Buzz slept most of the way to the new Star Command base, snoring loudly, catching up on some zzz's. His eyes opened with the distinctive feeling of weight pressing against his chest as the ship descended for a landing and caught his cane in the process with one out stretched hand. The Star Cruiser landed as Buzz squinted at the ceiling above his head.

"Reminds you of the landing bay at Star Command."

"Affirmative."

"I got a . . bit . . . of a surprise."

Buzz turned his head, slowly, alarmed, toward Ty.

"Ty, stealing a damaged Star Command from Morph's orbit?"

"It was the best idea at the time and Zurg barely had any hornets guarding it, it matters very little, so we had a victory." Ty then added. "A small one at that."

"Negative, Ty. . ." Buzz unbuckled then stood up to his feet and began to walk down the cockpit as Ty unbuckled himself looking toward the ex-Space Ranger bobbing his head up. "That was a tremendous victory."

Buzz made his way down the ship making it to the ladder. He turned around, then climbed down with his good foot going first and went on from there. It was a quick climb that felt a very long going down deep and deeper through the ship until his foot met the ground. then walked out from beneath the ship, observing there weren't any Star Cruisers around. A reminder of poor faith, of poor judgement, walking through the passageway as Ty lagged behind him.

"There's another thing!"

Buzz refused to look at anything else keeping his head up sporting a broad grin.

"Won't you stop and listen!"

He was going to go home, and that was enough, by any means possible. Whatever Zurg was doing here; it wasn't his problem.

"Buzz, are you listening?"

The sound of his cane echoed in the corridors of Star Command as his silence answered Ty.

"Be that way! Typical."

Ty sighed then walked back toward the ship leaving the ex-Space Ranger behind.


Buzz opened the door to the locker room then walked inside and closed the door behind him. He halted in front of his locker, unlocked it, then sat down onto a bench, and peeled out of the uniform piece by piece. Within moments, it was inside of the locker. He opened the chassis then took out the cowboy, removing his purple hood and setting it into the suit. With a click, the helmet was closed then took out his colorful green civilian uniform with white pants. It was a slow enough change into an outfit that still fit smoothly.

Buzz looked down at the picture of himself with the other half of the picture missing; he could still see the sweat dripping down his younger counterpart's face, the glee the happiness, with a elaborate training site behind him after a long day of training. His features softened in fondness to those days when everything was better. He took out the photograph then searched for the other half in the locker until he saw a familiar torn up corner, got a piece of tape, then taped them on the front half of the locker, chucked the tape into the locker, then closed it, and stepped back.

He looked down toward the cowboy. All he had to do next was check Nana's crater and see if Zurg had bothered to have the ruins cleaned up. What was left of her belongings, they deserved to be donated, to be recycled, to be cleaned up. He couldn't go back there, he had to go to the LGM, which was the reminder. He remembered painfully, her house on the news, the silence, the heartache, the pain, bottling up all that sorrow for the sake of Star Command. He took in a breath, it was someone elses's problem. Already dealt with; she died seventeen years ago. He turned away then walked on down the corridor of Star Command free of the last tangents that tethered him. And it felt great.

"Commander . . . Lightyear?" Fisher asked.

Buzz halted in his tracks, turning toward his left, his brows lifting.

"Nelani?" Buzz asked, surprised.

Fisher's uncertainty faded replaced by a hopeful expression.

"Commander Lightyear!" Fisher cried.

"Ooof!" Buzz steadied himself against her weight, catching her, tipping himself forward as he briefly tipped back on his feet and smiled. "You made it out of Zurg's grasp."

"If it weren't for someone hacking into one of Zurg's hyper hornets and attack him, I would be dead." Fisher stepped back, gripping his shoulders, smiling.

"A hyper hornet?" Buzz asked, lifting a grayed eyebrow. "That's impossible!"

"But, I'm here." Fisher reminded him as she lifted her brows up and down. "Clearly it was possible."

"Unless. . ." Buzz was quiet as he looked aside. "Oooh," he grimaced then he started to laugh. "Zurg did it."

"To himself?" Fisher asked, lowering her eyebrows.

"You didn't read the newspaper in full." Buzz told the younger woman.

"What was there to read? You're back." Fisher reminded him as she sported a big toothy smile. "That's all that matters!"

"Fisher . . ." Buzz started to say, gently, laying down a series of words to ease the heartbreak. "You should really read the article."

Her eyes were sparkling with tears in such a way that it belonged to someone who had found something long sought for.

"It's really him!" Fisher turned away as she stepped away from him. "It's really him! It's really him!"

Buzz bobbed his head up in alarm.

"Tell me that the entire resistance isn't hiding here." Buzz requested, tensly.

Fisher laughed as she set her hands on the side of her hips.

"Negative, sir, it's something far better than that!"

From the wall beside him popped out a Tangean as the ground beneath him trembled.

"Buzz!" Mira announced then hugged him.

"Mira?" Buzz was surprised, namely stunned, seeing her young again, and happier.

"BUZZ!" Booster joined the hug, surprising him, catching the ex-Space ranger off guard. "I missed you so much!"

"Booster, you're squeezing me!" Buzz struggled to breathe.

"We thought you were tortured and killed by Zurg after he said so during his weekly addresses!" Booster set the ex-Space Ranger down.

"But I never believed it for one moment!" Buzz looked toward the source of the electronic like voice as a small figure rolled in. "I kept saying, no, he isn't gone, he's hiding, he's slick, he's devious, he's smart, recovering from his wounds and personal shame."

"XR. . ." Buzz looked down upon the small machine in pity.

"Can you tell me what happened the day everything fell apart? I wasn't activated when it happened. Booster says it was a mopey Wednesday, but, that doesn't give the gist."

Buzz walked away, looking down, in shame, upon that day. It was a day that began, like a funeral, the way the mood was reeking from him, somber, sad, still, existing, but knowing certain dread was heading his way.

"Uh, Buzz, are you saying it was that bad?" Booster asked, concerned.

He was quiet.

"Can't have!" Mira stepped forward. "You were there!" she lifted her left eyebrow gesturing toward him. "You made it out!"

Buzz turned toward the member of Tangean Royalty.

"Just because I made it out doesn't mean everything was okay in the heart."

Only a few hours ago in the other world had Philip Nova died. The ceremony aired, live, the somber mood on the queen's features, her eyes still red, he remembered how there were grounders and Tangeans, she broke tradition, having them present, against the wishes of Lord Angstrom. It was a sign of change in the horizon, curled on a wave heading directly for Tangea that was taking it's sweet time, he had heard that Fop Doppler was contacted recently as commentors had said during the event. He remembered the looks of pride on Mira's teammates, XR crying into a handkerchief, Booster remaining still but as tearful. He remembered being able to identity that Warp spoke to her closely, so easily to tell, lip reading, a valued asset of a Space Ranger, 'Mira, don't rush into the Parliament thing.' with a nod exchanged between them.

"And I see you passed the entrance exam, Rookie." Buzz noted to the ex-janitor.

Booster's face beamed upon hearing the word being said by Buzz, proudly.

"Not much of an academy to work with when there's a war against Zurg going on," Booster laughed, tickled by it. "That was training enough."

"And XR. . . when. . . how?" Buzz looked down toward the machine then back. "Did all the Zurgified software get taken out?"

"Hyper Hornet!" Fisher cheered. "Same day that my life was saved."

"And mine," Mira said as Buzz's eyebrows lifted in unison and his jaw slightly fell then Buzz smiled.

"So there is some good in Zurg after all." Buzz rubbed his chin, laughing.

"What?" Booster, Mira, and XR at once.

"That was the Zurg of a different universe using a very different hornet." Buzz continued to laugh. "Had to have happened after . . ." he looked aside then shook his head. "Doesn't really matter; nature is healing, the Galactic Alliance is piecing itself back together, a new army is being built as we speak; if my Space Ranger sense isn't failing me."

"We've had to keep XR out of the loop about that sort of stuff," Booster grimaced before adding. "Admiral Nebula doesn't trust him."

"Believe me, I am cool with it!" XR assured.

"Nebula?" Buzz asked. The last time that he had heard his voice, it was ordering an evacuation. "You found him?"

"We got him back on a very risky mission exactly two months after we got out, in fact. ." Mira said as she chuckled.

"How long did it happen when Fisher was captured?" Buzz asked.

"Two weeks after you vanished." Booster said.

"Lines up." Buzz grinned then laughed. "Funny, how. .. if I had never fallen; the resistance would never had this much success."

"You need to talk with him." XR insisted as he rolled forward as Booster and Mira became quite concerned for him. "He has a lot to tell you. A lot of things that we aren't privy to."

"What's with the emblem on the chest?" Mira poked at the device. "Let me guess, it's making fun of Zurg winning, your humor is sure strange."

"No, no, no, it's a decoration!" Booster guessed.

"Hey, it can't be that, it must be a spy thing to use against Zurg!" XR said as Buzz Lightyear laughed.

"Take me to Admiral Zeb Nebula." Buzz said, it felt nice to say his name and his rank, just this once, just to acknowledge that he were still alive, even with the weird looks that XR was giving him and the smiles from Mira and Booster.

"But first, you're going to need to be blind folded since you've quit and all." Booster said.

"No, he wouldn't." Mira said as she looked up then toward Buzz. "Is it true?"

"It is." Buzz confirmed as her features saddened. "Hand it over once we're in the ship then take it off once we get there. But once I get there, I need to shower. I get the distinctive feeling that it's morning."

"Really early in the morning," Booster said as he yawned then looked down upon him.

"Cosmo's Diner is still around," Mira asked. "how about we go there?"

"I haven't visited the diner since Zurg won," Buzz confessed as he looked aside. "Although, with gains like these . . ." he turned his attention toward the group with a smirk. "that's worth visiting the diner for."

"And get you a non-Space Ranger space suit!" XR commented as he held up a purple digit summoning surprise confusion from the others. "Can't walk into the diner without a space suit!"

The crowd laughed in agreement, their laughter like ringing a pleasing bell.


The ding in the thrift shop echoed in the air once the door opened. The cashier, Dahik, lived in the dwelling behind beside the thrift store waiting for customers to return.

"Closed." Dahik was in the middle of reading. "Read the sign."

"I'm not here to buy." Buzz said.

"Buzz Lightyear!" Dahik exclaimed as she stood up to her feet.

The ex-Space Ranger walked in with a grin.

"I'm here to sell this . . ." Buzz held up Woody. "old thing."

"A toy?" She rubbed her chin gazing down upon the toy. "Ooh, nice," she smiled upon him with a smirk. "he looks very expensive." she lifted her gaze up toward Buzz. "He looks like he came in that old line with the cowgirl who was dropped in seven years ago, very high profile client, claimed he found it in some wreckage looking for a basement and instead found that."

Buzz was only able to chuckle as he set the cowboy on to the counter.

"Sounds like Zurg." Buzz commented.

The cashier stared at the Space Ranger then relaxed.

"Ah, so it wasn't unusual." Dahik said.

Buzz laughed at her comment.

"Seventeen years ago, I would have thought otherwise." Buzz said.

Her eyebrows lifted briefly.

"Something changed on your hiatus." Dahik pointed out.

He looked down toward the cowboy then looked up.

"I changed." Buzz agreed. "Had to do some reflection." he looked aside reflecting the kind years. "Uncover the thick wool over my eyes."

Dahik grimaced looking down toward the toy.

"Sadly, I can't buy it." Dahik revealed to him. "Zurg's conquest of the Galactic Alliance, it wrecked the financial system, he may have replaced it with the Z-buck but. . ."

"It's worthless on Trade World in contrast to his empire." Buzz chuckled, heartily, he hadn't laughed like this before on Trade World. "And the only thing that still has value is uni-bucks because Trade World doesn't believe it'll last as it's a crime."

"Regrettably." then she added, "Why don't you send the cowboy to Rentwhistle Swack." she pointed toward the toy with her hand stretched out. "He is very innovative in selling things and good at it."

"The only problem is finding him." Buzz told the cashier. "The one who is easy to find on Trade World is someone like Crumford Lorak." Buzz looked toward the window where the others had their back to it, waiting, then back toward her. "Always at the wrong place at the right time."

"Then throw him into the junk yard." Was Dahik's suggestion. "Kids go there and play, all the time, it's not great, but it offers some hope."

"Hope. . ." Buzz repeated then gazed up and squinted. "Whatever happened to the cowgirl?"

"I had no choice but to take her, you know him, threatening, annoyed," she shook her hand sideways. "and throw her into the hands of someone who would get her to Rentwhistle Swack."

"It's most helpful." Buzz said, thankful.

"Oh, and nice suit." Dahik said.

"Thanks." Buzz grinned, proudly, having a small laugh. "Mira stole it."

Buzz turned away then walked on out of the room as the cashier, watched him leave then she slid open a panel.

"Dahik to Evil Emperor Zurg." Dahik said.

"Zurg here." Zurg leaned forward. "Did you sell the doll?"

"Not quite yet." Dahik said. "Buzz Lightyear is back."

"Hmmph, color me in skeptical." Zurg folded his arms turning away.

"I saw him and heard him!" Dahik insisted to him. "He's in a blue space suit! He's back!" Zurg slowly turned toward her as his red optics widened. "And he's on Trade World for a short while by the sound of things."

"He is back, really, Dahik?" Zurg asked.

"He is." Dahik nodded.

"What's his favorite catch phrase." Zurg asked.

"Catch phrase?" She stared at him for a long moment. "He didn't say it."

"Then that's not him!" Zurg exclaimed then shook his helm. "He always says it when about do something great."

"He tried to sell a rare cowboy toy." Dahik said.

"Of course!" And then Zurg believed her. "He's here to dispel any doubt that he is not a Space Ranger!" Zurg stretched his arms out, clenching his claws, chuckling. "A familiar pain in the rear, annoying, irritating, given up already, keeping a low profile, not leaving the Space Corps, oh," he giggled, thrilled to bits, tapping his claws together. "that's jim cracking dandy!" he set his claws on his hips. "Sore loser as ever." he took servo claw off his hip as he twirled it for emphasis. "Zurg out!"


Buzz arrived at the junk yard then looked around, searching, for a place to leave the cowboy. He heard the sound of laughter lingering in the air. Perfection, so she wasn't lying. His faith in others rose up, feeling good, nice, his heart beating in a way that felt lighter compared to the tension from all those years ago. He saw a large doll house nearby with the other half exposed revealing barbies, toy furniture, all posed neatly waiting to be selected for play time. Buzz approached the toy house then halted and set the cowboy into the chair. He withdrew his hand, fondly, smiling.

It was time that the cowboy got to be genuinely played with by a kid who needed him, to experience the glory days of hope and faith and optimism and being there for someone watching the light appear at the end of the tunnel. He owed Woody a lot. And this was the only way that he could repay him for being his toy, his emotional support one, the one that kept him in good standing when he had a nightmare that varied after losing to Zurg and being transported into the kindest world losing all the terror, the fear, the anxiety, the dread, that all the good would be yanked away and never be seen again.

He got to experience it; the best parts of the Galactic Alliance. Something that he deserved to experience, again. Something that was in the process of being regained here. A reminder of what he fought for, tried to regain, why he spent years devoting his life to the resistance, why rangers fought for it to remain. A reminder that just because it was lost, doesn't mean it were for good like the cowboy that he had found outside of the wreckage of nana's house on his knees staring where her retirement house had once been, finding time to visit Nana's place after appearing on the news. He did that visit only after searching, seeking, contact tracing, to be sure she were dead and not captured by Zurg. He didn't have the heart to look for her corpse.

"Thank you, Woody, for everything." Buzz said.

Buzz began to walk on, back to the entrance of the junkyard, as the toy watched, only to turn back in the direction of the cowboy.

". . . And good luck."

Buzz turned away with a full heart and walked on out of the junkyard. The laughter rang in the air, distantly, growing loud, and louder, as a toy airplane flew in the air then crashed into the doll house landing between through a window. A Ipsedan child approached the box, looked on, their attention caught by the wimpy toy, eyebrows rising, then picked him up and pulled the cord.

"Reach for the sky!"

The Ipsedan child grew a broad grin.

"Look, Lewis, look what I found!" the Ipsedan child ran away from the doll house. "I found a toy that works!"