"Captain Munchapper, do you have anything to say about the recent clip playing on the net?"

The giant and the android were just finishing up an interview regarding an event that had transpired in which Lord Freeves had failed, once again.

"It was Mira's idea to surprise Commander Darkmatter." Booster replied.

"W-what?"

"Getting giant snake eggs, leaving them in front of house, for that big Space Ranger barbecue, he's mulled about making a giant omelet."

". . . The giant garden snake eggs."

"Affirmative!" Booster nodded as did XR alongside him. "We've got most of them moved to on Karn. The merchant never said they were close to hatching, though."

"Did you get them?"

"I'm not sure who you're referring to." XR said.

"Neither am I." Booster said as he exchanged a glance with the android.

"The merchant." was the interviewer's clarification.

"That we did!" Booster exclaimed as he grinned.

"The commander knew them and made the three of us get him." XR retold, fondly. "He was very irritated."

"Before King Nova's death?" the interviewer prodded.

"We had a really good day." XR said, fondly.

"We got them, they were traveling between planets, we moved them into the jurisdiction of Morph afterwards to deal with property damage, emotional damage, and they are currently doing community service in the northern continent, Playtouh, something about hunting invasive rabbits, selling them, then half of their wages are taken to pay back the victims." the captain grew a broad smile. "It's a good thing that Darkmatter wasn't home on that day, he was busy laughing at Freeves after Milky Weight and Raptor Chill ruined a evil scheme when the eggs hatched."

"As amusing as it is; the question wasn't about that clip of the eggs hatching."

"Then what was it about?" XR asked. "If this is about Mira and their ex-girlfriend, we can't talk about that, it was mutual!"

"It was about the commander and Buzz Lightyear." the interview laughed gently at the android.

"He does miss him," Booster looked aside, remembering, knowing him. "and so do I."

"Not about the Buzz Lightyear that lived here prior to the doomed moon." the interviewer said.

"Warp and Evil Lightyear a thing?" XR shook his servos. "Eeeww."

"No, no, no!" the interviewer got frantic. "It's not about those two."

". . hm?" Booster squinted at the interviewer. "Then what's it about?"

"The space civilian who Warp called Buzz."

"Oooh, Jack Lightdistance!" XR exclaimed.

"That's wrong, XR," Booster reminded his friend. "it's Max Sundistance."

"Whoops, got the whole thing mixed up," XR laughed it off. "it's so easy to call him that, you see where Warp has that problem given how Max talks like him and responds to Jack at random."

"How did they meet?" the interviewer asked. "The commander and the novelist."

"Commander Darkmatter tried to rescue Sundistance on a solo mission and instead . . . Max saved him." Booster was solemn when his friend was retelling it. "Thought he died, lost him from his fingers, yearned for him, until walking into Star Command."

"But there are a number of sources that say otherwise." the interviewer insisted to the duo. "Walking up to the Commander, shocking him, then going to the LGM lab, and wasn't seen again for six months. There's speculation in there that he could be evil."

"To be honest, he's different." Booster said.

"How different?" The interviewer lifted her hairy brow.

"He is neither good nor bad," Booster began to smile, widely. "he's . . a Space Civilian."

"Buzz wouldn't be able to stand back and let others take the limelight," XR added in agreement then nervously chuckled. "Based off the Evil Buzz Lightyear's actions as a Space Ranger."

Warp side eyed Buzz as they watched the interview later that night. Buzz flicked the channel on a recent flick in the dark with a bowl of popcorn between him and the commander.

"Why did you HAVE to set up that meeting with those two?" Warp asked.

"The press kept prowling around my house." Buzz popped in a kernel into his mouth then chewed. "Had to sic them on them and gaslight that the reporter that they had planned this."

"OOOh, that's why you sneaked in last night and nearly gave me a heart attack!" Warp snapped.

"They couldn't follow me from the backyard!" Buzz said, cheerfully.

"The Lightyear move could work in this war." Warp noted.

Warp shifted his attention toward the screen as Buzz shifted his attention toward the commander lifting his brows in surprise then turned his attention back toward the screen.


Milky Weight combed his beard, then eyed it, he took out his razor then carefully began to cut away slices of his beard until all that was left was a can dyke beard. So what, he was doing something incredibly awful, shady, all for Star Command. He flicked off the pieces of hair into the trash can with a clump of toilet paper then washed his hands. Milky Weight stared at himself, admiringly, then did numerous poses in front of the mirror. He twirled, he made strange looks, then laughed at himself. He set his hands on his slim hips rubbing his hairy chin bearing a smirk.

He exited his bathroom then tossed on his off duty jacket and zipped it up, walking on, walking through the doorway of his apartment.

"Good mooooorning, Milky!" Raptor Chill greeted Milky with a wave and his vehicle parked alongside the road.

"Morning, Raptor." Milky greeted his partner as he walked around the vehicle. "How did it go with Jake?"

"Meh, we had to break up, but we decided to be good friends." Raptor Chill said as Milky opened the door lifting a brow.

"Over a alien cat?" Milky asked.

"That cat single handedly nearly drove an entire bird species to extinction and Karn is no place for it to go!" Raptor Chill complained.

"Because it's like that dog from The Dark Crystal." Milky laughed out in pity.

"Affirmative," Raptor Chill held a hand out in emphasis toward Milky. "Can't unloaf but it springs like a average cat and it's sincerely the most cute thing."

"And are you going to put the cat back in it's natural habitat?"

"The cat was trafficked so it has to be." Raptor scowled as he turned his attention back on the path ahead and sulked. "It's a real big downer. Doing it tonight."

"Is anyone watching it?" Milky asked.

"Got a catsitter for that." Raptor said. "Also, nice beard!" Raptor smiled from ear to ear. "Looks good on you."

"Shame." Milky shook his head in disappointment. "That cat is really cute."

"And very pregnant." Raptor said.

"It's-WHAT?" Milky exclaimed, his brows lifting up in unison.

A Star Command sticker fell off the back end of the vehicle as it flew up toward Star Command.


The emblem had fallen off the ex-Space Ranger's chassis as he went to the exit of the Star Cruiser after his return from his world. U'can picked it up, squinting at it, turning it over, setting the device into the center of her palm. It was strange, warm, there was something about it that didn't feel right, as if it didn't quite belong in this universe. U'can was reluctant to dispose of it, something quite urgent about it. Very important. It had to be dealt with care and dignity and caution, wrong hands, and whoever got it, might do evil or might do good; she had a distinctive feeling that this small device could weld upon horror.

She set it on the desk in her room where it remained for the next few weeks and spent her free time staring it down. Her roommate, a unisex being from the planet Elozi. The Elozian had a bat face with a specialized space suit that allowed his wings to slip in and be well protected beneath the armor, standing tall at roughly four foot eleven which was the average height of a child about to leave middle grade on Morph heading for high grade. The Elozian lacked the more pronounced unisex features which was a small horn on the nose, the the puffy mane around the neck standing out against the suit, the puffy legs, his height being six foot two, the long sharp fangs, and the large ears. Z-Bats mane was small enough not to be bothered by the suit. The small mane was most commonly found on those who had chosen the male gender on Elozi which was a direct result of transitioning. His suit was small instead of big to accommodate for the pronounced features of his species. Z-Bats popped into the shared dorm room.

"So, are you going to mail it to Star Command?" U'can's roommate, Z-Bats, asked.

U'can puckered her lips as she turned toward Z-Bats.

"I don't know." U'can said.

Z-Bats patted on her shoulder.

"Relax, it could become a family heirloom, every single member might be too terrified to open it, a keepsake, you know." Z-Bat assured.

U'can shifted her attention upon the rounded device set on the desk as her fingers rapped on the wooden surface and rubbed her bald head.

"Or I could bury it . . .." U'can pondered.

"Good idea to me," Z-Bats pointed toward the door. "go bury it!"

U'can cupped the side of her face then scowled upon the device.

"That could lead to a Jumanji situation." U'can said, suddenly. "Being unburied, being found, and a child being transported into a very different world."

"Or get thrown aside and taken to junk!" Z-Bats suggested.

"This doesn't look like it could be used as fertilizer." U'can said.

"Throw it into the lost and found." Z-Bats's irritation grew.

"And risk it being pressed one day?" U'can turned toward Z-Bats.

"It's better than being the creeper and being hung dry in a barn and killed every 23 years." Z-Bats recommend then shrugged. "But what do I know? This is different than that after all."

"Troubling, and troubling." U'can tapped her finger on her lips. "Think about it tomorrow!" she stretched her arms out then went to her bunk, picking up her dulled huge Dumbo plush, then settled beneath her starry night blanjet. "Night, Z-bats."

"Nightie." Z-bats turned off the lamp's light then her x-men action figures glowed in the dark and U'can turned around then fell asleep.

Z-Bats approached the device then looked around, grabbed a box, dropped the device inside, jotted down the address for Warp Darkmatter, then rushed out the door. Z-Bats was back in little less than ten minutes, panting, his steps quiet, then stripped out of his training uniform and set it aside the bunk in contrast to his roommate. Z-Bats sat down on his bunk then flipped open his comn.

"Z-Bats to Van Selling."

Van Selling appeared on the square screen.

"Van Selling here."

Z-Bats looked toward U'can before speaking.

"You know there's a Buzz Lightyear running around." Z-Bats said. "Did Freeves do that?"

"There isn't another Lightyear causing amok." Van Selling countered as Z-Bats gasped. "Freeves isn't interested in that old poster boy."

"Then why in the air of Venus did I mail your ex-partner's nemesis's emblem to Star Command?" Z-Bats leaned forward, hissing, gripping the back rest of the chair. "A few days after the commander was smooched by someone he called Buzz."

"He's really back?" Van Selling was taken by surprise.

"Just as aged as Warp Darkmatter, it's his Buzz Lightyear, fought through Heaven to get back to him." Z-Bats said. "And it took an awfully long time to be free again."

"That's inherently obvious when it comes to returning to life." Van Selling was quiet for a solid moment looking down. "Z-Bats, for a guy with literal bat ears, have you heard anything?"

"Their smooching during training exercises, it is loud." Z-Bats said then added. "I am thinking of quitting working for Lord Freeves."

"What?" Van Selling tilted his head. "Getting cold feet?"

"Worse." Z-Bats grimaced.

"What?" Van Selling paled.

"My gut feeling is telling me it's a bad idea." Z-Bats explained. "It's really strong."

"And it's bothering you." Van Selling pouted.

"Never was bothered before, it's really disgusting me, being irked and all." Z-Bats hand waved.

"You could tell Freeves that you got too hot and the Space Ranger Corps are staring you at the face." Van Selling provided a cover story to his colleague.

"Lord Freeves seems like the kinda guy who's bound to be caught a lot sooner than Zurg." Z-Bats confessed to Van Selling. "And let's be frank, Zurg was a villain to the Gamma Quadrant for a lot longer than Lord Freeves."

"And, if Zurg came back?" Van Selling asked.

"Hold off on that thought, we don't know what he's like, he's. . . . talked not quite himself."

"I get what you mean." Van Selling said then laughed. "All too well."

"Get out while you still can, Vahoon." Z-Bat plead, sincerely, then sighed. "Lord Freeves is getting far more furious with each invasion that turns into a dud with significant space civilian losses..." Z-Bat rubbed the back of his neck. "Saying this as one of your few friends . . . Z-Bats out."

The screen flickered into darkness as Vahoon stared down his comn thinking about it for a moment then walked on.


XR and Warp were walking down the corridor of Star Command. They both had a variation of the battle mode space suit passing by other Space Rangers in different variations of the suit and the off duty uniform wasn't green and purple but red and black with shoulder pads, protective material built into the very fabric, the Space Ranger Corps had revolutionaized itself in the span of time that the war had began with missteps along the way by rookies and captains helping the new rookies to get on their feet. Warp looked on toward the path ahead as his companion was tapping his yellow digits together.f

"XR, say what's on your mind." Warp requested as he gazed down toward the android.

"Why are you going to play chess with Lord Freeves?" XR asked.

"XR, this chess game is going to lead to his unconditional surrender." Warp assured him. "One way or another," he sported a smirk turning his attention away. "he's losing."

"Unconditional! Warp, listen, this is a bad idea! He might have something terrible planned in store for that 'chess game!"

"It's going to be okay, and I will be back, have some faith. This war will be over tonight at the latest."

"What if it's not?" XR sounded more afraid, Warp looked toward his companion who sported a well groomed growing white mustache.

Warp looked down upon the small droid then knelt down and rubbed the glass helmet.

"Then . . ." Warp reflected, thinking about it for a moment, then stood up to his feet. "everything that was prepared for will kick in, we've been at war, two years, with him, he's going to lose, and it's going to be hard on him, and maybe me, if he decides, that having me around for that, is worse off."

"Don't go!" XR plead, clasping his yellow servos together, pleading, tearfully. "Stay, tell him that you've got other plans! Don't go!"

"It's going to be okay, buddy." was the commander's assurance.

"I was built to be your partner!" XR wailed as he clung to Warp's leg. "Don't go where I can't follow."

"XR, remember the card." Warp said, gently, shaking his leg. "We will see each other again over the veil, robots, they have souls, and yours, is unique."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better!" XR wept.

"Negative, it's the truth, souls, they're a interesting thing, they linger around, they show up when you least expect it, but they're always there. . ." Warp cleared his throat. "Right where you least expect them to be." He looked off toward the distant figure of Buzz Lightyear, aged as he were, leaning against the wall, arms folded, frowning, blue suit and all, then leaned off and walked away as XR turned toward the ex-Space Ranger's direction. "XR, if things clear up not the way we wanted it and it still delivers us a win, promise me that you'll make sure the newspaper says it."

"Say what?" XR asked, lifting a brow.

"Warp Darkmatter is survived by his partner Max Sundistance, and pet cat, no children."

"That is worse!" XR shook his head, emotional. "And sad! Ridiculously sad!"

"But, it's the truth." Warp reassured the droid. "Reduced very personal losses that way."

"The truth. . ." XR looked toward him over tears. "Got it."

"If I don't come back, make sure Lightyear keeps his distance from Star Command . . . and be at that Ranger Station until the moment arrives."

"You will come back!" XR sucked in his tears. "I know you will!" Warp smiled down upon the android with fondness. "You're Warp Darkmatter, there's no way something awful will happen."

"Whatever happens, you will live. Everyone is counting on you." Warp rubbed the helmet. "See you later, XR."

Warp walked on toward the shuttle craft.

"Just come back without a trip to the lab!" XR plead.

Warp laughed as he raised his hand up and waved off the android. He entered the shuttle then it flew out of star command and into space.


The galactic mail delivery van flew out of space directly into the air space of a planet. The vehicle landed in front of a trailer at a undisclosed location. The mail carrier exited the vehicle taking out a box with him then approached the door and knocked. Gamma opened the door, in the middle of shaving her face, dressed in a large towel covering her torso.

"Gamma Lightyear?"

"Yeah?"

Immediately, she were stabbed with a needle and scanned with specialized equipment.

"WEIRD, still get Buzz Lightyear on identification!" the mail carrier scratched their head. "You think one of there days that glitch would go away." Then the mail carrier handed the package over. "This was meant to be delivered a few weeks ago after Lord Freeves captured Commander Darkmatter and hasn't shown off his work like Zurg would do. Generally assumed dead per the wishes of this mail but legally his fate is undetermined and Star Command considers him missing in the field."

"What's this?" She gazed at the package.

"Not sure," was the reply. "you're the only Lightyear it was meant for."

"Thanks, Hank." Gamma said, in gratitude.

"No problem!" Hank replied.

Gamma walked back inside of her apartment then peered at the label.

"Warp Darkmatter?" She lifted a brow. "What did he have to give a decade ago?"

Gamma pried open the box then saw a collection of junk; her siblings adoption papers, several holographic emitters, some old drawn pictures from her childhood, a large teddy bear, a large cat plush, a collection of Team Darkmatter with the new suits and the old suits, a Jessie doll with a wimpy horse, a Stinky Pete doll, a Walrus animal figurine, and a large neatly folded cowboy blanket. She took out the holo emitter with the number 1 then went over to the couch, sat down, activated it with a single click.

"Hi." Warp waved at Gamma.

Gamma stared at him, he looked so young then. It looked like he was resting on the couch with one of the Lightyears slouched beside him.

"Ssssh, Quark, you're not being chased by giant insects with green eyes and antenna."

The then Quark fell back asleep as Warp smirked then looked up toward Gamma.

"You might not remember me."

She glared down upon him.

"And that's fine by me."

She folded her arms looking down in contempt.

"My therapist, a Chlorm, nagged me to do this so well, tell me to do it and forget about it; so, tadah," Warp stretched his arms out in emphasis. "this stupid thing exists. . just to get her off my back."

She lifted her brows. Why did he need a therapist back then?. . .

"Anyway, she told me to do this in case it happened again, being abducted by myself, it's-it's a long story." Warp shook his hands as he shook his head with a laugh of his own. "Booster could answer that for you. If he's still around, he's Booster, of course he is.""

She stared at him in confusion. Being abducted by himself? . . . Oh. Well, that explained the therapist part.

"I used to be your dad's partner. . . Buzz Lightyear's partner, Warp Darkmatter. You might have heard about him during your academy years, mostly about Ty and him, not his days fighting Zurg."

Warp laughed, leaning back, setting his arms on the edge of the couch.

"I hope that you're all grown up watching this, not a wee little kid, just turning fourteen or sixteen. I hope you're not a Space Ranger, but knowing you could be raised by Nana, you're probably training to be a Space Ranger, and that's on me, not recommending that she put you and your siblings up for adoption and get them parents."

Warp leaned forward then sighed, regrettably.

"I. . . never meant for you to become a Space Ranger. I know what you're probably going to say 'why, it's the best thing in the entire world', well news flash," Warp leaned forward. "it isn't."

He leaned back.

"Zurg, uh, if he is still around, he used to be a better villain or there if he isn't exactly there. He used to rule this planet called Planet Z, those brain pods? Those grubs? They worked for him. And. . ." he looked down. "You can finish that sentence on your own." He looked aside then turned his attention back. "It's not true though, it's just my personal belief because I was the one who drove him there."

Warp's gaze was cast down in shame as he sighed.

"I woulda fought to make sure you didn't become a Ranger, irritated you, probably have torn family bonds, alienated you, the whole nine yards, and be very disappointed in my complete failure to give you a childhood that wasn't like Buzz Lightyear. . . and I loved him, really loved him, not like the way that I love you and the others. . .""

Warp laughed, his figure shaking with laughter, from the other side of the screen.

"I can tell you back in the old days that Zurg was very annoying!"

Warp threw his head back as his figure shook with laughter that echoed in the dark room that was lit up a gentle shade of blue behind him.

"And boy, did he have fun being evil, lot of it. . . . ."

Warp looked quite fond as he rubbed his lips looking back.

"So let me tell you some stories of Buzz fighting Zurg with my perspective on it, because I was there. There are some that I were not there for but I know them well enough to tell them the way they were back then, I was supposed to write a few chapters of your dad's biography but this is a good start. . ."


Warp was playing the chess game with Freeves, but what he weren't aware of was the passage of time. Whenever he would look away toward the chess board, Freeves would press a button, and the commander would freeze in time courtesy of a device planted on his back upon being greeted to Gopata Prime. Freeves was interested in the game, moving one piece to the next, summoning chuckling from the commander who would move his chess pieces on the same block themed as it. Some people had their own way of playing the game, the commander had explained in the beginning, an answer that satisfied him. At random, Warp would selectively take a chess piece, after a significant loss outside of the game, from the other end and put behind his end of the chess board, and the lord would smack the chess board in rage disrupting the pieces.

Close to a year had passed since the game had begun and half of the lord's chess pieces were on Warp's side of the chess board. The commander was cupping his face, waiting, patiently, for the lord to make his move. He was utterly close to the other end of the chess board, one move at a time, he had to carefully move his pieces, harboring them back, to decide which one made the goal. The game had started as innocent enough with three moves made. Warp had the white check pieces and Freeves had the black check pieces, a battle being waged between the two pieces, and Warp was enjoying the game.

"I have displaced Star Command, this war is now in my favor."

"How displaced is it?"

"Without power, marooned, distant, unable to communicate."

"And is Milky Weight with them?"

"He is aboard."

"Wonderful."

"Wonderful? WONDERFUL? This isn't wonderful; this is magnificent, you have lost!"

"It is a matter of perspective."

"Care to enlighten your host the perspective?"

". . . Unfortunately for you, this is the end of the war."

"And the end of a peaceful life, any last requests for how you want life to be? Nice comfy planet to be exiled on in another Galaxy? All that can be provided, knowing, your incompetence, your failure, not being there."

"I was thinking of your requests."

"MINE?"

"Affirmative. Make it before the senate decides no requests are necessary."

Freeves glared at the commander as he leaned forward gripping the side of the table.

"You've done something!" Freeves lifted up a hand then pointed at Warp.

Warp didn't deny it as he smirked, legs crossed, his arms folded against his chassis, leaning back into the chair.

"We found out a long time ago about your little mole, Milky Weight." Warp revealed to the lizard. "Right now, he is in a cell." he leaned forward unfolding his arms then reached a hand forward. "And guess what. . ." Warp began to laugh as he knocked over the king. "Your king was captured a long time ago." Warp picked up the piece. "Check mate."

"Y. y. y. y. . . you . . ." he stared at the chess board then looked up. "Cheated!"

"Never asked the rules about the game. The point of the game is patience and entertainment and wasting time." Warp wiggled the king as the lord's brows twitched. "And XR is on his way, he's going to neutralize your droids, and we're going to need to talk."

Freeves trembled with rotten anger as he walked aside then took out a remote and pressed it as Warp became still, remaining, cocky.

"Droids, scan the area for Ranger XR!" Freeves ordered, hands in fists, his voice raised, his head lifted up as well. "And destroy them."


The line went dead with Star Command as XR stared at the screen. He redialed the call, the response came with the same sizzling screen, the android peeked at the window, then he took out the card from his chassis. He looked up toward the monitor then rushed out of the ranger station, 'excuse me', 'pardon me', 'savior coming on through' wheeling out between the personnel. He arrived at his personalized shuttle craft, leaped into the cock pit, set up the flight, then the shuttle flew on departing from the landscape. The android clutched the joy stick as the shuttle flew on through space with a course locked in for Gopata Prime. XR flew toward Gopata Prime with numerous attacks on his shuttle craft.

"XR to Buzz Lightyear,"

"Lightyear."

"I am flying toward Gopata Prime."

"Star Command's displaced? Hm, that's an easy fix."

"And by the way, go to Gopata Prime, after it's over, and collect a small golden processor, affirmative, that's my copy."

"Will do."

"Thanks!"

With one final blast, it exploded, but Xr flew on through the carnage flying toward the planet with a grin. He was relatively small enough to avoid being caught on radar as his form blended in among the wreckage surrounding the planet from prior attempts by people likewise determined. The android shook his head with a tsk then flew through the clouds flying over the city limits and lowered himself down to the surface alongside a street corner then wheeled on ahead passing underneath the Gopatans on other tasks. A blue holographic map appeared along the glass helmet revealing the schematics of the lair to the Space Ranger who went around for the back entrance. He went in through the weak points then opened his chassis, slid the card into a panel, then his optics glowed a bright red instead of gold as his map changed from blue to red.

The Space Ranger took out a blaster then wheeled out through the corridors. He passed underneath droids, quietly, passing by a janitorial staff. He halted in his tracks, observing Freeves gazing at the security screen, then smiled. XR rolled on by down the corridor avoiding the easily highly staffed check points with droids, namely boring, but it were worth the boredom. XR paused, observing a droid, then fired striking it down and rolled on ahead. He turned on his jet pack, twirling, avoiding blasts trailing behind him as he laughed. He blasted a hole leading toward a short cut. Even without Milky Weight covering XR's back, he were actively helping the android get to the heart of what connected all the droids together seamlessly. XR laughed as he did a trick causing the droids to destroy one another in a loud blast.

He opened the basement door then flew down from there. He swung around the area avoiding the blasts, calculative, jumping from one equation to the next, following the arrow that led directly to the chamber. He assembled a large barricade made of furniture in front of the doorway then turned toward the central system of the hive mind to the droids. The android squinted toward the central tall gray machine with yellow and green decorative pieces, statues of Freeves beloved pets, with only two droids on patrol. XR put on a large yellow triangle cone, then slowly, moved forward when they were not looking.

The droids paced back and forth, halting, then gazing around, and resumed pacing back and forth. XR slipped on by the droids then lifted up the cone as he kept back a chuckle. He continued his path going around the center piece of the central hive mind computer. He threw off the cone that hit one of the drones on patrol and slipped on to their rounded heads causing them to twirl in circles, destroying their companion, proceeding to destroy portions of the chamber. XR deactivated his glass helmet then took out cords from the paneling and attached it to his golden helmet.

His red optics flashed black with a strip of green text featuring a code as his jaw fell.

XR jumped from his shell into the central hive system with the virus embedded in his programming.

The wayward droid destroyed the android's form.


A single press of a button then the Commander breathed, removed the chess board, then cleaned the black chess pieces off his end.

"That's XR, he's got into your system, he's delivering a virus." Then Warp corrected as he clasped his hands together on the table. "They are the virus. Viruses lack gender." the commander had a short lived laugh. "After they are done, per Zurg fashion, the virus will disappear."

"Disappear? But viruses, they need to be cleaned out, eaten, knocked into bottomless pits."

"The beauty of being a computer virus is that once it's done, it's done, you get destroyed, beaten, and then you . . ." he shrugged then looked toward the toy beside him. "don't exist as you once did." The Commander's saddened demeanor was stripped away by a large grin as he shifted his attention toward Freeves. "It'll kick in five minutes, spreading in the mean time like wild fire through the network destroying each connection jumping from one droid to the next."

Warp pointed toward the droids who were in position behind Lord Freeves.

"Your droids will be disorganized, easily depleted, aimless, like . . ." Warp chuckled as he lowered his hand. "Hornets."

Freeves looked toward the cleared chess board as rage lifted him up to his feet.

"I. . . have one thing left up my sleeve," Freeves took out a card for emphasis that was the queen of hearts. "A devolutionary gas that removes the government in one fall swoop and might I add, this is a deadly version!" Freeves let out a loud giggle. "And if your precious rangers dare enter it . ." he set the card on the table as Warp grimaced looking down upon the representation of the bomb. "let's just say, they won't be able to make it out in time. If anyone dares to interfere, it'll keep the saboteur inside, intact, without being forced to devolve like the others, the ship will explode, and it will release the gas. And two minutes before it explodes, you'll be free to attempt an escape. . ."

Warp stared in the direction of Freeves.

"Oh? Wait a moment, there aren't any Tangeans in the Space Ranger Corps! You can't be rescued."

Warp's fear melted seamlessly as he leaned forward then lifted his brows up.

"Wanna bet otherwise?" Warp asked.

Freeves leaned forward on the chess board.

"Not a chance, Commander." Freeves shook his hand then clenched it. "How, why, when?" he lifted a hand up. "This idea!" he lowered his hand. "I must admit, it was. . . really good."

Warp smirked as he leaned back as he set his hands on the back of his head.

"Got it from a guy that I haven't seen or heard in years, you know him, tried to kill him once . . . "

"Be more specific, Commander Darkmatter." Freeves requested as Warp tapped on his chassis. "There are many men who I have failed to kill."

"The guy who lived instead of Admiral Nebula." Warp took out an item from his chassis then set the toy on the table, the red optics staring back at the lord, the familiar horns, the cape, the neck collar that was part of the toy's armor. "Pretty much gave this idea without really saying it."

Freeves stared at the commander for a long moment then began to laugh.

"Then wherever that ship goes, you go, too." Freeves said.

Warp's brows lifted in unison as did his head in confusion.

"WHERE. . . do you think. . . we've have played this game? Inside a cell? No, we've played this game inside the very ship that the gas bomb was built into as my last resort."

Warp's features sunk as he looked around then gazed toward the floor, his feet were glued, struggling, then gazed back up, horrified.

"So you see, the king was taken, from the very beginning." Lord Freeves pressed a button then the background behind Warp was replaced by a cockpit that was circular and had only two seats and an array of buttons. "The Galactic Alliance may win, but the Space Ranger Corps will LOSE!"

Warp lifted the table up then knocked it back then lunged, crashing to his chassis, landing to his knees over the sound of the high pitched giggling belonging to Freeves. The Commander looked down toward his boots that were now part of the floor then sighed. Craters. His shoulders lowered as he put a hand on the Space Ranger emblem on his chassis then clenched it.

"Oh, and one more thing."

Lord Freeves beckoned over a droid with a diabolical laugh.

"Tear that jet pack off." Freeves ordered, tapping his claws together, gleefully. "The commander won't need it where he is going." He turned away. "Let's give capitol planet everything that I got!"


The 300 Space Rangers were assembled with the familiar wail of the defensive protection alarm sending numbers of the Space Civilians underground in the train stations. Everything was still, quiet, a dead silence lingering in the air, waiting for the peace to be shattered. From the distance, Valley could make out the shape of the dreadnoughts belonging to Lord Freeves with their general shape and tacky theme standing out among the blue sky. The three hundred rangers were divided evenly among the most important parts of the capitol planet. The defensive mechanism of Capitol Planet kicked in, providing protection, the shield highlighted with each blast.

"Are you sure that 300 can take a fleet of that magnitude?"

Buzz looked toward the new federation president lifting a brow from his post at the improvised 300 Space Ranger command Center.

"Better, mister president." Buzz grinned in response beneath the helmet. "There's certainty."

"What if they fail?"

"Then the second back up plan goes in full force."

"What plan?"

"Morph's military."

"I am not quite sure that we can fight off machines that can fire plasma."

"Mister President, believe."

"You don't believe in it because of the commander? Do you?"

"Morph's Defense Force gave a nasty fight against the hornets," Buzz smiled in response. "they didn't go down easy."

"I wish that kind of belief was infectious."

"Me too. Go to your bunk, Mister President."

"But you're not in anti-plasma suit."

"I used to be Captain Buzz Lightyear, not as duty bound, slower, weary, but still. . . other positive qualities."

"Mister President, the shields!"

"Go, go, go!"

The federation president fled with that order as the shields to Morph fell, the shapes breaking, shattering into pieces, the bright blue theme disappearing without a sound. Buzz stared at the opponent from above with his teeth clenched then grinned as the ship showed signs of attack and large shapes came flying away from the dreadnought. The investment, all the planning behind closed doors, waiting for precisely this moment to wipe out a large number of Freeves's weaponry. The droids flew through the sky then were greeted by the mass number of Rangers firing their heavily powered wrist lasers. Buzz didn't need to give the order, the order was given by Warp, they had gone through training exercises in his spare time, to prepare for such an event. He remembered the commander walking in front of the crowd, giving them the speech, on their last training exercise. A powerful one that a Commander would give right before Rangers flew into battle. It was as if he knew, this was the last time they would see him, that he would personally see it.

There were several screens displaying views of where the 300 Space Rangers were dispatched in flight with their hyper turbo boosters and rotating boot thrusters, even the cosmic missiles that were being used to take out the larger droids. Freeves army was surrounded all the while dealing several blows to the surface of Morph. Buzz watched as the army dealt with several of the dreadnoughts taking complete satisfaction in the main threat being dissected in mere minutes. Buildings were damaged by the droids that flew in the air targeting Space Rangers who were on edge and defiant, just like last time, except there was many things different about the two events. Buzz leaped out of the way then lifted his head up and pressed a button activating the shield to the command center. The center shook with turbulence from the blasts striking the general area around it.

This time, Buzz could see, the Space Rangers weren't going to lose unexpectedly. No one would see the main heart of the Galactic Alliance fall, city squares decorated in statues of Lord Freeves flags, Lord Freeves advertisements, a lot of Freeves print everywhere one looked being shadows of what they once were. He could imagine decoration like that but Zurg's doing being taken down by the locals after Zurg's defeat, cheering, fireworks exploding in the air, dancing, crying, the newspapers, and Star Command being the exclamation point of the event being put back into place. A victorious occasion that would undoubtedly be in their grasp sometime soon. It would be nice if their victories were happening at the same time.

Buzz saw a bright yellow ship land in front of Alliance Plaza in the cross fire. Then the side door opened, Warp was on the floor, wincing, trace signs of electrocution on him as Freeves took off a large glove. Warp looked up as Buzz looked on, between the fire, all the sound in the entire world had gone numb, notably silent. Warp was shouting after Buzz but he couldn't hear him. The ex-Space Ranger was terrified, observing Warp's legs trapped, his terror melting away into concern, then grimacing, and finally his teeth clenched together as he grew tense. Freeves threw a device that crashed against the surface then caused the entire shielding to explode breaking apart around the Space Ranger.

"Buzz, RUN!"

Freeves grew a wide grin.

"Ah, so you are him."

Freeves walked after the fleeing older man.

"Back from the dead."

Freeves's laughter echoed.

"How tragic that you have to die for the third time!"

Freeves fired his large plasma blaster in the general direction of the ex-Space Ranger.

"No, not tragic, this feels different, Lightyear!"

Freeves walked through the area as the fire fight was raging behind him and dying out distantly.

"It's a fitting ending for someone who continues to serve his homeworld in a different capacity!"

Buzz took a turn into a dead end then halted.

"I have a bomb that will be going off in five minutes and taking out your ex-partner, it'll be nice, dying on the same day that he died, everything is balanced and smoothed."

Buzz clenched his hand then looked toward his arm as it became a blaster, briefly, then it turned back into an arm. Waste of energy. Once, he would have blindly ran in and fought and got shot at the chest.

"I will kill you, Lightyear. Any words that you like to part with?"

Buzz stepped back, defenseless, gazing up toward him with a grimace.

"None? No fighter words? People say you had this catch phrase? To infinity and infinite!" Freeves laughed at his twisted take on the catch phrase. "Or am I that undeserving of your last words?"

Buzz glared back at him, remaining silent, then noticed a figure. He gaped, frozen, gazing up, speechless, raising his hand pointing in the general direction of a creature that he hadn't seen in close to a decade.

"You did that one day but not today during tea time, Lord Freeves." A quite British accent came from behind Lord Freeves who turned and twirled toward the source of it.

"Nos-4-A2." Buzz stepped back in horror.

"The energy vampire!" Freeves exclaimed, terrified. "Bu-b-b-b-b-b-b-but, I lost you!"

"You did not." Van Selling stepped forward with his hands in fists. "They just LET you think that." He stopped in front of Freeves. "And me too, apparently, until a few weeks ago."

"Where have they hid?" Freeves asked as Buzz turned on and ran back for the ship. "After all this time!"

"At the tower, waiting, to pounce on the right opportunity, watching you, kill so many . . so . . . many," Nos-4-A2 grasped around Freeves's cheeks. "Zurgs and Warp Darkmatters in your tiny little rage."

"What you have done is immeasurable. . . ." Van Selling said as he shook his index finger. "A part of me wants to hand you over to Nos-4-A2 and send the two back to the universe that was wrecked!" he approached the taller lizard being. "Instead, Nos-4-A2 will ensure that you're taken into custody with a holographic recording to return to their Star Command of this entire event and the complete trial itself!" he tapped on a device hooked on his chassis. "And I mean; EVERYTHING!"

"What about the punishment?"

"They have confidence that you'll be suffering and they don't want to see it!" Van Selling exclaimed as he held his fist out then punched him. "Nos-4-A2, uh. . ." Van Selling twirled his hand at the lord. "restrain this guy until a Ranger arrives," he started to walk backwards. "he's in their jurisdiction, not the police, evil space lord and all."

"My sincerest pleasure." Nos-4-A2 said as they licked their metal face and grinned.

Van Selling returned to the site finding Buzz running into the craft then the insect being run in.

"How can I help?" Van Selling asked then grew horrified. "Oh god!" the door closed behind him. "He used it!"

Warp and Buzz exchanged a look then the two nodded. The Ex-Space Ranger got up to his feet then approached the cockpit putting on his helmet.

"You can start by blasting that door with your plasma blaster and putting this on the ship then blasting it with my laser cannon." Warp handed the emblem to the device.

"But Commander-"

"That's an order." Warp pressed a button along the side of his canopy then his helmet flicked on. "Got it?"

"Understood." Van Selling nodded then Warp detached his arm and handed it to him.

"Have to hand it to you, pun aside," Warp noted with a chuckle. "never saw that coming."

"Having a heart is a wonderful thing." Van Selling said as he grew a smile.

"Do it, now!" Warp ordered as Buzz called one of the 300 Rangers for a quick chat.

"On it!"

Van Selling fired a hole in the side of the wall then the door was blasted open as the ship flew off the ground heading toward the sky. Van Selling dropped his plasma blaster then turned on his wings, taking along the two pieces of equipment, flying out of the craft. He planted the emblem on the side of the transport then flew back as the squeezable Evil Emperor Zurg toy was thrown out of the ship. Alpha caught the toy in his hands, laughing, cackling, from a playground.

"Hey, Woody, it's Mr Fiend!" Alpha said as he looked down the slouched wimpy toy hiding with him in the hollow tube of the yellow slide.

From above, a high stakes event continued on with little interruption from above.

Van Selling adjusted the laser cannon power strength with a select press of buttons, flying on after the craft.

"Fire already!"

"It's HEAVY!"

"HEAVY? CRATERS, VAN SELLING, ARE YOU REALLY THAT WIMPY?"

"I am not part of a warrior species, Commander I-am-genetically-superior!"

"Buzz, where are we going to drop this thing off?" Warp asked.

"At the very source giving Zurg all his advantages." Buzz looked toward him with a devious smile. "You're going to enjoy watching Zurg fall apart with his daily fire side chats on a day by day basis!"

"That sounds fun." Warp said, entertained. "Buzz, it's going sideways!"

"Craters!" Buzz said then grimaced. "How so generally unexpected."

"It needs two pilots!" Warp realized as his eyes widened, looking back and forth, between the occupied chair and the empty chair.

"We don't have two pilots!" Buzz then added with. "But we can do with one!"

"That's going to bite you in the ass one day, Warp, making a habit out of it," Mira's voice echoed in his head. "and you won't have the wings."

"Buzz. . ."

Van Selling aimed, squeezed one eye close, then pressed the shoulder button with the wrist laser in the direction of the emblem.

"Destroy Buzz Lightyear!" Alpha's toy Zurg cried with a simple press of the emblem from below.

Alpha looked up at the sound of a loud sonic boom as did the rest of the space civilians witnessing a large glowing blue ball in the air and a lone figure that was falling out of the general air space of where it had once been. Van Selling's jet pack was generally damaged by the blast, exposing smoke, circuits, panels, and a damaged crystallic crystal. Van Selling screamed, falling, waving his arms in the air, while all but a distant ant figure in the sky to those below. At random, Valley caught Van Selling then flew back in the direction of Alliance plaza. Warp's arm landed on the roof of a vehicle and the plasma blaster broke apart upon landing on the side walk.


The news spread like wildfire through the galaxy, Star Command missing, Van Selling and Nos-4-A2 turning in the lord and cooperating with the LGM and Brain Pods in creating such a device that allowed a scheduled event to be streamed live with a special device in the world ravaged by Freeves's mere desire to kill the vampire. It took some time to develop the device, and in all, Zurg didn't show up to his planet after the arrest of the evil lord. It was odd and quite concerning that the brain pods sent a select group of brain pods to the last known place that he worked at. His place of residence had turned into a community garden during the war with the lair hidden by the most innocent aesthetic. The grubs moved with ease largely unnoticed through the restaurant then into the kitchen.

Zurg donned a chief hat, lacked his cape, the gray chassis with the very fancy neck collar, wore a long white pristine apron, which made it hard to tell if he were wearing his dress or not.

"The war is over, Evil Emperor Zurg."

"Oh, nice, go back to Planet whatever, and enjoy your newfound freedom." Zurg waved as he continued cooking. "Ta ta."

"You're not coming back?" It was a question of disbelief.

"Retirement feels better than going out and doing vengeance, doing this forever, the fun, the thrill, the patience, the challenge, the spice, and satisfaction! Lord Freeves can rot in jail, gets the same point across, never being seen or heard again, even from the likes of me."

"Why not?"

"I just said."

"Why not?"

"I like this."

"Why?"

"That's why!"

"Is it because you are not good for us?"

"Never was good for you, at all, go away. "

"You know what we mean."

"These days, no. I like cooking, it's less painful, less . . . a whole lot of things."

The grubs retreated out of the kitchen then gathered in a large crowd.

"He isn't the same person from twenty years ago."

"Hardly interested in villainy,"

"This is concerning, Evil Emperor Zurg, not finding fun in evil?"

"He was pretty intent a few years ago to kill Lord Freeves."

"It is strange."

"And very unusual."

"Let's ask him."

The grubs returned into the kitchen and approached his side.

"Would you PLEASE go away?"

"No."

"What changed?"

"Waiting for thousands of years, reflecting, remembering, how things were and how things had become, it's . . not fun anymore." Zurg studied the group as he tapped his grill. "It's difficult to know I was him, and am him," he looked aside for a solid moment then waved his claw. "Let someone else take over that planet."

The grubs eyes widened at the words from him then exchanged confused and alarmed looks.

"Zurg is otherwise happy." was what Zurg added. "If Lord Freeves does escape, he's dead meat, sliced into pieces, cooked, and fed at a very luxurious party!" Zurg rubbed his claws as he gazed down upon the soup. "This is what moving on feels like."

"You don't sound entirely convinced of that." one of the grubs noted.

"Not convinced whether or not this soup is ready to be served. Hm, here." Zurg took out a large spoon then dumped it on the grub. "Craters." The grub's long tongue extended and licked off the contents. "It's awful!"

"Delicious." The grub said.

"It didn't make you scream, it's not done yet, thirty-two more minutes and it's ready to be served."

"Supposed to be scalding hot?"

"A feature of this dish that is found on Jo-Ad, there are locals there who have made this meal and it were served at first contact, rumors say, it'a a delicacy, revered, it's common, but, the ingredients are very spicy! Oooh, how delightfully so. It's got a lot of peppers, rice, broccoli, meat, mushrooms, pasta, some additional vegetables found on Jo-Ad that give it the spice, several large rollie pollies, chives, and broth." then he beckoned them off. "Now, go away."

The grubs exchanged a puzzled look with one another then back.

"Hate to imagine what would happen if someone were to find INSECTS IN THE KITCHEN!"

Zurg turned toward them, his fury building, frightening them, towering over the grubs, sending them running for their lives.

"Still got it, oh yes, always feels good to frighten people, even the trick o' treaters!" he looked fondly over toward the toy Alisha Hawhtorne on the shelf above him. "Those were the days, weren't they? Being the frightening stranger in an old house, having all those spiders and insects around just to get all those cobwebs to prepare for Halloween, being a frightening story, frightening wayward children daring to wander in over a dare, that was fun!"

Zurg rubbed his claws together, fondly, recalling his long days of waiting.

"Terrifying the teenagers was far more priceless!" Zurg said, nostalgically. "Making them work to get out, even better, no wonder horror haunted houses movies are so entertaining!"

Zurg's evil laughter echoed in the kitchen until it ended then he went about preparing another meal in the mean time. Being a chief came with its perks, waiting, being distracted, having fun with the task, and handing down skill sets for cooks who had entered the restaurant. He remembered during the war when the sound of blasts echoed, when a large crowd bunkered in, that he caused the frightened cooks become to remain focused on the task, and to have faith in the Rangers. They were trained, prepared, and set for it, and they excelled at it. Somewhere, Zurg figured, Nebula was proud. Zurg looked toward the androgynous cook beside him who wore a hairnet, doing very well chopping, he didn't ask pronouns, for personal reasons, just read the cook's label. Knowing the cooks even better would leave only pain.

He stopped the cooks in the kitchen from leaving with a single touch and a strong grip during the attacks, they were strangers to him, he liked that part, knowing they would leave some aching inside if he knew them personally. Being immortal did not have its perks. Knowing people, knowing they were gone, knowing that he wasn't the same person they had known before and after their demise. It hurt, knowing the war had swallowed up people that he had met in his retirement, one moment they were there and the next, they were gone. This time because of his incompetence hurt ten times harder.

"Cc-c-c-c-c-c-c-chief Lightyear-Gruz." Edward the waiter popped in drawing Zurg's attention.

"What now?" Zurg asked.

"U-u-u-u-u-u-u-h-"

"Speak up, Edward!" Zurg demanded, continuing away with his task.. "You're the waiter, speak, before your throat is ripped out!"

"Tt-t-t-t-there-"

"Is there a rat under your hat?" Zurg glared after the shorter man.

"N-n-n-n-no, sir."

"Then there's no reason to stutter, Edward." Zurg said as Edward joined his side. "You never stutter -" he pointed toward him, squinting, finding this odd. "Ever."

"I-i-i-i-i-i-it's a customer, chief." Edward said.

"And?" Zurg asked.

". . . like to talk to you." Edward said.

"You look like you've seen a ghost!" Zurg placed his servo on the young man's forehead. "You're unwell!"

"S-s-s-s-s-sir, it's incomprehensible." Edward said, as Zurg took out a long item and stuck it into Edward's mouth.

"Tell the customer that the chief is not interested!" Zurg withdrew it after a moment and stared at it. "Ah, you're negative for any illness. Unusual."

"B-b-b-b-but, they r-r-r-r-r-r-r-refuse to leave!" Edward stuttered.

"And get rid of that stutter, Edward!" he yanked Edward forward, clinging to a handful of his uniform, face to face, his red optics fearsome and as intimidating. "Shove it back in the pits and vaporize it!" His optics flashed a brilliant red. "Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

"Yes, sir."

Zurg let go of the uniform dropping him to the ground.

"Better now, go on." Zurg beckoned the server out then looked toward the large pot, folding his arms, gazing down, rapping his claws against his purple shoulder.

He bided his time, patiently, watching the pot cook for a long time in his other task that he finished. Zurg caught a rat then dipped its legs into the pot, it's shrieks echoed, then he shoved the rat into the nearest basket. The special dish of the restaurant was ready to be revealed, complete with several cups of water, he deposited the meal into the bowl then for extra caution added garlic bread and sprinkled aged cheese from Tangea, his personal touch, he wondered if that's why the once terribly running restaurant had suddenly gotten all aces on the menu, it couldn't be the rats, though, he had solved that problem by forcing grubs, under terrible wages, to build a series of platforms, bridges, above everyone's head that kept the rats away from the pipes and the light fixtures. The residential cat had died the day before the installation, summoning his quick thinking, his irritation when a rat randomly fell on his helmet, and the problem was no more with the bridges.

He looked up toward the platform overhearing the distinctive sound of squeaks. He looked toward the basket then set the rat on to one of the lower bridges and watched it squeak away. The health inspector was quite impressed with the innovative thinking but told him it wasn't the rats that was the problem, it was a number of issues, the rats were highly expected given where the restaurant was opened beside a warehouse. Zurg rang the bell then a waiter took away the meal. He turned then looked around, tapped on his grill, it lowered down, revealing a gray box item, then he dipped the portion inside, and closed the panel. Zurg hummed, delighted, twirling the spoon and giggled all the same, happily as a lark. His internal schematic would pay for it dearly tomorrow but that was another problem for another day.

"So. . . this is where you went after Nos-4-A2 and his monsters trashed Planet Z."

Zurg's helmet raised in alarm at the familiar voice then dropped the spoon into the pot turning toward the source of it in alarm.

"Vicki, darling?" Zurg asked.

She looked young, rocking the styled pink hair, the multi colored plume, the jump suit, the way she slouched with arms folded.

"What was it? Was it your empire being toppled by the machine that did it? Taking the first opportunity to leave? To miss out on my date that we were supposed to have the next day and instead, shared it with a lizard?"

Zurg approached her, slowly, his hand reached out, staring at her, quiet.

"And then you leave behind your cape, telling the grubs, to say that you're on vacation. Fire your mercenary who somehow gets my unlisted number and asks what is going on during an interview! What is wrong with you?"

Zurg loomed over her.

"Vicki, I . . ." he closed his servo, grimacing, reluctant. "I. . ." he looked regretful, apologetic, and sad. "I . . ."

He looked down, gazing around, searching for the words then took her by the wrist and directed her into his office. He closed the door, left it unlocked, guided her into the chair, then sat down in a curved couch.

"An apology will suffice." Vicki instructed.

Zurg sighed, his optics dimming, lowering his helmet, clasping his claws together.

"I am sorry, Vicki Vortex, but. . ." his shoulders lowered. "your Evil Emperor Zurg, it sounds to me that he was killed immediately after transport. . . and here, you died during the war against Lord Freeves."

Vicki stared at him for a long moment.

"Take your helmet off." Vicki stated.

"Vicki. . ."

"Take. your. helmet. off."

"You don't want to see what is underneath there."

"Take. it. off."

"Vicki, you won't see what you want to see." Zurg insisted, more of a plea, to spare her heart being broken.

"Helmet. Off."

Zurg complied then set it on his knee, he couldn't hear, he couldn't see, he couldn't reply, unaware of her reaction, then he set it back on after five minutes.

"Come back with me for one thing. . ." Vicki began to ask. "Make a better ending for our Zurg to the general public." The chief looked aside thinking it over. "Do it for me."

Zurg withdrew his claw then closed it.

"I. . Can't. . . do that, it seems." Zurg looked aside. "But, there is a Zurg who can." he looked upon her. "It'll be a double trip, just ask Brain Pod 18, he'll find one, then make sure he goes back home."

"You know he is going to forget he is in an alternate universe and stay." Vicki reminded as she pointed back at him.

"Not if there are some sharp differences." Then he rubbed the area between his optics as his optics dimmed. "Bad idea."

"Do we have it good here?" Vicki asked, curious, leaning forward.

"Not exactly." Zurg said, in pity, then looked up toward her. "We broke up."

"Is it because you were plotting evil with your mercenary too much?" Vicki asked.

Zurg lowered his gaze toward his claws that didn't tremble this time thinking of what could have been.

"A personal wish of mine that it was." Zurg confessed, sadly.

"What was the cause then?" Vicki asked as Zurg looked back, distantly, for a moment.

"I wasn't the same person you got interested in." Zurg said, simply, shaking his hand then sulked.

"You are the same person to me." was her reply.

Zurg lowered his servo with a sigh then shifted his attention upon her.

"If I went back with you, they would notice how off that I am." Zurg explained to the young woman. "Buzz Lightyear wouldn't buy it not even for a moment." He looked toward his servos then clenched them, lifting his gaze up, trembling."I am getting better."

Vicki was impressed, the visible cracks in his character, she could tell that it used to be worse, a lot worse.

"In this state, everyone would notice." Vicki agreed on the tone that he was carrying. "Something tells me that it were a drag between us."

Zurg lifted his gaze up with a sad smile.

"It's not the same as before; recovering from going mad, from feelings, and it seems that I missed you. . ." A distance between them made of his own making. "You called, many times, asking to talk, I refused numerous times, and when I did accept; we reconnected and made a dinner reservation."

"How did it go?"

"It went spectacular." Zurg chuckled, fondly, hiding back the sorrow. And then you died during a invasion on Nolasi. . . The invasion didn't take, it happened during our dinner reservation, and I blew up from there, destroying his fleet, his droids, oh, you should have seen his face before he ran, he never went back, didn't have any reason to go after him and hunt him down. . . it hurt too much. "We went our separate paths afterwards."

Vicki was quiet as she stood up then took a few steps away and halted in her tracks turning toward him.

"Your Brain Pods asked me which Zurg that I was here for." Vicki said. "Asked me if I were here to collect the remains of Orion Darkmatter." Zurg stared at her direction. "Did you know him?"

"Never met him." Zurg said.

"They mentioned how he was your friend Darkmatter's dad." Was her reply as Zurg got up to his feet as his optics widened.

"Vicki, dearest, what about his remains?" Zurg asked.

"They were left in the torture chamber." Vicki replied then shuddered, appalled, by what she had heard. "Really icky, wished they never mentioned that. And I thought villains took better care of their lair."

Vicki began to close the door behind her then walked away past the grubs initially, the grubs followed her, then looked down toward them. She had heard what she wanted to hear and they got what they wanted in exchange from her.

"Here's the necklace." one of the grubs held up the expensive jewelry.

"This would have looked nice on a date with him. . ." she held up the diamond necklace, white, slick, and cold. She returned it to a grub. "Put it back."

"It's the only way he would have approved what we did." the grub in question said.

"Some things are worth . . ." Vicki reflected for a moment. "nothing."

"Then we say, thank you."

The grubs walked on then so did Vicki who went on to exit the side door of the restaurant. A large hand rested on to her shoulder, stopping her, in her tracks. She turned toward him with her arms folded.

"I am going to need your input on how to dress in order to fake your Zurg's death. Specifically, the cape and the dress. After this shift is over."

Vicki shrugged then walked on toward the ride supplied by the grubs.

"That's dope." Vicki said.

"Is Warp Darkmatter my employee over there?" Zurg asked.

"Yup!" Vicki shot back.

He could keep the rage for the time being. Faking his counterpart's death was going to be easy. Even though Zurg was aware that he was going to see Warp again much younger, extraordinarily painful, it was going to be jarring. On the other hand, seeing Team Lightyear instead of Team Darkmatter; it was a bit of seeing a bit of the distant past replay. Agent Z was still alive but with Warp Darkmatter wearing the name. It's not about the aching that people left behind that made immortality worth living, Zurg realized, it's about the moments that they left behind that caused the aching in the first place. Moments that had to be shared with others, to spread, to continue on. Knowing people was enough to make villains and heroes to enjoy life.

Zurg turned away then went back the way that he had followed Vicki out as he began to make the best scheme from the back entrance. If things had gone his way, Zurg reflected taking the Alisha Hawthorne toy off the shelf then setting her on to the desk for later packing, then all the familiar faces he knew back then would be cooperating and maybe new faces that he didn't know. He needed to get some research done through Darkmatter before finalizing the details of his finest scheme, yet.

And intentionally screw up. Ending the grand tale of Evil Emperor Zurg.

Oh, yes, he was good at it in this world. Not as pronounced in the other, but, random enough to happen.

Turning a negative into a positive. Buzz Lightyear would be so proud. Zurg's hammy laughter echoed behind him.