Decisions for Infinity

Winter zoned out a bit while she was waiting for Warp, thinking about the monster of a to-do-list she was going to have when she got back to the computer department in a couple of weeks. So much so, that she didn't even notice Warp's arrival until he spoke to her.

"You comin', or what?"

She jumped a little. "Hmmm? Oh, yeah." She hopped into the drivers seat, and strapped in. "Sorry bout' that." She mumbled as she started up the engine. "Lot on my mind."

****

*cute LGM waddles on screen* "Meanwhile, at Star Command...." *waddles away*

****

Buzz let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding as Mira sat down and took his hand. Thank you. "Before I passed out, the Commander was telling me something....he...." Nother' deep breath.

"He was asking me if the team would be willing to help re-train a former Ranger that was wanting to get back in the field.....and then he told me who the Ranger was....." Craters, I haven't even gotten to my feelings on the matter yet and I'm already having a hard time. He look Mira right in the eyes. "Mira......Warp is coming back to Star Command."

Warp wondered what exactly it was that was on the Ranger's mind, but he stayed quiet. He could use a wink on the way to Star Command, even if the trip didn't take long. He settled into his seat, his body shutting down for sleep while his ears remained alert for anything the Twilet might say.
...................................

"WHAT!" Mira almost lost her balance on the floor. What is Nebula thinking? Warp would never return to Star Command. He's just coming as a spy again.
"You can't let him believe that," she told Buzz, her eyes wide with disbelief. "He's not that naive."
Mira! Get yourself under control, lady! You're just worried that if Warp came back, you would get kicked out of Team Lightyear and Warp would take your place.
A silly thing to worry over, but Mira was, somewhere in her subconscious, very protective of her place as Buzz Lightyear's partner and copilot. And if she had thought about it, she would have known the exact reason.

Winter looked over at Warp and smirked. He was out cold. Better get used to the early wake up calls flyboy. It's not gonna get any easier."

About 45 minutes later.

"Hey....flyboy." She poked the ex-con in the ribs. "Wake up, we're here."

****

*cute LGM waddles on screen* "Meanwhile, at Star Command...." *waddles away*

****

Buzz jumped a bit at Mira's reaction.

"You can't let him believe that," she told Buzz, her eyes wide with disbelief. "He's not that naive."

"Mira, I talked to him some more in the med-bay.....and ya gotta understand the Commander and I know Warp better than anyone......." He rubbed his free hand over his face. "Warp's serious about this Mira, only God knows why he all the sudden realized the horrible choice he made all those years ago...." He smirked a little. "But he's seriously gonna do this, and to top it all off, he's gonna funnel us information on Zurg's Empire!"

Warp is really coming back to Star Command.... Hmmm, guess it was just now really sinking in....

Warp cracked an eyelid open just enough to see Winter's smirk before he really fell asleep. It was a deep, dreamless sleep, but somehow he didn't feel rested when Winter poked him in the ribs forty-five minutes later.
"Oh, that was so not enough." He groaned dramatically and unbuckled himself, opening the door to let himself out of the speeder.

....................

"Sounds cool," said Mira, her voice dripping with the sarcasm that only the princess Ranger could dish out. But 'cool' won't be good enough when he comes here to spy on us.
"I think I'll go now," Mira told Buzz. She had to be alone, away from the confusing feelings she had when she was around Buzz, to absorb the shocking information. She started to the door.

Winter gave him a look that said 'really?' "Dramatic much?" She rolled her eyes. "Come on, flyboy, we've got til noon to get everything set up." She opened her door, and got out.

*****

*cute LGM waddles on screen* "Meanwhile, on the other side of Star Command...." *waddles away*

*****

"Sounds cool," said Mira, her voice dripping with the sarcasm that only the princess Ranger could dish out.

Buzz frowned. "You don't have to get nasty about it Mira."

"I think I'll go now,"

His frown deepened. What? Why? Ugh, what did I do now? I thought she WANTED me to talk about my feelings! He re-played the conversation in his head as Mira walked toward the door. Just as she reached it, something clicked in Buzz's head (he may be a little dense but he's not stupid!) "Mira, wait!"

Get used to the drama, girl. I've got to have something left if I'm to be trained by her, he thought sarcastically.
"Y'know, the 'flyboy' stuff is good for a while, but at this point, I can see it paling." He rested an arm on the speeder door and leaned against it, his posture deceptively lazy. He knew he had to be in Star Command in not too long... just couldn't resist pretending to take his time, for Winter's benefit.

....................

"What, Buzz?" Mira turned, letting out a sigh of frustration. What is wrong with me? I don't usually get flustered this easily!

"Paleing huh?" Winter copied Warp's stance, then propped her chin on her palm. "Ya know, just for that, my nick-name for you is going to be flyboy for the rest of your life." She grinned at him. Whatcha gonna do now smarty?

*****

*cute LGM waddles on screen* "Meanwhile, on the other side of Star Command...." *waddles away*

*****

"What, Buzz?" Mira turned, letting out a sigh of frustration.

Wow, this was worse than he thought...

"Mira, does Warp coming back make you feel...." He searched for the right word. "Threatened? That he would be my co-piolet again? Or you just don't trust him to keep up his end of the bargain?"

Silence.

"Mira, come on, I just talked to you about something personal, could you please do the same for me?" He smiled softly at her. "What's bugging you?"

Warp did nothing but grin back. "I've never gotten that much sass before," he told her, hoping he hadn't been too bold. Ah well. Before long we'll be training away and we'll both forget all about her sassiness. Hopefully... or do I really hope that?

.....................................

"You read my mind, Buzz. I'm sorry, but I can't help but feel a little.... jealous." She whispered the last word, and she fought furiously to keep the pink from reaching her cheeks.
What's with the mood swings, girl? You're quite the emotional one today!

"You read my mind, Buzz. I'm sorry, but I can't help but feel a little.... jealous." She whispered the last word, and she fought furiously to keep the pink from reaching her cheeks.

His brow furrowed. "Why, Mira? There is no way I would want him to be my co-piolet again believe me." The last part came out a touch bitter.

Buzz took a deep breath. "Mira, I don't trust him anymore, that's why I'm having a hard time with him coming back to Star Command. He betrayed me!"

He walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "I trust you with my life Princess, you don't need to worry about something like that....don't you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you." Mira felt suddenly ashamed. He was captain of her team-and she let something as simple and childish as jealousy get in the way of her trust?
She allowed the flush to make it to her cheeks.
"I'm sorry, Buzz. I guess... guess I'm on an emotional rollercoaster right now. Don't let me get to you." Mira grinned, but only faintly, as she struggled with her emotions.

"I'm sorry, Buzz. I guess... guess I'm on an emotional rollercoaster right now. Don't let me get to you." Mira grinned, but only faintly, as she struggled with her emotions.

Buzz returned the faint grin. "Honestly I don't think I'm to far behind you." He chuckled, trying to break the mounting tension. "Since when do we crack up like this? Star Command's meatloaf must be getting to us."

Meatloaf? "More like Warploaf," she muttered under her breath, half hoping Buzz hadn't heard her.
"I'm sorry," she apologized, hoping it wouldn't sound silly if he actually hadn't heard her first comment.
It's time for you to go. This is not a fruitful conversation. Half of her mind-the logical half-insisted on her leaving, and the other half begged to stay next to Buzz, speaking of the worst hidden fears she had had since joining Team Lightyear.

Meatloaf? "More like Warploaf," she muttered under her breath, half hoping Buzz hadn't heard her.

Of course Buzz HAD heard her little comment.

His eyebrows shot up as he tried to conceal his amusement. Oooook, that's one for the books.....

The Space Ranger coughed, trying to get the laughter out of his system. "Well...."

He was cut off by his wrist com. flashing the Commander's number.

And then spent the next few minutes getting chewed out by Nebula for him and his team still being at work.....

*Ten minutes later*

Buzz sighed as he closed his wrist com. Man, loud lectures and headaches do not mix!

He looked up at Mira, who was still hovering by the door. "Let's find Booster and XR and get out of here before he calls back, huh?"

Mira, relieved that the long and somewhat awkward silence was over, turned toward the door with a nod of her head.
She walked out the door and started down one of the long corridors, glancing behind her to make sure Buzz was following. She worried more than a little about his headache; and the simple fact that she did worried her in turn.
Why, exactly, is he suddenly so important to me? She thought back, and realized that the Buzz's importance to her wasn't sudden at all. It had happened over the past months that she'd been his copilot, like a cold wind slowly turning to a warm one. Mira had seen his best side and his worst, and both had neither repulsed nor disappointed her. Maybe that was why she cared so much... because he was the type of person with whom you could not spend a year without getting to know him inside out.
Mira shook herself out of her reverie, continuing her brisk walk with barely a break in her stride, listening intently for Buzz's footsteps even as she tried to give no indication that she was.

Warp did nothing but grin back. "I've never gotten that much sass before," he told her, hoping he hadn't been too bold. Ah well. Before long we'll be training away and we'll both forget all about her sassiness. Hopefully... or do I really hope that?

"Oh, I think you have..." Winter shut the drivers side door with as evil a smirk that a girl with bunny shaped earings could muster. "Come on, Nebula's got one of the training deck's emptied out for us for the next two hours, then we get you a comunicator and such and get you back to that dust ball moon of yours with no one the wiser."

*****

*cute LGM waddles on screen* "Meanwhile, on the other side of Star Command...." *waddles away*

*****


Buzz jogged to catch up with Mira as she walked briskly toward Star
Command's cafeteria. "Man this is really bugging her....." He mentally smacked himself. "Heck I'm not exacting taking it well myself."

Lost in thought, he ran into the princess when she came to an ubrupt stop infront of the see-through glass doors of the cafeteria.

"All right then. But don't go calling my moon a dust ball, or you'll be one before long." Warp smirked back, then led the way to the training room. He remembered it well; the guilt he'd been feeling for the last few months had kept the memory fresh.
**********
"Um... Buzz? Looks like your escape from Commander Nebula's lecture was a little... futile." Mira raised a hand and pointed beyond the glass doors of the cafeteria, then bit her lip as she turned back to Buzz. "Do you still want to go in?"

"Touchy..." She murmmered as they reached the hydro-lift. After boarding, Winter smirked inwardly as Warp automaticlly hit the correct button. "Looks like someones still right at home here..."

You should warn him... That little voice in the back of her mind nagged at her.

'Hoho, and deprive a good friend of a deserving sucker punch target? Not a chance!' She retorted.

Touche.... It answered back.

'Buuuut it can't hurt to get his side of the story I guess.' Her curiosity was getting the best of her.

That'a girl. You could almost hear the self-satisfied smirk.

"Sooo, feel like playing 20 questions?" She asked as the lift began to move toward their destination.
----------
Buzz look over to where she was pointing.

"Um... Buzz? Looks like your escape from Commander Nebula's lecture was a little... futile." Mira raised a hand and pointed beyond the glass doors of the cafeteria, then bit her lip as she turned back to Buzz.

He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face in frustration. "Just can't seem to catch a break today can I!?"

"Do you still want to go in?"

Another sigh from the captain. "Might as well, he'd probably turn up in the speeder-port as soon as we got there." "Wow that was kind of bitter..." He shook his head, hopeing to shake off his morbid mood. "Plus we carpooled, can't just leave Booster and XR here."

He walked the few remaining steps to the door and pulled it open, standing to one side so Mira could pass through. "After you."

(Who says chivalry's dead? *hugs Buzz* )

"Twenty Questions?" Warp threw his head back and silently laughed. "If you're going to ask me embarrassing questions about my job, expect some about yours. I know it inside out." He shook his head at the girl. It was hard to match his level of sarcasm, and she was getting the job done quite nicely.
***************
"Thanks, Buzz!" Mira gave him a little smile as she passed him, an expression that hadn't touched her face for a while.
She whispered to him as he passed by. "Don't worry about it. Really. It'll make things better for all of us if you try to be cheerful."
She walked over to the table where Booster, XR, and Commander Nebula were sitting. "Hello Booster, XR, Commander."