The Starfire flew out of the machines way with precision that it seemed obvious that it was being navigated by Peepo. The fourth Starfire came to a halt alongside the drifting Starfire then cables flew out of the side of Starfire four grabbing underneath the other Starfire embedding underneath. The two flew over to the neighboring vessel where another pair of cables flew out which grabbed hold onto the connecting pipes tugging it forward. The pipes connected to the second Starfire with a low, inaudible click. The three flew in the direction of Star Command in intense speed. The three Starfires flew into the docking bay then came to a carefully performed landing. The requested repairmen stared at the damage in shock. It was Parsafoot who came out first with Samantha's arm wrapped around his shoulder.

"We need all the help we can get patching them up," Parsafoot said. "and get the Starfires ready for battle in ten minutes."

"In ten minutes?" The repairman in charge asked, as Parsafoot leaned her against a cargo container and tried her shaking her awake. "This is a drill, right?"

"Negative," Peepo said. "Danger, danger." Peepo floated out of the Starfire coming down to the floor.

"What is going on, Professor?" The head repairmen asked.

Parsafoot turned toward the light blue man.

"Dragos is headed this way with a army," Parsafoot said.

"I'll give you less than ten minutes," The head repairmen said, then turned toward the gathering crowd. "You heard the man! Let's get them ready!"

Samantha's eyes slowly opened.

"Professor?" Samantha asked. "Did we make it?"

Parsafoot relaxed.

"You got out of it alive," Parsafoot said. "I can't say the same for us."

Jason came walking out rubbing the side of his throbbing head.

"Jason!" Samantha called.

Parsafoot came toward the disturbed man.

"I see we came in time for the riot," Jason said, jokingly.

"How is your head?" Samantha asked.

"I'll live," Jason said, as repairmen were speeding into the Starfires with equipment. "We made a little dent. But not enough. We have to go back out there."

"After the Starfires are battle ready," Parsafoot said.

"The Starfires are ready," Jason said.

"No, they are ready-to-daily-fight-unoccupied-drones," Parsafoot said. "They are not soldiers!"

Jason's eyebrows raised.

"Neither are you," Jason said. "You're shaken up." He grew concerned. "What happened?"

"I had to get the two of you out of there alone is what happened," Parsafoot said.

Jason looked toward the three merged Starfires then back in the direction of Parsafoot.

"His Starfire was destroyed," Jason assumed.

"No," Parsafoot said. "His Starfire was floating towards the void last I saw. He could be crashing right this minute," the scene panned over to show a mountain area at night. A red flaming ball was coming down from the heavens streaking above the sand passing by gigantic rock formations. The Starfire flew over the circular structure coming to a crash landing between barren trees. "And no one might be able to help him."

"We can try to take down what we can," Jason said. "Professor, have you tried everything?"

"I have some glitching inventions that we can try," Parsafoot said.

"How about we try a game of bowling with the inventions?" Samantha asked. "Except with dragon squadrons."

Jason snapped his fingers.

"That's brilliant," Jason said, then folded his arms. "We'll have to cover each others back for this."

"Sam, I can't bowl even in space," Parsafoot said.

"This time it's not a rink," Samantha said. "You're going to destroy some with space junk."

"No matter what happens today or what happens after," Jason said, placing his hands on their shoulders. "I rather die trying with my best friends."

The repairmen came back out of the Starfires.

"We've taken the liberty of removing the standard issue consoles for the battle consoles," The head repairman said, as the others were lifting the heavy dark consoles to the side. Parsafoot watched the friendly black consoles with the colorful buttons pass him. The hours of work that went into them installing them into the new Starfire, robot hours even, felt as though the good times were over for now. "These consoles were just safety pins to the war consoles. It's not pretty."

"War isn't pretty," Samantha said.

"Be careful out there," The head repairman added. "These Starfire types have only been tested planet side."

Jason shared one look at his friends earning nods in return.

"We will," Jason, his attention back on the repairman then they went toward the Starfires.

The doors closed behind Samantha. One of the Starfires drifted apart. Two of them were still merged together as one of them piloted. The repairmen watched the Starfires leave the docking bay headed in the direction of the oncoming army. From Academy Control, Gampu watched with hope and great worry for the team. Peepo joined Gampu at Academy Control. Samantha piloted the fourth Starfire toward the army. Jason fired at the vessels twirling and turning out of the way of fire. Samantha and Parsafoot activated their life support badges on their wrists. Parsafoot took out a large gun device then leaned against the wall and used the other hand to press the button. The door slid open. He watched the active machinery float out of the center drifting toward the army.

A series of large, bulky machinery flew out of Starfire 4's doorway falling in the direction of the approaching army. The door closed once the last object fell out. The machines were operating with glowing white lights and a center piece blue laser illuminating from them. They ranged in size to the sight of a couch, a table, and a reasonably large console. The army spread out getting out of the way of the oncoming traffic except for two that were left in the way and destroyed in a blaze. Several of the armies spaceships were encased in freezing sheet of ice that froze them in place. The other spaceships flew around the frozen vessels. Dragos's face appeared on the dark screen looking toward the group.

"You're very stubborn when it comes to dying, Jason," Dragos said.

"I still have a oraco," Jason said.

"Defending that planetoid will be the death of you," Dragos said. "Sticking to your home base. That's admirable, sticking to your principles that's even more impressive in the face of annihilation."

"And you're going to miss me when I am gone," Jason said. "This is fine, but I am not going to miss you as much as you will for me."

"I expect nothing less," Dragos said. "Mark my words, I am going to win and you will lose everything! Everything! Just like you did to me two years ago!"

"It was your fault for attacking the Crytons," Jason said. "Attacking people worked in your day but it doesn't work on the federation's timecard."

"Let's see about that," Dragos said, with loud laughter. "Dragonship out."

The fourth spacespod was fired at multiple times that made it shake violently from side to side. Parsafoot's figure was sent flying out with the light blue, bulky weapon in his hand. Jason flew toward his falling friend then tipped the starfire to the side. He leaped out of the chair then came toward the door and opened it up. His friend tumbled into the side with a clearly tumbling landing. Jason came to his friend side.

"Professor?" Jason asked. "Are you alright?"

"I think I dislocated a shoulder," Parsafoot said, clenching his torn up sleeve.

"Starfire 4 to Starfire 2," Samantha said. "Is the professor okay?"

"He is fine," Jason said, coming over to the seat. "Separate from the fourth starfire," Parsafoot came over. "I will send Parsafoot back."

"I am out of rocks to throw at him," Parsafoot said, as Samantha's face flickered off the screen.

"We've done all that we can," Jason said. "We just got to use all our laser power and give them time."

Jason placed his hands on two parts of Parsafoot's shoulder then shared a long look at his friend.

"I can get to a doctor after this," Parsafoot said. "Don't make it worse."

"You could be back there with the cadets," Jason said. "Not like this."

Parsafoot took Jason's hand then shook his head. There was no other place that the professor would rather be than here. Jason took off his large, silver vest then made a makeshift sling for the shorter man. The young man came over to the pilots seat then flew the Starfire over toward the fourth. Samantha protected their six as Parsafoot made his way over toward the vessel. The two vessels split apart then fired after the drones and occupied fighters. Parsafoot's vessel was immobilized once being hit at the rockets. The professor's Starfire gradually began to fall away freely going away from the planetoid. Flipping over and over out of the battlefield.

"No!" Jason screamed.

"Professor!" Samantha shouted.

Samantha's vessel was ambushed sending it flying away from Jason and unable to continue operating.

"Sam!" Jason shouted. "Starfire 2 to Starfire 3, do you read me? Starfire 2 to starfire 4, do you read me?"

"I am here, Jason," Dragos's face appeared on the screen across from him. "Your friends can't help you now."

Dragos's dark, spine chilling laughter echoed in the Starfire. Several, gray-white sparkling energy blasts came down from the dragonship on the smaller vessel. Jason reached his hand back in the nick of time that he didn't get electrocuted. He looked up watching the Dragonship approaching the planetoid. He felt helpless watching the planetoid be fired at repeatedly at all directions. His heart sank as millions of pieces to it were flooded by despair. The Academy fired back sending several rounds of torpedoes on the first line then the second line and the third line were obliterated within a moments notice. The towers on the planetoid began to show signs of damage. He saw the explosions illuminating the normally dark surface.

His hands balled up into fists watching it be fired at repeatedly. He saw a long thin line forming along the center of it from underneath. He watched the upper two towers on both sides remain while the much heavier sections were floating away. The remaining half flew in the direction ahead passing by Jason. The large, sprawling city was going ahead of Parsafoot where it vanished into the dark void. Jason turned his eyes on the blazing away Star Command. Having the two controls built side by side had proven to be a decision best seen as unfortunate then the army was gone chasing after the large figure. Dragos was going to come back for him and make him suffer even more.

"Anyone there. . . please reply. . . anyone hear me?" Jason called. "Starfire 1, Starfire 4, Starfire 3, respond." as the camera backed off to show he was utterly alone.