Author's Notes: It's unbelievable that I have less than a month until graduating high school. Hopefully with no summer homework this time I'll have more time to write. I'm developing another story right now that's actually a rewrite of the first story I wrote on this website, Finding Bo Peep and Her Lost Sheep. Going back and reading it makes me cringe… But of course my main focus will be this story which I predict will be around 50-60 chapters.

Can't tell you how much I appreciate your support in reviewing/favoriting this story and others! It really keeps me going! Thanks!

~Heather

Commander Nebula pointed them to the elevator as they exited McNairy's office. "Get your crew together and head to the armory on Capital Planet and suit up," he grunted.

"You're going to stay here?" Buzz asked.

"Yeah… I'm not a Space Ranger anymore, Lightyear," Nebula grumbled. "Be back in less than an hour!"

They separated and the four remaining stood in the elevator going particularly slow. There was a bit of an awkward silence until XR spoke up.

"So… Team Lightyear…"

Buzz perked up. "XR, you think you can round up Booster and Mira? That is if they don't completely hate me…"

The robot wiped his foggy helmet from tearing up. "It's gonna be just like old times!"

"With a few additions," Jessie added crossing her arms.

Buzz whirred around to face her with a surprised look on his face.

"What? You didn't think I was going to let you have all the fun did you?" she said grinning.

"Jessie… you can't," he told her gripping her shoulders.

"Why not?" she asked expression changing immediately.

"Because- because you're not a Space Ranger," he fumbled.

"Woody isn't either!" She jerked a thumb towards him.

They both stared at the cowboy. Buzz tried to communicate for his friend to back him up, but Woody just held up his hands. "Don't look at me. I know if I said no to Jess she'd just do it anyway."

Jessie turned back to Buzz. "You said! You said the other day that your old Commander would've hired me! You know I'm qualified!"

"There's probably tons of restrictions against this…"

"Actually no, in this sort of situation where a response team is being put together for an intergalactic emergency, a Captain may choose whoever he deems worthy," XR piped in.

"Thanks pal," Buzz replied sarcastically.

"To be fair, you were the one who wrote most of the handbook."

Buzz groaned and crossed his arms. "You've got to follow every order I give to the nose. Understand?" he told her with a harsh tone. Jessie was too satisfied with herself to really notice.

"Yessir!" she replied happily.

After reaching the armory, the group parted ways. XR went to retrieve Mira and Booster, and Jessie was led to the women's quarters to receive a suit after Buzz grudgingly signed a waiver. Afterwards he took Woody to the men's quarters and talked with his friend while he changed.

"I don't have a good feeling about all of this…" Woody started while adjusting some pressurized climate settings on his wrist.

"You're telling me! I can't believe I'm letting her do this," Buzz exclaimed throwing his arms in the air.

"I was talking about everything surrounding Bo, but I guess that's fair," the sheriff shrugged. "I don't understand why you're so worried about it though. You know Jess is more than capable of handling herself."

"Why aren't you worried about this? You're her brother of all people!"

"I'm her brother, yeah. But I can't control her, and neither can you."

Buzz sighed and finally sat down on the bench next to the cowboy. "You didn't see her two years ago when Warp had her hooked up to this… machine." He paused and rubbed his chin. "I couldn't get to her quick enough. She was nearly killed. I can't handle that, not again."

Woody placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Then we'll make sure that doesn't happen again," he said slightly smiling.

The Space Ranger was about to say something, but before he could he was lifted off the bench and pulled into a humongous hug. The perpetrator was a large round Red alien with pointy ears. He wore the expression of a child on Christmas morning.

"Buzz! Buzz! You're back! It's so good to see you again!" he squealed in delight.

"B-Booster! C-can't breathe!" Buzz choked out from underneath the alien's tight embrace.

"Oops! Sorry!" Booster cried. He released Buzz who stumbled back and gasped for air.

XR whirred into the locker room grinning. "Found them!" he exclaimed proudly.

"It's been a long time Booster! What've you been up to?" Buzz asked brushing himself off.

If Booster hadn't been red, it would've been evident he was blushing. "To be honest… Before the war I went back to being a janitor. I tried to be reassigned onto other teams after you left, but nobody really wanted me. But it's ok now, because after the war Mira and I got promoted and so we've been doing really good ever since! We're even on the elite team tracking down remnant bands of the Black Cactus!"

Buzz turned back to exchange a look with Woody. "Star Command didn't tell us they were still out there."

"Oh yeah! Stoneheart acquired a lot of followers. Some were brainwashed, some bribed, others tricked… they're all over the universe. But of course we didn't hesitate when we heard we were getting the team back together again!"

"It's a nice sentiment Booster but it's not-"

"Permanent. I know. XR told me about your lady friend," Booster blurted out before XR could stop him.

Buzz let out a sigh. "Let's just get the girls and go."

As Booster and XR left the locker room, Woody held Buzz back and talked to him in a low whisper. "Why didn't Star Command tell us about the remaining groups part of the Black Cactus?"

"She was essentially in hiding for two years having no contact with us and no recollection of anything that happened relating to Alan…" Buzz replied.

"That didn't mean she still wasn't in danger. What if the wanted posters got out before I got her out of there? We wouldn't have known at all."

"There's got to be some explanation for this Woody. It's been hard enough for Star Command to regroup after the war. Hopefully we'll get all the answers at this conference."

"I still get this feeling they don't want us too involved."

"Then why did they ask me to put a team together and specifically request you be a part of it?"

"Because they don't want me to see Bo. Look I know it sounds crazy too, but I honestly have this gut feeling that something bad is going happen, and Star Command doesn't trust us and they're going to take her away."

The former Captain Lightyear was slipping into Buzz's voice. "Star Command protects people. If we don't trust them, how can we expect them to trust us? Look, she'll be safe as long as she stays on Capital Planet."

Woody paused, and half smiled. "Look at us both. Getting completely worked up over our girlfriends… Funny how that works."

Buzz thought back on their entire conversation himself, and upon finding his and Woody's dilemmas weren't that different he also smiled slightly. "Huh."

"Hey are you two coming?" XR asked poking his head back in the doorway.

"Yeah we're right behind you," Buzz responded.

The two friends walked side by side out of the locker room.