The shuttle craft lowered into the landing bay of the cargo craft at the first floor. Milky was still gaping at the sheer size of the ship itself, it bore remarkable resemblance to a cruise ship that had layered levels with a dome on the top. It was themed white with the ledges of the ship unprotected, lacking a forcefield in front of them should a passenger go overboard, it was vulnerable. Buzz squinted at the contraption with a glare. No wonder it had been repurposed into a smuggling vessel that had only a autopilot system and had machines monitor the cargo's status. Milky tagged after the senior Space Ranger who's hands were tightly clenched into fists on high alert catching up with him.
"Door number one."
The Space Ranger paused then opened the first door and peered in spotting a mountain full of cargo in neatly organized boxes.
"Shipping medication?"
"To the alpha quadrant," he looked toward the rookie then lifted a brow. "Really?"
"These ships come through here for refueling certain stations." Milky elaborated as Buzz entered then tore open the box. "Relay stations," he turned on his glow in the light mode as the lights turned off. "Ranger observation posts, and far off research stations."
"This cruiser doesn't make sense for the sheer volume of supplies." Buzz commented.
"Oh. . ." Milky gasped.
"Someone is selling Star Command grade and funneling them to the highest bidders in the Alpha Quadrant."
"Sound like someone you know?" Milky asked with a raised brow.
"Once knew then, not anymore." Buzz replied, opening his comn panel. "Lightyear to Nebula, we have another mole."
"ANOTHER MOLE?" Nebula yelled.
"Unfortunately." Buzz said with a nod.
"Internal Rangers Affairs will dig into this matter after the completion of the mission at the ship." Nebula said. "Nebula out."
"This has sharply increased from non-dangerous to very dangerous in a short span of time, Captain." Milky said.
"Nothing insignificant about smuggling weapons." Buzz closed the lid then shifted toward Milky. "Equally as important as the fight against evil," he walked out of the room with his hands closed into his fists as the rookie closed the door behind him. "but a mere stepping stone to a long never ending battle against evil."
Milky grew concerned for the Space Ranger with that comment.
"Are you tired?" Milky asked. "We did leave when it were night."
"A little." Buzz admitted as he paused in the corridor.
They resumed opening and closing doors came checking what was inside of the boxes. On the fifth floor, Buzz had enough checking after finding several of the containers were full of weapons. He climbed up the stairs, fast, charging up, angry, faster than Milky could catch up. Milky paused in his tracks, hands on his knees, panting, the senior Space Ranger went further up ahead of the rookie.
"Chill to Weight, where in the Galactic Alliance are you?" Raptor Chill asked.
"Aboard a smuggling ship with Buzz Lightyear in the Alpha Quadrant." Milky replied as Raptor Chill's eyes widened and his jaw dropped.
"Milky, there's rumors that ship has a wirewolf!" Raptor Chill exclaimed from the other end of the line. "A lot swirling on Trade World." the rookie on the other end grimaced, recoiling, visibly. "It's all they're talking about, laughing about, cackling about." he stretched his free arm out for emphasis then lowered it down to his side. "Get Buzz Lightyear and get out of there!"
"Nope, don't need any saving." Milky declined his friend's aid with a shake of his hand. "That's disinformation, there is nothing but a additional smuggling violation."
"Milky." Raptor Chill plead. "Don't go. Please."
"We'll show you." Milky said.
"On my way." Raptor Chill said.
"Weight out." Milky's communications panel closed then he shook his head. He rolled his eyes then proceeded to climb up the stairs tagging after the Space Ranger. "Show off." he joined Buzz's side. "Why have we stopped?"
"Hornets." Buzz pointed on ahead then grew a broad grin. "It has exactly what is largely suspected."
"A high ranked person?" Milky asked.
"Better." Buzz said as he turned toward Milky as his grin became a smile. "Someone to call a friend."
Buzz was the first to fire at the hornets then Milky joined, knelt down beside him, firing at the hornets. The hornets fell with the destructive blows inflicted upon their figures then the duo ran on forward. The duo destroyed several hornets on the way up to the top of the cruise ship leaving ruins behind. Buzz came up to the last floor then looked on observing a large doorway at the end of a series of doors. It was wide and notable, big enough to lead into what felt like the upper deck's lobby that had been misplaced from where it should be at the lower section as generally expected. All that was left was a series of hornets guarding the doorway. Was Zurg ensuing Warp Darkmatter be taken to the alpha quadrant and stay there, forever? Making sure that nothing got in the way of what diabolical plan that was in store?
The duo fired after the hornets destroying them in mere minutes. Buzz held a hand out in the way of Milky then directed him over alongside the wall. The Space Ranger grinned then walked forward bearing a grin. He stood there then watched as the door opened before his eyes. A tall figure turned toward the Space Ranger with a growl and bright glowing red optics, a long blue stripe below the mouth, all the while coated in the familiar uniform that Buzz had last seen him in with little wear and tear. Buzz stepped back in horror and shock as the news crashed upon him leaving behind dismay. He turned then fled with a shriek, the older Space Ranger leaped aside into one of the rooms and Milky hid behind the door belonging to one of the rooms. Buzz flipped open his comn as the wirewolf tore open a door.
"Buzz Lightyear to Star Command, Ranger Darkmatter was bitten by Nos-4-A2, he was bitten by Nos-4-A2! We have a wirewolf in the alpha quadrant!"
Mira looked on in horror at the announcement during her night shift over Buzz Lightyear's announcement that rang in the air.
"This ship was also smuggling weapons. Add that to the list of charges that the current owner of this boat will face, Lightyear out!"
Buzz closed the comn, pried open the nearest box, took out two omni blasters then made a charge out of the room firing at the wirewolf's legs.
"Don't make me hurt you, Warp!"
The wirewolf turned away from the cowering young Space Ranger with a growl.
"Milky, to the shuttle!"
The duo fled down the stairs as hornets that happened to have been knocked out by the collapsing domino effect got up and proceeded to become canon fodder.
"Don't have to repeat that order, captain!"
Milky ran on ahead of the creature.
"Save the wrist laser power for last resort!"
"Last resort? It's all that we got!"
"We use it when cornered!"
"Oh, that kind of last resort. Got it, sir!"
"This is the least diabolical scheme that Zurg has ever done! Appalling!"
"Craters, craters, craters, we're going to die!"
"Slight chance of that!"
"We DO need help!"
"Always good to acknowledge that, rookie!" Buzz clipped the wirewolf's tail and a shot landed square on a panel that erupted into flames. "Go, go, go, go!"
The Space Rangers fled as the fire ran on with the acceleration being the carpetting made of flammable material and the wall paper that was being eaten. The colorful wallpaper turned to a dark version of itself as the color was eaten away by the flames that rose in strength, the carpetting peeling away with each inch that was being eaten by the flames and traveled beneath the doorways of the rooms that burst open with several loud blast. Buzz tagged after the young man as they got further and further away from the wirewolf terrified out of their very minds. Buzz fired the omni blasters after the hornets that were firing at them (and not standing aside just noticing the wirewolf locking on it as a target).
Buzz was the last to arrive at the sixth floor behind the rookie. The two paused, leaning over, their hands on their knees then looked toward the direction of the hallway that had dark smoke drifting toward them. The flames carrying on the ceiling after them as cracks formed above their heads, the sound of laser fire echoing in the background distantly. Just as they were about to start running once again, the floor beneath them gave out and the ceiling above them gave out as well sending the Space Rangers free falling until making their final landing with a loud thud. The flames approached the Space Rangers with hunger, with fearsome consumption, with immense heat, smoke filling the hallway becoming filled in red lighting. It did not have a water system, all of it had been ripped out being converted into a smuggling ship, the alarm blaring that there was a certain change in conditions for the ripe product.
Milky was the first to awaken, groaning, hearing his name being called. Buzz Lightyear was calling for him, distantly. Milky's head was throbbing. He can hear a high pitch screech echoing in his ear drums contrasting the sound of his name being called. He attempted to lift himself up then fell flat on his chassis and proceeded to crawl dragging himself on, coughing. He lifted his attention up spotting a series of strangers above him. They were tall, their silhouettes stood out against the darkness, their long turquoise narrow heads shaped with a long extension from the back of the head, they had long arms similar to octopuses, and long snake tails to their frames. The figures moved past him as his helmet activated automatically allowing the suit to filter out the smoke. Milky passed out as a figure walked on into the remains of what had once been the hangar bay.
"Milky Weight!" Raptor Chill cried as he joined Milky's side. "C'mon."
Raptor Chill lifted the rookie up to his feet.
"Urgh . . ." Milky groaned.
Raptor Chill grew a broad grin in response.
"Good, good, groaning." Raptor Chill relaxed. "Good sign."
Raptor Chill looked on, reluctantly, then turned around.
"Raptor. . ." Milky said.
Raptor Chill ran on leaving behind the senior Space Ranger.
"Phoenix forgive me." Raptor Chill plead.
Buzz's bubble was activated, filtering out the smoke, leaving a good consistent supply of oxygen for him. He was pinned under layers of debris that was on fire cooking him as sweat poured down his skin. The wirewolf tossed aside a hornet traveling ahead then strolled into the shuttle bay and twirled, sensing they weren't alone. The wirewolf turned in the direction of the blaze that they had exited out of only moments ago then walked on taking slow steps forward walking on all fours. The wirewolf trotted out then sniffed the air, scowling. The wirewolf didn't smell anything apart to burning fuel, the distinctive smell of burning ammunition, burning carpetting, burning paper. The wirewolf came to a pause staring at a familiar sight. Remaining fixed in place witnessing history replaying. It's a fixed moment. Buzz Lightyear gets pinned. It is immovable. Buzz came back to, rising out of the darkness of his subconscious, his legs felt crushed, numb, he couldn't feel them.
"Warp, I know you're in there!" Buzz called.
The wirewolf turned away, clenching their head, whimpering, terrified, ears lowered, trembling.
"Star Command can help! Let us help! Nothing lasts forever!"
The wirewolf squeezed their optics shut.
"The radioactive moon rock-it was put in, it can be taken out!" Buzz insisted, assuring the man inside of the wirewolf. "Everything can be fixed."
The wirewolf rubbed their shoulder, a mix of two beings, one a flawed Space Ranger, and the other a animal. Emotional wounds like lingered on. Reluctant. It was a deep wound to the heart that could have been fatal under different circumstance. For a animal, this memory was something not to experience a second time around. The memory stung with the high view point being a memorable shot of the final moment. The man inside was terrified and didn't want to go through it again, to lose, horribly, losing what was left of his heart in the process. The wirewolf clenched their head, torn, aware, of the entire incident, seeds of their involvement all around them. The man couldn't see fixing his problem happening any time soon, a scorched wound in his mind, in his soul, his dna, and his brain. The creature whined turning toward the Space Ranger.
The Space Ranger was smiling; kind, optimistic, and radiating full of faith. The last smile crossed his mind, years apart, the man retreated further inside, in all that pain. The feelings were not as strong as before, the creature could access in their shared memories. Cowardly, selfish, and self preservative, like animals when it came to survival in the wild. The emotions were deeply personal. More like pieces of a old war wound that hadn't healed compared to the rest of his soul. The animal could see why the man had opted to help him the first time around, he had a really nice face. He radiated the nature of good. The Space Ranger had a series of pretty stripes on his face that only certain creatures could see and humans could not. The wirewolf's ears became straightened as they turned in the direction of the fallen Space Ranger then approached the debris. The wirewolf lifted up the debris above the Space Ranger who proceeded to crawl out of the mess then land to the ground.
"Thanks, partner." Buzz said then grew a broad grin.
The wirewolf perked up tilting their head wagging their tail as Buzz began to hold his hand out.
"Let's go home, Warp."
Sincere affection was laced in his words that drew the man back from the protective corner by turning away from it.
"I love you."
A chance that history could play out the same way, different set of circumstance, same loss, years later. The man walked out of the shadows, coming to terms with the death, with the accident, at a loss of words. They stood there, their jaw slack, staring, lowering their claw. And all that time, wasted, those last few years spent fighting reach other instead of side by side. Buzz loved him here, too. It was staring back at him right at the face in the smile and in the eyes. Accepting that, he stepped forward. Warp and Buzz were doomed to a tragic end if things went wrong from the very first moment the two came into each other's orbit. Buzz Lightyear was alive and well, their luck quite different, and better. And there was closure in recognizing that.
"You, too." Warp forced the Wirewolf to speak surprising the Space Ranger who proceeded to smile.
The fact squeezed his heart, breaking it, then putting it back together all whole again. Speaking of which, Warp could feel the radioactive moon rock from within his torso. The rock had a distinctive shape, it was the size of the dark crystal's shard which could easily removed, embedded between wiring behind the heart right in the back. His head bobbed up as did his tail sniffing a presence. Wasn't Zurg. The wirewolf sensed that there were other players in the area then back toward Buzz Lightyear. Buzz Lightyear had to be taken out of the picture by some means that prevented him from coming back and dying like a good man coming to their aid. His way was sneaky and if his luck prevailed, the only one suffering the consequences of it would himself.
The wirewolf picked up the Space Ranger who clung to him, wrapping his arms around his chassis, a nice warm hug. He rested his claws on the Space Ranger's wing pack. It wasn't his relationship, it didn't belong to him. He didn't deserve this Buzz Lightyear; he deserved a hug from his own right around the same age that he were. Despite that, he allowed himself to enjoy the hug for a solid moment as the odd beings approaching the two got closer. He can feel the goose bumps trolling down his armor. Warp opted to run on his two feet so the Space Ranger's grip on him proceeded to relax and loosen in alarm then he slid the Space Ranger over his shoulder and ran on his four feet.
Buzz saw a tall being draped in a dark cloak, easily seven feet tall, hunched over, their black oval eyes staring back at him, serene, slowly following them. The wirewolf skitted down the corner.
"Do you know these people, Warp?"
The wirewolf's side met the wall.
"Where are they from?"
Very good questions that he would like answers to. The wirewolf came to a halt, whining, in the blazing engineering deck that was all a mess with equipment melting. The crystallic crystals remained fixed in place as the metal became glued around the frames as heat started to grow becoming molten red. A familiar laugh caused the wirewolf to turn around then growled and set the Space Ranger aside. Evil Emperor Zurg stood in the way of a gaping hole in the wall that was in his general shape. Zurg aimed the ion blaster in the general direction of the wirewolf with a sinister chuckle.
"It's time that this blaze devour it's prize, Darkmatter."
Warp was alone, and then he weren't, never really alone, knowing he had all those people behind him. He stepped back, letting the animal step forward, more capable of a fight than he were with the great capabilities. The wirewolf charged forward after the evil emperor, extending long cords, ion blasts being thrown their way, dodging, and twirling, spinning, knocking the Evil Emperor down and draining the Ion Blaster that was thrown aside. Zurg got up to his feet and charged a electric blast after the animal knocking them down to the ground. Buzz attempted to get up to his feet but fell back down with a yelp landing to his side. The wirewolf lifted themselves up one paw by another paw standing back up as Zurg fired his other blasters.
The wirewolf ran on the ceiling then tackled the Evil Emperor down through the series of blasts to the chassis and pinned him down with all fours on his torso. Zurg delivered a sucker punch to the wirewolf's form then flipped over as the animal whimpered then the Evil Emperor threw a ball of electricity from his long claws that was countered by a single laser blast drawing the attention of the foe. Buzz Lightyear flew away taking Zurg's attention away with him.
"Find me on the nearest planet!" Buzz called.
The wirewolf bore a grin watching the Space Ranger fly off then darted along the debris as the Evil Emperor chased after his nemesis. Buzz blasted a hole in the wall then flew out drawing the Evil Emperor out of the ship that was actively destroying itself.
"Gladly, Buzz Lightyear!" Zurg announced, throwing blasts of electricity after him.
Zurg tagged after the Space Ranger through a storm that was in the middle of a desert tornado. He struck the Space Ranger in the back then Buzz started to fall with a scream and yanked into a storm. Zurg's lift arrived then he were seated inside of it as his gravitational based system locked on him as he surveyed the landscape through the storm, squinting, seeking out the Space Ranger. The Evil Emperor flew into the nearest desert tornado for the Space Ranger.
Moments after, Zurg flew out of the tornado calling out for the Space Ranger. A single red laser blast soared through the air knocking the Evil Emperor's ride down. Zurg's feet lock system deactivated with a simple command. Zurg crashed into the land then turned around. He searched the thick layers of the storm for the Space Ranger. Dark, hard to see, the sand was getting everywhere, how he hated it, it'll need a good cleaning and his armor would have to be removed, taken apart, just to get it all out of him. He hated sand.
"Scared of the dark, Zurg?"
Why did Buzz Lightyear have that serious voice again? Zurg could hear him smirking. A echo of a taunt from five years ago.
"Lightyear." Zurg greeted him.
The Space Ranger walked through the curtain of the storm with his hands in fists.
"Abandoned, alone, unarmed, fancy spotting a Evil Emperor here."
Zurg flung a ball of electricity after the Space Ranger.
"How does it feel to lose? Horribly? Was it a dumb decision to go into a storm?"
Zurg's anger soared as he trembled.
"Evil always wins!"
"My fist would like to argue otherwise."
Zurg was knocked down by a mere fist then he stepped back and held his arms out blocking out another strike, then reached out, catching a wrist. Zurg turned on his heat ray vision then heard a chuckle. The Space Ranger had avoided being wounded-somehow. He had ducked the blast in the simplest way by moving his head out of the way. He were knocked back with a slam against his chassis by the shoulder of the Space Ranger. Zurg fell into the hill of sand then crept up to his feet and flung a ball of electricity after him over the high pitch wail of the tornadoes raging around them. His heat ray vision turned on soaring through the environment aiming for anything even in the sky like a search light.
Finally, the Space Ranger leaped into his line of view with a kick at the torso. The Evil Emperor summoned his heat ray vision upon the Space Ranger as the storm began to thin out dissipating in the process. A series of kicks, punches, and dodging, and landing some heat ray visions upon the spacesuit itself. His helmet provided safety as the Evil Emperor punched the helmet leaving it getting cracked into pieces. He turned off his helmet with a growl with his hand wrapped into a fist then smacked Zurg's optic shattering it into pieces and damaging the top of the helmet. The Evil Emperor withdrew from looming over him then glared, furious, firing his heat ray vision at the helmet. The Space Ranger did a cart wheel, then shoved him into a narrow passageway then aomed his wrist laser on the arch way.
"My name is Quark Lightyear," Quark said. "you killed my father and my grandfather, prepare to die."
Zurg's optics widened, shocked, surprised, his optics seeing the fine scar above his eyebrows.
"He is really dead?" Zurg asked, now horrified.
"HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS!"
Quark pressed the wrist laser then the rocks collided upon Zurg knocking him down. Quark turned away then looked up toward the landing white and green Star Cruiser landing in the distance with his hands on his hips. He turned away from that direction then gazed toward the rubble, then kicked dirt at the makeshift grave, turned away, and walked on making a decision to pretend to be his father. Who was otherwise busy waiting for Warp to show up as he leaned against the arch way of a tower at a moon watching close by for the Space Ranger to show watching as pieces of it were blasted toward the planet. From the planet, as the Star Cruiser departed with Quark, Zurg's arm yanked out.
"Curse you, Quark Lightyear!"
Zurg shook his fist.
"Darkmatter, find Buzz Lightyear." Zurg was recovering in his medical bay with repaired armor the following day after the incident. "Evil scheme. Star Command has a impostor. Last known whereabouts is the-"
"The destroyed cruise ship-affirmative, news travels fast on Trade World." The mercenary's face was on the screen with a smirk. "Consider it done."
"And make sure it's the right one!" Zurg demanded. "Don't get the two faced paled fraudulent evil Buzz Lightyear." he folded his arms. "Nothing good comes out of him. . ." he stroked around his audio synthesizer then gazed toward the portal. "On the other hand. . . " a thought struck him, sending him to Ipseadan, Ranger Warp Darkmatter's version, to face a horde of Ipsedans willing to fight. "Know someone else who can drag his whining Supreme Commander butt over?"
"Oh yeah, myself, know right where he is, can actually mail him directly with Ed's help."
"Mail him? . . ."
"Kinda dangerous person to snatch personally."
"Warp Darkmatter! Don't say he's fought-"
"We have had a few run ins, mostly things, that you sent me on. . . and the other half of the time he's in the way of my driving through space in peace in one of those routes. Really big headache. Left him in several crashes."
"How big of run ins?"
"Sort of sent him back to his world and convinced myself to date him for the profit."
"Evil things; perfect. Some days, my faith in you being a fine villain grows every day."
"Darkmatter out."
All that had to be done was wait.
Star Command would never believe their beloved Space Ranger was lost, why show up and reveal that at all?
Quark collapsed to the ground after being lifted by the large claw. The unanimous announcement from the LGM, "There is no ifs or buts about it, he is Buzz Lightyear" was more less exciting than he had ever thought it would ever be. He had compared to his father many times as long as he could remember, being displayed images of Lightyear at his age, being handed down the toy Woody Pride. The friend who went with him to this world and brought some emotional security in this terrifying world that summoned him to play his father's role for four whole days playing pretend. It was something that quelled all the upset emotions, his mind bringing up memories, facts, knowledge, that a five year old would otherwise not have, and had enjoyed those four days being a Space Ranger.
Four days had to pass before he had to drop the act, irritated, acting on impulse, getting the criminal at the cost of losing a eyewitnesses testimony due to the fact that it were entirely fabricated. Fabricated. It had the all the reason to be scowled at, stomping his feet, yelling, and going on making random decisions that luckily turned out to be genius ones. The team never had a doubt in him. That, too, felt nice. And plus, the criminal had irritated him, caused him to throw a tantrum, and get very emotional, while the rest of the team saw nothing out of the ordinary when it came to him.
"I'm not my father!"
"DNA doesn't lie." The LGM said.
"HE DIED at the Moon of Doom!"
"Son, you are still alive." Nebula said.
"Commander, with all due respect, Buzz Lightyear and I are two different people."
"How old are you?" Nebula asked as he squint back at him.
"Five years old." Quark replied then had a big grin. "Turning six next year."
"Go to Dr Animus." Nebula ordered.
"Dr Animus? Is that latin for animal? Dr Animus, you mean, Dr animals? Get it? Dr Animals?" Quark started to laugh, cackling, chuckling, giggling. "Is that plural for alien animals? Is Dr Animals a series of animals?"
". . . Where did you get that scar come from?"
"My forehead scar."
"Never seen it before."
"This old thing?"
"Yes,"
"Uhhh. . ."
"Never seen that on you before."
"Recent scar from a previous conflict."
"Go see Dr Animus. Out!"
"I don't wanna!"
"Don't make me count to three."
Quark lowered his head with a sigh.
"Yes, sir."
Quark walked out of the room then carried himself down the corridor until coming to a halt in his tracks then felt along his forehead scar. The hushed tones, the changing of subjects, the reluctance to talk about his birth mother. He didn't have a mom. He had a father. He lowered his hand as Space Rangers passed by him with chuckles of their own. The revelation hit him all together as he looked on. He was a clone.
It's how he were able to manipulate the console to the Star Cruise. It's how he were able to combat against the evil emperor. He was Buzz Lightyear and he was also a little boy by the name of Quark Lightyear. Why he were having nightmares that felt like they happened. Why he had the same nightmare every time. It made sense about the pictures of the lump above his forehead, why it were there, how it got there, Zurg's attempt to make him stand apart from Buzz Lightyear; the man that he were cloned from. Everything froze with that horrifying realization. Zurg did this, his finger prints were all over it, desperately trying to bring him back as early memories resurfaced and he ran.
"Age him." It was Zurg's voice, but softer, gentler, but filled with evil.
"We can't."
"By the time that I return . . . You must have some a solution on the drawing board and ready to be acted upon!" there was a loud metal snap. "Make me a baby space suit or someone is going to die upon my return!"
"Congratulations, Emperor Zurg!"
"And we are doing this -" There was a loud palm smack usually made when a fist struck a palm. "again and again -" another loud palm smack. "and again-" then there was another loud palm smack. "UNTIL WE HAVE A BUZZ LIGHTYEAR!"
It was quiet as it settled upon the five year old turned forty-seven year old.
"I. . . am. . . Buzz Lightyear."
Quark came to in the locker room, standing in front of the locker, that read 'Buzz Lightyear' placed beside Mira Nova's. Once, that read 'Warp Darkmatter'. It was a pained realization. The person he used to be, the person that lost it all, the person who changed his ex-partner for the better, and this world, he never did. He clenched his hands turning away. He was someone else, memories forged with siblings, memories forged with a dad, a grandma, with the rookies, and his numerous friends. The horrifying realization peeled away replaced by certain discomfort. Terror. His mind aching all over and swirling with emotions. His chest felt tight, he felt like he were free falling in the middle of a tornado, surrounded in frightening things, and feelings eating him up.
He pressed on the chassis then took out the cowboy and hugged him, seated against one of the lockers. All the feelings that were coursing through Quark were gone with that simple action, of reassurance, of holding something relatively comforting, the tightness faded, his throat felt better, and his head grew lighter, all he could do was cry. He heard a loud series of footsteps then looked over anticipating to see Booster headed his way only to see a giant machine headed his way.
"Buzz Lightyear, is this the wrong time?"
Quark looked up toward the machine with a familiar head who stared at him.
"Don't really know what's the right time to be a adult."
The giant machine's optics gazed toward Woody Pride who had the strange cowboy hat and gazed back toward him.
" . . . Quark?" the machine grimaced as he reached a hand out then closed it. "Oh great Phoenix," Quark looked up toward him. "you know."
"Why?" Quark asked. "Keeping that from us?" he stood up to his feet. "That would have been really helpful to know!"
"Baby clones deserve to grow up to be their own person." XR set a hand on the side of the younger man's shoulder. "We were hoping that these memories would fade over time."
"Were we ever going to be told?"
"Never."
"And now? Are you going to tell the others?"
"Still not going to put them through that. Given . . ."
"When I grow up. . . I am growing a mustache. That way, they don't see him. That way, nobody will mistake me for him."
"Evil Emperor Zurg can fix this." XR's voice became full of resolve. "He did this." he shifted from the young man with a scowl. "It's his problem." then he sported a big grin turning toward the young man, "By the power invested in me; you are ordered to go home, Quark."
"Yes, sir!"Quark replied.
Quark ran out the corridor as XR grew a fond look toward the figure that vanished into the darkness. He shifted through the files of reports that had been uploaded to his processor before his departure, he sounded just like his father. XR exited the locker room with his hands clenched against the palms of his hands drawing the attention toward himself instead of on Quark. He walked past his smaller counterpart as his suit contrasted against the usual scheme of Space Rangers as he smiled. He arrived to the bridge of Star Command there the Commander was listening to a report by a Space Ranger. Nebula turned in the direction of the loud steps then his brows raised at once in surprise to the tall android who was beaming.
"Got both eyes here." XR said. "That's nice."
"What happened to my eye?" Nebula asked.
"Prosthetic eye, shoots lasers." XR said then grimaced. "Just got back from the Alpha Quadrant hole-"
"It's opened, again!"
"Not quite, XL is currently using plasma cannons. Zurg's gone mad, thinks somebody has stolen Buzz's kids when he did it with a clone of Warp Darkmatter, that a counterpart of his abducted Warp Darkmatter when he died a year ago, and Star Command, sheesh, that was rough with the random Evil Buzz Lightyear. Thought he were him, being held captive so long, growing a beard, took us too long to realize."
"How. . . son, were you there?" Nebula asked.
"We were all there, it was Saturday Barbecue and all we got left of Warp is a giant crater."
"What happened to Buzz Lightyear?" Nebula asked.
"Not going there, nah uh, negative, not going to."
"SAY IT!" Nebula yelled.
"Gonna have to blow this shell up to get that before getting outta here!"
XR turned around then made a run for it with a smirk. He dodged most of the Space Ranger's blasts, dodging his stunned counterpart, heading for the Star Cruiser bay as he passed by Booster and Mira with a laugh. Unexpectedly, his helmet was struck breaking it open and his helmet was taken out by another Ranger. Craters. His helmet was connected to a series of wires, much to his reluctance, much to his displeasure, much to his attempt shutting down Star Command every time for a grand total of thirty-five minutes once they got near to the memory. And then, they got it, they broke through his firewall, the data was uploaded, the scowl that the commander wore became changed into curiosity as the bright blue screen reflected off the group observing it.
"LGM rescue mission, piece of cake." Warp entered the Star Cruiser bay with Buzz by his side.
"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. Booster was in the background observing the Star Cruisers with admiration and awe in his big eyes, the forty-two left shortly there after, the past Booster watching it leave with a smile. In a rush, Star Cruisers returned with Rangers in the Star Cruiser bay, leaving only the LGM there, crying, as if they had collectively experienced immense sorrow. The crew frowned at the unexplained phenomenon. The smaller XR head stared as his mouth fell placing his servos on his helmet knowing what exactly that this meant coming to tears.
The forty-two returned, finally, Warp appeared out of the doorway, standing at the edge, his wings activating, then lowering down to the ground carrying something in his arms. It took a few moments for Booster to recognize the feature. There was Warp walking in the Star Cruiser bay, his wings on then deactivated, carrying a corpse with a stone cold feature on his features. His figure was stiff, a mask, a shadow, over what he were truly feeling inside. Then the screen flicked to another image.
"Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear sacrificed himself for the success of his mission for the safety of his fellows."
There was a short lived mourning pause.
"I . . . miss him."
Warp's eyes were down casted.
"He studied hard, trained hard, fought hard, thought hard, and survived hard."
Warp cleared his throat.
"Before he were Mr Good Man, he was Mr Lone Wolf. Fortunately, thought good for him, leaving Star Command, taking justice by the horns on. Surprised at first to learn that about him when it happened, it really did me in, really surprised everyone. Maybe, he should have stayed in that profession, not fighting against Zurg, thinking about himself, traveling from planet to planet, in the final frontier, helping people along the way. He was a loose canon, more loose than the screws in my frame, rattling, ready to break, and despite that, operating with only chaos. . ."
Warp briefly closed his eyes, his shoulders loosening, his breath was shaky.
"He was against cheating, even then. A walking contradiction of deviousness."
A lone chuckle escaped from the Space Ranger.
"And he was the best partner that a Ranger could afford." slightly, he lifted his head up. "Always had your back, could make you laugh, make you feel better, never gave up in others; he was stubborn."
His hands were clasped in fists, wrecked by emotional pain, regret, and all that sorrow.
"And he shouldn't be gone. He falls, but he always gets back up. Always. . . . He always, gets back up, he always does with that catch phrase, to infinity and beyond, what's so special about that?" he lifted his gaze up toward the crowd. "Nothing." he looked aside. "To Lightyear, it meant something attainable. Is it attainable to everyone? To me? C-c-can I try to reach infinity with the success that he did; every day?"
His features were mixed with sorrow and pain and hurt.
"Without failing?" Warp's voice and breath was emotional. "Hope to answer that one day before meeting him again out there. . . somewhere among the star dust. . . And help him up to his feet this time."
Warp walked off the stage.
The group's eyes were large and their mouths had fallen.
". . . Craters, that's why he's had a death wish!" Nebula announced. "And why he sent himself as a wirewolf to the alpha quadrant."
The head stared back at the group, gaping.
"He finally acknowledged it, then." XR said.
"And we haven't found him." Booster added. "Missing."
"Let him." XR glared at nothingness, angry, furious.
"Let what?" The smaller XR said.
"Come here." XR replied.
"The wirewolf?" Mira asked.
"Zurg." XR said.
"He isn't going to be coming here any time soon." Nebula assured the head.
"This is a matter that pertains to one person's sanity and to correcting a legal wrong, besides, we have a thing about interfering in natural stuff."
"How is Zurg trying to pry into our universe remotely natural?" Mira asked.
"Yeah, you and I both know that is quite unnatural." the smaller XR said.
"Grief makes it one." XR said, softly, looking aside. "Wherever Warp is . . ." the head bore a smile. "that's where Buzz is."
"Buzz is still here." Booster said as Mira looked around. "Somewhere."
"No, he ain't, son." Nebula said in realization and horror as it had dawned on him. "Oh, great Phoenix."
"Don't worry, Quark will forget about it after Zurg fixes his BIG SCREW UP!" then he added. "Excuse my body it's a very mindless drone without a pilot-hey, I'm OVER HERE YOU DUMB PILE OF ROCKS!"
The large frame picked up XR's head and ran off, except, it had taken both heads, much to the alarm of the crew. Mira and Booster went to where the forty-two would normally be only to find that it were gone, out of stock, not there, so instead, they took the nearest shuttle craft and flew on after their friend. Booster was chuckling much to Mira's giggling. It was a event a long time in the making, a XR stealing the wrong head. The shuttle craft arrived to the beginning of the delta quadrant staring on where the end for the Alpha Quadrant was near. XR's head, their version, hit the windshield.
"About time!" the smaller XR announced.
Mira yanked his head out and put it into his shell, as the two large frames stopped attacking the small hole.
"Did he just get here?" Mira asked.
"Drifting in space for five minutes!" XR said. "FIVE MINUTES! RELENTLESS ARGUING! HATE THAT!"
"They're done arguing then." Booster noted observing the duo waiting.
From the other end of the perspective, there was no more waiting. A set of claws ripped enlarged the hole bigger than what it had been before. The Evil Emperor cackled, laughing, from the other end, with dreadnoughts behind him, his arms stretched out, his cape drifting in the air behind him, and he looked different. The brothers flew out of the way going into the delta quadrant and waited once more, watching the crafts exit the vessel. The brother's held hands, terrified, scared, watching as the consequence of their action in all it's horrors began to transpire leaving behind the delta quadrant. Booster's jaw dropped at the sheer armada. The two brother's nodded toward each other then flew in back for the portal heading home.
Buzz searched the surrounding area for Warp, the only thing left was the husk of a cruise ship that had burned itself out. Buzz grew alarmed over the next four days, among treating his leg with short term medication that had been spared by the blaze in proper storage. The pain was dulled down by a new pain entirely, his knee caps were repairing themselves, slowly but effectively. He were aware this medication made legs easily healed within five days of administration. Warp would have called by now to tell him that he were fine then ask where Buzz Lightyear was. The Space Ranger's legs hurt to get up, the funny part about this medication was that it required lots of bed rest until the wound was fully repaired. He went toward the nearest planet, concerned, worried, searching for any sign of Warp's civilian space suit.
Instead, Buzz found a green shard peeking out of the sand. He recognized it, scanned it, then bitterly closed his eyes, his worst fear seemingly confirmed then heard a series of footsteps behind him and twirled toward the source, ready to attack, then lowered his hands, observing the newcomer shaking their frog like hands.
"Are you Ranger Darkmatter?" Was the question by the local.
"Ranger Lightyear." Buzz looked toward the unusual being.
"Reason with it!" the local demanded.
"With what?" Buzz asked.
"The being!"
"What being?" Buzz asked. "Be descriptive!"
"The tall purple and red automaton being!"
"Zurg! That fiend! How long has it been?"
"Crashed here around two weeks ago,"
"So approximately four days ago in standard time."
"Standard time, godly ranger?"
"Not a godly being. Help me up." Buzz was set up to his feet with a wince using the local balancing him. "Thanks." he turned on his wings. "Go to your family and tell them to hide in shelter until the attack stops."
Buzz flew on toward the chaos that was raging on then halted in his tracks observing the evil emperor on his throne lift, looming over the village.
"This attack will continue until someone gives coordinates to where the Space Ranger could be!" Zurg announced.
"Zurg!" Buzz called.
The Evil Emperor set his hands on his hips leaning forward.
"Who's that?" Zurg asked.
"Buzz Lightyear!" Buzz appeared from the landscape. "Fiend!"
Zurg's wrath shifted toward the Space Ranger then pointed toward him.
"Zurg-bots, bring that Space Ranger!" Zurg ordered then laughed, stretching his arms out, enjoying the glee then proceeded to resume laughing. "The government of this world would not like a potential ally killed!"
Buzz's eyes widened at the unusual muscular and heavily mechanical machines flying toward him. They weren't hornets, they didn't have two sets of visors, their arms weren't narrow and thin, their arms weren't thin, they lacked necks, they did share the same wide bust. And Zurg was different. He looked more mechanical, terrifying, and frightening. His helm shadowed over his optics, his dress more so resembled layers of armor or was it armor? A entirely different part?
The small differences amounted to something big. The Space Ranger fired back at the machines as he flew away from the sea of Zurg-bots leaving behind some of them falling toward the surface in pieces after getting hit several times and others had battle damage with his erratic fire, Buzz's heart was racing as it hit him that these were nothing like the hornets that Zurg typically used. They were harder to take down. Warp wasn't there to have his back, neither was his team, his fuel for laser fire was significantly down. If Buzz continued this battle then he would die in the field against Evil Emperor Zurg in a very sad turn of events that wasn't a Ranger mission. Simple facts were telling him that things could be changed in his favor later on after being captured and his faith in things turning out okay in the end normally helped him. He was surrounded.
Buzz Lightyear surrendered with his hands held up.
"I wanna go home." Quark said.
The boy had came in, without being detected, it was almost hard to believe that four days ago that Quark wanted to kill him. Four days, and he were still adult, but in all circumstance, Quark was still a little boy.
"About that, it was a accident aging you up," he leaned forward seeing the young man's upset child like eyes. "never really meant to happen," he withdrew his helm offering his servo out looming over him. "Sorry?"
"I wanna go home." Quark repeated.
"Evil Emperor Zurg, Brainpod 138 has finished his age ray project!"
"Right on cue, can't rely on a rare glitch to happen again. Right this way."
"That's a grown-"
"Five year old." Zurg corrected.
"Excellent choice for a test subject!"
Zurg guided the boy to the lab. He looked more scared, frightened, than how Buzz Lightyear would look like. He was walking on his toes, taking small steps, terrified, hiding behind the Evil Emperor. Zurg tapped his claws together as the young man trembled at the large machine above him. Brainpod 138 was performing some refining nature aspects to the machine, twisting and turning pieces, adding new cords and removing old ones, the Evil Emperor's arms were folded as the boy hid behind his cape. The brainpod was quite proud of their project from a earlier time that went wrong a number of years ago. It was a tall black and purple machine with blue glowing fluid. Zurg admired the plans of the machine as his gray claws smoothed over the wrinkles admiring the creation. He looked upon the brainpod.
"Turn him to a five year old!" Zurg ordered.
"Evil Emperor Zurg, it requires one person to be in the way." Brainpod 138 explained.
"There is one person right here!" Zurg motioned toward the child.
"Standing beside him?" Brainpod 138 asked.
"He is not standing beside me." Zurg folded his arms.
"He is standing behind you, Evil Emperor Zurg." Brainpod 138 said.
Zurg groaned, rubbing his helmet, then shifted toward the young boy.
"Child."
"Y-y-y-yes?"
"Go over there. And stand still."
"It's scary there!"
"Evil Emperor is scary, correct."
"Yes."
"Then run away from scary things."
"From a chicken that likes the aesthetic?"
"What aesthetic?"
"The emo aesthetic."
"Emo?"
"The Addams Family."
"This is villainy, queer villainy, different from the dark and moody one."
"You never run from scary things."
"Evil Emperor Zurg does not run. He merely retreats until armed with better defense."
"Father's memory says a different story."
"Fear is what makes us great and act against it, because otherwise, child, letting the worst happen, is unacceptable, plans and all."
"Do you get scared of plans failing?"
"Evil Emperor Zurg enjoys the evil scheme. He does not think about failure. Strive for that, embrace it, enjoying life is getting angry from time to time and cursing at those who wronged you."
"Do kids do that?"
"Five year olds? You're a five year old. Were you scared? No. You wanted something done and you got it done."
"Are you a five year old inside?"
"No, becaus-what were we talking about again?"
"Going in front of that scary thinger over there."
"Evil Emperor Zurg, putting a machine in front of the age-ray has some results." Brainpod 138 pointed out.
"What kind of results?" Zurg asked.
"The size of a child results." Brainpod 138 replied.
Zurg shifted toward the five year old.
"How did he die?" Zurg asked.
"Who?" Quark asked.
"Your father." Zurg said, gently, looking down upon him. "Weld his memories, carry them inside, first hand experience-the best deliverer of news is always the memory."
"Did dad say the moon of doom, too?" Quark asked.
"He did." Zurg stared upon the boy as his heart started to sink.
"Whatever he said. . ." Quark said. "That's what happened." he lifted his attention up toward the evil emperor fighting back tears. "Being a Space Ranger is more scary than . . ." he briefly squeezed his eyes shut. "Think I wanna be a artist."
"Hornets, move the child over there! And send the boy back to his universe after!"
The answer was more bitter sweet than anything and appalling. Zurg clenched his claw as he turned around over the noise of the terrified five year old clone being dragged in front of the age way. Zurg walked on, weighing. How different that he were. He raised his attention up, recalling the first time that he heard that serious voice, recalling the exact nature of it, he ran toward his throne room, ordered the grub to check on the caught Star Command communication channels that his bugs had caught on. He trembled, leaning against his throne room, hearing the report by Booster, a news report playing shortly after displaying the armada, Zurg leaned back as horror started to sink in then clasped both sides of his helm into his servos as he started to laugh. It had all been his doing.
"You're making a mess and don't even know how evil it is!"
His counterpart's fury came to mind. Their first meeting. The silence.
"Can't enjoy how evil it really is!"
The destruction of a dreadnought. Evil reeked off the event. Disastrous evil.
"The answer is right in front of you."
It had been painfully obvious.
"Don't even see that you-yo-you-you're making a bon fire!"
A ghost, telling him, that he were making a tragedy. Who was going to die?
"You're paving the road to your downfall, you can't help it, you add more fuel, walking down the path, and you're going to travel down that path without knowing it in the field of the mistakes that you made!"
Obviously himself.
"Grubs, get the film crew. There's a apology message that needs to be made for . . ." he lowered his gaze, embarrassed, ashamed. "Warp Darkmatter."
And then Zurg were going to shame the Space Ranger in the same message for not saying it in the beginning when he had the chance.
Both parties were to blame for this. Zurg more importantly. Zurg should have believed Warp. He should have.
"What have I done?" Zurg asked as he sat down on to the throne.
Buzz was trapped in a cell, slouched, his back resting against it gazing down toward his hands. Five days since the incident. One day being given nutritional food that tasted decent, themed purple and red, delicious. It was also a advantage that Zurg had a cell equipped with toiletry, a sink, books about being evil, evil trying to win and failing to his amusement, ridiculous situations of good losing that made him have a sensible chuckle. He had read through all the books.
"Only a guy named Buzz Lightyear can get trapped aboard a ship outside of the Galactic Alliance."
Buzz lifted himself up using the wall as his support over the scent of smoke and observed Warp.
"Get out of here!"
He had his hand against the wall keeping him balance as he regained his ability to stand still.
"How about no." Darkmatter set his hands and claws on the side of his hips with a glare back at the Space Ranger. "If you're going to ask, can't have my brand of preferred chaos if you're out of the picture." he entered through the hole then set his hand on his hip as Buzz squinted back at him. "Normally, capturing a Buzz Lightyear is a hard thing to do."
"Zurg going mad makes a decision like that incredibly easy."
"The whole universe is mad, Lightyear." he held out his hands then pointed his fingers back at himself with a grin
The cell was destroyed then the mercenary approached him.
"Zurg thinks he's from a different universe." Buzz approached the mercenary. "He is under the impression that he is your counterpart's Evil Emperor Zurg."
"Not possible." Darkmatter replied with a smirk.
"Why not?" Buzz asked as his brows furrowed.
"He's Evil Emperor Zurg." Darkmatter said as he approached the cell block. "Never goes mad like that. And besides, he sent me."
"This is serious." Buzz stressed as he paced away, tension riding through him, the whole weight of the universe was beyond his control.
"When is it not?" Darkmatter glared back at the Space Ranger.
"Zurg is going to turn around after he is done here, go through the Delta Quadrant, the Gamma Quadrant, planet by planet, then off to the Zeta Quadrant." he paused at the corner of the cell then turned toward the mercenary weighing the next steps then toward him with a nasty glare. "You. . . " he took a few steps forward. "You brought Ranger Darkmatter into this universe!"
"Guilty as charged." Darmatter confirmed, at ease, shrugging as Buzz's hand clenched
"This whole universe is endangered! Doesn't surprise me anymore that all this chaos is your doing!" he turned his back toward him, shaking his head, disappointed, his voice lowering. "This is going to pale in comparison to the Evil Buzz Lightyear. . ."
Buzz raised his head up, hitting a realization, then started to laugh. His laughter echoed in the cell, his shoulders trembling, finding amusement in this situation.
"What's funny about that?"
"That makes you the Evil Warp Darkmatter."
"Mercenary's are chaos makers."
"In this case. . . " Buzz stopped laughing turning toward him then approached him. "The Galactic Alliance is horribly doomed."
"And so is this exit." Darkmatter pointed over the hole behind him. "This ship looks like a dreadnought but it isn't."
"It is a dreadnought!" Buzz exclaimed, stretching his arms out, palms open, then clenched them bringing his hands forward.
"This isn't Zurg." Darkmatter assured with a shake of his hand. "Haven't met them and have no intentions of doing so, Lightyear."
Buzz turned on his wings then summoned a grin knowing tomorrow was going to be a better day after this. He flew on ahead of the mercenary leaving him behind over the sound of laser and plasma fire. A fist stopped the Space Ranger in his tracks and the breath was taken out forcing him to become slumped. Darkmatter halted as he looked on toward the familiar figure; same helmet, lacking red as part of the dress or the thorns, small pointed shoulder pads instead of large pointed shoulder pads. Zurg withdrew his claw in the form of rather a flat fist then took out a small item, squirted his hands, then rubbed it over his claws.
The mercenary came to a halt at the horrifying sight before him in a moment of shock skidding to a halt as his head bobbed up in alarm. Darkmatter was caught by two large yellow machines that had broad shoulders, their lower torso wasn't thin but just as wide as their torso, their arms were not as hornet like, their helmets were simply a large yellow helmet connected to the neckline and had a black visor that had a singular red glowing optic. The collapsed Space Ranger lifted himself up then fell back to the ground with a groan clenching at his chassis in pain.
"Like the muscle bots? They were a design lifted from another world, perfect for showing the might, the strength, the hard to take down, easy to replicate." The voice was evil as it were said in a fond tone. "Hornets, on the other hand," he gently stroked the side of the yellow and black spare hornet's helmet a piece of his world, was the only one taken along. "oooh, they're so sweet and adorable," his claws withdrew from the pointed helm as he turned away. "they don't need to be part of this delicate operation." A deep laughter rippled through the corridor as Zurg clenched his claws then stretched them out. "This is far less evil than what they normally do."
"What operation, Evil Emperor Zurg?"
"The rescue of Warp Darkmatter, Star Command hates getting their hands dirty, the admirals, the rear admirals, and Commander Nebula; force is necessary."
"Come on, standing right right here, alive and well, being a mercenary."
"Warp Darkmatter has both arms."
"Affirmative, and he is a massive troll!"
"Those were the good days," Zurg's voice grew fonder. "being roasted, tricked, pranked-"
"You hate him!" Darkmatter exclaimed. "You want him dead because he wouldn't answer what the anniversary is!"
Zurg's optics widened then brushed past the robots, scooting them aside, his optics glowing brightly against the darkness of the corridor.
"Is. . . that. . . why his death was faked?" he was trembling with rage, silent, his voice carrying only sinister tones that sent goosebumps down Buzz's skin that had goose bumps. "All for a stupid trivial dumb question?" It was unnatural how still he were, how unanimated he were, how soft his tone was becoming in the form of evil. "Because he wouldn't talk about his role in it?""
"Had him a year and he got nothing but those nerves!" Darkmatter continued to talk. "No matter what was thrown at him, he kept refusing to talk about it."
"Warp-"
"Stop talking!" Zurg demanded, his fist clenching, angry, trembling.
"This is ridiculous!" Darkmatter said.
"Ignore him, Zurg." Buzz plead toward the Evil Emperor who turned away and walked on. "He doesn't know what happened over there."
"Stop it, you're enabling him." Darkmatter shot back at the Space Ranger.
"That's how someone reaches someone who's mad, join them, help them out, instead of attacking them!" Buzz replied as the Evil Emperor paused at the end of the corridor, ordering to a few robots, turning toward the duo with a sound decision. "That's how recovery starts!" Buzz glared back at his old friend, shaking his head, disappointed, and hurt. "We hold a hand out and guide them back, helping them shape their world, being treated the way that they wanted to be, it's a lot like Stoneheart Asylum when there is no medication to help them back!"
"Lift his companion up." Zurg was handed a plasma blaster by a robot as he returned. "His friend is not Buzz Lightyear."
Buzz shifted his attention in the general direction of the evil emperor.
"He is Buzz Lightyear!" Darkmatter insisted, alarmed, by the unexpected comment that did not sound like the Evil Emperor Zurg was kidding. "Know that just as everyone in the entire Galactic Alliance."
"The Galactic Alliance and Star Command like to sugar coat things. Evil Emperor Zurg does not. Buzz Lightyear's helmet was struck first, shattering it into pieces, he was stabbed in the head by a large shred of glass from the explosion, he was crushed by the floor and the support beam, his knees were crushed from being pinned, all from fireworks." He clenched his servo. "He died as a series of failed resurrection attempts." he hooked it into his arm then made a few adjustments regarding the power of the blast. "Agent Z died falling from the sky using himself as a meat shield for Warp Darkmatter."
He fired at the Space Ranger's shoulder blasting off the right arm.
"Ah!" Buzz screamed.
The wound was already colorized as Darkmatter became silenced.
"He died as a android fighting Evil Buzz Lightyear in a desperate bid to save Warp Darkmatter."
He handed the plasma blaster to the nearest robot.
"He died, as a android, making sure that he were destroyed after being infected with a virus. He died saving Warp Darkmatter."
Zurg approached the fallen Space Ranger slipping on a surgical glove.
"He died as a clone due to a malfunction in the lab."
Then he knelt down and set his claw into the Space Ranger's left eye.
"Evil Buzz Lightyear died with help from the rock of Ipseadan."
It was done, quickly, in one moment, to Darkmatter's horror.
"I. Killed. Buzz. Lightyear. Every. Time."
The Ex-Space Ranger's features was marked by horror and terror and appalled by the words coming from the Evil Emperor. Sincere, genuine, lacking regret or sorrow, only acknowledgement that these events had happened because of his efforts. Zurg withdrew the brown eye then flicked his hand and the nearest machine blasted the eye leaving behind a smoldering ruin. Zurg hissed, looming over the restrained mercenary, glaring at him, cleaning off his claw with hand sanitizer.
"More than willing to be the villain in your story." He turned his gaze toward the whimpering Space Ranger then back toward the mercenary as he started to laugh, amused, waiting to see if the bait would be taken. "The only question is if this impostor is willing to push further than before like a scattered dunce paying not a single uni-dime attention on to the facts before him."
"Why-" Darkmatter started to shoot back.
"Why. . ." Buzz spoke over Darkmatter, raising his voice, wincing, in immense pain. "take a look alike then?"
"This universe needs a witness to tell this tale. . ." Zurg joined the still operating hornet's side stroking the side of the shoulder with affection. "and this hornet, will provide the beginnings of it." the android chuckled to himself. "Been here since the Galactic Alliance lost it's hero because a fatal mistake." he withdrew his servo from the lone hornet. "A survivor, like Warp Darkmatter, surviving it's squadron, living out past it's due date, marching on, like a soldier."
Zurg paused in his tracks then shifted in the direction of the mercenary.
"One more thing, though. . ." Zurg approached Darkmatter with his red optics glinting against the darkness then was handed back the plasma blaster. "That non-metal arm has to go. It doesn't match."
Darkmatter's yellow eyes widened, appalled, that turned into pure disgust. By sheer will, Darkmatter stepped aside then the other bot holding him was destroyed. He turned around then fired his plasma blaster into the chassis of the bot then flipped over turning on his wings and fled solo. Buzz collapsed to the ground with a smile watching his ex-partner fleeing into the distance chased by machines that were firing after him. Zurg was mad and the Galactic Alliance was better off knowing. His plan, plan B, was going exactly as largely speculated. If his team got the message, they would fly in to rescue him and Warp.
