"Taz, you know this is against the—" Up stopped talking when he saw the distressed state that Taz was in. The collar of her pajama shirt was damp with what Up suspected were tears, but he wasn't going to bring up the subject.

"Callate la boca," Taz muttered as she pushed her way past Up and into his room.

"Taz, is this about the trial?" Up asked worriedly. He remained at the door as Taz walked over to his bed and plopped down. "You know that they'll find us innocent. I mean, we didn't even do anything! It was that bug and her larva, or whatever Bug said."

"It is the Galactic League against 8 rangers, Up. We don't stand a chance! None of us know the law—other than what we were required to learn. They'll crush us like una cucaracha!" Taz grabbed Up's pillow and ripped it clear in two. The goose feathers littered Taz's lap.

Up gathered his courage and joined Taz on his bed. He put his arm around her waist, and waited to see if this was the wrong move. Taz melted into his shoulder right away.

Up cleared his throat after a long—yet far from awkward—silence. "There's only one way to fix that, then." Taz looked up to Up's solemn yet loving expression that shined down on her. "We're gonna have to become expert attorneys at law, if there's any hope in saving our hides."

Taz looked disdainful at the thought of spending hours learning the law of all things. Taz had always disliked bookwork—she was a girl of action.

"Must I? No me gusta aprender," she whined.

Up couldn't help but laugh at Taz acting like a little girl. He squeezed her closer to him. "Hush up, Tazzie." Taz scowled at the nickname.

Up released Taz and laid down on his mattress. She laid down next to him a second later. Due to the lack of a pillow, she decided that Up could double as one.

"D'ya know what date the th'trial is?" Up asked. He couldn't recall them telling him.

"July 20th," Taz said disdainfully.

Up didn't know if the date was sooner or farther away than he had expected. It was 5 months. From what Up knew, that wasn't much time to set up a whole trial against 8 people. But it might be enough time for the 8 of them to gather their senses enough to actually have a shot.

"Jou know what I heard?" Up shook his head. "I heard that they are saying our crimes of conspiracy against the Galactic League are punishable by death. That is what Crux told me."

So that's what brought on her impromptu visit at 1 A.M.

"Crux is full of bullshit, and you know it. He don't know squat about the rules."

Taz buried her face in the crook of his neck. He heard her say something, but he couldn't make any words out. He felt his skin growing wet—presumably with tears.

"C'mon Taz. This ain't worth your tears. We still got time. Don't you worry your pretty little head." This bought him a punch in the ribs from Taz.

She stayed silent for a while. Up let her have her space to think while he got her a glass of Kool-Aid (it was her favorite drink, as learned from a previous mission to Earth). He set it down on the nightstand next to her.

"Hey Up?"

"Yeah?"

She looked sheepish, in a way. "Would jou mind if I slept here tonight. I can sleep on the couch—"

Up shook his head. "No way I'm lettn' you sleep on some dingy couch." Up walked over to his closet and pulled out a spare pillow.

Taz scampered under the covers, and Up chuckled. He climbed in next to her and pulled her up onto his stomach; she didn't protest.

"G'night, Taz," Up said and he ruffled her hair slightly.

"Buenos noches," Taz whispered.

A/N: Heyyyy. I'm getting back into the swing of fanfic writing! It's been much too long. P.S: 'the trial' is something that I'll go into more later, but here's it in brief: February, Bug, Krayoner, Specs, Megagirl, Tootsie Megagirl, Taz & Up are all being charged with treson against the G.L.E.E. for accusing it of planning the whole Bug World thing & they're being charged with the murder of Junior. It'll be explained more in later chapters.

HuskerChick