"XR, are these tapes really necessary for your itch?"
"Ready." XR folded his arms. "I want to see what Star Command was like before he left and the moment it all changed."
Nebula shifted toward the main frame computer then signaled to Hikari to press a series of buttons. The commander shifted toward the small droid that had a series of numbers cross his optics, his jaw falling, slouching, drooling, filled with wonderful data. The commander rolled his eyes turning away then looked toward the screen displaying the scene being transferred to the android.
"LGM rescue mission, piece of cake." Warp entered the Star Cruiser bay with Buzz by his side.
"Phoenix, I forgot how young the kid used to look." Nebula said, sorrowfully, shaking his head.
"Something tells me that it's not going to end well." Buzz said as he grimaced looking toward the ship.
"You say that every mission." Warp rolled his eyes, annoyed, then shifted toward the space Ranger with a smirk. "It never ends well for the criminals," he walked on ahead of Buzz Lightyear who squinted back at the forty-two. "always ends well for us."
"Exactly what I am thinking!" Buzz exclaimed, looking on affectionately toward Warp.
"Huh, the charms of being a telepathic." was said with sarcasm.
Buzz bore a grin as he approached the forty-two, confident, his hands in fists, climbing up after the Ipsedan.
The video played, the ship leaving through one of the ports, for the last mission. Star Cruisers left and returned in between that time on missions, until suddenly, a LGM froze, their antenna swinging from side to side then horror, despair, and crying, surrounded by members of their own. The experience repeated all over Star Command, Nebula's visible alarm, the denial, the heartache, the bargaining, then the acceptance, regarding the changed demeanor of the group of LGM that he were in the middle of chastising about making him sign something.
Shortly there after, Star Cruisers returned en mass to the Star Cruiser bay. Space Rangers exited their ships and rushed in through the doorway leaving them abandoned. It was quiet, Booster peeking in, curious, confused, during all the commotion as the other LGM entered the bay then exiting feeling all the tension in the air.
It was all but abandoned abandoned until the very last one; the forty-two, returned. The rescued LGM climbed down the ladder, tears in their eyes, their helmets deactivated, their normally white eyes were full of red and swollen, their counterparts joining them in to one group hug. Warp stood at the entrance of the ship then leaned out, turned on his wings, sideways, and flew out then landed to the ground carrying the limp dirty body in his arms, a stone cold feature planted on the Ipsedan's face.
The Space Ranger walked past the grieving group of LGM, the grief echoed on to the homeworld of the LGM, the brain surrounded by blue, coated in sorrow, LGM all over the galaxy proceeded to weep one at a time, at random, for apparently no reason at all. The door opened to Star Command then he stepped in as Booster turned in his direction then saw what had changed the entire mood of Star Command and filled in the large space. What could be read from the somber features worn by the Space Ranger was clear and present anger hiding all the pain.
"Turn it off, Ranger Hikari." Nebula instructed as he turned toward XR and he was disconnected from the main frame computer.
XR remained stationed where he were with tears dripping down his optics.
"There, there, son." Nebula knelt down then hugged XR.
XR cried, loudly, clenching on to the older man's uniform.
The gate opened unexpectedly in the middle of the night, a long tube of water ejected out then crashed to the ground coating the floor. The evil emperor was awakened, immediately, by the defense system of the tower, cords detached from his back, then he strolled out the chamber attaching his plasma blaster, his long flowing fluffy red lined night dress dragging behind him bearing a stark reminder to his former favorite outfit in the daytime being red and purple. He also took along his cowboy along with him, a part of him scared, terrified, as the light fixtures ahead of him beamed to life.
The emperor slowly walked through the tower until making it to the floor in question that had the gate. He saw a familiar figure slumped on the ground, wires exposed, legs severely damaged. Practically gone, materials were beneath them scattered apart as if they had just broken. The evil emperor held his hand up causing the hornets to pause in their tracks then he raced over as the grubs weaved around the hornets and gasped as the emperor knelt down.
The android's face was severely severely damaged, pieces of his skin were missing, even his left eyeball was missing, his cap was heavily torn up, leaving only his blue synthetic hair standing. His armor showed signs of damage on it, displaying a tale that showed he had been part of a critical incident and came out of, near fatal, surviving it. Zurg admired the battle scars down to the wrist laser that indicated it were were on low percent, his communication device that was part of his arm was sliced in half ready to fall off if not for a single cord hanging on.
"He is coming."
"Lightyear." Zurg said.
"Shut me down." came the request.
"You are fine." Zurg said, dismissively. "Just need some repairs is all and sent back home-"
"He's got a virus in me!" It came out as a shout. "Hook me up, it'll spread, it'll become HIS!" Zurg was impressed by the reply, admiration, yet sincere interest in this foe. "He caught me." Zurg's hand unclenched in alarm. "Only found that part out at tradeworld after I had been connected to the main frame computer and stored all the data."
"What were you doing at tradeworld?" Zurg asked, looming over the fallen android, his optics merely a glare.
"Tried to stay out of his domination." He bore a meek smile. "Failed."
"And Tradeworld is his base of operations."
Andruzz nodded in return, coughing, hacking, the emperor's helm became covered in blue liquid.
"I used his own program against him," he smiled, proudly. "Sent a self destruct program to the lab, handed the main frame computer over . . to. . . Star Command," He coughed over the concerned emperor. "he's sure to have survived that." the comment came with a different tone to it than expected, disgust. "He's Buzz Lightyear alright."
"Talk with experience." Zurg said.
"He's coming here," Andruzz replied.
"Not when his lab is destroyed." Zurg said, confident. "He's trapped right where I want him! Still win."
Andruzz grabbed Zurg by the arm, lifting himself up.
"He's going to try kill this Warp Darkmatter and there is nothing we can do about it." was the sincere reply with dark baggy eyes. "He will win." His grip grew tighter on the shoulder armor. "He told me, he will make you watch Ranger Darkmatter die, cruelly, in the best way that he can savor it, and you won't be able to prevent it."
Zurg grew alarmed at the sincere tone in the human android's tone and facial expression.
"Did . . ." Zurg summoned the courage to ask. "he kill the Warp Darkmatter that you were with?"
"Killed Nebula instead." Andruzz smiled, bittersweet. There were splotches of blue android fluid covering the scarring on his face. "It was entertaining." the android chuckled, fondly. "Watching the evil Buzz get frustrated, shout, scream, at the ex-mercenary."
Zurg felt warmth, fondly, in his chest, only a parallel of his current relationship with the Space Ranger.
"Bumpy ride with that Ipsedan accusing me of being passive about the reign of terror, just as bad as he were, of being a jail cell guard." Andruzz let go of Zurg's shoulder, dropping, coughing, hacking, blood coming out, dripping down his synthetic skin. "It was for him," Andruzz continued, quite weakly. "He didn't understand." He had a bitter smile, looking up, fondly. "Suppose he does now, given I said those lovely three words."
Zurg stood up then turned his back to the android form looking aside.
"Hornets, destroy it." Zurg was quiet for a long moment as the hornets raised their weapons then proceeded to walk away with the stain of a hand print on his shoulder armor. "Thank you."
"No, thank you." Zurg's shoulders raised in shock as he paused in his tracks, Andruzz smiled back at him, the taller android shifted toward him, shocked, stunned, caught off guard. "For giving me the opportunity to be alive, dad."
The shock faded replaced by acceptance and sorrow.
"Curse you, Buzz Lightyear."
Zurg watched as the fallen droid was thoroughly destroyed. There were no screams from the droid, only rounds of fire, no grunts, no yelps, no shouting, only content with a smile. It was quiet in the lab staring at the pieces of his finest creation. He set a order then the pieces were cleaned up shortly there after by cleaning units. He turned away then proceeded to return to his recharge chamber with dread lingering over his helm surrounded by his hornets that kept careful watch of a unexpected attacker. Finally, they came to a halt at his recharge chamber, his helm lowered, his hands trembling, his shoulders stiff, staring at the doorway.
A evil plan hatched in his processor, leave this time, flee to another, to the future. It was the preferable way to avoid watching Warp Darkmatter be killed in front of him. The idea was insane, it came with risks, it came with trouble, and potential damage to his empire. Factors that could be accepted in light of the Darkmatter Factor. His empire didn't matter anymore, just the last thing associated to the finest thing that he created, in the name of evil, in the name of being devious, making a being made of good so thoroughly. Something that made Star Command, the Galactic Alliance, all intricately united and strong and worthy foes.
Zurg got out his suitcase then began packing his articles of clothing, his troll doll collection, where he were going, where he were traveling all the technology needed would be applied to defense and conquest, lower half mobile mode was to be applied for a far much stable environment like this. He carefully packed his belongings in parts of the luggage that could conceal them and be immediately unpacked. Above all, he was scared. When there were fear, there was evil, and evil tended to prevail one way or another, just as his evil plans had, the entertainment, the action, watching Space Rangers struggle.
He had the feeling that there was going to be a lot of flying and running taking over any planet. All that had to be done was plot the course, plot the math, with the brainpods heavy involvement in finding the right anomaly to take advantage of. He was certain that everything was going to turn out. A message popped up on his padd; Brainpod 13 had only escaped moments ago. It didn't quite matter, but then, again, it mattered a whole deal to hide his whereabouts. He sent a message out to Shiv Katall then returned to his recharge booth.
Zurg admired his recharge chamber, fondly. He typed into the padd, keying in a command, a request, a order, leaving his reasons unexplained. The message was sent out through the empire then sent a message to Raptor Chill regarding future employment being automatically terminated. He dismissed the confused beeping coming from the device, his processor on a certain train of thought and confidence, it made him laugh, evil always won. He entered his recharge chamber then slumped.
Raptor stared at the message on his comn, the evil emperor hadn't replied in three hours. A number that was quite worrisome as the evil emperor would have immediately responded in a secluded place for the cadet and informed him of his evil plan in which he had to not be associated with him. There was no evil plan. Nothing. Silence. He stared at his comn sending message after message. One of these messages the evil emperor had to reply. Milky groaned, covering his head, over the beeping from the comn on the lower bunk.
Something had changed with the evil emperor. It was a promised employment after graduating the academy, given things from Star Command, the option of working full time laid on the table, and living as a skilled mercenary. It was a ideal existence. That ideal existence was thrown into the air without explanation. It was confusing, frightening, and startling, even more, alarming from a reliable employer.
Raptor didn't like that.
Recharge ended, and Zurg was triumphant, lacking any nightmares, proudly. He felt giddy, excited, pleased, looking forward to what his evil plan had in store for him. He arrived to his padd after a shower displaying a list of frantic messages, hundreds of them, thousands of them, from Raptor Chill all listing 'dude. sus.' He shrugged, dismissing the comment being sent repeatedly. He scrolled through the padd finding the regular video from Shiv Katall that the target had been terminated. He arrived to his chamber then put in evil styroform. He looked toward the Woody Pride toy, rubbed the side of his face, nostalgically, then toward the other toys.
He weighed taking Woody or Buzz, unable to decide, torn between two things that made him feel better. Time was limited here, it had to be made now, it was urgent. What was always going to be there in the back drop of civilizations falling and rising? Rangers. Cowboys. They were always the kind keeping the peace to the best of their ability when they had good in their heart. In the end, his gaze stopped on Woody.
"Good-bye, Warp Darkmatter, Mira Nova, XR, Booster Munchapper." He was fond of the toys that had been with him during this long process. "Can't go with me." He looked fondly upon the toys, sorrowfully, it was being done for their larger counterparts, and it had to be done. "Thanks for having my back, partners."
He packed the toy Woody Pride then shoved the rest of the toys into the box with styroform, labeled 'good galactic orphanage', throwing in all the action figures that had been accumulated over the last few years such as the my little pony toys. The galactic orphanage was one that he knew of with coordinates, taped it over, then sent it into the arms of a waiting hornet. Sending the toys that had provided countless hours of fun into the arms of children who needed them, safe from the likes of the evil emperor Lightyear, whatever he called himself.
"I feel GREAT!" Zurg laughed, pleased, slamming the doors wide open.
"Evil Emperor Zurg, we have a fool proof idea." Brainpod 1 announced.
"Right at the door, must be wonderful." Zurg clasped his hands together.
"And very evil." Brainpod 1 said.
"We have determined that you'll arrive a thousand years from now if you take this route into a black hole." Brainpod 2 added.
"PERFECT!" Zurg leaned forward grabbing the brainpods into a abrupt hug. "This is the best day, ever!"
"Evil emperor, this message is very alarming," Brainpod 1 said. "what evil plan do you have?"
The evil emperor withdrew from the brainpods then glanced at the padd that had handed to him.
"Can't beat Star Command, bored, bored, bored, and bored." He waved the padd sideways. "Need some new entertainment."
"Evil emperor Zurg, where are your toys?" Brainpod 1 asked, alarmed, observing the empty table.
"A orphan child needs the Space Rangers." he looked toward the direction that the hornet with the box had gone. "I don't need them where I am going!" he stretched his arms out, his evil vibe showing, menacing. "Going to be ruthless!" The evil emperor laughed, leaning back, his hands on the side of his hips. "A new person, like Buzz Lightyear, just to face, it's a very appealing thought."
"You're leaving . . ." was the comment that sounded quite concerned. "when Warp Darkmatter is here?"
"Being repeatedly destroyed by him has gotten old." Zurg shook his hand turning away from the grub. "Evil needs to leave."
"Evil emperor Zurg, what about Shiv Katall?" Brainpod 2 reminded him.
"Uh, hmm, that does pose a problem." Zurg said, bitterly, rubbing his helm. "I have to buy some time before Star Command gets word of my departure."
The evil emperor wringed his hands contemplating a evil plot.
"It's not like you can replace yourself and have someone dressed up as you." brainpod 1 said.
"Have someone pretend to be me?" Zurg grew furious at first then turned aside tapping his fingers together, gleeful. "OOooh, that's brilliant and evil."
The grubs exchanged a glance as he held a hand out then waved it.
"Fetch a wanna be villain who's a big fan of mine from Tradeworld!" Zurg proceeded to say as he waved a claw. "Better yet, brainwash them!" he clenched his claws as a evil glint appeared in one of his optics. "Make them believe they are me!"
One of the grubs jotted it down on a digital padd.
"Install them as emperor," He folded his arms looking toward the Woody doll peeking out the luggage. "should the brainwashing fail, tell them that I will be back in seven days and if they have any complaints, talk to xeno resources, or better yet, talk to Buzz-"
The emperor inwardly grimaced at the mention then covered his optics with one hand lowering his gaze.
"I have the camera crew ready, Evil Emperor Zurg." came one of the grubs. "For tomorrow's plan."
"And there needs to be made a recording for the impostor." Zurg said.
The grubs departed the chamber leaving the evil emperor alone. He cast his optics down toward the floor, feeling relief. Villains always had it worse than the heroes when it came to finalizing plans, doing things that nobody wanted to do, that heroes couldn't do. He stroke the cables to his recharge booth then lowered his gaze. He arrived to the throne room with the hornets in position for the recording.
"Find that someone, get them, the person who's the furthest, and target them, without mercy, become their nemesis, and you'll find your place."
Zurg let out, gently.
"Warp Darkmatter, is, a very unique person, he was entertaining to me for a time. . ."
He looked aside, tapping his claws, regretfully. He perked up, changing his mood, leaning forward, toward the camera.
"but whoever you choose, Space Ranger or not,"
he gestured toward the ceiling then closed his fist.
"I believe you'll find your footing and make your own interpretation of me." He leaned back into the chair. "Just do it well," he set his elbow on the table. "keep it up," he beckoned up bending his claws back. "And make me proud to hear about you on the evil channels."
He simulated the sound of a sigh, his shoulders lowering, his gaze lowering his gaze.
"You may have realized that I am not coming back for the foreseeable future, no you don't deserve the luxury of my current evil plans!" he smacked his fist on the arm rest of the throne then stood up, approaching the camera, getting close, and closer. "you're getting bored," He were face to face with the camera then backed up, his mood shifting to a pleasant one. "might I suggest faking your death to end the empire?"
Zurg leaned forward, gleefully, proceeding to describe thorough ways that the impostor could use to their benefit to toss aside the identity.
"Raptor, are you going to do something incrediblystupid?" Milky asked.
Raptor Chill strolled out of the academy with hands in fists as Milky Weight tagged after him.
"No," Raptor replied, then grinned, turning toward the small human. "Only something incredibly smart."
"Then you're not going alone." Milky Weight pointed back at the younger cadet.
"Milky." Raptor was exasperated.
"We're graduating at the end of this year from the academy." Milky pointed back at the academy then stretched his arms out. "We could get assigned as partners!"
"Could is the keyword," Raptor reminded with a sharp glare. "It's just a quick look is all that I am doing."
"How quick of a look?" Milky Weight squinted back at the cadet.
"Getting in and out." Raptor replied.
"You got something." Milky Weight's arms were folded, glaring back at the cadet, head tilted, boot tapping on the pavement.
"Got some intel that Zurg is acting unlike himself." Raptor admitted, finally. Raptor stretched his arms out with a mean look. "Happy?"
"Who told you that?" Milky asked.
"A little grub from the tower told me." Raptor put his hand on his hips with a smile.
"Told a cadet? In their fourth year!" Milky asked as Raptor went over to his ride then the cadet followed him. "Why not Warp Darkmatter?" Milky opened the passenger door. "Why not Star Command?"
"Because Star Command would arrest him." Raptor replied, dryly. "And whatever is going on with him, it would get a lot worse." It came with emphasis as Raptor clenched his hand that was held up sporting a grin. "The Galactic Alliance don't need that, do they?"
Milky paused as Raptor got into the driver seat.
"Your argument is very thorough and persuasive." Milky got into the passenger seat then closed the door beside him. "Whatever happens, it'll be a valid reason why we got into trouble."
"Uh huh." Raptor smirked in response.
"NOW," Milky exclaimed. "I'm happy."
"We're off to see the wizard of Z!"
"The wonderful wizard, wizard, wizard of Z!"
The two cadets laughed, turning on their helmets, then their vehicle flew off into the sky heading for the stars.
