Kirbage

Kirbage is the het ship between Kira and Garbage from the Dogs in Space fandom.

Fetch
Chonies alerts the crew of a transmission from Kira. When they learn that she has been stranded on the planet they landed on for over a year, Garbage is worried for her. He leads the crew to investigate their surroundings but inadvertently gets them stuck in one of Kira's traps. Before he can use his blaster, Kira shoots it off of his hand and charges her laser.

Here, Girl!
Kira slowly approaches Garbage and his trapped crew. She briefly decharges her laser questioning if they're real but then believes that she's hallucinating. Garbage talks her out of shooting them and tries to get the crew to introduce themselves. Kira sniffs and bonks Garbage's nose and concludes that they are indeed real. She prances around excitedly and frees Garbage's crew from the trap. Garbage briefly stops Stella from threatening Kira and his legs are caught by vines growing from the planet's surface. Kira runs to rescue him by chewing off the vines and warns them that standing still for too long will get them pulled under. Instead, she offers the crew a visit to her shuttle. Garbage, trying to lighten the crew's mood, calls Kira fun. He, along with Chonies and Stella, feel unsettled by what she has collected throughout her time on the planet. When Kira believes that they are a rescue team looking for her, Garbage has to break the news that they found her by coincidence. He tries to assure her they were rescuing her anyway, but Kira becomes dispirited. She tells Garbage that she would rather stay behind since she thinks they're only here to find another planet for the humans. Since Kira has survived the planet's environment for so long, he suggests to his crew that the planet must be habitable. Kira mocks the idea, asserting they wouldn't be able to deal with the Emuleck.

Stella feels as if they shouldn't force her off the planet if she wants to stay. Garbage reminds her that Kira is a dog as well and is unwilling to leave her behind. She returns to the shuttle with the corpse of an alien, surprised that they haven't left. Garbage questions if she would really rather feast on a diseased alien bear and is shocked when Kira tells him that's what it is. While cutting up the corpse, Garbage tries to get her into eating one of his pastries to no avail. Kira informs him that she has been trapped on the planet as a result of trying to help humans find a new planet and isn't set to go to the M-Bark with them. Garbage feels slightly relieved when Kira allows them to get supplies after Stella suggests so.

Garbage further tries to tempt her on what the M-Bark has to offer, but Kira remains uninterested. When their ship, the Pluto, has disappeared, Kira figures out that the Emulicks have taken it. She questions how the crew has managed to stay alive due to their incompetency. She announces her plan to retrieve the ship and attempts to shoo them away. The crew follows her through the hole she climbs down anyways. Garbage plans on using his blaster to shoot the Emulecks until Kira describes what they do and where they could be. As Kira slides down to chew off vines, Garbage converses with Stella about Kira's grudge for humans. Stella points out that they never told anyone, the humans or the M-Bark, of her existance. Garbage defends them by saying they didn't want to distract the crews from the overall mission: finding a habitable planet for humans. When the Emuleck emerges and grasps Kira and Nomi, Garbage and Stella shoot at it with their blasters. They are freed but Kira's arm is broken as a result of the fall.

After defeating the Emulick, Kira is unwilling to go with the Pluto to the M-Bark. Garbage understands Kira's view of humans but asks her to trust not humans, but dogs. After hearing from Chonies, Stella, and Nomi, Kira eventually gives in and allows them to transport her. Garbage thanks her for trusting them. When they land, he tells Kira to remain hidden as the M-Bark does not know of her existance and the crew was not suppose to be outside of the station.

As Garbage is about to be stripped of his rank as captain, Kira interrupts the council to announce her presence. She dramatizes her time with the crew to persuade the council that Garbage had saved her. He asks why she's doing this, to which she calls back what Stella had told her earlier: dogs look out for each other. Garbage's rescue of Kira is enough to convince the counsel to change their mind, but nonetheless still require him to go through training.

Spin
Garbage is struggling to take down a mutant creature made up of a mutilated dog in the M-Bark's lab. After Chonies tries to arm him with tech, Garbage calls Kira for assistance. She believes that she's only going to make things worse, given how she hasn't been able to fit in well spending time with the crew. Garbage motivates her by bringing up her skill in brawling with monsters back on her planet. Stating how easily she could defeat this one with him, Kira is willing to step up and help Garbage. Kira leaps up and blasts a laser on the creature, freeing Garbage. As he watches Kira bite on to it and shoot it further, Garbage formulates a plan to put it in a machine. Kira is about to be slapped by the creature until Garbage stuns it. As he calls it to approach the machine, he instructs Kira to kick it inside. Chonies locks up the doors and the creature is reverted to the dog it took over. Penelope, Garbage's dog trainer, watched the two take down the creature and is impressed by Garbage's qualities of a captain. She believes that he and Kira bring out the best in each other and recommends Kira to join the Pluto. However, she is still unsure of whether she fits with the other dogs and is discouraged. As she walks away, Garbage gets the idea on how Kira could see the M-Bark as a home to her. He and the rest of the crew lead Kira to a room in the ship. Kira is originally dejected but upon seeing that the room is themed around her old abode, she is thrilled. When Garbage asks if it's enough to convince her to stay, Kira is now accepting of the crew. They try to gather around her for a hug, but realizes that she wants to spend time to herself for the time being.

Who's a Good Boy?
Kira startles Garbage as he's preparping his ship for another mission. She asserts that she's ready for whatever they're going to face.

While Garbage is making a recording for his owner Chelsea, Kira overhears him talking about her. She likes being called cool but is angered when she's reminded that no one was out to look for her when she was stranded. She walks away on a bad note, Garbage remaining unaware that she was listening to his recording.

Kira is against the idea of Gooey giving up his planet for humans to potentially live in. Garbage points out that Gooey is on board with leaving his planet, yet Kira still thinks he is being kicked out by them. Stella breaks up the argument and tells Kira that Garbage is right, saying that Gooey has no issues with leaving his planet. While she is suggesting that Gooey would like to explore the outer world, Kira is annoyed by Garbage boasting that the others agree with him.

Believing that the planet is about to enshrivel them up, Kira admits that she would rather die with them than die alone. The two, along with Chonies, Stella, and Ed all huddle in for one last hug. The gang is then rescued by Loaf via piloting an M-Bark pod.

Settle Down
Kira critizes the humans' need to have their water clean to be drinkable. Garbage is unconvinced and announces that they should follow what humans would do to revive their moral in searching for a planet: taking a day off. Before Garbage says this, Kira jokes that they would colonize a planet and say they discovered it.

The crew, except for Stella, have been turned into puppies. While Garbage explains their situation, Kira further supports Chonies' view of Garbage being brave.

Speak
Garbage and Kira, along with Chonies, Stella, and Nomi are at the Shrubdubs' station in hopes of getting one of their seeds that can revive planet Earth. While the others are unwilling to tell the receptionist what happened to the dodo, Kira is honest about humans causing their extinction. Garbage continues to remain the positive outlook towards human accompolishment while Kira further comments about their destruction towards their own planet. The receptionist wants to hear from Kira whether humans will learn from their mistakes. Garbage is initially relieved when Kira suggests not wiping the humans out, but is further worried when she says they're already on track on wiping themselves out. After failing to obtain the seed, the two are mad at each other: Garbage for Kira's grudge against humans and Kira for having her honesty devalued by him. Right before she leaves the room, Kira hints to Garbage that his owner Chelsea abandoned him by sending him off to space.

Garbage and the others are excited to see Kira return, only to see that she returned to get food. He tells her about the heist that Ed is planning to obtain the seed, which needs one more dog for it to work. Kira is hesitant knowing they are only doing this to save the human race, saying it's not worth it to risk their lives for them. Garbage attempts to convince her by acting sad, making her leave the room again.

After hearing that Chonies is likely not to survive if she doesn't join them, Kira eventually gives in to their mission. Kira makes it clear to them that she's only doing it to save Chonies' life. Garbage thanks her anyways.

Nomi pilots the two to the Shrubdubs' station, with the nebula now eliminating their ability to speak. The two howl in success and leave the ship to enter the station. Garbage lands on the Shrubdub monitoring the portal to the seed vault. Kira points a blaster towards it and gets it to reveal the code that takes it to the seed vault. Before it can finish writing, Garbage shoots it with his blaster. Kira is angered by Garbage for not having the complete writing because of him. Stella and Ed arrive from getting a container for the seed. Kira tries to adjust the panels as needed to match the code for them but is unsure of the order. Garbage, determined to save the Earth for Chelsea, submits the code anyways to Kira's concern. Tentacles come out of the portal and grab onto Stella and Ed. Kira comes out of the surrvalence room to try to rescue the two. Garbage rearranges the code to try the other possible combination, leaving Stella and Ed stuck inside the previous portal. Kira is further angered by him, but they are now able to get inside the seed vault. Garbage is amazed by all of the seeds and tries to get one while Kira insists that they save Stella and Ed. Right as he is about to grab one, Kira pulls him back. Garbage tries getting himself out of Kira's grasp only to trip and crack the screen containing the seeds. As they all tumble over, Garbage slides away with one out of the portal. The seed begins to rapidly grow due to being exposed to the heat. Kira further yaps at him for being unable to control the seed. The vines from the seed grow long enough to start tampering with the code controlling the portal. Although Stella and Ed are freed, the roots cause new creatures to come out of the portal. The heist continues to fail as Chonies loses control over the gravity and the two now dealing with further monsters.

The roots break open the station and the nebula's effects wear out. Kira approaches Garbage, inside a forcefield with Chonies and the seed, and demands that he rescue the crew. Garbage wants to preserve the seed to take it to Earth, infuriating Kira that he would choose to save humanity over his crew. After Kira demonstrates how they've been put at risk throughout the mission, Garbage decides to give up the seed. When the crew lands back on the M-Bark, Garbage notices that Kira is about to leave them altogether. He is shocked and asks her, Kira believing that he did not live up to the saying of "all dogs look out for each other". She yells at him for allowing humans to take advantage of their loyalty. Garbage tries to explain how much Chelsea means to her, only frustrating Kira more since she has the belief that her owner abandoned her. She had attempted to contact the P.R.A.T.S. team for days on end only to learn that no one had known of her disappearance. She tries persuading Garbage that Chelsea had forgotten about him too, stating that he would make the wrong choice between saving humans or saving dogs. Garbage, taking her perspective into consideration, promises that he won't let his hopes for humanity get in the way of saving his crew again. A final reassurance convinces Kira to stay with the crew.

Stay
Kira enters Garbage's room as he's about to open a gift from Chelsea. He shows her all of the previous gifts that Chelsea had sent him in advance to celebrate each year since his adoption. Garbage believes that she'll be unimpressed because of her view on humans. However, he is proven wrong when Kira finds them cute. He is unsure whether he should open the next gift, as it was the last one Chelsea sent him. Before he can further decide, Nomi calls him over to begin their next mession.

Kira has doubts for the Shmoops' intent to please dogs, believing they are hiding something from them. Garbage still wants to see what they have to offer. She later learns from Stella that they had absorbed all of the happiness from the previous species that resided with them and offers to find Garbage while the others leave. One of the Shmoops poses as Garbage and although confused by his word choice, follows him anyways. When the real Garbage launches his grappling hook onto the Pluto, the crew does some investigating and conclude that they have an impostor on board. They toss it off the ship and fly back to save Garbage, whos stuck on the planet with the other Shmoops transformed as his crew. After the crew takes down each of themselves, Kira gives him a hand and walks him back to the ship. Garbage shoots off the last of the Shmoops that combined together to form Chelsea. Kira notices Garbage feeling down from the belief that Chelsea had used him and gives him a hug.

While the Pluto is flying back to the M-Bark, Garbage looks back to his unwrapped gift. He tells Kira how he feels manipulated by Chelsea for giving into her desires. Kira comforts him by saying he didn't give into her tricks. Garbage announces a change in his mind: to find a planet not for humans, but for dogs.

Watch Me
Garbage is excited to share his plans with Kira on finding a home for dogs. After presenting his custom flag for the new planet and a slogan, Kira feels appreciative of Garbage's support. He suggests that Kira does what she did to him: slowly expose the remaining dogs' insecurities for their trust in humans. Kira would rather try a quicker method but wants to take the conversation elsewhere. Before Garbage can ask, Chonies interrupts and wants Garbage to help him with building a robot for the upcoming mech tournament. Garbage does not want to tell Chonies what they're up to and assures him that he can help as soon as he takes care of Kira.

Kira leads Garbage to another room and shows him a blueprint of a genetically modified machine she hopes to have built. Garbage is unsure of whether to follow through since the machine will tamper with the other dogs' minds, practically brainwashing them. She further informs him that his relationship with Chelsea was unhealthy and the dogs' loyalty will only be deceased ever so slightly. Garbage is convinced and is given a sheet of materials for him to get from the tech lab.

While Kira is building the machine from the materials Garbage got, he is excited to watch Chonies' robot in action during the tournament. He is shocked when Kira tells him that he will have to skip the match for the plan to go into fruition. Kira softens his worries when she puts into perspective how their plan will help not just Chonies, but every dog in the long run.

Shortly after Chonies' final match starts, Kira is finished with building the machine. The two hug and Garbage expresses his desire to watch Chonies' match. Although tests need to be run on the machine, Kira decides to go to Chonies' match with Garbage, only to be stopped by Jerry. The two are unable to explain the machine to Jerry, who threatens to tell the council about it. Kira decides to use it on him, which removes his sapience and turns him into a regular dog. Kira and Garbage did not anticipate this and begin to worry for him.

Garbage demands Kira to revert Jerry back to his normal self. She tries to explain that he will snitch on their plan, but the two are caught anyways by Happy. He holds the two hostage and vows to inform the council of their plans. Kira takes advantage of Jerry distracting him and snatches the blaster off of Happy. She tells Garbage to use the device on Happy, who is reluctant to follow through. Kira further questions who Garbage is really loyal to and demands him to follow through for the plan to work. After having to choose between who to follow, Garbage eventually favors Happy and shoots the machine. Kira is frustrated and forces him, Happy, and Jerry into an escape pod. She believes that they are "too human" to be trustworthy and vows to have them experience what she used to go through: to have no one looking for them.

Leave It
The rest of the Pluto is searching for Garbage. Nomi finds Kira and the crew goes to her to ask questions. She tries to fend off any of the fears they have after Stella asks if Garbage has been acting strange. As they find details related to his disappearance, such as the missing escape pod, Garbage's blaster in the possession of Kira, and uncovering her machine, they quickly build up suspicions towards Kira. Stella believes that Kira knows where Garbage is. Kira is unable to come up with a response and as a result, goes rogue to further develop her plans.

Garbage, Happy, and Jerry end up on a stranded planet. Happy expresses frustration over the fact that Garbage and Kira had caused them to be stuck. Garbage defends himself by stating he misunderstood Kira's intentions, believing they were going to save their fellow dogs. He is unsure of whether he can still consider Kira a friend or not.

While stranded on the planet, Garbage starts to open up his concerns to Jerry. He thought that Kira understood his insecurities for his owner. He is further confused on how the crew will feel and if they'll still think that either Kira or him are trying to save them.

Happy has built a beacon that receives transmissions from humans on Earth. While he and Garbage are going through frequencies, they find and listen to a message from P.R.A.T.S. scientist Olga. They are both taken aback upon learning that she is Kira's owner who is hoping to look for her. Garbage informs Happy that Kira is misguided on humans, making it clear that Garbage wants to relay the message to her.

Drop It
After reuniting with Chonies, Nomi, and Atlas, they, Garbage, and Happy discover that Kira has used her machine to turn everyone else in the M-Bark into regular dogs. Garbage thinks of a way to relay Olga's message so that Kira can see it. Grabbing the fireflies containing the message, Chonies suggests that they build a beacon to relay the message. Happy and Atlas want to arrest Kira and later turn her into a normal dog. Garbage surprises the others by saying they will have to use Happy's plan as a backup if his doesn't succeed. Garbage and the others relay a message to Kira through a hologram alerting her of their arrival.

As Kira tries to lockdown the doors of the M-Bark, Garbage arrives and tries to inform her of the fireflies. Kira warns him that he shouldn't have came back and arms herself with a spear. Garbage grabs one for himself and the two begin fighting. After requesting an update from Chonies on building the beacon, Garbage tries to make Kira aware of what she's causing. He states his confusion on Kira's grudge against humans as she is currently taking away any all of the dogs' freedoms. Kira puts the blame on him for not going along with her plan and traps him between the two spears.

Happy has discovered Kira's machine in an arena and configures it in accordance with Atlas' directions. Along with everyone else, Garbage and Kira are transformed into jellyfish. The two rush to the arena to prevent each other from further tampering with the machine. Upon entering the arena with everyone back in their previous forms, Garbage and Kira further prevent each other from progressing. Kira tires him out and punches him away from the machine. Before Garbage can get to the jar of fireflies containing the message to her, Kira pins him down. Kira is shocked when Garbage knows her owner by name but is still convinced she had forgotten about her. She is about to throw a final punch to Garbage until she is blasted away by Nomi. While Kira and Nomi brawl, Garbage continues his efforts to relay himself to the fireflies. By the time Chonies has powered up the beacon, Garbage releases the flies from the jar and Kira witnesses the message. Garbage approaches Kira as she begins to break down and cry, now realizing the weight of her misintentions. Despite their plan working, Happy is still insistant on turning the two into real dogs with the machine until stopped by Stella and Ed. Kira reverts the transformations of all of the dogs after asked to by Garbage. Duchess places Kira under arrest for her damage across the M-Bark. Garbage is initially concerned until being assured by Kira to trust them.

During a recording for Chelsea, Garbage recaps Kira's later fate. The council was unsure of how to punish Kira, so Garbage gives them the idea to send her back to Earth. Each of the members of his crew share their last words to her. Kira lets Garbage know that she's going to find his owner Chelsea, and the two bid each other one last hug. Garbage finishes up recounting her story by saying she received a message from every dog on-board, with his being the longest.

Fanon
Kirbage is a fairly popular ship in the Dogs in Space fandom. Those who ship them often cite Penelope's description for the two seeing them work together, her saying they bring out the best in each other. Their relationship is further explored throughout the first season as they understand each other's views of the mission. Even after Kira's failed takeover, supporters are fond of Garbage still looking after her and even lessening her punishment.

The ship is often compared to another het ship involving Garbage, Stellage (Stella x Garbage). A poll on Reddit was launched between the two ships, where the pairing with Stella won the majority vote. Still, supporters of Garbage with Kira believe that they have a good chance of developing a deep bond. Other ships that rival the two include Garbonies (Garbage x Chonies), Happage (Happy x Garbage), and Kiromi (Kira x Nomi).

On AO3, there is currently one work under their relationship tag. It is the most written ship for Kira and the fourth most for Garbage on the site.

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