't that, uh, whatshecalled? Conrad? Coby? Cobra! Good; they're stopping. Now...Just the really hard part..."
"You disgusting shit!" The crimson Experiment roared as he returned to his feet. Stitch pulled the ship to a halt before exiting the pilot's chair, where he temporarily abandoned the parachutes, to face 627, whose blood was boiling like lava in a volcano on the brink of eruption. The former revolutionary felt like he was facing his execution where he was to be cremated alive. 627's face was even redder than before, and his eyes were a dark orange, although they were not preparing to fire their scorching beams. Stitch, his heart hammering against his ribs, could swear that his opponent's eyes were on fire. The flames licked the sockets around them and aged them to dust. Worse than fire; the eyes housed their own impression of Hell.
"Do you even know what you did?!" 627 continued when he received no response. Stitch wondered if Lilo could hear the crimson assassin's exclamations from outside. "You just killed those last two officers! They were wounded and vulnerable and you just carelessly let them fall to their deaths!"
Stitch looked to the gaping hole in the ship's wall, feeling at first like two shadowy hands were clamped around his neck. Then he returned his sights to his opponent, and pried the hands away.
"Yes, that's partly my fault and I am sorry," The blue Experiment confessed. "But you know why they were wounded and vulnerable in the first place, right?" The impact of Stitch's words struck 627 ten times harder than the fist that shot into the former terrorist's stomach.
"Now, you could put this up for debate..." Stitch coughed as he caught 627's second fist. "But right now, I see two people..." He caught the third fist. "I see the genetically-engineered Experiment who wants to save the innocent alien..." A secondary arm caught the fourth fist. "And the other genetically-engineered Experiment who's trying to murder the first one." The fifth fist was caught, but Stitch was left with nothing to block the scissor kick that hit his gut. 627 pinned his enemy to the wall with a forearm on his neck. With the spirits of two blows still possessing Stitch's stomach, he felt close to vomiting. Considering that the boiling 627 was in such close proximity, he thought that being sick would have its benefits.
"Just my opinion. Maybe you disagree-" Stitch received an onslaught of volts. In the rush and thievery of reaching Gantu's ship, he had forgotten the blood that coated his face, but in the scorch of the electricity, he was reminded of the warmth of the blood.
"But even Gantu..." He continued quietly when he was allowed to speak. "I can kind of understand him now. Capturing me would put the Rebellion where he wants them, even if I was only used as a hostage." He was worried that he'd lost 627's attention when he threw him over his shoulder head-first into the hard, metal floor.
"He was only trying to help all the planets that the Federation watches over!" Stitch grunted as he rose slowly to his feet. All the while, the crimson assassin glared at him with claws half-closed, as if reserving the space for Stitch's throat.
"He just screwed up when he captured Lilo just for the sake of convenience. You, however; you took the fingers off of some officers and then got them all killed. You attacked the people I live with not once, but twice. You beat me up, tease me with my friend's death, and smile while doing it! And now you won't even let me rescue one kid!" 627 was standing right over him now, his eyes glowing again.
"I'm helping my friend. Gantu was helping his government. So who are you helping, 627?" He questioned sternly. The scorching beams shot out of the assassin's eyes, but Stitch was quick enough to leap out of their path and land to the east of his opponent.
"I'd say you were helping that shady prick, Jacques Hamsterviel, but you don't seem to care much about the revolution,"
"You know who I'm fighting for," 627 retorted, finally absorbing the words being fired at him like cannon shells. "Your fallen victims; the ever-enlarging army of outraged souls demanding closure. I told you that penance comes for everyone, and I'm here to deliver yours,"
"Holy shit..." Stitch whispered at his antagonist's diction. "Okay, great," He continued, louder and more sarcastic. "If Gantu succeeded, his government would feel safer. If I succeed, then an innocent life is saved. If you succeed, then there's just death to make the dead happy." He noticed the hellfire in 627's eyes bellow. "Look, you've told me a lot about how much of an asshole I am, and I admit, I've done lots of awful things. But think about today. Just stop for five seconds and think about what I've done today, and then about what you've done today." It took a moment for the crimson Experiment to look to the massive hole that he had torn in the wall. Not long after, 627 hung his head, holding it beneath his fiery arms. He let out a weary sigh that was almost inaudible, but with Stitch listening intently to his every movement, it felt louder than even the groaning of the ship's engine.
"Just let me get Lilo to safety." The blue Experiment pleaded peacefully. "After that, you and I can settle this, once and for all. You have my word." There was a lengthy pause, making Stitch wonder if 627 had been listening to him. He was about to repeat his offer when his crimson foe looked back up, his glare no longer scorching.
"Fine," He answered softly. "Go help her. Then you return. I'll be waiting as long as it takes,"
"Great, Stitch perked up with a noticeable breath of relief. "Thank you." He swiftly returned to the pilot's seat and retrieved the grey parachutes before jumping through the gap in the wall. He climbed onto the roof of the ship without taking any immediate note of 627's stillness. He approached the ship's stern, finding two shattered glass spheres held down with metal straps, but only one carried any cargo. The back of its contents faced Stitch, so he leaped onto the top of the glass, crawled to the front where the jagged opening was, and cheerfully greeted his friend, who he saw as being upside-down.
"Hi!" He chirped. He was worried that he'd see Scrump's frigid grimace again, so he was delighted when Lilo beamed like the sun at his appearance.
"Stitch!" She cheered before looking at his torso. "Oh, wow!"
"What?" He lowered himself to the floor of the broken sphere.
"You've got four arms!" They both looked at his lower hands which held the parachutes. The blue Experiment was relieved that the girl reacted out of surprise as opposed to terror.
"Yes, Stitch has four arms," He responded merrily. "Four arms mean better hugs!" He wrapped the limbs tightly around her, picking her up as they both laughed. He set her down again as his laughter faded. "Stitch is sorry," He began mellowly. "Sorry for lying. Sorry for saying bad words. Sorry for shouting and for pushing and for...For being mean, like Mertle and...Like 627." His head and ears turned to the floor. He perked back up again when he felt Lilo's lips on his fuzzy cheek.
"It's okay, Stitch." The girl pulled him into another hug, not as tight as the last one but much warmer. "It's all okay,"
"Stitch remember...Nobody...Left behind,"
"That's right; you're Ohana, and no matter what you do, good or bad, that's never going to change,"
Stitch reciprocated the embrace, feeling in his chest like he should respond, but he found no words. He simply savored the hug, enjoying the few seconds he could spare to forget his crimson foe on the same ship, and to ignore the water that arose beneath his shut eyelids. He wished more than anything that he could steer the ship down to Nani and Cobra and bask in the relief and victory of his plan's success, but he knew that one step still remained. He took a deep breath before pulling away, knowing that the longer he held the embrace, the more difficult it would be to face 627 again.
"Nearly safe," He told Lilo before handing her one of the parachutes. "Wear. Stitch need Lilo's help for last part,"
"Oh, cool!" The girl merrily threw the grey vest on. "I've always wanted to try this!"
"Just..." The Experiment glanced at the instructions on the remaining parachute.
"Wait five seconds and pull the chord," They both said as they read their instructions in unison.
"This thing," Lilo pointed to the black, plastic handle that dangled from near the left armpit of her vest.
"Oh, okay." Stitch put his parachute on hastily. "One more thing. Very important,"
"Alright," The girl leaned in, curious.
"You go down first, but Stitch stay to fight 627,"
"Well, you beat him before, so you can do it again!"
"No; he never, ever stop, but Stitch will make him stop, but I need your help. When Stitch come down..." He paused and looked around, unsure if the fiery Experiment was eavesdropping. As a precaution, Stitch leaned in and whispered into Lilo's ear. "Okay?" She was hesitant to reply, as if he and informed her of the death of a pet, but then she looked up, more determined than he had ever seen her.
"Okay. I can do that,"
"Great." Without warning, he picked her up around the waist and carried her out of the glass sphere and onto the ship's roof. "See Nani in boat?" He set her down and pointed towards the water, where Nani and Cobra, about the size of finger puppets, waved urgently at them from what appeared to be a white speck amidst the blue liquid.
"Yeah, I see them." She looked at him and hugged him once more. "I know you'll do it,"
"We will," Stitch corrected soothingly. They smiled at each other one last time before Lilo leaped off of the pitch black ship. The former revolutionary watched the water until he saw Lilo, carried by a wing of graceful, grey fabric, descending until she shrunk to the size that Nani and Cobra were, and joined them on the white speck.
"Is it done?" An impatient voice growled behind him. Stitch knew that it was 627 before he even turned around.
"Yeah, it's all done,"
"Good. Now I'm going to kill you," The assassin responded bluntly before there was silence, aside from the endless groaning of the ship's engine. Stitch glared deep into his opponent's hellish gaze, until the fire bellowed again as the crimson Experiment charged at him with the fury and force of a horde of charging wildebeest.
"Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing!" A swipe from his claws was swiftly dodged, but he was able to block Stitch's elbow when it lead a counterattack.
"Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before!" The blue Experiment was electrocuted once more before feeling a fist travel furiously across his jaw.
"But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token!" Stitch's cheek met the back of 627's hand before his entire was grasped and thrust into the metal roof.
"And the only word there spoken was the whispered word 'Lenore?!'" The red Experiment's fist was late in punching Stitch against the metal, as the former terrorist had rolled out of the way just in time. Stitch sweep kicked 627's feet out from beneath him, causing him to fall on his back. The blue Experiment went to attack his downed opponent, but he found himself pushed away by the thin scarlet beam that came from the hellish eyes and ended at Stitch's chest. He skidded across the metal on his back, digging his claws into the roof to stop himself just before the edge. Stitch was too distracted by the burning on his chest to stop 627's cruel hand from snatching his foot. He was thrown across the roof once more, but this time he was able to stop himself on all fours. Unfortunately, he was too slow to stop the crimson assassin from grasping his grey vest and tearing two enormous and inaccurate parts of it off with his ferocious claws. The malevolent hands then grasped Stitch by his neck and dangled him over the edge of the roof. 627's pulse was quick enough to kill him before he could do so to his antagonist. He tried to smile, but when he did, his jaw burned.
"So...You're not going to ask me why?" Stitch inquired, his voice hoarse from the malicious grip on his neck.
"Why what?" 627 growled.
"Why I did what I did. After waiting so long to kill me, you don't at least want to know why I thought it was okay?"
"Not really...But why not? It isn't going to change anything,"
"Exactly." Stitch's bloodied face curled into an evil smirk. "It wouldn't have changed anything. Each of them, screaming loud enough to make your ears bleed. So what?"
"Shut up," 627 ordered through clenched teeth.
"It's not like they were going to do anything important. They were just going to die later on, anyway. Some of them were probably better off dead-"
"A child!" The crimson Experiment tightened his old on the blue neck, silencing the sinister explanation. "That's no fucking excuse, not for what you did to A CHILD!" As Stitch gagged and gasped, clawing at the fingers that tightened his windpipe, he noticed 627's eyes burned more furiously than any fire he had ever seen, and still water flowed underneath them; he was unsure which element was in greater quantity.
"When you see her again...I hope she rips your heart out," 627 growled through his tears. One more breath, and then he threw his hatred straight down with every ounce of strength he could summon.
The crimson Experiment got on his knees and watched Stitch shrink to the size of his friends on their boat, which the blue Experiment's head struck the side of before he crashed into the water. Seeing his enemy's skull strike the boat made the assassin's face burst, for mere seconds, into a wide, childish beam that his face had not felt in years, and that he thought he would never feel again. Then he saw the girl's sister dive into the water, and his beam faded only slightly; he still had not seen a corpse yet. It wasn't long before he saw Nani reemerge with the blue Experiment under one arm, while Lilo and Cobra pulled her up by her free hand. It was difficult for 627 to discern the specifics of everyone's actions on the boat from the distance between the land and air vehicles, but noticed all he cared for. Lilo took Stitch's body immediately and laid it on the floor; 627 noticed how still his enemy was compared to those standing around him. He saw Lilo feel her friend's neck, shake her head with horrified urgency, and then push down on his chest several times. She repeated all three actions several times, becoming quicker each time and then suddenly halting. She then simply buried her face in his furry chest, wrapping her arms around his limp body. 627 nearly smiled again, thinking that he would be smiling at his accomplishment, and then he realized that what he was smiling at had made someone else weep. Worse, he thought, is that it will be ages before they stop; it took me ages to stop. His smile faded, and he dwelled on this realization for several minutes before he jerked up to his feet. His eyes soaked more than they burned as he looked to the bright, blue sky.
"I did it," He said, his once firm voice now feeble and broken. "I did it!" He repeated louder when he received no response. "I did it for you!" Still nothing. He waited for what felt like a decade, but the shining blue sky, like the anxious gaze he sent it, was static. The assassin looked down at his clawed hands, looking closely at the shade of red their fur came in. He fell to his bottom, still staring at his hands, and then he used them to pull his knees into his chest.
"Merely this...And nothing more." As he sat, tears streaming down his fiery face, he knew that he could steer Gantu's ship anywhere he wanted to go, but there was only one place he wanted to go more than anywhere in the universe.
V
Lilo hugged Stitch's body tighter than she had hugged anyone before. It seemed useless to her to spend so much strength on the embrace, since he could not feel any of it. The Experiment's blue fur was moistened by the girl's tears, which were like infrequent and pitiful drops of rain on a cloudy day. She could feel the sun's warmth caress her hair and neck, and remembered another day, so different and yet feeling identical, when she had found the giant metallic mess in the road, surrounded by sirens that had arrived too late. That day, the rain came down like bullets out of gattling guns, but today, someone Lilo didn't know, somewhere far away from the boat, was innocently enjoying the sunshine. Lilo felt Nani's arms come around both her and Stitch.
"I'm sorry, Lilo..." The soaking older sister said softly, her own tears camouflaged by the water that coated her.
"It's not your fault," Lilo responded quietly, not taking her eyes off of Stitch's blank face. At the very least, most of the blood had washed away in the water. "It's 627 who should be sorry..." After a moment, she looked up at the black-and-white ship, which was now seemed only like a sinister falcon in the otherwise pure sky. In the corner of her eye, she could see Cobra, looking to the floor and seeming unusually silent. After a minute, the ship began moving again, slowly, as if depressed, into the distance. It moved in a straight line, and when Lilo felt like it was distant enough, she turned back to her friend's corpse.
"He's gone now," She told him as a relieved grin spread across her face. To the astonishment of both Nani and Cobra, the blue Experiment let out a boisterous and heavy breath as soon as Lilo had finished her sentence. He then sat up in her lap, unintentionally fooling Nani and Cobra for a split second that he was undead.
"We did it!" Stitch cheered as he pulled Lilo into a tighter hug than she had held his false corpse in. Lilo cackled with glee as she reciprocated the embrace. "We beat 627!"
"So that was your plan?" Nani questioned, laughing with an erratic mixture of relief, excitement, and intrigue. "To make him think that he killed you?"
"Yup," Lilo chirped. "Before I jumped down, Stitch whispered to me that he'd make 627 throw him off the ship, and then he'd pretend to be dead; he said I had to pretend to be sad so that 627 would really, really think that he won,"
"Because he wouldn't stop coming after you until he killed you," The older sister added. "Or at least believed he did,"
"Yes," Stitch responded merrily. "Stitch not sure why 627 hate him, but it for something very, very awful. Stitch had to say awful things to 627, make him angry enough to drop him," As he continued, his enthusiasm decreased as it was replaced with a hint of repentance. He did not dwell on his regret for long, as he soon beamed up at Nani and leaped into her arms to hug her just as tightly as he had Lilo.
"Thank you so much, Nani," He said sincerely. "Thanks for helping to save Lilo and Stitch,"
"Thank you," The older sister responded happily as she scooped up her sibling, holding both of them close to her as they laughed. "So they're definitely not coming back?" She questioned, although her concern was not powerful enough to trump her joy.
"Never," Stitch answered with glee. "I am dead; there nothing left here for them,"
"I must admit, that was all very clever," An abyssal voice complimented from behind them. They all turned to Cobra, having forgotten in their celebration that he was also present.
"Perilous, but undoubtedly clever. I must admit, considering the circumstances, we achieved the best case scenario." To everyone's surprise, Stitch jumped out of Nani's arms to jump onto Cobra and hug him just as compassionately.
"Thank you, too, Cobra," He chirped. "Your ship?" He returned to the smooth white floor.
"Yes, this is my boat,"
"Stitch likes boat...Cobra, Stitch has question,"
"And what, pray tell, is your question?"
"Why you tell Nani to do things? Stitch not think Nani like doing things you say,"
"Well, you see, Stitch, I wanted to know if Nani was suitable to care for Lilo,"
"Why Nani not suitable?" The Experiment questioned, tilting his head in complete doubt of the notion.
"Several reasons, including Lilo's detachment and Nani's lack of employment,"
"Detach? Stitch not think Lilo detached,"
"Yes, I have noticed improvements in her behavior-"
"And Nani have no job because Stitch punch boss in nose." He pointed to his own round nose. "That make Stitch not suitable, not Nani,"
"...You present a valid point." Cobra hesitated. Both Nani and Lilo, the former in particular, were stunned; the social worker seemed to have rehearsed every conversation he had, but for once, Stitch had made him hesitate.
"And Nani..." The alien turned to the eldest sister. "You get job as, uh, guard for people who cannot swin, right?"
"Yeah, I was going to apply after we dried off from surfing," Nani answered solidly, her tone empowered by the excitement of Stitch's plan's success.
"And you save Stitch from water!" The Experiment added enthusiastically before turning back to a pensive Cobra. "Say that and Nani have to get job!" He noticed the social worker's thoughtful silence, as if he were contemplating a fragile battle strategy.
"Oh, please, Cobra? You see what Stitch and Nani do to help Lilo. You, too; you want Lilo safe and happy, yes?"
"Yes," Cobra replied lowly.
"Lilo safe and happy with Nani," Stitch did not beg, but he toed the line before it. "Nani and Lilo lose someone before; just them left, just two. Family is small, Cobra; even smaller will hurt too much. Please, or else it same as letting Gantu take Lilo." Stitch was answered by a silence that endured for longer than either sister cared to restrain their suspense. Stitch remember how long he felt he had waited for the opportunity to kill the Grand Councilwoman, and in hindsight felt like he had waited then for only a few fleeting minutes. He smiled at this recollection, though, because a longer wait meant a grander prize.
"To be honest, I doubt many others would be able to rescue a loved one from alien soldiers with such...Finesse," The social worker finally said with a smile that suited his broad face ill, but that only made it more satisfying to behold.
"Very well; Nani, you may maintain guardianship over Lilo." Before his mouth could close, he found the eldest Pelekai right in front of him and shaking his mighty hand.
"Thank you, sir!" She declared with excitement and relief amplified after that which came from Stitch's revelation of his feigned death.
"Thank you! I promise, I won't disappoint you again!"
"I have every confidence that you will keep that promise," Cobra responded warmly before Stitch merrily pulled both sisters into his tightest hug.
"Thank you, Lilo," The former terrorist cheered.
"What do you mean?" The girl questioned with unparalleled glee. "Thank you, Stitch,"
"No, Lilo," The Experiment's voice softened as he looked her right in the eyes. Lilo found that Stitch's dark eyes, having previously encasing a torrent of rain, had regained its fire. To her most pleasant surprise, however, the fire was no longer hellish. It had shrunk to the size of a campfire, and danced gracefully as its own delightful crackling acted like music. This new flame's warmth surpassed even the most comforting furnace during the harshest storm.
"Thank you," Stitch continued softly. "So much." They embraced, and did not part until the boat had returned to shore. Even after that, as minutes stretched into hours which became many beautiful days, Stitch never remembered the broken pod that he had left in the abandoned lighthouse.
VI
"Have you gotten all of it out, 10?" The clown asked softly as he and his trunked friend returned to the top of the steps. Their eyes and cheeks were stained with liquid.
"For now, yeah," 10 sniffed as he rubbed his leaden eyes. "Thanks for finding me, 345. I should've come to you right away,"
"Aw, I should be thanking you, 10," 345's voice regained the slightest remnant of its original bounce as he hugged the medic.
"What for?" A confused 10 inquired, reciprocating feebly.
"...Just for helping me out," The clown answered. "Even if you weren't trying to." He pulled away to find a still-puzzled look from 10, but it faded smoothly into a grateful smile. 345 was quick to release his friend when he heard an impatient marching vibrate through the metal floor.
"You guys find anything?" A firm and defensive voice inquired. 345 and 10 turned to find 150 heading irritably in their direction. The rest of the Rebellion followed behind them, walking with just as much purpose but infinitely less fury.
"Not much," 345 answered, seeming as chipper as usual. "Just some table down by where Pig's body was. Probably for dissection or something," He made a jokingly disgusted shiver. "You guys find much?"
"No, not much at all," 150 answered firmly, storming past the two green Experiments, much to their worry.
"You seem a little upset, 150," 345 observed with sincere concern.
"I'm fine," The metal-handed Experiment's focus was locked exclusively on the computer console.
"You don't seem fine," The clown pressed gently as he and 10 tried to keep up with their unusually bitter comrade. "Is something bothering you?"
"It's nothing, 345," 150 snapped, halting his two allies where they stood. "Nothing you can do anything about, anyway." The huge Experiment muttered as his fingers came to meet the console's controls. 345 thought to press further, but then he felt 10's hand on his shoulder.
"Just leave him for now," The medic advised quietly. "He's probably just not ready to talk about it,"
"I guess," The clown replied glumly. "I just hope it's not too long before he is ready,"
"Big guy shout at you two?" A familiar Cockney accent cheekily inquired. 345 and 10, momentarily startled by 221's appearance, nodded. "Ah, don't worry; he yelled at 300, too..." The electrician suddenly seemed lost in contemplation. "He spoke nicely to me, though...Don't worry, mates; he'll come 'round." He gave his two green comrades two pats on the back each before joining the metal-handed Experiment by the console.
"Right, where is the little sod, then?" He asked as he looked up at the screen.
300 passed by the two green Experiments, stopping momentarily to shoot them a curious look with a raised eyebrow. 10 and 345 felt the icy yellow eyes as jagged icicles piercing their chests until the shapeshifter turned away slowly, his narrowed gaze being the last thing to disappear behind his watery back.
"You two find anything?" A gravelly voice melted 345 and 10 from their frigid petrification. They turned left to find 621, much less tense than when the clown had last seen him. "All we found were some metal chips in a box and a big, green machine that wasn't finished,"
"Cool," 345 put on his most convincing smile. "10 found a table down these stairs here. It had some straps on it, so maybe Jacques and Jumba wanted to dissect us on it." Just after he answered, he felt a fist sliding across his forehead while a voice mimicked the grotesque ripping sound of a blade cutting flesh.
"Eugh!" The clown exclaimed in jest as 624 skipped out from behind him.
"Guess what time it is?!" She chirped with more delight than even 345 had ever displayed. 10, 345, and 621 were all reminded of her enthusiasm on her day of birth. The clown playfully pretended to consider her question.
"Time to find 626?" He answered with a beam.
"Yup!" The pink Experiment hopped with her answer. "Remember how 300 pretended to be dead you, 10? And he heard 627 and L.E.R.O.Y. listening to 626's distress call?"
"Yeah," 345 and 10 chimed together in their answers.
"The scarlet shithead's not here, so he must've gone off to find our buddy. He would've taken a pod, which we can easily track using Jacky's computer-"
"He's on Earth," 150 interrupted unintentionally.
"Wait, what, is that it?!" 624 said five words in less than a second and was beside the console in just as much time. 621 could not help but smile at her gleefully childish behaviour.
"627..." The towering Experiment, his antisocial demeanour gradually fading, pointed to the computer screen with his flesh hand. On display was a planet of water spotted islands of bright green, brown, and white of erratic shapes and all sizes. There was a blinking white dot, impossible to overlook, over one of the smaller islands.
"...Landed right there," 150 continued. "So 626 should be around there, too,"
"Seriously?!" 149 leaned over the console at the screen in disbelief. "A planet that ain't even part of the Federation!"
"Who would've guessed," 221 began quickly, throwing his arm around his partner as he pointed a swift and disrespectful finger at the planet. 150 forced his eyeballs not to wander in the direction of the two lovers. "Did you know that they can't even travel farther than their moon?"
"I did not" The smaller Experiment gave the planet's image a look of disdain. "
"Or that their armies fight each other!"
"What?! They don't ever cooperate for anythin'?!"
"Sometimes, but mostly just for fighting each other in bigger teams,"
"Jeez; seems they're only good for their food,"
"Yes, they are a hopelessly undisciplined species," 300 snarled as he stepped closer to the screen. "Hmm." He focused on the varied shapes of the islands.
"I've only just noticed; if you look closely, it seems like all those islands could connect to form a much larger, singular one,"
The Rebellion closely examined the islands' edges, jagged like broken glass.
"Hey, you're right." 10 took a step closer before his face was met with a thin but chilling shade of white. "I hope 627 hasn't found 626 yet," He stated with concern.
"He'll be fine," The pink Experiment responded with joyous and infallible faith. "Remember what he told the poetic prick? Our functions are nothing without skill. Even with all the annoying bullshit 627 can do, 626 is much more experienced. He survived a fight with 627 once, and I'm positive that he can do it again!"
"With any luck," 621 began slyly. "626 will have killed 627,"
"Ooh," 624's fingers met near her mouth like a child at the promise of candy.
"In any case..." The marksman's anticipation, much to the relief of his two troubled green allies, had only a fraction of the malevolence he had displayed when standing over Jumba.
"The sooner we leave, the sooner our comrade can be rescued,"
"Then what are we waiting for?!" 624 exclaimed with empowering enthusiasm. "Can we get out new base mobile, 150, old bud?"
"Hm?" The metal-handed Experiment had become lost in a maze of thoughts while gazing at the planet on the screen.
"Oh, yeah, sure, just..." He muttered as he pressed a mere three buttons on the console, and the Experiment's felt a brief vibration beneath their feet. A white banner was fast to spread across the screen, sporting black letters reading 'Travelling to Pod B's location...'
"And that's it," 150 finished. 624 let out a boisterous cheer as she leaped into the air while punching it. When she landed, she brought out her concealed arms and held all four palms out. She collected high-fives from 345, 149, 221, and a reluctant 10.
"We've beaten Hamsterviel, found 89, gotten rid of Jumba, and now we're gonna get 626 back!" The pink Experiment declared with euphoric victory.
"Earth's pretty far away, though," 150 pointed out, trying his best not to sound like a kill joy. "It's gonna take a little while to get there,"
"No worries, 150!" She chirped as she surprised him with a hug. The enormous Experiment was shocked further when he was effortlessly picked up from the floor as the hug tightened. "Today's the best day ever as it is..." 624 set her reddening ally back on his feet. "And it can only get better!"
10 watched as his allies expressed their joy much more freely than he. They hugged, traded high-fives, and some, mostly 624, 149, and 221, leaped high into the air. The medic eventually looked to his right to find 345, surprisingly one of the most idle in the room, but his smile surpassed everyone else's.
"You seem a bit happier now, 345," 10 observed quietly.
"I am, 10." The clown extended a rubbery arm around his friend's shoulder to gently pull him closer. "All that stuff before, all the hitting and...Bleeding...I don't like that bit too much. But this..." He held his empty hand out to his celebrating comrades, his beam widening when he looked at them again, and more so when he looked at the white dot on the Earth.
"This is the bit that I do like,"