Drakkon was stunned as he looked down to see the Tyrannosaurus hilt protruding from his body. Wide, hazel eyes moved up to stare into Red's.

"I told you I was going to fucking kill you," he whispered into the mad man's face.

The shocked expression began to melt away into one of seriousness.

"How?" he choked. "The collar.."

Hooking a finger into his grey and black uniform shirt, he pulled the neckline away. No golden, jewel encrusted collar was present.

Drakkon looked puzzled and tried again to speak.

"Tommy," Red answered what he knew the tyrant was trying to ask. "Must have close enough to do the trick."

Rage twisted Drakkon's angular features as he felt himself going limp in Red's arms. Swiftly, his pet yanked the blade free and a mass of bloody intestines and gore bloomed like a rose through his uniform.

"Fucking…" he started to hiss, hating his younger even more than he thought possible.

Red dropped Drakkon to the floor of the vessel and moved to the control panel where he accessed the navigation system.

Cradling his exposed guts with one hand, the injured Ranger looked up at the other man.

"What are you doing? How do you know how to operate a ship?" he gurgled.

Glancing over his shoulder, Red grinned grimly.

"I spent plenty of years watching you, of course. As for what I'm doing. I've set our course into that dwarf star," he stated calmly, pointing at the flashing warning screen. "It's roughly the same intensity as Earth's sun."

"You're going to incinerate us both!" Drakkon screamed, clutching the bloody mass protruding from his abdomen trying to keep it from falling out.

Red chuckled softly.

"Yeah, well it's going to be hot where you're going, asshole. Better to start getting used to it."

Drakkon hissed venomously.

"What about you, Red? Going down with the ship, oh brave leader?"

Red shook his head, sadly; his grey hair brushed his cheeks. He gazed down to where Drakkon curled over on the floor.

"You killed me, remember. 'Jason' is dead. And I can't live as Red in a normal society. I have no way to come back from what you've done to me. So, like you said before, we are destined to be together forever. You mentioned a double cremation, I recall."

He moved to the floor then and pulled Drakkon into his lap, leaning his upper body against him. Humming softly, Red brushed Drakkon's hair out of his face.

"This is all I ever wanted, you know. But we were both stubborn asses," the evil Ranger wheezed.

More alarms began to blare and lights flashed chaotically.

Drakkon's body went slack against him with a soft exhalation. Moving his fingers down from the mad man's hair, he checked for a pulse in his neck.

Nothing.

The ship began to shudder and the temperature had started steadily rising. Red's brow began to sweat; beads of moisture rolled down his temples. His grey hair clung to his head heavily. He closed his eyes to await the inevitable.

A strange sound then caught his attention even with the clanging alarms. A sharp high-pitched bark from the door of the control room. Red's eyes opened and he searched through the flashing lights to find the source of the barking.

Sitting at attention, staring at him with bright golden eyes was some sort of animal. It's muzzle was pointed, the coat a midnight black. Curled around its feet, was a thick fluffy tail. Again, it barked at him.

Those eyes seemed so intelligent and intent on getting him to understand. Was this animal even real?

Releasing Drakkon, he allowed him to strike the floor face first; he hit with a satisfying smack. Pulling himself to his feet, he followed the creature as it darted through door into the corridor, its claws clicking.

Red followed along behind; the animal periodically looked back to ensure he was coming. It barked and yipped as it ran faster.

He tried to keep up, his shattered knee making it difficult. Rounding a corner, the creature was sitting in front of the holding bay for the escape pods. Red frowned.

"Are you real?" he whispered, feeling foolish.

The pointed face lifted and the golden eyes seemed to grin up at him. A paw scratched at the floor, beckoning.

"What are you?"

Red limped forward, trying to remain upright as the ship began to lurch. He was sweating more profusely but the thick coated animal did not appear fazed at all. A sudden tilt of the vessel and Red fell.

He grunted in pain, landing on his incapacitated knee. Panting, he tried to stand but felt eyes on him.

Looking up, he realized the creature was right in front of him now. Red could see swirls of golden color and star dust twirling in the creature's irises. And he could suddenly understand.

'I like you,' the creature whispered in his mind. 'I think you're rather perfect for me, but only if you agree."

"I don't understand," Red panted, pushing his sweaty hair back from his forehead.

The animal's eyes crinkled as it smiled.

'You're very strong and resilient. Very smart. You can live by your wits. And you survived madness by adapting,' it complimented. 'I'd be honored if you'd accept my stone.'

A swish of that bushy tail and a shiny black rolled to bump his hand.

Red picked it up and held it close. A familiar power seemed to flow from the rock into his flesh.

Obsidian fox.

'Please say you'll live, human. Take this power. You've adapted before and you can again.'

It brushed a damp nose across his cheek.

'You slayed the dragon. Now live your happily ever after.'