Zurg arrived to the forest in which he were set to perform another round of torture in a much different scenery. Team Lightyear was halfway across the world dealing with a very evil plant. Warp was tied between two trees, nude, his hair had out grown becoming the natural afro that he had over the years kept back with consistent visits to the barber. His wrists were the first to be tied up to a long metal code that dug into his skin then his bare ankles were next.
"Against my better judgement, the branding iron was instead to be chosen to be the symbol of the beloved thing that has kept you lying."
He took out the branding iron, heated, blazing, the heat radiating from it, Warp gulped; it was the Star Command symbol.
"What are these scars on your chest?" Zurg observed the already present scarring.
"Nothing." Warp said.
"Not nothing," Zurg countered. "something."
"It means nothing to me!" Warp shot back.
Zurg proceeded to count the sack shapes one at a time, his long dark gray claw tapping on each section on his chest.
"Five," he went to the Space Ranger's back. "ten," his optics widened in shock counting the number. "thirteen," then stepped back. "sixteen!"
"Chicken pox." Warp said with a sigh, ashamed. "Couldn't help peeling them off."
"Chicken pox is all over one's body, Warp Darkmatter." Zurg said as came to a halt across from Warp. "And that's a childhood disease."
"Don't have to tell you what it is." Warp winced in the fresh pain lifting his head up toward Zurg with a glare. "You know what it is."
"You're right." Zurg noted as he waved the torture weapon from side to side as if it were a torch and started to laugh. "Got no emotional connection to them."
"Believe me, Zurg." Warp plead, weakly. "Buzz. Lightyear. is. dead."
"A sneaky man avoiding too much work." Zurg said as he stabbed the imprinting device on to the rounded scar. "Is what you are."
The Ipsedan screamed, loudly, in agony. His shriek echoing through the landscape largely ignored by the grubs and hornets. Zurg did it over, and over, and over, and over, embedding the marking into the skin, the steam radiating off the figure that passed out. Then the evil emperor set aside the current iron brand then picked up the iron brand that had the shape of the 'z' and approached the passed out figure with a needle in his other hand.
"The night is still young, Warp Darkmatter."
Epoch and Era explored the tower under their cloaking mechanism. The older Chlorm tapped on his chin as they went down further and further down directly to the chamber that was marked 'basement, retro' with braille. Epoch was quiet, observing the environment of the chamber, the long wide corridors as Era traveled through them flipping switch by switch summoning the lights to turn on. A complete schematic of the tower appeared before their eyes. Era grew a pleased look.
""Hm, and they say that the basement doesn't get updated." Era said
"FSdgkbjejb gpihr erbg i."
"Wonderful idea, my dear friend." Era said, as he floated up. "We have one distinctive life sign in one room and several concentrated around the tower." he gently set his claws on the screen then extended the view as Epoch joined him. "Your idea that the main room with our specimen could be switched is brilliant."
"DGkj-dpijbj-dpijbekh." Epoch said gratefully, then set his hand on his chest, beaming.
"If only we knew which room to switch him into."
"Dgljib ie?"
"Explore the tower. You're such a peon." he smacked the backside of Epoch's head. "Terrible idea."
"DGjblj efiuhe sbgd iohw." Epoch glared back at his companion.
"Why is it a bad idea?" Epoch rubbed under his chin as the older member caused him to give it some thought. "The hornets are more aware than their mortal counterparts." then the older Chlorm added in the next breath with his arms folded. "The only solution is to hack a hornet."
"Ndljdgj j."
"OH. That is a wonderful subject that you pointed out!"
"Eh uh." Epoch nodded, arms folded, pleased.
"We can hack one!" Era grasped Epoch by the cheeks. "Only one." he twirled away, rubbing his claws, laughing. "Wouldn't raise alarm bells," he could see it playing out. "it would get the specimen going in the right direction once. . ."
Era's train of thought derailed off into oblivion.
"Charted craters, lost it in space!" Era swore.
"ERdgljbdjbfgb dfihj d kjh gsliubdk bdfgiudhdfk hdfljfb;dfohdfkhvdfljbeg."
". . . Making a very specific dungeon that he can escape from!" Era exclaimed shifting toward his companion. "You're a very smart Chlorm." he grasped him by the side of the shoulders. "And a really, really, great science partner."
Era kissed Epoch then twirled him and floated on past the younger Chlorm who, while dizzy, followed bumping into the wall along the way.
Zurg arrived into the next torture area, the ex-Space Ranger's hands were tied behind his back, his ankles tied together. It was the perfect way to set this torture, at a desert, with a heated bearing sun. Zurg saw the look of misery on the younger man's features, his shoulders slouched, his newest afro had grown, being spared for some time now concealing the scars that mutilated his head which couldn't be seen and had been healed only leaving the distinctive sign of the scars that would take a long time to fully go away.
"Pity." Zurg said. "If this was about Star Command access codes."
"Things would be a lot different."
"You would have broken up."
"Hah no."
"Trapping you in a Castle Oubliette for months," He stroked along the chin, his lone claw digging into the flesh leaving a nasty superficial cut behind. "all for those dire access codes," his claw traveled to under the man's ear. "all alone," he withdrew the claw. "the very weakness of a Warp Darkmatter."
"Maybe." Warp cautioned. "Maybe not."
"He told me after Star Command did that to him." he tipped his hand over as Warp grew horrified, attempting to straighten himself, knowing what the evil emperor was referring to being in the need to know circle. "Hired sex consorts," Zurg folded his arms with his back to the Space Ranger. "enjoyed it a little too much and had to knock him off that with some hornets every time that he tried to leave with some sex consorts," Warp's features etched together. "manages it now instead of managing him."
"You traumatized him," Warp paused in his reply, deliberately. "all over," then added for emphasis. "again!"
"It worked," it was quite a evil chuckle as the evil emperor tapped his claws together facing the ex-Space Ranger. "
"It's hard to imagine being that lucky and not accidentally killing a asset!" Then he added. "Wait, there's a probably a world where he did die-" Warp rolled his eyes, the tension in his arms loosening, imagining that kind of world. "and have to hire Barlos Methane, a wonderful mercenary," Zurg glared back at him. "just as good he were."
"He's the best." Zurg said.
"He's lucky." Warp commented.
"Hmph!" Zurg dismissed.
"There's got to be a world where a hyper hornet smacked Buzz Lightyear's flight pack damaging it really badly, Buzz fell,"
"That happened."
"-But Mira didn't catch him in time so he died after the fall on Tangea." then he continued shifting his attention toward the evil emperor. "And you know what? . . ."
He looked back, aside, heavily considering, the Space Ranger finding out during his shore leave that Buzz Lightyear had died by accident. The whole world stopping quite literally with stopping in their tracks looking at their communication devices, not feeling right, asking whoever said that to repeat it, then see it on the television set watching a recorded version of Buzz Lightyear's final fall happen to all to see. He could imagine the silence. Worst of all, he could imagine going to Tangea and helping Mira out, alone, without back up, fast as he could on a path of revenge.
"That Warp Darkmatter, of that world. . . ." he lowered his head, his figure now tense, full of anger, his hands closed into fists. ". . . would have died, REALLY, really young!"
"Psah, never happened, never could, these what ifs, Warp Darkmatter, are less entertaining than this will be!"
Zurg grasped Warp by the hair then dunked his head into the temperature barrel, lifting it in and out, repeatedly, until throwing him to the side. Warp's facial features were coated in burns as he coughed, hacking, finding it difficult to breathe on his chest. Zurg stood tall over the ex-Space Ranger in contempt with his claws in fists then started to laugh, amused, as the younger man was being baked under the sun regaining his bearings.
"Curse you, Warp Darkmatter." Zurg laughed, amused, turning away then left him be. "Leave him in this position for a few hours -" the hornets aimed their laser blasters at his form. "-then dump the water on him and let him shiver!"
Zurg held up his servo then clenched it.
"It's going to be nightfall afterwards." he started to laugh then stretched his arms out in glee. "He will have the arctic environment to lay in and freeze without a warm blanket."
That night; The ex-Space Ranger's teeth later chattered together as he trembled, hanging on for dear life, covered in snow, as his features were coated in ice, just as his eyes were, the temperature falling below 250 degrees on his side. And he kept holding on.
"Ooops, wrong person."
Then the familiar Tangean vanished through the wall. And this time, her words sawed into his already wounded heart, his chest lowered, wincing. It was a fresh sting of pain. The emperor entered the room, laughing, resting his hand on the ex-Space Ranger's shoulder summoning a field of hives to the touch.
"Hurt, much?" Zurg asked, pleased, as Warp struggled to lift his head up. "What a wonderful sound."
The evil emperor cackled, his hands clasped together then proceeded to enjoy the moment, as Warp struggled in the misery.
"Lucky me, lucky me." Zurg said, happy.
Warp summoned his fighting spirit to survive to spite Zurg.
"Evils wins today, Warp Darkmatter." Came the cruel reminder.
Warp had a heavy sigh as Zurg departed the chamber to engage in his role as the loser to Team Lightyear.
"And good always loses!" was the cackle by the evil emperor Zurg.
Darkmatter had a heavy blast, made of two wrist lasers, headed his way while XR and Buzz were focused on securing another matter nearby. The rookies were still rookies, just shy of becoming captains in the next few years, and things wouldn't be that much different, only more experienced fighting against him and getting their way, perhaps. Darkmatter dropped the cargo to the ground then typed into a comn summoning his warship to approach in the orbit of the planet right near the coordinates.
He sent the duo heading hiding for cover, ducking and firing, repeatedly. Darkmatter got close back toward his cargo, keeping his eye out for the extra Space Rangers who had their hands full in the middle of a diabolic plot that Evil Zurg had cooked up.
"Nice hair cut!" Mira said.
"Thanks, just got it cut yesterday." Darkmatter grinned.
"If I had a nickel for every time you had a afro and not in your uniform, I would have two nickles." Mira noted as Darkmatter traded fire with her. "But it's weird that it happened twice."
"Never had one recently!" Darkmatter shot back.
"That's a load of moonrocks!" Mira stood up, her hands in fists, insulted. "You saw me!"
"Nah uh." His plasma blast went through her as she ghosted through it then she flew up and he dodged the next laser shot that came from her wrist laser. "That was not me, princess. Doppleganger."
Booster paused as he looked toward Mira as his eyes widened then toward Darkmatter as it hit him like a pile of Star Cruiser shuttles crashed upon him. Booster ran around the vehicle then fired a laser blast directly at the mercenary's back knocking him down to his feet. Darkmatter flipped over then delivered a plasma blast directly at the giant's feet knocking him back. The mercenary collected the material in his good arm then flew off with a press of a button. Buzz tailed after him as Booster's mouth fell.
"Booster, come on!" Mira called out for him.
"Mira, we got a bigger problem." Booster said as XR joined them.
Mira flew away as Booster stared in shock and deep concern.
Warp awoke one morning, several torture sessions later, combing his hands through his hair then paused as shock flowed through his being and his brows rose. Of all the times that the evil emperor had his head shaved, chin hair and all, regrowing eyebrow hair, chin hair over time. It hit different. He didn't want it to be true this time after being told by the evil emperor that his death was faked. All those times before, it could be shrugged off, a temporary thing, the evil emperor wearing a facemask, a apron, chatting about his evil plans that Buzz Lightyear had foiled, giving evil haircuts, something that wasn't meant to last on his body. A entire being of anxiety tug at his heart causing him to stand up from the cot in alarm.
He bolted toward the mirror with remarkable sped then grasped the side of the sink. His hair had been shaved off then punched the mirror leaving a crater behind in the form of his fist. Afterwards, the Ipsedan sulked in the corner of the room for a long while, sobbing. His chest was decorated in reminders of the sheer differences between this world and the world that had been abandoned as did the empty space behind him. He cried until he couldn't, he sobbed until his voice was hoarse, and his chest ached as his hands pressed against his face.
And then the hornets arrived to his chamber. Warp was filled with rage and the injustice that he charged at them crashing against the first hornet and used them to fire at the others then charged out of the chamber. He moved through the hallway ducking the laser fire. He had been broken, enraged, belittled with a haircut that was quite unfitting. Warp managed to tear down a bunch of hornets with his bare fists, the aching largely ignored, cratering them in the center, turning their fire against each other, then ran on down the hall way with freedom on his mind. Freedom. Whatever he could make of it in this world of hell.
He resumed running only to crash with a sudden electrical shot from behind. He flipped over on to his side, panting, gazing where he had been running from. Three brainpods approached him carrying large weapons that had electricity bouncing off the tips. And he felt helpless to do a thing about it.
"Moonrocks!"
He were lifted up to his feet then carted off to the next torture room that had been planned out for him as the evil emperor awaited in the room, anticipating this entire event, plotting it, scheming it, rolling a collection of metal into a single metal ball, a stack of cigarettes were set on a series of tables where grubs were seated.
"Welcome, Warp Darkmatter." Zurg greeted the dragged in younger man. "How nice to see you."
"Likewise, Zurg." Was the reply.
"Horrified, yet?" Zurg tapped on the palm of his hand. "Ready to say the truth?"
"Yeah."
"And?" Zurg leaned forward in his chair, eager.
"I loved him." Warp confessed, sincerely. "Probably don't here."
Zurg stood up to his feet, trembling, angry, taking a step forward.
"CURSE YOU, WARP DARKMATTER!"
Warp relished in that, if only briefly. Then the next moment, Zurg pressed his cigarette against Warp's left arm, heated, leaving a mark, stinging. Warp winced then relaxed, squeezing eye shut, his body aching, the pain mundane, familiar, not bothering him as it had before. Same pain, different methods. The pain faded way leaving only the memory of it behind.
"Burning me with cigarettes, antiques, slow killers." Warp acknowledged then glanced toward the looming evil emperor. "Didn't think it was in you."
"Not many people think evil has it in them." Zurg laughed as he shifted toward Warp and folded his arms. "Another burn, another lie."
"Denial." Warp acknowledged as he shook his head. It's a bitch. He faced the view of the red sky that the room had for him. "Different universe, still the same person."'
Zurg schemed, flicking his cigarette, getting a far better idea to torture him with. His mind toyed and toyed with perspective ideas as grubs, one by one, as did brainpods, used the cigarettes on Warp's skin. A light bulb turned on above the evil emperor. A far devious, but simple plot, one that would be remotely be called torture for the very reason it could be defined.
He laughed at the face of the harmed ex-Space Ranger.
All that needed to be done was have Darkmatter abduct cadets to draw out select members of Team Lightyear.
XR's day started out terrible. He were assigned with Booster to make sure that a bunch of cadets had a excellent camping trip. The android's arms were folded as the cadets were in the process of assembling their improvised individual campsites and Booster was eating a chocolate bar while seated on a fallen tree beside his unhappy companion.
"Not like we're going to have Warp Darkmatter popping up behind our back."
"Don't say that, XR." Booster chewed then gulped, wincing, looking aside, a bad memory coming to. "Remember last time you said something like that?"
"It was a coincidence." XR said. "Why would he?" he turned in the direction of the giant. "They're cadets."
"They're important." Booster replied to the small android.
"Booster, my friend." XR pointed his hand back in the direction of the cadets then shook his head turning his back toward them and folded his arms as walked around the fallen tree. "They're at the bottom of the barrel for Evil Emperor Zurg."
"Watching and educating cadets is the best thing that we can possibly do, they're the next generation, the next Space Rangers, the next best hope for Star Command, they're the next better version of Buzz Lightyear and Warp Darkmatter."
"Then why wasn't Buzz and Mira assigned here?"
"Dealing with a multi-trade route attack." Booster replied.
"AH HA!" XR caught Booster in the argument with a index finger and his other hand resting on his side. "Something more important!"
"OH!" Booster stood up as a thought occurred to him with big eyes then turned away from the crowd. "Forgot something!"
There were grunts behind XR as Darkmatter appeared, not making a sound, summoning the fighters out of the group of cadets, getting the upper hand, knocking them out cold, the other cadets fled then were yanked up by a net that had been left out beneath the foliage
"What?" XR took out a list. "We packed everything," he smacked the paper with his digits. "including some rations for this shell to take."
"We left a sleeping cadet behind!" Booster announced as he started to run.
"Uh huh. Very funny." he turned back toward the crowd as Booster vanished among the greenery. "Bored out of his mind. Not surprising."
"Special guest star coming through!" Darkmatter flew overhead carrying a blue net that held five frightened cadets.
"Action!" XR announced then grinned taking out a blaster firing after the mercenary over the frightened cadets.
Darkmatter traded blasts with the android knocking him back toward the treeline then flew up toward the warship. The warship flew off toward Planet Z leaving Booster alone with the remainder of the cadets that hadn't been taken and had made sufficient decisions in fleeing out of danger. A lone stowaway clung on to the frame using a signature swamp device, tightly, bearing a grin. His digits dug into the paneling, relieved, that he hadn't been the one destroyed.
The warship landed in the landing bay. The android slipped of the hiding place but not before leaving some significant additional damage reading "WARP DARKMATTER SUCKS" then hid into a corridor. He hid against the wall, contemplating, hiding, how to best extract the cadets. He moved out of the line of sight of several brainpods and grubs by hiding underneath a cargo trailer then sighed in relief. XR heard the loud shout belonging to the ex-Space Ranger echoing through the facility. XR giggled, remaining stationary, pleased of his work.
XR remained there for roughly a few hours, Team Lightyear was very preoccupied with the trade route matter. Once certain that it was the perfect time to attempt a rescue mission, the android slid out of his hiding place and gazed around. With stealth, he departed, searching through the tower for the room with the academy cadets. Zurg trailed down the hallway with a long stick that sparked electricity at the end, the top bore some resemblance to a swiss army knife that was opened, however, the evil emperor was clinging to the bar section. The android hid behind the wall as the evil emperor was laughing, his free hand in a fist, enjoying what was another evil day. XR grew appalled, tortured cadets? The evil emperor was stooping very low.
The android moved after the group departed then came down the hallway searching through rooms for the cadets, until coming to a dark room lit up by a few candles with a distinctive human figure with a broad chest kept restrained to the side of the wheel that was simmering with electricity and had both arms. The figure was familiar, bright blue, stained in dark blue blood peeking out of thin long slits, except for the lack of hair, he had lost significant muscle since XR last saw him, his form decorated in long healed scars, there were toes on the silver table being kept preserved in a white cot across from him including his pointed ears and his right eye, his head was hung there in front of his chest, portions of his body were covered in hives, sweat pouring down his skin, and he were nude, and missing genitalia.
"Wrong room."
Warp's eyes opened, among the wave of pain, as the android tapped his fingers together slowly rolling back.
"XR . . .?" He lifted his head up, sapping what strength there was left, and shared a fond yet pained smile. "Nice to see a familiar face."
"I wasn't here."
XR bolted out then his mood soured.
". . . Sweet phoenix, my imagination is running wild." Warp sighed, lowering his head, against the pain. "Hallucinations." it was the rational explanation. "More vivid than you, any day, Buzz."
He looked toward the figure toward his left with a weak smirk, his neck finding it difficult to lift, yet there was the strength to make the effort.
"I never left your side, partner."
Buzz Lightyear was triumphant, strong, unwavering. Through the misery, the pain, the suffering, Buzz was there.
"Whatever Zurg is doing," XR poked back in drawing Warp's attention. "You deserve it, buster." there was heated anger toward the ex-Space Ranger. "Betraying Buzz Lightyear and Star Command." XR pointed at him with his index finger and had a glare. "Won't fall for this evil trick."
XR bolted right out of the room as Warp stared at where the android had once been, uncertain, blinking, half awake, half asleep, half out of his mind, and wondering.
"And don't say this is all anger because you keep blowing me up because it's not!"
There was the sound of laser fire outside of the room then the android vanished from his line of sight as Warp looked on, hurt, pained, realizing it were real. Barlos Methane was able to blow up XR when least expected, normally. Not that it happened often, it simply didn't. And then it did to a comical level in this alternate universe.
"He's lucky, Buzz." Warp shook his head, weakly, his gaze lowered. "Got everything..."
Warp coughed, his chest aching, a bad cold lingering on despite the medical treatment that the evil emperor was putting him through to fight it. It hurt more, it impacted him more, his body more vulnerable, not as strong, not as healthy as before, ready to break down.
"Got everything to lose." Warp said with envy.
Warp deserved this hell for betraying Buzz Lightyear as XR navigated his way to the cadets and launched a brazen but successful rescue mission without being blown up.
Once Zurg had the body parts put back together, the hornets carried the now fully clothed, dragging him in the direction of his cell until they abruptly paused, tucked in programming coming into gear, then they went down the corridor. Instead they passed by the cell that the ex-Space Ranger was normally put in and went into a dark room. He was dropped to the ground with a thud then the hornets departed out of the chamber and proceeded to destroy one another without provocation.
"Get up and go."
Warp rested.
"Get up."
He was so tired.
"N-n-no."
He was done, he was spent, he was exhausted, was it worth hanging on, for another Warp Darkmatter's well being? No.
"There's a door in front of you, Warp."
He was utterly broken.
"There isn't. Just a stupid wall."
Warp clenched his teeth, his forehead against the ground, his palms against the floor.
"There's a door."
"No, there isn't!"
"Why don't you open your eyes and see, Warp?" Came the frustrated reply from the Space Ranger, knelt down before him, as a transparent specter. "Settle this argument once and for all."
"Tired."
"Not that tired."
"For a Space Ranger who's head is always held up above the river."
"Ranger Darkmatter, open your eyes." The specter walked to his side then knelt down beside him. "Strength is in there in the reserves." The Space Ranger set his hand on the side of the ex-Space Ranger's shoulder. "Still got some in there, sneaky."
Warp opened his eyes lifting himself up, spotting a large open vent ahead of him.
"There is a door." Warp said, finding the strength to grin.
"Go."
Escape, now. It repeated in his mind over and over and over. He dragged himself up to his knees then traveled into the vent traveling downwards with a tremble. His back ached, moving in this way, his knees hurt, quietly moving through the vents, making not a noise walking on the tips of his toes. It was remarkably roomy for the ex-Space Ranger to move in while operating on autopilot.
"Thanks, Buzz."
"You're welcome, partner."
"Couldn't have done it without you."
"This kind of mission is hard to do without a partner."
"Remind me, what was it again?"
"Escaping the tower with critical need to know information, look to your left."
He paused in his tracks then looked out the vent beside him observing the planning room then weakly smiled. He recognized the 'turn the entire universe into cats and take over from there' plan.
"That plan."
Large images of the team as cats, even the LGM, shaking off autopilot in the red light staring on toward the plans. He didn't need to exit in order to get a better view, he had gone through this sometime ago with his team.
"Fiend." Hissed Warp's partner. "What did cats ever do to him?"
He turned his attention away fighting back laughter as he recalled how that had gone. Barlos Methane contacting Star Command, abruptly, confusing all of them, he remembered, he were there, discussing with the commander on a matter that escaped him. It had been so long ago that the exact details were muddy in his mind. Just not Barlos Methane's crystal clear dialogue.
"Funny, always thought that was a plan that would hit him sooner or later." Warp admitted.
"Evil schemes come to Zurg at random times than we expect." Then the Space Ranger held up his index finger against his lips. "Shh, be quiet," his partner scowled rolling his eyes. "he may hear us."
"Maybe, could be, might not." Warp dismissed to his partner. "We're just taking the vents because they wouldn't spot us here."
"True." was the reply. "Although, the risk is too great!" the Space Ranger shook his hand. "The next round, we could die."
"We. ARE. NOT. gonna. die, drama king." Warp looked back at his partner then smacked his partner on the top of the head with his fist.
"Ow." The Space Ranger rubbed his head as his partner continued on ahead with a grin.
Warp dragged himself on through the vents slowly, inch by inch, the evil emperor oblivious to it as he awaited in his evil planning chamber for Darkmatter with his arms folded. The evil emperor heard the bangs from the vents and shrugged it off. It was a sound from the vents settling, they hadn't been the same after reconstruction, he recalled when it used to be quiet with only the occasional sound of the hornets moving, the sound of wheels, soft and small footsteps belonging to the grubs.
Warp saw the exit, he kicked it open, then slid on out, slipping out with a thud. He held his hand out for his partner, taking it, then helped him out. The two ran toward the warship heading up the series of stairs in the remotely abandoned flight bay as Darkmatter walked into the tower section and the door closed behind him. The door to the warship remained open as the duo entered then Warp's partner closed the door and followed him in. Warp made it to the top of the warship, becoming quickly acquainted to it, setting in a code that he had always dreamed of, the way he would rather leave Zurg's tower as a mercenary.
"Getting acquainted to it quickly."
"Had some practice."
"Great, we can get out of here."
"Nah uh, uh," Warp shook his finger. "Buckle up, buddy. We're flying safely!"
"There's a chair below decks." He shook his hands. "I'll be there!"
"Can still hear you, Buzz!"
After a moment, certain that Buzz had gone down to the lower decks, he set in the command with a smirk. The door to the tower opened then the warship flew out heading for the sky as Warp let out a laugh against all that ache and pain sealed inside of his body. The warship twirled, setting in coordinates, to somewhere, to anywhere, preferably in the alpha quadrant. The ship launched into light speed as he relaxed then set in another command.
"Computer, turn on audio message."
"Audio message activated."
"Warp Darkmatter to Star Command."
"Star Command here."
"Evil Emperor Zurg has a cat thing, the Cat-hulic-bystadium from the planet Vast-hun, stolen during transport, turns literally everything into cats, and by the way, XR and Booster are currently stuck in that transport due to a mix up about crabs and cats. Don't ask, it's far more confusing and complicated than any person could get their head around. Warpmatter out-wait, Darkmatter out."
He pressed the button, then set in another series of coordinates, right at a asteroid belt, setting the ship to hide within one of the large gaping holes keeping it in idle mode. He rubbed his face, his eyes stung once his fingers touched them, then withdrew them. He squeezed his eyes shut, painfully, with a shout. Zurg's repairs had been sufficient to a degree although the wound remained sensitive for hours after the torture session long after being fixed. He was evil, he was cruel, he was thorough, and he drew out the torture to a degree that it was a sheer miracle Warp hadn't lost his sanity. He still had that.
Warp got up then descended down the steps.
"We did it, Buzz!"
Warp looked around.
"Buzz?"
Confusion replaced his features as he searched the warship.
"Buzz!"
Warp called out for him, looking for top to bottom, until coming to a halt.
"We-" he stopped, it came back to him, Buzz was gone, long gone. " . . . did it."
Warp stumbled back collapsing into the chair as it all struck him. Buzz was gone. He died, years ago, he clenched the side of his head, pained, his eyes in pain, as the grief returned anew and it stung his heart, his eyes. He rubbed his eyes, alone, but not quite alone, unable to see the specter beside him, planting a hand on the side of his shoulder. And it felt so cold.
"Am I a good man?" Warp started to sing to himself, softly. "In the heart?" He put a hand on his chest. "I don't know. . . ." he briefly closed his eyes then sighed. "I don't know. . ." he wiped a tear off from the side of his cheek." I don't know."
He shook his head, his voice starting to crack, starting to sniffle, ready too cry.
"What am I?" he rubbed the side of his shoulders. "With a heart out for the fine and expensive aspects of life?" He shook his head, doubtfully. "Do I really have what it takes to be good?"
Warp lifted his head up with a tremble then stood up to his feet looking where his partner would be seated, relaxing, staring where he had been.
"He sacrificed his life for mine."
he looked back at the fatal final conversation.
"Let me go,"
he looked aside, his nice and smooth singing carrying the tune on with heartbreak.
"sent me away,"
he looked at the wall imagining a window watching the distant specter from a moon that weren't there watch the flames erupt from the base in active destruction. He could see the event happening before his eyes, standing in the flames as a spectator that couldn't be seen or be harmed, watching as it occurred, in pain, heartbroken, powerless to change history, watching buzz surprise him then turn on the wings sending him out.
"even as he knew it were all my doing."
He approached a replica of his Space Ranger suit complete with a lock and key, memorabilia, a piece of memory.
"Lived for three decades," he saw himself in that uniform again beside Buzz Lightyear. "spent twenty years doing good," his shoulders lowered in the middle of the soul music that was quite gentle to the tone, lacking the energy, the pop, or excitement. "searching for good," He saw himself finishing a unrelated mission with Buzz holding up a very pregnant cat then smiled, tearfully, at the memory. "finding good."
He set his hand on the screen giving it some thought.
"Am I a good man?" Warp asked himself, once more. "I look at the screen and I see his exploits!" he turned away, shaking his head, his hands clenched. "I see my face living the life that I should."
He looked up toward the ceiling.
"A life where I am following the money and Buzz Lightyear is alive and well!" He stared at a portrait of himself, standing on a mountain of gold, surrounded by women, mainly, from different worlds treating him with grapes and other fruit as his singing rose in volume. "Saving his Ranger ass from time to time!"
He turned back in the direction of the space suit then his eyes softened as he approached it, wonder in his eyes, doubt, angst, approaching the case that was visibly dirty.
"Am a good man? Am I a good man? Am I a good man?"
He scowled, his shoulders lowering, his arms raised up briefly, his palms open, shrugging, then lowered them.
"No, I'm not."
he lowered his hands clasped into fists.
"Never will be!" he approached the photograph. "Then why. . ."
He looked toward a old academy photo beside the container.
"When cleaning the mirror. . ."
He set the photograph down.
". . . staring back right back. . ."
He set the photograph down with care then rubbed away the fog with his sleeve.
". . that I can see what he saw in the heart?"
He saw himself in the uniform.
"A good man . . ." his shoulders slacked. ". . . with his flaws."
Warp stopping singing as he sat down then cried as tears poured down his features until he were done, gulping down the sorrow, then looked at his shaking hands. He picked up the key then set it in, withdrawing the uniform, slipping on the layered uniform that didn't feel like armor nor was structured that way. He turned on his helmet then bore a smirk as a idea settled in to his head. He started to giggle then it turned into laughter that turned into cackling. He searched through the warship until finding what he wanted; a electronic mask.
He returned to the top of the warship, set in the coordinates, then headed to the nearest chop shop for the warship.
"We've got a warship headed this way!"
"Oh no, it's Warp Darkmatter."
"Did you do something to him or get involved in one of missions that Zurg had him go on?"
"Not that I know of."
"We're screwed!"
"He's sending friendly signals."
"Friendly signals?. . ."
"Terrifying."
"Frightening. Last time that he sent this message, he was still a Space Ranger."
"He's sent in another friendly message!"
"ANOTHER?"
"Another!"
"Frightening!"
"We have to let him in!"
"Quick, get the laser blasters! Tell the others to hide!"
The head mechanic took out a pipe as her friend fled down the corridor. She approached the doorway, the docking system activated, sweat dripping down her skin, tense. There was three knocks from the door over the sound of running. Her shoulders raised then her multiple eye appendages raised up in unison and she pressed her teeth together as the knocking grew louder. She gripped the door by the handle then swung it open holding the small pipe in her other hand.
"Warp Darkmatter!" was the announcement by the head mechanic.
Then she observed him, her eyes widened, staring. Bald, his face heavily scarred, smirking.
"Warp Darkmatter the tortured Space Ranger?" She lowered her weapon.
"One and only." Warp said, his hands on his hips, almost glowing with pride.
"For Phoenix's sake!" She smacked him at the chest then at the head as he stepped back as the mechanic slapped her hand with the pipe, a throb from the center of her head, angry, as he yelped after being hit again repeatedly. "Why did you have to scare me that way!"
"It's called making a entrance!" he grasped her wrist with a scowl.
"That's defined as leaving fear in your wake!" She slipped her hand out of his grip, clenching the pipe.
"Different people have different definitions." Warp eased as he grew a broad grin, taking the pipe out of her hand, then patted his palm with it. "How would you feel making a lot of money taking apart my ship and selling every piece of it save for the personal belongings?"
"Thrilled!"
"Give me a minute, gotta drive it in on impulse."
"Take as much time."
A mechanic from behind hit Warp at the back of the head.
"Ow."
"Sorry?" It came out as a meek apology.
Warp collapsed, seeing stars, as the head mechanic rubbed her forehead.
What did good men do? They turned themselves in to right a wrong. It was the start to making amends, to getting closure, on the path of becoming the person that they were meant to become molded by facing the consequence of their actions in the justice system. Warp ate rations along the way, doing field missions beneath the cover of dark, missions that had succeeded at 65% when it came to civilizations that were plagued by the problem. 65% was less than 82%, there were deceptive tactics pulled to ensure it didn't happen the way that it had happened in his world. It required lots of blackmail to pull it off. He had to go back to Planet Z from time to time to destroy the rebuilt tunnel extraction system, to sabotage it, being sneaky, to prevent another Warp Darkmatter being kidnapped into hell. It became and grew into a bit of a spidey sense.
These missions hadn't happened, not yet. He pulled and he pulled and he pulled tactics until the list was seen through to the end. The last mission meant avoiding his counterpart doing something for Zurg with Team Lightyear there as well, it was a miracle, narrowly being seen, narrowly being caught, narrowly being arrested on terms that didn't feel right. He went above and beyond. His hair grew back, quickly, this time he gave himself a even haircut, his chin hair back with pride, the scars along his face left behind, his muscle weight was different. It returned quickly with rest and with vengeance, with content, relaxing in ships, apart from the nightmares, over the passing couple weeks, getting back to his feet, eating very nutritious alien food that tasted not that good.
And Warp was ready to visit Star Command, his strength returned, wearing that mask, his voice masked by the mask. He approached the large portrait in Nebula's office, staring, searching, until finding the commander with his two closest friends, Ion Lightyear and Salome Cortes Flightstream. Only Ion had Treevo's face, his hair was blue, blue as Buzz Lightyears, his eyes were as brown as Buzz Lightyear's, his mother had the broad shoulders, the large chin, the muscular form. He stepped back in shock as it crashed upon him, twirling away from the screen, then paused in his tracks as the commander entered.
"Ranger Maypoppins."
"Commander."
"Haven't seen you in weeks!" the commander grasped him by the shoulders, happy, then grew concerned, before yelling. "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"
Didn't look that all too different between their worlds. Consistent.
"Personal mission, sir."
"Ah," Nebula withdrew his hands as he looked toward the direction that the ranger had been looking at. "looking at the old photograph."
"Sir, of you don't mind answering. . ." He cleared his throat as he shifted toward the older man. "how did Ion Lightyear die?"
Nebula squeezed his eyes shut, his shoulders lowering, a certain weight on him.
"Slowly, just like his father and Salome. Ion and Salome died fighting against Zurg," Another consistency. "Buzz was just a baby when the evil emperor came to power."
"I always. . . . imagined. . . Ion to be very blue."
"He was lucky, coulda' been blue. It's a family thing, Maypoppins, makes life past beyond forty-five impossible. A silent and far slower and very obvious and painful killer than Zurg."
"He was lucky." it was in agreement with a nod, softly, yet full of envy. "Very lucky."
"And so is Star Command, getting here so far, so long, without a loss, winning against Zurg. . . If it weren't for Team Lightyear, who knows what we would be in."
"Sir?"
"Yes, ranger?"
"Something tells me that without him, it would be difficult . . ." he cleared his throat before adding, finding the positive nature in his world, bearing a smile. "and yet, Star Command would still prevail." The commander bore a grin in response. "Because that's we do, we always get up, never lay down," he held his hands up in a fist with a smirk. "boxing against evil."
"When are you gonna meet Buzz Lightyear, son?"
"In my wildest dreams. It's night shift."
"Another reminder."
"Sir?"
"Got something to do at home. It's. . . some preparation thing. Booster is coming along nicely, he's got some commander material on him, acting with faith, hope, and on impulse, he's got charm in him, Star Commmand can use that to lead them."
"He is a very good kid, sir." A smile. "No matter where you go, he's a sweetheart."
"When did you meet him?"
"Know him like a charm thanks to XR ranting about how they would save him."
"That's the XR that I know." The commander laughed. "Say, Maypoppins. . . How are you feeling?"
"Good." he was better than good, he was great. He needed that assurance, that they were doing well without him, through a different side of the mirror, that their futures were going to be promising. "And you, sir."
"Hopeful." was the reply with a smile.
Maypoppins had died, just as they had in the other one, died preventing a far dangerous threat from leaving a world. They died with a umbrella, it had been a joke in the beginning, using it as their weapon, making fun of their last name, they had perished saving Warp from being consumed by the threat in the throes of grief after ordering Mira to get Booster out of the chamber. Maypoppins didn't die because of him, that was made very clear and Warp accepted it before the older Space Ranger walked away from him sacrificing their soul leaving. Leaving behind (just like Buzz) to face not as universe threatening threats in the form of Zurg's hornets and a princess who wanted to be the sacrificial lamb instead of being the diplomatic figure that started the process of a peace treaty entering her people to the Galactic Alliance.
He exited the office with the commander then went their separate ways. He came to a pause alongside the wall, clenching his chest, his heart aching. Star Command had to find the Space Ranger's body, he knew where to find it, how to find it, he had been the first to find the body the day after and gave a speech for the fallen officer. Or, the officer was alive and well, the beast unable to leave it's prison. Maypoppins wasn't a hermit. Never filed paperwork. He smacked his fist against the wall as he stood up and XR whistled on by him then Warp yanked him back.
"XR, how would you feel having a monster named after you and getting women all over you?"
"AWESOME!" XR flailed his arms, gleefully, excited.
"And you don't blow up." was added.
"Better!" his hands set into fists, optics shining, mouth drooling.
"There's a planet just for you out there." And then he told the android the coordinates and sent him off.
Warp waited, the mask was discarded, on the planet Morph to turn himself in. He traded the Space Ranger uniform in for something else. A simple change of clothing, a classy black jacket with the Star Command symbol on the back, pants, and a white undershirt. He looked attractive, better, and healthier. He waited until hearing through the chatter about Maypoppins.
Warp approached Rocket Crockett and two rookies after they had subdued a couple criminals with Crockett seated on top of the beat up criminals.
"Hi."
Crockett stared at him, caught off guard, his skin turned pale, as the two rookies aimed their wrist lasers back at him.
"I'm Warp Darkmatter, and I'm turning myself in for treason."
And Crockett looked scared more than anything just to hear those words from Warp as unexpected as they were.
With a dignified smile.
Nebula arrived to the room which is where he found the younger man seated at the table, cuffed to a lone bar in the center of it, staring on. The Ipsedan had pain in his yellow eyes, marked by lethargy, the bags under his eyes were more pronounced than before as were the notable gray hair spreading from his temples that was still in the process of spreading on engulfing his dark blue hair while his chin hair was intact. There was something different in Warp, was it the fact that he weren't smirking? Grinning?
Something was different about him. Off. Drastically about the mercenary.
"Why did you do it?" Nebula asked.
"Prefer not to answer, Commander." Warp replied as the commander looked back at him, tired, and angry.
"You're going to have to answer, son, in court." Nebula said.
"I answered that question a long time ago."
"For the uni-bucks." Nebula said then shook his head. "What does Buzz Lightyear see in you that the Galactic Alliance doesn't?"
"Something . . ." He looked down toward the table, rubbing along his thumb, looking back. "that he really shouldn't."
"Why now?" It was off, seeing Warp act this way, sorrowful. "Why let you go?" he squinted back at the younger man. "Why?" Warp's gaze was stuck looking aside, wondering himself, then dismissed a stray thought. "Is there a evil plot?"
"Evil Emperor Zurg got bored." Warp replied then shrugged lifting his attention with a smirk. "I got him what he wanted." And then everything didn't seem off about the ex-Space Ranger with that simple expression. "Did what I did so long having fun. . ." he winced before adding. "he doesn't believe me."
"Partnering you with Buzz Lightyear," Nebula looked down toward his hands then toward the younger man. "Thought it was the best decision at the time after Parsec demanding to be reassigned." His features eased looking at the younger man. "Turns out it was the worst one."
"It wasn't the worst one." Warp said.
"Then what was the worst?" Nebula asked.
"No matter how you spin it." Warp cleared his throat. "It was the most awful one."
"What was the worst one that I made?"
He shifted his gaze from the side back toward the commander.
"It ends tragically, always has, always will," he looked aside, squeezing his eyes shut, his arms folded, bearing a sigh before looking toward the older man. "for both parties."
"WARP DARKMATTER, WHAT WAS THE WORST DECISION THAT I MADE?" The commander yelled.
"Not kicking me out for impersonating you while gambling." was the confession. Would have saved the Galactic Alliance a lot of pain. "Buzz Lightyear was always going to get hurt. . . saw that coming a mile away." His shoulders slumped. "Just not how he grew to care about me."
Nebula stood up from the chair then walked away turning his back toward Warp leaving him behind. He shifted toward the ex-Space Ranger, shaking his head, then closed the door behind him hanging his head squeezing his eyes shut.
A/N For the sake of torture and this story, Warp was meant not to stand the very cold well.
