-Jitos Syndicate Base, 8:58 Turo Standard Time-

Damn it, damn it, damn it! Alci Spec grit her teeth as her spaceship took off. It had all gone wrong; this was supposed to have been their grand triumph over the Federation, their ultimate victory and the day they proved that the Jitos Syndicate was the strongest group in the entire galaxy, not the day they lost everything!

She growled. No. Not everything. She had bolt-holes she could run to. Places with weapons. With cash. She could start over. Make a new Jitos. A better one. One that wouldn't…

Her plotting was interrupted by a hail of gunfire from above. Alci looked up and saw a Federation cruiser bearing down on her. She snarled and raised her cannon to blast the insolent gnat out of the sky, but before she could the damned Federation pilot fired again and cleanly blasted the gun off.

Alci's comm activated and she slammed it on. "Who is this? I demand to know!"

The voice on the other side was cool as ice and a little smug. "This is Airwoman First Class Melia Lambert. You're Alci Spec, correct?"

There was no point in her denying it. "Yes, I am her. Now get out of my way, little Airwoman, before I ram you out of the sky."

Melia sighed. "Well, I was going to offer you the chance to surrender, but I'm assuming that's a moot point?"

"You're damn right it –"

"Very well, then. Adon, you heard her. Shall we?"

"If we must." Another voice crackled over the comm, and as it did Alci's heart sank.

Blasterfire pounded into her ship from above and below, destroying the engines and sending her plummeting to the surface of the volcano.

Lilo and 626 watched the flare from the elevator room. "Well, whoever that was, that didn't exactly go well." 626 noted.

Lilo glanced back at the elevator. "Are Spon and Leroy okay? It's been a while and they haven't come yet."

"They're fine. The elevator's just really slow, is all."

"But I don't even hear it running!"

That got 626's attention. The thing had been loud enough during their own ascent, so why would it be silent now? He walked over to the doors and pressed his ears against it: sure enough, there wasn't a peep to be heard. That can't be good. Hooking all four of his arms into the space between the doors he opened them with a grunt and took a look inside. There was no movement whatsoever and absolutely no sound. That DEFINITELY can't be good.

Lilo peered down the shaft as well. "Should we go back down there?"

"I don't know how. I could climb it easy enough, but I'm not sure about you."

"I'll be fine up here!"

"No. I'm not leaving you alone. We're still in an active warzone, remember?"

"I know, I know. I just don't think you should be waiting." She looked at 626, curious. "Can I ask a question?"

"Shoot."

"You're super-tough, right?"

He looked at her. "Uhhhh, yes, mostly. Why do you want to know?"

"This." With an absolutely massive grin on her face, she shoved him through the door, sending him plummeting down the elevator shaft.

626 landed on the top of the elevator with a massive thud. Taking a second to gather himself he glared up at Lilo, who was now a tiny shape waving at him.

"Sorry about that!" She yelled down at him. "I'll be safe! I promise! Go help everyone out!"

She's a little kid, 626 reminded himself, she's a little kid. Don't swear at her. Don't. "Fine, just don't. move." You kriffing nutcase, he added mentally. Turning away from Lilo he kicked open the grate to the elevator and dropped into it.

A fist to the chest made Spon double over in pain. Dixon really was playing for keeps after all, it seemed. "Damn you!" The Raptrian shouted. "Why are you defending that thing?"

"Because…because he wants to be good." Spon coughed out every word. "Unlike a certain pilot I could name, I try and keep an open mind." The Amuan lurched to his feet and threw a punch, which was easily blocked. Dixon followed up by kneeing his opponent in the groin.

"Monsters like that don't deserve such kindness."

"They do if they didn't have a choice."

"So that's it, then? You'd just let the abomination walk free after everything it's done?" Another punch, this time aimed at Spon's jaw. "What about everyone who died today? What about the Durgon? What about Captain Gantu?"

Spon finally managed to intercept a punch, grabbing Dixon's fist with one set of hands. With the other he forced Dixon's other hand towards the ground and took advantage of the opportunity to headbutt the Raptrian before stomping on his foot.

They both stumbled backwards, dazed. "I won't deny that Leroy'll have to answer for his actions. But that doesn't mean you can blame everyone who died here on him."

Dixon clutched his forehead. "I'll blame whoever I damn well want. Good men died today, and I will not suffer that affront to nature living on in their place!" He charged in again and tried to make another left hook.

This time Spon was ready for him, sidestepping the punch and slamming Dixon to the floor with all four arms. "Oh, for the love of all that is holy, shut up already!"

Dixon hoisted himself off the floor and made for another kick, which Spon managed to dodge. Before the Amuan could follow up his opponent dodged backwards, placing himself out of range. "Just tell me this, Jofford: why? Why do you always have to side with those freaks of nature?"

Spon chuckled. "Well, Dixon, it's because some of us don't care how someone was born. Or made, in this case. Just who they try to be." He straightened up, ignoring the pain. "We live in a galaxy with what, a hundred billion planets? Don't try and tell me there's not room for a few creatures like 626 or Leroy."

"No." Dixon growled. "There's not."

The two charged at each other once more, and this time Dixon was the one who landed on top, whaling on Spon with his fists and cursing him out with every profanity found in basic and Tantalog alike.

Spon laughed through it all, making Dixon pause in confusion. "Care to say what's so funny?"

"I'm just…just laughing at the irony." Spon coughed. "After…after all, you say that…that they're the monsters, y-yet here you are, trying to…to punch someone to death." Spon raised his head as far as he could and spit a glob of blood and saliva onto Dixon's face.

The Raptrian swore and began to draw back for one final punch as Spon closed his eyes.

Suddenly, Dixon grunted in pain and shock, and the entire weight of his body suddenly vanished from Spon's. The Amuan opened his eyes and saw that a little blue creature had interposed itself between the two fighters.

"Really?" 626 smiled back at his friend. "A four-armed ground soldier getting his ass kicked by a two-armed pilot. God, they need to train the grunts better."

Spon mustered up all his energy and grinned back. "Shut up, man. At least I wasn't guilt-tripped by a little girl."

626, who had just intercepted an attempted punch by Dixon and replied by slugging him square across the chest, shot his friend a dirty look. "Hey, she threw me down an elevator! I promise you it wasn't my idea to come."

"Oh come on, like you're not secretly happy to be beating up Dixon of all people."

"I didn't say that." 626 replied testily before addressing Dixon. "I don't know why you're trying to murder my friend, but I can guess. If you want them, you'll have to go through me."

"Gladly, trog." Dixon charged and made to hit 626 across the chest, but as he did so the experiment merely grinned and let the punch land. It pushed him back a few inches and made him gasp with the shock, but at the same time Dixon screamed and clutched his now severely-bruised hand.

"Are you alright?" 626 taunted. "Maybe next time don't try punching someone who's bulletproof with your bare hands."

"You…you're an abomination!" Dixon's hand was clearly broken.

"I'm also winning." 626's voice dropped to a growl. "Remember that next time you try and kill my friends."

Dixon gnashed his teeth and lunged again, but this time he dove past 626, grabbing his dropped weapon off the floor while he leaped past Spon towards Leroy. Bringing the experiment up off the floor, he pressed Leroy's face against the gun's barrel. "Shut up! Both of you shut up! Don't come near me, or – or he dies!"

The other two both looked at him with identical expressions of mingled pity and anger. "Dixon, don't." Spon urged. "Please. You're making a mistake."

Dixon jammed Leroy's face against the barrel a second time. "The only mistake here is this thing, and it's a mistake I plan on correcting. Trogs like this are a blight on the galaxy!" When both of them took a step forwards Dixon placed his finger on the trigger. "Don't move! Both of you stay still, or I'll shoot him!"

From behind 626 and Spon Dixon could hear someone else approaching. "You there!" He called out. "Colonel! You know I'm right! Talk sense into these two! You know we need to kill this thing, right?"

The only answer Obrea had for him was a stun blast that dropped the other Raptrian straight to the floor. Face grim, he studied the two still standing. "What in blazes is going on?"

Spon and 626 explained everything as best they could while Obrea restrained Dixon, and when they were done 626 walked over to Leroy and stood over him. "Obrea, please, show him mercy. If you trust me at all, show him mercy."

Obrea sighed. "Fine. On your head be it."

The three of them made for one of the still working elevators on the ground floor, and after 626 keyed in the floor Lilo was on he turned back to the Colonel. "What about Jumba? Is he dead?"

Obrea nodded. "He is. Does it bother you at all?"

"I – I don't know." On one hand, 626 was under no illusions as to whether the galaxy was a better place without him or not. On the other, Jumba had still been his creator, and the fact that he had been killed still caused an inexplicable pit to settle in 626's gut. "For all the terrible things he did, he's still the closest thing I've ever had to a family." He looked up at Obrea. "One of them, at least."

Obrea smiled and ruffled 626's fur. A few moments later, as they all ascended, Leroy moaned and sat up. Upon looking around he grew visibly nervous. "Tagga Lilo?" Where's Lilo?

"We're going to her." 626 gave his paw a gentle squeeze. "She's alright, I promise."

"Okie taka." Okay. Leroy sat back on the floor, still anxious but a bit calmer.

Spon noticed Obrea staring at the experiment. "See? Trying to be good."

They emerged onto a landing pad full of rejoicing Federation Troops. While Obrea led Dixon over to the rest of the prisoners 626, Spon, Lilo and Leroy instead made their way over to Adon and Melia. Both of them gave a start upon seeing Leroy and reached for their weapons, forcing 626 to hastily calm them both down.

"It's alright. Lilo convinced him to give himself up. She actually managed to get through to him, believe it or not."

The two of them exchanged glances. "Is it really safe, though? For him to just wander the ship?" Melia asked. "Command's not going to go for it."

"Meega soka." I'm sorry. Leroy hung his head.

"Can't he just say in my and Lilo's quarters?" 626 asked. "I'll keep an eye on him."

Adon thought about it. "Very well, I'll put it forwards. But only if you agree that he'll stay there. No wandering off, no leaving under any circumstances. Is that clear?"

"Perfectly, Adon." 626 nodded. "Leroy? That alright with you?"

"Ih." Yes.

As it turned out, Commodore Rikke was too busy commanding the cleanup and withdrawal efforts to even protest the idea, and as such Leroy was able to skirt a prison cell in favor of a more comfortable incarceration inside Lilo and 626's suite. Shortly after that little arrangement was given formal approval, they took off.

626 stood by the window, watching the Jitos base shrink and shrink until it was but one more feature on the planet surface, and then watched the planet begin to shrink as well.

Just before they pulled off into hyperspace, he caught a glimpse of the G.A.C. Durgon, Federation crafts already buzzing around it and preparing the ship for the long journey back to Turo.

For some reason, the sight of both the Durgon and Saiccano was too much for 626 to bear. He turned and walked away, a lump in his throat.