Learning to Dance

Junior had gotten what was coming to him when he was
attacked by infant bugs while attempting to destroy the
colony and steal Space-Claw’s desired eggs. Specs had
managed to stabilize the reactor core, and since it turned out
the warp crystals had never actually been missing at all,
they would soon be returning to Earth to seek out a more
suitable planet for their cryofrozen colonists to live on –
with perhaps enough evidence this time to turn the rest of
the G.L.E.E. against Space-Claw for good. Megagirl’s
inhibitor chip hadn’t yet been restored, but whatever new
emotion it was that Tootsie had gotten her to download, it
seemed to be keeping her from killing anyone. Taz didn't
want to admit it, but the robot was starting to seem almost –
human.
Maybe having your best friend become part-robot
himself put things into perspective for you.
“We are gathered here today to pay our final respects to
our honoured dead – Bug – who we lay to rest, here in his
native soil.”
Taz gazed across the alien landscape. There had never
been a funeral for her mama, or her aunt and cousins. Pedro
had been only one of hundreds to die the day the robot fleet
had been destroyed. And Tripp – as far as she knew, Rosie
had never had the chance to bid her husband a proper
goodbye either.
February’s gasping sobs pierced her thoughts. Taz
remembered suddenly how she’d felt when she thought Up
was dead, when she’d woken up in that hospital to the end
of her world.
How could I have let him go – after that?
Up was continuing his eulogy.
“... but I like to think that you’re still out there –
somewhere.”
“Would you settle for somewhere right here?”