I really should have seen it coming, Buzz thought. We weren't being attacked, we were being herded! And now they were surrounded.

The Apocritans edged closer, looking decidedly hostile- mandibles snapping, wings held upright- and possibly hungry. Team Lightyear stood in formation, ready for the next onslaught. Just as the Apocritans began to move, there was a shout, and everyone stumbled to a halt.

An orange-and-yellow Apocritan stepped out and walked their way, scolding one of the others. Buzz pointed his wrist at it, and it waved in response. He lowered his arm just the tiniest bit, just enough to not technically be aiming at the newcomer. He did not trust them at all.

"Who are you people?" it said. The voice was harsh, like it was used to shouting, but feminine.

Buzz had been expecting something more along the lines of 'Destroy them!' or 'By order of so-and-so, you are hereby taken prisoner', but made an introduction anyway, trying not to sound as baffled as he felt. "Hello. Buzz Lightyear, Space Ranger. This is my team: Booster, Mira, and XR." His teammates each made some greeting as their names were called. "Who are you?" It was the short version.

"I am Macrurus." She apparently expected them to say something, because she just kept watching them.

Well, let's start with the obvious. "Are we being taken prisoner?" he asked.

"We don't do such things. Why you are here?"

Buzz cleared his throat. Going through official channels made a better impression on unaffiliated planets... usually. If these were the authorities, he might have better luck cooperating. "We're looking for someone," he used his I'm An Authority Figure voice. "A Ranger Ty Parsec, about this tall, brown hair, on the lean side. Do you have any information?"

"Oh, is that all. No, we have seen no other foreigners here." At her words, the other Apocritans immediately calmed down.

That was easier than I expected, Buzz mused suspiciously.

"Please forgive our misunderstanding; my hunters are not usually so unfriendly."

"Really." He'd seen some pretty graphic evidence saying otherwise.

"Of course! We ourselves have just returned from finding out about a few disappearances of our own... and our search has yielded nothing."

"Yeah... what exactly was the misunderstanding, here?" Mira asked, crossing her arms skeptically. "And where were you for the past half hour?" Buzz gave her a Not Right Now look.

"We are unused to metal people running around. That short one there. Is it dangerous?"

"No more than the rest of us."

"I see. So, are you coming?"

"Do we really have a say in the matter?" Probably not, thought Buzz. No matter how friendly the Apocritans seemed at the moment... He still knew his team was pinned down, outnumbered, and a bit too far from the ship to make a run for it.

"Of course you do. But, and I apologize again, we cannot allow a bunch of outsiders to run around unwatched. If you can't come with us, we will have to stay here with you." She sighed, watching XR. "Which is really too bad. If you had our help, finding your friend would be easier."

"So you'll stick around, but not help? What kind of-" Mira cut herself off before Buzz could.

"If we do not have permission, it could be seen as treacherous, and we could be punished, if that were the case... So it is better to come with us, and make your case, isn't it?"

"I think we'll keep looking around here," Buzz suggested. "I don't think he could have gone that far." All evidence was to the contrary, but he was sure they were close. He could feel it!

"Then we will have to wait with you," she said with a shrug. "I hope that this doesn't hinder our own search." Her voice dripped with annoyance (and disappointment). Buzz could sympathize. He didn't want them sticking around either.

"What if some of us stay and some of us go?" Booster added.

"I have no objections to this plan. It is sound."

"Well..." Buzz said, tapping his chin thoughtfully. It was good, in theory. A divided team could cover more ground, they'd have local assistance and if things went wrong then at least some of the crew had a chance. They already had gone a lot farther than the standard search radius. But if these people were up to something then it was good for them, too. A smaller group would be easier to handle. But if they were genuinely interested in helping, and he was only paranoid because Talnak had misled them, wouldn't refusing just add an unnecessary amount of trouble and/or paperwork? Besides all that, the Apocritans claimed they had a similar problem.

In short, splitting up was either his very best or very worst option. He sighed. "Alright, we're splitting up."

"No way, Jose! Haven't you ever watched a scary movie? Whenever the heroes split up, the ladies' man dies, then the funny guy, then the old guy. I guess Mira's safe because the last girl always is, but I'm still putting my foot down on principle!"

Buzz patted XR's helmet. "Sorry, XR, but you're outvoted. Mira and I will go, you and Booster stay here and keep looking."

"Yes, sir!" Booster popped a salute. "Come on, XR, we still have LOTS of ground to cover!" XR was less enthusiastic, grumbling under his breath, but wheeled off after him. Three of the Apocritans followed, obeying some signal from Macrurus, and the rest stayed with Buzz and Mira.

"I really think this is a bad idea! Stating this for the record!" XR shouted back at them.

"So... where are we going?" the Tangean asked.

"To see Our Mother. It will be a good for us all, yes?"

"Sure."

Buzz cut in. "We're burning daylight, so if we're going we should probably do it now." Before I come to my senses, that is.

"I agree. The sooner we arrive, the sooner we can all help each other."

After everyone caught their breath and chatted a little more, the Apocritans left with Buzz and Mira. As they passed overhead, Booster waved at them from the ground. "WE'RE GONNA LOOK OVER THERE!" he shouted, pointing to the ruins.

"YOU DO THAT!" Buzz called back. "STAY TOGETHER, YOU TWO!"

Booster watched his team move out of sight, before turning to the Apocritans who'd followed him. They watched him blankly, occasionally fidgeting or running their claws through their mouths despite their already-spotless appearance. He tried to break the ice. "Um, hi! How are you?"

They didn't answer. One moved behind the other two, and XR stayed close to Booster. "I still think this is a terrible idea," the robot said.

"Don't be silly! They're being nice." They had boldly come closer and were picking dirt off his suit. "See?"

"Right, I'll remember that when they break out the cookware," XR snapped. Could anyone blame him? "Did everyone go crazy while I wasn't looking? Did we all forget what they do to people? Because I sure didn't!"

"But you said the Lahilans tricked us..."

"There's more than one space-rat on this ship, I'm 99.999% positive." XR rolled over to the silent trio, stretching his legs to make eye contact with them. "I've got my eyes on you, so no funny business, got it?" he warned them. They still didn't say anything, opting to dip their heads slightly. He leaned in, and they tilted their faces away. "Giving me the ol' silent treatment, eh? Very tricky... but fine! We'll see who can play dumb the longest! I'll give you a hint: It's not me!" He pointed two fingers at his optics, then at them. The group stared at him in bafflement before ducking. The one in the back covered her head. It was not the reaction he would have bet on, but it was a better one than, say, mauling him. Booster tapped his shoulder.

"Come on, we haven't got all day!"

"Alright, alright, I'm coming."

The Apocritans watched the two Rangers leave, looking for Ty. One looked at her sisters. [Do either of you know what the machine said?] They did not. [Do you know what we're supposed to be doing? Besides following them?] Again, nobody knew.

[Well, I wouldn't go after them until we have some older sisters. Those machines are trouble, did you hear about Mildei?]

They trudged after the two outsiders, gossiping all the while.