Booster stood on the steps leading up to the bio-station, watching as the ships descended. The rain was still pouring and the sky was almost black enough to be night. The river had flooded earlier that morning and now the jungle floor was covered in several inches of muddy water, which Buzz was sloshing through to get to the end of the clearing where the ships were going to land. Not all of them were coming down; there wasn't room and Ozma hadn't seemed keen on the idea of so many vessels invading her jungle. Most of them would remain in orbit, with just a few landing on Karn so the lead mercenaries could talk strategy with Buzz.
Personally, Booster would've been happier if none of them had come at all. He hated seeing the evil Buzz strolling about the place with that arrogant swagger of his. He hated catching a glimpse of that sick smile. All he could think of when he looked at him were the rows of bodies in 42's hold, the people he and Mira had found on the derelict freighter. Those memories would never stop haunting him.
The ships began splashing down, sending ripples rolling through the water. Booster sighed. It was time.
He joined Buzz beside the ships and watched as assorted thugs began emerging. Every one of them belonged in a Star Command jail cell, not alongside the Space Rangers as allies. It just wasn't right.
His mouth fell open when he saw a familiar face.
"Torque!" Buzz called out, spotting the alien criminal as well.
"Buzzy, sweetheart!" Torque grinned back at him. "Long time no see, hey, pally?"
"I should've known you'd be in with this lot." Folding his arms, Buzz looked the man up and down. "I thought you were in prison."
Torque marched over and slapped him on the back, earning a dark glare. "Aw, c'mon, Buzzola! You know how it is. A few bars can never keep ol' Torquey down."
"The first thing I'm going to do once we've kicked Zurg out is institute higher security standards at PC-7," Buzz muttered. "Okay, all of you—spread 'em against the hull while my Rangers search you for weapons. And I mean all four of your arms, Torque."
"Aw, I thought we was all friends here, baby," said Torque, reluctantly following his orders.
"Allies. Not friends."
The other Buzz strode over. "You'll have to forgive my manners," he told Torque. "I never was good at making friends, was I, Buzz?"
"Buzz has plenty of friends," said Booster, moving closer to his captain. "Maybe you don't, but he does!"
The evil Buzz chuckled. "Yeah. Sure. One oversized rookie and a bitchy zoologist. Quite a fan club you're building up there, Lightyear."
"There's Mira and XR too, and a bunch of other people!" insisted Booster. "All the other Rangers respect him! Hundreds of people look up to him!"
"Uh, thank you, Booster, but you don't need to defend me to him," said Buzz, patting Booster's arm. "He just spiteful and lonely."
His double rolled his eyes. "Lonely, huh? I like it this way. I've always preferred my own company—well," he grinned, "at least until I met you, Buzz. Now I'm not so sure."
"Was that a compliment or an insult?"
"What do you think, Lightyear?"
Buzz sighed. "Just follow me into the dome, all of you."
They waded through the mud and water, which Booster noted in dismay was ruining the brilliant white of his uniform. He'd probably need a new one after everything was over and things were back to normal. If they ever go back to normal, he thought.
The rain continued to pour down, torrents of it spilling over the sides of the bio-station. Ozma was waiting for them inside. "Wipe your feet on the mat," she told them. "I have enough muddy bootprints on my floors already. This is supposed to be a sterile environment for conducting research."
"Sorry," Buzz shrugged. He led a long procession of Rangers and mercenaries into the base. There was barely any breathing room when they were all inside.
"Nice pad." Torque looked around scornfully, trying to shove aside some of the people crowding him.
"If you don't like it, we can hold this conference outside in the rain," warned Buzz. "Okay, everyone here? Good."
Booster shuffled through the mass of bodies till he was standing next to Buzz. He kept a wary eye on the other Buzz, who had Savy at his side.
"If we're going to stop Zurg, we need a plan," Buzz continued. "I'll be frank—you people are not the allies I would've chosen. But fate has forced us together, so we're gonna have to rely on each other. I open to suggestions from all parties. If you have any ideas, now's the time to lay them on the table."
"We take out Zurg, that's the primary objective," said the evil Buzz.
"Agreed. Without him, his forces will be directionless and weak. Many of them have lived their entire lives under tyranny—they'll accept orders from whoever they think holds power over them. If we can oust Zurg, they'll see us as their new authority figures and stand down when we give the order."
"But, Buzz," Booster broke in, "how do we get to Zurg? He's not going to let us just walk up to him!"
The other Buzz nodded, stroking his beard. "It won't be easy. He's centred his whole fleet around Capital Planet, and he'll have changed the defense codes by now, so we won't be able to slip in undetected. He's careful, I'll give the purple guy that."
"Seems to me," said Torque, "we need to hit him when he goes offworld. He's gotta leave the planet eventually, and when he does—showtime, Jack!"
"Hmm, you may have something there," mused Buzz. "He wouldn't travel alone, though—his fleet goes wherever he does. We'd still be looking at a major battle."
The other Buzz grinned. "That's why you have us."
Booster glared at him. "Huh, sure, as if your ships are going to be enough to take on Zurg's whole armada!"
"Don't forget, his fleet suffered heavy losses during the last battle," said the evil Buzz. "He's not operating at full strength anymore. Besides, we'll have you Rangers along as well."
Buzz nodded. "We don't necessarily need to subdue the whole fleet—just keep them occupied while we get to Zurg. I think we should have enough ships for that."
"First you're going to need a way of knowing Zurg's movements so you'll be ready if he leaves," pointed out Ozma. "It's not like he's following a regular schedule—he seems to be staying put on Capital Planet for the moment."
"Oh, we'll know when the time comes," said Savy with a grin. "Guess who's hooked up to Zurg's secure subspace channel?"
Booster and Buzz stared at her in surprise. "You've hacked into Zurg's communications network?" Booster asked.
"Pretty handy, isn't she?" The other Buzz ruffled Savy's hair.
"You really should've stayed in the Junior Rangers," sighed Buzz, shaking his head. "You've got a lot of talent that ought to be put to use in a more just cause."
"What do you think I'm doing now, Mr. Justice?" Savy crossed her arms. "I'm gonna help you retake your Alliance, aren't I?"
Buzz shrugged. "Look, you keep monitoring that channel. If you learn anything, let me know. In the meantime, we need to learn to work together. Let's talk tactics—what's the most efficient way to utilise our combined forces?"
XR was watching the holovision set when Mira entered the apartment. He sat on the couch, a bowl of popcorn at his side, though it hadn't been touched, which didn't surprise her because XR was incapable of consuming food. She wondered why he bothered to make it. There were a lot of things about him she didn't understand. Maybe he'd been hoping she would join him.
"Hey," she greeted blandly.
"Hi." He continued to stare at the screen.
Mira hung up her coat. "Anything good on?"
"No."
"What are you watching?"
"Evil Bowling. It's a new show, just started yesterday."
Mira sighed. "Let me guess, Zurg's doing?"
XR nodded. "Followed by Evil Knitting, Evil Cooking, and Evil Scrapbooking."
"Please tell me this isn't some 'All Evil All the Time' channel?" How do you even have evil scrapbooking?
"Close enough."
She rolled her eyes. "Sometimes I think Zurg tries too hard."
XR glanced up at her for the first time, his expression morose. "Doesn't need all this evil stuff, does he? He's already shown us how awful he is."
"Yeah." She used to laugh at Zurg's ridiculous attempts to prove his own villainy. It wasn't funny now that the proof was all around them.
XR turned back to the screen, which showed contestants bowling using some very distressed-looking Grubs as skittles, and Mira went to the bathroom to shower. When she emerged, clad in her comfy pink robe and fluffy slippers (ordinary slippers, not bunnies like the ones she'd seen Buzz wear—a line had to be drawn somewhere in the name of good taste), she padded into the kitchen and helped herself to a tub of ice cream. It was another hot summer night, and the shower had left her feeling a little too toasty.
She retired to her room and flopped on the bed, spooning the soft dessert into her mouth and relishing the chills it sent down her spine. It was still early evening—for once she'd finished her work at a decent time and been able to leave that stifling office before nightfall—but she already felt like curling up beneath the covers. Maybe if things were different she would've hung out with XR in the living room for awhile, but as matters stood, their conversations would just be awkward.
I need sleep anyway, she thought. I'm so... so tired. She remembered what Ty had told her about Rhizome. It was the same thing she was hearing from the Rhizomian ambassador and half the other ambassadors in the Senate. Nearly every planet Zurg had touched was struggling in some way. I wish the responsibility wasn't all on me. What do I know? I'm just a stupid princess who didn't even finish her palace training!
Ty's suggestion to call her father came back to her. I guess I should... I miss him so much. What could she say to him, though? She didn't want to face him. Part of her was still ashamed of what she was doing. Even if she'd only accepted the position so she could help people, it was hard not to feel like she'd sold out by becoming Zurg's second-in-command. What would her father think of her?
Only one way to find out. Smoothing a hand over her wet hair to make herself look vaguely presentable, she turned on the vidscreen on her wall. The monitor flashed to life, and she inputted the palace call frequency. After a moment's waiting, she saw King Nova's face appear. Her breathing stopped as she took in every familiar hair and wrinkle, belonging to a man who'd once been the biggest source of frustration in her life and yet was now such a welcome sight. "Daddy!"
His features lit up with a smile when he saw who was on the line. "Mira! Daughter, why haven't you called? I've been trying to get through to you for days, but the Senate line is always busy!"
"Well, there's your answer right there, Dad," she sighed. "My life's been total chaos since Zurg took over. I never seem to get a spare moment these days."
"I understand." He gazed at her silently for awhile. "But I have missed you."
"I've missed you too, Father." She pressed a hand to the screen, as if she could reach out and touch him. "Oh, gosh, I just wish I could be back at the palace with you so much!" I'm not going to cry, I won't cry...
He seemed to sense her distress and she could see her pain mirrored in his face. "Say the word, child, and I'll come there myself and pick you up. Zurg can bring his complaints to me if he doesn't like it."
"Oh, Daddy," she half giggled, half sobbed. "I—I wish I could, but... I just can't. My work here is too important."
He let out a deep breath. "I suppose you're right. But I know what a great burden leadership is, Mira, and I only rule one planet. You're so young to have so much on your shoulders. Don't let it wear you to death."
"I'll try not to." She forced her features into a shaky smile. "So, uh, how's everything on Tangea?"
Her father rubbed his chin for awhile before answering. "Life is... interesting at the moment," he said, though he clearly had other adjectives in mind. "Zurg's overseers are making a nuisance of themselves at every turn, and not all of the refugees have returned to Trade World. Some prefer to remain here with the galactic situation still so unstable." He wrinkled his nose.
Mira's smile was now genuine. "You haven't thrown them out, though."
"I shudder to think what my daughter, the galactic governor, would do to me if I did. She might have me thrown in one of Zurg's dungeons for all I know."
"Oh, Father, shush," Mira laughed. "You know I'm not that petty!"
"Says the girl who broke a priceless vase that had been in our family for generations when I wouldn't let her have a pet."
"I was four years old!"
"And the vase was four hundred years old." Creases appeared at the corners of his eyes as he smiled. "Perhaps I should've let you have that pet..."
Mira smiled with him, then grew more serious. "Maybe I shouldn't have been such a brat. There are a lot of things we should and shouldn't have done back then, and I wish we could do it over. I wish I'd spent more time with you..." She sighed. "But we can't change any of it, so what matters is what we do now."
He nodded. "That's something I've realised too, though it took long enough. I'm glad I'm not quite the stubborn fool I used to be, Mira. You've taught me a lot—I've learned to view the universe in ways I never thought I could, thanks to you."
"All the best parts of me come from you too, you know," she said. "My strength, my determination—that's all you, Father."
"Not all of it," he replied, shaking his head. "You have that same spark your mother did. She'd be very proud to see you now."
"Are... are you proud of me?"
"My daughter, there's never been a moment when I haven't been proud of you, and I grow more proud every day."
She breathed out a long sigh. "Thanks, Dad." I wish I deserved it.
He looked at her as though he longed to take her into his arms like he used to when she was a child. "Is there anything you need, Mira? I don't know how much I can do for you, but if there is anything..."
"I dunno. I mean, I guess..." She sighed. "I wish you could do this job for me, but the royal court wouldn't like that, huh?" They shared a laugh. "What I really wish," she continued, pausing for a moment to wonder if her personal vidcomm was bugged, and then deciding she didn't care, "is that I had a solution to this whole mess. Father, if you ever... if you can come up with any way of stopping Zurg, please tell me. Yeah, I know, I know, that's not your area of expertise. It's s-supposed to be mine, I mean, I'm... you know, I'm a Space Ranger... but I just don't know what to do anymore." She frowned. "But I do know that Zurg needs to go. We can't deal with this any longer. Something has to be done."
"Isn't there anyone you can turn to?" asked her father. "What happened to your talking monk— to Buzz Lightyear?"
She shrugged. "He could be on the other side of the galaxy for all I know. He's out there somewhere, a-a-and I know he's going to come and help us eventually, but right now he's not here and I need to do something."
There was a long moment of silence. King Nova stroked his sideburns thoughtfully. At last he answered, "I can't advise you in this, Mira. I've stayed out of galactic politics too long to have any idea how to meddle in them now. But I do know that whatever choice you make, it will be the right one."
She wished she could feel so confident. "Yeah?" she said. "Like my decision to join Star Command? I know what you thought about that..."
"You weren't the one who was wrong then, Mira," he said quietly. "You've always made the right choices."
He really meant it. Mira wanted to cry all over again. "Thanks, Father. Thanks for listening. Maybe you don't know how to help the galaxy, but you sure know how to help me." She glanced at the clock. "I suppose I should probably go now... better get some sleep." She shrugged and blew a kiss to him. "I love you. I'll talk to you again soon, okay?"
"Please do. Goodbye, child, and keep safe."
When the screen went dead, Mira flopped down onto her pillow, staring up at the ceiling. So what do I do? Who do I turn to? Practically the whole galaxy was under Zurg's control. Who would be in a position to help her?
She sniffed in frustration and picked up her bowl of ice cream again, clutching it like it was all she had left in the universe.
Buzz had to take a breather. They'd been arguing in that stuffy, overcrowded room for too long, and being around so many wanted felons set him on edge. Scratch that, it wasn't simply being around them that was the problem, it was knowing he had to work with them. Unless a better option came along, they were going to be his comrades in arms when he took down Zurg. He just couldn't get comfortable with the idea.
Sitting alone on Ozma's doorstep, he found some measure of peace. The rain continued to drain from the sky like the clouds were giant sponges being wrung out, but with his Ranger suit to protect him it wasn't unpleasant. He could almost get used to a life on Karn, just him and Ozma...
Almost, but not quite. There was a galaxy out there for him to protect, and he could never rest until it was safe. Karn would have to wait until his retirement years, and even then, he wasn't sure he was the retiring type. The version of himself who'd come back in time to save Mira was certainly still serving in the Corps a hundred years into the future—though that timeline was now defunct, thanks to the changes he'd made. There was no telling what his new future would be.
Visions of his team lying dead flashed before his eyes. No! Not that! Whatever the future is, I won't let it be that one!
He shook away the images. Perhaps the future had already been changed. Maybe allying himself with his alternate self was the kick the timeline needed to switch into something better. He wished he could look into the device again and see what it would show him now.
The rain continued to splatter down on his helmet. It streamed across the glass, turning the view into a smeary blur of green. The sky above was still dark, but enough light filtered through to make the bio-station's floodlights unnecessary. All in all, while hardly serene, it was a refreshingly solitary setting. If he could just keep these pesky worries out his head, he might be even be able to enjoy it.
A sound suddenly caught his attention. The roar of the wind and the constant rainfall drowned out most noises, but he could've sworn he'd heard something splashing through the flooded jungle floor.
His senses now alert and tingly, Buzz got to his feet and wiped the rain from his helmet. When he looked around he saw nothing, but he thought he heard more sloshing. Could be some kind of animal. There's gotta be creatures on Karn that like the rain. Knowing my luck, all the really mean ones probably come out in wet weather and now they're looking for lunch.
He considered going back inside, but his curiosity had been aroused. A dangerous thing, curiosity. He hoped it wouldn't get him into too much trouble this time. Keeping one hand firmly on the trigger of his laser, he stepped forward in the direction of the splashing.
As he got closer—the noise seemed to be coming from somewhere just outside the clearing, in some of the surrounding undergrowth—he thought he heard another sound. Voices, he realised. Just a hint, not enough to make out what they were saying, but definitely voices. He wished the rain would die down long enough for him to hear better.
"Hello?" he called into the trees. "Is anyone out there?" I guess it could be poachers, but they wouldn't go out in this weather, would they? It's gotta be more of my evil counterpart's goons. If he's up to something...
The bushes in front of him rustled. Buzz held up his arm, ready to fire if necessary. Two figures emerged, glistening as the rain slid down them. They stopped short when they saw Buzz. He dropped his arm as his eyes fell on them, and he wondered if he could trust what he was seeing through the smudged visor of his helmet.
"Well, Lightyear, nice of you to come out and greet us, son," grunted Commander Nebula. "Hope you don't mind if we skip the pleasantries and head straight on to your base—it's a bit damp out here."
"C-Commander...?" Buzz spluttered. "Sir." He straightened and saluted. "Right this way." As he led them back to the bio-station, Buzz felt his heart pounding and his mind reeling. All the reports we heard... they said he was dead... When he'd gotten the news, he'd tried to blot it from his mind. He simply couldn't handle the thought of his commander dying. It was impossible, unthinkable. But slowly the fact had seeped through into his brain and he'd accepted it, though he still hadn't allowed himself time to grieve. Now, suddenly, the man whose death he was just beginning to get used to had appeared right in front of him, in perfect health.
He glanced at the commander's companion. This unidentified individual was clad in black battle armour and a helmet that concealed their face completely, leaving no hints as to who are what they might be. It automatically set suspicions simmering in his brain. He didn't like not knowing things and he didn't like people who had something to hide.
When they tramped into the base, the conversation that was still carrying on in the crowded room died away and every head turned to stare at them. Buzz felt a small twinge of satisfaction as he watched even his double's face fill with surprise at the newcomers. None of them had been expecting this.
Booster's eyes grew wide when he caught sight of the commander and he let out an audible gasp. "Commander? Commander Nebula?"
"Look sharp, rookie!" Nebula grinned.
Booster stood to attention, grinning back. "You're alive! Gee, I should've known they couldn't kill you, the Commander Nebula!"
"You got that right," said the commander with a nod. "Okay, what's going on around here? What's up with all the crooks and space scum you got in this room? Debriefing—now!"
Buzz's double strode over, his surprise forgotten. "Shouldn't you tell us why exactly you aren't dead first, grandpa?"
Nebula met his cold gaze with a look of blazing contempt. "I was about to say the same to you. Here I was resting easy, thinking you'd burned up in that sun, 'cause that's what garbage like you deserves. But I guess not."
There was a moment of silence as Buzz's double studied him, a smile forming on his face. "You know," he whispered, "I remember how much fun I had thinking up ways to kill you back in my universe. Never got around to using them, but maybe this time I'll get my chance."
Buzz stepped in quickly. "Enough! You lay a hand on my commander and you'll never see that hand again, is that clear?"
"I love it when you get dangerous. Reminds me of myself." The other Buzz was still smirking. "Alright, I'll leave your precious commander alone. The old geezer's probably on his last legs—or should I say leg—anyway."
"I heard that," Nebula snorted. "I could still take you any day, you bearded freak."
"I am sure all this posturing is very satisfying to you three, but it is not why we came here," said his suited companion, speaking for the first time.
Buzz decided the person was probably female, though he wouldn't stake his life on it. A heavily filtered voice was hardly the best way to pin down gender. He nodded to her. "Let's get down to the details here. Before I explain our situation, I'd like to know who you are."
"This is Xlgta," said Nebula. "She's with me. Well—er, I'm with her. Not entirely by choice, I gotta add. It's complicated."
"Whatcha look like under the suit, helmet-face?" asked Torque. "You some kind of ugly freakazoid?"
"I might be," she answered curtly.
Nebula looked around the room, eyeing Torque with distaste. "So what are these... people... doing here?" he asked again.
Buzz rubbed his neck. "It's not really a matter of choice for us either. They're... they're here to help."
"What?! What in blue blazes, Lightyear? Has your reactor blown a fusion crystal? You know who these people are, don't you?"
"Of course I do, Commander—"
"After all, I should know myself well enough by now," his double broke in.
Buzz glared at him. "Er, yes. Like I was saying, it's not something we have much choice in. Zurg's got control of the galaxy and we're out of options. He has to be stopped somehow."
"Not with them." Nebula didn't hide his disgust as he surveyed the occupants of the room. "Buzz, you can do better than this!"
"I'm open to suggestions." Shrugging, Buzz glanced again at Nebula's companion. "Maybe you could tell me your story now. Who is this Xlgta—is she any better than my allies?"
"Huh, well, I'm not sure I'd go that far," Nebula snorted. "Okay, maybe I would—I think she's alright. Her heart or whatever equivalent organ she has is in the right place, but she's a bit misguided..."
Xlgta folded her arms. "Commander," she hissed, "remember which of us is in charge here."
"And she's a real pain in the backside, as you can see," continued Nebula to Buzz. "She saved my life, though. Back there in the battle, when I was about to die, she got me out."
Buzz turned to the Xlgta. "Then you have my thanks."
"I certainly didn't do it for you," she replied, stepping closer to him. "So you are the great Buzz Lightyear I have been hearing about? I understand the galaxy used to ring with your name, yet here you are, hiding like a frightened salt rat."
And who are you to come here and insult me? he almost demanded. "Zurg wants me dead. What am I supposed to do, give him the chance to kill me?"
She shrugged. "It was simply an observation."
"Look, who are you, ma'am?" he asked again. "So your name is Xlgta and you saved my commander. That doesn't tell me much. Where are you from?"
"Far away. And my name is not Xlgta, that is my title."
"Don't expect to get a straight answer out of her," Nebula whispered. "It's taken me a week to get her to spit out all the details."
"Then you tell me who she is."
"He will not," said Xlgta firmly.
Buzz frowned at her and turned to the commander. To his surprise, Nebula was shaking his head. "I promised not to say anything she doesn't want me to say," he told Buzz.
"What? Why? What hold does she have over you?"
Nebula shrugged. "I owe her one. I may not agree with her on everything, but I figure I should try to help her a little anyway. The least I can do, after what I... well, like I said, I owe her."
There they were, his Ranger senses tingling again. Buzz knew something was going on. Xlgta had some reason for hiding her face and keeping her background secret. Somehow she was forcing the commander to go along with it. There's something screwy happening here and I won't stand for it. "Alright, fine," he said, deciding to not to press the issue until he could find out more. "So what happens now? How did you even find us?"
"We followed their ships." Nebula jerked a thumb towards the mercenaries. "Detected 'em as they were heading this way and decided to check it out."
"The real question," said Xlgta, "is how did they find you if your location is supposed to be so secret?"
"Same thing," the evil Buzz answered casually. "We saw Buzz's cruiser when he was coming back to Karn and followed him."
And here I thought I'd been so careful to shake off any tails on the way back from Planet X. Buzz sighed. "Well, as long as Zurg didn't follow any of you here, it doesn't matter. What we have to focus on now is our next move. Commander, we've been discussing strategy—got any suggestions?"
"You bet I do." Nebula strode forward, his arms folded across his chest. "First, you send all these rejects packing! That's right, every last sorry one of 'em! We're Space Rangers, Buzz—we don't join forces with the enemy!"
"They're not the enemy right now, Zurg is!" Buzz protested. "Whatever happened to, 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend'?"
"Whatever happened to the Lightyear I know, who wouldn't even lower himself to spit on garbage like this, hmm? What happened to him?"
Buzz took a deep breath. "With all due respect, you don't know what it's been like, sir. We watched Zurg bomb Capital Planet. We watched the Galactic Alliance fall. We've been running for our lives and hiding out here with nothing. People continue to die thanks to the way Zurg's wrecked the galaxy. For awhile, I even thought two of my own rookies were dead—I thought you were dead! What do you expect me to do when help finally comes along?"
"I expect you to still be a Ranger."
Anger flared up inside Buzz. "I am a Ranger, sir! That's why I'm doing this! Our job is to help people, and if working with this gang of evildoers is the only way to do that, then I'll take it. I may not like it, but I swore an oath to protect and defend!"
He heard a chuckle from behind him, where his double stood. "Oh, Buzz. Evildoers? Oaths? Always loved the melodrama, didn't I?" The other Buzz turned to Nebula. "What he— what I'm trying to say here is it's time to forget about your pathetic little standards and do what has to be done. You want to kill Zurg, don't you?"
Buzz was surprised to see a strange expression cross over the commander's face. Nebula glanced back at Xlgta, and he tugged at his moustache. "Who said anything about killing Zurg?"
"Oh, come on, it's what you all want!" The other Buzz threw his hands in the air. "Don't play the good Ranger game with me! You don't want to 'bring him to justice' or any shit like that. You want him dead just as much as I do after everything he did!"
"No," whispered Xlgta harshly. "Zurg will not be killed."
"Nobody asked you, lady."
Buzz frowned at Xlgta. "What's your stake in all this? Why should you care what happens to Zurg?"
"My reasons are my own."
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
She tilted her head. "It means I am not about to tell them to you."
"Guys," Booster's voice rose up. "Can we all stop arguing? Please? Commander Nebula is alive—isn't that great? We shouldn't be fighting with each other right now!"
Buzz let out a breath and allowed himself to relax. "Booster's right. We should be celebrating. Look, Commander, I'm sorry if I got a bit carried away there. It really is good to see you, sir, and you know you'll always have my respect and loyalty."
Nebula nodded. "Same here, son. We can hash this out later. Why don't we just do some catching up for awhile? I wanna know how you're all dealing with this." He leaned closer. "And what's the word on XR—and Nova?"
Smiling, Buzz began to fill him in.
A/N: Thanks for all your reviews!
