Previously in Into the Stars

"I don't know what you're working on, but you shouldn't stay in here. Come on" he tugged Jumba's arm, and the scientist sighed heavily and got to his feet, allowing the noodle to lead him out of the room, defeat in his posture.

Neither saw the screen light up red, flashing in white the number 625.

Now

Lilo groaned, rolling over and pulling her pillow over her head when she heard a loud scream, the sound drilling into her brain and causing her pain.

"Quiet" she tried to protest, voice muffled by her pillow, and at her side she heard Stitch grunt in agreement

"What is that noise?" Mertle finally asked, annoyance sneaking into her tone as she finally pushed herself up and glared toward the lift to the room

"I don't know" Victoria grumbled, lifting her head to glance at Lilo, just as Stitch lurched upwards, ears twitching

"Stitch?" Lilo asked, sitting up when she felt the experiment tense up beside her "Is everything okay?"

"Cousin!" he cried, leaping forward and diving down the shaft of the lift. The three girls shared a glance before scrambling out of their makeshift beds and calling the lift

By the time they made it to the ground floor Stitch was already flying out the door, screaming for Lilo to follow him as he went. The girl called anapology to a very confused Nani as she took off, neglecting her sandals so she wouldn't fall farther behind than she already was.

And so, three pyjama-clad girls and an alien experiment rushed through the forest of Kaua'i. They skidded to a stop in the middle of a clearing, Lilo bumping into Stitch due to the sudden stop, and only then did she notice that Millie had been leading them. The grey and pink cat-like experiment turned her wide eyes on them

"This is where I last saw him! You have to hurry!"

"Takka Millie" Stitch spoke, straining to keep his voice soothing as he placed a hand on her shoulder "Get to safety"

She nodded, and turned and took off as fast as she could

"Stitch? What was that about? Who's missing?" Lilo asked worriedly

Stitch turned, black eyes filled with guilt

"Reuben" he muttered

She took a startled step back, crashing into Mertle's chest, and her gaze flicked rapidly around the clearing, as if he was there and they just hadn't noticed.

"Reuben!?" she finally cried, heart aching for the sandwhich maker that was one of her closest friends "Reuben can you hear me!?"

"Help!" came a scream from several yards away

Lilo and Stitch shared a glance and took off, tearing through the brush and into yet another clearing, where they found Reuben and Angel surrounded by several tall dark figures. From what Lilo and Stitch could see, they didn't have any distinguishable features.

"Stitch, who are these guys?" Lilo hissed to the alien

"Meega naga nota" he frowned

"We need to think of a plan of attack" Mertle insisted from behind them

"Meega have a plan!" Angel cried, and the group tensed, not having realized they could be heard "Attack!" she lunged at the creature that leapt for Reuben, quickly taking it to the ground

Stitch groaned at his cousin's headstrong behaviour

"Naga bootifa" he muttered "Oketaka, weega do this now, and weega win!" he turned and took off, skidding to a stop a few feet away from one of the black figures. His extra arms escaped and he bared his teeth "Goocha!" the creature turned "Chabata!"

The creature grinned, revealing rows of sharp teeth, and it parted them as it dove for the blue furred experiment with speed Stitch almost couldn't match, diving out of the way with barely a second to spare.

"Lilo!" he called "Get Angel and run! Meega get Reuben!"

"Okay!" she called back, turning to face her friends "You girls wait here" she told them firmly "I don't want you getting hurt"

"But what about you?" Victoria protested

"I'm used to this" she replied, turning and taking off, leaving her friends in the bushes

"Angel!" the pink experiment whirled "heads up!" her hands were outstretched as she leapt, and the pink experiment tensed, ears twitching as she heard someone approaching from behind.

Her eyes widened in slight panic; if she turned now, Lilo could hurt herself, but if she didn't, then they could both get captured. Her gaze shot to the girls hands, and without a second thought she leapt up and caught them, landing and spinning herself around. Lilo caught on with barely a second to act, and kicked the creature in the head, sending it flying back into some bushes.

Lilo was dropped on the seat of her pants gently and both stared when the thing stood, head twisted at a bizarre angle, and it reached up, pure white eyes staring at them as its clawed hands grasped its head and jerked it back into a normal position. Lilo's jaw dropped and she turned to face Angel.

"We have to get out of here" she breathed, yanking the experiment into her arms and taking off as fast as he feet could carry her.

"Isa coming!" Angel screamed shrilly, fur on her back raising

Lilo glanced over her shoulder and felt fear stab through her chest as the creature tore after them through the clearing, easily gaining ground on the young girl

"Stitch!" she screamed, and barely a second later the creature was tackled to the ground, and suddenly Reuben was flying through the air toward her, having been thrown toward her by Stitch.

The orange experiment let out a screech and Lilo threw out her arms, stumbling back slightly when he crashed into her arms. Now clinging to two terrified experiments, the girl stared in horror as the creatures turned their attentions upon Stitch.

"Go! Phaa thoy gho!" he screamed toward the girl

"No- Stitch I'm not running!" she yelled back "I-"

"Boojiboo go!" he screamed desperately

Lilo hesitated for a moment before turning on her heel and taking off into the woods. It didn't wake long for her to locate Mertle and Victoria, and handed the experiments to them

"Take them to my house" she told them firmly "I'll be back in a few minutes"

"Lilo what are you going to do?" Mertle asked worriedly, clinging to Angel as the experiment shook in terror

"What I have to. Get them home. Please. It's the only place I can keep them safe"

"Okay" Mertle nodded, knowing it was no use to argue

Victoria grabbed her arm

"You better come home"

Lilo nodded

"I will"

With that, the group separated, Mertle and Victoria running back to the Pelekai residence while Lilo ran back toward Stitch and the creatures holding him.

"Ah, pathetic little 626" the creature hissed, claws dragging along his body as his friends held the struggling alien down "Look what has become of you. It must be embarassing to be so pathetic" it hissed, trailing a claw down the side of his face

Stitch snapped at it

"Naga as bad as looking like yuuga!" he spat

The creatures face contorted in disgust

"Why you-" he began, breaking off when his friend chuckled. The smile returned to his face "One day, little one, you will understand what it is like to have a face like mine" he hissed, trailing a glowing white tongue over its jagged teeth "You'll watch helplessly as we murder everyone you love" he breathed, drool dripping down its face as it paused to cackle "And only then, when you're screaming and begging for mercy, we will trap your mind and take your body, and you'll relive every second that you watched your family get slaughtered"

Stitch snapped his teeth at the creature once more, and the creature chuckled

"Just you wait, little one. Just you-" it broke off when Lilo stepped into the clearing

"Hey!" she screamed "Let him go!"

The greature smiled sickly and chuckled

"You want him? Take him" he grabbed Stitch around the throat and hurled him at the girl, whom caught him and held him to her chest, glare fixed on the creatures standing before her "He will be ours soon enough" he disappeared in a flash and was suddenly right behind her "Enjoy him while you can, little girl"

He reappeared with his friends, and she backed up a few hurried steps. The creatures friends made to follow, and he held out an arm

"Let her go" it smiled cruelly "It will be her turn soon enough"

Lilo swallowed the dread building inside her and turned and ran as fast as she could, not seeing when the creatures disappeared.