Unexpectedly, Warp was unceremoniously ripped out of his cell. He was dressed down to a mainly black uniform with a purple accent in contrast to how the emperor had normally him dressed prior. He stared at the familiar machine that he had seen over the years in the tower when going in with his team to embark on a mission that pertained to the evil emperor. He hadn't seen it, in what, it had to be years, from face to face, it felt a long time since he had entered this specific chamber.
The tunnel extraction system different, it didn't look like a series of tunnels that extended on down the room, instead it was a large doughnut shaped machine with a gray and a secondary red theme to it, it lacked the gems that decorated each section of the tunnel system which glint under the artificial lights, instead it had a single item that was then extracted by the evil emperor and set on to a pillow.
"I will ask one more time, Warp Darkmatter." The evil emperor shifted in the direction of the ex-Space Ranger. "What is the anniversary?"
"What if the truth is said?" Warp asked, curious. "What then?"
"Then a certain prisoner goes home." Zurg replied.
"And if that certain doesn't?" Warp lofted a brow.
"This will be taken apart, never be put back together, and a certain someone will be staying here forever."
Warp mulled it over, then looked toward the evil emperor, uncertain, squinting, wearily. The thought of going back home, looking over toward the portal, it was appealing. Going home, surprising everyone, recovering, having a big steak, and the children would brace him in a well deserved hug and Nana would hug him along with his team. I miss them. All of them. Even the grieving endearing evil emperor Zurg.
And then, Warp would be celebrated, after he died, when he really died, alongside Buzz Lightyear. Was this a suitable punishment? Hell, for betraying Buzz Lightyear. For leading him to his doom with a smirk ahead of him and the Space Ranger following him catching up. He made his choice.
"Hm. ."Zurg rubbed his claws as his optics grew big while Warp started to reply. "A certain emperor doesn't deserve to hear it." The evil emperor ceased rubbing his claws. "Trust me."
"This evil emperor deserves to hear it!" Zurg insisted with his servos clenched in claws, looming closer toward Warp, his red optics flaring heated.
Warp stared back at the evil emperor with a single glare that read 'you don't, really'.
"Curse you, Warp Darkmatter!"
Warp bore a tired smirk then was struck by the evil emperor's electricity knocking him down as the grip by the hornets had loosened. There was no laughter, only pain, the evil emperor withdrew then loomed over the fallen and pained ex-Space Ranger. The evil emperor cracked his knuckles. Warp bore a tired smile back at the evil emperor, hanging on, despite how tired his body was, how miserable he were. Every single part of him ached.
"Is that all you got?" Warp asked.
Zurg shook with rage as he released his claws.
"Then watch THIS." the evil emperor announced.
The evil emperor turned away then his claws raised up, leaning forward, his audio synthesizer glowed yellow, a bright red beam erupted from his optics destroying the machine and all it's parts. He continued on destroying every single piece of it. Warp was relieved as the evil emperor turned in his direction then approached his fallen figure.
"How does it feel?" Zurg asked.
Warp panted in pain.
"Never going back home." Zurg continued.
Warp sported a smile lifting himself up.
"Everyone thinks you're dead, Warp Darkmatter." Zurg informed the ex-Space Ranger as the smile faded quickly.
"No!" Warp shook his head. "You didn't!" he grew frantic. "You didn't do that!"
"You're mine." Zurg added as he clenched his claw as the horrifying realization set upon him. "And so will the next version of you."
"What have you done, Zurg?" Warp stared at him in horror.
"Made a resistant Space Ranger have nothing to lose telling what the anniversary is." was the reply as the evil emperor laughed, pleased by the misery on the ex-Space Ranger's features, as he tapped on the Ipsedan's nose. "Guesses this makes Warp Darkmatter a ex-Space Ranger, 10-7 and 10-42 code and all."
"No, it doesn't!" Warp found the strength to shoot back. "It's only reserved for fallen Space Rangers!"
Evil Emperor Zurg withdrew as he proceeded to walk away.
"Hornets, throw him into his cell and play loud music!"
Zurg snapped his claws as he left the corridor.
In hindsight, it hadn't been worth not telling the evil emperor the truth. Condemning himself to a slow and agonizing death over rounds of torture (taking solace that he would be amused by Zurg in the pain) wasn't the worst thing possible, other possible ends from previous over the last three years, all the missions came to mind. This time, he looked back with them, fondly. It was like watching a home movie looking back at better times through a different lens; what he lost, what he gained, and what he had lost. He traced over in his mind the various methods that nearly doomed him.
He could think of a few. Being absorbed by a newly created broad felon by Evil Emperor Zurg into their being while struggling as his world became black before Booster's eyes as the giant and the android against his orders tried to save him, being below a entire container of acid that was about to tip over fighting against the evil emperor, about to become the victim of green slime that would turn him into slime without a antidote because of Zurg, being turned into what humans called a Homo Longi almost losing to Evil Emperor Zurg's mercenary Barlos Methane if it weren't for XR among the assortment. Homo Longi were larger than Neanderthals, thick eyebrow bridges, larger head than homosapiens, the species were a loser relative than Neanderthals.
He chose this way. He chose this life. He chose, without all the information, he had made the decision without the full picture. He sobbed, alone in his cell, knuckles red from smacking the wall repeatedly, his shoulders still aching from the last rounds of torture, his hands still bleeding from being crucified. He couldn't see the shadow by his side with a hand on his left shoulder. Warp could feel his shoulder was cold, going numb, dying, was his assumption even as he saw it were fine. Zurg's curses gave him many laughs to ease the pain in the cell.
He stepped back from his emotional ties to the situation and evaluated it.
Would he have made the same decision with the information in hand? It was hard to reconcile.
Warp Darkmatter made poor decisions that echoed in the Galactic Alliance one last time.
I want to go home. And yet, he couldn't go home again.
Buzz Lightyear and his team were on a vacation, forced by Nebula, instigated by Zurg and Darkmatter and the shape stealer that had been recently recovered, their suit was tossed aside save for XR's. Darkmatter extracted the suit without a big hassle using a hologram. Buzz had been forced to change into uniform with skinny blue jeans, Hawaiian shirt with the cap still on, and a white undershirt, and a straw hat. Booster and Mira donned their off duty green and purple two piece uniforms as Buzz took the 'assignment' quite seriously. Zurg had thrown in the straw hat as a evil joke.
"Emperor Zurg, got the suit for your evil plan to make a clone of Buzz Lightyear and convince him that he's replaceable."
"Excellent service, Warp Darkmatter." Zurg tapped his claws.
"Easiest mission by far." Darkmatter noted. "On my way."
The screen turned to black then the emperor gazed upon the maze that he had trapped Warp in for the last week with a overview. The evil emperor's attention had been focused on the adventures that he had been on, fighting against the wild life that had been chucked in, criminals paid handsomely, stole projects from a far off starbase that Star Command had authorized, dropping in the most frightening creatures from the Zeta Quadrant from time to time. And yet, Warp pressed on, turning the negatives into positives to his advantage even going on to the point of climbing the maze and looking on every so often to see how close he were to the exit.
Warp was stubborn, and yet, he was getting noticeably tired and more exasperated by the passing day by the random thrown in individuals. Ready to crack. Ready to talk. Zurg paid no mind to the concentrated cold area constantly by Warp's left side that the heat sensors were reporting with a wail every five minutes, the place that he were set in had random temperature alterations from time to time. His guard had recently started to become lowered, he started to act alarmed, confused, stunned, with each increasing encounter, with Warp proceeding to be reluctant to turn the corner.
"Almost there!" he reached his claws up in fists then stretched them into the air. "He's ready to be broken!"
Warp was resting, it was dark out and it wasn't that terribly cold. He looked up toward the sky, his arms folded, his breath lingering in the air. And he didn't feel alone. It was a strange feeling that triumphed over the misery, the sorrow, the despair, the heartache, and regrets. One would find it unusual, he didn't. It had been his companion the entire time being torture from start to the now. Warp jossed aside that were very odd due to the fact that he were under the stars.
He were resting below the view of other people soaring through the stars on journeys and some Space Rangers doing traffic duty. Below Star Command, below the Star Cruiser 42, Buzz Lightyear was alive somewhere and Warp Darkmatter was a mercenary. And all was right in the world that never lost Buzz Lightyear in the fire of betrayal. He took out a small object from his back that had been given to him by Eon months ago.
"In light of Evil Emperor Zurg bursting you out of prison, traveling into a alternate universe-Nana Lightyear told me," Warp looked toward the visitor in his recovery room then glanced toward the empty seat that belonged to Nana who was out. "Chloria has decided that this must be given."
"What's it for?"
"When you need help and your team aren't there to have your back," Eon tapped on the object. "just press your thumb on the center piece five times."
Warp stared at the green device that reminded him of a spoon with the tip being a strange item with a metal base below it, and the handle was soft and kind, protected by a surface that wasn't the kind to make into a sharp object, the fine specimen of technology was heavy in his hands when it should be light.
"My ship will arrive."
Warp admired the red and green object.
"No matter where you are. When you are. What you are."
Warp looked toward the Chlorm.
"We will find you and we will help you." Eon finished, kindly. "Whoever are my companions."
"Why are you giving me this?" Warp asked.
"Because you're my friend, Ranger Darkmatter." Eon then added with a smile. "This galaxy doesn't need any more pain."
He pressed the device with his thumb five times then a bright light illuminated from it and flew away soaring into the sky leaving him behind. He waved at the signal that was flying away. He could sleep, most nights, and dream of the days being partners with Buzz Lightyear hadn't ended, that the moon of doom never happened, content, yet irritated from time to time by the Space Ranger's insistence to follow the book that he wrote. A perfect fantasy that made sleeping without the aid of torture feel a brief reprieve. He looked toward the empty gap beside him under the starlight, yearning.
Hornets abruptly appeared from the hedge across then he stumbled up to his feet.
"Hey!"
Warp fired shots at the hornets that fired without mercy then ran in the other direction and leaped out using the wall as his shield.
Eon must be heading here, was Warp's hopeful thought with a smirk before screaming in once being stunned by a grub beside his foot.
The Chlorm craft flew over the planet the following morning. Eon stared at where the coordinates had came from, the strong signal consisting of a story, Era was napping behind on a curled bed snoring away after playing a hard game of connect the dots with Epoch and it had been exhausting with the complex and intelligence testing version of the game that had been started. Eon stared on toward the direction of the maze.
"This is very odd." Eon noted.
Era awoke abruptly.
"It's not odd, you're missing a very key component of what is right in front of you."
"Era, look." Eon pointed toward the view screen displaying the field. "This corn maze has Evil Emperor Zurg's pattern."
"See?" Era turned away as he folded his arms from the screen. "There are signs of destroyed hornets, not odd at all." he shifted back toward the screen as his smirk faded, wearily, squinting, looking down at the prospect of the conflict. Machines and humanity fighting, not joined together in harmony, not like Chlorms were joined to the head with them. "He must have fought Buzz Lightyear here."
"Gkjdflkjdf." Epoch said, electronically.
"You checked the Space Ranger log signals, already, impressive."
"Dil-dijn=dpf." Epoch grew a smile.
"This is very odd, Epoch." Era relented in agreement then shifted toward his younger companion. "Eon, what did the file say?"
"It's a different version of our ex-specimen Darkmatter who is a Space Ranger and is considered a diplomatic figure to the people of Chlorm due to his historical significance in shaking my hand during first contact at Capital Planet."
". . . Does it say anything about Buzz Lightyear?" Era asked.
"He's very dead." Eon replied.
"Dead." Era repeated, skeptically.
"Yes." Eon confirmed.
"Dead." Era repeated, again.
"Yes." Eon replied.
"Like, dead, dead. Not near dead, almost dead."
Eon brought up the file on the large screen and Epoch's jaw dropped as Era let out a gasp staring at the report.
"Luckily, Eon of Space Ranger Darkmatter's world had sent a complete file regarding his death, the funeral ceremony, and the events after the funeral regarding the whole dead thing."
"Oh, dear." The older Chlorm grimaced.
"Very bad." Eon agreed.
"Hgjbjbjdgioerpiuboshf?" Epoch suggested.
"Study how this event unfolds, that's a brilliant idea, Epoch!" Era exclaimed.
"What about our current study about the differences between men and women across the galaxy?" Eon asked, gesturing toward the extensive study filling half of the chamber that was still on going.
"We can chew gum and walk, Eon." Era rubbed beneath his chin with a smirk. "This will be a valuable display of what can happen if alternates are allowed to dwell unchecked and unmentioned to Star Command." Era started to laugh as did Epoch and Eon. "Let's see how inferior they can be."
"EEir-dibj-dbhd?"
"Epoch makes a good point, interference could be necessary," Eon said as he exchanged a glance with Era.
"Turn on cloaking mode, we're going to orbit Planet Z," Era announced, tapping his claws together, smirking. "We have to wait for what the Space Ranger does and play our cards well."
The ex-Space Ranger awoke, this time, to a tray of food in front of the door across from his cot. Compared to the last time, it was a improvement. Being given some food that was physical and required chewing made the torture to feel far better. The cell that he were being kept in had the bare necessities, a bed, a toilet, a sink, and toilet paper. Just like the last cell. It was different from the cells that he were familiar to in his youth working with Buzz Lightyear that lacked any of those, a square room, held captive, it was a reminder that he was staying a very long time and no one was coming in to his rescue.
He traced his hands along the carving that he had made with pieces of metal thorns that he had picked out of his frame and drawn in between sessions. It was a carving of Buzz Lightyear flying off with his team and himself in a warship, his ideal one, firing after them, irritated. His hand rested on the Space Rangers features, affectionately, a series of words desperately wanting to come out, ready to come out for the man who was always the good man. I loved you, so much.
He heard the sound of laser fire from his cell then stopped what he were doing as a flow of dread traveled down his skin and his heart raced as his anxiety started to spring. Who was coming in? It couldn't be mercenary Darkmatter, he hadn't seen him since the entire episode had begun again. The door to his cell flung open then a familiar figure entered bearing that familiar grin came.
"Take my hand if you want to live." Lightyear held his hand out.
"You. . . sound. . . different."
"Zurg has thorough brainwashed you, partner." Lightyear stared on in concern toward the Ipsedan. "Always had this voice. Or my name isn't Buzz Lightyear." there was laser fire behind the Space Ranger as he winked back at Warp.
The confusion faded as Warp smiled then took Lightyear's hand, lifting him up to his feet, then followed his lead as he always had.
"Heard from a bird that he got a Ranger!" Lightyear said.
"That little blue bird wasn't kidding." Warp relied.
"I thought we were rescuing a ranger," Mira announced as they ran past her.
"Mira, he's on our side!" Lightyear shot back.
"And Tangean can't go through walls!" Mira replied.
"Hm, thought she might change after saving Booster from that defense grid attack."
"What defense grid attack?" Lightyear asked, Warp's hand still grasped his own.
"Looooong story." Warp replied with a smirk.
Booster covered their six, Warp only paused briefly at a small difference at the fact that Booster was a little taller then shook his head and shrugged. Lightyear grasped Warp by the shoulder then was lifted up into the ship through the open hatch then Mira and Booster followed suit, the ship launched, the Ipsedan choosing at that moment to relax in a spare chair alongside the captain of the forty-two that went into lightspeed.
"What was he keeping you there at Planet Z for?" Mira asked.
"Said something that I really shouldn't have." Warp said, regretfully.
"Had to be something like Star Command access codes, surely." Mira said as Warp briefly closed his eyes then reopened them.
"Shoulda' stuck to that." Warp said, regretfully.
"What was it about?" Lightyear asked.
"The anniversary." Warp stated.
"What anniversary?" Lightyear asked.
"The day. . ." Warp lowered his gaze, in shame, then closed his fists, his shoulders lowering. "That I killed you."
"That's not it." Booster said.
"It is it." Warp replied, solemnly, shaking his head. "I killed him." he looked at his hands, coated in red, not coated in light blue skin that showed wear and tear from living four years longer than the person he once loved. "I killed Buzz Lightyear."
"That's not what the anniversary is about." Lightyear replied as Warp looked toward him with heavy guilty eyes.
"Because Buzz Lightyear doesn't simply die during a mission!" Mira was standing up from her seat, her eyes full of rage, fury, clenching the station and Booster was getting furious.
"Yeah!" Booster agreed.
"Hold on, he has more to say about it." Lightyear held his hand up as he could tell that the Ipsedan had more to confess.
"You died sending me out of a exploding crater, pinned under a beam, sweating, tense, but you kept your cool."
Warp's nice and smooth voice was full of sorrow, of guilt, of regret, and shame, yet admiration in it, as their features morphed from anger to disbelief.
"You got kids, your clones, one of them has your memories."
Warp shook his head, his eyes squeezed shut, clenching his hands.
"Maybe all of them. . . ."
He had a distant gaze on that prospect that morphed into fondness, almost tearful, his heart aching for them, distantly, his thoughts elsewhere, about how they were dealing emotionally with him being all but dead to them. Forgetting about him, gradually, as the days waned, it was better than to leave a permanent emotional wound in their hearts as their father had. He could only imagine the pain that Nana Lightyear could be in having been there when his house blew up.
"Slowly fading away as simple stupid and incoherent nightmares." Warp turned his attention toward Lightyear. "If anyone were to really die that day, it should have been me, and me alone." he lowered his gaze then had a smile to himself. "The kids are great, though."
He bore a pained look.
"And, as always, I broke a promise." it came with a certain ache in his voice, in his soul, full of regrets. "Quark lost me."
A ball of electricity knocked the Ipsedan off the seat then looked up with fear as he watched Lightyear rip off his head revealing Zurg.
"This evil emperor can believe the cloned part." Zurg commented as the rest tore off their heads revealing them to be hornets. "Not the part in which he died!"
Warp looked terrified as the Evil Emperor flung another ball of electricity at him, looming over him, annoyed.
"Curse you, Warp Darkmatter!"
And another.
"You're boring as cheese!"
And another.
"Less entertaining!"
The pain was horrible.
"That's why I can live with you paying the price being stuck here FOREVER."
Warp lifted up toward then added, angry, sweating, his entire being tensed, shoulders raised, hands clenched.
"We. Killed. Buzz. Lightyear!" Warp insisted, his hands in fists, this time, standing firm then pointed back at the evil emperor. "That's the cold hard truth!" he lowered his hand down along his side glaring back at the evil emperor. "Just as much as to blame as I!"
Zurg picked Warp up by the neck then evil electricity summoned hives to along the throat.
"There are so many additional ways to torture you." Zurg laughed, pleased. "And this time: It'll be entertaining for me."
Zurg choked Warp.
"Ah, that is why they stole the forty-two." Era said.
They had hacked into a hornet, watching the event transpire, displaying Warp being dropped then dragged away by two hornets leaving Zurg to destroying the entire room with his bare claws. He was utterly furious at the latest lie by the Space Ranger, something that was quite noted in the study, Epoch squinted at the screen mulling over the latest developments.
"He had stolen all of Team Lightyear's equipment, Era." Eon said as the forty-two was being destroyed and Warp was returned to the tower. "It was pretty obvious."
"Replaceable equipment." Era dismissed with a shake of his hand. "And that was a hypothesis not a theory."
"ZZkjdgljkd zdjj j j dlkjen?"
"Epoch has a good idea," Era noted as he turned toward Eon as he tapped his claws together. "Although, initiating a break out would be our doing." he rubbed his chin with a grimace as Epoch shared the same grimace that the older Chlorm wore. "Violates the entire point of the study."
"Not so fast, Era." Eon argued back as he floated up toward the screen then motioned his claw toward the events unfolding. "It wouldn't," He shook his large head, ready to be molted, that was bigger than his companions. "This study is not about our involvement."
"When we should break the specimen out is a very pressing matter." Era continued on the train of thought. "Wrong moment, and we'll be found."
"A major conflict between Chloria and Planet Z, it's a matter of time before the battle is won by a far more worthy party." Eon commented as he descended down from the screen joining his companions.
"He has the advantage, thousands if not millions of hornets." Eon said. "However, we have the advantage of having weapons that only works for our kind and are more powerful than his contraptions are." he tapped his claws together recalling additional professional sides of being a Chlorm. "A main reason why we have repelled the evil emperor time and time again. Kindly, we would have him as a pet in little as . . ."
"Hmm," Era stroked his chin giving it some thought.
"GSdnjf." Epoch said.
"Yes!" Eon exclaimed, snapping his claws "As little as a year and five months."
"Dgnjdglk." Epoch added.
"Epoch is right, maybe five years to be on the safe side, androids are quite the persistent creatures." Era agreed with a nod. "Zurg could take a year and five months, other androids on the other hand . . ."
"Far longer." Eon said. "Not as most experienced as he is when it comes to facing the Chlorm."
"When do we attempt to break him out?" Era reminded the group what the main question on hand was.
"Difficult to determine." Eon said with a grimace.
Epoch was quiet as all three looked toward the screen with no certainty or hard plan to start with.
