Disclaimer: I thought i should start putting these...it would be so much more helpful if fanfiction just did this for us! So, I don't own Taz Benitez or Lieutenant Up, they belong to the amazing Team Starkid! (However I did make up Taz's full name (Tasanee Benitez) and Up's rank is currently different to that in the original musical) Brisa Benitez, Leo Portillo, Carlos Portillo and Lieutenant- Commander Elliot Bridge belong to me though

Thank you so much to the people who wrote reviews and read this while I was away! And sorry it's taken me such a long time to update. I've been suffering from a block... I can think of lots of ideas for what I want to happen later in this story, but for now I have to get Taz and Up to that point... hopefully this will go in the direction I want it too!

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy :D

P.S. Up does have a lot of medical knowledge doesn't he? (Unlike me! Thank you Wikipedia :P) Perhaps later we can find out why ;)

Chapter 3: Foundations

Tasanee was flying. It was the same sensation as when she'd been hurled in the air during the fight, but her emotions were different. She was not scared; she knew she would not fall. She felt peaceful, more so than she'd ever been before. She was free.

Before her eyes were grassy fields, then sandy beaches. After which she was soaring over the ocean and through puffy white clouds in the sky. Then she saw hard soil and brown houses, a small town that she recognised as home.

Smiling, she relished the birds-eye view of her village she had never experience before. She began to appreciate the beauty of this place, when it was torn apart in front of her eyes.

She watched, powerless to stop, as the crystal white ship landed and the robots emerged. Stomping, smashing, shooting they went, destroying everything she knew, her entire life.

She saw the fires again. She heard the screams again. She lived the fight again in her dream.

Taz's eyes shot open, then painfully closed as the bright light blinded her.

"Tasanee?"

As her eyes began to adjust, her mind cleared of the images it had subconsciously replayed.

"Are you awake? Tasanee?"

Her ears cleared of the explosions and whirring metals, and clarity reformed in her head.

"Excuse me? Look, it would be a real help to me if you could tell me whether you're awake or not"

Only then did she hear him.

"Sí, I'm awake"

"Thank Dead God"

Embracing the blinding pain, she slowly opened her eyes and let them focus. The white light had vanished. Instead, she was staring into two unmistakeable pools of striking blue. It was him.

Tiredness was eradicated from her body as she hastily sat up, but then slowed her movement as soreness washed over her. Thankfully, she only seemed have gained a few cuts and bruises that would soon heal, but a sharp twinge from her right knee triggered her face to screw up, bracing the pain.

"Dislocated, however the medics on board are some of the best professionals. They manipulated the joint back into position for you while you were out of it. Happened when the robots had you held upside down, you twisted to try and get away but your patella slipped out of place.

But just wait until you try to walk! Mexican sand is hot as it is but you were running on that and the remains of fire from the blasts. You singed your bare feet badly. It's gonna be painful, but in a way you're lucky to be alive."

Shock at her unknown injury quickly turned to anger. He'd left them. Her whole family had been vulnerable to the robot attack and his rangers hadn't managed to do anything. He'd been useless.

She started spitting Spanish at him in anger, but he didn't understand her harsh accusations.

"…y por qué debería ir a vivir cuando mi familia no lo hacen? Lo que le da el derecho para que me ayude y no ellos? Qué pasó con ellos? Si están muertos sus gracias a ti, explorador nave estelar!"

"Do you speak English? Dead God, you Mexicans are determined to speak your foreign tongue aren't you!"

She pushed herself further up the bed in order to take a swing at him, but the vulnerability of her situation kept her down, and the shooting pains that reoccurred made her in no fit state to initiate a fight with this man.

"Careful, you're still in a weak state there Tasanee"

"Don't call me that"

The words again escaped her mouth before the thought of them had formed in her mind. She was acting a lot on impulse lately instead of thinking about her actions. It was good.

The Blue eyed man sitting in a chair next to her bed looked puzzled.

"But that's your name isn't it? Tasanee?"

"Yes... No..."

She clung onto the white bed sheets in hesitation, making her choice.

"I don't want anyone calling me that anymore."

The man sighed. It was as if he understood her request, but he didn't really. Tasanee knew he didn't really understand her. He couldn't.

"Names can be complicated can't they" was his reply. His eyes drew away from hers and stared into space for a while, as if reliving some hurtful memory in his past.

It was then she realised she didn't know this man. She didn't even know his name. But she felt safe talking to him, and it wasn't because of the Starship Ranger badge on his uniform.

"What's your name?"

Coming out of his daydream, he chuckled.

"Name's Up. Lieutenant Up."

"Up?"

The newly formed puzzlement was portrayed in the Mexican girl's captivating eyes. Up was just relieved the anger had vanished.

"What the hell kind of a name is that?"

Up chuckled. At least her personality was shining through, she must be feeling better. He knew he should probably tell a nurse she was awake, but something kept him there. He wanted to know her.

"Well apparently you don't even have a name, Tasanee"

"Taz… call me Taz"

"Is that a nickname or…?"

"Deje de molestarme idiota! My name is Taz."

"Okay, Okay! Taz it is. It was Leo who told me your name. He's a nice lad… seems to be quite fond of your sister by the sounds of it"

Shock seemed to erupt from Taz's body as she bolted out of the bed.

"Brisa, mierda! Está bien? Lo hizo salir de la pelea? Qué pasó Up? What happened?"

"Taz! Taz! Look, you need to calm down. I can tell you what happened, but not with one of the nurses around. They'll make me leave to check you're recovering, so if you want to know, sit.

He gestured towards the bed he'd watched her sleep in. Somehow, he thought she'd be quiet, vulnerable. She had looked it, small and peaceful, when submerged in sleep. Now she was a panicky teenager, and she almost certainly had the right to be.

Her eyes flickered to the curtain surrounding her bed and the chair Up had sat on. Up almost thought she was going to leave anyway, when she sighed and sat obediently on the corner of the bed.

Up smiled. It was an uncommon action from him when aboard the ship, but Taz deserved a smile today, especially because of what he had to tell her, and the pain it was about to cause her.

Taz listened to what she already knew, biting her lip and holding back tears.

She knew her village was gone.

She knew her family was gone.

She knew her Mama and Papa were dead.

She prayed silently that they had found peace.

What she needed to know was if Brisa was alive. She was happy when Up started to talk about Leo. About how he'd carried Brisa in his arms as the two of them had run side-by-side to the starship, chased by robots, only just closing the faulty door on time.

"You're all safe here"

"Brisa?"

He knew that was who she cared about. Taz didn't really care about talking to him; she wanted to know of her sister's safety. Not that he cared. Not that he should care.

"Pneumothorax. It's a lung injury. Her side was pretty bloodied up and that gash she got during the first blast Leo told me about fractured her rib. It punctured her lung, allowing outside air to enter the chest, causing her lung to collapse..."

She stared at him, open mouthed. Her faced felt drained. Up must have realised the trauma portrayed in her face, as he tried to compensate for his slightly insensitive first response.

"… but she's safe at least. Leo's with her. She's a lot worse than you two but she'll pull through. The nurses have already operated on her. In fact, I'll get a nurse to check over you and then you can go see her."

She didn't smile, but minor gratitude must have shown in her face as Up gave her a slight smile and stood up.

"If Leo carried Brisa, how did I end up here?"

"I carried you Taz"

Her eyes widened. She was grateful but also slightly distressed. She didn't know him. She didn't know Up, and yet he had saved her life by putting his own at risk. He'd saved her from the robots, he was safe.

"Thank you" Appreciation showed in her whispered voice.

Looking shocked and uncomfortable, he gave her a slight nod, and left the room.

Taz had been unconscious for quite a long time. She'd taken a heavy blow to the head, but that had simply knocked her out rather than her taking any physical damage from it. The nurse was more concerned about her knee. To Taz's dismay, she was told it would take around 8 weeks to fully heal, not that she thought she would be doing much with it. She didn't know what she would be doing now.

After her examination, Taz demanded to know where Brisa was. The nurse hadn't wanted her to know, which made her want to see her even more. She'd assured Taz nothing was wrong with her, only that she needed sleep and nobody was to see her that night. When Taz had pulled the 'I know Leo is with her, Up told me' card, the nurse hadn't had much of a choice but to hand her a pair of crutches, and take her to Brisa in order to avoid causing a scene.

The Nurse had told Taz how she'd been treated. The air had been removed from Brisa's chest, allowing the lung to re-expand. This had been done by a chest tube through the chest wall, allowing the air to escape without allowing any air back in. She was told Brisa's lung had re-expanded itself within a few days; however surgery may be needed for repeat occurrences. They weren't sure how her body was going to deal with its wounds.

Now, Taz was kneeling next to Brisa's bed watching her sleep. Leo was sat in the chair to Brisa's right, holding her hand and looking blank.

"Has she been awake?"

"Yes" came the monotone response.

Bree had lost a lot of blood from the gash in her side, but she would heal. It wasn't anything the nurses here on the starship couldn't handle, but they were both worried just the same.

When Taz reminded Leo of this however, she received a harsh response.

"I know Tasanee okay?" he snapped, "But I'm worried. I love her Taz, I'm in love with her and she's all I've got left."

She swore she saw a tear leave his eye, but in the shadow it could have just been a trick of the light.

"I didn't go back Taz."

Confused, not for the first time today, she asked him what he meant.

"I didn't go back for my family, for Carlos."

Leo's brother had been twelve, and he was gone.

"They're all dead. He's dead because of me."

Taz was shocked. The bond she and Brisa shared was stronger, but unlike Carlos and Leo's. Sure Carlos was five years younger than Leo, but that only made him more protective. More like a father figure than a brother.

"I was selfish Taz"

Only then did he raise his head to look at her, and not Brisa.

"But I won't be selfish anymore. Brisa is everything to me Taz, you know that. I love her, and I'm going to spend the rest of my life making sure she is safe and happy."

He looked at her with discontent, but a promise lurked in his eyes.

"I swear that to her now, and you're my witness. Make sure I uphold my promise."

"I will" And she secretly promised to do the same.

"Do you think I should go and talk to her Bridge? Or leave her alone for a while? I'm sure she's in pain right now, although I heard her sister's awake again. Hopefully that's given her some piece of mind."

It was a few days after Up's conversation with Taz, and he hadn't been able to get the young Mexican off his mind since.

"Seriously, do you like her or something? All I've been hearing from you lately is tosh about this Mexican girl! What's up with you Up?"

The British accent of Lieutenant-Commander Elliot Bridge was clearly laced with concern. He'd known Up since they'd met in Ranger training eight years ago, and had not once heard him talk about a girl like this.

"Of course not Bridge!" Up snapped at his old friend, "I just feel responsible for her you know?"

Bridge sighed, "I understand you Up, but we've got more important things to worry about right now."

Bridge thought it best to change the subject, for now.

"Have you thought anymore about that offer?"

"Huh?" Up had been lost in thought again. He kicked himself inside, and drew his attention to Bridge. What was happening to him?

"The academy, will you be leaving us? As much as I don't want you too, it might be a good opportunity for you Up?"

Up sighed. He didn't want to go back to the academy. Hell, he'd wanted to get out of there and explore the stars as quickly as possible when he'd been a cadet, but Bridge was right. He'd gain experience, and they didn't offer teaching jobs to just anyone nowadays.

"I'm still thinking about it."

"Leo was here before Taz. We talked for a long time and I've got something to tell you."

This was it, he had to have proposed! Although excited for her sister, Taz was concerned. She was so young, and she always worried that Leo wasn't right for her. She would support her sister until the end, but something caused her discomfort when she thought of Bree marrying. Taz braced herself.

"Yes?"

"Okay, well… don't freak out okay?"

"I promise!"

"The thing is Taz, Leo and I want to help..."

This wasn't what Taz had been expecting.

"… we want revenge on the machines that did this to us, to all three of us and our families. It's not fair, and we want to help our race…."

This wasn't what she had been expecting at all.

"… so we're joining the starship rangers, and I think you should too.

Taz freaked.

Walking down the hall towards his room, Up collided with a small girl storming out of the medical centre. Too consumed in her anger and frustration at Brisa, Taz had walked straight into Up at full speed.

"Lo siento" she muttered as she brushed past him, but Up was quick to grab her arm and spin her round. Her face lit up slightly as she recognized who he was, but clouded back over as her rage returned to her.

"Taz… how's your sister? And no Spanish this time, I'd like to understand you."

Annoyance at having to engage in conversation flared in her eyes.

"Selfish. She seeks retribution, to join you rangers. You didn't even fix anything! They're still dead. All she cares about is revenge, not the safety of the living people who love her! This is not like Bree, I don't understand. But I know joining the rangers is a bad idea, look how battered we got just from this one fight! I don't know what to say to her. I'm in a rage!"

She looked at him with her sad, yet flaming eyes.

"This is the maddest I've ever been."

Up wasn't very good at sympathy.

"Look Taz, I know that you are hurting right now…" She cut him off.

"Sí, I am daño right now! But that does not mean my sister can make rápido, reckless decisions Up! She could get herself killed! I love her, I don't want her to get hurt. And she doesn't think about anyone but herself. Say she dies in the robot wars, then who do I have?"

He almost said 'me.'

He didn't know why. He'd known her for a day. Hell, he didn't know why he'd saved her in truth! But somehow, he felt like he needed her. He needed someone.

"You need her just as much as she needs you Taz, and that's why you should go with her."

Spanish (According to Google Translate)

…y por qué debería ir a vivir cuando mi familia no lo hacen? Lo que le da el derecho para que me ayude y no ellos? Qué pasó con ellos? Si están muertos sus gracias a ti, explorador nave estelar! - ...and why should I get to live when my family don't? What gives you the right to help me and not them? What happened to them? If they're dead it's because of you, star ship ranger!

Deje de molestarme idiota! - Stop teasing me you idiot!

Brisa, mierda! Está bien? Lo hizo salir de la pelea? Qué pasó Up? - Brisa, shit! Is she alright? Did she get out of the fight? What happened?

Lo siento - Sorry

Daño – Hurting

Rápido - Quick