Big guy and rusty the boy robot #44 Remember me.

Big guy is the property of dark horse comics and tristar.

On a strange planet lies a forest. It is forbidden for anybody to enter it. But right now it has several people inside it. One of them runs through the forest. He keeps looking back as if somebody is chasing him. He looks back again and trips on a root. He falls forward and hits the ground hard. He immediately spins around so he's facing up. A dark figure runs up and reveals it to be a young girl. She reaches down and smiles.

"I caught you." She says.

The boy stands up and looks around. He wipes his forehead and looks at the sky confused. The boy takes off his hood revealing a face that looks very much like Rusty.

Meanwhile in another world Melissa is watching over an excavation effort.

"Are you sure these are the coordinates?" Mack asks.

Melissa nods.

"I am sure. This is where the alien message said to look. I wonder what it will reveal this time." Melissa says.

Soon after the digger hits something. The workers eagerly dig up a small device. Melissa scans it.

"I am picking up a low level energy signature. Doesn't appear to be harmful. I'd suggest we return this to Quarks where they can better study it." Melissa says.

The device is brought to quarks. Rusty quickly finds out about it and is all over it.

"Oh oh. What is it?" Rusty asks excitedly.

Slate smiles.

"I don't know. That's why they brought it here." Slate responds.

The scientists hook it up to the main computer and begin to download its data. Rusty gets close to it.

"Maybe you shouldn't get so close…" Slate says.

But suddenly the device glows with power and Rusty falls to the ground and remains motionless.

"Rusty!" Slate yells.

But Rusty is too far away inside his head to hear her. Rusty finds himself in a strange place. He looks around and sees a bunch of trees. He looks down and yells when he finds human hands.

"What's going on here?" Rusty asks.

He jumps when he hears sounds of crashing coming from behind him. He instinctively runs away from the sound. He keeps on looking behind him until he trips and falls on a root. He quickly spins around so he's on his back. He tries to get up but winces in pain.

"Ow." Rusty says.

A shadowy figure rushes into view and stands over him. It's a young girl. She smiles at the sight of him.

"I caught you." The girl says.

Rusty jumps up and points his left arm at her. But something inside of him stops himself from harming her.

"Jured?" A female voice calls out.

The girl whips her head around towards the voice.

"Oh oh. Now we are going to get it." The girl says.

A woman runs into view and scowls at the two.

"Jured! You know you are not supposed to go into the forbidden forest." The woman says.

She grabs Rusty by the ear.

"You're lucky your father wasn't around to come get you." The woman says.

"Ow let me go." Rusty whines.

Rusty shoves her back and points his finger at her. But he soon realizes that there is no weapon there anymore. He puts his arm down and looks confused. The woman gets really angry and grabs him up in her arms.

"You are in big trouble young man." The woman says.

She looks over at the young girl.

"And you too. You know better than this." The woman says.

The girl follows the two out of the forest. Rusty tries to break free but can't. As soon as they break through the forest a bunch of men rush forward.

"Damn woman. I told you not to go in there. But you never listen." A man says.

"I got him back didn't I?" The mother says smirking.

The man grabs Rusty and shoots her a look.

"Harei!" Another woman calls out.

The girl gulps as she looks up at a very large and very angry looking woman. The woman says no more and just grabs her and takes her to a small hut. Rusty looks around as the man carries him to another hut. The man throws him into a room.

"You stay there until you know better not to ever do that again." The man says.

The door slams and a sliding sound is heard on the other side. Rusty tries to break the door open but can't.

"Let me out of here. Where's Slate?" Rusty yells.

But nobody responds. Rusty goes berserk and tries to break the walls down but finds his robotic strength is gone. He also finds himself tired soon and he lays down defeated. He looks around at the room and finds everything pretty primitive looking. Not a single electronic device in the place.

"Where am I?" Rusty asks sadly.

He finds a mirror and looks at himself. The thing he sees makes him scream. Instead of seeing himself he sees a human like person with flesh colored skin. Rusty back peddles until he hits the back wall.

"What did they do to me!" Rusty yells.

A loud pounding on the door occurs.

"Hey keep it down in there or you will be in there all night." The male voice says angrily.

He lies on the floor and falls asleep. That night the door opens up and the woman comes in. She wakes him up.

"You can come out now." The woman says.

Rusty leaves the room and looks around at the main area of the hut. Everything looks as primitive as it did in the room. They sit down to eat and Rusty realizes he has no idea what to do cause he has never eaten in his life. He observes the others and does the same. He finds that he likes the taste of this food. After dinner they all go and sit outside. Rusty looks at the night sky and ponders his situation.

"I don't know where I am or what was done to me but looks like I have to deal with this situation for now." Rusty thinks.

He sees a shooting star.

"Please let me go home." Rusty says.

The next morning Rusty wakes up to the sounds of a loud commotion outside. He gets up and runs outside. Men are gathered together in a group and some women are looking scared and worried. Rusty sees the same big woman that took away the mysterious girl. She is looking the most frantic.

"Damn girl. Don't never listen to her parents." A man standing next to the woman says.

"Oh poor Harei. Why didn't you listen to me?" The big woman asks.

The men finally get ready to enter the forbidden forest to find her.

"I want to help. She's my friend." Rusty says, surprised that he knows that somehow.

But the woman that seems to be his mother shakes her head.

"No way. One trip into there is too much." She says.

Rusty pouts.

"Don't worry. They'll find her." The mother says.

Rusty returns to his room. He doesn't understand these feelings. He just met this girl yesterday and yet he feels like he has known her forever. After a few hours he hears some more commotion and leaves the house. He smiles when he sees the men returning with the girl but his smile turns into a frown when he sees that she isn't moving. He rushes up. But the big woman gets their first. She looks at the girl and starts crying. Rusty doesn't need to be told that she is dead.

"She must of fallen victim to those savages." A man says.

After that Rusty never even thinks of going anywhere near the forest.

Meanwhile in the real world Slate is standing over Rusty's unmoving body. She hooks up a scanner and does a diagnostic. Some technicians are scanning the device to find a connection.

"I'm getting a very minimal reading from Rusty. His power level is normal but the readings from his main processor are off the scale." Slate says.

"What does that mean?" Melissa asks.

Slate shakes her head.

"It's only been 5 minutes." Melissa comments.

"When Rusty is like this, every minute is forever to me." Slate says.

Back in the other world more time has passed. A lot more time. The same hut still stands in the same village. The door opens up and Rusty leaves. He appears to be a teenager now.

"I'm going to school mom." Rusty calls back.

He has a small backpack on his back and he walks out of the village. Another girl meets with him along the way.

"Hey." The girl says.

Rusty sees her and blushes.

"Hi Maryn." Rusty says.

They walk for a short while until the approach a large building. A lot of kids around the same age are entering the building.

"Did you do your homework last night." Maryn asks.

Rusty stops and slaps his forehead.

"Oh man I forgot!" Rusty responds.

Maryn smiles.

"When have you ever not forgotten?" Maryn says.

They enter the building and go to their separate classes. Rusty enters a small room with about 2-dozen children sitting. He sits in the only vacant seat. He opens up his backpack and takes out a book. The teacher enters the room and begins to write on a board.

"Today we are talking about the environment of our world. How there are deserts on different parts of this world and why." The teacher says.

"My dad says its cause this world is becoming more and more barren. That it won't be a rain type planet for very long." A kid says.

The teacher frowns at him.

"I'd appreciate if the words of the doomsayers would be left out of this class." The teacher says.

The teacher draws a diagram of what must be the planet.

"Now less than 15% of the planet surface is barren and desert like. It is true that the percentage has risen every so slightly in the last century but not enough to warrant any kind of that speculation." The teacher says.

"My dad says you would probably say that. The government doesn't want us to know the truth." The kid says.

The teacher puts down his chalk and turns around, his head looking at the floor.

"Look do you want to come up here and teach the class yourself?" The teacher asks.

The kid doesn't answer.

"Cause if you really know so much then go ahead!" The teacher yells.

But the kid stays silent. This seems to satisfy the teacher.

"I thought as much." The teacher says.

That afternoon Rusty returns home. His senses are alerted by the smell of smoke. He comes into view of total chaos. Men on horses are burning buildings and attacking the village men. Suddenly Rusty is grabbed and pulled into the bush. A hand covers his mouth to silence his scream. He looks up and relaxes when he sees his mom.

"What's going on?" Rusty asks.

"It's another raider attack." She responds.

"They are getting bolder. The attacks are coming more frequently." Another woman says.

Rusty watches as a lot of the village men are cut down.

"What's going to happen?" Rusty asks.

He looks around and notices that only women and children are huddled together.

"They will fight them off. They always do." Another woman says.

"We can't keep this up forever." The second woman says.

Rusty frets over this.

"Don't talk that way in front of the children. Our men are strong. They can hold back any raid." The mother says.

Rusty watches the chaos. A raider comes close to their hiding place. Rusty holds his breath as if to prevent the man from hearing that. The raider goes back into the village. Suddenly Rusty's father shows up in a huge weapon and fires back at the raiders. The horses buck their riders as a projectile explodes. The raiders retreat but not before burning down another building. The leader stops and looks at the father with hatred.

"You will pay for this." The leader says.

He leaves with the others. The women and children enter the village and survey the damage.

"Damn raiders." Rusty's father says.

"I hear that their home is becoming barren and they are lacking of resources. That's why they are getting bolder." A man says.

"Just let them try again to take our village. They will feel the sting again." Rusty's father says patting his weapon.

The next morning Rusty won't leave, worried that there won't be a home to come back to.

"Don't worry. They have never attacked two days in a row and if they do we will always win." The mother says.

Rusty goes to school. That afternoon he returns. He rushes into the village but drops everything when he sees that it's all burned down. Very few buildings are still standing.

"Mother!" Rusty yells out.

He sees his home and rushes inside. He enters his room and is happy to see a box is intact.

"Father!" Rusty yells.

But nobody responds. He opens up the box and pulls out a small flute like object. He puts it to his lips and starts playing on it. Tears flow from his eyes. He plays until he falls asleep. That night the door slams open and a strange man comes inside.

"I found one!" The man yells outside.

The man takes up Rusty who stays asleep. He runs to the village center.

"Report!" The man orders.

"There's nothing left. Nobody is here." Another man responds.

He looks surprised when he saw Rusty.

"Damn. They must have been taken by slave traders." The man says.

Rusty looks groggily at all the faces. Even though he's never seen them before, something tells him that he can trust them.

Back in the real world the technicians come up with a plan.

"We can shut the device down. That might bring Rusty out of it." A technician says.

"Do it." Slate says.

The technician pushes a button and the device dies down. Suddenly Rusty goes into seizures.

"Rusty!" Slate yells.

Slate pushes the button again and the device turns back on. Rusty's seizures stop. Slate sighs and the scans confirm he's back to the way he's been for the last 15 minutes.

"Sorry." A technician says.

Slate shakes her head.

Back in the other world some more time has passed. Rusty is sitting in a new building. This one looks a bit more advanced than the hut he used to live in. He appears to be a young adult in his twenties now. He is writing in a small book.

"Even though I know this is not my real home, spending 20 years here has forced me to accept it. I don't know if I will ever see my home again." Rusty writes.

He looks up and looks at a photograph of his family sadly.

"I never really found out what happened 10 years ago. All that they would tell me is that my family was taken from my village. And a group of heroes found me, on the path of raiders, and took me to another village to live. I have come to accept this new family but I still miss the old one." Rusty says.

Rusty looks up at another picture. Of an attractive young woman.

"Maryn." Rusty says.

"The only tie to this world that makes my exile from my true home easier is this girl Maryn. I've known her since I was 13. I have since begun to experience strange emotions. Ones I never experienced when I was in my real home. They grow stronger with time. I feel sad when I am not around her." Rusty writes.

His thoughts wander to that real home of his. To Slate and the big guy.

"As time passes I find it harder and harder to remember my real home. Because of that I intend to write as much about it as I can remember. I never want to forget it. Just in case I never return." Rusty writes sadly.

Rusty takes out his flute and plays on it.

"Hey stranger." A familiar voice says.

Rusty puts down his flute and turns around. He sees the same girl in the picture.

"Maryn." Rusty says smiling.

They embrace and kiss. Maryn motions towards the outside and Rusty follows her. They sit on a small bench and look at the sky.

"Do you believe what they are saying? That the planet is slowly turning into a desert type planet." Maryn asks.

Rusty sighs.

"I don't know. I'm to afraid to think of it." Rusty responds.

Maryn puts her head on Rusty's chest and he puts his arms around her.

"Though it does seem like rainfall has decreased a lot over the last 10 years. But does that mean it will get worse and worse?" Rusty ponders.

Suddenly a bunch of yelling bursts out. Rusty gets up and smells something.

"Fire!" Rusty yells.

Maryn jumps up and they both rush to the source. The main store is engulfed in flames. Already a bunch of men are forming a bucket brigade to douse the fire. Rusty joins and they start to get it under control. But suddenly the store explodes and everybody gets flung back.

"Damn fireworks. Told them not to keep them in that place." A man yells.

Rusty notices that the two houses next to the store are now inflamed. Rusty rushes into the first house looking for anybody that is still inside. He then enters the second house and sees a young girl sleeping on the bed. He kicks aside the debris blocking the way and grabs the little girl up. He starts towards the front door but the ceiling collapses blocking the way. Rusty breaks through the window and quickly runs as far away as he can. The house collapses behind him. Rusty rushes to the front and hands the daughter to a hysterical mother.

The water brigade begins once more but it's hopeless with the explosives inside the store. They are, however, able to stop the fire from spreading. Later on there is nothing left of the store and the two houses but burnt wreckage. The men shake their heads.

That night Rusty and Maryn are sitting on the bench holding hands. They look up at the sky.

"The stars are beautiful. I can only imagine what it would be like to be up there with them." Maryn says.

Rusty vaguely remembers what it was like when he went to rescue big guy from Po.

"It's amazing." Rusty says.

"What?" Maryn asks confused.

Rusty shakes his head.

"I mean I imagine it's amazing." Rusty says.

Maryn smiles and looks up again. Rusty sighs and takes out a small box.

"Maryn. Today made me realize that we don't know how long we have on this world. And to live every moment to it's fullest." Rusty says.

Maryn looks down and gasps when Rusty gets down on his knees.

"Will you marry me?" Rusty asks.

Maryn puts her hands to her mouth and looks shocked.

"Of course I will." Maryn responds.

Rusty puts the ring on her finger and they kiss passionately.

Meanwhile in the real world the computer reports that Rusty's processor is still over active.

"Maybe he's dreaming. Could this device be feeding him information?" Slate asks.

The technician shrugs.

"Maybe we will have to let this play out." Slate says.

Back in the other world a lot of time has passed. Rusty is back at his journal and he now looks like he's in his 40's.

"The weather situation is now being called a drought. There hasn't been any rain in months and weather reporters say there won't be any time soon. I fear more for my children's future than my own. Have I brought into these world 3 souls just to have them be doomed? My 3 children are still so innocent. They ask about the rain." Rusty writes.

He sighs and smiles.

"Jerol went to her first day of school today. She seemed so excited. Narol and Jaron were never that excited." Rusty writes.

He pauses for a few seconds to ponder.

"I still miss my real home yet I barely remember it at all anymore. The only thing I can remember is the name Slate. But not as to who or what she is and what significance she plays. Was she a friend? If only my older journal pages hadn't been lost. I used to rely on those to help me remember." Rusty writes.

"Dad!" A voice says.

Rusty closes his journal and turns around to see Narol, his middle daughter.

"What are you doing out of school?" Rusty asks.

"School got out 10 minutes ago." Narol responds.

Rusty frowns.

"Of course. I'm sorry. I lose track of time when I write in my journal." Rusty says.

Narol shakes her head. That night everybody is sitting down to dinner. The only one missing is Jerol who is out playing.

"She better show up soon." Maryn says.

Rusty smiles.

"Don't worry. She won't be young forever." Rusty says.

Jaron puts down his fork and frowns.

"Dad. Is it true that the drought is getting worse? That this planet is getting more and more desert like?" Jeron asks.

Rusty looks up angrily.

"Have you been hanging out with the doomsayers again? I told you to stay away from them." Rusty asks.

Jeron slams his hand on the table.

"Why not? They are the only ones that are willing to admit the truth. Everybody else is in denial. If we can stop being in denial then at least we can do something about it." Jeron says.

Rusty stares him down.

"Just stay away from them." Rusty says.

Jeron jumps up.

"I'll see whoever I want to!" Jeron yells.

He storms out of the house.

Rusty gets up but Maryn stops him.

"Let him go. He needs to let off some steam." Maryn says.

Rusty sits back down. Suddenly Jarol rushes in.

"Daddy. I found a river." Jarol says.

"That's impossible. There hasn't been a river in this area in years." Rusty says.

"Yeah Jar, stop making up stories." Narol ridicules.

"I'm not making it up. Come and I'll show you." Jarol says.

Rusty sighs and gets up. Maryn follows two and they walk for a short distance. Rusty gasps when he actually hears running water.

"It's impossible." Rusty says.

But soon they indeed find a small river.

"See I told you." Jarol says excitedly.

Jarol rushes to the bank and bends down to take a drink.

"Jarol don't get so close to the water." Rusty says.

But Jarol doesn't listen. She loses her balance and falls into the water. She is quickly swept away.

"Jarol! Help!" Maryn screams.

Rusty runs alongside as Jarol is being pulled down stream screaming and yelling.

"Mommy!" Jarol yells.

A bunch of men in small buggy like vehicles show up and rush down stream ahead of Jarol. They set up a snare across the river to stop her. They release the net part that falls down over the water. Jarol soon reaches the net and gets caught in it. They quickly pull her to shore. Maryn quickly takes her.

"She isn't breathing!" Maryn yells.

Something inside of Rusty tells him what to do. He grabs her and places her on the ground. He does CPR on her. Everybody watches in confusion. Suddenly Jarol coughs up water.

"It's a miracle." Maryn says.

Rusty holds Jarol and cries.

Back in the real world Melissa is doing some more scanning of the device. In hopes of finding it's purpose. She notices alien writings on the casing and attempts to translate them.

"I'm getting a rough translation but it appears to be a depository of information." Melissa says.

"That would fit with the fact that Rusty appears to be dreaming of some sort." Slate says.

"You think the device is uploading data into Rusty. And he's experiencing it?" Melissa asks.

Slate nods her head.

"But what kind of data?" Slate wonders.

Back in the other world a lot more time has passed. Rusty, who is now elderly and looks to be in his 60's is standing over his wife who is in bed. She doesn't look good at all. Rusty looks up a man that looks to be a doctor. Maryn wakes up and smiles at Rusty. Maryn looks at the doctor expectantly. The doctor doesn't look very happy.

"Her disease is in its final stage. I don't give her very long to live. I'm sorry." The doctor says.

Rusty starts to cry.

"I'll leave you too alone." The doctor says.

"Don't listen to that quack. I'll live forever." Maryn says.

Rusty smiles and laughs weakly. They hold hands and Rusty says he will be back later. On the way out Rusty talk to the doctor.

"If she slips into her final moments I want you to get a hold of me. I don't care what it takes. I want to be with her in her final moments." Rusty says.

The doctor agrees and Rusty leaves. Rusty gets inside his vehicle and drives to a village nearby. He walks up to a house and knocks on the door. Jeron who is now in his 30's answers the door. A little girl is hugging his legs.

"Hey little one." Rusty says.

"Grandpa!" The little girl says.

"She looks just like her mother did." Rusty says.

That comment saddens Jeron and he sheds a tear.

"It came so quick. One day she was in perfect health. So full of life. Then the next day she collapses and doesn't move again." Jeron says.

Jeron bursts into tears.

"I never even got to say goodbye." Jeron says.

Rusty picks up the little one.

"You know that part of her is in this little one. I bet she will grow up to look just like mommy." Rusty says.

Jeron wipes his tears away.

"How is mother?" Jeron asks.

Rusty looks down sadly.

"She doesn't have much longer to live. The doctor says she is in her final stage." Rusty says.

"Damn disease. How many more lives will it take before they find a cure?" Jeron asks.

"She would love it if you could come visit her." Rusty says.

Jeron shakes his head.

"Not tonight. I feel like being alone." Jeron says.

Rusty accepts reluctantly. Rusty says his goodbyes and puts down his granddaughter.

"Tell her I love her." Jeron says.

"I will." Rusty says.

Rusty gets in the car.

"Play the flute. Remember how that always calms you, and her." Jeron says.

Rusty returns to the hospital and the doctor rushes out to meet him.

"She's taken a turn for the worse. She's slipping away." The doctor says.

Rusty rushes into her room and sees her very pale. She weakly smiles. Rusty holds her hands and smiles at her.

"Jeron says to give his love." Rusty says.

"I love you." Maryn says.

Rusty bends over and kisses her on the forehead.

"Me too." Rusty says.

"Remember me." Maryn says weakly.

"I'll never forget you no matter what." Rusty says.

Suddenly Maryn screams out in pain and he body arches.

"I don't want to die." Maryn cries out.

"Play the flute." Jeron's advice echoes in Rusty's head.

Rusty takes out his flute and begins to play it. Maryn smiles and her eyes close. Suddenly her hand goes limp. Rusty puts the flute down and his face breaks into crying. He bends over her and cries over her body.

Back in the real world Melissa is continuing the translation. She looks at the data.

"This pod appears to have come from another galaxy. It's come along way." Melissa says.

She brings up another data piece. A starry sky.

Back in the other world much more time has passed. Rusty is now in his 80's and is very wrinkled. He shifts in his chair even though it is very painful. A bunch of kids go running by happily. Jeron sits down next to Rusty.

"I miss the innocence of being young. Before you know the truth." Jeron comments.

"How long until it happens?" Rusty asks.

"The supernova? They aren't sure. They give us only a few weeks." Jeron responds.

Rusty's life passes in front of his eyes. His first family, losing them. His love and his children. The people he lost. And deep beneath it all are visions of another world that he cannot remember any more. Rusty hears a commotion at the town square and gets up.

"What's going on over there?" Rusty asks.

In the town square a strange looking device sitting on a large missile shaped device.

Jeron chuckles.

"Just a pipedream. To help preserve our civilization." Jeron says.

Rusty walks towards the town square and suddenly the device launches into the sky. Rusty watches as it goes up into the heavens and disappears.

"What the…" Rusty says.

"It's to make sure we will never be forgotten." A familiar voice says.

Rusty spins around to see Maryn alive and well. But she looks like she did when they first got married.

"Maryn? But that's impossible. You're alive and young again." Rusty says.

"That device contains data and journals that we could put on it. We launched it into space in hope that someday a historian would find it and we would be remembered." Maryn responds.

"You mean this all is fake? This isn't my life?" Rusty asks.

"The world you experienced died in a supernova over a century ago." Maryn responds.

Visions of his real home flood Rusty.

"I'm the historian….

Suddenly Rusty finds himself lying on the ground with everybody looking at him concerned. Rusty gets up and looks around confused. He looks down and sees Robotic hands once more.

"What happened?" Rusty asks.

Suddenly the device opens up and reveals a single object inside. Only Rusty recognizes the object. A flute, his flute. Rusty steps forward and takes the flute. Flashes of what he went through go through his head. That night Rusty is sitting in the main lab thinking. Slate enters the room and sits next to him.

"What happened to you?" Slate asks.

"How long was I out?" Rusty asks.

Slate thinks.

"About 30 minutes." Slate says.

"30 minutes? I experienced 60 years of someone else's life. I experienced everything he experienced." Rusty says.

He looks down at his flute.

"Learned everything he learned." Rusty says.

Slate doesn't know what to say about that.

"If only you could of seen them. If only you could of known them." Rusty says.

Slate sighs.

"Tell me about them." Slate says.

Rusty sighs and begins his tale.

A special thanks go out to the writers of star trek the next generation for making such a wonderful episode that I will never forget.