Darkmatter was in a cell, he had been easy to acquire, unable to fly any further, floating around in the gamma quadrant after his warship had been destroyed. A long time ago it would have been unthinkable. Terrifying, horrifying, and something out of a nightmare being attacked by someone who employed him. He was given a set of average sized prosthetic that fit into the mold that had been constructed. It was strange to have something not as heavy leaned against his side, almost unnatural, a piece of a relatively familiar normal, just a cell block away. He stood behind the red electrical force field bars that sizzled.
Nebula walked into the room. Darkmatter noticed that his suit was different, red and yellow, his insignia was bright blue instead of gold, lingering with scars decorating the armor, his hands clenched in fists, he had a brown eye and a cybernetic eye that stood out just as much as the scarring around it.
"Why did you do it? Betray Star Command? Make us think you were dead?"
"Zurg was going to tear my other arm off! Had to leave Lightyear behind." Nebula became surprised at the comment stepping back. "He's really mad!"
Nebula stared at the mercenary, squinting.
"Zurg left two days ago for your world."
"What did you say?" Darkmatter said with a glare.
"That's our Zurg." Nebula said.
Darkmatter's head bobbed up then shook his head.
"No." Darkmatter said. "He didn't just die by his helmet here! His helmet isn't made of glass, it's a literal bubble. It's impossible!"
Nebula stepped forward then shook his head squeezing his eyes shut then opened them.
"Lights on 100%."
The lighting in the room lit up so Darkmatter saw the helm difference. He stepped back, appalled, his back meeting the wall. No, that's too stupid!
"Thought that . . . confession. . . was genuinely a lie." he lowered his head, disappointed, then looked toward him, his hands clenching, angry.
The look that he would see in the commander when facing him from time to time. Nebula was angry, trembling, and quite emotionally hurt.
"You betrayed Star Command from the very first day as a cadet, you faked your death, you back stabbed him, you got him into Zurg's hands, you got the uni-mind's presence into his possession, you got arrested, Zurg busted you out, and now, you're on the opposite end of his laser fire." The commander looked at him in confusion, pained, envy. "The Evil-" Darkmatter's smirk turned into a big grin accepting what Buzz had said. "-Warp Darkmatter."
"Guilty as charged." Darkmatter shook his hands then laughed. "Can't charge," he was filled with glee. "double jeopardy," taunting the commander. "much."
"What happened to our Warp Darkmatter over there?" was the sincere interest. "Need a genuine idea of what to expect when Zurg returns."
"He was tortured for a year being asked about the anniversary." Darkmatter said with a shrug. "And he's. . . really, just, really missing."
It was quiet between them in the room as Nebula could imagine the grieving Space Ranger there, after the team had visited the last trial, waiting to talk, seated on a bench with his head lowered full of remorse. He grimaced, briefly closing his eyes, coming to a sense of closure, opening his eyes recalling the young man looking better after returning. Being tortured, being rescued, and returned, there was some worth to it. He knew, before the ranger could file the waiver, that he had to be sent to Rhizome to process the trauma and heal emotionally. Done for the sake of a Ranger willing to return to civilian life and capable of it unlike Buzz Lightyear, Nebula couldn't imagine the ex-Space Ranger living that life. No matter how hard he tried, he could only see the dedicated Space Ranger living the life as a Space Ranger.
"We'll be transferring you back to the other Star Command." then he added with a yell. "NOW KEEP YOUR POINTY NOSE OUT OF HIS BUSINESS AFTER ZURG GETS YOU OUT"
"He's a reliable customer!" Darkmatter argued back taking several steps forward. "He needs help!"
"Zurg is mad, said that very clearly." Nebula glared back at him then smirked. "Let him."
The Commander turned around then exited the room then Ovus and Hikari entered the chamber with XR behind them for transport.
"Nebula!" Darkmatter yelled, appalled.
The door closed behind the commander who was largely out of the way as Darkmatter was escorted out of the cell to the next transport to the hole between worlds. The commander paused, looking toward the security feed, sorrowfully, briefly closing his eyes, there was no one else watching, only machines. He knew how this was going to end, regretfully, closing his eyes pausing in his tracks. In the short span of time that the Space Ranger had departed this plane, Zurg had been lost. His right hand rolled up into a fist, leaning against the frame of the corridor, bitter. By the outside, he were pleased of this development that Zurg was well on his way for their Darkmatter. Inwardly, he was torn to pieces that Buzz Lightyear was aboard the dreadnought. A tough choice had to be made, delay telling Team Darkmatter, giving the Evil Emperor enough time to get his hands on the Space Ranger and bring him back home alive. The Commander was confident that things would turn out.
They always did turn out in the end.
"Have some faith, Nebula."
He could still remember the laugh that followed.
"Evil always wins, remember?"
The amusement in the very sane Evil Emperor in the beginning.
"It's what divides evil from the losers!" The Evil Emperor clenching his claws then relaxing his grip. "The inkling of fun, enjoying the thrill, the ride, and the desperate crash."
Why did his old friend have to lose his mind? And why did he have to consider sending Ty Parsec after him as a last resort? The final resort being the Galactic Alliance Army waiting from the other end ready with Warships to destroy Zurg to defend their counterparts? Why did he have to bear the bearer of bad news? Because, he could carry that weight. It's what The Galactic Alliance conditioned the branch of the Space Ranger Corps, Star Command, Space Rangers, Star Cruisers, the ranking as it were, the LGM being admitted upon Buzz's swaying and Nebula's promise that he would take responsibility for them should disastrous events happen because of them. It's why he took it personally, he assigned Warp to Buzz, to ensure he were taken care of, and vice versa. They were perfect for each other in the field. Until it all fell apart.
Nebula remained there in the corridor for a long time. If things were meant to be, then why was Buzz still alive there? Why did they have to be tricked by the Evil Buzz Lightyear, believe that he were good, believe that he were him? Why did he have to let him in, why did he have to be joined into the need to know basis, why did he have to decide those three were best to assign the recently returned Space Ranger to as a team? Why did he have to do that? Because he wanted Buzz Lightyear back, alive, well, healthy, and do what he did best being a Space Ranger. The moments after the destruction of Star Command, Zurg's unexpected appearance, drawing the evil Buzz Lightyear away, still hurt him raw. Mere days after the event had occurred, the memory of Star Command falling apart before his eyes, a place that he had called a second home, a place that he loved, a place that he had watched be built, the entire base trembling all around him, heartbroken. He remembered the Evil Buzz Lightyear, in armor that reminded him of Zurg, approaching him through the flames, bearing a grin with a plasma blaster in one hand aimed at the Commander. It was hard.
"Ovus to Nebula."
"Nebula here."
"Evil Emperor Zurg's hornets attacked us and let him out during transport to the intact Star Command, sir."
"Good. Status?"
"We returned a few moments ago."
"Report to patrol. Nebula out."
Darkmatter searched the tower for the Space Ranger. His absence was noted, the hornets were all the same, familiar, appealing, as if he had exited a nightmare replaced by the natural sight of the most fearsome creatures on the face of the Galactic Alliance. Darkmatter looked in the basement searching, his eyes gazing through the rooms, checking for the dungeons that were naturally hidden under crates, where souls did not lie. He got up to his feet then closed the lid with his curiousity not quite pegged. He walked up the corridor, passing by brainpods, grubs, and hornets that were holding glasses of water in front of a jug conversing about random subjects. He was largely ignored, a sharp contrast to the other side of the mirror where his attention was noted and viciously attacked with a team behind him leaving destruction behind as the group flew on ahead down the corridor. There was stillness around him, scowling. The mercenary opened the door to the chamber.
"Evil Emperor Zurg, where is Lightyear?"
Zurg stared at the ex-Space Ranger for a long moment as he dismissed a grub.
"Don't joke about that question, Darkmatter."
Darkmatter took a few steps forward.
"Naturally, would." Darkmatter noted, setting his hands on his hips. "But you literally have him!"
Zurg leaned back as he started to laugh shaking his servo.
"Darkmatter, the last time that Lightyear and I shared the same space was at the smuggling operation." Zurg aid.
"Then. . ." Darkmatter looked aside, grimacing, then shook his head. Oh, that's why he punched me. "Of all times!"
"Then?" Zurg loomed over him, stretching his arms out, frustrated. "Darkmatter, SPIT IT OUT!"
"He's with the other Evil Emperor Zurg." Darkmatter said.
"Bad joke, try again." Zurg folded his arms.
". . . Not joking." Darkmatter felt small, very small, wincing. A world without a Buzz Lightyear wouldn't have a Evil Emperor Zurg. "Wish it were a joke."
The Evil Emperor was eerily calm as he looked upon the mercenary then stood up and approached him.
"Darkmatter, this way." Zurg set his hand on the side of Darkmatter's chassis.
Darkmatter proceeded to follow him down a few floors then into a dark chamber. The Evil Emperor beckoned him in with a motion of his hand then the mercenary looked around searching in the dark for something, he had a bad feeling that something was wrong. That he was being tricked. He paused in his tracks as the room glowed blue around him then he twirled as the force field beamed to life and the Evil Emperor made a mad dash out of the chamber. The mercenary smacked the energy field with his fist.
"Evil Emperor Zurg!"
And the cards began to fall where they may.
"All frequencies."
"All frequencies, Evil Emperor Zurg."
"This world will be attacked, ruthless, no one will be spared, animals, children, women, the pregnant, babies, whatever have you, everything is fair game. You are aware of a alien species carrying a being from out of this galaxy to their home world. The external advanced scans indicate this system operates with a series of gates that help ships jump from one place to another, the ship that took Warp Darkmatter has capabilities to do that. Surrender and give the information now." The Evil Emperor paced back and forth with one hand behind his back, a uni-dime rolling back and forth, then caught it in his free hand upon swinging it up by the side of his palm. "Or suffer the consequences."
Zurg gazed toward his palm of his servo then shifted his attention toward the screen displaying the rather green and alive planet that had numerous space stations.
"Best wishes."
Buzz had a painful prosthetic arm hooked in to his right socket, the pain was enough to cry over, his bones ached, his back ached. Whatever damage that it were performing was nothing compared to the pain of observing the Evil Emperor departing world after world. The last few days had a large number of them in ruins or actively burning after successfully extracting the information. They were lucky that he hadn't all out attempted to wipe them out. Painful watching the Evil Emperor depart, taking him with, forcing him to watch the slaughter of innocent beings, until a group of people (either government officials or by scientists) approached him with a set of coordinates that the Evil Emperor had so desired. Then came the moments where he heard something else and made them suffer even after they gave the answer that was wanted. Horrific.
His madness was unique. The madness was raw, gentle, and thorough. All at once. Zurg could acknowledge the path that he were on, observe the holographic map with several planets crossed off. The cool blue lighting reflecting off his helmet as he rubbed the audio synthesizer, gesturing toward random planets at will after coming across a planet without life (it did, it was stuck in the era where they had radio.) What was unfortunate was that the Evil Emperor had a metal beam put between the Space Ranger's ankles, further restricting him from movement, from attempting to escape, from doing anything while standing aboard the bridge. Buzz Lightyear hated doing nothing. Watching, sure, that was something. Being thrown into his cell posed for much relief and rest, falling asleep immediately upon landing on the floor, his joints desperate for rest.
During the trip, Zurg would activate the arm and Buzz would fall, magnetized, to the ground. His arm felt heavier as a prosthetic. A dead weight. Compared to Darkmatter's prosthetic arm, it was very different. For all intents and purposes, it looked exactly like his other arm but was gray and roughly the size of what had been lost instead of the size and width that was worn on the ex-Space Ranger. Small, yet very consequential. The Evil Emperor's unsettling laugh bothered him. Zurg had his back to the Space Ranger in that moment, seated in the throne room chair, proceeding to turn into cackling, his dark shadow looming over the Space Ranger in the light gray chamber with red secondary lighting and glowing panels being manned by grubs. They didn't seem to be bothered by the treatment, actively participating it, doing things that machines could not perform that small hands and small figures could.
It was growing apparent by the passing day that Star Command were having a tough time getting to him and perform a rescue mission. It was taking a lot of time. Feeling like after a nap that he were still tired, lethargic, his energy levels low. What was going on as he slept? The experience was getting miserable by the passing moment. How long had he been aboard the dreadnought? Two weeks, possibly, if he were timing the beard with gray right. Buzz desperately need a shave and required saving for his sore body. They were going to come and rescue him, Buzz was certain of that. Needed to wait a little bit longer was all.
From Planet Z, Darkmatter looked over spotting a carving in the wall that he had just noticed. He knelt down then traced his fingers along it, it was nice artwork.
". . . . This is our prisoner, Gravitina dearest." A familiar voice filled the air one day.
Buzz's eyes started to open, slouched, raising his head up.
"Looks like a himbo." Gravitina said in a condescending tone.
Buzz looked toward the source of the familiar voice then stared at her. Gravitina was different. Instead of a pink bodice, it was black. More so, it resembled armor to his eyes with a pink undershirt that stood out. She had black sleeves with pink as a secondary theme. Her long black high heels were highlighted by pink soles, the cape was mainly black but the interior was pink, and she had a lot more small moons before. Eighty-two to be precise. The rings around her large cranium had doubled by two, odd, unusual, far more cosmic nature than before with a collection of small pebbles making it up. Gravitina looked different, edgier, bearing a tattoo along her neck that reminded Buzz of gas planet with multiple rings.
"Father had to remove his hood, hair growing out like that, planning on making him bald tomorrow."
Buzz felt his head feeling only the over grown hair.
"A Space Ranger." Gravitina noted.
He looked toward Nos-4-A2; very alive.
"Certain of it." Nos-4-A2 confirmed.
He stared at the being, different, standing up to his feet. Nos-4-A2 still had the shape of a fang for their lower half, their purple cape outlined their sharp shoulder, red and gray remained the same. They had a thick yellow waist that matched the color of the modules installed along the side of their chest much like their counterpart in this world, only resembling tubes. Their triangle helm were all the same, familiar red circular optic in contrast to the normal optic, and the synthetic purple hair fibers decorating their helm. Pieces of nostalgia helping a unfamiliar situation feel more confusing for the Space Ranger. Buzz's jaw dropped at the energy vampire, stunned, gaping. Nos-4-A2 looked exactly the same save for a yellow strip alongside the fang shaped yellow on the front. The Evil Emperor had opted to bring back a monster back from Hell after what he had done years ago. Surprising, shocking, stunning, Zurg's choices in the realm of madness were horrifying.
"Nos-4-A2." Buzz was able to greet the two. "Gravitina."
"Do we know each other?" Gravitina asked as she stepped forward, her hands resting on her hips.
"We know each other very well." Buzz said. "Never pictured both of you to be interested in helping Zurg put worlds in fire!"
"He is a himbo." Nos-4-A2 agreed folding their arms then proceeded to smirk leaning forward. "What we're doing is a far evil and noble thing to do," the energy vampire patted on their chest. "ahh," they stretched their arm with amusement decorating their feature. "unable to be thoroughly appreciated."
"And very daft." Gravitina said as she leaned forward squinting at him then extended her hand out for him. "Gravitina, mistress of mass and all it's attraction."
"Zurg is mad." Buzz lifted his head up glaring back at her then swayed his arm. "Drop the act!" he clenched his hands along his side. "Zurg isn't here."
Gravitina looked toward the energy vampire with a scowl who shrugged in response.
"There is no acting." Gravitina said.
The energy vampire looked down upon him in contempt with arms folded.
"I am not mad, Gravitina!" Buzz insisted then shook his head. "Not like Zurg."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Nos-4-A2 taunted the Space Ranger drawing closer toward him from behind the bars. "Words of a feather, filled with truth, yet failure of belief." they reached a claw out, etching along the bearded features with a soft bemused laugh. "Denial street. Denial. Denial street." he withdrew his hand. "What a wonderful place to live on."
"First meeting." she laughed, her shoulders shaking, amused.
"We met five years ago!" Buzz exclaimed. "Trying to destroy Star Command and had to woo you to stop that!"
"Oooh, being wooed, by a Space Ranger-would have been better than to be turned down by a grieving partner." she stretched her arms then thrashed them as she paced away. "Buzz Lightyear this, Buzz Lightyear that, Buzz Lightyear there!" she turned toward him with a glare. "And said, 'Gravitina, you're a good person in there, my ex-partner would see that, he would see how lonely you are, how desperate you are for companionship, for a friend, for a lover, step aside with these attacks on Star Command, do it for your future lover' and then defeated me!"
Buzz was stricken as he stepped back, covering his mouth, feeling unwell.
"Explain how Darkmatter defeated you to the guest." Nos-4-A2 requested.
Gravitina glared back at the Space Ranger.
"He hugged me." Gravitina said.
Buzz puked into the toilet then flushed, on his knees, his throat not feeling well. It made sense, why Warp had did his best to avoid him. The fear, the uncertainty, the terror of losing Buzz Lightyear thanks to being around him. He was trembling where he sat, processing the event, the realization. The emotional and internal wounds on the two displayed in different ways. Why Zurg was hell bent on getting the Space Ranger back. Something happened over there that broke the Evil Emperor's mind further, events that were quite easy to guess; the destruction of Star Command by forces out of Zurg's reaches. An attack on Capital Planet that spelled certain bad news as it likely indicated it were successful. Buzz lifted himself up with his legs trembling staring on toward the duo feeling quite sick and his eyes were heavy. He grasped his forehead feeling his head aching, summoning the strength to get up, staring on toward the duo.
"Mistress Gravitina insisted to come along." Nos-4-A2 proceeded to explain to the Space Ranger. "She never quite got the opportunity to thank her Ranger Crush for his part in meeting her partner. Small being, tall being, both capable of ruining people's day, being drawn together, losing, searching for each other, attacking Star Command and Space Ranger stations, then finding each other, and providing some, might I say, stability to their orbits." he clasped his claws together beneath his chin making fun of their story and twirled around the younger woman and stretched their arms out briefly with a fond laugh. "The way that father dearest retold it in detail was quite entertaining."
Gravitina looked aside, fondly, rubbing her chin reflecting on her story.
"He loves me for everything." she bore a big smile, wrapping her arms around her shoulder then started to become teary eyed. "One moment, you have the one person to thank for everything and then they're gone. Like that." she snapped her fingers then rubbed the side of her arm, slowly, gently, her shoulders lowering. " And all that you wished to say . . ."
"It can be said." Nos-4-A2 sounded kind.
"One last chance to thank him before there isn't." Gravitina said then looked upon him. "Who are you?"
"Captain Buzz Lightyear." Buzz replied, meeting her gaze.
Gravitina looked upon him in disbelief stepping back and unease then walked away as Nos-4-A2 relished in the horror.
"Delicious." Nos-4-A2 said, then licked their claw and around their mouth with their tongue. "This emotional charge really charges a energy vampire up."
Buzz watched as Nos-4-A2 departed the chamber with a glare.
"Okay, Milky?" Raptor Chill asked, concerned at the bar in Star Command.
"Buzz Lightyear is still missing." Milky replied.
"It wasn't up to you." Raptor Chill noted.
"If it had been," Milky commented looking down toward his drink. "it would be me behind him instead at the front."
"Milky, something tells me that Lightyear would want the same thing." Raptor Chill set his hand on Milky's shoulder.
"Raptor Chill, why didn't you stay behind and get him out too?" Milky asked.
"Only focused on my friend." Raptor Chill said.
"Why just me?" Milky asked, again.
"He's Buzz Lightyear. . ." Raptor Chill started to say.
"He always gets up." Milky finished then Raptor Chill nodded and the rookie smiled at his friend. "Feel any guilt?"
"Some regret," Raptor Chill confessed. "Milky, if things had been different, you, captured, by the Evil Emperor, don't know how there could be forgiveness there for that."
"There is always forgiveness for that sort of thing, friend." Milky said then bore a smile.
"Milky, there's a mission, strange alien newcomer harassing a family!" Morgue Blast called.
"Duty calls!" Milky said then made a bolt for it.
Raptor Chill took a drink from his cup then set it on the table, leaving the third cup unattended to. Still looking for him. Where could Lightyear be?
"It's been a month, Evil Emperor Zurg! Let me out of this cell!"
"No, Darkmatter."
"Why not?"
Zurg glared back at the mercenary.
"Okay, affirmative, he did blast off Buzz's arm and take out a eye." The mercenary confessed. "So what?" he stretched his arms out then lowered them with a laugh. "It can be replaced!"
"HE TOOK OUT A EYE?" Zurg shouted, horrified.
"So what about it, Evil Emperor Zurg." Darkmatter set a hand on his hip with a smirk. "Only a eye." he held his first out as if weighing something in it. "Destroyed it is all."
"HE DESTROYED IT!" Zurg shouted, again.
"Stop shouting," he stretched his arms along his side as his brows raised then folded his arms. "it's not that alarming."
"Not that alarming? . . ."Zurg picked up a remote as he clenched his other hand with a tremble. "Not that alarming!" The full consequence of the entire episode wasn't obvious for the mercenary. "Then observe it."
Zurg raised up a remote then the camera displayed the dreadnoughts departing a planet with the moon's shadow cast upon it. Sections of the planet were highlighted by a layer of red, explosions still carrying on, smoke lingering in the atmosphere.
"More the usual." Darkmatter said.
Zurg dropped the remote then departed the chamber leaving behind the Space Ranger to the view of the dreadnoughts departing the planet with the burning lingering on in the dark. The screen remained that way until the dreadnoughts were out of view and the planet was displayed being dosed by storm clouds that brought a flames to a cease fire. The planet rotated with faint signs of dark smoke lingering in the atmosphere and few lights decorating the planet that represented rebuilding in progress with the way that the lights were being coordinated. More with purpose, balanced, thought out, not illuminating from the land itself, leaving dark areas between the areas of lights. Zurg returned, turning off the screen, with a sigh then clasped his hands together in his lap.
"Darkmatter, this has to be understood." Zurg dipped his claws forward. "He is incredibly more dangerous than before-" Zurg's optics widened. "Darkmatter!"
There was a wide gaping hole in the area across from the bed that revealed a hole in a vent as the Evil Emperor proceeded to tremble.
"Curse you, Warp Darkmatter!"
In hindsight, he was making things worse by interfering.
Terrifying.
