Tears of a Ranger (Taz/Up Fanfic Sequel to UBU)

Chapter 4

Two large boulders were pushed aside, revealing a good-looking guy, early twenties, with dark hair and a crooked jaw. "A Starship Ranger!"

"Hey!" Taz said pointing at him. "Who- who is that? There's not supposed to be any other personas down here!"

Up took a step towards the guy. "We'll worry about that later," he said. Taz noticed that, somehow, his moustache had returned, though the other remained on her face. "Right now, I just wanna shake this boys hand." But when the boy extended his arm with a smile, Up threw his arms around him and sobbed. "Oh, God! Thank you for saving us! Wow!" he said, holding him at arms length. "You look like the kinda guy who knows how to deal with these damn bugs! What's your name, Private?"

"Bug, sir!" the guy said. Taz nodded. Ironic, considering.

"Bug..." Up said, thinking about it. "Well that's a fine name! Tell me Bug, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to get the job done," Bug said.

Up looked overjoyed. "Well, so am I! Jeez, Bug, you just stared down a gigantic spider, and in my book that makes you a tough son of a bitch."

"Thank you sir, I am a tough bitch!" Bug said with a salute. Taz shook her head. This guy must have been here a while if he didn't know how to watch his words enough. But it didn't matter right now.

"You sure are, Bug!" Up said, clearly not noticing the mistake. "Say, Bug, where'd you even come from, boy?"

"Fascinating!" Specs said, stepping up to examine the newcomer. "Bug, did you realize that your uniform is a different make and model than the uniforms currently in curculation? Why, in fact, judging by the chest-plating right there, the stitching on the microfibers, this uniform would've been in circulation approximately eighteen years ago."

"Specs," Up said. "Are you suggesting that Bug could be a survivor from a Starship that crashed here on this planet eighteen years ago?!"

"Why, yes, in fact, I-" she began, but was cut off by Krayonder.

"And Bug is the only survivor!"

"And he grew up on this planet all alone?!" Tootsie threw in.

"Killing bugs to survive?" Taz asked.

"Living each hellous day, one at a time?" Up asked. "Is that what you're suggesting, Specs?"

"Yes!" she said. "That is precisely what I am suggesting!"

"Woah!" everyone said.

"Bug!" Taz shouted. "Jou hard, ese. Jou flame."

"Yes," Bug said. "Yes, good, cool. Um, well, now that we're all friends, I have to take you guys someplace. To meet somebody. He lives in a hole not very far from here. It's just past one of those flying machines you guys use. You know, the one that February came down in."

"Bug," Up said. "What the hell did you just say?"

"Oh," Taz said, mentally slapping herself. "No duh! That stupid-assed scientist! She came down in a drop pod, like us!"

Specs caught on. "We could use the pod to return to the Starship!" Taz nodded.

"And then we're home free, man!" Krayonder shouted.

"Come on, everybody, let's go!" Up said. They began walking, then turned when Bug didn't follow. "Well come on, Bug," Up said. "You're coming with us. Are you ready to find out what it truly means to be wearing this here uniform?"

Bug looked up at him. "Yes I am."

"Good," Up said. "Because it's time to go back. Back to our Starship. Up there. In space!" They began walking towards the drop pod. This time Bug followed, but they let him fall behind. He was clearly dazed, trying to revel in the moment.

Once they were in the pod, Taz fell back into the reality of her situation with Up. She promptly ignored any casualty with him, being completely formal and treating him as nothing but her Commander. Not her best friend. Not the guy she possibly... well, whatever he had been before, it was over now. And it broke her heart.

(AN: Short, but my second in one night! Yay! BTW, has anyone seen/will see A4B? I can't go. Went to buy tickets too late and they're sold out :'( )