"Zurg, this has to end."
Zurg turned in the source of the voice.
"You sound . . ." Zurg faced the Space Ranger. "different."
"If you keep doing this, you're going to break something really important." The Space Ranger was somber, approaching the evil emperor. "And the reason I sound different is because this matter requires the utmost serious discussion!"
"I haven't done a evil plan yet!" Zurg tapped on the Space Ranger's nose, flattered, as a mean glare came from him. "Cute approaching for a fight." Zurg clasped his claws together pressing them against his audio synthesizer. "Wanting to start one. That is adorable."
"And I won't be there to help you this time." was the bitter reply. "Can't clean up after you."
"Once he answers my question, this Warp Darkmatter will be sent back to his portal." Zurg said, nonchalantly.
"The answer that he has; you don't want to hear it." was the Space Ranger's reply to the evil emperor. "Believe it." then gestured toward himself. "Trust me."
"This Space Ranger is close to talking!" The evil emperor loomed over the Space Ranger stretching his arms out. "And he has gotten my curiosity."
"Don't make me laugh." It was a cold comment as he pointed his finger against the emperor's chassis. "You're making a mess and don't even know how evil it is!" He gestured both arms in front of him. "Can't enjoy how evil it really is!" He turned around then walked away storming off from the emperor. "The answer is right in front of you."
"If the answer is in front of me, then it would be seen." Zurg replied.
The Space Ranger was trembling with rage as he halted in his tracks then turned toward the evil emperor.
"Because it is being IGNORED!" was the roar in response. "You're helping the fire grow by just asking that stupid question!" He stretched his arms out to his side then his arms were reached out above his head. "Ask for the access codes!" His arms lowered, his hands closed in fists. "He'll give it to you."
"They don't matter right now." Zurg then pointed back at the Space Ranger, accusingly, but giddy. "You are jealous! JEAAAALLOOOUUUSS!"
"Don't even see that you-you-you-you're making a bon fire!" The Space Ranger approached the evil emperor. "That is the tragedy." He shook his head, disappointed. "You're paving the road to your downfall, you can't help it, you add more fuel, walking down the path, and you're going to travel down that path without knowing it in the field of the mistakes that you made!" The Space Ranger came to a halt in front of Zurg. "And yes, I am very jealous."
"So beneath you, Buzz Lightyear." Zurg said, sounding gleeful as he tapped his claws together quite proudly. "Always knew that kind of thing was in there."
"For other reasons!" was the amendment as he held up his closed fist.
"What are they?" Zurg's red optics glowed fiercely upon the Space Ranger with his arms folded against his chassis.
The Space Ranger grit his teeth together as he stepped back, holding his arms up in the air, palms open, a fine red line between them, then his head lifted up.
"I. can't. tell." The Space Ranger replied with emphasis turned his back toward him. "Won't get help from this hand. It's tied behind my back with my other hand."
The Space Ranger vanished in the dark corridor then Zurg turned away, focusing, on another attempt to make Warp talk.
Nana observed the grandchildren fast asleep, XR was playing a musical, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as a favor for her. It had been relatively easy to deduce who, or what, could have stolen her son in law who had to be stolen right back. Warp had gone into his fair share of unusual adventures before and after losing Buzz Lightyear, the odd situations around him were generally accepted. It was another reason why she accepted him readily into the Lightyear clan besides that he and Buzz looked cute together.
She looked back at their graduation photograph, the boys clinging to each other, Buzz winking with a smile, Warp grinning from ear to ear. Young, kids, fresh out of the academy, Warp's hair a notable afro and Buzz's hair hidden underneath the purple cap. They were partners before being assigned, they were partners in many situations off duty, they were partners in many sense of the word, and shared many memories that were at risk of being lost forever. Each of them rubbed off the other leaving a piece of themselves behind. And Warp was a piece of Buzz Lightyear that hadn't died.
She looked toward the sky, her vehicle waiting to make the departure, the headline that Star Command had finalized a way to deal with the unusual hole was on the red ticker on the television. Nana clicked a button turning off the television as XR remained seated in the corridor that split off into the various rooms of the children with cords leading into their bedrooms directly into the television sets where the entertainment was being played.
"You can always call your friends." Nana reminded.
"Oh, they're coming over in a hour." XR said, sporting a smile.
"In a hour?" Nana repeated lifting a gray brow. "Not in the next five minutes?"
"Booster and Mira are busy burying Nos-4-A2 somewhere after a rookie dug them up to prove her worth." XR explained to the matriarch. "I give them a hour because things can always change."
"Ah," Nana grew a bemused smile. "problem child."
"Uh huh." XR said, nodding his head. "And android terrorist, robot terrorist, machine terrorist-"
"You are a very clever android." Nana acknowledged as the android stopped counting his digits.
"This is being done as a favor, Nana Lightyear." XR said, scowling his hands on his hips. "Not chickening out on official Star Command business."
She admired the defiant android for doing the favor, being off duty, when he didn't have to. And a part of her, yet, felt that he readily believed it was the best way to avoid a frightening vampire. It was the most human quality that she had seen from the android quite yet. Nana strapped her Jessie cowgirl doll into her support equipment.
"Tell them that I'm on a little errand if it drags on to tomorrow night." Nana said.
"They'll understand, Venus surface, you must be very busy getting christmas gifts ready!"
"See you later, XR!"
"See you later, Nana Lightyear!"
She departed then went into the shuttle to perform last minute checks. took one last check of her suit, her medical equipment, and etc. The medical berth that she planned to strap in the Space Ranger and the purchased space suit with his last measurements. There were certain advantages to have knit several sweaters and pants on her free time for the Space Ranger that it seemed it all built up to this.
Nana Lightyear was ready to get her son-in-law back.
"Mira, XR, remain."
"What if he tries to attack you and make his escape?"
"He won't."
"This is Warp Darkmatter you're speaking of." Mira reminded.
"We've traded several laser blasts here and there nearly four years, Buzz!" XR waved his arms. "Need I remind you that he is the one who destroyed me and nearly got you killed after faking his death."
"He likes making dramatic entrances, XR." Buzz said then held his hand up over their alarm. "I'm not excusing his behavior."
"Sure sounds like it."
"Then one of you gets to join me." Buzz held up a finger then wiggled it back and forth at the duo. "Only one." He folded his arms. "Preferably one who isn't trigger happy to shoot Warp."
"It's him or you out there!" XR injected in a frenzy. "He has a plasma blaster! A plasma blaster!"
"Getting hurt by him is a risk that I can take because he has saved my life dozens of times." Buzz reminded them then shifted toward Mira. "You understand that sort of thing, Mira, with Romac."
"Which makes me the ideal partner to go down there with you." Mira said then patted on XR's helmet. "Better luck next time."
"I am not plotting my revenge plot if something tragic happens down there." XR said, a dark cloud brewing over him.
"Sure you're not." Mira said, amused.
Buzz and Mira departed the forty-two, climbing down, XR retrieved the necessary equipment that had been packed into the ship before departing Star Command. The Space Ranger turned toward Mira, grim.
"Mira, Warp is going to do something and I need you . . ." he crossed his hands above one another. "to do nothing."
"But, Buzz!" Mira said.
"I need you to trust me on this one." Buzz set his hand on the side of the rookie's shoulder. "it's been four weeks, a complete month, since we left him here."
"What if he wants revenge?" Mira asked, sincerely, concerned for her mentor's well being. Buzz withdrew his hand from her shoulder. "What if he tries to kill us all or contact Zurg?"
"He wouldn't." Buzz said, as he started to walk away then she followed. "Which is why, dropping him to Star Command for processing, it'll be nice if you put on the music channel for him."
"Know just the one." Mira bore a helpful smile.
"Though not exactly sure XR will be in the mood to be singing." Buzz said as the machine built by XR lowered the device that had tarted the entire episode in the first place right down to their level.
"He'll start if you put on a classic rock song." Mira said.
"Perfect." Buzz said.
Mira picked up the device then they proceeded to walk into the facility with Buzz leading the way. The doors automatically opened then the duo carried on in the silent and dark facility as the lights refused to turn on with only the spotlight flickering on and off in the area where the cafeteria was. Mira looked around as it settled upon her, gasping, staying in a place without light. She couldn't imagine being in this position, alone, in the dark, searching for movement, not a sound by something else.
"Lightyear! Nova!"
There was movement in the dark, not that she couldn't see, of the mercenary bolting from his place, from the cat walk above, in the middle of performing a play, sliding down the railing. He was excited, thrilled, seeing two people who he crashed into then passed through with a grunt. He lifted himself up, halfway, groaning, then stared at them, doubting if they were real or a product of his imagination, a product of hallucination, his mind going mad, then got up to his feet squinting after them.
"Is this how it's done, normally . . ." Mira started to ask. "when Star Command wants a answer?"
"We do this often for missions that are above your head." Buzz confessed, shifting toward her, reluctantly.
"There's more skeletons in Star Command's closet by that tone!" Mira observed.
"I kept Warp in the dark, it's best that he didn't see the dark side of Star Command. . . and now you and he know." Buzz looked toward his side where Darkmatter was staring at him, shocked. "It's a very rough side when it's drastic measures that matter a lot to the stability of the Galactic Alliance."
Mira paused in her tracks as Buzz Lightyear turned in her direction then nodded.
"Would you like me to give you two some personal room?" Mira asked.
"You don't want to see the ugly side of this." Lightyear ordered.
"What ugly side?" Mira asked.
"Mira." Buzz cast a look toward her.
"Locking on thin air, in three, two, one-"
A large blue blast filled the room as Mira shielded her eyes and Buzz looked at the blast as it took a humanoid shape with a wide bust, large arm, brilliant bright blue that simmered, he started at the shape with a grin, like it were treasure. Color returned to the figure in the spotlight beside the Space Ranger, red uniform, purple armor, blue skin, and dark blue hair, and pointed small ears.
"Are you real?" Darkmatter asked.
Mira proceeded to ghost out of the room as she could see where it were going.
"Just as real as you are, Warp." Buzz set his hand on the side of the mercenary's hand as the room lit up full to life. "Maybe even more real than you can possibly be."
Darkmatter reached a hand out then squeezed the ranger's hand who turned off his helmet.
"Then prove it, Lightyear." Darkmatter requested.
Buzz leaned forward then pressed a button turning off the helmet and planted a kiss on to the mercenary's lips. Darkmatter's free hand held the Space Ranger as they stood there in the facility, all alone. He felt the lower back of the Space Ranger, his hand moving to the Space Ranger's waist then toward the hips, then toward the thigh. Buzz held on to him, keeping him steady, his free hand clutching the mercenary's back.
"One thing before we continue this thing." Darkmatter twirled his free hand in the air. "I got a call to make." then he squinted back at the Space Ranger. "Also, don't you dare take your hand off me."
"Anytime you want, partner." Buzz said.
"Warp Darkmatter to Star Command."
The commander appeared on the screen with a scowl.
"Warp Darkmatter, where is the hole?"
Darkmatter squeezed Buzz's hand, tightly, as he replied the coordinates, it was tight, it was something that lasted after the call, held there, mercenary and Space Ranger standing there making out. It was difficult letting go of the Space Ranger so he could climb the ladder back up. The mercenary would be looking back and forth, unsure, if he were about to vanish, be revealed to be part of a hallucination, a day dream. And Buzz found that he didn't like seeing the state that the torture left his partner in.
