AN: This story is very loosely based on the Buzz Lightyear Star Command cartoon. It used to be shown here on telly years ago, I don't know if it's still on in America? I used to watch it when I was about ooh, eight? (This idea's been around a long time!)

The only things I've taken from it are the Tangeans and their planet. The rest I thought up myself =)

I've had Meera and Chris in my mind for a long time, I hope you like the (probably) final spin on it.

Alienated

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Pat. Pat. Pat.

We hit the ball back and forth, as lightly as possible. We can’t let anyone hear us; no-one can know what we’re doing here.

We’re playing Swingball while the solder dries, Meera and me. Making the most of the sunshine, she says.

I didn’t listen much when we did electronics at school, but I know that for some things you have to use silver solder, and for others, normal lead and tin mix, or whatever it is, will do. This needs solder made out of some material with an unpronounceable name, and in this atmosphere, it takes an eternity to dry.

Playing Swingball with Meera is... interesting. She’s got lightning reactions, that girl. The ball is just about to wrap round the pole, I’m just about to score that vital point, when every time, every single fucking time, Meera swoops in and whacks the ball the other way.

A sphere of yellow, heading towards me. Close. Too close.

Ow.

Meera laughs. I rub my nose.

“Sucks to be you,” she says. She doesn’t have to worry about getting hit. The ball just goes straight through if she wants.

“Worse to be you.” I fight back without thinking and before she can stop them, there are tears in her eyes.

Of course it’s worse to be her. He dad died not more than a week ago. She’s on the run from the police. She’s bargained away an entire planet, an entire species to save herself, and the only one she has left is me.

And I can’t even tell her the most important thing...

How on Earth did we get so mixed up?