Author's Notes: Hey there, it's me! I need to get some things off my mind. If you don't care about this go ahead and skip to the line. First of all, I want to thank whoever left me the review a few days ago. It was the final push I needed. It's been awhile since I posted anything but I've been writing on and off. This summer has been insane for me as I was promoted at one of my jobs and suddenly I've been working a lot more. I know the direction I want to go with the story, I just have to push to get it through. So I'll be posting as many chapters as I can at a time. I know it is the worst when waiting for an update on a cliffhanger and I'm going to work hard to get this done, regardless of how many people read or review (although those are appreciated). :) Also, you literally have no idea how happy I am about the announcement of Bo Peep in the new movie.
XR's scan had proven to be extremely helpful. Star Command was able to track the ship in the same galaxy as planet Z, which led many to believe that Zurg was in cahoots with the unknown kidnapper. Zurg had been laying low for the past few years, probably building up his army again after Alan had stripped it away from him.
Mira had extracted some particularly interesting information from the senator from Porcus concerning the possible identity of the kidnapper. The planet had been in disarray after several terrorist groups were attacking innocent people. A man named John Porkchop had worked as a scientist for the government at the time. After it was exposed that he was working from the inside to continue the terrorist attacks he went missing for awhile and then was spotted working with Stoneheart. The man seemed to be a likely candidate as their perpetrator.
In the meantime, ever since the conversation with the LGM, Buzz, Woody and Jessie had been on edge. They debated whether actually telling anyone else about what they knew, but ultimately decided to keep it for themselves. Everyone was too focused on how to actually get Bo home anyway.
Secretary of Defense McNairy met with team Lightyear again, this time to discuss strategies in a conference room up on Star Command.
"The spies we sent out to survey the ship were able to bring us some useful knowledge, and possible weaknesses," McNairy started. "It's equipped with an illegal gamma ray ion cannon. The power required to actually use it has to be redirected with extreme precision, and thus making the actual weapon itself incredibly susceptible. It's located at the front, right here." He pointed to the nose of the pig ship on a diagram.
"The plasma shields surrounding the vessel are extremely powerful. An attack from our standard blasters are concentrated into a small pocket in the shields creating a tiny break that repairs itself almost instantaneously.
"Our plan is to have a small crew concentrate its fire on the weapon in a surprise maneuver, allowing for your team to take a small space walk and pass through the shield, break through the gamma cannon, shut down their shields internally, and retrieve Ms. Peep so we can teleport you back to Star Command.
"The LGMs have developed a new technology that should prevent scanners from picking up your frequency when you make it on their ship." McNairy held up a small silver bracelet. "They took inspiration from the situation at Captial Planet."
"Well, this all sounds easy enough…" Jessie said half smiling.
"I realize it's not exactly sound-proof, but our guy took the 'Porcelain Cowgirl' for a deliberate reason. I refuse to let the galaxy to descend into war again," McNairy commented with his back towards the team.
"Bo isn't just a weapon," Woody chimed in.
McNairy shifted a bit, but otherwise remained still. He looked as if he was deliberating on what to say. After a small pause, he finally turned to face them again. "We're going get her home, whatever it takes."
After the meeting, Woody still felt uneasy about McNairy's intentions, but he didn't mention anything about it to Buzz or the others. They were all preparing for the mission anyway. The crew commanding the vessel that would transport them to the ship was being briefed, and soon they'd be off.
Woody didn't have much to do. He'd been ready for hours. He could've left that second. Perhaps it was the second that would count in preserving Bo's life. If the LGM really knew what he was talking about concerning Bo's blood (and Woody didn't really have a reason not to believe him), there was that horrible looming possibility that her kidnapper had not only taken her blood, but disposed of her.
The cowboy waited in the docking bay for the rest of the crew, where the smaller ship was parked. He crossed his arms and winced. His arm still hurt, and it'd been difficult to get into a new Space Ranger suit with it being bandaged up, so he had secretly taken off most of the bandages.
He'd been through a lot worse before. Heck, he'd almost had his arm completely torn off years ago.
Buzz met up with Woody again shortly after. He walked up to the cowboy, who had been completely lost in thought.
"We're going to leave in fifteen minutes. We ought to get on the ship," Buzz said, breaking him out of his trance.
"She's in a lot of trouble Buzz. I can feel it," Woody said simply, staring at the ground.
"I can too," his friend replied.
It was one of those moments that Woody marvelled how Buzz knew exactly what to say to him. The cowboy was tired of being comforted, patted, pushed aside, and talked down to. He appreciated Buzz's input and honesty more than anything. Even though the moment was grim, he managed to convey some feelings of thanks through a sort of weak smile. Despite their extreme differences, the two were almost always on the same frequency.
As the ship left the station, Jessie fidgeted in her seat. She tugged the edge of her suit near her helmet, trying to find a replacement for running her fingers through her braid. She'd thought about wringing her hands, but it reminded her too much of Rex and her other life back home. It was the life Bo deserved, after having been gone for so long.
The LGM's words continued to ring through her head. She tried to remain positive while repressing a disturbing image that she kept envisioning of Bo without any blood.
Buzz noticed Jessie's hands continually pulling at her suit, and finally he grabbed one of them as they sat side-by-side in the small cabin, strapped to the seats in the walls. She looked back at him and squeezed his hand gently. Jessie then turned to her other side where her brother was absolutely motionless, and his eyes unfocused. She unclenched her free hand and took his, squeezing it a little bit too.
The trio looked back and forth between each other, making no sound but expressing everything. And for that brief moment, they were surprisingly calm. Their thoughts simultaneously drifted towards one of the darkest moments they had experienced together when they had gazed into the eyes of death with no escape…
All three were jolted out of their daydreams as the ship lurched, slowing down immensely. The pilot of the ship, another human man, turned around to face the rest of the crew. "We're entering sector 12 now," he called out over the roar of the engines.
Buzz looked to the rest of his team sitting on the opposite wall. "You know the plan. If anything goes wrong, you get out of there immediately." Mira, XR, and Booster nodded anxiously.
The ship shuddered and came to almost a complete stop. Buzz's team unstrapped themselves, and the co-pilot pressed a button that separated the cockpit and cabin by a thick tinted glass. Another panel dropped at the back of the cabin revealing a metal door with a glass window. Through it was in plain sight the same pig ship that had appeared so suddenly on Capital Planet.
"You in position Lightyear?" rang Nebula's scratchy voice through the comms of the Star Command Suits.
"Just about, Comma- er, I mean… Senator," Buzz fumbled.
"Well hurry son! All hell will break loose once they get a read on your ship!" Nebula replied hastily.
All six faced the back wall, each mentally preparing themselves for the extremely dangerous thing they were about to do. The tip of the pig ship's snout could be seen in the corner of the window.
The pilot's voice echoed through their comms. "Vessel in position. Ready to launch assault."
Buzz took one more look at Jessie. It still bothered him that she could be in the same peril he often found himself in on these kinds of missions. However, he had to admit it was nice to have her here with him. Her eyes hadn't lost their green sparkle amidst all the chaos.
She caught him staring at her and smiled nervously…
...Right as the cockpit behind them was decimated.