By Dawns Early Light
A Power Rangers Dramatic Novel
By: Ozmandayus
Summary: This is the sequel to "Becoming" and "Darker" Divatox returns to Earth and sets a chain of events into motion that force the Rangers out of retirement and into a Galactic conspiracy.
Disclaimer: Saban Entertainment owns everything. I own the right to give these characters some much needed depth.
Distribution. If you want to archive this or any of my works just write to me, I'll always say yes, I just want to know where you put them.
Feedback: mrsinister@mailhost.chi.ameritech.net
Authors Notes: Prepare yourself for an emotional journey. This novel will push and pull you in every direction
Authors Notes 2: The first half of this chapter takes place a few days after the end of Becoming. Keep a close watch on the dates before each new part because I will go forward in time to just after "Darker" which takes place in July 2000.
Authors Notes 3.
Deanna Andrew, Angel Princess Stephanie, love you too, Myst Hunter, Hannah Belle, David Webb, Destined for Glory, Callist 426, Tiger 5913, Gaiagalit, Shady, Teri Cooper, Melissa, Silver Sky, the girl in the red jacket, Lucas, Bhotanni, Adrienne
If you write to me I promise to write you back
Here we go
******
You've got to dance like no one is watching and love like it's never going to hurt.
******
Two miles east of the home of William Hart
Saturday, February 7, 2000 6:30 PM
Angel Grove, Ca
tap
tap
tap
That simple noise delighted her soul as the sun slowly fell on another day.
tap
tap
tap
With her eyes closed she leaned back in the passenger seat and relaxed, knowing full well the next few hours will be tense but still mere child’s play compared to more recent events.
Whirlwind does not come close to describing the last ten days of Tommy and Kimberly Oliver's lives.
Everything from Tommy and Kim's reunion, to Lord Zedd's return and all the horrors brought with it, to there final battle with the Dark Lord that left them physically and emotionally exhausted, all of these things conspired against them.
But despite all that neither has ever been happier.
Cherish every moment is the Rangers new motto.
Taking a loving glance at her husband while he navigates traffic, Kimberly smiles, feeling so peaceful at this very moment. Looking out of her passenger window, Kim's line of vision falls on two young girls who appear to be no more then ten years old riding their bikes down the street.
She can't help but to smile, remembering when it was her and Trini
racing to get home before dark.
It is in that precise moment she realizes what the Rangers have fought for. Have sacrificed for. And in Zordon's extreme case, even died for.
tap
tap
tap
"Kim, are you going to do that all the way to your fathers house?" Tommy asked with a grin. Truth be told he loved the sound of her new wedding ring and band tapping against the glove compartment.
Turning to her husband with a note of sarcasm. "Yes, I am. You'd better get used to it, Mr. Oliver."
"I guess I don't have a choice, Mrs. Oliver," he
replied, taking her hand into his, marveling at how good it is to
just be alive and with the one you love. When he pull's her hand to
his lips to place a kiss upon her rings, Kimberly is once again
reminded that he is her everything.
Tommy releases her hand when he makes a left turn. Kimberly, for what must have been the one hundredth time since her husband placed it on her hand, gazed at her ring.
It was gold with a traditionally cut diamond and two lines of emeralds trailing from the larger gem to the band. The diamond shimmered with an inner fire that made him think of the look in Kim's eyes the first time they made love.
Price tag, $7.600.00 dollars.
Out of the corner of his eye he can feel her staring at the ring again. he smiled.
They drove in companionable silence, not even bothering to turn the radio on.
Kimberly can't help herself, once again tapping her wedding band
on the glove compartment. wife. Mrs. Kimberly Ann Hart Oliver.> She takes a deep breath,
soaking in that clean California air. "Penny for your thoughts," Tommy asked. Before she can answer, Kimberly catches sight of herself in the
overhead mirror. The almost purple bruise that ran from her neck to
the center of her chest was healing, becoming lighter and less
noticeable. Her split lip was going to leave a scar, nothing she
could do about that, and her ankle still ached when she walked.
Her eyes travel to towards her husband now. A rush of anger floods
her emotions. Tommy's face and neck are covered with cut's and
bruises. The skin on his knuckles are red and raw. She remembers
gasping when he took his shirt off their first night in Acapulco. His back looked unrecognizable with it's deep abrasions and raised
skin. The sight almost brought her to tears. Still, Tommy and Kimberly had faced their greatest test and
survived it. But they know they did not win. Innocent blood was still shed. Lives can not be reclaimed through
war. But right here and now, in this imperfect world, filled with hate,
racism, famine, disease and every other test life throws at you.... Kimberly was with the man she loved. And that was enough.
Tommy knows that she is in a reflective mood and he will wait
patiently for her to answer. "I'm very happy right now," she replied softly. Tommy's
grin and subsequent pride that he had a lot to do with her current
mood touched his heart. Flashes of the last few days crisscross Tommy's consciousness. The
victims of the plane crash and the one's who died from complications
because they could not get the cure to them quick enough never
strayed far from his mind. "I'm very happy, too." "And I can't tell you how happy I am to be your wife." "That's all that matters to me," he spoke softly. Adoration. It is the only word that comes to mind when Tommy thinks of his
new wife. Right after the Presidents speech in Angel Grove, Tommy and
Kimberly flew back to Acapulco for two days to enjoy their honeymoon.
Zack flew back to New York to speak to the dean of his dance academy.
Likewise, Aisha had to go back to Chicago to ease the fears of her
colleges administration. All the other Rangers had to contact their
employers to set up meetings as soon as possible. The city of Angel Grove itself had to heal and that process would
be a slow one indeed. With the viral outbreak still fresh in
everyone’s mind, coupled with the airline crash, there were
about 25 percent of the residents who said they would not return to
Angel Grove. Courage and patience would see the city through, and the Rangers
certainly hope that's the case here. Tommy noticed Kimberly yawning out of the corner of his eye.
"Beautiful, if you're too tired we can re-schedule this. They
will be just as mad at us tomorrow as they will be today." "No, that's okay," she replied softly. "I might be
a little tired but I want to get this over with. Our parents deserve
some answers." Returning her earlier yawn, Tommy asks, "How much should we
t..." "Everything. It's time they knew everything. We owe them that
now." Kimberly didn't wait for her husband to agree, she knew he already
did. With just a tip of his head the matter was settled. It's one thing to face a 1000 year old enemy who you had to kill
twice in order to save the world. But it's quite another to face a man and tell him you married his
only daughter in another country without any of your parents their,
and only days after you got back together. Oh, and by the way. We are the Power Rangers. Stretching, he can feel the effects of jetlag from the long
flight. They had just left the airport and were on the road
immediately. While in Acapulco they arranged for both sets of parents
to convene at Kimberly's fathers house, deciding to tell everyone at
the same time. Even Kim's mom flew in from London.
With a strong feeling of pride, Tommy looked at his own wedding
band, the waning bits of sunlight illuminating the gold. Kimberly
observed his fascination with the gold band.
"Can you believe it?" she said with a tone of awe in her
voice. Tommy shakes his head slowly, while smiling from ear to ear. "Days
later, even after the checkout lady called you Mrs. Oliver, it's
still hard to believe. We were apart for so long, Kim. And to get
back together and make the ultimate commitment two people can make,
it's unbelievable." Kimberly will always hate to think of their time apart. But that's
in the past now. They have new memories to make. For many years to come. "I know." "I don't have any regrets," he said without looking at
her. "Me neither," she said not looking at him. This new thing is so precious and they are just getting used to
it. For two whole days they stayed in their hotel room during their
honeymoon. No sleep was had by either. No walks on the beach were taken, no dinner out on the town or
sight seeing. None of it. They just wanted time away from the outside world. They wished
room service could have teleported their meals through the door, that
way they wouldn't even have to see the bellhop. "Right over there, Tommy. It's the red house on the left,"
Kim pointed out. The large two-story brick and frame home her father
lived alone in had two cars parked in front. Tommy parked and killed the engine. Neither made a move. The teenagers had to stay in the car. The adults had to get out and face the music. "You sure you don't want to go back to Acapulco for a few
more days?" Tommy asked nervously. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. "No, I'm not sure.
But we can't put this off forever." Tommy opened his door and got out, then went on the other side and
let the door open for his wife. Hand in hand they approached the
front porch of her fathers house. Together, they have faced the worst the galaxy has had to offer. Every creature imaginably, even some that you couldn't possibly
imagine. They have seen things that what give an average person a
heart attack. That would drive others mad. Now they face the most terrifying species in existence. The in-laws!!!! ****** The home of William Hart Saturday, February 7, 2000 6:55 PM Angel Grove, Ca Sitting next to Kimberly in the living room, Tommy realized one
thing as he stared into the cold eyes of William Hart. This man would not spit on him if he was on fire. "Son," Benjamin Oliver began. "Me and your mother
have been going out of our mind with worry. When the virus hit we
lost contact with you completely. Then the next time we see your face
it's superimposed in the corner of the TV screen as President Clinton
says he's looking for you and all your friends. I want answers and I
want them now." "And another thing. We know you two dated years ago, but why
in the hell did you want to talk to all of us together," Joan
Hart Francis offered with heat in her voice. Kimberly cringed the
same way she did when she was a teenager. Kimberly and Tommy each took deep breaths as they prepared
themselves for the endless questions to come. "My,God," William Hart whispered as he took in the
battered face of his daughter. "Kim, what happened to you? Who
did this?" he said with his questioning eyes trained on Tommy's.
"Dad, I'll explain everything. But you need to sit down. Me
and Tommy have quite a story to tell all of you." Tommy feels he should start since they are in Mr. Hart's house.
"First and foremost you need to know something. We have kept a
secret from you, all of you for years." Tommy stands to his
feet. The room quickly turns silent. Tommy has there undivided
attention. "Me and Kimberly used to be Power Rangers. And recently one
of our first enemies, a being named Lord Zedd returned to Earth. We
thought he was dead, but we were wrong. He came back because of our
mentor Zordon, one of his oldest enemies. He wanted to destroy
Zordon’s legacy, the Power Rangers legacy. Like I said, me and
Kimberly used to be Rangers, but so were Jason, Zachary, Billy,
Trini, Aisha, Katherine, Tanya, Rocky, and Adam. With the Space
Rangers somewhere in deep space and unreachable, we all had to go
back to active duty. We had to stop Lord Zedd. And we did, but a
great price was paid. Lord Zedd is solely responsible of the plane
crash and the virus outbreak. Less than four days ago all the former
Rangers attacked our old base, which he took control of. We stopped
him for good." Four bland, expressionless faces told Tommy he could have told
them all he was Batman and they would have believed him more than
they would believe this. "The Power Rangers!!!" "You've got to be kidding." "I would have known if my son was a Power Ranger." "That makes no sense." "What are you doing here with my daughter?" "You broke my sons heart years ago. Why is it that you seem
so close now?" "Are you two on drugs?" Kimberly stands next to Tommy and takes his hand into her's.
"Everything Tommy said was the truth. We can prove it. You can't
believe we would come here and make all of this up." "How, Kimberly," her father asked angrily. "How can
you expect us to believe that you two were Power Rangers. Don't you
think one of the four adults in this room would have noticed
something in all the years that the Rangers have been in Angel Grove.
They've been around since 1993 for Christ's sake." Over the next two hours, Kimberly and Tommy answer question after
question with a patience and maturity not usually associated with
people their age.
"How did you get out of the house every night?" "When did you become Rangers?" "Explain to me just who this Zordon was?" "How many years were you a Ranger?" "Why didn't you tell us?" "This is unbelievable." "How could you get yourselves involved in something so
dangerous." "Why did you think that Lord Zedd guy was dead?" Accusations soon turned to pridefull looks. Tension dissipated
somewhat into quiet contemplation. The parents knew they didn't raise
lying children no matter how amazing their story was. But their was still more to tell. The gasp from Kimberly's mom as
she pointed to her daughters hand caught everyone's attention. "Kim,...is that what I think it is?" Joan asked as she
looked into her daughters eyes.
Tommy couldn't help but to look at his bare wrist, secretly
wishing he could contact Billy for teleportation out of here. Feeling there was no perfect way to tell this last part, Kim
decided to just dive right in. "Three days ago me and Tommy got married in Acapulco,"
Kimberly continued, "Me and Tommy are very much in love. I know
were young. And I know it's quick but we felt we were ready. We had
already seen so much and experienced so much, especially these last
few days that we didn't want to wait." And their it was. The bomb to end all bombs. William Hart put his hands over his face and shook his head. Kim
held Tommy hand just a little tighter, hurting from her fathers
apparent disappointment in her. "You are barely twenty years old, Kim. You haven't been back
in Angel Grove for three whole weeks yet. How in the hell could you
do this. Are you pregnant or something?" "DAD!" "WILLIAM," Joan Heart warned her ex husband. "That
is still your daughter, or have you forgotten?" "I haven't forgotten, Joan. But don't tell me you approve of
this." William paced back and forth across the room, shaking his
head in disbelief. Tommy tried to step in. "Mr. Hart, I love your daughter. I
would never push her into anything that she wasn't ready for." "MY DAUGHTER WAS NOT READY TO GET MARRIED TO SOME RACE CAR
DRIVER!!" William Hart simply could not understand why his
twenty year old daughter would get married to her ex boyfriend less
than a month after she got back to town. Joan turned to look into her only daughters eyes, now filled with
tears. Her heart went out to her child, but this was still so much to
take in. "I think what's done is done. We can support them or
alienate them. But one way or another these two have decided to be
together. Though I don't completely agree with how they did things it
was there choice to make. They are adults and will have to live with
there decisions." Marian Oliver has been silent for most of the discussion, trying
her best to match this wonderful child she has spent the last 21
years raising with the hardened soldier life he seems to have lived
completely under her nose. "Son, you look like hell." A grin comes over Tommy's face. His mother has never been one to
mince words. "I feel just fine, mom." Marian moves in front of her son and runs her fingers over his
face in the gentle way she soothed him as a child. "Who are
you?" she asked softly. Tommy has asked himself that many times. Being adopted always
makes you wonder who you really are. High school makes you question
everything about yourself. His dark days as the Green Ranger made him
take a hard look in the mirror. All the powers and team changes
altered his perception of himself each and every time. But at the end of the day, he was still.... "Tommy." Marian gave a slight nod and took her son into her arms.
Benjamin Oliver came up behind her. "I'll buy you some Rogaine, dad," Tommy replied,
relieved to feel at least a little of the tension release. Marian turned to Kimberly next and stared her in the eye woman to
woman. She took her new daughter-in-laws hand into hers. "He has
always loved you." "I know." "Don't hurt him again." "Never." Joan Hart slowly maneuvered herself in front of Tommy. "This
is going to take some time to get used too. You do understand that,
don't you?" "I know, Mrs. Francis," Tommy replied respectfully.
"Call me mom, Tommy." And with that she took her new
son-in-law into her arms, giving him a big hug. "I still think
both of you are far to young to get married. And you guys being Power
Rangers boggles my mind. But I will support both of you. I love my
daughter with all my heart, and I will love you too." "All I want is a chance to prove to you that I will be a good
husband to your daughter." "Son, me and you are still going to have a long talk. And I
mean long," Benjamin warned his son. He loved and supported him,
but this was a big deal. "Just tell me this, son. You two are
finished with this Ranger business, right?" Tommy wanted to reassure his father and the others, but he also
wanted to tell the truth. "I don't see any reason that we would
have to be involved in any of that anymore. There are other Ranger's
that are being contacted as we speak who will take up the cause." "That's good to hear, son. Your marriage should be your
number one priority."
William Hart sat by himself on the couch. He had not said a word
in some time. His silence hurt Kim profoundly. "I'm sorry, but I can't accept this," he said without
making eye contact with anyone. Joan placed her arms on her daughters shoulder for support. "I
love Tommy, dad. I just want you to be happy for us," Kim said,
her voice stuttering with sadness. "I know this is a lot to
spring on you all at once, we can work this out. All of us will need
to adjust." "You are too young. This is a mistake and if any of the
adults in this room have any good sense they will advise you to get
this farce of a marriage annulled as quickly as possible,"
William said as he left the room and went up stairs. He slammed his bed room door so hard they all thought it came off
of it's hinges. Kimberly turned to her husband and buried her head in his
shoulder, crying loudly.
Her fathers words hurt her worse than anything ever has before. Joan consoled her daughter with a caress of her cheek.
"Kim,....Kim, he will come around. You know how he is. Just give
him some time." "It's okay, beautiful. Just let your father get used to the
idea. We know that all of us have a lot to get used to and it won't
happen overnight, but it will happen," Tommy assured his wife. "I...I know. I just can't stand disappointing him." "Time heals all wounds, Kim," Benjamin offered. "We're
family now and we will stick together and make this work." ****** ****** Five Months Later ****** ******
The Angel Grove Victims Memorial Monday, July 20, 2000 6:00 PM Angel Grove, Ca He has been present for the inauguration of six Presidents. He has
covered nearly every violent conflict the United States of America
has been involved in for the last two decades. From assassination
attempts to royal weddings, he has covered everything a journalist
could possibly want to cover. The news is his life. The truth matters to him It always has and it always will. William stands on the steps of the Memorial, his shoulders set and
his head held high. The camera man signals he will be live in ten
seconds. Taking a deep breath, William prepares to do his job. To tell the
truth. And if this is to be the last day he has a job he will leave with
his dignity and integrity intact. He will expose the truth. No matter the cost,
****** (Good evening, this is William Kincade reporting for the Channel 7
news. I come to you this evening from the Angel Grove Victims
Memorial. This now historic monument dedicated to those who have lost
their lives during the time that Earth was under attack from aliens. (In the fall of 1993 the Power Rangers first surfaced. From day
one they protected the planet from attack after attack and in doing
so captured the attention of every man, woman, and child on the
planet. (To this very day, no one has ever discovered their identities.
They never sought fame, fortune, or recondition. There job was to
protect the planet and they did it valiantly for five and a half
years before they disappeared. (Then in December of 1998 the world was once again in danger. But
with this new threat came the return of the Power Ranger's. They once
again saved the Earth and disappeared, this time for good. (Or so we thought. (Just five short months ago a tragedy took place in Angel Grove. (On Monday, Feb 1, of this year, at 5:05 PM, Flight 343 out of
Angel Grove International Airport was reportedly attacked by a
right-wing terrorist faction. It was hit by a rocket launcher and
crashed into Interstate Highway 53. In total 157 people died that
day, all 110 passengers on the plane and 47 more on the ground. (The city of Angel Grove barely had 24 hours to grieve before a
state of emergency was declared and the city forced it's residents to
evacuate. (It seems that the same terrorist group responsible for the crash
also released some sort of a virus that caused it's victims to fall
into a coma-like state. At that time no one knew the origin of the
virus or how to cure it. (One hundred and twenty-two people were infected and eighteen died
from complications. F.E.M.A., the federal emergency management
agency, with help from Center for Infectious Diseases and the FDA
found a cure for the virus and thankfully was able to save the
remaining victims lives. (During the quarantine of Angel Grove, the Clinton Administration
sent in the Marine's to keep the peace and secure the city. But on
Tuesday, Feb 2, the Marine contingent stationed at the Connors Power
Plant were attacked by the same terrorist group that downed Flight
343 and released the virus to the public. (The next day following that attack nine young men and women were
being sought for questioning concerning the attack. They all turned
out to be residents of Angel Grove who didn't leave during the
evacuation because they were helping the homeless. They received a
public apology from the President himself. (Those are the facts according to the President of the United
States, who addressed the nation from the steps of this very memorial
days after the quarantine was lifted. (But is that the truth? (Television shows like the X-Files and others have gone a long way
in perpetuating notions of worldwide conspiracies and cover-ups. The
Internet has always been a haven for those who believe that we the
public are repeatedly lied to and that the truth is often hidden.
They feel those responsible for hiding these truth's do so in some
noble fashion, feeling that certain information would disrupt our way
of life. (That is the primary reason I have come to you, the American
people, today. I have received information and evidence from a very
reliable source that totally discounts Presidents Clinton's claim of
what really happened in Angel Grove five months ago. (First of all I want to state that for the record I have received
information from this source for nearly twenty out of the twenty-four
years I have been involved in the news business. I have complete and
total faith that what I am about to tell you all is the truth. (Everything we, the American people were led to believe about the
events in Angel Grove during February of this year were lies.
(All of it. (This is a complete and total cover-up by the by the United States
Government, for reasons I am about to lay out to you. (First of all, I have sworn testimony that 41 civilians were taken
from Angel Grove International Airport the day of the crash and were
debriefed at St. Anders Air Force Base in San Francisco. The day
after the crash various reports came out concerning the sightings of
'flying men' that hovered in mid air and fired on the Flight 343.
(Before you discount this report, I want you all to remember that
people had just disembarked from flights that had already arrived. In
addition there were people waiting to board flights. (Most of them were tourist's. (With camera's. (The first piece's of evidence I will bring before you are no less
then ten color photo's taken by three separate people in different
area's of the airport. These pictures clearly show men floating in
mid air, and they all look exactly alike. They are also firing some
sort of a laser beam out of their hands. As you would expect, all
items were confiscated from the civilians when they were debriefed. (My source knows someone at the base and he provided these
pictures.
(But there is still more evidence. We have video footage taken
from security camera's at three other sites that reportedly shows
similar 'floating men'. The downtown City Hall, Angel Grove
University, and Liberty State Hospital. (The aforementioned places were also attacked. I have footage of
these 'floating men' being fired upon by humans using laser blasters.
Someone clearly knew who they were and was prepared to fight them.
(This was no ordinary terrorist group that attacked Flight 343 or
released that virus. The video footage clearly shows the 'floating
men' teleporting away. Technology like that is not available on
Earth. Only the Power Rangers and their enemies had access to such
things. (I, without a shadow of a doubt believe that aliens once again
attacked the Earth and targeted Angel Grove. I also have a theory
about the Power Rangers. (It is my belief tha............. ****** The apartment of Jason Scott Lee Monday, July 20, 2000 6:25 PM Jason watched with great interest as William Kincade's television
broadcast ended abruptly. Just mere seconds ago that live broadcast was shut off in mid
sentence. Jason said to himself. He
just arrived home from work an hour ago. Coming out of the shower he
heard the broadcast begin because he left the TV on. Jason pulls a comfortable T-shirt over his head and sits down on
his couch to relax. This is only his second month back at work. The
Southern Cross Karate School like most other business didn't re-open
right away.
State and city officials had to ensure the residents that Angel
Grove was safe and virus free. One health official after another
toured the city, taking soil and water samples, testing and
re-testing for any abnormalities. Jason stands to his feet and reaches into a small desk nearby. He
pulls out a small gray adapter and attaches it to his telephone. Then
he dials Tanya's number. Briiing Briiing Briiing (I saw it, Jase,) the former Yellow Turbo Ranger said instead of
asking who it was. (Hold on for a sec. I'm going to put you on
speaker phone.) Jason knew she was just placing her adapter on the phone. It was
Zack who didn't feel the government would ever stop keeping tabs on
them now that they knew who the Power Rangers are and where they
live. 'They will probably watch and follow us for the rest of our live.
I'd bet my life that there is a top secret file on each and every one
of us right now. Billy, do you think you can come up with something
that would block people from listening to our phone calls. We could
also use something to sweep where we live for bugs' Of course Billy came up with something. Three days later twelve
adapters and a set of pocket size detectors were handed out. At least
the Rangers could confer privately with one another should anything
come up.
(I'm set, Jason.) "Good. So, how was your day, honey?" Tanya couldn't help but to smile at his endearment. She spent most
of the day in meetings going over new advertising campaigns to win
back listeners for the radio station she worked at. "Long and
boring. The station managers don't seem to realize that Angel Grove
is going to need time to return to normal, if ever. There is no
commercial or celebrity endorser that's going to increase rating
overnight." "I can understand some of what you're going through. At the
Southern Cross, we are just now getting back some of our students.
We're barely at fifty percent of where we were last year." Tanya continued to fold and pack her clothes for tomorrow’s
move. Herself, along with, Katherine, Trini, and Aisha who will be in
Chicago until July the 26 have rented a four bedroom house. Since
they spend so much time together already and with the rent in Angel
Grove going down they decided to split the bills four ways and just
live together. The guys were going to help them move tomorrow.
Tanya sighed with frustration at one of her ruined blouses. "If
you're to tired to talk, it's okay. I'll be seeing you tomorrow
anyway," Jason said, knowing she had a tough day at work. "I told you not to wait up until the last minute. But you
never listen to your boyfriend," he teased. "The last three times my 'boyfriend' came over here to help
me pack, he distracted me. Over and over, again," Tanya leered
with a sultry tone.
Jason closes his eyes for a moment and mentally replays the
'distractions' that took place. "Very innocent." "Uh huh." Tanya decides to move away from the sexual banter because she
knows before long someone will end up at someone's house. She still
has some work to do on her computer and as much as she would like a
good, hard 'distraction' right about now, this isn't the time for it.
"What do you think about the broadcast. Can he stir up
something?" "I doubt it. His station manager must have killed his feed as
soon as they caught wind of what he was trying to do. The good thing
in our favor is that so many people have taken shots at Presidents
Clinton's credibility no one really takes it seriously anymore. I
believe this will blow over, but every time someone tries to look
into this thing I get nervous." "Me too. Everything been quiet the last few months and I hope
it stays that way." "So, are we still on for this weekend." Jason has made
reservations a quiet mountain resort. They knew this week with their
full time jobs and the move everything would be hectic. They wanted
at least two full days alone and away from everything. "I'm definitely looking forward to it. Especially after
today." A yawn follows her lasts words. After zipping up another suitcase Tanya takes a seat on her bed.
"Thanks, baby. I need to get back up in a few hours anyway and
finish something. I'll see you at 12:30 PM, right?" "You got it." "What time will Tommy be here?" "Uhm, I think around noon. Adam and him are doing Kim and
Trini's old apartment. But don't worry. Billy will be there around
the same time I will." "I wish you were her right now," Tanya moaned into the
phone. Jason can see her on the bed in his minds eye. "Okay. I love you." "I Love you, too." Jason said as he hung up his phone. Jason makes his way to his small kitchen and grabs a few slices of
pizza out the
refrigerator. He places them in a plate and stuffs it in his
microwave. A familiar ping signals his dinner is ready.
Two days ago Billy had received a communication from KO-35. The
Space Rangers were heading home and would be back on Earth in the
coming months.
Even with his animosity over how they handled things, there was a
silver lining to it. ****** ******
The Astro Mega-Ship Orbiting KO-35 Monday, July 20, 2000 11:00 PM Karone observed her brother as he made performed his systems check
on the main computer. It never ceased to amaze her how serious he
always seemed, even when performing the most mundane task. "Are you going to help, or sit there all night," Andros
fired over his shoulder with an impatient tone. Karone rolled her eyes, knowing that his all-work-and-no-play
attitude was a direct result from his breakup with Ashley two months
ago. "You could have done these systems checks in the morning,
Andros. You know that. You should be in bed like everyone else." Tucking an errant strand of his blonde streaked hair out of his
face, he replied. "There is no reason to wait until tomorrow,
Karone. You never know what we could come up against." His shoulders seemed to relax in defeat. Though they had only been
reunited a little over a year and a half ago, their relationship now
seemed as though they grew up together since they were kids. Andros loves his sister more than anything in the universe. He
still has to get used to the his life no longer centered around his
search for her. He needed to find something to fill the void left by the
completion of his search for.
"I'm sorry, sis. Dealing with relationships is not easy for
me." Andros walked over to Karone and pulled up a seat next to
her. Some secrets one must keep to one's self in order to protect those
you love. The secret Andros holds, he knows he must take to the grave. Literally. Ashley was one of her best friends along with Cassie. Two months
ago when Andros returned from a solo away mission on a planet called
Cronan he confessed to cheating on her. That led to a huge public
argument in front of all the Rangers. Andros told her that he just
couldn't see a future with an Earth woman and that if he really loved
her he wouldn't of have cheated.
Karone will never forget that day. Ever. They sat in companioned silence for a while. Karone knows her
brother is not good with expressing his feelings. Not even to her.
Apparently he has not confided in Zhane either.
All those years Karone worked for Dark Spector froze her heart to
love. But Zhane slowly and carefully thawed it out, remaining patient as
she put her life back together. She had to get to know the brother
that she had been taken from so many years ago. She had to accept and
deal with all the blood and death on her hands. She had to make peace with her soul. Months passed after the death of Dark Spector. The Rangers went
back into action protecting the galaxy. Andros created a purple Astro
Morpher for her. She was now a Ranger. As Karone carefully opened up to Zhane. She watched her brothers
relationship with Ashley. He so loved her, and she him. It was
apparent to anyone who watched them when they were together. They grew closer and closer, eventually sharing the same living
quarters. (ANDROOSS, WE HAVE AN INCOMING MESSAGE FROM TGALAXY ALLIANCE.
SHALL I PUT IT ONSCREEN,) the Astro Mega-Ships main computer Deca
asked. The image of High Councilwoman Sharkrem greeted him. Wearing her
traditional black and green Alliance uniform, the near 100 year old
Valkerian stood with a grave expression on her pale green blue face. "The Galaxy Alliance has a very serious situation on it's
hands and the Astro Rangers are needed immediately." As when ever something big was about to happen, Andros felt a
tingle go up and down his spine. "We are at your service." "Three days ago four criminals escaped one of our prison
colonies on . Four individuals commandeered a space craft and left
the station. They killed over ten guards in their escape." "With all due respect Councilwoman Sharkrem, wouldn't the
Astro Rangers be a bit of overkill for chasing down escaped
fugitives.?" Andros asked, wondering why this matter has been
brought to the Rangers attention." "One of the prisoners who escaped is a foe you have dealt
with in the past. Her name is Divatox." "Divatox," Karone muttered under her breath. She
remembers the pirate when she worked for Dark Spector. Andros knew how all reminders of Karone's days as Astromena opened
up old wounds. "Where do you believe she is headed?" "We believe she is headed to Earth." "Why?" Karone asked. The expression on the Councilwoman’s face seemed to change
from tense to contemplative. Andros observed that it seemed to be as
if she were choosing her words very carefully. "Intelligence has
confirmed that Divatox may be searching for a downed space craft on
Earth. You orders are as follows. Go to Earth, find her and whatever
she may be searching for. But I need to make one thing clear. If
there is a craft and she finds it, do not enter it. Contact the
Alliance immediately. We will send a special force to retrieve it." Karone and Andros shared a suspicious glance. "Why not send Alliance forces to Earth now? And what is so
special about this ship that Divatox would want it?" Andros
would not put his team in jeopardy without at least some answers. "Alliance forces at the moment are....occupied. We don't have
the resources to send an appropriate force to earth to deal with
someone of Divatox’s stature. And as for the ship she may be
searching for. That information is top secret. Sorry," the High
Councilwoman finished. "This situation is of the highest priority, Andros. That is
why we have entrusted it to you. The Alliance looks forward to
hearing from you in a few days. Sharkrem out." The image faded from the main viewing screen. "Something is not right about all of this, Andros. I can feel
it." The Space Rangers leader rose to his feet and punched in the
coordinates for Earth. "Deca, power up the hyper drive engines." (HYPER DRIVE ENGINES ARE ON-LINE.)_ Andros spins around to address his sister. "I agree with you,
Karone. But we won't know anything more until we reach Earth and find
Divatox. You know as well as I do that the Alliance is has never been
very forthcoming with information." Karone sighed, acknowledging that her brother was probably right. "I need you to wake the others up and bring them here so I
can brief them," Andros said as he began programming the
computer again. Karone could tell that he will use this situation to bury himself
in so that he doesn't have to face his personal life. "I'm on my way," Karone said as she made her way to the
elevator. An immense feeling of unease came over her. Something about this new mission did not feel right. ****** ******
The new home of Tanya, Katherine, Aisha, and Trini 908 North 2nd Ave. Tuesday, July 21 2000 6:30 PM A light summer breeze greeted Tanya, Kat, Kim, and Trini as they
sipped on glasses of iced tea in their new backyard. The two story
four-bedroom home the girls along with Aisha now rent was finally
filled with all of their things. Everyone worked half a day so that they could meet between noon
and 1:00 PM and get started.
Finally, after nearly five full hours they were finished. All the
beds, dressers, and furniture were in place. The clothes were
unpacked and the refrigerator and stove were hooked up. It was an exhausting day even with all the help, but now was the
time to relax. As a housewarming gift, Zach sent a brand new Bar-B-Q grill.
Now lounging in four lawn chairs side by side, Kim, Tanya, Trini,
and Kat watched as Tommy, Billy, and Jason cooked. Kat turned to the first Pink Ranger, "Kim, what time will
Kelly be here?" Taking a long sip from her glass, Kim replied. "I think in
the next hour. She should be getting out of class right now." "I'm sure Adam can't wait," Trini chimed in over her
dark shades. Adam and Rocky were in their living room playing the
Sega Dreamcast system Rocky bought the girls as his house warming
gift. The four ladies relaxed, basking in the California sun. A warm 85
degree temperature provided the perfect weather for a cookout. The only problem was a very distinctive helicopter that flew over
head every other hour. Billy had been the first to notice it on it's
second pass when he and Jason brought Trini's bed in. "Do you think they will ever leave us alone," Katherine
asked as the chopper flew off into the distance. "I'd like to think so, Kat. I really would," Kim
replied, turning her attention away from worrisome issues and onto
her Oakland Raider jersey wearing husband. "Looking good, baby." "Right back at cha, babe." Tommy flashed her a wide
smile, then flipped his spatula in the air, caught it and pointed it
at her. "Awww," the other girls teased at the display of marital
bliss before them. Kim playfully stuck her tongue out at her friends. "I can't
help loving my husband." Trini tossed a few pieces of ice at her best friend. "Oh,
please." "You're just jealous, Trini." Katherine and Tanya next threw their ice at Kim, who quickly
returned the favor. Rocky peeked out of the kitchen window with a grin. "Come on
girls. You can do better than that. I want some shirt ripping and
hair pulling. Give daddy a show." "Oww," Rocky laughed as a uncooked hamburger patty hit
him in the face. "My wife is not giving you any kind of a show," Tommy
jokes as he seasoned a steak. "You just do your job and stop wasting the food," Rocky
fired back to a chorus of laughs. Jason shook his head as he and Billy prepared a tray of rib tips.
"I am so hungry, man. I can't to eat." "I must agree. Today was hectic to say the least," Billy
offered as she shared a smile with Katherine. Kat's birthday was on August the first. Billy is going to ask her to marry him on August the first. He hadn't told anyone but Trini, who helped him pick out the ring.
Tommy turned a slab of ribs over while biting into a polish he had
made. "Hey, Jase. We need more sauce." "Gotcha, bro." Jason left the small patio the grill sat
on and moved to the kitchen door. Tanya couldn't help but to appreciate the faded blue jeans that
hugged him so right. "Look at that ass, girls." Kim looked up and caught her husband watching her reaction to that
comment with interest. "Yeah, Tanya. That is a fine piece of ass," Kim teased
loudly while staring right at Tommy. "Keep it up, Beautiful," Tommy fired back with a smirk.
"You know I keep it up, baby," she leered back, giving a
high five to Trini and Tanya. Kat just pointed and laughed. Billy
shook his head. Jason walked back out. "What's all the laughing about." "Sweety, turn around for a moment," Tanya asked while
trying to keep a straight face. Jason looked over his shoulder wondering if he sat in something.
"What is it," he said while turning around. All four girls looked at each other. "10," Tanya said. "9," Trini spoke. "8 and one half," Kat joked. Kim stood to her feet and walked over to Jason, acting as if she
might touch the merchandise. She screamed when two strong arms
wrapped around her from behind and lifted her off her feet.
"I see you need to be taught a lesson," Tommy whispered
into her ear before addressing Jason. "Bro, you're a damn piece
of meat. Their ogling your ass, man." Jason looked away, not quite believing he fell for that. His face
soon turned into a playful mask. "Well, I can't deny it. The ass
is great." Smack! Jason whirled around after being hit in the back of the head by
another uncooked hamburger patty. His eyes turned to Billy who seemed
engrossed in his watch of the steaks. "I know it was you, bro." "Good arm, baby," Kat winked at her boyfriend who
continued his innocent expression. "What?" Billy looked up with an innocent expression
before it turned into a grin. Jason threw his hands up in the air in mock disgust. "Tommy,
can you fix me a polish right quick." "I gotcha, bro," he answered as he lowered his petite
wife back to the ground. Kim walked back to her chair and sat down. Tommy hadn't moved yet. He stood perfectly still with his arms
crossed. "You gonna walk away without giving me my sugar,"
Tommy said with a sparkle in his eye. The feminist in Kim told her to fire back a witty reply and make
him come to her. The school girl in her wanted to run into his arms squealing. The wife in her wanted him to meet her half way. Tommy watched the contemplation on her face. He will let her have
this little tug of war. Walking toward his wife slowly Tommy reaches
for her hand, pulls her up, wraps his arm around her and kisses her
softly. Kim wrapped her arms around her husband and sighed happily in
his mouth. Tommy reluctantly let her go and walked back to the grill. "You go girl," Tanya offered with a thumbs up. "Woman’s lib one, Caveman zero," Trini joked. "You did us girls proud, Kim." Tommy and Kim didn't take their eyes off of each other. Tommy
knows she would have come to him if he waited a little longer. Kim
knows that if she waited he would come to her. This was just another little wrinkle in their relationship. Who
would approach whom first. Kim mouths a silent 'I love you' that he returns. ****** "That was so cheap, Adam," Rocky accused his best
friend. "You use the same play over and over. The only thing you
do is flip it to the other side of the field". Leaning back on the couch with a smile, Adam enjoys his 35-21
victory in NFL 2K. "Rocky, you will never beat me at this game.
Never," he teased. Rocky waved him off and set his controller down. "One day Mr.
Park. One day I will win and then you will know the bitter taste of
defeat. Feet will be your meal."
"That is so disgusting." "I do disgusting very well," Rocky said. ding,dong Rocky and Adam both threw there hands behind their heads and
leaned back on the couch. ding, dong Neither guy acted as if they heard the front door.
Ding, dong "WILL SOMEBODY GET THE GODDMAN DOOR BEFORE I COME IN THERE
AND COMMENCE TO KICKING YOUR ASSES!" Trini screamed from the
backyard. Fearing the wrath of Ms. Kwan, both guys leap to there feet and
run to the door. Adam can't fight the good feeling that comes over him as he looks
through the peephole. "It's Scully," Rocky teased, using his new nickname for
Kelly. Adam opened the door and greeted his girlfriend with a kiss.
"Hey." "Hey, yourself," the beautiful red head said. "Traffic
was very forgiving today, that's how I got here so quick." "You didn't miss much. The girls are in the back." Adam
took her hand into his and led her outside. "Hi cuz," Kimberly said as she pulled another lawn chair
over. "Hi, everyone. The house looks great," Kelly said while
looking around. The backyard was pretty big as was the house. "Thanks," Tanya replied. "If you're hungry we can
have the guys hook something up for you." "No, I can wait until everything’s done." "Well I can't," rambled Rocky as he strode past the
girls. Suddenly he drops his keys in front of them and bends over.
"Where are my keys," he joked while giving them an eyeful. "2," Kat teased. "1," Trini chimed in. "Negative one," Kim accentuated with tossing a rock at
his rump. Rocky stands upright again and stretches. "You ladies are
cruel. This DeSantos special is Grade a one-hundred percent, prime
cut beef, baby." "Get your ass out of our faces, Rocky," Tanya said Rocky shrugged his shoulder in difference. "You ladies know
it's all good." A few swear words directed at Rocky later and the food is finally
done. ****** After dinner the girls went to the living room to talk while the
guys headed for the basement to play cards. Kim was currently on the
phone with Aisha. (I hate that can't be there, Kim. But at least I'll be home for
good in a few days.) "I know. And I can't wait," Kim replied to her long time
friend. "You're gonna have the whole month of August to relax
while the rest of us working stiffs hit the bricks." (Don't hate on me, Kim,) Aisha chuckled into the receiver. "I'm just messing with ya. So, how's everything in Chicago?" (It's fine, actually. I'm going to miss it here. Northwestern is a
great college. But I am so homesick right now you would not believe
it. And I miss Rocky a lot, too.) Though she didn't necessarily see them coming, Kim is happy her
two friends hooked up. "He misses you, too. But you know how
Rocky handles things." (I know. A joke a minute. That's just the way he is. I still love
my baby, though.) Aisha hears a ping in her phone and checks the
caller ID. (Kim, I'm going to have to let you go. That's my mom on
the other line.) "It's cool. Take care of yourself." (You, too. Say hi to that husband of yours for me.) "Will do, bye." Kim hangs up the phone and listens in as
Trini explains something that happened to her at work.
"He's 28 and looks like Ricky Martin. My god, this man is
fine. Girls, if you saw him you would drop to your knee's and beg for
his hand in marriage," Trini exclaimed with spirit. "Who?" Kim asked, entering the conversation. "Dr. Stefan Forrester. He's new at Angel Grove Memorial
Hospital." Trini continued. "I met him about two weeks ago.
Yesterday he asked me out for dinner. I was about to ask him could I
have his children."
"Have you checked him out? You know what I'm talking about."
Tanya asked enthusiastically. "Oh you know that. He doesn't have a wedding band and I've
already been in his office. No pictures of woman or kids on his desk
or shelf. As a matter of a fact he's only been in Angel Grove for the
last two month. I'm going to show him around this weekend,"
Trini finished with a devilish grin. Katherine was genuinely happy for her friend. The girls laughed and joked for the next half an hour. Kelly told
them about two of her classmates who were found having sex in the
parking lot and were expelled from medical school. Kim spoke of how
most of the young girls in her class had crushes Tommy.
Things started to get somber when Katherine told everyone about
the wonderful dinner she and Billy had at his father's house. "Mr. Cranston is a lot more blue collar than you would expect
if you met Billy. Not in a bad way. he's just really down to earth.
We had a nice talk and he sincerely seemed to like me," she
smiled brightly. Trini and Kim nodded having met Billy's father many times. Kimberly just wished her own father would come around. Kelly and noticed Kim's mood take a turn downward. "Kim, have
you....." "Don't ask, Kelly." Everyone in the room knew that Kimberly hadn't spoken to her
father since the day she told him she was married. Kim left message
after message on his answering machine and her mother tried to talk
to him on her daughters behalf. William Hart would hear none of it. In her mind he had disowned her and that hurt Kimberly so very
bad. Especially at such a happy time in her life. Kat just realized what the little exchange between Kim and Kelly
was all about. "I'm sorry, Kim. I didn't mean to say anything
...." "It's fine, Kat. Your news is wonderful. I knew Billy's
father would like you." Kim took a deep breath before addressing
her own situation. "As for me. My dad will not accept my
marriage to Tommy, period. It's been over five full months. I really
don't know what else to do. But I don't want any of you to feel you
have to say or act a certain way around me. This is my situation to
deal with." "We love you, Kim. All of us," Tanya said. "Well, I think she's alright," Trini added. "She can be a pill at times," Kat tossed in. "Don't catch on that time of the month. She'll drive you.."
Kelly tried to get out before a throw pillow hit her in the face. "I love you guys, too," Kim smiled, suddenly feeling
with her friends help everything would be okay. ****** "It did not." "It did to." "It did not." "It did to," Jason argued as Tommy shook his head in
disagreement. "Every time you called the Dragonzord it smelled
bad. The damn thing came from the bottom of the ocean for goodness
sake. It smelled like dead fish. If we were not in a life and death
situation everyday we would have really talked about you. Thank God
for our Ranger helmets." Tommy turned to Billy for an ally. "Billy, you were there.
Did the Dragonzord smell bad?> Be honest." Keeping his eyes focused on his hand full of cards he replied.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Tommy. Did you ask something?" "Way to dodge that question, Billy-boy," Rocky joked as
he waited to join in the next hand of poker. "Billy knows it stunk. He's just a nice guy," Jason
added. Seeing this was an argument he was not going to win, Tommy decides
to shift gears to another topic. "I know we all saw the chopper
flying today. Have any of you noticed anything else." Rocky suddenly turned very serious. "A van followed me to
Shayla's daycare center last week. After I dropped her off I busted a
U-turn in the middle of the street and chased the car down. The guy
inside just told me that all of us are under surveillance and that
their is nothing we can do about it. I told him if he or anyone else
ever came near my daughters school again I wouldn't be responsible
for my actions." No one says anything for the next few minutes. What the man told
Rocky does not come as a surprise.
Adam lays his cards face down. "Two weeks ago me and Kelly
were at an Italian restaurant. I knew their was a guy a few tables
down that was watching us all night. Later in the evening I cornered
him in the bathroom. He reiterated exactly what Rocky just said." "Why didn't either of you say anything?" Jason asked,
his mind completely off of the game now. "We don't have to check in with you, Jase," Rocky
offered with no malice in his voice.
"I didn't mean it like that, Rocky. But we do have to let
each other know if things like this occur." "Are you telling us that nothing out of the ordinary has
happened to you lately?" Billy questioned his oldest friend over
his cards. Jason could only look down at his lap for the moment. "It's alright, Jase," Adam said. "We all have our
own lives to lead. And when someone is not actually shooting at us we
tend to not take it to seriously. I mean, did any of you really think
the government would just say 'Let's give those kids a break and
leave them alone'."
Tommy agreed whole heartily. "How about we make a pact here
and now. Anything we notice weird we tell the others. Agreed." Nods all around the table settled the matter. "I found two bugs in my house," Jason admitted. "Billy's
detector picked up one underneath the night-stand near my bed and
another behind an air vent in my living room." Tommy ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Kim
found a listening device in her office phone."
"Katherine can hear strange warping sounds through her cell
phone," Billy added. "I'm missing three pair of boxer shorts." Rocky always knew what to say to lighten the mood as the guys
share a laugh. "Well Rocky. I sincerely hope you find who ever stole your
boxer shorts," Jason t4eased as he picked his cards back up,
signaling that the game was now back on. "Maybe the government wants to experiment on them. They might
be looking for a new secret weapon." Rocky uses his middle finger to respond to Tommy's comment. And matters of conspiracy were left alone for the rest of the
evening. ****** ******
The Northern Woods of Siberia, Russia Tuesday, July 21, 11:00 PM It was the dead of night. A violent gust of wind slipped through the snow-covered branches
of pine trees as the ancient twisted limbs danced in a macabre
design.
Snow packed inches deep became trampled underfoot as Divatox,
Reign, and Shadow, along with twenty droids made their way through
the rough terrain.
Moonlight shined rays of glow through the tree tops, illuminating
the forest with a majestic feel.
Divatox motioned for a full stop. "Reign, what is the current
temperature?" Reign’s seven-foot five fame came to a halt. He took out a
small handheld device and read it's readings. "It is currently
-27 degree's. I feel the droids will onnly last another hour at best
in these conditions." Dressed in a heavy black parka winter coat, her face hidden behind
her hood, she moved with purpose, leading her team.. As Reign re-calibrates the droids instructions, Shadow approaches
Divatox from behind. "Do you truly believe the craft was hidden
here?" her voice echoed from various angles. "The signal pattern for a Valorian craft definitely traveled
in this area. Of that I am quite sure." "If you can trace this faint signal then why hadn't this
Zordon you speak of? Surely he would have discovered a craft entering
Earth's atmosphere. The signal must have been a great deal stronger
considering the ship may have been here for over fifty years." "The Valorian people were once at war with the people of
Eltar, Zordon’s home world. The Valorians had shielding that
could not be traced by Eltarian radar. But my time as a pirate
brought me into contact with every form of technology the galaxy had
to offer. I can build just by memory a sensor that can pick up any
craft no matter the cloaking device." Shadow's respect for Divatox grows daily. Her absolute strength of
will awes her. Without Divatox's powers, she is barely above a human
when it comes to her physical body. When the group left Soren-Kai they traveled to a hidden storage
facility located in the center of an asteroid field. Divatox had
weapons and machines stashed there just in case she was separated
from her space ship. "Yes?" "What do you believe that thing was that hit our ship near
this planets moon?" When Divide dropped the space ship out of hyper space they were
immediately bombarded with small pieces of metal. Their were some
larger pieces floating near by. Divatox scanned most of them but they
burned beyond any sort of recognition. All but one piece that is. What appeared to be the upper body of a robot, minus it's head and
all of it's limbs glided aimlessly through space. Divatox's sensors picked up circuitry of an Eltarian nature. When
the object was brought on board it was discovered that some of it's
circuit boards and micro chips were still accessible. "I'm not completely sure. But I intend to find out," she
said, her breath cutting a wicked path through the frigid night air.
Reaching into her coat pocket, Divatox pulls out her communicator.
"Divide, come in." (I'm here, my lady.) "Have you anything to report." (Yes, but not over this line.) "Why the secrecy? Do you feel we are being monitored?"
(No, my lady. But one can never be to sure. And this is big with a
capital B.I.G. You will need to see this with your own eyes.) Shadow watched the contemplative expression wash over Divatox's
face. "Reign," Divatox shouted above the howling wind as the
snow fall began to pick up.. He was at her side in seconds. "Yes." "Keep the droids out another twenty minutes then bring them
back for repairs. I am heading back to the ship now. Shadow, you will
assist him." "As you wish," the shape shifting Shadow answered. As Divatox prepared to teleport she wondered what information this
strange piece of object might hold. ****** ******
The Misery Divatox's new spaceship Two hours later. Reign entered the main deck of the ship with Shadow following
close behind. They saw Divatox standing over Divid's shoulder,
apparently reading some sort of a computer file. "My, Lady. The repai...." he did not finish as Divatox
motioned her hand for silence. Shadow and Reign exchanged questioning
glances, waiting for their leader to explain. "Remarkable," Divatox said quietly as she stood upright
and began pacing the deck. Shadow and Reign moved to next to Divide, hoping to see what had
captivated Divatox so. "Lord Zedd," their leader said out loud. "He
returned to Earth. He was whole again, of mind and body. His plan was
ingenious." Divide stood next and followed her while the others began reading
the file. "Yet he still failed. Zordon's first soldiers defeated
him." "Yes. His ego was most likely his downfall. Go over what we
know, again. I want to think this through clearly. We may be able to
use this to our advantage," Divatox said as she stopped near a
large glass window and looked up at the night sky. "The memory chips we got out of the metal chest piece are
fragmented. We know that Lord Zedd returned months ago. That he was
now human. Somehow he infiltrated Zordon’s old base and rebuilt
it. We don't know who helped him or how he did it." "He discovered that Zordon’s death released some sort of
an energy field that sought out particular people. You were one of
them. While I don't know this as fact I do believe that is the cause
of you losing your powers." "I believe that as well. Proceed." "Lord Zedd conducted experiments on the old Rangers for
reasons unknown. He must have found something odd though or he
wouldn't of have bothered. From there we have bits and pieces of
fights all around Angel Grove, Ca. It does appear that Zedd created
some form of a virus." "If the Rangers defeated him then they have already cured
that virus. It will be of no use to us. Continue." "The Rangers attacked their old base. This android was not on
that base when whatever happened that caused it's destruction." "Of the whole puzzle we have only pieces," Divatox spoke
eloquently. Her cold exterior matching her emotions. "If the
ship carrying the Zentarian crystals is out there and the only way to
access them is through a member of the Galactic Alliance, then we
will need the Rangers 'help' in retrieving them. Shadow." "Yes, my lady," the statuesque woman answered. "Research every single news article for the month of February
in Angel Grove, Ca. I have a feeling that the accurate knowledge of
what took place may provide the keys to forcing the Rangers into
helping us." "As you wish, my lady."
Divatox strode to her captains chair to address all of her crew.
"I have not accomplished one-one hundredth of what Lord Zedd
has, and yet the former and now powerless Rangers defeated him. I
know for a fact he had a lot more firepower and technology than we
do. Yet he still lost. We must use cunning and not brutality to
further in our goals. Attacking the Rangers at this time would be
suicide and with there only being five of us we would be defeated and
defeated quickly. The Zentarian crystals are our goal. With them we
can hold the entire universe for ransom. But we must be patient. We
must watch and wait. Learn our enemies strengths and weaknesses.
Reign." "Yes, my lady." "I want every single droid out searching for that ship in
five hours. Divide, contact the Gardeq freighters main computer.
Program it to scan for any and all pieces of debris that are similar
in size and shape to this. Make sure the freighters cloaking device
is on an alternating frequency. The Alliance knows we escaped and may
be looking for us. They may even send the Space Rangers. We are not
prepared for a direct confrontation with them until our
reinforcements arrive. That is all." With purpose, her crew set about their tasks. Divatox leans back in her chair. She will rest awhile, but not
sleep. Her dreams are filled with torturous nightmares that nearly
send her into seizure. Divatox's quest has begun. ****** ******
The home of Tommy and Kimberly Oliver Wed, July 22, 2000 8:30 PM Angel Grove, Ca Kimberly listened with waning interest as Marian Oliver explained
how to cook the casserole dish that she and her husband brought over
their house for dinner this evening. Kimberly loves her mother-in-law
dearly. The kind words and support that she has given her over the
last few months have helped to ease the ache left by her fathers
disapproval of her marriage. Marian watched her daughter-in-laws face, noticing her weariness.
"Thank you for bringing dinner, Mrs. Oliver," Kimberly
insisted. "I didn't have the time or the strength to fix
anything tonight."
"I understand and you are very welcome. I took the day off
from work so it was no bother at all," Marian replied. From the
kitchen Marian could watch her son and husband as
they talked. Kim's face took on a surprised expression. "For what?" "Making my son so happy." "It's been my pleasure," Kim replied with a small hitch
in her voice. Marian turned toward the living room. "Benjamin. I've got to
get an early start in the morning. Let's leave these two the rest of
the evening." Benjamin rose from his place on the couch. Tommy laughed at little
at the sound of bones crackling. "You're getting old, Pa,"
The elder Oliver put on his jacket while grabbing his wife's. "I
have told you about calling me Pa. We are not on the Ponderosa." "Yes, Pa." Benjamin shook his head with a grin as he helped his wife on with
her jacket. He then moved to embrace his daughter-in-law, giving her
a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Kim dear, if you are ever to
tired just let us know. We never want to impose." Kim felt two strong arms wrap around her waist from behind. Tommy
kissed her on the top of her head. "You are always welcome here,
you know that." "I know, Mrs. Oliver," Benjamin said. They all knew how
much Kimberly liked to be called that. Tommy released his wife and embraced his mother. He leaned down
and placed a kiss on her forehead. "You're still my baby," she smiled up at him. Benjamin holds the door as Marian walks out of the house. "Son,
I'll talk to you on Thursday. Tomorrow going to be hectic at the job.
Kim, keep him out of trouble. And for Gods sake, if evil attacks the
Earth again, let someone else deal with it. I would like to keep what
few strands of hair I have left." Tommy gave him a smirk as Kim swatted his shoulder. Benjamin
grinned as he slammed the door. The next few minutes consisted of washing and drying the dishes.
Then they retired to the living room with Kim leaning on Tommy's
shoulder as they sat side by side on the couch. They fell asleep that way. ****** Jay Leno's boisterous voice eventually woke Kimberly up from her
slumber. She decided a few minutes of admiring her husband before
waking him up wouldn't hurt anyone. In Kimberly's eyes Tommy Oliver was a dream from the crown of his
head to the soles of his feet.
The rise and fall of his chest was intoxicating. She would be
content to lie there for eternity, just watching him breathe. She fingers a strand of his hair for a moment. This little act of
possessiveness reminds her that he is hers. He belongs to her and
nothing in this world or any other will change that. A barely audible sigh escaped her lips as she let her gaze trail
up his muscular chest and rest on his lips. Which, in her opinion,
begged to be kissed. "I married a thief. Stealing kisses in the dark. You naughty
girl," Tommy whispered in the dark. "I don't steal what I already own." Kimberly pulled away
and let a smile form on her lips. His tone was oddly clear for one
who had just woken up. "Tommy?" "Yes?" "How long have you been awake?" "How long have you been staring at me?" Tommy asked in a
soft tone. A deep shade of crimson spread across her cheeks and she
was relieved that his eyes remained shut. "I asked you first." "Yes, but I'm the one whose been violated." "Violated, Tommy." She mock huffed and rolled away,
turning her back to him. Kimberly knew he was playing but always
enjoyed the way he sucked up to her when he thought she was upset
with him. Kimberly knew how to get her husband right where she wanted him. Of course she realized he knew what she was doing, but he never
verbalized that knowledge, so the game remained fresh and fun. "Sweetheart," Tommy crooned in her ear, using
endearments he knew she loved but pretended she didn't. He knows the
one that always gets to her, but he saves that for last. "Cupcake, turn around." She would not move, even with
his warm breath on her neck, arousing her as he always did. "Darling." He placed one arm around her waist, but she
quickly removed it Kim remained silent. She knew it was only the only way to speed up
this particular part of the game. Soon her husband would get tired of
talking and the best part would begin. They would retire to their bedroom and make love until they were
to exhausted to do anything else. It was the simple things in life they lived for. "Beautiful, come on.....talk to me."
He knew that name would always get to her. "I wouldn't want
to be accused of violating your ears." Her tone was light to
show him she felt no animosity toward him. "Don't let me stop you. Go ahead, violate me," he smiled
and spooned himself behind her tiny frame. His hand found hers and
began a comforting caress. He inhaled her soft fragrance and nuzzled
her neck. "I love you." Kimberly couldn't resist any longer. The game was over and it was
time to get to the good stuff. She turned to face him, ran her thumbs
along his lips and down his chin. "I love you, too." Their lips found one another. The kiss was just as magical and
romantic as their first. In fact, the kiss seemed to be the
definition of love. "Make love to me, Tommy," she breathed into his mouth.
Without hesitation, Tommy lifted his wife off of the couch and
carried her into the bedroom. He closed their bedroom door behind them, shutting out the world. The only thing that mattered was the love they shared. ****** ****** Hex-Tech Aero Space Research Facility Thursday, July 23, 2000 Angel Grove, Ca Billy parked his 1999 Grand Prix in his personal; company lot.
With suitcase in hand he strode towards the front security door, his
I.D. in hand. A familiar voice behind him catches his attention. "Hey, William. Wait up." Ronald Stingly was one of the
new guys at the company when Billy was hired. They learned the ropes
together and formed a fast friendship. "How's my favorite
fugitive doing this morning?" he grinned as he caught up. Billy looked up to the sky with a grin, wondering if the teasing
will ever stop. "All the charges were dropped, Ronald. You know
that." "Right, right," he smirked as the two men showed their
work I.D.'S to the guards at the front door. They now proceeded to
the elevator. "So, have you proposed to Katherine yet." Ronald knew his friend was going to do it, just not when. "I
'm going to do it ion a few days. I've got the ring, though." "That's great man, really. hey, she wouldn't happen to have a
sister would she?" "No, Kat's an only child." "You got any single pretty friends? I mean as fine as Kat is
she must have pretty friends." While he liked Ronald a lot, his reputation for being a ladies man
ended any chance he had of Billy hooking him up with someone. "Not
right now, Ronald. I think they.......HA CHOOO!!" "Hey, watch those germs, man. You coming down with a cold or
something?" As the two men ride the elevator to the top floor, Billy can feel
a scratchiness in his throat. Billy sneezed again. He was now officially worried. He makes it up in his mind to start investigating this as soon as
he gets off of work. ****** ****** The Misery Divatox's Ship Thursday, July 23 2000 11:00 AM "It seems my lady that the governing body of this....America
decided not to tell the truth to it's people about Lord Zedd's return
and subsequent attacks. They fabricated a story about a terrorist
group attacking Angel Grove," Shadow concluded. She had worked
all night perusing news articles and matching them up against the
information they gleamed from the memory chips. Divatox sat in silent contemplation as she listened to Shadow's
report.
"I think the only way to ascertain the truth about what
happened in February is to interrogate one of the Rangers
themselves," Shadow finished. "First we locate the ship. Then we discover how to get the
Zentarian crystals. If a representative of the Galactic Council must
be present then we will have need of one. But, I must admit I am
curious about what Lord Zedd found so interesting in the Rangers that
he felt the need to experiment on them." "Perhaps the energy released from Zordon's death effected
them as it did you and Lord Zedd." "Perhaps." "My lady," Divide chimed in. "Reign is attempting
to communicate with you." "On screen," Divatox ordered. A huge holographic screen appeared in the center of the main deck. "My lady. I have found the ship. Permission to enter it." "Permission denied. I am on my way. Divatox out."
Divatox stood to her feet and prepared to suit back up for the
unforgiving weather outside. "Shadow, you will assist me.
Divide, make surer that we are aware of any ships entering Earth air
space." "As you wish, my lady," Divide answered. "Today we take the first step in our revenge against the
Galactic Council. For every drop of blood I shed at their butchers
hands I will take a pound of flesh," Divatox said with pure
venom in her voice as she exited the bridge. ********* ********* Kim's 1999 Dodge Neon Thursday, July 23, 2000 1:10 PM Angel Grove, Ca With Savage Garden's Truly, Madly, Deeply serenading her, Kim
drove home in a great mood. Eighty-five degree weather and clear
skies provided the perfect drive home. Ever since the Starlight
Gymnastics’ Academy re-opened it's school, it has a parent
teacher conference every two weeks. The parent teacher conferences
always meant she only worked half a day.
Forty five minutes ago she met with the last parents she had to
see and was now heading home. She had already stopped off at the
supermarket to pick up something for
dinner. A small grin crosses her face as she turns onto her street.
Reaching over into the passenger seat, her fingers grasp a few gummy
bears from a small bag. She has never liked those kind of snacks before, but for some
reason today she had a craving for them. Now pulling in her driveway next to Tommy's Navigator, she grabs
her duffle bag out of the backseat and heads for the front door. As soon as she opens the front door the wonderfull smell of
Italian lasagna assault her sense’s. Dropping her duffle bag to the floor, Kimberly makes her way into
the kitchen, where she finds Tommy checking on some garlic bread in
the oven. Moving behind her husband, Kimberly wraps her arms around his
waist. "You forgot I was getting off of work early today. didn't
you?" she teased in his ear as he let out a laugh. "No you didn't," Kim accentuated with a kiss to her
husbands neck. She knew he forgot.
"Did too." "Did not." Before he could reply, "And don't you
try to deny it. The evidence I have against you in the memory
department is irrefutable. The Supreme Court could convict you of 100
counts of forgetfulness." Tommy spun around in her arms after turning off the oven. He
pulled her close to his chest. "I forgot," he admitted with
a mock pout while pulling her into his arms. He then placed a tender
kiss onto her forehead. "You're forgiven." "You're beautiful," he spoke softly, now looking into
her eye's. "You're my life." With those words Kimberly grabbed his
face and pulled him down, bringing their mouths together with a
hungry growl. Somehow, someway they kissed all they way to the living room.
Tommy now sat back with Kimberly straddling his lap. This wasn't ordinary kissing, she thought. It was necking, it was
spooning, it was soul-kissing. His mouth was everywhere, his hands
cupped her head and stroked her cheeks, his tongue stroked her mouth
and lips. She breathed into him, sharing his breath as surely as if they
shared the same heart. Because in fact they did. The sheer intimacy of kissing her husband was bliss. They had
their arms tightly wrapped around one another, never wanting to let
go. She made love to his lips with her own, biting here, sucking
there, licking his skin, sucking his lower lip between her teeth. Her
nails dug into his neck and scraped over his chest. She slowly started to grind on his lap. As wonderful as the
kissing has been she knows the bulge underneath her will not be
satisfied by smooching alone. "Love you so much," Tommy moaned against her neck as he
suckled her there, tasting his beloved. She was heaven and honey and
everything good in his life.
Kimberly continued her torture as the slow rocking of her hips
mimicked the passion she had made love to him with last night. Tommy captured her lips again. Her tongue tasted like chocolate to
him. They probed deeper and deeper into each other, lips meshed
together in a dance that grew more and more frenzied. Kimberly rocked her hips in a decadent rhythm, driving her husband
wild with desire. His hands wrapped tightly around her thighs,
digging his fingers into her flesh. Kim realizes that her hands have
traveled unconsciously into his hair. She is clutching it, pulling on
it, digging her nails into his scalp. "Like that, just like that," Kimberly whined as Tommy
thrust up between her legs. She can feel him hard and hot against
her. She remembers that he is more than a mouth. He is a whole man
and she can have all of him. He is erect and burning against her core. Ready to fuck her. They made love last night until they simply couldn't anymore. But this... This was fire. White hot heat that needed to be put out in the
most carnal of ways. Tommy pulls away from Kimberly's lips, gasping desperately. "You
are so bad, coming in here and seducing me like this." "You like me when I'm bad," she leered with intent,
pushing him on his shoulders with both hands, motioning for him to
lay down on couch. Kimberly climbed on top of him and plundered his
mouth again with a longing only he can bring out of her. As much as she loved her husband she lusted after him too.
Marriage did not diminish their sex drive in the least. If anything it ignited it. Kim has lost all precision, her lips scrape against the rough
surface of his cheeks. Their tongues collide with each other almost
randomly. "Ahhh," she cried into his mouth when he cupped her sex
through her jeans. Ready to move this foreplay along, Kim slid her
hands under his T-shirt. His skin is hot under her hands. It's
slightly damp with sweat, the sweet smell of which fills her nostrils
and invades her senses.
Kim pulls the T-shirt up to his neck and he lifts his arms
allowing her to remove it completely. He has a beautiful upper body.
Simultaneously broad and lean with only one imperfection. Leaning over him, Kimberly kisses the bullet wound scar that
adorns his right shoulder. No matter how many times he has tried
Tommy can never get her to stop planting at least one kiss every day
over the scar. She knows that she had no choice but to shoot him.
Lord Zedd was going to kill him one way or another. But hurting her Tommy is the last thing she would ever want to do. She moves her mouth down to his chest. Tommy's cock twitches
anxiously against her as she grasps one of his nipples between her
lips and sucks on it. Tommy moaned as she started licking his torso,
branding him with her touch. Property of Kimberly Oliver. Forever. As her lips explore his chest her hands reach up to stroke his
arms. Strong arms, thick with muscle, arms which she is certain could
overpower her at any time. Could grab her and flip her over. But not now. Tommy is letting her restrain him, hold him down as she greedily
touches and tastes, taking her own dear time, setting the pace .
Kimberly is struck by the overwhelming need to feel his hands on her.
To feel the burn of his touch. She reaches down and takes his hand in
hers, then runs them up and down her hips wantonly. "Touch me, Tommy. Please touch me." His wife's words spur him into action. As much as he loves it when
she is the aggressor, he could stand no more. Sitting up but maintaining eye contact, Kimberly reaches behind
herself and undoes her bra. She pulls it out from underneath her
blouse and drops it to the floor. Tommy gaze settles on her supple breast under her blouse. He
reaches up and runs his thumbs over her hardened nipples. The soft,
earthy pink tips that he loves so much call out to him. Kim groaned,
arching into his hand. Tommy moved his hands down to her waist and slid them under the
hem of her blouse. Her bare, flat stomach under his hands is the
softest thing he has ever felt. Smooth and warm to the touch. He starts to lift the garment from her, slow and steady, revealing
her to him.. Kim blushes after a moment of speechless admiration. Tommy has
seen her body many times since they were married, but he can never
get enough. His eyes are glazed with desire. For her. She feels empowered by being able to make him feel this way. Kimberly moved off of his body for a moment and slid her jeans
slowly off of her hips, teasing him, making him want her more. Tommy
then removes his pants, leaving him in his boxers. Kim resumes her
spot on top of him, making sure her sex rested right on top of his
erection. Tommy takes her thighs in his hands, pulling her up towards him.
She leans over so that those remarkable breasts are dangling in his
face. She braces herself over him with her hands on the arm rest of
the couch over his head. She is straddling his stomach now. Tommy can feel her wetness soaking through the satin of her
panties and onto his flesh. Her aroused scent was intoxicating to
him. "I'm so wet for you, baby," Kim said with a caress of
her husbands jaw. He leaned forward and runs his tongue in circles over her nipples,
between her breasts, and everywhere he can reach. He wrapped his lips
over one of the sweet nipples and sucked lightly on it. Then harder. And harder. Kimberly's whimpering and sighing became constant and completely
entrancing. She used one hand to brace her self on the couch while
the other fed her breast to her husband, who greedily took all that
she offered. Watching the closed eyes of her husband, Kim felt in awe of his
concentration on pleasuring her, his lips and tongue suckled and
licked fervently. His mouth curved into a sweet smile over her
breast. "I adore you," he breathed while kissing her chest over
and over. Tommy's hands ran up and down her legs, over her waist, over her
back, finally resting on her round ass, which he squeezed with an
enthusiastic moan.
His hands are so big she feels like they could span her whole
body. They feel rough and hard against her skin. Hot, everywhere he
touches her feels like a burning mass of flesh. "Yesss! That feels so good," Kim moaned, her lips
parted, eyes closed. Tommy's teeth clamped down on one of her
nipples. She cried out at the decadent feeling. At the way that bolt
of pleasure and pain shot through her entire body, finally centering
on the moist part of her sliding un and down his stomach. "You like that?" Tommy asked with a grin. "I love it. Now what else do you think you can do with those
lips of yours?" "What do you want me to do with them." Peering down into her husbands eyes, Kimberly sucks on one of her
fingers into her mouth, then slowly trails it down her body, between
her breasts, and into her black satin panties. Tommy just knew he was going to lose his mind as she stroked
herself inside her panties. She then removed her now glistening
finger and brought it to his lips. "Taste me. Taste what you do to me." Kimberly ran her finger gently over his lips before he sucked it
into his mouth. The taste of her. Sweet nectar of the God's. Kim thought it was so erotic to watch Tommy suck on her finger.
"You like?" "I love it. Could never get enough." "Enough foreplay. I want you to eat my pussy." When she
talked in that slow, almost Southern drawl he was lost. Tommy drug her body up and over so that she was now sitting with
her center on his face. H pushed her panties off her with haste and
dove right in. Oh God. that mouth!
The first touch of his tongue against her was almost enough to
send her over the edge. It was just that intense, that overwhelming. Tommy tugged gently on her nether lips, tasting and suckling them
into his mouth. He bit sucked, chewed on everything, anything. She
was so wet and hot for him. Tommy held her ass in his hands as his
strong tongue worked it's way around and over her throbbing clit,
then in and out of her sex, fucking her sweet delicious pussy with
his tongue. "Tommyyyy, ah...ah...ahh, God, I love it when you go down on
me." Tommy's eyes are open now. Open wide and staring at Kim's face
with a look of almost violent intensity in his eyes. Her face is flushed, a light sheen of perspiration covers her
clouded features. Kim strokes his hair as she rocks her hips on his
face, forcing more of his tongue inside of her, riding his chin,
causing waves of pleasure to course throughout her body. "God, you taste so fucking good," Tommy breathed into
her cunt. "So good....Fuck, you're eating me so good. I'm gonna
come,.......gonna come so hard." Her words are the only thing his mind is aware of. Tommy's mouth
is clamped over her wet pussy, sucking the very essence from her,
leaving her breathless and pleading for more. Looking over her shoulder, Kim can see that her husband is
definitely ready for her. He is hard and bulging through his boxers. Kimberly pulled herself off of Tommy's now damp face and turned
completely around, her curvy little ass now staring back at him. One
of her hands reached inside his boxers and grabbed his hard cock. "Mine," Kim stated with fact as she helped him remove
his the last remaining barrier between them. Tommy had to pull away
from his task when Kimberly's small hand wrapped itself around his
cock and began stroking him slow and hard. "This belongs to me." Kim's stroking of his member
continued to build momentum. Tommy somehow found the presence of mind
to resume his ministrations, pulling her clit into his mouth and
lashing it with his tongue unmercilously. "Eat it. Eat it all, Tommy. Suck my pussy. I know you love
it." Love it he did. Tommy licked her and lapped up juices. But his world snapped
around him as he felt her tongue now swirling around the head of his
cock. "You're killing me, Beautiful." "That's was the plan," she spoke before engulfing him,
taking as much of his cock as she could into the scorching cavern of
her mouth. All he could do in response was make inhuman noises which
she could not describe and bury his tongue back inside of her. Kim panted with her lips wrapped around the head of his cock.
Slowly she sucked him, tasting a few pearls of his pre-cum. Inch by
agonizing inch she took more of him into her mouth, running her
tongue up and down his shaft while it was in her mouth. Tommy moved his tongue back to her clit, running back and forth in
hard thorough strokes, the way she seems to enjoy. He slides one of
his fingers into her and is rewarded by her hot mouth tightening
around and sliding up and down, sucking harder and harder. As always, they are in synch. Her head bobbing wickedly in time
with the thrust of his fingers and the flick of his tongue. They started with a slow and steady rhythm, which grew quicker and
more frantic the closer each came to the inevitable. Tommy laid back for a second with his eyes closed. Kim is sucking
his cock so hard, stroking and counter stroking the base while
applying unimaginable pleasure to the head. She sounds like heaven he
thinks to himself, the wet slurping sounds she is making only add to
the effect. Tommy somehow regains some composure and lunges back to her sex,
tasting and claiming her as only he can. Long, hard licks from her
clit to her anus cause her body to tremble "You must have been a lesbian in a past life, Tommy,"
she teased her husband. Kimberly's hips start to grind against her
husbands face and the noises she is making are getting more and more
extreme. Her head starts moving unbelievably fast and her lips
tighten even more. Tommy squeezes the cheeks of her ass as a warning. "Kim..ahhh,
ah...,ah, close," he strangled out. Just as the last wall of his resolve breaks down she squeals and
jerks against him. She is coming. As soon as he realizes that he is
coming, too. Tommy never removed his mouth from her clenching sex, drinking her
as she swallows him. He spasms, coming into her mouth as she takes
every last drop, not once stopping, just sucking, driving him
completely out of his mind. "Fantastic, Kim.... Sweetheart, that was amazing. You are
amazing," Tommy uttered with labored breath.
Kimberly did not reply. She was still sucking his cock, deep throating his now flaccid
shaft. The sensitivity of it was now almost to much to stand.
A few wonderful minutes later and he could feel his erection
returning as her mouth worked it's magic, her tongue dancing on the
head, her throat providing suction, her lips locked in position. "Are you trying to kill me, Beautiful?" he teased
through closed eyes. Releasing him from her month, she looks over her shoulder and
says, "Oh, you thought we were going to stop after one orgasm.
Allow me to destroy that illusion." "Ohhhh!!! Fuck!," Tommy cried out as Kim engulfed his
cock again. She sucked and stroked with such fury he didn't know if
she was horny or angry with him. Her passion was explosive. Kim
wanted Tommy to be delirious with lust, ready to take her the way she
wanted to be took. This man is her husband. All sex they engage in is love making
because they truly love each other. But sometimes they just wanted to fuck. No flowers, no candy, no
poems, no sweet words or hand holding. No carriage rides through the
park or serenades on balconies. Sometimes they just wanted a hot sweaty, round of all out fucking. Kimberly slowly moves again so that she is straddling his hips.
She maintains eye contact while stroking his penis with her hand.
“You ready for round two, baby?" "Bring it on," Tommy challenges. He brings his hands to
her face and touches her lips with his thumbs. His hands glide down
her body and come to rest on her waist. Kim leans over and kisses
him, whispering her love against his lips. Tommy looks to the ceiling for a moment. Then he looks up at the
woman who he loves more than his whole life. "You are a
goddess." Kim blushed at his endearment. "Don't put that kind of
pressure on me," she said as she raised her hips and lowered
herself onto his aching erection. They are one. It seems to take forever, inch by inch, her hot,wet flesh
surrounds him. Tommy watches her face as she rides him, the total
concentration she employs humbles him. Kimberly has infinite power now. All Tommy can do is let her have
her way with him. He wants her to have complete control. "I'll never get used to you being inside of me. Never. It
feels so right," Kim groaned through closed eyes.
Tommy’s fingers roll over her firm thighs in little circles
as she tenses and relaxes her inner muscles. She feels so tight
around him, clenching ever so often. Her body slides effortlessly up and down Tommy's cock. When she is
at her highest, when only the head is touching her, he can feel the
cold air biting at him, now coated with her balm. That feeling soon
subsides when she descends, her steaming hot walls surround him
again. Kimberly reaches for his hands and twines her fingers with his.
Leaning forward, she pins his arms on either side of his head . "Do you like the way I fuck you, Tommy?" "Is it hot enough for you inside me?" "Killing... you're killing me." Tommy was hanging on for
dear life as Kim rocked against him. Now at a different angle, Kim bucks her hips with brute force.
Tommy can see her face melt and feel her breast on his chest. His eyes never leave hers. She won't let them. Kimberly will not allow him to leave the field of passion they
have locked between their eyes. Feeling her tighten noticeably, Tommy can tell she is close. He
can hear it in her voice as she moans his name over and over. "Let go, Kim. Come for me." She simply screamed, arched her spine and threw her head back as
her orgasm hit her. Tommy sat up and captured her mouth with his and
swallows her scream, her breath exploding into his mouth. Her whole
body convulsed around him as he held her tight. Finally her body relaxes. She releases his mouth and rests her
forehead on his. “That was incredible. But you didn't come." "You took the edge off earlier." "What can I do to drive you over the edge?" "I want to take you from behind." Kim leans over for another kiss, lingering on her beloved’s
lips. With a sultry smile she moves a few inches away from him and
takes a deep breath. She walks over to their fireplace and lays down
on the plush rug they have. She rolls over onto her stomach and
slowly rises until she is on her hands and knee's. "Let's see what you got," she tossed over her shoulder. Tommy is next to her in a second, placing a hungry, needy kiss to
her passion reddened lips. He runs a trail of kisses over her neck
and down her back as he moves behind her. "You are so sexy. I can never get enough of you," Tommy
growled into her ear. Once he positioned himself he stops to admire the view for a
moment. The sight of Kimberly, on her knee's, her sweet round ass in
the air, her swollen, wet sex with it's soft brown curls made him
even harder, if that's possible. Kimberly bends her back down and arches herself in the air so that
he can see the glistening moisture of her entrance. Looking over her
shoulder, the almost feral look on her husbands face removes any
doubt that she is driving him mad. Tommy enters her gently, using one long slow stroke. As he slides
into her he emits a low continuous "oh" and when he is
completely inside of her a nice drawn out "baaabbyyy". He slowly starts moving, his hand grips her hips tightly and his
eyes never leave hers as he starts driving into her. Long, deep thrusts. Slow at first but gradually increasing in
pace. Tommy's rhythm is perfect. His face, beaded with sweat, jaw
slack, eyes wide. The sounds he is making are driving his wife crazy with passion.
The supplications fill her emotionally as his body does physically. Kim is quickly losing coherent thought. So good. This felt so very
good to her. She could feel him deep inside of her, stretching her,
filling every secret place. His hands grasp her own as they met each
other thrust for thrust. She can feel his tongue begin to probe the inside of her ear as
his pounding starts to grow more intense, harder and faster. Kim rocks her hips backward in response, fucking him even as he
fucks her, clenching her inner muscles around him almost painfully. Every time he crashes into her she can feel the chills radiating
out in every direction. "Tommy...God, Tommy I...oh God...oh yeah." Tommy's breath labored in her ear and the sound was wonderful to
her. One of his hands grab her shoulders while he fucks her
thunderously from behind, slamming his cock into her, his balls
slapping her bare ass. Kim can feel the warning tremors of another earth shattering
orgasm as she tightens around him. "Don't stop...please don't
stop fucking me...I'm so close..just a little more." "God, Kim Love you...Oh my God I love you," he nibbled
at her ear and fucked her at a rapid fire pace so hard she thought
she could feel her teeth rattling. Tommy's head starts to thrash around wildly. Kimberly can feel his
body start to shake violently. She knows he's close. She knows all
the signs. Tommy is driving into her like a madman and holding her in place
with his hands. Kimberly is lost to his savage, unrestrained love
making.
And that is exactly the way she wants it to be Taking one hand off of her hips, his hand slips under her. She can
feel his palm pressing against her clit, grinding carelessly. It's
pain and pleasure and deliverance at the same time. It's just enough and too much and then she is coming. Kim thrusted
back against him furiously as she let out a blood curdling scream.
She can feel him expanding inside of her and finally bursting,
shooting his seed deep inside her body. They both collapse on the carpet with Tommy's hot, sweaty, body on
top of hers. They both moan as he pulls out of her and spoons behind
her. Tommy pulls her into his arms and kisses the back of her neck. They are sated. Spent. Exhilarated. After a few minutes they regain their breath.
Kimberly is the first to speak. "Sweetheart." "Yeah, baby." "If I go take a shower now will you have a plate of that
lasagna waiting for me when I get out?" He chuckles in her ear, "If that's what my baby wants, then
yeah. I'll have a plate waiting for you. The only problem is I don't
have the strength to move." It's Kimberly's turn to laugh now as she brings one of his hands
to her mouth and kisses it, before placing it back across her
stomach. "I'm that good, huh?" She feels so safe in his
arms. "Yes, Mrs. Oliver, you are that good." "I love you, Tommy." "I love you too, Kimberly." They fall asleep in each others arms right their in front of the
fireplace. ****** ****** Horde F-Gex Freighter Located in the Far Northern woods of Siberia, Russia Thursday, July 23, 2000 2:00 PM It took a team of twenty droids with laser saws to cut open the
hull of the now buried spacecraft. Only a piece of the front end and
side of the craft could be seen as the rest was now frozen into the
ground. The sun reflected sharply off of the silver shell of the ship. So
bright was the reflection that Divatox had to wear shades to protect
her eyes. "Shadow, get these droids back to the ship," she
ordered, her breath as visible as the ship due to the extreme cold.
"Reign, you're with me." Shadow quickly departed as Reign stood at Divatox's side. Peering
at the ship it appeared to be nearly two city blocks long and half a
block high.
"The Horde were master ship builders. This craft could take
ten Jaxen rockets and still make the jump into hyper space,"
Reign noted as he followed Divatox into the opening that the droids
had made. "I must agree, Reign. I would love to have had this ship
myself. But we are not here to compliment the work of the dead. If we
do not find the Zentarian crystals then all will be lost. We will
never have our revenge on the Galactic Alliance." Hatred in it's purest form resided in Divatox's heart where the
Galactic Alliance was concerned. Her captivity and torture, courteous
of there out-of-the-way- prison was still fresh in her mind. The history of her torture is now forever branded on her body,
etched onto her soul. A thick sheet of ice covers the black metallic floor as they enter
the craft. Reign turns on his flash light as Divatox reads a hand held radar. She is
attempting to locate the bridge. With the ship lying on it's side maneuvering the halls is
difficult at best. They each slide as they move throughout the ship,
using the walls to keep them upright. Finally they reach the ships bridge. The outer glass shell is
still buried under the snow outside. The bridge itself is bathed in
darkness. Reign pulls out one of the laser saws and begins to cut through
some of the ice that covers a wall panel near what looks to be the
communications station on the far left wall. "Remember, when you patch into the ships mainframe, only
power up the computers. If we powered up the ship fully someone might
be able to pick the energy single of a craft this powerful from
space." "I understand," Reign replied as he set about his task. Divatox made her way to the captains chair, located in the center
of the bridge. A small alcove resided two small steps from the
captains chair. Two small control decks with empty chairs were
enclosed there. To her right sat a large computer terminal with a
radar station. Suddenly the lights came on. The room was illuminated somewhat. It
seemed that five of the lights were still in-operative. Reign adjusted the Cion energy cell he hot wired into the ships
system. "We are going to need thirty minutes for the ships
natural systems repair to take effect before we can use anything." "Understood," Divatox replied as she took the captains
chair. Rather than search the ship for the crystals, which she already
knew were un-acessable without a member of the Galactic Alliance
present, she decided to find out what happened to the ship and it's
crew. ****** Thirty minutes later ****** "My, lady. The computer has one holo-message stored in it's
memory banks. We can access it now if you want." "Proceed." Reign hacked into the computer file using a special decoder
Divatox designed years ago. It could decipher and decode coded
messages in minutes. "It is done. my lady." Five small metal prongs extended from the ceiling as well as five
more directly below them. These prongs were no more than five feet in
front of the captains chair. Multi-colored lights extended from each prong, crisscrossing each
other and moving rapidly. These lights soon formed an image of a
humanoid like being with green skin. It stood about five feet even
and it's face seemed a cross between a man and a wolf, with long
protruding ears and a plentiful amount of facial hair. "I will calibrate it's speech into a language that we will
understand," Reign said as he made the necessary adjustments. The image began to speak. {My name is Yarkon, Galactic Alliance Agent beta 2023-67X. Me and
the eight man crew of the Starship Altares were captured by one of
Lord Zedd's battle cruisers. We were imprisoned on the planet, Vector
3 for 17 parsecks. I am leaving this message as the last surviving
member of my crew to document all that has occurred. (While in captivity we began to hear of the unraveling of Lord
Zedd's empire. Uprisings and lack of leadership seemed to be
crippling what was once the most powerful empire in the known Galaxy.
During an assault by the people of Gadeq, an attack that was repelled
successfully by Zedd's force's, me and my crew were able to steal a
craft that had just docked. To our surprise the craft was loaded with
40 barrels full of Zentarian crystals, one of the rarest materials in
the galaxy. In addition to being the only known substance that can
atomically break down Dark Matter, it can also serve as an energy
source. A temporal energy source. The very thought of such materials
being in the hands of Lord Zedd were terrifying to say the least.
Temporal energy could be used to build things we shudder to even
mention. (As we made our escape we failed to realize until it was to late
that while on the prison planet special chips were placed in our
necks and the farther away we traveled from the Vector 3, the sicker
we became.
(Our fuel and rations were nearly depleted and we were dying.
Earth was the nearest planet we could reach, so we set a course for
it. Unfortunately, my crew began dying faster than even we thought
they would. We programmed six separate shuttles to carry out
provisions to ensure that only a representative of the Galactic
Council could retrieve the crystals. (We placed the crystals in a shuttle and teleported it into the
center of the lone moon that orbits earth. Divatox immediately hit her communicator. "Shadow, have our
ship in space begin scanning the moon for Horde technology. A shuttle
was teleported inside of it." She presses end before he could
reply so that she wouldn't miss any of the message before her. (The shuttle carries two items. One, a large holding tank that
houses the Zentarian crystals. Two, a Zephen energy bomb. This bomb
cannot be teleported off of the ship without it detonating itself.
When the shuttle is opened it will set off a timer set for five
minutes. There are five keys needed to disarm the bomb. We have
scattered the keys all over the planet with similar Zephen energy
bombs. We have coded the shuttles carrying the keys with DNA decoders
that only recognized Galactic Alliance agents or officials. Anyone
not registered with the Council will immediately set off the bomb. As
you already know, a Zephen energy bomb, even one, could destroy the
Earth.
(We had to make sure that forces loyal to Lord Zedd could never
find the crystals, even at the expense of the Earth. It would be
infinitely better that the entire planet be destroyed than for those
crystals to fall into the wrong hands. (With the final remaining shuttle we have programmed it to fly as
close to the nearest Galactic Alliance outpost as possible, then
transmit an S.O.S hoping that someone gets this message. I regret
that when this message is found we will be no more. It is our sincere
hope and final wish that this message reaches the Council and that
the crystals are retrieved. We would like for our sacrifice to not be
in vain. (Good journey. "Reign, did that last shuttle take off." Tapping in his request for the information, Reign replies. "No,
my lady. I believe the last crewman died and the shuttle didn't
launch because this ship crashed first." "Good." Divatox rose from the captains chair and began
pacing the room. "Reign, as soon as our 'friend' arrives we will
plan our next move." "And what might that be, my lady?" "Zordon's Rangers were like the police force of the galaxy.
They were all registered with the Galactic Alliance when they were
chosen for the team. Many of them are not Ranger's anymore. We will
pick five and abduct them." "What of the remaining Ranger's and the still active Space
Rangers?" "If the Galactic Alliance sent the Space Ranger's here to
find us they do not know what is happening. They may only have been
ordered to find us. That is our advantage. The Alliance would
normally have sent five Valkeri Warships to locate us. The reason
they have not is because the plague is stretching their resources.
They don't want the rest of the galaxy to know that something is
destroying planets and has been for the last three years. The fact
that the Alliance has said nothing speaks volumes about what they
will and won't inform the Space Rangers of. Their own treachery will
aid us in destroying them." Divatox walked toward the corridor
leading off the bridge. "Stay here and download the coordinates
of those five shuttles. I am heading back to the ship. I will send
Divide and twenty five droids back to assist you in lifting anything
salvable from this ship." "As you wish, my lady." "We have a short window of opportunity, my friend. We must
make the most of it," Divatox said over her shoulder as she
exited the bridge. ****** ****** Billy's Apartment Thursday, July 23, 2000 5:30 PM Angel Grove, Ca Billy had not arrived home more than ten minutes before his
doorbell rang. "Andros." Standing there with a white baseball jersey and blue jeans on, the
leader of the Space Ranger's waved hello. "I hope this isn't a
bad time, But I need to speak with you. It's important." Billy stepped aside as the young man walked in. He ushered Andros
over to one of the couches while he took the recliner. The
apprehensive look on Andros's face gave him reason enough to be
concerned.
"I thought the Space Rangers wouldn't be back on Earth for a
few months." "That was the plan up until three day's ago," Andros
replied. "We got an emergency transmission from the Galactic
Alliance." As soon as the Galactic Alliance was mentioned Billy began to get
worried. "High Councilwoman Sharkrem gave us orders to pursue four
escaped convicts that broke out of one of the penal colonies in the
Soren-Kai sector. It is believed that they may have fled to Earth." Billy was now JUST waiting for the ball to drop. He knew Andros
wanted his help for something.
He just didn't know why. "Once again, what does that have to do with me? I'm retired.
I've done my bit for king and country." "One of the escaped villain is Divatox." Billy remembered Tommy and Katherine speak of her, but he wasn't
on Earth at the time they dealt with her. "She should be
powerless, Andros. If she did manage to get to Earth, what could she
hope to accomplish?" Andros shook his head in frustration. "The Alliance isn't
telling us anything other than she may be searching for a ship. For
what reason we do not know." "With all due respect, this still doesn't explain why you are
here," Billy stated without trying to seem rude. "First off, I wanted to keep all the former Rangers informed
and on guard just in case Divatox is here for revenge. I tried to
contact Adam but he seems to still be at work so I figured I would
try you." Billy is well aware of the reception Andros would receive if he
sought out Tommy or
Jason. "I'll tell the other Rangers to keep a look out for anything
strange. The government is already watching us, so we're use to
looking over our shoulders." Andros nodded, but did not make a move to leave. Billy now knew
that there is more to his visit than delivering a warning about an
old enemy. Before Billy could ask his question though he began coughing. "You catching a cold, Billy," Andros asked. "I don't know," Billy answered honestly. Looking up, he
noticed Andros seemed a little thinner than the last time they
communicated via hologram. His face also looked a shade or too paler.
"There is another reason I came here today, Billy. Before I
start though, I want to tell you that I will understand if don't want
to help me. I realize that you are one of Zordon's first Rangers and
his death will always be associated with me." Billy looked the young man in his eyes. In truth, he was only four
years older than the leader of the Space Rangers. But the battle
hardened young man before him also held a deep rooted sadness that
reminded him of Tommy.
Billy knew of the solitary life Andros led all those years while
he searched for his sister from one end of the galaxy to the next.
"Andros, you have to understand something. I don't blame you for
Zordon's death. I believed you when you told all of us that Zordon
asked you to destroy his stasis tube. The other Rangers have their
own opinions and that is their business. Now if you need help, tell
me what it is that you want me to do." Andros found himself truly grateful that at least someone didn't
blame him for Zordon's
death. The other Space Rangers didn't, but they are his teammates.
To have one of Zordon's first absolve him went a long way in helping
him absolve himself.
It was now time to tell Billy his secret. "I'm dying." Billy sat back, silent for a moment. He let Andros's words sink
in. "How?" "Weeks before I had to go on a solo mission to the planet
Cronan I began to get ill. At first I couldn't sleep. I tried every
treatment I could think of to cure my insomnia, but nothing worked.
Then the nosebleeds began. I would wake up in the morning and find my
pillow soaked in blood. Then I started losing weight." "How long had that been going on." "Four months." Billy nodded as Andros continued. "I lied to my team, Billy.
I completed the mission on Cronan two days earlier than I led them t
believe. While on the planet I saw a doctor. His name was Deq-Kar." "I know of him," Billy added. "He helped consult on
my case a few years back. He's one of the best physicians in the
galaxy." Andros could feel his hands begin to shake. The words of Daq-Kar
spoke to him will forever be etched into his mind. "I have genetic disorder called Heras. It's due to the energy
of the Astro morpher, or specifically the first few I made long
before I met the Space Rangers. The energy of the Astro morpher was
not housed safely in the morpher. All those years I unknowingly
absorbed large amounts of radioactivity into my body, which has now
affected my blood. Long story short, I have less than a year to
live." The words hung in the air, leaving both men breathless. Billy
knows all to well the things that go through your mind when your
mortality is threatened. "What do you think I can do?" "Adam told me about all of the experiments Lord Zedd did on
your DNA. I figured maybe you could look at my file. The Astro
morpher, Turbo, and Morphing Grid energies are similar and you have
more experience than anyone with researching the long term effects
exposure has on the body. You may be my only chance at survival." "Well then, we better not waste another moment. Let's head to
the Astro Mega-Ship and begin." Andros looked at the floor and didn't respond. Billy didn't know
what to make of this now. "The Space Rangers don't know that I'm dying." understood. "I can arrange something in 24 hours, if that's okay with
you." Billy nodded while taking a deep breath. "Whatever my
research turns up, when I'm done you have to tell the Space Rangers
about your illness. That's my only stipulation and it is non
negotiable." Andros had no doubt the brilliant scientist Zordon trusted in was
his last hope. "Agreed. Thank you. I really didn't know who else
I could turn to." "Your friends, Andros. You can turn to them." "I don't want there pity. I don't want them to have to always
worry about me when we go into battle. It's dangerous enough as it
is. No reason for them to get killed over me." Andros leaned
back and closed his eyes. He could see the look on Ashley’s face
if he told her he was dying and he loathed to bring her that grief. He had a plan if his illness started to progress rapidly. It would
hurt her deeply, but this was his only way to protect her. She
deserved to be with someone who could give her a future. He wasn't that man. He was dying. "Katherine will be here soon. Contact me tomorrow when you
have a lab set up," Billy said politely. Andros stood to his feet and extended his hand. Billy took it and
the to men shook as Andros made his way to the door. "I can't thank you enough." "Thank me when I save your life," Billy added with a
grin as Andros stepped through ands the door shut behind him.. Billy walked to his kitchen table, searching through the many
takeout flyers he had, wondering what to order for him and
Katherine’s dinner. Billy secretly prayed it wouldn't come to that. ****** ****** The Starlight Gymnastics Academy Friday, July 24, 2000 1:30 PM Angel Grove, Ca The ten 13 year old girls that comprised her class sat Indian
style in a circle around her. This was the time of day that Kimberly
liked to gather her students together and talk to them, tell stories,
give advice if they needed it.
Ya know, girltalk. The Starlight Gymnastics Academy was a combination school/training
facility. The boys and girls did four hours of schooling and 5 and a
half of actual gymnastics training a day. Kimberly loved to just set with her students and talk. Sop many
things happen to young girls on a daily basis and they need to have
someone to talk too. Mrs. Oliver soon became the most loved teacher in the school due
to the fact that she genuinely cared about her students and listened
to them. "Mrs. Oliver," Becky called. "Yes?" "What was your first kiss like?" A chorus of 'ohhs' sounded as the girls eagerly awaited Kim's
story. "Well, my first kiss wasn't that special. But how about I
tell you about the first one that mattered." "Okay." "Was he cute." "Did you love him." "Was it romantic." Kimberly grinned as she watched the exuberant faces of her
students. "Let me tell the story first, then I will answer
your questions, okay." "Yes, Mrs. Oliver," the group announced. Kim's smile widened as she remembered that first kiss that really
meant something to her. "Well, me and the guy..." "What was his name?" Kate asked grinning with
anticipation. "Tommy." "Does your husband know about Tommy?" Kim had forgotten that her students always addressed her husband
as Mr. Oliver. The didn't know his first name was Tommy. "Yes, he knows." "Anyway, the guy and I were on the
same team." "What kind of a team." "Ah...we were teammates on a very special team that helped
people." Tawny chimed in next. "Like the girl scouts when they take up
money for the homeless." "Yeah, that's it exactly," Kim added. "Tommy lost
his..ah..ablilty to help us." "Did he get in trouble?" "Did his parents ground him?"
"Was his grades bad?" Kimberly wiped her forehead with her towel before continuing The girls all leaned in, hanging on her every word. "He was more nervous than I was and I was very nervous. We
had liked each other since the day we met but we never said anything
about it." "Why?" Shantel asked. "We were just a little older than any of you. And neither of
us had much experience dealing with the opposite sex." "Later on my friend Zack told me that Tommy was very nervous
about asking me to a dance my school was having at the end of the
week. Anyway, we talked, got a little bit closer to each other, he
leaned down, I leaned up, and we kissed." She could still see
the look on Tommy's face when he realized that she wanted him to kiss
her. "How was the kiss?" "Did he slip you the tongue?" "Was he trying to touch you?" Kim shook her head. As young as she still is the kids growing up
today were growing up even faster than she had. "The kiss was
short and sweet. I loved it. There was no tongue involved and he was
a gentleman. There was no touching whatsoever." "Whatever happened to Tommy, Mrs. Oliver." A wistful grin came over her face. "Well, I left Angel Grove
a few years later and we broke up. It was some time later before we
saw each other again. Then after another year or to I moved back to
Angel Grove. We still loved each other after all that time. We had
some tough times to get through but eventually I married him." "Tommy is Mr. Oliver." "Ah, that was so sweet." "Your husband is handsome." One by one the questions were asked. Kim did the best she could to
answer the girls. Soon, the bell sounded. "Okay girls. Time to hit the showers and get changed. Your
afternoon classes start in thirty minutes." As her students scampered off Kim ventured toward one of the
vending machines and bought herself some bottled water. She felt somewhat light-headed as she walked back to her office. Helen, the office secretary and Kim's closest friend at work
looked up as she walked past her desk. "Hey, girlfriend. You
look a little pale. You coming down with the flu." "That husband of yours not giving you any rest. I know how
you newlyweds are," Helen teased. She had been married for six
years now and remembered how 'frisky' her and her husband were in the
first months of their marriage. Kim wagged her finger, knowing full well that Helen was the office
news hound. "What me and my....." Kim suddenly couldn't
focus. She stumbled a bit. "Kim, are you alright?" Helen asked as she rose from her
seat. "I...I don't know whats wro.." Kimberly fell forward and
fainted. "SUSAN, LATECIA, KIM JUST FAINTED. CALL 911," Helen
screamed as she ran to Kim's side. "Amy, call Kim's husband on
my line. It's number 1281." ****** ****** New Dayspring Station The Galactic Alliance Headquarters Friday, July 24, 2000 2:00 PM The High Council of the Galactic Alliance waited with held breath
as their chief science officer prepared to deliver his latest report
on the Dark Matter plague moving through the galaxy. The High Council chamber resembled a concert hall. The interior
was so big one's voice could echo off of the walls and throughout the
whole room. Everything was made of the best materials, from the
Darlaxion purple marble walls to the huge stain glass roof with the
red unified galaxies symbol painted on it. The Five High Council members sat in hovering throne-like chairs.
A floating podium was set up just to the right of them with a huge
view screen so that the scientist could illustrate his findings. The Elder High Council member, Takar, spoke first. "We
anxiously await your report." The chief scientist moved to stand inside of the podium as it
slowly lifted into the air, taking him toward the view screen. He has
been the chief scientist for about 2 and a half years now, ever since
his 'rescue'.
"The Falyon Fleets attempt to use the synthetic Zentarian
crystals failed. When they were shot into the planet Raqwa, the Dark
Matter dissipated for but ten seconds, then it proceeded to devour
the synthetic crystals and the planet itself," the chief
scientist spoke while pointing toward footage that the fleet took
while escaping the planet. "Was this test a complete failure or was anything gleamed
that might be of use in later research," Councilwoman Shakrem
asked. Tapping a few keys on the podium control pad, the scientist
brought up a set of charts on screen. "I don't believe the
synthetic crystals will work. My team has been researching them for
the past 14 months and we still aren't sure if anything other than
true Zentarian crystals will work against the Dark Matter." He
then raised another screen. "This Dark Matter is unlike anything
we have encountered before. At one time a space fleet could
concentrate lasers on it's core and it would explode, provided we
caught the Dark Matter before it had time to grow."
The view screen showed file footage of cruisers bombarding a dark
smoke-like entity that was fast approaching a planet. The lasers
struck the center of this cloud repeatedly until it dissipated. The scientist pulled up yet more footage. "As you can see
here, when Zentarian Crystals are fused into the warhead of a
missile, then fired into the heart of Dark Matter, it dissipates
almost instantaneously." The view screen showed a cloud that
looked to be the size of Earth's moon. "Unfortunately we are not
dealing with anything that size." The scientist input another set of images. "This is the footage that the Falyon Starship: Peacemaker
took as the fleet left Vector Sigma airspace." The view screen showed a Dark Matter cloud that looked to be the
size of ten planet Earth's. "The Dark Matter seems to still be a manageable problem,"
High Councilman Grissom commented, his attention full on the screen
before him. "Unfortunately, that is not the case," the chief
scientist spoke with a low tone. "This footage was shot 100.000
thousand mile away, with the longest lens any ship in the fleet had." Hushed voices filled the room as the scientists words settled in.
"If that Dark Matter cloud footage was taken 100.000 miles
away, then exactly how big is the cloud itself?" High
Councilwoman Refaq asked, while clutching her robe to her chest. "This cloud now represents sixteen percent of the galaxy. We
have lost 1434 worlds to this tragedy." His words floated like death through the air. This was the worst
possible news that they could have received. "What do you suggest our next course of action should be?"
Councilmen Takar asked.
"We must find some Zentarian crystals. The synthetic ones my
labs are working on will does not have any effect on this mutated
strain of Dark Matter. But if that does not work, your military chief
has what he calls an Armageddon plan." At that moment a second floating podium rose to sit next to the
chief scientist. General Ghorhan addressed the Council. "I have
developed a plan to destroy the Dark Matter, but I must stress that
it be a last option. Only used when every other avenue has been
exhausted." The general and the chief scientist eyed each other. The general
has never liked the scientist. He could never understand how such an
important job could be given to a robot. "What is your plan?" Councilwoman Shakrem implored. "We set off a Def-Con 9 explosion in the Algol star system.
We know for a fact that the Dark Matter will reach that area in ten
days. The Algol Star system has three suns." The General now
brought up his own footage on the view screen. "We could fire
three anti-matter concussion bombs into each sun. That would trigger
the Def-Con 9 explosion. I doubt even Dark Matter could withstand
that. "But what about the lives that would be lost. You would be
sacrificing every planet within 20 parons. That's fifty worlds. Fifty
civilizations," the chief scientist pleaded, hoping to forestall
the madness of this plan. "I don't want anymore people to die. Remeber, my home world
of Sinex will be among those destroyed. For all intents and purposes
we are in a war. The enemy is destroying everything in it's path and
it will not stop. It cannot be reasoned or negotiated with." "I sympathize with the destruction of your home world,
General Ghorhan," the scientist spoke eloquently. "My home
world of Eltar was destroyed before my very eyes by Dark Spector." "I know that." "Then you must kno...." "Enough," the high elder spoke with authority. "General
Ghoran, take seventy percent of our forces and put them on full war
alert. Have them search every lead no matter where it takes them to
find any Zentarian crystals they can. Give them full diplomatic
immunity. Contact every criminal organization and pirate faction in
the known universe. Squeeze them, general. I don't care what you do,
but get those Zentarian crystals." The other Council members remained quiet as the elder set the
tone. "Take the other thirty percent of our forces and move them
into the Algol star system. Have them ready to launch those
anti-matter missiles at a moments notice." "As you wish."
"Ten days, General Ghoran. That is all the time we have
before we must start evacuating planets. Such an undertaking would be
tremendous, but we can't avoid it any longer. Dismissed." Both floating podiums slowly lowered to the ground. The general
and the chief scientist walked off and moved toward the Council room
entrance doors. "I don't want to have to set off that explosion. Over ten
trillion lives would be lost." The scientist turned to face the general. "I don't like how
the Alliance has handled this situation since the beginning. The lies
and coverups have resulted in no answers for stopping the Dark
Matter." "I agree with you. But this is the hand we have been dealt.
And I intend to save the galaxy, one way or another." With that,
the general walked away. Chief science officer Alpha-5 stood still outside the Council
chambers. He knew that this situation could only get worse. ****** ******
Angel Grove Memorial Hospital Dr. Lancaster's office Friday, July 24, 2000 2:40 PM Angel Grove, Ca They sat side by side in Dr. Janice Lancaster's office. Kimberly
had been brought in thirty minutes ago, after she fainted at work.
Tommy held his wife's hand as they waited for the doctor to return
with the results of the test she ordered done. He couldn't remember
the last time he was this scared. When he is in his leader mode on a
mission, even one involving combat, he knows how to handle it.
He has a plan going in, and if things change, he adapts.
His wife becoming ill is something he has no plan for. Losing her is not an option for him. "It's okay, baby," Kim tried to calm his nerves, which
were now getting on hers. "I fainted, Tommy. I wasn't bleeding
out of my eyes. People do faint sometimes. I was probably
dehydrated." Her words didn't comfort him like he wished they would. When Tommy was called out of a meeting with the real estate broker
helping him but his martial arts school, he put his vaunted race car
driving skills to the test broke all speed limits to be by his wife's
side. "Tommy?" "I just want everything to be okay and for us to get out of
her." He looked down at the floor in contemplation. Kimberly
turned around on the couch and pulled his face towards hers. "I am alright. We are alright. This was just a small bump in
the road." Kimberly captured her husband's lips with her own,
kissing him with a promise of forever. The door behind them opens and Dr. Lancaster entered. "Kimberly,
Tommy. I have the results of the tests we took." Tommy holds his wife's hand as the Doctor takes her seat and looks
over the folder she brought with her. The Doctor smiled to herself as she watched the young couple
before her. "Kimberly, I want to start off by saying that all of
your tests returned normal. You are perfectly fine." Tommy breathed a sigh of relief before bringing his wife's hand to
his lips and kissing it. "Dr. Lancaster, why did I faint?" Kimberly asked.
"Well, that's simple enough to explain. You are eight weeks
pregnant." The world just stopped moving. ****** ******
The Mercy Divatox's ship Friday, July 24, 2000 3:00 PM Serbia, Russia The clear glass cockpit of Divatox's ship was wide enough for her
and her crew the watch the mirror like apparition descend from the
sky and land in front of her ship. "Divide, could she have been tracked?" Divatox asked
from hr captains chair. Divide spun around in his chair to address her. "I doubt it,
my lady. I've been bouncing fake signals off of every satellite in
outer space. No one on Earth will be able to pick anything up on
radar." "And what of the Astro-Mega ship?" "With the cloaking device you have built I can't imagine them
picking up her ship either. The Astro-Mega ship is not exactly a new
craft. Andros has had it for nearly ten years. The cloaking device
should shield both of us for as long as we need it to," Divide
finished. Reign stood just over Divatox's shoulder. "She is asking
permission to enter the ship, my lady." "Permission granted. Bring her to the bridge immediately. Get
the troops settled in. We will need to be ready to attack in 72
hours." "As you wish." Reign typed in the coordinates on the
teleporter for two separate destinations.
The mirror like image just outside of her ship began to shift, as
if light itself bent at an angle. Suddenly the grey and black
battleship Maniac was visible for everyone to see. "Teleporting now," Reign called out. In front of Divatox's captains chair a silver and white light
shimmered into the form of a woman. Dressed in a yellow and black
body suit with long black hair and a sword swinging from her hip, the
woman bowed in acknowledgment. "Welcome Scorpina. I trust your trip was successful,"
Divatox said. "It was, my lady. I brought back with me two hundred
dreadnought assassins. They will serve you well. In addition, the
individual teleporters and the bio chamber are on board and waiting
to be transferred here." Divatox contacted Scorpina, who was running an illegal mining
company near Farous 8. She offered the warrior who once worked for
Rita Repulsa an entire planet, provided she helped her retrieve the
Zentarian crystals. "You have done well, Scorpina. I know you have just arrived
but me and you will be leaving in five hours. We are going to Angel
Grove." "How many troops shall we take, my lady," Scorpina
asked. "None. We go alone." No one on the bridge seemed to understand what was going on in
Divatox's head. She liked it that way. "My, lady?" Shadow chimed in. "Is it wise to attack
with just the two of you?" "We are not going to attack. We are going to observe."
Divatox stood from her chair and began to walk around the bridge.
"Need I remind you that the Dark Matter, as we speak is
devouring world after world. This is not some imaginary threat. This
is very real." Scorpina took a seat next to Divide as Divatox continued. "For
the next forty eight hours I want all of you, every droid and
dreadnought assassins working overtime to lift every salvageable
piece of equipment off of the ship that's buried in the forest. I
also want you to research Dark Matter forwards, backwards, and
sideways. Everything we are doing will be for nothing if we retrieve
the Zentarian crystals and can't stop the Dark Matter. We will be as
dead as everyone else. Me and Scorpina are going to go undercover in
Angel Grove for the next two days. Shadow has already arranged our
room and board. We will use individual hologram devices to hide our
appearances. We need to observe the former Rangers. Decide which five
will be taken and how to keep the others off of our backs." "Every enemy who has come before the Rangers have fallen
because of his of her ego. They believe they cannot fail and nothing
anyone does will stop them. We have all been through hell and back.
Me, Reign, Shadow, and Divide were tortured daily for two whole
years. The most unimaginable things that can be done to one's body
was done to us regularly. I was personally...assaulted so many
times.....," Divatox's voice does not break, but she does pause
for a moment. None of her crew have scene a shred of emotion from her
in many months. "We have already been beaten. We come here, not with an army,
but with a plan. When the Zentarian crystals are located we will
contact the Galaxy Alliance and give them out terms. Of course they
will plot against us. Their treachery is nothing new. But, I ask all
of you to trust me. I know how to deal with the Alliance. They will
kneel of there own accord or I will bring them to their knee's.
Either way matters not to me, so long as we have our vengeance." Divatox once again took her captains chair. “Everyone knows
what they must do. None of us can fail. We need each other to pull
this off. Dismissed." Everyone left the bridge except Scorpina. "My, lady." "Yes." "With all due respect, you must realize that blackmailing the
entire Galactic Alliance with just the five of us. No fleet of battle
ships or cruisers, no help from any other factions, is impossible." "Have no fear, Scorpina. I excel at the impossible." ****** ****** The home of Tommy and Kimberly Oliver Friday, July 24, 2000 3:30 PM Angel Grove, Ca They knew they should have called Billy immediately. Tell him that
the impossible has happened.
Kimberly was pregnant. Impossible. When the doctor gave them the news the only thing either of them
had the presence of mind to do was schedule Kimberly's next
appointments. They left the hospital shell shocked. They’d driven home in silence. When they arrived home, neither turned on the TV. They just
dropped there jackets on the floor and curled up together on the
couch, seeking strength in the others arms. "What do you think," Kim asked with her eyes closed and
her face pressed into her husbands neck. "I don't know what to think," Tommy replied while
placing a kiss along side her hair line. "We're pregnant." "We have seen and done everything." "Now we're pregnant." A smile came across Tommy's face so wide it surprised he surprised
himself. Instinctively he placed the palm of his hand over Kim's
still flat stomach, and began caressing her. Kim tilted her head to look up into the eyes of her husband.
She saw joy. It matched her own. "Tommy I hate to ruin this mood, but their is something we
have to consider as a possibility." Tommy wrapped his arms around her tighter, shielding out the rest
of the world. "What is it?" The words were stuck in her throat. They were vile and she never
wanted them to see the light of day. But Kim knew she had to look at
this from all angles.
Even the bad ones. "Because of our messed up physiology’s, I might not be
able to carry this baby to full term." Tommy remained silent. He knew that was a possibility. The
different energies in the Rangers bodies was supposed to prevent any
male Ranger from being able to impregnate a female one. Neither Tommy nor Kim had any idea what could have caused her to
get pregnant. Aside from the obvious, of course. "Beautiful, we will deal with whatever comes and pray for the
best. I don't want to think negative right now. I'm to happy.
Shocked, but happy." His words calmed her fears as always. What would she ever do without. "You're going to be an great father, Tommy." "You're going to be a great mother, too." "We are going to be parents." "I love you, Beautiful." "I love you, too." Tommy relaxes, still with his arms wrapped tightly around his
wife. ****** ****** Billy's apartment Friday, July 24, 2000 7:00 PM Angel Grove, Ca Billy held Katherine's hair back while she paid homage to the
porcelain god. She had walked in his apartment just five minutes ago,
then headed straight for the bathroom, without saying a word. Billy
heard her heaving and immediately opened the door. Kat rinsed her mouth out, then grabbed a towel Billy put on the
sink for her. "It feels like the flu. I've had the symptoms all
day, hot and cold flashes, nausea, a headache, no appetite." "HA CHOO!!," Billy sneezed as Katherine watched on with
a weary glance. "I think I have a cold," he said. Kat leaned back against the sink, her face flushed. "We are
supposed to be immune to everything on the planet, Billy. What's
happening to us?" Billy shook his head and ran his fingers through his sandy blonde
hair. "I've been under the weather all day, Kat. I can't explain
it. I've called everyone and they will be here in a little while. I
felt we had to discuss this now in case something is wrong with us." Kat agreed with this course of action. "I haven't had any
symptoms of anything until today. I wonder how the other's are
doing?" "I don't know. Look,...ah, Kat. After tonight's meeting, I
have to go and help someone. I should have told you about it last
night, but the..ah..distracting activity we engaged in broke my
resolve." "I'm that good, huh," she teased with a wicked grin.
Billy wondered how a woman could look so beautiful even when sick. "Yes, you most definitely are. " "So, who's this friend?" Billy looked away, not sure what her response will be. Kat was getting more worried by the minute. "If one of our
friends is in trouble then I want to help. And you don't have to
worry about confidentiality. If it's private it will stay private." "It's Andros. Kat, he needs my help. He's dying." Billy watched as the expression on Katherine's face went from
concern to indifference. "Why do you have to help him. The
Galaxy Alliance has some of the best doctors alive today. Let him go
to them. Or what about the doctor that treated you?" "He's already seen Deq-Kar. There was nothing he could do for
him. I do have more experience than anyone in the galaxy when it
comes to researching the long term effects morphing energies have on
the body. I may be his only hope." Kat through the towel she was holding on the floor and stomped out
of the bathroom. Billy followed as she began to pace his living room. Kat turned on her heel to address her boyfriend. "How can you
help the man who killed Zordon? Please explain that to me." Billy sighed. Kat swallowed deeply. She did not want to appear heartless. "Let
me take a guess. The other Space Ranger's don't know about his
condition?" Billy nodded. "He feels it will only hurt them and may even
endanger one of their lives in a fight if they try to watch out for
him." "By helping him you are bringing the Ranger lifestyle back
into ours. We are retired. We're done. Give him your research
material and let someone else help him." "I can't do that. Further more, I won't." Katherine walked away from him and into the kitchen. "He
killed Zordon. Does that count for anything?" Billy was now angry, his voice uncharacteristically raising. "You
know as well as I do the circumstances surrounding Zordon's death. He
requested his stasis tube be destroyed. It was the only way to save
the earth. Why can't you or any of the others understand that." "The Space Ranger's failed Zordon," Kat spit out. "They
had an entire year to search for him and found nothing. Had they done
their fucking job he would still be alive today." Billy followed her into the kitchen wear she was getting a glass
of water. "Kat, you're being unreasonable. None of us are or
were perfect during our tour of duty. People died on out watch. Many
times, unfortunately." "Never by our own hand." Suddenly, the door bell sounded. Billy hated to leave their
argument like this, but he didn't have a choice. "I'll get that.
We'll continue this later."
Katherine just turned her back on him. ****** One by one over the next hour Tommy, Kim, Trini, Adam, Rocky,
Jason, and Tanya arrived. Billy set up two speaker phones, with lines
to Aisha and Zack. So, this is what we have so far," Jason reasoned out loud.
"Billy seems to have a cold. Katherine has the flu. Aisha does
as well." "You feeling any better, babe," Rocky called out to his
girlfriend.
(Yeah, but I lost it in my chem class. It was not pretty, Rocky.
Not pretty at all,) Aisha said over the phone. Jason continued. "For lack of a better explanation, we need
to assume that our invulernability is gone. Until Billy and Kelly
check our blood for anything new, we need to alert each other
immediately if you start feeling strange." "Well, Jase. Today I ate three double beef burrito surpremes
from Taco Bell. Then my stomach started feeling bad," Rocky
added, rubbing his stomach. "That was gas, Rocky," Trini joked to a few laughs. Rocky face took on a questioning expression. "I guess it
was." "I don't think this is anything to panic about," Tanya
added. "Maybe our bodies are finally returning to normal, again.
We were as bombarded with Zordon's energy. Maybe it's wearing off." "I agree with Tanya," Adam said. "This could be the
final sign that our connection to the Ranger life is over. I, for
one, won't regret that." Jason moved to the center of the room. "That may be the case.
But we don't have all of the answers yet, so everyone please check on
anything remotely out of the ordinary when it comes to your health."
Jason made sure everyone was listening. "How does everyone else
feel at the moment." "I'm great," Trini said first. "Me too," Adam added. (Same here, Jase,) Zack admitted. Jason looked to Tanya and she nodded, much to his relief. "All I got is gas," Rocked smirked. "I always knew you were full of hot air," Adam teased. Tommy and Kimberly quietly sat close to each other on the love
seat, holding hands. Neither had said a word since the discussion
began. Jason took notice of that. "Tommy, Kim. Everything alright?" All eyes soon fell on the couple. Kim squeezed Tommy's hand
tighter as both struggled with telling their news.
"We do have something to tell everyone," Tommy said
finally. (Well don't keep us in suspense, bro,) Zack said over the phone.
(I've got a date tonight.) "I'm pregnant," Kim said in an even tone just loud
enough for everyone to hear. The room got so quite you could have heard a butterfly fart in
Egypt. "You're,.....you're what?" Trini asked as Kim's words
started to resonate through her mind. (Girlfriend, am I picking up somebody else's line, because I know
I did not hear what I just thought I heard,) Aisha said. Kim turned to her oldest friend, Trini. "I fainted at work
today and was rushed to the hospital. They ran some test's on me and
discovered that I am eight weeks pregnant. I also ran three home
pregnacy tests before me and Tommy came over here. They were all
positive." Kat put her hand over her mouth in shock and joy. Trini jumped up
and mauled Kim, followed by Kat and Tanya. "This is just the best news ever," Trini said of her
friend.
Jason and Billy both were in a state of shock. They both could
just imagine that Zack was sitting by the phone in the same way. The next twenty minutes were filled with hand shakes, hugs, and
well wishes. Congratulations from everyone.
While Rocky spoke to Aisha and the others fawned over Kim, Tommy
motioned for Billy to follow him in the kitchen. We wanted to speak
privately to him. "Billy, I have never been more afraid in my
entire life," he confessed for the first time. Billy has never
heard Tommy speak of fear. Not ever. "I'm sure all first time fathers feel that way," Billy
replied with a smile. Tommy shook his head. "It's not that, although that's part of
it. Billy, there are a lot of strange things floating around in all
of our bodies, but especially mine. I was not supposed to be able to
get Kim pregnant. Now I'm worried if she will be able to carry the
child full term. Billy placed his hand on Tommy's shoulder. "You know I love
Kim like a sister. I promise you with my life I will do everything in
my power to ensure that her pregnacy runs smoothly. I will blood
samples from all of us this evening before everyone leaves. Aisha and
Zack are sending me there’s first thing in the morning. We will
have answers to our questions and we will have them soon." Tommy looked slightly less tense, but still worried. His wife is
his whole life and if she couldn't carry the child all until birth he
wanted to know as soon as possible.
"Thanks, Billy. With you on the case I'm relieved." The scientist smiled. Tommy's faith in him meant alot, though
neither himself nor the other ranger's would admit it. "Let's go
back into the living room."
****** Tommy and Kim were the last to say their good-bye’s as
Katherine closed the door
behind them. She knew that Billy was in his bedroom preparing some
of his research
materials for wherever Andros was taking him tonight. She takes a deep breath before walking into the bedroom. "I
guess there is no way to talk you out of this, it there?" Billy clamped shut his briefcase and turned to face his
girlfriend. "Katherine, this is not about us. This is me wanting
to try and help save a mans life." "I don't want Andros or anyone else to die. You know that.
But why does he have to drag you into it. I still can't see why you
won't share your research with another scientist and let him help
Andros." "It's simple. No one knows more about the different forms of
morphing energy and the effects it has on the body. Andros's people
have a slightly different physiology than humans, but still close
enough where I might find a cure to what's killing him." Katherine could hear the conviction in his voice. She knew that
she would not be able to talk him out of this. "I just want you
to know that I don't agree with this." "You are making that abundantly clear," Billy replied
from across the room. Kat lowered her head. She didn't like fighting with him, but she
felt so much anger toward the Space Ranger's that it pissed her off
anyone wanted to help them. "I won't tell anyone anything." "Thank you." "I'm doing this because I love you. None of it is for him,"
Katherine said as she walked out of the bedroom. Billy could hear the
rustle of car keys and a jacket being picked up. He heard his front
door open and close. differently.> Billy reached inside his dresser and tapped a special code into
his old communicator.
(We're set, Billy. Are you ready for transport?) Andros asked. "Affermative." A second later he was teleported away. ****** ****** The home of Tommy and Kimberly Oliver Friday, July 24, 2000 8:50 PM Angel Grove, CA Tommy sat on the couch in his living room, just flipping channels
with the remote control. He was valiantly searching for something,
anything that would take his mind off of Kim's pregnancy and it's
unanswered questions. Kimberly came out of their bedroom with a pair of powder blue
satin pajama’s on. She made her way into the kitchen and fixed
herself a cup of the herbal tea her mother brought her from Europe.
With cup in hand she walked into the living room and took up
residence right next to Tommy, who immediately threw his arm around
her shoulder and pulled her closer.
She sighed as he held her. As long as she had her lifeline to him
she would be able to weather any storm. "That smells good." "Taste good to. Mom gave me some last time she was here."
Kim took a sip and smiled. "Want some? I could make you a cup." Tommy leaned over and kissed his wife on the cheek. "That's
alright." "What's wrong. You to much of a manly man to drink tea?"
Kim teased with her head on his shoulder. Tommy rolled his eyes and took the cup out of her hand and drank a
few swallows. "That is pretty good." "See, I told you." Tommy playfully waved her off. "How did you get pregnant?"
Tommy mused out loud. "A little bit of uh huh and a whole lot of oh yeah," Kim
teased wickedly. That elicited a smile from her husband. "I know the mechanics of how it happened."
"You sure enjoyed the mechanics of how it happened." Before he could answer she raised the cup of tea back to his lips.
He took another sip then leaned over and kissed her softly on the
lips. "I love you." She knows she will never get tired of hearing those words from his
lips. "I love you, too." Tommy took the cup out of her hands and laid it on the coffee
table. He then reached under Kim's knee's and lifted her up and onto
his lap, wrapping his arms around her and laying one hand on her
stomach. Kimberly simply dissolved into her husbands embrace as he started
to stroke her hair and nuzzle her neck. She snuggled up even closer
to him, releasing all the tension of the day. She felt adored in his
arms.
Of all the benefits of married life, they both loved this one the
most. Their private, quiet time together. Tomorrow she will call her mother and father. Her mom will
probably be ecstatic, even hyperventilating over the phone. Her dad
might just hang up the phone. "He'll come around, Beautiful," Tommy whispered in her
ear after she went quiet for a while. Sometimes she wondered if he
could actually hear her thoughts.
Were they that connected? "I know. But I miss him. I want him to be happy for us and
that he's going to be a grandfather. I can take it if he doesn't want
to be a part of our life. That's his choice, no matter how bad it
hurts me." Tommy can't stand for anything to hurt her. But there was nothing
he could do about her father, especially since William Hart
considered him the problem. "Once he gets a look at his
grandchild’s face for the first time he won't be able to stay
away," Tommy said while kissing her hair line. All of a sudden Kim's mind drifted away from family problems and
onto something she really hadn't considered today. "You know
Tommy, if I'm eight weeks pregnant I believe I remember the night the
baby was conceived," she smiled up at him. "Kim, you know my memory. All I know is that we have had
great sex pretty often. The exact date I couldn't tell you to save my
life." "Remember the jazz club you, me, Jason, and Tanya went to in
late May. Do you remember when we got home...," she trailed off
while kissing his neck and playing with his hand. This was intimate
time for them. Nothing sexual, just shared. "I seem to recall my slightly drunk wife attempting to maul
me that evening." Kim turned to him with a mock pout on her face. "Slightly
drunk? I was tipsy at best." "Like tonight, your were drinking tea. Except on that night,
it was from Long Island, not Europe." He received a swat to the
chest, even though she was grinning when she did it. Kim can feel herself blush whenever she remembers there love
making. "We didn't even get all of our clothes off," she
said of the night in question. "I still had my purse over my
shoulder." "We didn't even make it to the couch," Tommy moaned into
her hair. "You just pushed on the floor and had your way with
me." "You're my husband. I will take you anywhere and anytime I
please." "No arguments here," he joked into her hair. "Remember
when I looked up and the front door was slightly open." Kim covered her mouth in embarrassment. "I'm glad none of our
friends or your parents didn't stop by. They would have gotten an
eyeful that night." "You were wild. God, I couldn't get enough of you." "The feeling is mutual. And don't play like you were Mr.
Sit-back-and-watch-it-happen. You flipped me over onto my back and
gave me carpet burns." "Okay, okay, the baby doesn't need to know the specifics of
his or her origin." Kimberly wrapped her arms around her husbands neck and kissed him,
again. She suckled his lips slowly, tasting and enjoying him. He
pulled her closer, loving the feel of her body next to him When she
pulled away she could only see his love for her in his eyes. "So
what do you want, Tommy. A boy or a girl." He thought on it for a few moments before answering. "Healthy. Just healthy. That's all I want, Beautiful." "Amen," Kim replied as they fell asleep in each others
arms. ****** ****** Astro Mega-Ship Observation Deck 12 Saturday, July 25, 2000 1:00 AM Though she has seen it many times over the past two and a half
years, the sight of Earth from outer space never ceases to amaze her.
The absolute scope and wonder of the planet was stunning to say the
least. Ashley Hammond had just finished re-calibrating the Astro
Mega-Ship's radar to locate and isolate any fluctuating frequencies,
just in case Divatox was here and trying to throw them off the trail. The computer was programmed and doing it's job. It allowed her a
few minutes to herself. The 90 inch glass window she now sipped her
coffee in front of provided the only entertainment she would have
this evening. His excuse was flimsy at best. Ashley could feel her anger rising again as she fought to suppress
it. The 19 year old looked out into space the way she had many times
before, contemplating the universe and her place in it. For some reason it never looked as lonely as it did now. Andros The man she both loves with all her heart, and now hates with
every fiber of her being. His betrayal opened a wound so deep she
wondered if it will ever heal. Could she ever trust her judgment in men again? "Bullshit," she then says out loud. She is not going to
turn this around on herself. He cheated on her. He broke it off with
her in public. The day Andros returned from his solo mission on Cronan will
forever be etched into her mind. The way they stood in front of each
other as he confessed that he had slept with another women.
She felt so bad that she couldn't even move. When Andros said he couldn't see a future with an Earth women
Ashley wondered if she were really asleep in her bed and this was all
just a nightmare. One that she would be able to wake up from any
minute. Oh, it was a nightmare. Just not one you could wake up from. She wondered if the fact that she would not sleep with him yet
drove him into the arms of another woman. Even though she is a
virgin, she knows he is not. Ashley can still her the smack of her palm against his face when
he spoke of his
infidelity. She was so profoundly hurt and humiliated that she
didn't even cry. Two months ago her heart was broken. Now she's all alone, left to pick up the pieces.
Ashley finished her coffee and checked on the main computers
scanner's. Karone and Andros told the team of their new mission. They had
received very vague
orders. The Alliance just wanted Divatox and the other three
inmates found and brought back. They also mentioned she may be
looking for a ship, but didn't specify what kind or what might be on
board. But that was then. Her heart may be broken. But no one will break her spirit. A door opens behind her, revealing a casual dressed Andros,
something she has rarely seen over the years.
"Did your little trip uncover any new leads?" she asked
with no malice in her voice. Andros shook his head. "No, not so far." Ashley nodded. "I made some coffee. It's over there. Help
yourself." She turned back around to her terminal and placed the
computer on automatic wake-up, so that is any new signals were picked
up the computer would page her room. "I'm done for the night." As she headed for the door, Andros caught her by the arm. "Wait." Ashley shrugged his arm away. His touch of another woman damned
the feel to her. "What is there to say that doesn't involve
Ranger business? Because if it doesn't I don't want to hear it." Their was a deep hurt in her eyes and Andros hated himself for
causing it. "I just wanted to say that
I'm sorry." Ashley walked right up into his face. "To fucking little, and
to fucking late." She turned on her heel and left the room. She didn't even say goodnight Andros sank into one of the chairs with a cup of coffee in hand.
Billy took new blood and tissue samples from him tonight. There was
not a lot he could do until they had all of Billy's test results
back. Closing his eyes, he wonders for a moment what if Billy can save
his life, could he win Ashley back. He soon lets that thought go.
realizing that she will hate him even more for lying all these
months. His heart aches for her. His lips miss hers in the worst possible
way. The way he broke up with her was done specifically to burn all
bridges. Loud, clear, and in public, with everyone knowing that he
cheated on her. That's what he feels like he needs at the moment.
There is nothing in the galaxy he would rather do than to go to
her room right now and confess everything. That he never cheated on
her and never would. That the thought of another woman had not
crossed his mind since the day he met her. That he loved so much he
felt this was all the best way to spare her the pain of his death. A
death predicted by no less than 5 alien doctors. But to do all of that would only make matters worse. He had a plan
set, just in case Billy could not save his life.
He would leave the Space Ranger's and take a position at the
Galactic Alliance headquarters. He would fake an accident and make
sure people were in place to say they saw him die. Ashley, Karone, and the rest of the team would be crushed, but
they wouldn't have to watch him die slowly. They would see him leave
them strong and healthy, and on his own terms. Then he would die and
they would go on, fighting the good fight.
He didn't ever want to see pity in their eyes over his illness.
His pride could not take that. The constant asking of how are you
feeling and what can I do for you. "Never," he said out loud. This plan of his was far from perfect. But he felt it was his only option at this time. ****** ****** The mountains of Angel Grove Saturday, July 25, 2000 9:00 AM Angel Grove, Ca Private Brenns was not having a good morning. He was
unceremoniously ordered to take the Saturday morning day shift at the
Angel Grove mountains military road station. This was supposed to be his day off, but an un-sanctioned out of
state trip that seven other Privates took along with himself garnered
him this hateful, boring duty. Ever since the combined Air Force and Marine strike of the
terrorist compound up in the mountains, President Clinton ordered the
Army to shut off the mountain area and create check points on all
roads and highways that led there. He heard the rumors, as had all the soldiers at his base. Rumors
of massive cover-ups and fake invasions. He knew that it would not be wise to ever air that question out
loud. You do not question anything in the United States Armed
Services. John took another sip of his morning coffee. His head shot up
immediately when his eyes caught a jeep with army plates approaching
his outpost. He grabbed his clip board and leaned out of his window. What he saw damn near made him fall out that window. Two of the most gorgeous women he had ever seen in real life
pulled up next to his window. One was a brunette with green eyes and
the other was Asian with dark hair. They were both beautiful, their
hair done and in military business suits. "What can I do for you two ladies today?" he asked with
a smile The brunette behind the wheel spoke up. "I'm Major Devon and
this is my assistant Private Cho. We need access to the mountain
areas in sector 5." She pulled out two id cards and handed them
to Private Brenns. The private looked at the cards, then back at the two women.
"These look fine. You may proceed. Have a nice day Major Devon,"
he tipped his hat. "Private Cho." "Thank you. We'll see you on our way back good-looking,"
the Major grinned with a wink that suddenly made Private Brenns day a
little bit brighter. ******
Divatox was pleased. The small holographic image inducer worked perfectly. Divide
hacked into an Army mainframe and used the information there to
create the fake ideas. When Divatox and Scorpina landed in Angel
Grove they commandeered the jeep fairly easily.
There were two cadets laying unconscious in a gas station bathroom
about 30 miles away. Divatox would normally have killed then but she
doesn't want to raise any suspicions. The two guys picked up two
women they thought were hitchhikers.
Once inside the car Scorpina stunned both men and Divatox injected
LSD into their bodies. No one will believe anything they say now, not that picking up
hitchhikers would warrant that big a investigation anyway. Divatox navigated the jeep up the mountain trails. She only took
three hours of driving drills on the simulator before her and
Scorpina left, but she seemed to be handling herself nicely. "There is still radioactive energy in this area,"
Scorpina noted while monitoring the readout on her hand held
detection device. The morning breeze whipping her dark locks about
her
face. "This radiation is Earth based nuclear energy with
small trace elements of Eltarian power cells." "Is it dangerous for us to be here?" Divatox asked. "No, but even three months ago it would have been," she
replied. "Just what are we doing out here?" Divatox steered the car toward the canyon like hole that used to
be a mountain unto
itself. "This was the sight of a great battle. A battle that
was won by foes we will soon face." She stopped the car near an
Army barricade beam that stretched nearly seven city blocks across. "Look there Scorpina," Divatox pointed out, showing her
the enormous crater that was so deep the bottom could not be seem.
"Zordon's children grew up and they are dangerous. They set off
a nuclear device within 50 miles of a major city. Pay no mind that
the city was evacuated. The fact that they did it alone speaks
volumes. They will resort to any means to win once their backs are
pushed up against the wall." Scorpina stared out over the edge of the barrier. The mountain
that the Command Center sat on was completely obliterated. "If
they defeated Lord Zedd than what realistic chance do we have? It
seems by all accounts that he had many more soldiers and weapons at
his disposal than we have at ours." "That's why he lost. Zedd has always believed no one could
beat, out smart, out think, or out fight him. No doubt he played with
the Rangers. Taunted them as he did all his enemies for nearly 1000
years. The fact of the matter is he should have won. The Earth should
be his by all accounts. We will succeed because we do not need to
destroy the Ranger's or Earth nor are we seeking revenge on the
dead.. I have no vendetta against the Rangers. Rest assured I will
kill them and anyone who stands in my way. But I want the Galactic
Alliance brought down to there knees. Earth, Zordon, and his
misguided Rangers are an after thought. But they are needed. That is
why we will gather information on them. Choose who to go after, for
reasons that further our goals. All in all, Scorpina. We will succeed
because we know we can fail. I'll bet my life Zedd never once thought
that he would lose." "You do not seem to suffer a lack of confidence either,
Divatox." "I believe we have a strong plan and the people to carry it
out. But even I know we will need a little luck on our sides. Let's
go." "Where to now?" "We're gonna hit all the nearby hospitals. I want the records
of everyone who died or was infected by that virus. I know Divide
could hack into the hospital computers, but I want the actual samples
to study before my own eyes. In addition I hope to find some blood
samples of the Rangers. Lord Zedd discovered something about them and
I want to know what it is. Come. We have a long day ahead of us,
Scorpina. Let's get started." ****** ****** 1517 East Washington Blvd. Loft Apartments Saturday, July 25, 2000 1:30 PM
Angel Grove, Ca The metal examining table was cold on Andros's skin as he stared
up at the ceiling. Billy told him to remove his shirt while he made
ten small incisions on his chest. This was only the second day and Andros was already frustrated. He
kept silent though, because Billy was helping him and he didn't have
to. Billy was impressed to say the least when Andros told him he
rented a loft apartment way across town for the laboratory they
needed. At the moment he was focused on observing Andros's blood
cells as he bombard them with different types of radiation through a
high powered microscope. Billy hoped this would cause some kind of an reaction. At the very
least it would give him something to go on. His first round of tests
yesterday were supposed to focus on identifying each and every cell
that made up the Heras disorder that was killing Andros. That unfortunately was all to easy. Billy isolated three cells in
particular and found them invulernable to his first attempts at
destroying them. Billy hated to agree with the other doctors
diagnosis, but this Heras disorder was going to start spreading to
Andros's organs soon.
If that happens, options become few and far between. "Any news, Billy. Good or bad, I can take it," Andros
asked as he sat up on the table. Billy squinted his eyes as he stretched his neck muscles from
bending over the microscope for so long. "I have three ideas as
to what sort of treatment we should try." Billy walked over
toward the table and handed Andros his shirt. "First, a varied form of chemotherapy, using radon fields.
That might kill enough of the cells to where a weak strain virus
could be administered and kill the rest. Second is completely
draining your blood supply before this infects your tissue, organs,
and bones. It's dangerous but it's an idea we need to leave on the
table." Billy put his hands in his pocket and looked away. "Let's try
the other two first. If they fail then we will discuss the third
option." Andros could tell my Billy's demeanor that whatever this third
option was, it was not one he wanted to discuss right now. "How
soon would you want to try one of the first two options?" "Well, first off, I would like to run some more test's today.
It shouldn't take more than three hours. Then after that I think we
will know what course of action to take." ****** ****** Trini, Katherine, Tanya, and Aisha's House 908 North 2nd Avenue Saturday, July 25, 2000 2:00 PM Angel Grove, Ca Kim and Trini arrived at the house thirty minutes ago from having
lunch together, They were are relaxing in the living room. "So, tonight's the big night?" Kim said while drinking
some bottled water. Trini sat next to her with her legs under her. "Yep, and I
can't wait. When Stefan see's me in that black dress I bought on
Thursday he's going to be putty in my hands," Trini leered with
a grin. Tonight is her first date with Dr. Stefan Forrester. They met
two weeks ago and Trini was immediately attracted to his Latin good
looks and brilliant mind. Kim was happy that her best girlfriend was diving back into the
dating pool. It had been a while and the sting of Billy and Kat's
relationship finally seems a thing of the past. "Where is he
taking you?" "That new Greek restaurant that opened on Laramie, the Rome
Garden. He's taking me there. Hopefully there will be some dancing
afterwards. Then after that......," Trini's voice and eyes
trailed off as Kim started shaking her head. "Uh uh, you will not give it up on the first date. That's a
hoe move," Kim scolded. "Kim, he is pure girl candy. I might have to take him there." "You better not take him there. "Hey, only I decide who gets to go there." "Well I'm your best friend and I'm telling you he ain't going
there." Kim and Trini engaged in a stare down until..... They started cracking up, right there on the couch.
"Don't worry, Kim. I'm just messing with you. He ain't going
there tonight." "Good," Kim smiled as she finished off her bottled
water. "Now why don't you tell me about Stefan." Trini balls up her fists and pounds the coffee table in front of
them three times. "Kim, he is heaven on two legs. Stefan is
about 28 years old, 6'4, and 225 pounds of muscle. When he walked
into the hospital gym the other day with his shirt off while I was on
the treadmill every women in there nearly passed out. He's the
youngest doctor ever at Angel Grove Memorial Hospital. His specialty
is cardiology," Trini beamed with pride. "He is marriage
material, Kim. And I mean to buy me some of that material." More laughter followed. "He sounds fantastic, Trini. But please take it slow." "I know what you mean, Kim. But it's been awhile since I
liked anyone as much as I like him." "Well I hope it works out for you." "Me too. I just want what you have with Tommy. Something
solid." "You make us sound like two rocks." Trini waved her off. "You know what I mean. You never have to
doubt Tommy or worry about if he loves you or if he is cheating or
lying behind your back. He loves you so much it sickens me. I want
some sickening love too." "Well, sickening love is pretty good," Kim had to admit. "Exactly. I've dated Mr. Every-Swear-Word-You-Can-Think-Of
and Mr. Every-Lie-You-Could-Tell. I would like to find a nice
committed guy who wanted to be in a monogamous relationship. He needs
a sense of humor, a life of his own, a job, not living with his
parents, and not be afraid to be affectionate." Kim observed her thoughtful eyes as she finished. "I hope so," she replied softly. "Kim, you would
have died laughing if you saw me, Tanya, and Kat at the clinic this
morning getting our birth control pills. None of us knew the others
were going to be there. When I walked in Kat was already sitting
down. We just grinned at each other because we knew why we were
there. Then Tanya walked in, saw us, and had to cover her face with a
newspaper. When we walked out the clinic together we just busted out
laughing." "Trini, I can just imagine how funny that was." "Enough about me. What about you and Super Ranger Baby X." Kim turned her head laughing. "Sometimes he's just in the way," Trini finished. "Exactly," Kim added. "But physically I'm fine.
Emotionally, well me and Tommy have a lot to adjust to. We didn't
expect a baby in the first six months of our marriage." "If you guys weren't bumping and grinding every chance you
got this would not have happened." "I can't argue with that," Kim grinned wickedly. "Hey,
Trini. Where is Tanya?" Trini shrugged her shoulder. "She should have been home by
now. I know Kat's with her mom. But Tanya, I don't know where she
is." ****** ******
Jason's apartment Saturday, July 25, 2000 2:33 PM Angel Grove, Ca Her breath in his ear seemed to make him even harder, if that was
possible. The creaking of the old recliner Jason took from his fathers house
accompanied the moans and whine's of the two people who now occupied
the chair. Tanya rose and fell on Jason's cock in a decadent rhythm, impaling
herself with every downward spiral. They came back to his place after
lunch to spend some time together. That was the intent. Ten minutes after the door closed, clothes were tossed in every
direction. Tanya told Jason she had a little fantasy about that old
rocking recliner of his. Far be it from him to deny her fantasy. "Goddd," Jason groaned as Tanya added a twist to her
hips, clenching his cock with her every fall. Jason latched on to her
nipple as he began to match her with up thrusts of his own. "You like that baby," Tanya whispered in his ear as she
rode his cock harder now, faster. She loved how he filled her. He
felt like he was made for her. His chiseled chest dripped with sweat
as she violently fucked him. His cock throbbed inside her as she
brought him closer and closer to the edge. Jason's hands held her ass while she controlled the pace. He was
soon pounding her down on his shaft, loving how tight her sex felt
around him, caressing him in the way only a woman can. She felt
absolutely wonderfull, even with the condom he wore. Tanya's breath rasped in her lungs. Jason could feel the ripples
of her inner walls as she approached her climax. She took his ear
into her mouth and began suckling it, moaning loudly. The erotic
sounds of flesh smacking against flesh echoed in the room as they
fucked hard and fast. Both lost in passion and lust. Jason thought that his name never sounded sweeter than when she
cried it out when she came. Her uncontrollable clenching soon sent
him over the edge, growling in her ear as she laughed. She always thought it was funny how a man sounded when he came. Thirty minutes and a shower later, they were back on the couch
laying against each other. This was the relaxing. intimate time they
cherished, but were denied during the week because both worked so
many long hours. "Are Billy and Kat okay?" Tanya asked. Jason turned toward her. "So, I wasn't the only one who
picked up on the tension," Jason replied. When Jason arrived to
pick Tanya up for lunch he ran into Billy who was leaving their
house. Kat stood in the doorway and watched him leave with a stern
expression on her face.
It looked like they just had an argument. "I didn't really get a chance to talk to Kat yesterday
because of the staff meeting I had to attend." Jason nodded, having dealt with the same thing. "I didn't see
Billy at all yesterday. And when I saw him this morning we only spoke
for a few minutes. He was in a rush. I don't know where he was
going." "Hopefully, whatever they are going through is minor and will
blow over in a few days," Tanya added.
"Tanya, I still can't believe Kim is pregnant." He shook
his head with a smile, remembering the energetic ten year old he used
to chase around the block with Zack.
"I haven't known her as long as you have but I can tell she
and Tommy will be good parents." "They are going to be great parents, Tanya," Jason said
with conviction. "And I'm glad it happened after our days as
Power Ranger's." "You can say that again. The Ranger lifestyle is not one that
you could raise a child in." "You ever think about kids?" Jason asked. They had never discussed anything like this before and Tanya was
happy to see their relationship progress here. "Yeah, I think
about children. I don't want one right now. But in the future, yeah,"
she smiled at him. "Me too," he replied. "But I want to be married
first." "Of course. So do I." "That's a good thing to agree on." "My sentiments exactly." "Why did we take a shower." Tanya tried to hide her wicked grin, but it was to no avail.
"Beats the hell out of me," she replied as she straddled
his lap and began removing his shirt. ****** ****** Angel Grove Memorial Hospital Records Room Saturday, July 25, 2000 3:30 PM Angel Grove, Ca "And if you need anything else, please ring desk 10. That's
my direct extension," Nurse Jones pointed out to both visiting
physicians. "Thank you very much, Nurse Jones. I will contact you if we
need further assistance." "It's no problem at all, Doctor Harris," the nurse
replied to Divatox as she exited the room. The first three hospitals they 'visited' led to frustration and no
results. It seems the government confiscated all records and blood
samples of the people who were infected by the virus that caused
Angel Grove's quarantine earlier in the year.
Divatox however was not without a backup plan. She had already
decided that her and Scorpina would not teleport into Angel Grove.
But, they did bring portable, short range teleporters with them, just
in case of an emergency. Divatox used the teleporter at the East View
Cemetery to remove two of the dead victims body's. Now they had something to work with.
Next was their last stop. The Angel Grove Memorial Hospital. This
was the biggest hospital in Angel Grove and it also served as the
place where everyone who attended high school took their physicals. If any information on the Rangers is to be found, they will find
it here.
Divatox was somewhat frustrated. but not deterred. So far, they
were only able to obtain the blood samples of Katherine Hillard, Adam
Park, Rocky DeSantos, Tanya Sloan, and Kimberly Oliver. It was the last name that struck the most interest in Divatox.
"Kimberly is pregnant. That information will prove most useful,"
she said while thumbing through old medical records. Aside from Kim,
the blood samples she was able to get her hands on were all nearly
four years old. Still, each person had been or was a Ranger at the
time they were taken, so whatever Lord Zedd discovered should still
be present. Scorpina however, was not so upbeat.
"Divatox?" "Yes?" "I'm done. There are no more entries in these files for any
of the Ranger's." Divatox closed the folder she was reading and laid it on the
counter. "We've done what we came to do. We have samples of the
Ranger's blood. Maybe not all of them, but some. Including one of the
originals, who is now pregnant." Scorpina shut down her computer and removed her zip disk. "What
do you think Lord Zedd found out about them?" "I don't know for sure. But whatever it was the Ranger's
killed him for it and the United States government lied to the entire
world. That speaks volumes." Divatox stood and pulled her
communicator out. "Divide, come in." (I'm here, my lady.) "Have you cracked the memory banks of the Horde Freighter?" (Yes. We now know the whereabouts of the five keys.) "Good. Have the chem. lab prepped when I arrive. We have five
blood samples. I want complete tox screens for each ASAP." (Everything will be ready when you arrive. In addition, I have
recovered some more information from that droid we recovered. It's
concerns the Ranger's DNA.) (My lady, excuse me cutting you off. But isn't she married to
Tommy Oliver?) "Yes, hence her last name." (My lady, her being pregnant cannot be possible." "Explain." (I can brief you fully when you arrive, but for now all
information I have points to complete infertility between all male
and female Ranger's. Technically, it should be impossible for her to
have gotten pregnant.) Divatox allowed this new info to walk around her head for a
moment. (As you command, Divatox.) Turning her communicator off, Divatox faces Scorpina. "Lets
go. We have a five hour drive to get back to our ship. I want to be
back on the Mercy by midnight." Scorpina rose from her chair and the two women walked out of the
room. Minutes later, they were in the parking lot heading toward their
car. Scorpina took the wheel again and pulled out of the lot and into
traffic. "When do we move against the Ranger's?" "Two days. Three at the most. We need to move on the
Zentarian crystals as soon as possible." "The Ranger's will no doubt resist. They have proved
formidable. Now as adults. They are out right deadly." "Agreed. That is why I will put them in a position where they
cannot face us the way they have faced past enemies. Cunning will
swing the outcome of the battle our way, not brutality. Knowledge
will be our blade. And it will cut them, deeply." ****** ******
Tommy's Lincoln Navigator Saturday, July 25, 2000 3:45 PM Angel Grove, Ca As the car door slammed, Tommy finally let it sink in that his
racing career was officially over. He had fulfilled his last
obligation to his sponsors by appearing at the Hope For the Future
children’s foundation and was about to head home.
Tommy would have donated his time anyway, because helping kids has
always been something he wanted to be a part of. Now sitting back in his seat, he closes his eyes for a moment and
reflects on the end of his days as a racer. He began racing professionally almost two years after his breakup
with Kimberly. The offer from his uncle to race was a God send. He knew the time
was drawing near and his Ranger days were nearly over, even when
Zordon gave him the Turbo power's.
Now, another chapter in his life was closed. And a new one was about to begin. Fatherhood. Tommy started his car with a silly grin on his face. Heading for home now, his cell phone rings. "Hello?" (Hey, baby. It's me.) The sweet sound of his wife's voice makes the day a little
brighter. "Are you still with Trini?" (Nope. I'm pulling out of her driveway as we speak,) she replied
(How did the foundation work go?) "It was the usual. We talked to the kids. Told them how each
of us got involved in our different careers. Told them the benefits
of staying in school and off drugs. The whole event turned out really
well.) Kimberly could hear something in his voice. (What's wrong?) (You really miss it?) she asked. "I don't really miss it. But I clung to it at a very
confusing time in my life. I had already broken up with Kat and I
didn't have any other prospects at the time, job wise. I literally
threw myself into it and now it's over." (It's okay to mourn it, Tommy. Racing was a very important part of
your life. I still think of professional gymnastics from time to
time. I still wonder if I could do it. But during both of those
careers, we didn't have each other. And I wouldn't trade what we have
now for anything in the world.) He wouldn't either. "The only race car driving I'm going to
do is in video games." (That's as much danger as I want to deal with at this time in our
lives,) she laughed into his ear. (I'm going to stop at Blockbuster
and pick up some movies. Anything you want in particular?> "Not really. Just don't bring back five chick movies. Find
something with at least one explosion on the cover." (I'll try to ignore that thinly veiled insult and find something
we both will like.) "You know what, Beautiful. Rent American Pie. I'm in the mood
for a comedy." (Sounds good to me. I love you.) "I love you, too," Tommy returned to her. "Kim, put
the phone to your stomach." He could picture her smiling in his mind. He knew she would do it. "I love you too, sweetheart. Me and your mom can't wait to
see you." (Love you.) "Right back at ya." Tommy hit the end button. As he
turned on East Washington, he wondered why the foundation held it's
kids day event so far across town. No biggie, he figured, His commitments were met and it was time to
move on. Suddenly, a familiar car caught his eye, parked in front of the
east sides well known loft complexes. Tommy didn't see any other cars in the lot.
That couldn't be it. Suddenly on the third floor window, Tommy saw Billy walk past.
Behind him appeared to be a someone with long blonde hair.
That's what he told himself. That's not what he did. Tommy grabbed his cell phone again and
punched number 3. (Hello?) "Jase, it's Tommy." Their was a slight edge to his voice that Jason didn't like.
(What's up, bro?) "Ah, bro. Do you know anyone who lives at," Tommy
squinted his eyes to make out the address letters on the front of the
building. "1517 East Washington Blvd." Jason wracked his mind for a moment. (No, can't say that I do.) Tommy mouth was open to reply, but his eyes caught sight of the
blonde again, walking past the window. It wasn't a another women. Billy wasn't cheating on Kat. In Tommy's opinion, it was much, much worse. "Andros." The words came out of Tommy’s mouth in
disgust. (Andros? What are you talking about.) "I'm sitting in my car outside this loft apartment building.
The address is 1517 East Washington. I just saw Billy and Andros walk
past the window together." Jason began to pace back and forth. Tanya was asleep so went into
the living room, not wanting to disturb her. (If Andros is on Earth
than the other Space Ranger's must be near by. Why didn't Billy
contact us?) "I have a bad feeling about this, Jase." (Sit tight. I'm on my way. *****
Jason pulled up next to Tommy twenty minutes later. Both men
exited the car and approached the building.
"What do you think?" Tommy asked. Jason shook his head while looking up at the third floor window.
"I thought the Space Ranger's weren't due back on Earth for a
few more months." "That's what I thought, too." They looked at each other, both not sure what to make of this. "Do you think it's really them? Could it be....something
else?" Jason's tone of voice told Tommy exactly what he meant.
Was this Ranger business or not. "I'm unarmed," Tommy added. "Me too." "Let's just go up there and find out what's going on." Jason nodded in agreement as they walked into the building. Now in
the elevator, they ride up to the third floor. "Why would Billy not tell us the Space Ranger's are on
Earth?" Jason shrugged his shoulder's, wondering the same thing. "He
knows how me and you feel about them, especially Andros. That could
be one reason." "Yeah, but he still should have told us," Tommy noted as
the elevator opened.
Moving down the hallway, both men tried to decide which apartment
the window was from.
"It's either 3B or 3C. I'd put my money on 3C." "Good enough for me," Jason said as he approached the
door and knocked three times. ****** Andros and Billy both looked up when the knock came on the door.
"It's probably the superintendent. I rented the place a few days
ago and he said always stops by periodically to check on the new
tenants the first two weeks. I'll get the door." Billy went back to work as Andros opened the door. The two faces that met him were as cold as ice. "Is Billy here?" Jason asked quickly while holding his
anger in check. In his eyes Andros will always be Zordon's murderer. Andros meanwhile had only a second to get over the shock of seeing
Tommy and Jason. He knew of the deep seeded resentment they held for
him. But Andros was not a weak man. He did as Zordon requested and no
one was ever going to make him feel otherwise. "Billy," Andros called. "We have guests." When the former Blue Ranger saw Jason and Tommy he knew this was
not good. "What are you two doing here?" "Funny, we were about to ask you the same question,"
Tommy fired back as Jason and him walked into the loft. Billy motioned for everyone to move toward the couches near the
window. Once seated, he asked, "Are either of you following me?" "No. I had one last appearance to make for my racing sponsor
near by. I just so happened to recognize your car outside and when I
looked up I saw you walk past the window. Then I saw Andros." The tension was very apparent in the room. "Billy, we know you don't owe us any explanation about your
goings and comings. But we had all agreed that if anyone contacted
any of us concerning Ranger business we would tell everyone
immediately. No secrets," Jason announced. Billy thought for a moment before replying. "Andros, I think
you should tell them why the Space Ranger's are on Earth. Since that
is Ranger business you should tell them." Andros understood exactly what Billy meant. His illness was
personal and no one's business. But the other stuff was. "Less
than ten days ago I was contacted by the Galaxy Alliance. It seems
Divatox escaped an Alliance prison, along with three other inmates.
Intelligence seems to believe that they may be headed for Earth. We
were sent to investigate." Tommy and Jason now had their worst fears realized. Yet another of
their old enemies may at this very moment be back on Earth. "Is the Alliance sure she is on Earth," Jason asked. "No, but they feel she most likely is," Andros answered.
"The Astro-Mega ship is scanning the entire planet for any signs
of a ship landing, but so far we haven't come up with anything." Tommy muffles back a still-can't-accomplish-your-mission- retort.
Instead, he remained
calm. "Billy, the minute 'he' contacted you, you should have
told all of us. How long has Andros been on Earth." "You know, I'm right here, Tommy. You could ask me," the
leader of the Space Rangers said as he stared down the two former
leader's of the Power Ranger's. "I asked Billy," Tommy glared back.
"Two days, Tommy. He contacted me on Thursday." As he observed his long time friends body language, Jason still
couldn't figure out why Billy was here if Andros just relayed a
message to him concerning Divatox. Tommy also wondered just what was going on. "Billy, you know
that now, more than ever, I want nothing to do with Ranger business.
But I need to be informed if something is going down. All of us do.
We still have the government watching us twenty-four hour a day. We
don't need anymore nasty surprises like Lord Zedd showing up. Before Billy could respond, Jason cut in. "I recognize some
of the equipment you have in that corner and on the counter. It's the
same things we used to have in the Command Center." Andros watched Billy carefully to see if they should divulge
anymore information. Tommy saw the exchange. He didn't like it one bit, but he couldn't tell Billy what to do.
"I know something else is going on here other than what you have
told us. But if it doesn’t involve Ranger business, then I don't
need to know." He then turned to Andros. "Is their anything
I should be aware of." "No." "Good." Tommy rose to his feet. Jason was next, as both
men headed for the door. Neither wanted to be in the same room with
Andros any longer than necessary. "Tommy, Jason. Hold on a minute," Billy called after
them. "I was going to tell everyone tonight, but something did
come up. It doesn’t directly involve me and it's not Ranger
business. I understand where both of you are coming from, especially
you, Tommy." "We trust you and your judgment, Billy. But Kim's pregnant
now. That changes everything for me. If there is a threat on Earth I
need to be aware of it," Tommy added with respect. Billy sympathized with Tommy. Kim's pregnacy has to be scary
enough for him without having to worry about another enemy returning.
"Any information I recieve from now on I will call a meeting and
tell everyone immediately." "That's all we ask," Jason finished. Billy was a grown
man and if there were thing’s he didn't want to tell them, he
didn't have to. But Ranger business affected all their lives and that
information had to be made public. Tommy opened the door and exited, with Jason behind him. Both men entered the elevator in silence. "What now," Tommy wondered out loud. Jason leaned back and closed his eyes as the elevator descended.
"We go on alert. Every remains armed until Divatox is found. We
don't know if she is even here or after any of us. But I don't want
to take any chances." "Agreed." "If she's here do you think she knows anything about what
went down with Lord Zedd?" "I pray she doesn't," Tommy said softly as the doors
opened. ****** ****** 3444 LaCourt Drive Saturday, July 25, 2000 6:40 PM Angel Grove, Ca "Tonight is our first date." (Good. Make sure Ms Khan has an excellent time. Our background
check shows that she has relatives in Montana. Have you done you
research of the area?) "Yes. My cover story of having lived their for a time should
hold up nicely." (I don't have to tell you of the importance of your mission.) "No, you do not." (It is imperative that you win her trust. Do whatever you must,
but make sure she suspects nothing.) "I understand my mission, sir. Ms. Kwan will not be a
problem. She seems very attracted to me and I feel that I can use her
emotions to our advantage." (Good. We need eyes and ears on the inside of their little group.
The protection of the free world can not be taken lightly. This is a
long-term assignment, Agent Forrester. Are you sure you can maintain
your professionalism for the long haul.?) "Yes. Rest assured that I will not let Ms, Kwan become
anything more than an assignment to me." (That is an excellent thing to hear, Agent Forrester. I will leave
you to your date. We have agents in place to monitor your every
move.) "Understood. Agent Forrester, out." Stefan hung up the
phone and grabbed his car keys and left his house.
It was only two months ago that CIA Special agent Stefan Forrester
was called in to begin a top secret mission. He was asked to romance
a particular young woman who was known to have been a Power Ranger.
The former Ranger's made it perfectly clear to the government that
any and all information on their past, technology, or enemies would
not be shared under any circumstance. In addition they claimed to
have enough hidden information on members of Congress to bring it to
it's knee's. They were not playing. These young men and women were crafty and
clever. A more subtle touch was needed. Intelligence teams have watched the Ranger's closely ever since
late March of 2000. They had only decided in June who was considered
the weakest link in the group.
Trini Kwan was chosen because she was the only single woman in the
group. Though Zach Taylor was also single, the fact that Trini was
around her involved friends all the time, the felt she would be the
easiest to manipulate. When the United States government wants something, they get it. Period. They want a direct link into the Ranger's lives. And tonight..... They take the first step. ****** ******
The Mercy Divatox's ship Sunday, July 26, 2000 4:00 PM The Northern Woods of Siberia, Russia Divatox cleared her bridge of everyone. She had given her orders
and wanted a few minutes to think and relax. When Scorpina and Divatox arrived they were immediately briefed on
the whereabouts of the five ships containing the keys to the
Zentarian crystal holding bin on the moon. Divatox released a deep breath as the snow fell outside the front
glass window of the bridge. Siberian nights were almost as dark as
space itself. It was beautiful to her, in a sad sort of way.
Reign had earlier explained to her that all five ships were buried
or sunk in infamous Earth locations.
Ship 1: Mount Erebus in Antarctica. The largest and most remote
mountain in that entire country. The conditions there are so harsh.
Average daily temperature, -65 degree's. Ship 2: The Bermuda Triangle, located in the Atlantic Ocean, near
the Puerto Rico Trench. Ship 3: The Socialist Republic of Vietnam, specifically Mekong
Delta, a stretch of land near the ocean. Ship 4: Stonehenge, located in Wiltshire, England, near the town
of Amesbury. Ship 5: The Great Sphinx in Egypt. Divatox would have laughed at Reign's news had she not been so
weary from today's
traveling. No matter how ridiculous the ships locations were, she still was
pleased that they now knew where they were going. Divatox sipped on a glass of Govelian wine as she enjoyed the
quiet of the empty bridge. The blood samples they took today would
need more research than she first thought. Divatox stood and walked toward the huge glass window. She pressed
her hands their and felt the cold against her fingertips. Cold. Everything was cold. Her soul. Everything. Divatox knew that thing were only going to get harder from here on
out. She knew she was a few steps ahead of her pursuers, but that
would soon change. They were intelligent and had far more resources
than she had. But they didn't have the lust for vengeance that she had. Hate is damaging emotion thing, but it can sure help you focus.
And Divatox hated the Galactic Council with her first and last
breath. And it is that intense hate that will allow her to do the things
she will in the days to follow. Horrible things that will insure her safety. The five Ranger's have been chosen. They will all be taken on the
same day. Soon. Then there is the issue of Kimberly Hart Oliver. Her pregnancy will give Divatox the one thing she can not attain
anywhere else in the galaxy. Power. ****** ****** The home of Tommy and Kimberly Oliver. Sunday, July 26, 2000 8:00 AM Angel Grove, Ca Most people are probably getting ready to head out to church this
morning to worship God. But the only God Kimberly is worshipping at the moment was of the
porcelain variety. Tommy stood behind her, holding her hair back as
this morning breakfast exited Kim's body the way it came in. Ah, the joys of pregnancy, by Kimberly Oliver. Finishing, she stood and made her way to the sink to rinse her
mouth out and brush her teeth. Feeling better now, she turned to her
husband. "We are never having sex again," she said with
complete seriousness. Tommy looked down at the floor to hide his grin. His father told
him how bad morning sickness can be and how his mother was not the
most cheerful person at that time. "Better?" he asked,
ignoring her statement. Kim nodded, now staring into the mirror in front of her. The so-called glow of pregnancy was lost on her at the moment. She
felt nauseous and tired, just the way her mother said she would at
the out set of her pregnancy. Yeah right, a little voice in her head said. Tommy moved to her side and took her in his arms from behind.
"We're really pregnant," he whispered a kiss into her hair.
The doctor confirmed it a few days ago and they backed that up with
three positive home pregnacy tests themselves. But only in the last
two days have they both fully begun to accept the reality of it all. "It's all your fault, you know," Kim teased as she
relaxed into his embrace. "How is it 'all' my fault, Beautiful?" he replied good
naturally. "I don't know. But when fault is laid down, it will be at
your feet."
Tommy laughed into her the top of her head. "What do you want
to do now?" "Well, the doctor told me to get as much rest as possible.
She warned me about the fatigue. My body is changing and it's going
to a great toll on my strength. So I think I'm going back to bed."
She turned in his arms, not looking up into his brown eyes. "Let's
go back to bed, baby." Tommy brushed a lazy, Sunday morning kiss on her lips that
lingered long enough for her to realize his absolute need of her in
his life. A need she felt of him in hers. Kim gently slipped out of her husbands arms, but grabbed his hand
and led him back to their bedroom. The dirty dishes in the sink could wait. They aren't going
anywhere. As Kim slipped under the cover's, Tommy dreaded having to tell her
about what he and Jason discovered yesterday. Tommy slipped in behind her, curling his body around hers as he
had every day since they were married. His arms wrap protectively
around her, even more so now that she is with child. For the next ten minutes stay in the same position. Kimberly sighs
happily in her husbands arms, thanking God for giving him to her. One of Tommy's hands found one of hers as he laces there fingers
together. As long as they were united, they could face anything. May God never separate them. "Tommy?" "Yeah." "Have you thought of any baby names yet?"
He nuzzled the side of her neck while shaking his head. "I
figured we should find out if it's a boy or girl first." "So you want to know, huh? Not up for the surprise?" she
replied playfully. "I've had enough surprise for a lifetime, sweetheart." "So when we go for the sonogram, we'll find out if it's a boy
or a girl. I'm cool with that." "What if it's more than one kid?" Kim turned slightly and gave him a
what-the-fuck-are-you-talking-about look. "I am not built to
carry more than one child. I think it would damn near kill me to
deliver twins." "What about triplets?" "They would have to teleport them out." They shared a good long laugh at that. Tommy leaned over and
kissed his wife, playing with her lips in a dance only the two of
them knew. Tommy rests his forehead against hers as they exchange
silent 'I love you's'. But even with this usual show of affection, Kim can sense the
tension in him. "There is something I need
to tell you. Something I should have told you last night." Kim is instantly worried. "When I got off of the phone with you yesterday after my
sponsors event I passed those loft apartment buildings on Washington
Blvd. I saw Billy's car parked outside of one of the loft apartment
buildings. For some nosy reason I got out of my car and looked
around. I caught sight of Billy walking past one of the windows with,
what I thought at the time was a blonde woman." Kim instantly jumped to her long time friends defense. "I
don't know what you saw Tommy, but he would not cheat on Kat. Billy
is not like that." "I know. It wasn't a blonde woman I saw. It turned out to be
Andros." "Andros? The leader of the Space Rangers? I thought they
weren't due back on Earth until the middle of September at the
earliest." "Me too," he said, dreading what was to come. "There's
a situation." His eyes and tone of voice told her everything she needed to know.
Her hand instinctively went to her stomach in a protective way.
"Ranger business?" she asked, now clearly worried. Tommy nodded. "Apparently Divatox and three other inmates
escaped a Galaxy Alliance prison recently. The Alliance believes that
she may be headed to or already on Earth." "Believe? That's bullshit and you know it. Rangers aren't
sent in unless you positively sure the threat calls for them. If they
thought she 'might' be on Earth a retrieval force would have been
sent." Kim took a deep breath, hating that this is happening at
this time in their
lives. "Why do they think she is on Earth?" "I didn't ask. I told Andros that this didn't involve us
anymore. But I did expect to be told what was going on. Jason was
their, too. We pretty much told Billy anything that didn't concern
him personally, we were not interested in." "I don't want to talk about this anymore," Kim said
without meeting his eyes. She turned around and closed herself off.
Tommy held her close and rested his head against her neck, kissing it
once before falling asleep. They didn't want to discuss the possibility of another enemy
returning with revenge in mind.
They didn't want to discuss a possible threat to their baby. Not now. And not ever. ****** ****** The Astro-Mega Ship The Bridge Sunday, July 26, 2000 11:20 AM Just outside of Earth's atmosphere. She's been up for hours. Hunting, searching for someone that might not even be on the
planet. Cassie's eyes were hurting now from the prolonged time she spent
in front of the computer monitor. The Pink Astro Ranger has been up
tracking abnormal alpha waves ever since six in the morning, trying
every trick in the book to locate Divatox's spaceship.
"Deca," she called out the ships main computer. "Yes, Ms. Chan?" "Coffee. Two sugars." The food replicator chimed three times. "It's done, Ms. Chan.
Is there anything else I can do for you?" "Deliver Divatox wrapped in a metal coil," she responded
sarcastically. "I believe that is out of my ability, Ms. Chan." "That's all, Deca. Thank you," Cassie said as she took
her coffee and walked toward the huge glass dome that looked out into
the stars of outer space.
Her mind drifts to the handsome man she met before all the others.
The friendship between them is changing, though she is scared to
admit it. Lunches ate together over light conversation have taken on
a more intimate feel as of late. Words are spoken softer, looks
shared. Cassie can't quite pinpoint when her feelings began to change for
him. They have always been close, but her obsession with the Phantom
Ranger closed off anything potentially happening to them early on. But as time heals all wounds, it also healed her young heart.
She fell for the mysterious, tortured Ranger who upheld his name
sake on every occasion. He was truly a Phantom. But so was their relationship. It never really existed. She knew
she was fooling herself, but a young heart can also be a foolish one
at times. She knew and accepted that now. As she looks out into space, for the first time it does not amaze
her. The wonder and awe have been replaced with a no-biggie attitude.
She has visited more than 70 different worlds all across the
galaxy. She has fought with and against almost every form of life
there is.
She seen war and destruction on a scale that no man or woman on
Earth could ever
comprehend. Though her body bares no physical scars due to the
Astro morphers, her soul is another thing entirely.
At age 19, she has just about had enough of being a Ranger. She is
now curious about what adventures Earth may hold for her Things are different now. Being so near home has her thinking of a
life outside saving the galaxy. She's thinking of her future and her
love life. Suddenly, the bridge doors open behind her and someone enters. "You've been feeding that caffeine fix like crazy lately,"
T.J. announced with a grin as he took a seat next to her with a cup
in his hand. He was dressed in casual clothes today, faded blue
jeans, LA Dodger sweatshirt and Nikes. He looked real nice to today, she thought to herself. Real nice indeed. "Don't blame me. You were the one that got me hooked on the
stuff when we had those early morning recon assignments on Galeos." T.J. sat back, remembering their time spent together on the desert
planet with a
smile. "Coffee was the only thing keeping either of us awake,
Cassie. That desert world had nothing to see or do. We would have
both fell asleep on the shuttle." They both laughed at the memory. Though they dreaded the extremely
boring assignment, it gave them plenty of quality time together. It
was certainly not the most romantic setting he would have hoped for. But when life deals you lemons..... "So, what's on the agenda today?" Cassie asked, now
finishing her coffee. TJ’s face turned serious, his lips forming a tight line. "I'm
going to talk to Tommy and Jason today. Andros told me that they
found out about Divatox yesterday and didn't want anything to do with
him. One way or another, we're going to have to make peace with the
first Rangers, and since Tommy did choose me to lead himself, I
figured he might be a bit more receptive to me as a liaison between
the teams." "T, you know what they think about us. Most of them wouldn't
spit on us if we were on fire. To them we will always be failures who
couldn't save Zordon. They're the perfect Rangers and we're the step
children," Cassie noted. She was well aware of how the old
Rangers felt when the news came down about Zordons' death. "In all honesty, tell me you don't hold some guilt over
Zordon's death?" T.J. had a knack for getting to the heart of matters. "I do
feel some guilt. I wonder what we could have done differently. Or
quicker. But we all bare scars from that battle. Andros did as Zordon
instructed him to do. I can sleep at night knowing I did everything
in my power to save Zordon. But we have to remember we were trying to
save the whole planet at the same time." "I know. I feel the same way. But you have to understand how
they feel to. Zordon was there mentor for nearly a decade. They still
hurting from his death." "That still doesn't make his death our fault. They are acting
like assholes." "Well, hopefully today we can all start the healing process.
I don't want there to be bad blood between the teams. Zordon would
not want his death to bring about that." Cassie smiled to herself. He was always more level headed than she
was. "You think you can reach them?" T.J. shrugged his shoulder, "I'm going to try." Cassie nodded while turning away. "Yeah?"
"You busy this evening?" "Nope. I was going to hang out with Carlos, but he's got
plans with his family." "How about you and me take in a movie?" Cassie said
quicker than she intended. His smile eased her anxiety. She now knew he wanted what she wanted. This was her sign that he
wanted to be alone with her. The growing attraction was not
one-sided. She gave him a shy smile before turning away. T.J. rose to his feet, placed a light kiss on her cheek and headed
for the door. "You pick the movie. I'll let you know as soon as
I'm done with meeting Tommy and Jason." "Okay," she replied softly as he left. She closed her
eyes and released a breath that she couldn't recall holding. She quickly killed that thought, finding the number slightly
embarrassing. Cassie rose from her chair, with both cups in her hand. As she
walked over to the replicator, there was a little more spring to her
step. ****** ****** The Starship Lancer Just outside of Pluto Sunday, July 26, 2000 11:40 AM This is the first time he has been anywhere near Earth in nearly
three whole years.
He sincerely wished his return would herald a much different
reunion than the one it likely will create. Alpha-5 monitored his ships route to Earth while double and triple
encoding his files with new security software he created, just in
case he should come across any resistance to landing on Earth. The Galactic Alliance gave him orders to continue his research
into the synthetic Zentarian crystals. Alpha finishes his calibrations. He can do nothing more but wait
now until he arrives on
Earth. He needs those he trusts above all other's. Jason, Billy,
Kimberly, Zack, Trini, Tommy, Adam, Rocky, Aisha, Tanya, and
Katherine. All served under Zordon for at least one year and were
trusted by Zordon completely. As much as he hated to bring this dilemma into there lives, he
didn't have anyone else to turn to. The Alliance had already
contacted the Space Rangers. Alpha wasn't sure how much they were
told about the crisis, or better yet, how much the Alliance told
them.
He didn't want to dwell on the fact they were not able to find
Zordon until it was almost to late. And when they did find him, the
situation was so critical that Zordon had to make the ultimate
sacrifice. Zordon. His creator. He has never worked with any of the Ranger teams throughout the
years without him, at least for more than a few days. Now he must return and work with them once more. This time without
Zordons ageless guidance. He must tell them of the horrible tragedy
that is taking place across the galaxy and how one of there old
enemies may be on Earth looking for the only known weapon that can be
used against the Dark Matter.
He must uproot the lives of those he holds dear. Alpha knows they
won't turn him away. He knows they will stop everything and assist
him, no matter what. They are all Zordon's children. Trained to do the one thing no one
else can. Save the Galaxy. ****** ****** Trini, Katherine, Tanya, and Aisha's house. 908 North 2nd Avenue Sunday, July 26, 2000 12:30 PM Angel Grove, Ca His voice was a familiar as her own breathing. Kat could here
Billy asking where she was as Tanya let him in upstairs. She was in
the basement loading her clothes in the washer. She knew he would come down there any second.
Light footsteps confirmed her suspicions. She knew he was standing
in the doorway, probably hoping she would acknowledge him first. They are on bad terms right now. Yesterday, Kat was very quick and
cold with him when he stopped by. "Katherine."
"Yes?" she replied with no emotion. Her back was still
to him. Billy ran his fingers through his sandy blonde hair in
frustration. "Kat,
will you please turn around. I'm not here to have a conversation with
the back of your head." Placing her laundry basket on the floor, she turns around to face
him. "What do you want to talk about?" "Why you are so angry with me. Why you are pushing me away.
At the heart of this whole disagreement, I am simply trying to save a
mans life." Kat sighed, sticking her hands in her jean pockets. "The same
man who killed Zordon." "Do you hate him that so much that you won't accept the fact
that Zordon asked Andros to destroy his stasis tube." "I don't hate anyone. I just don't see why you have to be
involved. You are not Gods gift to science. As brilliant as you are
there are others in the galaxy that can help him. Why not let him go
to them?" Kat argued vehemently. Billy could not understand why she was being so irrational. "I
know what it's like to feel helpless and hopeless, Kat. That is the
way Andros feels right now. He's dying. He hasn't told any of the
other Space Rangers of his condition. I love you, Katherine. But I am
going to help him. Whether you like it or not." "Obviously," she mumbled to herself. As bad as this was going, Billy knew it was about to get much,
much worse. "Kat, there is something else I need to tell you.
Something Tommy and Jason discovered yesterday." "What now?" Kat replied with an attitude. Billy could see the frustration in her eyes, but he pressed on.
"There is the possibility that Divatox is on Earth right now." Katherine facial expression fell into an intense frown. "Explain."
Billy walked toward her, but stopped, sensing that she wanted the
space between them. "A Galaxy Alliance prison reported that
Divatox and three other inmates escaped a few weeks ago. They have
reason to believe that she may be headed to Earth." "How long have you known?" she snapped, trying and
failing to keep the sudden surge of anger from her voice.
"Three days." "And why in the fuck did you wait until today to tell me. Why
did you tell Tommy and Jason first." Billy knew things were about to go from bad to worse. "I
didn't tell Tommy or Jason. Tommy just happened to see my car parked
outside of the apartment Andros rented for us to do our research. For
whatever reason, he called Jason and they came up to the apartment." Katherine closed her eyes and began shaking her head. "When
were you going to tell us that another one of our enemies might be on
Earth? Someone I know all to well. Divatox has tried to kill me many
times, Billy." "I admit I should have told everyone immediately. That was my
mistake. But I was totally focusing on Andros's illness. I will
apologize to everyone. I called a meeting for later tonight at my
place." Kat tried to understand his point of view. But she can't help the
anger she holds for the Space Rangers.
Taking a deep breath, she calms herself. "It's okay that we
disagree about the Space Rangers. And while I don't like Andros, I
don't want him to die. But once again our lives might be in danger.
Once again we are being pulled back into this shit." Kat shakes
her head. "Why does the Alliance think she may be on Earth?" "They haven't shared that information with the Space Rangers
yet." "Great, more secrets." Kat, I don't want us fighting anymore. I love you. I admit I made
an error in judgment withholding the information about Divatox. I
should have told everyone the day I found out. But I will not abandon
Andros. He needs my help. No one in the galaxy knows as much about
the various morphing energies and what effect they may have on the
blood steam. The people of K0-35's physiology closely matches our
own. In that respect, I am an expert." Kat slowly paced the room, seemingly deep in thought. "I want
in on the search for Divatox." Billy was not expecting that. "Why? I thought you wanted no
part in any of this." "I don't. But forgive me, I have no faith in the Space
Rangers capabilities. When can you arrange a meeting for me with
Andros?" "Kat are you su..." "Yes. The sooner Divatox is found the sooner I will be able
to sleep. Remember, Divatox helped Dark Spector torture Zordon. Drain
him practically to death. I want her found and brought to justice.
Death is to good for her. She deserves a life of imprisonment. She
deserves to suffer." Billy always knew there was something of a dark side to Katherine.
That's probably what first attracted her to Tommy. "I'll speak
to Andros this tonight," he said hesitantly. Kat nodded, keeping her eyes from meeting his. She is still so
very angry with him. But all feelings must be pushed aside. "Billy." "Yes?" "We're alright for now. But in the future, remember this.
Keeping things from the ones you love could cost you that very love."
Without waiting for a reply, Katherine grabbed her laundry basket and
walked back up stairs. Leaving Billy to his thoughts. ****** ****** The Mercy Divatox's Spaceship The War Room Sunday, July 26, 2000 2:00 PM Siberia, Russia Scorpina watched as Divatox gave out her assignments to the
Dreadnought captains with the cold calculated tone of voice that
matched her steely exterior.
Tomorrow they were attacking. Everything was planned out. Reign
will take 50 Dreadnought assassins with him to capture two Ranger's.
Divide will command 50 more assassins to take two more. And Divatox
herself will lead 100 assassins on the final assault herself. Both the Mercy and Scorpina's ship, the Maniac, are being prepped
for battle. Divatox dismissed everyone accept Reign and Scorpina from the war
room. She sat back in her chair at the head of the table and waited
for the questions she was sure to come. Reign spoke first. "With all due respect, your battle plan is
flawless. But what you have planned for the Oliver girl. Is that
truly neccesary?"
Divatox knew that Reign was not a man of mercy. But even he had
his limits. "If we had a few
C- starships and a couple of thousand soldiers I wouldn’t
even entertain what I have planned. Trust me, the personal risk I
face is forever present in my mind. But we can't expect to win a war
against six Astro Rangers and eleven pissed off and very dangerous
ex-Rangers with just two hundred Dreadnought soldiers and the lot of
us. We are completely out gunned against the
Astro-Mega ship. We need a ace in the hole, as these Earthlings
might say." "You do realize, Divatox. That the Rangers will not hesitate
in killing you on sight, should this not work," Scorpina said as
she looked over building layouts for the attack she's a part of. Divatox smiled a wicked grin. "I expect no less. In fact, the
angrier they are the less rational there decision making will be. We
will need every advantage to win. And win we will." Reign's faith in Divatox is unshakable. But he is not comfortable
with her current plan of action. She could sense his weariness. "Reign, speak your mind? I
value your counsel," Divatox asked. He rose from his chair and began to walk around the room. His 7'5
frame moved more gracefully than anyone would think of someone his
side. "What will you do if the procedure doesn't work?" "I will more than likely die if it doesn't. You will then
lead." Reign crossed his arms over his broad chest. "That is not
what I wish. I do not fear any of these Ranger's. I would gladly face
them all on the battlefield. But what you are preparing to do is much
to similar to the activities we faced on that Galaxy Alliance prison.
They were very personal atrocities against us. I feel we can
accomplish all of our goals without resorting to ...." "Enough," Divatox ordered. "There is risk in
everything we are attempting. My methods may seem cruel, but they are
necessary. The plan will assure us of our protection. They will not
dare risk attacking me directly or any ship I'm on and that will be
our ultimate advantage," she explained before addressing
Scorpina. "How long will the conversion process take?" "The five chambers are ready as we speak. I believe the
process should take no more than ten hours. We can then move on the
ships that hold the keys to the Zentarian crystals." "Very well. Make sure all of the individual teleporters are
checked and re-checked before we lift off." "They will be done, my lady," the beautiful Asian woman
replied as she left the room. "Divatox." "Yes, Reign?" "Even if the Rangers learn of the Galactic plague and the
need for Zentarian crystals, without
the knowledge of where they are or how to obtain, they will be far
behind us." "Exactly. Once we have the Zentarian crystals we will leave
Earth and set a course for the Dark Matter. Then I will contact the
Galactic Council with our terms." "But what leads you to believe that once we destroy the Dark
Matter that they will live up to there bargain."
"I never said I was going to destroy all of the Dark Matter." ****** ****** The Southern Cross Karate School Sunday, July 26, 2000 3:00 PM Angel Grove, Ca Tommy practiced his kata on the mat as Jason pumped iron on the
free weights. This was a ritual they started ever since the war with
Lord Zedd earlier in the year. Though they never spoke of everything
that went on with Jason and Kim. Both knew they needed a little alone
time to work things out in a guy way. They still never talk about it. "What time is he supposed to be here," Jason asked while
taking a sip from his water bottle. Tommy walked to the edge of the mat and looked at his watch that
was laying on the floor. "TJ told me between 3:00 and 3:30. He
should be here any minute." "What pre-cautions are you taking?" Jason asked, hating
that they would ever need to have a conversation like this again. Tommy sighed, then took a seat on the floor. "We re-charged
our laser blasters. We've got four in the house and one in each of
our cars. Kim refuses to take one to work because of all the kids she
works with." "I agree with that." "So do I. But what if someone Divatox attacks her there.
She'd be unarmed." Tommy's fist was balled tight as his anger
boiled. "I wish we at least knew why Divatox is on Earth. Does
she want revenge on us? Is she trying to lure the Space Rangers into
a trap...." "Or are we so used to revenge agendas, that we can't see the
possibility that she might she be here for some reason other than
us," Jason added while he removed his weight lifting gloves. Tommy nodded, acknowledging that Jason might be right. "It
doesn't make sense for the Galaxy Alliance to send the Space Rangers
in without giving them all the information they need, even if some of
it is pure speculation." "That can only mean one thing." "The Alliance is hiding something." Silence. Tommy sat up and drank from his water bottle. "What
pre-cautions are you taking." Jason shrugged," Same as you and Kim. My blasters are
re-charged. Two in my apartment and one in my truck. My cell phone
has everyone's number on one touch speed dial. You know, the special
ones." Tommy nodded in understanding. It was Adam that came up with the
idea that everyone should get another cell phone specifically for
emergency use. If the 'other' cell rang, who ever called is in mortal
danger. Anything other than that, everyone decided the phone would
not be used. "So what we have is the possibility of a power-less Divatox
coming to Earth immediately after escaping prison for some unknown
reason," Tommy reasoned. "I'd be less nervous if she still had her powers. Then at
least she might get over confident. But when Zedd lost his he became
infinitely more dangerous." "If something were to happen to Kim, bro.....," Tommy's
voice trailed off, his emotions to close to the surface. Jason looked at his best friend and understood. "I know, I know. The thing is....." Just then, both men looked up as the front door opened and TJ
strolled in, clad in sweats, ready for a workout. Both physically and verbally. "Hey, Tommy, Jason," the young man said as he dropped
his workout bag on the floor. "Anything new on the Divatox front?" Tommy asked
quickly. Silence. "Guys," TJ began. "I want to assure you that we are
doing everything in our power to locate Divatox. Everything we know,
you know." "That apparently isn't much," Jason added. The blue Astro-Ranger sighed. "And we don't like that any
more than you do. The Galaxy Alliance has not given us much to go on
and that hampers our efforts." TJ was doing his best to appear
professional, hoping that would impress them. Jason contemplated TJ's words with a note of regret on his part
for the cold shoulder he was giving. TJ appreciated the gesture. "I think they are endangering our lives by withholding
information. I think something bigger than we realize is going on. I
think this could be big." Jason looked over toward Tommy, trying to gauge his best friends
mood. "TJ, I want to confide in you about something," Tommy
began, looking the Astro-Ranger directly in his eyes.. TJ looked
surprised but gestured for him to continue. "My wife, Kimberly.
She's pregnant. I know this won't sound politically correct, but I
don't have faith that the Space Rangers will find Divatox. I am
worried about her return to Earth having more to do with revenge than
anything else. My wife is vulernable and I intend to protect her
anyway I have too. I don't care who's feelings I hurt and who takes
what the wrong way, but I don't have any faith in your Space
Rangers." The gauntlet was drown down. No words were minced. Tommy made his feelings known point blank. TJ calmed himself for a minute, choosing his words carefully. "I'm
sorry you feel that way, Tommy. But I assure you that we will find
Divatox." "Like you found Zordon." Low blow. Both men eye each other with serious intent. "Can we cut through the bullshit and get to the heart of the
matter," TJ asked bluntly, his anger bubbling to the surface. "Please," Tommy replied. "It's obvious you and probably most of the Earth Rangers
blame us for Zordons death. What I want to know is why do you not
realize that what Andros did, he did because Zordon asked him to. It
was his last wish." Tommy snapped back, "He would not have needed to make a last
request if you guys had found him sooner." TJ stood to his feet and walked over to Tommy, looking him dead in
the eyes. "We did everything humanly possible to save Zordon.
You need to get off your fucking high horse and give us some
respect." "Do something to earn my respect and you'll get it." Jason stood up next and tried to break the two men apart. "Guys,
this isn't going to solve anything." "I want in on the hunt for Divatox," Tommy stated
flatly.
"Take it up with Andros. He's our leader." "And why is that?" Tommy questioned with a note of
sarcasm. TJ knew this was coming. It was only a matter of time. "Because
I personally felt he was the better man for the job. His experience
in interplanetary travel is second to none. He knows the galaxy like
the back of his hand. He was the better choice to lead the search for
Zordon." "He failed." "And I suppose you never have," TJ fired back. "As a leader on a mission, no. I have never failed." "Well, Andros is not perfect like you are. The Astro-Rangers
did a lot of good all over the galaxy. We saved thousands of lives
and took our own hits in the process. We accomplished a great deal
and I will stand here and be told our deeds meant nothing. We are
anything but failures." Tommy saw that TJ was not backing down. TJ felt some of the tension drain away. Jason moved behind Tommy. "Bro, what would Zordon think of we
have treated the Space Rangers? I'm not there biggest fan either but
I think we need to cut them some slack. Divatox might be on Earth. If
she is we will need everyone working together to find her." "Tommy," TJ said. The former White Ranger turned around.
"You trusted the team and the legacy to me before you
retired. You believed in me then and I'm asking you to believe in me
now. The Space Rangers will find Divatox." The expression on Tommy's face left his anger behind. "Lord
Zedd did a real number on us earlier this year. A lot of bad things
went down." Tommy and Jason share a careful glance. "I don't know Andros, not like you do. And I've never taken
the time to get to know him. I'm know even less about Karone and
Zhane. Maybe it's time that hanged." "How about all of the Space Rangers come to my house tomorrow
night for dinner? It'll give all of us a chance to clear the air,"
Tommy requested. TJ walked over to him and extended his hand. "I'll ask the
others, but I'm sure they'll say yes. We all have one connection that
binds us together. We all believe in Zordon and his legacy." "I couldn't agree more, TJ," Jason added. "I
couldn't agree more." ****** ****** The Apartment of Stefan Forester 3444 LaCourt Drive Sunday, July 26, 2000 6:30 PM Angel Grove, Ca (I had not expected a report from you until later this evening, if
at all,) the male voice sounded through the phone. Stefan cradled the receiver in the crook of his neck while he
booted up his computer. "Ms. Kwan canceled our plans this
evening at the last minute." (Our surveillance teams report that all of the former Ranger's in
Angel Grove are at Mr. Cranston's home or on there way. They are
having some sort of a meeting, we presume.) "Are you sure there is no way to bug their phones? Perhaps at
their jobs?" Stefan asked. (We are sure. The most advanced surveillance technology at our
disposal pales to whatever they are using to scan for bugs. Our best
bet is to use live field agents with experience. That is why you are
involved. If the United States Government is to ever protect itself
should the day come that the Ranger's are no longer viable, we need
to have the weapons and technology to do so. Your mission is of the
most vital importance.) Stefan listened intently as he pulled up his file on Trini Kwan.
(Such a situation is already in the planning stages. We should
have details by the weeks end. For the moment, continue on as you
have. Keep your eyes open. Make sure she knows you're interested in
her. The psych report on Ms. Kwan speaks of some abuse in a past
relationship. She needs to feel safe and protected around you at all
times.) "Agreed. Our date last night went very well. I was a
gentleman to the end." (Good. Don't rush her. Give her space and she will open up to
you.) Stefan listened to his contact. This man, who sounded in his
fifties had no given name. Stefen was called on a regular basis and
was supposed give full reports on his activities. (On another note, Agent Forester. Has your transition back into
medicine been a smooth one?) the male voice asked, speaking of
Stefan's background in medicine. He was recruited by the CIA for his
work overseas, but his first assignment was building make shift Army
hospitals near battle fields. "Yes, it has. The hospital staff seems to like me and the
patient load has been tolerable as of late. All in all, I seem to be
in just the position you wanted me to be in." (Good, just don't get involved personally. Make sure you
understand and never lose sight of the fact that this is business.
First, last, and always.) Stefen’s line went dead, signaling the man hanging up the
phone. ****** ****** The Astro-Mega ship
Sunday, July 26, 2000 7:30 PM Orbiting the Earth The hanger of the Astro-Mega ship offered no peace of mind as
Ashley worked on the shuttles, re-fueling them in case there were
needed. Hoping they would be needed soon. Hoping that Divatox would be
found.
tests on. Her eyes never left the fuel gauge as she applied her
skill to the task at hand. Ashley frowned as her arm began falling asleep. dinner. The wonderful world of Ashley Hammond. Isn't it grand.> Using a remote control on her wrist, Ashly pressed a button and
the winch on the scaffold pulled her up above the shuttle. She
disengaged the harness around her waist. Once again on solid ground, she rolls her neck back and forth,
then twists her wrist, hoping circulation would soon return.
Foot steps entering the hanger soon caught her attention. Her eyes soon caught sight of the familiar blond streaks of
Andros, clad in jeans and a baseball jersey, as he made his way to
the shuttle nearest to the docking bay doors.
Her eyes were focused on her ex-boyfriend as he boarded the
shuttle and fired up the engines. Ashley stilled herself, willing the pain of their separation away
from her.
Her heart still held a secret she wished it didn't.
Ashley stared at the docking bay doors as they slowly opened. Her
eyes never left the craft as Andros piloted it out.
She knew all common sense left her when she climbed into the
cockpit of the newly re-fueled shuttle and engaged the cloaking
device on board. she reasoned in her mind
as she piloted the ship out of the docking bay doors and into the
darkness of outer space. Her fingers pressed the commands neccesary
to track Andros's ship. Her curiosity is getting the better of her and she knows it. But
for some reason, she can't stop herself. She hopes her heart can take whatever it learns tonight. ****** Ashley made sure to keep a safe distance from Andros's ship,
utilizing all of the tracking tips skills he had taught her over the
years. Andros piloted his ship to an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts
of town. He engaged his cloaking device and landed. Ashley watched as
his ship shimmered, light reflected in on itself until nothing could
be seen. Andros emerged from the ship and walked around to the back
of the warehouse. Ashley monitored this from the sky using the shuttles long ranges
camera's. When the all black 2000 Buick Regal drove from around the back of
the warehouse, Ashley immediately knew who was behind the wheel. 15 minutes later, Andros's car stopped on the far east side of
town. Ashley sighed, having to finally face the clues that were sitting
right before her eyes. Andros was driving a new car, dressed casually, and meeting
someone across town. Pain. The tears that didn't come when he first confessed his infidelity
threatened to spring forth now. Ashley took deep breaths, allowing
herself to fully accept that they are over and there is no hope for
them to ever put back together what was broken. Still, a morbid part of her wanted to see this woman. The woman who has captured his attention so quickly. She watched as Andros parked his car and walked into the building.
Ashley turned on the heat sensor radar and tracked his now red
silhouetted form as the elevator took him up to the third floor. His
outline stopped in front of a door and she saw his hand rise. When Ashley looked out of her front glass shell of the shuttle,
she noticed a tall blonde woman move away from a window on the third
floor. She couldn't make out her face, but that must be the apartment
he was going to. Then another figure stood by the window. Billy Cranston. FUUUSSSHH!!!! The device embedded itself in the side of the wall near the
window. It's laser tipped nose cut into the brick so quickly it
barely made a sound.
Ashley knew this was extreme, borderline stalking behavior, but a
little voice in her head kept telling her something was very wrong
here. She turned up the volume on her monitoring array and listened
closely. ****** Andros was mildly surprised to see Katherine in the loft with
Billy as he entered the apartment with his key. They exchanged polite
nods, but nothing in the way of friendly greetings. Sometimes you have to crawl before you can walk. "I told the other Ranger's of Divatox's possible return this
evening," Billy began as he set up the neccesary equipment track
the progress of Andros's illness. Andros nodded as he took a seat on the couch. "I can only
imagine how that went." "Actually, it went better than I had hoped. TJ met privately
with Jason and Tommy today. They cleared the air somewhat on a lot of
issues. The Rangers were more upset with me than of working with you
and the other Space Ranger's," Billy explained as Katherine
looked over some of his research equipment. Andros was relieved to hear that. Billy looked to Katherine as he prepared to ask Andros what he
promised her he would earlier in the day. "Andros, Katherine
would like to assist you in the search for Divatox. She has plenty of
experience tracking strange alpha rhythms in bad weather climates.
She has a theory that Divatox may have chosen someplace like that to
throw off all of your normal sensor readings." As nice and sensible as Billy's request sounded, Andros could see
the contempt Kat held for him in her eyes. He could read her mind.
See her thoughts. Failure. Zordon's dead because of you. No faith in the Space Rangers. He sincerely hope that someday her and the rest of the Earth
Rangers will come to understand and accept what happened with Zordon.
His own guilt over the matter is still eats away at him from time to
time. But he has a mission on Earth and can't afford to turn down any
help, much less from someone as capable as Katherine is. "I can have a lab set up and access to all our operations for
you by 5:00 PM tomorrow, Kat. Is that agreeable?" Katherine finally made eye contact with him. "Yes, that would
be fine, Andros. Thank you." "We all want the same thing here, Katherine. To find Divatox
and return her to Galaxy Alliance authorities," Andros added
politely, hoping to establish a somewhat formal working relationship
with her. Billy felt the tension in the air. he mused
as he looked over Andros's medical charts. "Andros, I have those
test results we spoke of earlier." As usual, the KO-35 native felt his heart stop when anyone
discussed his illness. "What are we working with?" Billy sighed, taking his glasses off. It was obvious the news was
not good. "The chemotherapy option is out. The radiation just
might increase the spread of the Heras condition in your bloodstream.
We need to try the blood transfusion as soon as possible. I can make
contact Cestria on Aquatar. She can probably have enough KO-35 blood
from your home planet teleported there, then she can teleport it to
us." "Do you think this will save my life?" "I think this is the second to last option we have,"
Billy replied with a slightly grim tone. ****** Ashley thought she had now entered an episode of the Twilight
Zone. ****** He never outwardly showed fear, but it was evident from the
expression on his face that knew he was fast running out of options.
"What does your research say about the possibility of the blood
transfusion working?" Billy took a seat right across from him on one of the living room
chairs. "I'm hopeful that draining your body of your current
supply and replacing it with fresh compatible blood will cure you.
The problem with that is if the Heras has embedded itself in your
bones yet. That would create a world of trouble." Katherine attempted to maintain her distance in the corner of the
room. Apart of her wanted to just leave since her business was
finished. But Zordon never wanted any of them to turn there backs on someone
who needed help. And right now, Kat couldn't think of anyone in the universe who
needed help more than Andros right now. "Billy, every doctor I've been to said they don't believe
there is a cure for this disease I have. They said I would have to
genetically break it down cell by cell, which just isn't possible.
You spoke of a third option. I would like to at least here what it
is. I'm running out of time. Third option. Third option. Kat rolled those words around in her mind until she fully
understood. When she looked toward her boyfriend, his eyes said it
all. Tommy's blood was the third option. It contained the entire
genocide. They code use it to create natural anti-bodies already in
Andros's blood to destroy the Heras by genetically telling them to go
after those Heras cells specifically. Andros was not lost on the eye exchange between Billy and
Katherine. "Billy..." Kat walked over to the couch Andros sat on and took a seat. "Like
Adam told you, when Zedd took over the Command Chamber he found all
of our personal medical records, including tests Zordon did on us
that we knew nothing about. Zedd took these tests a step further. He
found out that each of us had abnormal radioactive cells in our blood
streams. He was able to create weapons from our DNA. He did it to me
as well. But in Tommy's blood he found something extremely
unexpected. Due to the multiple powers he has held, his bloodstream
reads like a road map of the human genocide. Since the people KO-35
share such similar physiology with us humans it's a good guess that
the gene code could be used to find a permanent cure for you,"
Kat explained. Two small smiles tugged at Billy's lips, one for her intelligent
mind, and another for her kind heart. Andros, meanwhile sat stunned. "The entire galaxy would be in danger. One could use the
information about every other species in the galaxy and make a human
bigger, stronger, and immune to everything. The possibilities are
staggering." A sudden noise caused all three in the apartment to look behind
them. "Will someone please tell me what the fuck is going on here,"
Ashley snarled, having just teleported into the apartment. Andros lowered his head and closed his eyes. He knew what was
about to come wasn't going to be pretty. "What are you doing
here?" Ashley approached Andros with something of a wild and scared look
in her eyes. "I followed you when you left the Astro-Mega ship.
I had a feeling something was wrong. I've been ease dropping on your
conversation since you arrived." "This doesn't concern you," Andros fired back, angry and
tense.
"We're going to leave you too alone for a few minutes,"
Kat said as she grabbed Billy's hand and led him into one of the
bedrooms. Wolverine could not cut and hack his way through the tension that
was currently in this apartment. Ashley face fell into a cold expression, her anger bubbling close
to the surface. "You're sick, right?" Andros knew she was to intelligent to lie to. His words hung in the air like death itself. Ashley's heart sunk to the area of her knees and she found it hard
to breath. He's dying. Andros is dying. Oh my God. "When did you find out?" Her question tortured his mind, but he couldn't hide this from her
any longer. "Four months ago." The slap that rocked his face shocked him, yet he knew he deserved
it. He had never seen Ashley so angry in his entire life. "Four fucking months. YOU'VE BEEN DYING FOR FOUR FUCKING
MONTHS AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ANY OF US!!," she screamed at the top
of her lungs. "What about your sister? What about your best
friend Zhane. I know we broke up but couldn't you have confided in me
at least?" "There was nothing that you or they could do for me." "Bullshit. We could have supported you. We all would have
supported you." "I don't want any of your pity." "Did you pity any of the peoples whose life we save on a
daily basis. Everyone needs help sometimes." Andros looked away, not wanting to see the contempt she held for
him her in blue eyes.
"Cronan," she whispered softly, her mind putting two and
two together. One word. The planet where he cheated on her. "You didn't even cheat on me did you," Ashley stated
rather than asked. "You decided to turn all macho and proud. You
felt that since you were dying, you might as well cut me loose. No
reason to drag poor little weak Ashley along. And there was no way I
would let you go if you humiliated me in front of my friends. You are
some piece of work, Andros." He could say nothing in his own defense. "I....I never meant
to hurt you." "I'm more hurt by this than if you really did cheat. You told
me you loved me." "I do. More than my own life." "But you don't trust me enough to tell me the truth." "I wanted to spare you the pain." "You failed." Silence. More pain. Andros tried to approach her, but she took two steps back and put
both of her hands up to stop him. "Don't touch me." His arms ached to hold her, to tell her that he was so very sorry.
But her eyes spoke of betrayal. Complete and total betrayal.
"I have loved you from almost the moment I met you. You are
the only man I have ever loved. It hurts me so bad to know that you
don't feel the same." "I do feel the same." "No, you don't. If you would have told me months ago that you
were sick. Do you believe I would have abandoned you, treated you
different? I would have done what you are doing now. We would be
searching for a cure and living for the moment. But you lied. You
broke my heart and humiliated me. And whats worse, you didn't even
trust our love enough, didn't believe in us enough, to allow me to
help you. That speaks volumes." Each words uttered from her lips were like individual daggers to
his heart. "Ashley I...I.." "Don't say anymore," she breathed, one lone tear falling
form her eye. "This is how it's going to be. You will take all
of Billy's research materials and make copies, then bring all of it
back to the Astro-Mega ship. You will tell your sister and the rest
of the Rangers by tomorrow afternoon or I will. You will let us help
you. This is not up for negotiation." "This is my life." "There are a lot of people that love you. I....I want you to
fight for them." "What about you?" Their eyes locked, emotions warred with one another. "I love you as a friend. Nothing more. That time in my life
is over." Andros could only nod in understanding. He loves Ashley to the
depths of his very soul, misses her with an anguished intensity that
burst forth only when he could be alone in his grief. Yet, in spite
of that knife-edged sense of loss, he felt in some untenable way that
he'd failed her, failed there love. And there was no way he could fix it. "I'll talk to you, tomorrow," Ashley spoke softly as she
pressed a button on her wrist communicator. A one second flash of
color and she was gone. Andros has never felt more alone in his entire life. ******
****** The Home of Tommy and Kimberly Oliver Monday, July 27, 1999 11:30 AM Angel Grove, Ca Kimberly was in the kitchen putting up the can goods when she
heard the TV in the living room come on. "Oh, no, no, no, Mr.
Oliver. We have groceries to put up. Get in here," she scolded
playfully. She took the day off of work because of an early morning
doctors appointment. After that her and Tommy did some food shopping. Kimberly heard the slow movement of his feet as he made his way
into the kitchen. Tommy smirked as he leaned against the door. "When I put up
stuff, it's easily finable." "If you had your way everything would be shoved into the
refrigerator and canned goods would litter the kitchen table." "Hey, as long as the food is accessible, it's fine by me." Kim turned and looked at her husband, realizing that if it weren't
for woman the world would be thrown into chaos. He knew he was beat. "Yes, ma'am." Ten minutes and a little kiss later and they were done. They sat
side by side in the living room, now engaged in a slightly heated
discussion. "How can you stand soap opera's?" Tommy asked while
shaking his head. "How can you watch pro-wrestling?" she fired back. "There's action in pro-wrestling, Kim." "There's action in the soaps, too. Besides, I know more than
a few guys who watch the soaps." Tommy turned sharply at Kim's words. "Nope, not going to say anything," she cut him off with
a self satisfying smirk. "Of course you're not. There are no men you know who watch
that crap." "It's not crap. And I know three to be perfectly honest. Two
of which secretly tape there favorites while at work." Tommy's curiosity was fast getting the better of him. "Beautifull,
please. I'm your husband," he said in her ear, trying to sound
sweet. Even though she couldn't hide the smile when he called her
Beautiful, Kim kept her cool. "That information is top secret." Tommy gave a mock pout, then scooted to the other side of the
couch. "Fine." "Fine." "Come on, Kim," Tommy whined. "Nope."
"Fine. Then I won't tell you my secret either." Kim rolled her eyes and grinned. "You don't now any secrets." "Do so." "Do not." Tommy tried to look serious. "Why do you think I don't know
any secrets?"
"Because you always forget when someone tells you to keep a
secret. No one trusts you with secrets because you always tell." Tommy thought for a moment. Kim started laughing as she saw the internal dialogue he was
having in his mind. "Come here baby?" she asked as he laid
down with his head in her lap. Tommy closed his eyes and relaxed, his
wifes delicate hands tracing his face, over his eyes, his chin,
around his nose, everywhere until she reached his lips.
"I love you so much, Kim." She knows she will never get tired of hearing those words. But..... "I'm still not telling," she said as he laughed in her
lap. Tommy grabbed her hand and brought her fingers to his lips,
kissing each one softly.
"Still not telling." "You're a cruel, cruel woman, Mrs. Oliver." "Thank you, Mr. Oliver." Tommy looked up at his wifes beautifull face as she closed her
eyes and laid her head
back. "Are you tired? Let me know if this gets
uncomfortable." "I'm cool," she said, her hand now resting on his chest.
She can feel his heart beat under the palm of her hand and is
comforted by it as always. His hand covers hers and their fingers
interlock. They simply could not imagine living without one another. "I'm so very happy in my life right now, Tommy." He opened his eyes and let her words wash over him. "That
means everything to me." "I know." And she does. She is his human evidence. His
link to the normal world. Without her, the years of fighting, the
wars, the pain, might just have driven him over the edge. "I'm very happy too, you know." Kim leaned down and placed a lingering kiss on his forehead. "That
means everything to me." A commercial for the second Batman film airing on the USA network
comes on the television. All of a sudden, Tommy starts grinning to
himself again.
"What?" "I was just remembering that dance we went to about three
months before you left
for Florida," he replied. Kim wracked her memory, trying to place it. "That costume
ball. God, it was so boring. And I remember wanting to go so bad.
High school parties are never as good as you think they are going to
be." "Yeah, but you wore that Cat-woman outfit," he leered
devilishly, remembering how she looked. Kim smiled, remembering that night. He was dressed as Batman. When
they got back to her moms house, she was gone on her own date. That
led to one of the most intense make-out sessions they had ever had.
"I think I know what you remembering," she said, her voice
honey thick. Her hand slowly began traveling down from his chest
toward.... "Uh, uh, uh. You're not the only one that can withhold
things." "You still mad because I withheld from you that night of the
dance." Closing his eyes, Tommy can still envision Kim encased in all
black leather from head to toe. Her subtle curves echoed in her every
movement. "Kim, you know I respected you back then, right?" "Of course I do, sweetheart. I would not have dated any guy
who didn't." "And you know that even back in the day I always admired your
courage and strength?" Tommy continued smiling. "And you know that I was and still
am crazy in love with you, right?" "Always," she whispered. "Is there a point to all
this hero worship?" "It's just that, the night of the ball. I wanted to fuck your
brains out." Kimberly just started cracking up, laughing so loud she pushed
Tommy out of her lap, who now sat up next to her with his head down
in mock shame. "First of all, my teenage hormones were going crazy at that
age. Then the star of every teenage sex fantasy I had since we met is
covered in skin-tight black leather. And she's with me. Well, that
night all I could look at was how sexy you looked, how your ass
looked covered in black leather. I wanted you so bad it hurt. God,
you were sexy that night." "Go on," Kim added smiling, in a nonchalant way. "I was thankful for the cape and all black outfit myself. It
helped cover up certain physical reactions I was having." Kim rolled her eyes. "Like I didn't know." Tommy returned her eye roll. "I just remember being on top of
you in your moms living room. And God, I wanted to fuck you into the
middle of next week. We must have dry humped for like an hour." Kim blushed at the memory. "I wanted you very bad that night,
too. I felt you. Believe, I felt you." "When I was sucking your neck, those little noise you were
making....," he trailed off, even now, years later, he
remembered his desire. "And you did everything perfectly. You respected me enough to
not push the sex, no matter how bad you wanted it. And you let me
know how bad you wanted me. Just because a girl isn't ready for sex
doesn't mean she doesn't like to feel sexy. When you left my house
that night I felt so sexy, so desired. I was walking on cloud nine
for the next five days." Tommy sat with his back to the edge of the couch and pulled his
wife into his arms, with her back to his chest, his arms around her.
She snuggled into his embrace and sighed, always loving the feel of
his arms around her. It's moments like these that they now live for. Not the rush of
power when they were Rangers. Not the cheers and accolades from their
respective former careers. But this intimate, loving time when they
just enjoyed each others company. Tommy rested his head on the back of hers, his breath warming the
back of her neck. His fingers massaged her still flat stomach. She turned her head slightly. "What are you thinking about?"
she whispered. He captured her lips in a slow, sweet kiss. Tommy
suckled her lips, tasting her, drinking her love in.
Kim so loved to kiss this man. Her hand reached up to cup his
face, hold him in place while she made love to his mouth. Sweet tender love. When they broke she relaxed again, laying back in his embrace.
Tommy had a slightly wistful look in his eye, and tone of voice.
"There's a lot of blood on my hands, Kim. I don't want our child
to ever witness the level of violence we have." "He or she won't. We won't allow that. But the worlds not a
very nice place. There's only so much we can shield them from. Plus,
one day our child will want to know about what we did in our youth.
How we met. The Rangers. We will have a lot to explain." They remained silent for a while, just letting everything soak in.
They are going to be parents and that's a very big deal. And they thought becoming Ranger's came with responsibilities. "As long as we're together, everything will work out fine,"
Tommy said before kissing her temple, then breathing in her sweet
perfume from her neck. "Zack, Rocky, and Jason." "Who?" "I won't repeat myself." Tommy shook his head. "Jason, too?" "I'm not talking." "I'm going to grill him over this afternoon." "Love you." "Love you, too." ******
****** The Mercy Divatox's ship Hovering over Angel grove Monday, July 27, 1999 12:20 PM Angel Grove, Ca "Is your ship in position, Scorpina?" Divatox spoke into
the com-link on her captains chair. The bridge of the ship was
buzzing with tension as final preparations were being made. "The Maniac is in position, my lady. We have been tracking
the Astro-Mega ship for the last five hours. We have not shown up on
there radar yet. Your cloaking device works perfectly," Scorpina
replied, her Asian accent coming through perfectly from the com-link. "As I knew it would. Hold your position. The Mercy will join
you shortly, Divatox out." She pressed end on the com-link and
swiveled her chair around to address her mission leaders. "Reign,
we have scanned for the DNA markers of Adam Park and Tanya Sloan.
They are your targets. The shuttle in hanger B awaits you. Is your
team ready?" "We are ready, my lady," he spoke eloquently, as always.
The huge fur-covered native of the planet Krom stepped forward.
"These Ranger's do not know we are coming. They will be easy
pickings. Are you sure you do not want me with you when you attack
the Astro-Mega ship? The Ranger's there still posses all of their
powers and it will prove a formidable battle." "I cannot agree more, Reign. But your services will not be
needed. The Astro-Rangers will fall as easily as the former Rangers.
I have everything under control. Go." Reign caressed the handle of his battle ax, bowed before Divatox,
then left the bridge. Divide stepped forward next. "Divide, you will capture my prize. Kimberly Oliver's DNA
signature is programmed into your shuttle. You must also capture
Katherine Hillard. Find them, by any means necessary. I want them
both alive and well. If either has so much as a scratch on her, you
will suffer." Divide swallowed deeply, but maintained his stoic pose. "My
lady, what of her husband, Tommy Oliver? Would he not be a prize as
well?" Divatox smiled, her fingers carressing the outer shell of her
captains chair. "Tommy will figure prominently in my plans. But
not right now. His wife and Katherine are your targets." The one armed man, with the ability to create duplicates of
himself, bowed, then exited the bridge. From across the room, Shadow stood, awaiting her orders. The gray
skinned shape shifter was ready for action. Divatox turned her chair to address her. "Shadow, you will
accompany me on the first wave attack on the Mega-Ship. Scorpina will
be in charge of the second wave." Shadow nodded in acknowledgment. "We will still need luck on
our side today, even with one hundred Dreadnought assassins." "We will create our own luck, Shadow. The Astro-Rangers
haven't had to deal with a full scale assault in sometime. There game
is likely to be off. I have studied Andros's psyche profile. I know
how he thinks. We will capture Zhane and Carlos Miranda. The Silver
and Green Astro-Ranger's, respectively." "Why those two." "When I worked for Dark Specter I heard rumors, stories about
various things. There was one rumor about Zhane I will seek answers
for. It concerns Lord Zedd. As for Carlos Miranda. My interest in him
are more.....personal." Shadow had no idea what she meant by that.
****** ****** The parking lot of the Southern Cross Karate School Monday, July 27, 2000, 12:50 PM Angel Grove, Ca Adam pulled his 1998 Skylark into his personal parking space at
work, then put on his shades. It was his turn to drive to lunch.
Since Tanya was just working a half a day, she accompanied him and
Jason. They have just arrived back from the restaurant so that Tanya
can get her car. Adam leans against his car, squinting from the bright sun. It's
clear skies and warm weather all the way. A few feet away, Jason and Tanya were chatting quietly in the
minutes before he was due back inside. "So, Kat's going to help the Astro Rangers in their search
for Divatox," Jason stated, more than asked. He wanted to switch
gears in there conversation for a moment. Tanya took another sip of her bottled water. "Yeah. She
starts tonight. Andros is preparing a research room for her on the
Astro-Mega Ship." "I should have offered my services, too," the former
Gold Ranger admitted. "I wondered why you hadn't." Jason sighed. "Me and Tommy hold a lot of pain and guilt over
alot of things, Tanya. We're easy to help anyone in need, but we are
not easy when it comes to offering our forgiveness. It's a wonder
we're even still friends with everything that's happened over the
years between us. And in our eyes, Andros represents the one thing we
could never forgive. And that was failing Zordon. But yesterday, our
talk with TJ helped us see things in a different light. I'm not
saying I'm going to take a vacation with those guys. But I have to
give all the facts of Zordon's death careful consideration. I think
he would want me to help the Space Rangers." "I do, too." Jason smiled, happy as ever that he could talk or confess anything
to Tanya. "Thanks." Then suddenly, a noise they hoped they would never here came from
Adam's glove compartment. The loud shrieking blare could be heard all
over the parking lot and was now drawing attention. Without a word, Adam rushed back in his car and pulled out a small
laptop computer. Billy created one for all of the former Ranger's
just in case they were being tracked. It could pick up any type of
scanning frequency. Adam turned the volume off. "Jase, we got big trouble,"
he said as he started the car. Both Tanya and Jason got back in. "Drive," Jason ordered
as Adam tossed the computer into the back seat. Billy figured out the technology Lord Zedd employed when he
tracked them using their augmented radioactive DNA. The specially
built laptop computer can tell if anyone within twenty miles is
scanning for radioactive DNA. It's an early warning system they hoped
they would never have to use. So much for hoping. "Someone's tracking us for sure. The radar can't pick up a
anything in particular. My guess is a cloaked ship," Tanya
offered. Jason was now officially worried. "Are you sure, T?" Tanya double checked her readings. "Completely. Me and Billy
test the laptops at least twice a month. They have never gone off
before until now." Adam reached under his seat and flicked the safety off of his
blaster, fearing that he may be using it again. "The docks it
is." "Tanya, try to reach all the girls. I'm going go call the
guys." "I'm on it," she replied, grabbing her cell phone out of
her purse. "Adam, how many blasters do you have in this car?" "There is one under both of our seats, to the left. Tanya,
open the speaker by the right window. I hid one in there, too." The tension was quickly rising as Adam drove as fast as the law
would allow to get them out of civilian territory. He bobbed and
weaved through the light afternoon traffic, blowing his horn to get
peoples attention.
"Fuck!!!" "What is it, Tanya?" Jason asked anxiously. Tanya groaned with frustration. "All I'm getting is static. I
just put a new battery in my phone this morning. Someone must be
jamming us." Jason tried his phone next. No luck. "We have to ditch this
car and split up on foot. Maybe we can get word to the others by a
pay phone or something." Adam turned down the street toward the shore. "We're all most
there, Jase. I suggest you and Tanya get ready. We don't have any
idea what we are walking into." Jason and Tanya both grabbed the other blasters and turned the
safety off.
The old docks on Lake Shore Drive were pretty much abandoned years
ago when the much larger Ferris Hill docks were created. The old
docks stretched for over two miles and was about to be turned into a
landfill for trash. The city was still debating if they wanted to go
through with it, but for now the docks were empty, save for a few
barges. "Tanya, anything new?" Her eyes read the data in front of her. "The signal tracking
us is definitely getting closer, Jas...ARRRHHH!!!" A laser blast from above blew out both back tires, sending Adam's
car into a dangerous tailspin that he struggled to get control off.
The car spun wildly before hitting a light
pole. Finally, the car stopped. Thankfully, they were all wearing their seat belts. "Jason, Tanya, are you all right?" Adam asked
frantically as he unbuckled himself and reached for his blaster.
Tanya was shaken up, but okay. A small trickle of blood ran down
from her hairline. "I'm alright. Jason?" "Lets get out of the car. We're a sitting target," Jason
replied, ignoring the searing pain in his shoulder, his leader voice
in full effect.
All three Rangers looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of
their mysterious attacker. When Tanya looked up, all hell broke
loose. "Incoming!!" she screamed as the three former Rangers
ran from the car, toward what looked to be an empty shipping outpost
about ten feet away. I the sky, light shimmered and reflected off of itself as a black
space shuttle, the size of Tommy's old Falcon Zord hovered in the
sky. The side door of the shuttle opened and men with masks on began
jumping out and firing at the rangers. Thanking God she decided to wear pumps today, Tanya ran neck and
neck with Jason and Adam as they ducked and dodged laser blasts. Each
fired a few shots over there shoulders, just to buy themselves a few
precious seconds. The pursuing Dreadnought Assassins wore black and silver body
armor along with steel toe boots. They were all about 6'5, with green
skin peaking out from under the black gloves they wore and around the
collar of their necks. They wore black helmets with mirror glass
covering their faces. And each one carried a large laser rifle with a
blade at the end. Jason, Tanya, and Adam ran toward the small building where the
ship owners used to check in at. They were desperate and searching
for as much cover as they could find as quick as they could find it. Jason didn't waste time trying the lock. He simply straight kicked
the door open and laid down seven consecutive laser blasts, hitting
three Dreadnought Assassins in the chest, as Tanya and Adam ducked
in. Tanya quickly used the butt of her gun to break a small window
near the door. She began firing at the mass of soldiers approaching
them. "There's got to be over thirty of them, Jason." The sweat was now forming on his face as he considered his
options. "I see that. Keep firing. Adam, man the back entrance." Jason and Tanya exchanged fire as best they could, but the
building around them was already in bad shape and was getting worse
by the minute. Laser burned holes began appearing everywhere. Glass
and plaster from the walls began flying all over the place as dust
filled the room. It was a good thing that all of the former Ranger's are great
shots. Outnumbered though they be, each took out four or five of
their enemies. The whizzing sound of laser blasts echoed throughout the small
building as the gun fight got even more intense. As soon as one of
their enemies went down, four more showed up out of no where. Jason tried to think of a way out of this when the firing stopped.
He and Tanya exchanged worried looks when they both saw a huge
beast-like man, his face, human-like and expressionless, his arms
covered in black fur, walking toward the building. He had a huge
battle ax hanging from his hip. "Who is he,?" Tanya asked. "No one I've ever encountered before," Jason replied as
he checked the charge level on his blaster. Reign stepped forward, his tone of voice, unyielding. "Ranger's,
I know that you are in there. Escape is impossible. We have you
surrounded and out numbered. I am only here for Adam Park and Tanya
Sloan. I request their surrender now." The fact that this man was hunting specifically made Jason even
more weary. "Who are you working for? And what is this about?" "I will only ask one more time, human. I can, with but a wave
of my hand, order my men to fire and burn all of you alive.
Surrender." "If you wanted us dead we would be already. You have no
intention of killing us," Tanya fired back. Reign raised his hand one time. Before they knew what happened, Ten Dreadnought assassins
teleported inside the building, firing repeatedly, hitting Jason,
Tanya and Adam multiple times each. Silence. "Stop," Reign ordered as he entered the front door.
"Check their pulses. Make sure you used stun beams only. If
there are casulties you will join them." The mute assassins merely nodded and went about there task. Two
came around from the back carrying Adam, while another hoisted Tanya
up in his arms.
"They live?" Reign asked. The assassins nodded. "Let
us depart. We have succeeded." One of the assassins pointed toward Jason's unconscious body. "No,
leave him. Those are Divatox's orders. Back to the shuttle."
Reign presses a button on his wrist communicator, as they all
teleport away. ****** ******
Tommy's Lincoln Navigator Monday, July 27, 2000 12:50 PM Angel Grove Tommy turned down Wilson Lane, heading toward the Garden Grill
Restaurant. Kim was meeting Kat for lunch there and he was dropping
her off. With Kat not having any classes this afternoon, the ladies
were going to do some shopping after lunch. "So, you're sure you don't mind cooking that much food on
such short notice?" Tommy asked his wife. He hadn't really
thought about how they were going to feed all the Astro Ranger's when
he told TJ that he would like them all to come to his house for
dinner, so that they could all talk and get to know one another. "Well, I wish you had asked me first about the whole dinner,"
she replied with a slight edge to her voice. Kim sighed, releasing the small amount of anger she was feeling.
"It's okay, Tommy. Your heart was in the right place and it was
a good idea. If we don't get past these negative feelings toward the
Space Ranger's, we'll be doing Zordon's legacy a disservice." "Thanks, beautiful." "This is what I'm going to do. I'll make half the food and
you buy the other half already cooked. I should be back home this
evening around 4:30, then I can get started." "That's fair enough," Tommy replied, as he turned on the
street the restaurant was on. "Have I told you that you're the
best wife in the world today?" he asked with a smile, making
sure his love knows how appreciative he is about her not being angry
over the dinner. "Yeah, but it's always nice to hear." Kim then looked up
and saw a familiar gray 2000 Toyota Celica speeding down the road.
"That's Kat's car." Tommy immediately slowed down and pulled to the side of the road.
Kat pulled up along side him and rolled down her window down. "We got big trouble. My DNA scanner just went off when I was
at the restaurant. Someone's following me and they are definitely
tracking my DNA," she finished with an intensity to her voice. Tommy's blood turned cold as he heard Kim open his glove
compartment. "Tommy, the reading are just now about to come in on our
scanner." She turns down the volume before the scanner goes off. "Go to 40th and Western, NOW!!," Tommy screamed out of
his window. Kat sped off. Tommy looked around, then did a complete
U-turn in the street, following close behind Kat. "Kim...." "The blasters are fully charged," she said without
looking at him. They both were on full alert. Tommy drove down the street going as fast a possible, hoping to
doge any cops that might be nearby, never losing sight of Kat's car.
"What do we know?" "The signals coming from the sky." "Dammit." Tommy looked out of his window and up into the
air. "Anything?" "Nope, you?" "No. It must be a cloaked aircraft. Try to call Jason. You
know which phone to use." Kim reached into her purse and grabbed the emergency phone all of
the former Rangers carry with them. She hit number three on her
pre-programmed numbers.
Static. Kim turned to her husband with a worried, but defiant look on her
face. "The phones dead." Tommy reached into his jacket and tossed his cell phone in her
lap. Kim tried again. "Nothing. The way that static beeps every
few seconds means...." "The signals being jammed. Fuck!!!" Tommy slammed on the
gas as Kat pulled into the parking lot of the old American Can
Company. A huge warehouse that caught on fire two months ago and
hasn't been rebuilt yet. Tommy figured because of it's size, and it
being abandoned, they would be able to make their stand there. Tommy and Kim both shot out of the truck, each with a blaster in
hand. Kat ran toward them, her blaster in hand as well. "Is your
scanner picking up anything? "Yeah," Kim replied. "It was about to go off when
you drove past. We picked up two separate trace signals. Whoever’s
out there is looking for at two of us." Tommy said nothing, relying on his instinct alone. Both women
could tell he was in full serious business mode right now.
Kat walked toward the entrance to the boarded up warehouse. "We're
going to have to blast our way inside," she said before firing
five perfect shots that level a huge metal wall that was put in place
of the one destroyed by the fire. "Let's get inside," Kim added, her eyes wide open, ready
for anything. Just as they stepped inside.... WHOOOOOOMM!!!!!.............WHUUUUSSSSHHH!!!!! All three were stunned in the door way as two laser blasts seemed
to come out of nowhere, striking both Tommy and Kat's cars,
completely destroying both in two huge balls of fire. "We know what this is. You deadly force. They want to trap us
here. Unfortunetly, we can't afford to fight around civilians who
might get killed in the crossfire," Tommy said as he led them
further into the burnt out warehouse. A huge part of the ceiling was
missing and their was black burnt ash on everything from the floor to
the walls. Huge chunks of metal made up the melted machines scattered
about. Intense, purposeful strides were made as they moved throughout the
warehouse.
"Look, UP TOP!!!" Kat screamed as everyone looked up to
the ceiling.
One after the other after the other, strange soldier like men with
laser rifles jumped in from the huge crack in the ceiling. "Find cover and fire. Stay together. They don't look like
friends." Kat and Kim took a position behind a mangled forklift, while Tommy
crouched down on the other side in the doorway of a burnt out office. "Ever seen them before?" Kim asked. "No, you?" "No." Twenty Dreadnought Assassins stood dead center in the building.
Then one more figure jumped in. He stood about 6'3, with slightly off
human like features. He wore a purple and black bodysuit with a black
trench coat over it. He also had only one arm. "I know you are here. I have come for Kimberly Oliver and
Katherine Hillard. You both can surrender now, or be killed,"
Divide explained with a veil of confidence. Tommy watched him closely. Identifying him as the leader of this
little group. "Will you surrender?" The answer came in the form of three laser blast, one beheading
the assassin nearest to Divide, the other two striking a steel girder
hanging from a scaffold. The girder fell on top of four of the
assassins, killing them instantly. "Get them. But we need the women alive," Divide ordered
as the assassins fanned out in the dark warehouse. Divide faded in
the background and...did his thing. Tommy heard two approaching assassins. He stood just off the
doorway inside the office.
The first one that walked in was shot in the face, his mask
crushed inward, black blood flowing down his chest. When the second
rose to fire his rifle, Tommy roundhouse kicked it out of his hands.
The assassin barreled into Tommy knocking him off his feet. Tommy
fell backwards and tossed the assassin over his head in a throw. He
then rose, grabbed the assassins rifle, and unloaded four times in
his chest. He didn't have time to ask questions. He needed to protect his
wife. That was Tommy's only goal. Anything standing in front of that goal.... Dies. Kat and Kim ran along side one wall, staying away from as much
light as possible.
fuuusssshhh......fusssshhhhh Two quick laser blasts fly over there heads. Kim turns on a dime
and fires seven times, hitting three assassins. Kat runs toward the
nearest one and grabs it's fallen rifle. They will need the extra ammunition. Kim scans the room for her husband. She watches as he ducks behind
the forklift they used as cover when this began. Her eyes caught two
assassins about to fire on him from his
blind side.
Taking aim, Kim fires, hitting one of the assassins in it's legs,
tearing them off his body. The other assassin gets it in the back. Tommy turns, noticing his wife...and the person behind her.
fuuuussshhh His world has stopped. Tommy watched in horror as Kim's face went blank and she slumped
to the floor in a heap. "NOOOO!!!!" he screamed as he ran toward her. Kat laid
down cover fire, killing six more soldiers.
Two soldiers ran at Tommy from his right side, each aiming the
blade at the end of their rifles at him. The first swung his rifle
like a sword. Tommy sidesteps the blow and backhands him to the face,
knocking him back a few steps. The other attacks, but is quickly
taken off his feet with a quick leg sweep, followed by Tommy shooting
him while he laid on the floor. "Come on," Tommy challenged his first attacker again.
They ran at each other. Tommy front flips completely over the
attacking assassin. He grabs him from behind and snaps his neck. Before Tommy could reach his wife, the strange one armed man
scooped her up off the floor and hoisted her onto his shoulders. "Hold on Tommy, she's not dead," he snarled. "But I
can kill her in an instant if you come one step closer." Tommy stopped and stood his ground. Kim's motionless body hung
over her
attackers shoulder. "What do you want with my wife?" Divide smiled, knowing he has the upper hand. "Divatox," Tommy spit out like poison. "If my wife
dies, you'll be joining her thirty seconds later." "Tough talk, Oliver. I've heard of you. You're supposed to be
some bad ass, huh. Well let me...ARRRHHH!!!" as a laser blast
hit him right between the eyes. The blast blew a hole straight
through that saw blood draining out ofm the back of his head. "Keep talking, asshole," Kat exclaimed as she ran toward
Tommy as he ran toward his wife.
"Kim...," Tommy whispered to himself. He checked her
back, lifting the short jacket she was wearing. "I'm here," she replied as Tommy lifted Kim into his
arms. "We have to get out of here now. Two blocks down there's
a....AAHHHHH!!!" A hail of laser fire hit Tommy and Kat. Kat fell backwards, firing
with her last ounces of strength. Tommy fell with Kim still in his
arms. He managed to stay semi-conscious, but could not even speak as
Divide, a healthy looking Divide, took Kim out of his arms. To further the horror of the scene in front of him, he saw six
other men who looked just like the one armed man. He mouthed a silent "No" as Divide walked into the
center of the room.
"Divide to Divatox. Do you read me?" "I am here," she chimed in. "Mission complete. Hillard and Oliver are in my custody." "Excellent. Transfer Katherine to the modification chamber.
And put Kim in the Med lab. I want to be able to begin as soon as
possible." "Understood." "Divatox out." Divide turned to face Tommy again, noticing his eyes were still
partially open. "Your wife here is very pretty, for an
earthling." Tommy could feel bile rising in his throat, his fists clinched at
his side. "Maybe when Divatox is done with her I will get a chance to
'play' with her." Using every ounce of strength he has, Tommy manages to say.
"You're dead." "No. You are." Divide fired his blaster, hitting Tommy dead in his chest. The
former White Ranger fell sideways. "Is the other girl secure?" Divide asked over his
shoulder. When he looked one of the assassins nodded. "Good. We
are teleporting back to the shuttle, now." And then they were gone. ****** ****** The Astro-Mega Ship The Bridge Monday, July 27, 2000 12:57 PM Hovering above the Earth’s atmosphere. SMACK!!!! When her hand connected with his face, Andros turned from the
slap, eyes down cast. He didn't have to look at her face. He knew she was crying. "You selfish bastard," Karone said, breathing heavily.
Andros has just told the team about his illness. "You've been
ill for months and you never told anyone. You never told me. I'm your
sister. DOES THAT MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU!," she screamed, furious
as anyone has seen her since her days as Astronema. Andros could no more meet her eyes than he could anyone else in
the room.
Zhane watched his oldest friend and wondered just what is going
through his mind. "There ain't nothing that could happen to you
that we all wouldn't stand by you. You know that. If you didn't want
to tell the rest of us you should have at least confided in Karone or
Ashley," he fired with anger. Andros could feel all the eyes on him. "I did what I felt I
had to do. I researched my illness and didn't find much in the way of
positive news for my prognosis. I kept it a secret for me. Not any of
you." "You're part of this team Andros," TJ added. "You
are supposed to tell us when something is wrong with you. Your
illness could endanger lives on a mission if you have some kind of an
attack and none of us know anything about your illness." "I would never endanger the team," he replied. "We know that," Carlos added. "But you have to
trust us. And it's obvious you don't." Cassie remained silent, choosing to let the others deal with
Andros while she watches over her best friend. Ashley mouths a silent 'thank you'. Cassie replies a silent 'don't mention it'. Karone could not believe her brother was dying. Is dying. "Andros, you dedicated your life to finding me. Now you take
away precious time we may have together and you won't even let me
help you. I cannot tell you how hurt I am by that," Karone
sighed, with Zhane by her side, offering his love and support. "Karone, I wanted to spare you. All of you. I didn't want
your pity," he admitted with
emotion. "I realize I have made a huge mistake." His
eyes darted toward Ashley. Her eyes were cold. He knows he has lost her. Death can't come quick enough. "I apologize to all of you. But this is still my problem and
I am going to deal with it my way," Andros explained with
conviction. "And the rest of us be damned," Zhane fired back. "It's
understandable that you're scared. And as pissed off as we all are,
none of us want you to die." He approached his best friend. The
man he has literally fought wars with. "Don't push us way. Let
us help you." "Billy is helping me." "This isn't just about a cure, Andros. You need support from
your friends and family. I understand some of what you are feeling.
You feel you need to protect everyone by not having them worry about
you. But what you don't you realize is the overwhelming guilt we
would all feel if you died and we all never saw any clues about your
illness. None of us would ever be able to get past that," Zhane
said passionately. If he was to be perfectly honest with himself, Andros knew Zhane
was right. "I can't hear you," Karone stated, still angry and sad,
but now ready to help her brother fight this illness until they beat
it. "I'm sorry. To all of you for everything." Ashley turned her back and headed for the door. "I heard all
of this last night. You guys finish this conversation," she said
as the door closed behind her. For whatever reason, it seemed Cassie and Karone both caught on at
the same time. "You fucking bastard," Cassie snapped. "You never
cheated on her, did you? It was all a lie, wasn't it?" Andros's pause told everyone everything they needed to know. Karone walked right up into her brothers face. "You could not
have possibly hurt her more." "I know." "You know what?" Cassie spoke loudly. "What the
fuck do you know? You humiliated her in front of all of us. Then you
do it again just now. I was wondering why she was so quiet. She knew
we were about to find out that the man who was supposed to love her
more than anything lied to her face about cheating on her. You staged
a very public breakup, Andros. Did you think you were doing her some
kind of fucking favor? She still loved you up until now. But I think
you killed it." He couldn't say anything after that. "Ashley deserved to be treated better," Karone added. Andros shook his head defiantly. "I don't want her grieving
over me. I'm dying. She deserves a life with someone who loves her,
who she can open her heart to. Someone who will be there. I don't
want her closing off her heart just because she can't let go of my
ghost." "News flash, Andros. You ain't dead yet," Carlos said as
he left the bridge in a angry state. When he reached the hallway, every light there and on the bridge
began blinking. "What the hell," he wondered out loud
before walking back in. Everyone looked around. "Deca," Andros said. "What is going on?" (Theeeee...rrrrr...ttack...boarded....ssssytems mal...mal....)
Then the garbled voice went dead. Karone immediately checked the systems panel. "Andros, we got
big trouble." Everyone soon crowded around the purple Astro Ranger. "We are
losing power and communications throughout the ship are down." "Switch to auxiliary power now and re-route all systems
controls to this terminal," Andros ordered. The lights continued to flicker, then they went off completely,
drowning the bridge in darkness. Karone stared at the screen in front of her in shock. "We're
losing auxiliary power at an alarming rate. Something’s draining
the ship dry." "Open all doors, but lock all the elevators. If we're being
attacked we can't afford to get trapped anywhere." "Done," she replied. "Check for....." ROOOOMMMM!!!.....ROOOOMMMM!!!! Two huge quakes rocked the bridge, knocking everyone off of their
feet. TJ's eye caught something, a flash of light from the far left
corner of the glass shield looking out into space. "Karone,
check for hull breaches." She frantically went about her task. "Two. Deck four and
seven." Her eyes light up as multiple new heat signatures began
forming on screen. She then turned to address the team. "We have
been boarded. At least sixty...something’s. Thirty on each
floor." "We're being attacked," Zhane added, looking over
Karone's shoulder. "Are the security protocols on-line?" Cassie asked. "No. Anyone with a weapon will get it to work. The
protocols...all of them, are off-line." "Carlos?" "Yeah?" Andros turned to the Green Astro-Ranger. "You, TJ, and Cassie
find Ashley. With communications down, we don't know where she is.
Start with her bedroom since it's on deck four." "Let's Rocket!!!," the trio said in unison as they left
the bridge. "What about us?" Karone asked. Andros turned to his sister. "We go to deck seven and stop
Divatox. She no doubt is responsible for this." "If Divatox is here herself, then we have a shot to end this
once and for all," Zhane added, ready for action. "Let's Rocket!" ****** TJ took the lead as they approach the steps that lead to deck
four. Each Ranger has to use the infrared vision in their helmets
because the long winding hallways were nearly pitch black dark. "Get ready. When we hit the hallway on deck four all hell
might break loose," TJ warned as they began to climb the stairs. Carlos moved along side one wall while TJ and Cassie skimmed the
other. They stopped at the top step. TJ put up three fingers, beginning a
silent countdown. Three Two
One The first six armed assassins in the hallway were cut down by
laser fire before they even turned around. "They're Dreadnought Assassins. Andros has them in his enemy
files. They are nothing more than mute drone killers. We can't play
around with them. Shoot first and ask questions later." Cassie and Carlos nodded, both agreed with that. FUSSSHSHH...FUSSSHHH...FUSSSHHH The hallway lit up with laser fire as soon as the Astro-Rangers
arrived. Beams of red and blue fire filled the air. TJ struck first, picking off five assassins who ducked inside a
storage room to the right. Cassie ran down the hall. Someone grabs her arm and flings her
into a supply room. She rolls on the floor but quickly flips back to
her feet. "Divatox has a lot of guts attacking us on our own
ship," she said as eight assassins, each baring the blade of
their rifles ran toward her. The first swung its blade, but the Pink Astro-Ranger ducked and
landed a vicious uppercut to his chin, knocking him backwards.
Another assassin wrapped his arms around her from behind in a bear
hug while two more approached with there blades in front.] Cassie back-head butts the assassin behind her so hard he let go,
then she side stepped the swing of another assassins blade as he
beheaded his own man. Cassie pulled her blaster and shot both in
front of her, then the one on the ground. Five more off two the side began firing. Cassie leaps unto the
ceiling and began running there while firing until she hit the wall.
She drops back to the floor and grabs a workman’s table. Lifting
it above her head she throws it at her enemies. The assassins blast it to smithereens long before it hits them,
but Cassie used that momentary distraction to make her move.
She was on top of them before they knew what hit them. Cassie grabbed one of the rifle off of the floor and stabbed the
blade end into the stomach of the first assassin she reached, tearing
into his gut. The next two were roundhouse kicked so hard they flew
threw the air and hit an electrical terminal.
Their bodies jerked on that wall now as millions of volts of
electricity went through them. Cassie turned her back for a moment as was shot five times in the
chest, the blasts knocking her off her feet. The remaining assassins
attacked all at once. Cassie needed every ounce of body protection
her suit offered as she fought her taller, heavier attackers tooth
and nail. When the smoke cleared, eight dead assassins littered the floor
and walls of the room. And one royally pissed off Pink Astro-Ranger
walked out. Cassie ran down the hall. She stopped when she found TJ in the
rec-room fighting ten assassins the same time. She drew her blaster
and began firing. TJ rush punched one assassin to the face, then added a leg sweep,
taking him off his feet. He jumps into the air and lands back to back
to back kicks to three assassins faces, literally bouncing off of one
onto the other. Pulling his blaster, he finishes them off, only to be
tackled from behind.
TJ moved his head left, then right quickly as one assassin tried
to stab his blade into his face. The blue Astro-Ranger brought both
of his legs up and around the assassins neck, then jerked hard and to
the right, snapping his neck.
Pulling himself up, TJ saw Cassie grab one of the assassins and
throw him into five more in the corner.
"Good fucking night," she said as TJ joined her in
finishing them off in a hail of laser fire. "Look out," TJ screamed as he shoved Cassie aside. ten
more assassins ran into the room firing at will. Both Rangers
utilized there super speed to rush the attackers. They mauled the
assassins with brutal efficiency, but were now hurting themselves,
even through the Ranger uniforms. "They just keep coming," TJ said as they made there way
back into the hallway. He could tell his arm was dislocated. "We're being overwhelmed," Cassie added. She could taste
her own blood in her mouth. Both could hear the approaching foot
steps of more assassins. ****** Carlos cartwheels out of the way as laser blasts chased him down
the dark hallway. He began running on the walls, then ceiling, then
back to the floor to evade the numerous beams. Small fires were
breaking out all over the place from the laser blasts. When he
reached one exit, Carlos took a concussion grenade from his belt.
Looking to make sure none of the Rangers were in the hallway, he
tosses it at his pursuers. WHAAAAMMMMM!!!! The explosion rocked the hallway, and sent assassins flying
everywhere. But there are just to many of them. "Ashley...ASHLEY!!!!," he called out loud. Walking into
her bedroom he finds her unconscious on her bed. The room is filled
with smoke. Without the benefit of teleportation, he knows she will need
medical attention right now. He checks her pulse, but she's not
breathing. Carlos takes off his helmet and positions his hands on her
stomach, below her rib cage. As he prepares to breath into her lips,
a sharp pain comes suddenly in his neck.
"Wha...," he stutters as the room turns black. He falls
to the floor. Ashley rises from the bed. The needle she held behind her back now
visible. Morphing back now to her true form, Shadow picks up Carlos's
body. She then presses a button on her wrist communicator. "Divatox,
I have Carlos." "Good, take him back to the ship, then join me on deck 7,"
she replied. "At once, my lady." ****** This was nothing new to Andros, Karone, or Zhane. They will be
hopelessly out numbered and fighting for there very lives. Andros stood at the top of the steps and pointed to the perfect
circle cut into the side of one wall. A small light sourced bridge
connected the Astro-Mega ship to an unidentified ship.
Andros saw seven Dreadnought Assassins guarding the bridge between
both ships. He telepathically flipped all of the safety switches on
there guns, disarming them without there knowledge. He turns to his
sister and Zhane, giving them the signal to attack. Andros rushed in first. Two assassins tried to fire, but nothing
happened when they pulled the trigger. Andros thrust his sword into
the first assassins chest, while firing his blaster into the neck of
the other, killing both instantly. Karone jumps into the air and flips over two more assassin, firing
in mid flip. When she landed they crumbled to the floor in a bloody
heap. Zhane rushed in with his saber and slashed, cutting the last three
assassins in half around the waist. The once sterile clean white floors are now covered in black
blood. The Astro-Rangers are not playing games. This is not a nice fight where you let the bad guys get away. The Astro-Mega ship has been invaded, and it will be defended with
the same level of force as it is attacked. "Without control of the safe shields, if we blow this
makeshift entrance Divatox has built, the hull breach might destroy
the ship," Zhane commented as they moved down the hall to the
main observation deck. "Agreed," Andros replied. "Karone, I want you and
Zhane on separate shuttles the second we have secured the ship. I
have a bad feeling the Rangers on Earth may be in deep trouble." "I'll second that," Karone added. "Guys! Look." Suddenly all of the lights came back on. The hallway was
illuminated once more.
And Divatox stood not more than 15 feet away, dressed in a skin
tight black one piece body suit laced with armor. Her trademark eye
piece is gone, and she wears her hair down now. Her face looks grim,
hardened by things you cannot imagine. She is flanked by twenty
assassin with guns drawn. "Hello, Andros. It's been a long time." "If you think you're going to win, you're mistaken." With an arched eye brow, Divatox replied, “Win what? How can
you know how to win if you don't even know what the game is really
about,"
"Riddles won't save you. And neither will your boy toys,"
Zhane fired back. Divatox waved her hand and the hall filled with laser fire. She
stepped back and walked the other way down the hall. "We can't win a gun fight. Sabers out. We're gonna do this up
close and personal," Andros ordered.
They flipped, cartwheeled, and rolled until they were literally on
top of the assassins. This is a brutal animalistic war. Karone's hands were covered with
black blood as she cut down another assassin, only to catch three
laser blasts to her back. Karone's body twirls in the air as it falls
to the ground. Her helmet muffles her screams as she moves to get
back on her feet. Zhane's Silver Astro-Ranger suit has multiple burn marks on it as
he has been shot no less than 15 times. One assassin rushed in with
his blade, Zhane cut his hand off, then his head. Now using the
fallen assassin body a shield, he rushes five more, letting the body
absorb the laser blasts. He's nearly exhausted. Andros cuts his way through nine more assassins, using his saber
and blaster as a one-two punch, fighting to get to Divatox who has
entered....... Oh God. It just hit him. How could he have not realized. One of the two main engine rooms is on deck 7. "No.." he said to himself, pushing his body further than
he ever has before.
And the assassins kept comming. Hacking. Slashing. Firing. Andros kicks one in the face, then roundhouse two behind him. His
saber is soaked in black blood as he fights his way down the hall. He
can hear the tired
Once inside the engine room, Andros spots Divatox. "THIS ENDS
NOW!!" Divatox turns to face him. "You're right, it does. Scorpina." "Arrrrhhhh!!!" Andros screamed as Scorpina's sword
lashed his back, nearly tearing through his uniform. He fell forward
and moved to face his attacker. Though he has never faced her in battle, he knows of her skill all
to well. "Bring it." "Consider it done," Scorpina cried out as their swords
clanged. The parried and swung like gladiators, neither getting the
upper hand. Though Andros was hands down the better swordsman, his
exhaustion and injuries put them nearly on an even scale. Andros pulls his blaster and fires ten consecutive shots at
Scorpina who deflects them all back at him. Andros ducks out of the
way as they hit the wall terminals. "Why thank you, Andros. It seems fitting that your blaster is
the one that brings the Astro-Mega ship down," Divatox grins.
She presses a button on her wrist communicator. "Reign, send in
the next wave." Andros looked on in horror as forty more assassins entered the
ship, firing on Zhane and Karone multiple times. The Ranger's tried
to return fire, but are overwhelmed. Their were just too many blasts. Just too many. Andros could not breathe as his sister and best friend fell in a
blaze of laser fire. "Your team is lost. And your friends on deck four will not
survive. Your failure is complete. The main reactor core of this
ships engines will explode in three minutes. I suggest you leave,"
Divatox gloated.
Then Divatox and Scorpina teleported away. Andros had no time to think, only act. He ran down the hall, only
to find his sister lying by herself unconscious on the floor. Zhane was missing. "Karone..KARONE!!!" he screamed, his heart not beating.
******
"MOVE IT CAS!!!" TJ said while running and firing at the
same time. They have never, not even when Divatox attacked the old
Command Chamber been so overwhelmed. The Ranger's could hear the assassin's running behind them,
stalking them. No matter how many fell, more arrived, attacking in
waves. Cassie and TJ skate the walls trying to avoid being hit. They
exchange fire with the pursuing assassins. "TJ. The hanger is close." There was a question in her tone of voice. He didn't want to
acknowledge it, but their situation was getting critical. He looked
at the woman he was slowly falling in love with. Her uniform cut and
torn, burn marks worn as badges of honor. "Cassie....I...I.." "We don't know if they are alive," she offered. "If
we're all thats left and we die here there will be no one to stop
Divatox." TJ continues firing, hitting two more of the seemingly endless
assassin's. He tosses another grenade, collapsing a wall, giving them
a few precious seconds. But only seconds. The assassins quickly blast threw the small blockade. That's when Cassie gets her answer. Two words. "Lets go," TJ spit out.
"Not without us," came a voice from behind them. "Andros!" Cassie said with a tone of awe. "Fuck,
you look as bad as we do." "Did you find Ashley?" he asking, frantically looking
around. "No. And Carlos is missing too," TJ replied as they ran.
Andros could be seen laboring as he held his sisters unconscious
body. The Red Astro-Ranger fired his blaster with one hand while
balancing Karone with the other. "TJ, take Karone for me. Get to
the shuttles and get off the Mega-Ship. The engines main reactor is
about to explode in under three minutes." "We're not leaving you here," Cassie argued. "This isn't a request. This is a direct order. I'm not going
to let Ashley die. If she's here I'm going to save her or die
trying," Andros fired back.
TJ and Cassie knew they would not be able to talk him out of this. "Give me Karo...." "That won't be necessary, TJ," came another new voice
from down the other hall. Andros wanted to run and grab Ashley in a fierce embrace when he
saw the battered Yellow Astro Ranger approaching. "I was about
to come looking for you." "Yeah, well, I don't play that damsel in distress shit,"
she added. "Let's get the hell off of this ship. We'll have
another shot at Divatox soon enough." With fierce determination Andros, Ashley, TJ, and Cassie fought
through hell fire and brimstone to get to the hanger, where the sweet
salvation of getting off this ship could be found. They fired and fought until they reached the hanger, blasting
anything and everything in there way. Finally they reached their goal and boarded the nearest shuttle. "We can't open the bay doors," Ashley observed. "Then we'll just have to make a new one." Andros took
aim and fired three photon torpedo's at the hanger doors, blowing a
hole in them. Andros ignited the ships engines and flew out into the
darkness of space. He could only watch with a heavy heart as the Astro-Mega-Ship, his
home more so than even KO-35, exploded in three consecutive blasts.
Huge chunks of metal could be seen flying in every conceivable
direction. Some was even now burning up as it entered the Earth's
atmosphere. The other Ranger's could say nothing. They were speechless. The
Astro-Mega Ship was no more, scattered like dust to the wind. "We need to find Billy," Andros said, his voice thick
with emotion. "Then we will go after Divatox. And we will stop
her." ****** Billy's Apartment Monday, July 27, 2000 3:30 PM Angel Grove, Ca Billy paced his living room while speaking to both Zack and Aisha
on speaker phone. He knew something was terribly wrong, but he just
didn't know what. "My flight leaves 45 minutes, Billy," Aisha said while
packing her bags in Chicago. Billy called Rocky first, who left work
early. Then Rocky called Aisha. "Just be careful. We don't know what happened today, but we
do know that Tommy, Kim, Kat, Jason, Adam, and Tanya are missing,"
Billy replied. He turned when he heard at knock at his
front door. "Hold on guys." Opening the door, he finds Rocky holding up a very hurt,
disoriented looking Jason. "What happened?" "It's a funny story really," Rocky joked as he laid
Jason's body on the couch. "I was surveying the land near the
old docks on Lake Shore Drive. I saw Jason crawling on the ground
near a building that looked like someone was using it for target
practice." Billy looked over Jason. noticing the small burn marks on his neck
and chest.
Once Jason was laid on the couch, Rocky handed Billy his blaster.
"His charge is ninety percent depleted. What ever happened he
fought went out swinging," the former Red and Blue Ranger
quoted. Then his eyes fell over Jason's chest, and all of the small
burn holes there. "Stun beams?" Rocky said as Billy
acknowledged his appraisal. "Is he alright?" Zack asked, worried about his long-time
friend. "He's not bleeding and doesn't appear to be in terrible
shape. But I believe he was shot a few times with stun beams. He's
keeps mumbling something." "Billy, I'm catching a flight home in one hour," Zack
said. "Someone attacked Jason. Muggers don't use stun beams.
That means that most likely this is the work of Divatox." "Unfortunately, I agree," Billy added. "I tried to
call Kat around the time I knew she was supposed to be having lunch
with Kim. No answer. Then I called Kim's cell phone, then Tommy's.
Still no answer. Then I tried Jason at his job. His boss told me that
neither Jason nor Adam showed up after lunch. They didn't call or
anything." Aisha has heard enough. "I'm hanging up now and heading to
the airport. I'll see you guys in a couple of hours. Take care of
yourself, Rock."
"You too, cuteness," her boyfriend replied as the phone
clicked. "I'm on my way too, bro," Zack added before he hung up. TAP,TAP,TAP,TAP Billy and Rocky looked up, both hoping this was one of their
friends. When Billy opened the doors what he saw chilled him to the
bone. This was not good. Not at all. The Astro-Rangers, at least some of them stood in the hallway in
street clothes. They looked like death warmed over.
"Divatox." One word, spoken by Andros. Here we go again. ****** After Billy showed Andros to his bedroom so that he could lay
Karone down, it took twenty minutes for the leader of the
Astro-Rangers to tell the story of the attack on the Astro-Mega ship.
Of how they were taken so easily and beaten so throughly. Of how the
once grand battle ship was now more or less fireworks in the skies
over China. "Do you have any theories on how Divatox shut off all of the
power on the Mega-Ship?" Rocky asked. Ashley took a deep breath before answering. "If she has the
schematics for the ship there are many possibilities. Divatox was not
only a pirate for valuables, she was also a pirate of technology.
There is virtually nothing she can’t rig or hack." "She's different now," Andros commented. "There was
something different about her eyes. Something dark and sinister. This
is not the same person we fought a few years ago." Suddenly Jason’s body jerked awake on the couch. Billy and
the other's raced to his side. "Where are they?" the former Gold Ranger asked. "Where's
Tanya and Adam?" Billy came to his side with a glass of water. "We were hoping
you could shed some light on that for us." Jason took a sip, then nodded his head. "The DNA scanner you
built went off in Adam’s car. Someone was specifically tracking
the radiation in our blood. They were also specifically tracking
certain people as well."
The Astro-Ranger's watched as both Rocky and Billy's face went
pale. "How would Divatox know you could track us like that?"
Rocky questioned.
Jason shook his head. "I don't have a clue. I just know we
were attacked by these big soldiers with glass shell mask and laser
rifles with blades at the end. I've never seen them before." "I have," Andros chimed in. "They are Dreadnought
Assassins. Genetically cloned mute killing machines. They don't eat,
sleep, or get tired. You can kill them, but it's not easy. They are
incredibly expensive and can be bought in bulk. They are the best
soldiers money can buy. One of your old enemies, Scorpina was with
Divatox as well." "She's still alive?" Rocky wondered. "Not only alive, she nearly killed me," Andros added.
"Carlos is missing and so is Zhane. We don't know why they were
taken. But I don't believe they are dead." Billy began pacing again. "Andros, I'll need some of the
interplanetary lining from your shuttle. Last time when Lord Zedd
tracked us we found a way to hide from his sensors. I fear we will
have to do that again." Andros nodded. "We can begin immediately." "Good. Now we just need to figure out where we go from here.
We don't know why Divatox is on Earth. We don't know why she's
targeting certain people. And we don't know how she knows about the
radiation in our blood. "All I know is this,“ TJ began. "Without the
Astro-Mega ship, I don't know what we can exactly do about Divatox if
we knew where she was." An idea sparked in Billy's mind but he dismissed it for the
moment. “If push comes to shove, I know where we can get help.
At least Earth based help. In the meantime everyone make sure your
blasters are fully charged. We have some things locked away in a
storage facility. The stuff we used while we were on the run from
Lord Zedd. I think we need to go get that stuff." "I think the Galaxy Alliance knows exactly why Divatox is on
Earth. They are hiding something. No doubt about it," Jason
stated.
"You're right," Cassie added. "We need answers and
we need them now." "The question is, who's going to give them to us," TJ
offered. ****** ******
The Mercy. Divatox's ship Current location: The mountains of Siberia Monday, July 27, 2000 4:20 PM Divatox stood in the center of the medical lab. Her eyes focused
on the twin casket like alcoves in front of her. The serene face of Kimberly Hart-Oliver, dressed now in a simple
white gown, looked nearly angelic in her state of unconsciousness. Divatox too, wore the same white hospital gown. Reign, Shadow,
Scorpina, and Divide stood in the back of the room. The glass shell of the alcove Kimberly laid in was cold to
Divatox’s touch as her hand smoothed over it. "What I do
today, I do not out of cruelty, but survival," she whispered so
low know one else in the room heard her voice. Divatox then approached her troops. "Reign?" "Yes, my lady." "How many Dreadnought Assassin's are left?" "91." "We used the element of surprise today and it worked to our
advantage. You all performed well. I would commend you but our job is
not done. Shadow, as soon as this 'procedure’s finished,
teleport Kimberly's body to the address we have as her home." "Understood." "Scorpina, how goes the re-conditioning of the Ranger’s?" The Asian beauty steeped forward. "It has just begun. I see
no reason for complications. The procedure will take about 48 hours
to complete." "Good, then we can move on the keys," Divatox replied.
She then walked over to the alcove next to Kim's and pressed a small
button on the front control panel. The glass shell opened. "My, lady," Reign said, hoping to reason with her. "I
still want to state my opinion for the record that you should not do
this. Not only for your own sake, but for the..." "Enough," she ordered, stepping into the alcove and
laying down. "We won a few battles today, but the war is still
comming. Somehow, some way, the Rangers will find out about the Dark
Matter. But no one knows of the keys or the Zentarian crystals. And
if they do suspect there are some on Earth, they have no idea where
to look for them. We hold all the cards. And I'm about to...'hold'
the ace. Divide, start the program." ****** ******
The American Can Company 40th and Western Monday, July 27, 2000 6:30 PM Angel Grove, Ca His eyes hurt like hell as they slowly opened. His mouth feels
dry, dead. Every muscle in his body aches. Then his mind snaps to attention. "Ki....Kim." His wife's name. Tommy manages to roll over on his back. He blinks a few times,
trying to collect himself. Slowly he sits up and looks around. The warehouse is empty. Completely empty. His eyes search for his wife and Katherine. Struggling to his
feet, Tommy stands and walks around. It quickly dawns on him that he was not who they wanted. As if the terror in his heart wasn't bad enough over his wife and
friend, the fact that Kim is carrying their child makes it infinitely
worse. His eyes catch sight of the fact that all of the enemies bodies
they killed have been removed. All except one. Tommy approaches a downed scaffold, noticing a hand covered in
black blood sticking out from underneath it. Tommy moves swiftly, knowing time is of the essence. He uses all
of his strength to pull the out from underneath the scaffold. The assassins head was a crushed, bloody mess. But the chest area
was not. Somehow the scaffold landed on a funny angle that only hit
the legs and head. Tommy pulled this small pendent from the beings chest. It had one
singular button. There really was no decision to make. He checked his blaster, noting he has a 30% charge left. Tommy
tucks it under his shirt, then grabs a lead pipe from the floor. He has no idea where he is going. But he knows his wife is in danger. That's all he needs to know. One button press. WHOOOSSSHHH ****** ****** The Mercy Mountains of Siberia Monday, July 27, 2000 6:50 Tommy looks around his new location. Tommy walks from the back area to what looks like the boarding
door. Pulling down a latch, the door opens revealing an equally dark
hanger bay. Tommy notices two other shuttles, memorizing their location in
case needs one to escape.
He makes his way into some type of an elevator, with only three
floors. He picks the third, hoping for the best. He could use a little luck right now. Tommy hugs the side wall as the elevator doors open. His senses
are on high alert. Luckily the hallway seems dimly lit and empty. He takes a few
tentative steps. He has no way of knowing where Kim is and no idea
where he is. Doesn't matter. Tommy stalks down the hall, skimming the walls, and silently
thanking God that this ship doesn’t seem to be that big. "Well, well, well. What do we have here? You're breaking and
entering. I can have you arrested." Tommy spun around, coming
face to face with the man who shot him earlier in the day. "If you value your life you will tell me where my wife and
friend are." Divide grinned. "Your are the cocky one aren't you? You
appear unarmed. You probably don't know where you are, and you are
hopelessly out numbered. Yet you still make demands." "You have five seconds." He heard light steps behind
him. "Four, three, two, one," Divide finished. Tommy ducked a grab swing from behind. He turned on his he and
thrust kicked his attacker in the throat so hard blood flew from his
lips as he fell to the floor.
Divide stepped back. "Don't worry Tommy. There are more where
that came from." "Then you better get the morgue ready," he snarled,
entering a fighting stance. Divide's eyes rolled in the into the back of his head as clones of
himself began appearing out of nowhere all around Tommy. Their were
nine to be exact. "I could call a few of my boys you fought earlier, but I
figure you're just one guy," Divide said as the clones circled
Tommy. "Then that is the second mistake you've made." "What's the first?" "Taking my wife," Tommy growled as he took the
offensive. Two clones to his right were roundhouse kicked. In one
motion Tommy caught another rushing in from behind with a fierce leg
sweep.
One clone tackles him from his blind side to the ground. Tommy
manages to grab his blaster and unload five times into the closes
stomach, drenching himself in his enemies blood. Quickly, he rolls
the body off of him and begins exchanging punches and kicks with
multiple assailants. He battles long and hard, fighting with everything he has. One clones head nearly explodes from the devastating blow of
Tommy's lead pipe. He spins and tosses the pipe at another clone’s
legs, tripping him up and knocking him top the floor.
Falling forward from a kick to the back, Tommy rolls on the
ground, then back flips completely over the clone. His hands reach
for the front of the clones neck and tears the skin off it's throat
with his bare hands. Blood is everywhere. Divide is physically tired now. Even he has a limit as to how many
clones he can create. "KILL HIM DO IT!!!,” he screamed with
frustration. Tommy executed a flying knee smash to one clones chin. The clone
flew backwards, falling to the floor. Tommy stepped forward and
slammed his foot to the clones neck, breaking it. Turning left, he
ducks a straight punch, grabs the clones are and wrenches, breaking
it in two place. He then places his blaster at the temple of his
attacker and shoots. More blood. Using the skill that only he posses, Tommy turns primal,
attacking, rather than defending. Killing rather than showing mercy. Divide is using the wall for support as his clones are being
killed in front of him by one man. "Enough,” came a voice behind Tommy. Bloodied and exhausted, he turns to find Divatox standing in the
hallway, accompanied by a huge beast-like man carrying Kimberly. "If my wife is dead..." "She is not. Reign," Divatox said, pointing to the
floor. He stepped forward and placed Kimberly's unconscious body in
front of Tommy. Never taking his eyes off of the beast, Tommy walks forward and
pulls Kim into his arms. She looks a little pale, but seems to be
breathing normally. He can't see any wounds
or blood. "What did you do to her?" "I did what I had to do, Tommy. I gave myself an advantage in
war." His heart ran cold as Tommy looked at her. "Stop playing
games. What do you want from us?" "Nothing. You and Kimberly may leave. But your children are
staying with me." Tommy's mind could not...would not, comprehend what she meant by
that statement. Divatox saw the hate in his eyes. It calmed her. "I carry
your children now, Tommy. Kimberly was carrying twins, a boy and a
girl. They are inside of me now. What you do to me, you do to your
own children." Tommy wanted to lunge at her and tear her heart out, just the way
she has done to him. "What are you going to do?" He knows
he can't lose it now. He must try to remain calm.
"It's none of your business. If you interfere in my plans
then your children will never draw their first breaths of air. I am
not Lord Zedd. I'm not going to fight you to prove who is the better
warrior. I already know you are. This hallway is littered with the
evidence of that fact." "I want my children back." "Then stay out of my way. I won't hesitate to terminate this
pregnacy." "If you do, there will be no place in the galaxy you can hide
from me," Tommy promised with pure hate and rage. "The galaxy's not as big a place as it used to be, Tommy. I
guess I'll have to get creative," she replied. "Good bye."
With one press of her wrist band, Tommy and Kimberly were teleported
away. Divatox turned to Reign.
"The war has officially begun." ****** ****** The home of Tommy and Kimberly Oliver Monday, July 27, 2000 7:39 PM Angel Grove, Ca Tommy materializes on his living room floor with Kimberly still in
his arms. He holds her in a near death grip, shaking from what has
just occurred. His mind is overwhelmed with what to do first.
He lifts Kimberly's unconscious body into the air and moves toward
the couch, laying her down gently.
His heart is in his throat as his mind recalls what Divatox told
him she did to Kim. And what she still threatened to do. His eyes mist over with unshed tears that must wait for a another
time. Tommy's trademark calm in a crisis is no where to be found now. It
seems like he can feel the room spinning. His own injuries hurt like
hell, but pale in comparison to the medical rape committed against
his wife. Rape. Against her will. Taking a step back, Tommy looks closely at his wife. His bloody
hand prints are on her white gown. The sight of her covered in the
blood of those he has just killed is a sight he never, ever wanted to
see. Tommy takes a few steps and stumbles backward, nearly falling to
the floor, his heart racing. He finally rests with his back to the
wall. He couldn't save her, couldn't protect his wife, his children. He failed them. Shaking his head, he knows his guilt will have to wait.
The absolute quiet in the room taunts him.
Tommy reaches behind him for the light switch on the wall. He
fumbles for a moment until he flicks the switch, smearing his own
blood on the wall.
When the room is illuminated, only then can he see how he looks. Tommy is covered with blood. The black of the assassins blood
mixes with the lighter shade of red expelled by the clones. His face,
neck, chest, arms and hands are drenched. Cuts and scrapes adorn his
forearms. His knuckles are bleeding, the skin torn and raised. He has
three torn fingernails and his ankle is swollen so much his shoe
feels to tight to take off. His clothes are bathed in crimson. His children are gone. Tommy forces the bile back down his throat. He feels nauseous. The
pain in his left ankle flares up, but he ignores it. Moving to his
wife's side again, he lifts her gown, checking for bleeding or
incision scars. He can find none. She appears to be breathing
normally and her face has a little more color to it. He is thankful, even with the hate flowing through him for what
was done to her. Tommy takes three deep breaths, then grabs the cordless phone on
the floor. His hand shakes as he dials Billy's home number. The team
has always used his place for meeting on Ranger business and if any
of the others have been attacked, they will go there first. Three rings later.... "Tommy?" Billy asks, noticing the name on his Caller ID.
Billy immediately turns on his signal scrambler. "Billy, I need you over here now." The near hysterical voice Tommy used chilled Billy to the bone. He
quickly placed him on speaker phone. "What's the situation?"
he asked, trying to remain the voice of calm in this perilous time. Tommy tries to collect himself. "Me, Kat and Kim were
attacked by soldiers working for Divatox. This thing that could make
clones of himself was targeting Kat and Kim in particular. They
kidnapped both. I woke up and found that all of the soldiers we
killed were taken away. But I found one that was left behind. He had
some sort of a teleportation device on his chest. I used it and
teleported to Divatox's ship. She....she let Kim go and teleported us
back to out house." Billy could say nothing for the moment. Hearing about Kat's
abduction confirmed his worst fears. "Bro, it's Jase. Me, Adam and Tanya were attacked too.
Divatox has Adam and Tanya." "Dammit!!!" Tommy began pacing the room. A feeling of immense dread falls over Billy's apartment. "Is she alive?" Billy asked while silently praying the
answer is... "Yes.....but there's more to it than that. A lot more" Jason cut in. "Divatox attacked the Astro-Mega ship and
destroyed it. Andros and what's left of the Space Ranger's escaped on
a shuttle. We can be at your place in five minutes." "Have you heard from Zack, Rocky, Trini, or Aisha?" "Yes, Rocky is with us now," Billy replied. "Zack
and Aisha are on planes as we speak." "Where is Trini?" Tommy asked.
"I think she's still at work." "Tell her we have an emergency. We need to admit Kim under a
false name. We also need a doctor who won't be shocked by what he may
discover. I know that's a lot to ask on short notice." An absolute chill flowed through Billy's apartment. Whatever Kim's
situation is, it's bad on a whole other level. "I think her new boyfriend may be our best, quickest option.
He's a doctor at the hospital. I don't know how deep his relationship
is with Trini, but I'm sure she'll try to convince him to help us,"
Billy explained. Tommy tried to wipe the blood off of his hands, but he couldn't. It seemed symbolic, somehow. "Billy, I think you should go to Trini now right now. Call
her on her cell before you arrive at the hospital." Billy grabbed his car keys off his coffee table. "I'm walking
out of the door right now." Jason tapped Rocky on the shoulder. "Tommy, we're heading for
the shuttle now. See you in a flash." "Jase?" "Yeah bro?" "Hurry." ****** ******
Angel Grove Memorial Hospital Monday, July 27, 2000 7:50 PM Angel Grove, Ca Trini sits motionless and horrified in the nurses lounge as Billy
briefed her on the days events. When Lord Zedd attacked, he did it in
such a way that everyone in the world would sit up and take notice. His ego demanded no less. What Divatox has done speaks of a highly personal nature. She is
not acting the way they expected her too. That's why she won the day. "Do you know what's wrong with Kim?" Trini asked slowly,
her hand shaking with worry over her best friend. Billy switches lanes, driving faster than he ever has before. "No,
I don't. But Trini, I've known Tommy for nearly six years. I have
never heard him sound like that before. I have no idea what we are
going to find out. With the destruction of the Astro-Mega Ship, we
are at a distinct disadvantage. We have no idea where Kat, Tanya,
Adam, Carlos, or Zhane are. The only thing we know is that Divatox
has them." Trini closed her eyes, not wanting to believe that once again,
they are being thrust back into the life they have fought tooth and
nail to get out of. "Has anyone contacted Kelly? I'm sure she'll
want to know what happened to Adam." "Rocky is on his way to the airport to pick up Aisha. From
there they are going to pick up Kelly. Zack will page me when his
plane lands. One of us will pick him up." "How are we going to protect ourselves if Divatox attacks
again?" "I've been thinking about that. We've got to wear the bands
again, Trini. Divatox was tracking the radiation in our blood. That's
how she caught us off guard." "Billy?" "Yeah?" he replied at a stop sign. "If our immunity is failing and we can become sick again,
then what is there to track in our bloodstream. We knew.." "Assumed, Trini. We assumed the radiation was due to energy
wave Zordon's death caused. We never knew for sure." That only made her feel worse. "If we are normal humans again
and this radiation is still in our bloodstream then we need to
research exactly what it may due to us." "I agree. But for tonight we are going to regroup and watch
over Kim. Do you think Stefan help us?" "He just got out of surgery. I'm going to talk to him now,"
Trini added. "I assume we are all going to a safe house?" "You know the drill." "See you soon, Billy." ****** Stefan looked up from the cat scan photos on his desk as the door
to his office opened. "Trini. This is a nice surprise." The
tense look on her face immediately sent him warning signals. He rose
and moved past her quickly to close the door. "Is everything
okay.?" Trini shook her head and led him over to a small couch in the
corner. "Stefan, I need a huge favor. And it's not entirely
legal." She is humbled by his gesture, but knows time is of the essence.
"Stefan...," she began. "God, where do I begin?" "Are you in trouble? Did someone hurt you?" "No, nothing like that." She takes a deep breath. both feet.> "Stefan, me and my friends were the Power
Ranger's. We were the Earth based ones up until early 1999." Stefan’s face seemed stuck in-between an is-this-a-joke look
and an I-can't-believe-you-said-that one. "Ah, Trini, you were a Power Ranger? Forgive me, but
I..I...." Trini pulls her laser blaster out of her purse and fires at the
far wall. Even on a low setting, it left a small burn mark. "You
can't get one of these at K-Mart." Stefan stood and took a few steps back, hoping he looked weary.
just right.> "What are you asking me to do?" Trini didn't know how to make the unbelievable, believable.
"Stefan, I was re-recruited when I was 15 years old by a being
named Zordon. We were given these things called morphers. They tapped
into a power called the morphing grid. The morphers allowed us to
become Power Rangers. As corny as the outfits looked we had super
strength, speed, and access to technology light years ahead of
anything found on Earth. Fast forward years later when me and all of
my friends retired. Zordon gave his life to save the planet. When he
died a huge wave of energy destroyed the threat to the Earth and also
left his former Rangers with a natural immunity to all illnesses.
Believe me, I know how this sounds." "Do you? Because I don't know what to make of this." Trini settled herself. "It seems that one of our enemies did
not die when Zordon did. He just lost his powers. Now, I'm sure you
remember everything that happened in Angel Grove this past February.
That was us. Me and all of my friends had to go on the run. Their is
a special form of radiation in our blood steams that allowed our
enemy to track us. It's this same radiation that allowed another of
our enemies to attack us today." "You've been at work all day. Why didn't anyone attack you?
And though if been in surgery for a while, I didn't hear of any
attacks on the news earlier today." "Their are a lot of questions right now and very few
answers." "Keep going." "We have reason to believe that our immunity is fading.
Another side effect of it was that all of the former Rangers were
sterile as it pertained to each other." "Okay," he said with a raised eye brow for effect. "Tommy and Kimberly Oliver are married and Kimberly recently
found out she was pregnant. That is not supposed to be possible." "I still don't know what any of this has to do with me." "She was attacked today and we have reason to believe
something was done to her. We don't have access to any of our old
medical equipment and we need a doctor to check on her and her baby.
We also need someone to check her in under an assumed name. We will
need to get her out of her as soon as we know her condition. If any
other doctor checked her out and found something peculiar we would
have to answer a lot of questions we don't want to." "Why all the secrecy?" "We've had some dealing with the US Government. They have
kept all of us under heavy surveillance ever since early this year.
We have access to ways to....evade them. But we can't deal with
Divatox and them at the same time. Right now the only thing that
matters to us is Kimberly and her baby's health. Once we know how she
is we can deal with the other stuff." "What other stuff." "It's best you don't know. For your own safety." "Stefan, we know how to block the radiation in our blood from
radar. We just didn't think we would need to do it today," Trini
replied with a heavy sigh. "We need you to examine her. Then
we're taking her out of the hospital and leaving." Stefan kept his eyes on her, trying to appear contemplative. "I know. I wouldn't ask you if I could think of another way
to do this," she pleaded, her voice thick with emotion. Despite his best efforts to the contrary, his heart went out to
her. If Stefan were to be completely honest with himself, he could
see himself falling for her. Her commitment to her friend was so
obvious. But the mission comes first. "It shouldn't be too hard getting her admitted under an
assumed name," Stefan explained in a dry tone. "I can get
you transferred to the front desk to sign her in." Trini's face
lit up and he knew he was scoring major points in her favor. "I
can have a room set up in 15 minutes." "Thank you. You have no idea what this means to me." "If anyone but you asked me to do this I would have called
security by now. I just want you to know that." "I understand. Page me when you have everything set up."
Trini walked over to him, placing a brief but meaningful kiss on his
lips. When she exited the room, he opened his laptop and sent an
emergency e-mail. ****** ****** The home of Tommy and Kimberly Oliver Monday, July 27, 2000 8:10 PM Angel Grove, Ca The sight that greeted Jason as he teleported down from the
shuttle will be forever etched in his mind. Tommy sat on the floor near the couch Kimberly is laying on,
holding her hand and speaking softly to her.
Blood is everywhere. Footprints on the plush white carpet, hand
prints on the wall near the light switch. And Tommy himself, looking like he has just been through a war.
"Tommy." Looking up from the floor, Tommy turns around, catching sight of
his friend. "We need to go now." Jason approached him. "Bro, you look like hell." "Wait until you see what Divatox looks like when I'm done
with her," he snarled as he prepared to lift Kimberly into his
arms. Taking in Tommy's appearance. "Bro, maybe you should quickly
change out of those clothes. I know you don't want to draw attention
to yourself or Kim." Tommy sighed, knowing Jason is right. Kim's even breathing spurs
his decision. "Give me a minute." He stands and moves to
their master bedroom, Jason follows. ****** Jason sits on a small chair in from of a dresser as Tommy tears
off his shirt and tosses it across the room. His every movement
speaks of rage. "Bro, what do you think Divatox did to Kim?" Tommy stopped dead in his tracks, his back to Jason. "It's
all my fault." The guilt was easily recognizable. "Whatever happened is not
your fault." Jason walked over to his best friend. "I can
see from how hurt you are that you fought like hell to stop this from
happening." "I didn't stop anything," Tommy replied in a strangled
tone, his hands shaking so hard he can barely get the sweatshirt over
his head. "Bro, talk to me. We all need to know what happened on
Divatox's ship." When Tommy turned to face him Jason nearly fell off his feet. He has never seem Tommy cry. Not openly. Never after a battle. But right at this very moment, Tommy, someone Jason feels is the
strongest man he has ever met, sobs openly and crumbles to his knees. "Divatox said she took our children." Jason gasps loudly, his hand over his mouth. He shakes his head in
complete
disbelief. "No..." "It gets unbelievably worse," Tommy said while trying to
compose himself. "She said that Kim was carrying twins and she
took the children and is somehow is carrying them herself. She's
using them as protection so that we can't attack her." Horrifying. That is the only word going through Jason's mind right now. "Let's
go, Tommy. Lets have a doctor look at Kim and see what he says. You
need medical attention too." Jason knows he will have to be
strong for Tommy now. Because Tommy will need to be strong for Kimberly. "I'm praying to God that Divatox is lying, but if she was she
would not have let us go. She feels she has the ultimate upper hand." Jason closes his eyes. His hatred for Divatox and the way she has
violated Kimberly is nearly equal to that of Tommy's. The next thing Tommy says brings tears to Jason's eyes even he
cannot fight. "How am I going to tell her our children are gone." ****** ****** Angel Grove Memorial Hospital Monday, July 27, 2000 8:20 PM Angel Grove, Ca Stefan keeps a close eye on Trini as her eyes remain focused on
the entrance to the hospital. Billy is by her side as they wait on
the ground floor, standing in front of the nurses station. Stefan
arranged it so that Trini will be the one to admit Kim when she
arrives. "There they are," Trini says as she grabs the paper work
she has already prepared. She follows Billy as run to their friends. Tommy has Kimberly's unconscious body in his arms and immediately
approaches them with Jason carrying a leather bag. "My names Dr. Stefan Forester," he says to Tommy as he
walks up to him. "We need a room," Tommy replies, not wanting to waste
any time on introductions. Stefan turns on his heel "Right this way, Mr. William’s." ****** ****** Mega-Ship Shuttle 1013 Monday, July 27, 2000 10:00 PM Angel Grove, Ca Night falls over Angel Grove as she looks out of her pilot seats
window. The shuttle hovers above the hospital in case of the need for
an emergency evacuation.
Ashley is at the controls. Her shoulder is killing her, but she must ignore the pain for the
moment. Her head turns as Cassie takes the empty seat next to her. "Karone
is still unconscious. Andros is watching her." Ashley gave her head a little shake. "We could have all died
today." Neither said anything for a few moments. "It's not like we haven't been in this position before,"
Cassie added as she did a radar scan of the area. "We've never been without the Astro-Mega ship. How are we
supposed to face Divatox without the firepower of the Mega Ship?" Cassie didn't answer. She has no answer to that question. "T.J.
is recharging all the laser blasters and calibrating the
teleportation sequence on this shuttle. We won't be able to go very
far, but we will have the ability to teleport." "Thank God for small favors." "Did you see how Andros's hands were shaking?" Cassie
asked while staring out of the window, looking down below as life
continued, blissfully unaware of the new dangers that have arisen. "I saw it. He's getting sicker," Ashley sighed, her
voice shaken with emotion. She cannot allow her mind to go there. She just can't. "When we get to the safe house Billy can check him out,"
Cassie offered, knowing how conflicted her best friends feeling are
right now. Ashley nodded. "Divatox really did a number on us today." Cassie ran her fingers through her hair, clearly frustrated. "And
we're going to revisit it ten times on her." "Damn right." Suddenly the computer panel in front of Cassie picked up
something. that?> "Ashley, look at this." The Yellow Ranger moved quickly, looking over Cassie’s
shoulder. Her eyes caught sight of the strange aberration on-screen.
"Is that ship?" Cassie checked and re-checked the scanners. "The signature
trail indicates it's a galaxy class star ship. It's definitely not
from Earth." Ashley moves quickly to the middle of the ship. "We may have
a lock on Divatox!" she screamed. T.J. and Andros moved with purpose, following Ashley to the front
of the ship. Her fingers moved like lightening as she tried to get a lock on
the mysterious
objects signal. "Right there," Cassie pointed out. "It
entered Earth atmosphere now long ago. It seems to be heading for
Angel Grove. It's definitely a galaxy class star ship." "We have to check this out. It could be the break we've been
waiting for." T.J. said, itching for another shot at Divatox. Andros clenched his fist, hoping to fight off the shaking caused
by his illness. "We have to remain at the hospital for Tommy and
the others. We wouldn't have much of a chance attacking Divatox right
now anyway. She has hostages that she can use at any time. We've got
to play this one just right." "What's the plan?" Cassie asked, in a small way
acknowledging that they will still follow Andros. That they still have faith in his judgment. Andros knows and appreciates this more than he will ever be able
to express. "Me and Ashley will teleport as near to the
projected landing sight as possible, then use the sky sleds to go the
rest of the way. You and T.J stay here and keep an eye on Karone and
the others." Ashley stood up again and caught the attention T.J. "How much
recharge do we have on the blasters?"
"About 54% I would suggest avoiding a fight at all cost,"
he replied. "Agreed. Let's go Ashley," Andros said as they made
their way to the back of the shuttle. "LETS ROCKET!!!" ****** ****** Angel Grove Memorial Hospital Monday, July 27, 2000 10:15 PM Angel Grove, Ca Jason and Billy wait outside of Joan William’s hospital room. Looking down, Jason fingers the bracelet like metal strip wrapped
around his wrist. He had sincerely hoped he would never need to where
it again. "Any word from Zack yet?" Billy nodded while staring down the hall. "He left me a
message on my voice mail. I checked it right after I got off the
phone with Trini on my way here. He's in the air as we speak. Aisha
should be landing any minute. Rocky's going to call when she
arrives."
Billy has known Jason since the age of five and he can tell when
something is bothering him. "Jase, what's going on?" The former Gold Ranger clenches hits fist and brings it down hard
on the armrest of his
chair. "Divatox told Tommy she took the children out of
Kimberly and placed them in her own body. That bitch is using their
kids as human shields," he finished, his voice filled with rage
and deep regret.
Never in his worst nightmares could Billy think of a worse
situation than this one. "Divatox told Tommy this?" "Yes. And he believes her. I trust Tommy's instincts." "Me too." Billy can feel the anger well up inside of him
at the violation of Kim's body by Divatox. He is more scared than
ever now because this details just how far Divatox will go to win.
"What are we going to do?" "I don't know," Jason said just above a whisper, feeling
as helpless as he has ever felt. "Divatox has Tanya, Kat, Adam,
Carlos, and Zhane. We have no idea what is being done to them or why
they were even taken. Hell, we don't even know why Divatox is on
Earth at all. Couple that with the loss of the Astro-Mega ship and
now our attack strength is severely weakened." Both men remained silent for a few moments, each contemplating
exactly what the teams next move should be. "The attacks today were carefully planned out. Divatox didn't
just do this on the spur of the moment. She went after specific
people," Billy said with frustration. "There are just to
many pieces to this puzzle missing." Jason agreed, his mind going over all the possibilities and
options at their disposal. "Billy, I have an idea bout getting
us some supplies. But it'll keep until we know what Kim's condition
is." Billy figured that even through the stress and strain of today,
Jason's leadership qualities would shine. With Tommy so personally
involved in this latest crisis, Jason will more than likely call the
shots.
Then it hit him. "Oh God!" Jason looks happy. "What is it, Billy?" "What if the twins have the same DNA patterns as Tommy?" "They are his children. I would expect it." "But what if they have the human gene code as well?" Jason closed his eyes. That was a possibility that carried dire
consequences. "They are half Kim's too. Her DNA will mesh with
Tommy's." "We have no idea what Divatox may find floating around in
those kids bloodstream’s." "I'm worried about that, too. It's obvious she knows
something about us or she wouldn't of have been able to track us by
using the radioactive elements in our blood." Billy shook his head in frustration. "Divatox is not
completely human, though her race is very close. Without the proper
research, I'm not even sure she can carry a human child to full term,
much less twins." Jason just stared at the floor. He cannot envision what will
become of Kimberly if her children die because of Divatox's actions.
Jason sighs, knowing that he must remove the personal aspects of
this situation and deal with how they are going to stop Divatox. Billy sits back and hands Jason a cup of coffee. He takes a sip,
then runs his fingers through his hair. "At least the Astro
Ranger's shuttle is in good shape. We'll have reliable transport for
a while." "Yeah, that's better than last time when we had to drive
everywhere." "Can we save Tommy and Kim's children?" Billy asked
almost in disbelief of the situation around him. "I hope so. But one way or another, Divatox will not leave
Earth alive. I swear by that," Jason stated with a vengeance. Each knows that the woman they love is in the hands of a psychotic
woman hell bent on winning at all costs. They are both terrified, but
must remain in check emotionally to do the job they both know they
must. ****** ****** O'Hara Airport Monday, July 27, 2001 10:20 PM Angel Grove, Ca She didn't enjoy a second of her flight. Her face is frozen in a perpetual state of tension. She walks with
purpose, her eyes and ears observing everything around her with a
near predatory state of mind. Aisha was due to come home in another week anyway. She's been
looking forward to seeing Rocky and being reunited with her friends
again. This time for good. Despite what they had planned, their reunion will not include a
night of passionate love making. It will include them telling a young
woman her boyfriend has been kidnapped and could be dead. Then they are off to a hidden location to hide once again from an
enemy returning almost from the dead. They will once again have to
save the world. Same shit, different day. Grabbing her two leather bags, her eyes search the terminal for
Rocky. She found him even though his back is to her. She would know the man she loves anywhere. "Rocky!" He turned around and managed to give her a smile.
Aisha immediately embraced him, happy to be in his arms again,
even with the dark could overhead.
"Hey, sweetheart." "What, know joke?" Rocky places a warm kiss on her forehead. "Not today."
He reaches down and grabs her bags as they move toward the exit. "Any news on Kim?" Aisha asked as Rocky slipped her the
metal wrist band that would protect them from Divatox's radar. Billy
coated the band with a liquid plastic that would block metal
detectors. "Nothing yet. She's been with the doctor for a few hours now.
We should know
something soon," he replied, his eyes looking from left to
right. "Has anyone checked on Kelly yet?" "Yeah, Billy called to make sure she is alright. He didn't
want to say anything else over the phone. I guess we're the face to
face option." "How are you?" Rocky's face held none of it's usual humor and mirth. "Scared.
Random attacks are one thing. Premeditated strikes are quiet another.
Lord Zedd hunted us and we ran for our lives. Divatox took who she
wanted and left the rest. She could have killed most of the team
today if she wanted to. She let us live." And that's the part that hurts the worse. Divatox beat them. Period. "Let's get to Stone Park and tell Kelly the bad news. She
needs to know about Adam and I'm sure she'll want to be there for
Kim," Aisha said as she headed toward Rocky's car. "My girl
needs me and I have to be there for her." Rocky opens and closes the door for her, then jumps in the drivers
side. "This is going to be a long night." ****** ****** The Starship Lancer Hovering above Billy’s Apartment Building Monday, July 27, 2001 10:43 PM Angel Grove, Ca He set the ship on hover mode and engaged the cloaking device.
Next he punched in a sequence of commands that would scramble all
radar detection screens should there be any in the area. Alpha-5 looked at himself small mirror he installed in the front
of the ship. He's had this new body now for over 15 months, and yet even he's
still getting used to it. The mirrors reflection showed a young white
male, looking about 21 years old with dark hair and hazel eyes. He
stood about 5'9 and weighed 128 pounds. The Alliance did not want it's Chief Science Officer to appear in
that old outdated robotic exterior he wore during his days as
Zordon's assistance. That appearance was fine when dealing with one individual, but
unacceptable when representing the Galactic Alliance. A cyborg body was created, using the best technology the galaxy
had to offer. Alpha's memory banks were removed from his old body and
placed in his new one. Then cloned skin was grafted onto the cyborg
exterior, giving him a remarkably human appearance. His new main processor is the equivalent of all the old Command
Chambers computer combined. Alpha can scan just about anything and
access his near limitless archive of information to answer any
question he may have in mere seconds. Their are also some......attack protocols as well. "Hope you're home, Billy," Alpha said, checking his
briefcase before he teleported down to the fourth floor.
****** "Are you picking up anything?" Andros asked as they flew
just above the street lamps on their sky sleds. The cover of night
seemed to shield them partially from the people below. "The ship and it's signal disappeared completely a moment
ago. But I just picked up a spike of an energy jump near Billy's
apartment building. I think that it might have been a teleportation
signal. I'm not sure. It's just a hunch." Andros shifted in mid-air and headed toward Billy's building, with
Ashley right behind him. "I trust your hunch's, Ashley. Lets
check it out." ****** They demorphed behind the apartment building and hid both of their
blasters in the back of their jeans. Andros and Ashley entered the
building carefully and made there way upstairs. Ashley takes the point, scanner in hand. "There is static all
over the place. There wasn't any earlier today. Something or someone
is definitely in this building." "We better keep our eyes open." Moments later they stepped off the elevator onto Billy's floor,
blasters drawn.
Ashley put her hand up before they rounded a corner. "There
is someone in front of Billy's door," she whispered. Andros peeped around the side. "You know him?" "No." "Cover me." Andros tucks his blaster in his shirt and
walked around the corner. "Hey, can I help you." "Andros?" The Red Ranger stopped in the middle of the hall. "Who are
you?" The dark haired individual approached him slowly. "I'm
Alpha-5, Andros. This is a new body. I have urgent news for the
Rangers. All of them." "How do I know you're telling me the truth?" "I know that you were ordered to find Divatox and that she
may be on Earth. I also know why she may be on Earth." Ashley slowly walked from around the corner, her blaster held
high. "We've had a very bad day so you better start talking
fast." "However bad your day was, it's about to get infinitely
worse," Alpha replied. ****** "Jesus Christ!," Ashley whispered in a hushed, terrified
tone as she viewed the monitor in front of her. Standing next to her,
Andros remained silent, his face a mask of contemplation and horror. Alpha walked around the medium sized war room of his ship. "This
footage was taken by the Falyon Fleet. They attempted to use
synthetic Zentarian crystals to destroy the Dark Matter on a planet
called Raqwa. We had worked 14 months straight on the synthetics
prior to the attempt. All of our research proved useless. Nothing
seems to stop this mutated strain of Dark Matter." "How did the Dark Matter mutate? I never knew that was even
possible," Andros said. "Research leads me to believe that a single star exploded and
that energy was poisoned by a small cloud of Dark Matter." Ashley tried to put two and two together. "Is that theory
based on evidence or speculation?" "A little of both, Ashley," Alpha replied. Andros leaned forward as close as he could to the monitor,
observing the Falyon Fleets video footage. "What's the best
estimate of the size of this Dark Matter?" He watched the
starships of the Falyon fleet engaged their hyperdrive engines,
fleeing from the Dark Matter. Alpha moved to just in front of the monitor. "Right now the
Dark Matter is, by our best researchers estimates, about 16% of the
entire known galaxy. Ashley's mouth opened but nothing came out. Andros placed his hand
over his mouth and slowly shook his head. 16% of the entire galaxy. That meant entire solar systems have
already been lost. The death toll has already exceeded any known
tragedy the universe has ever faced. Andros has seen atrocities before. Many of which have left scars
on his subconscious that will never heal. But what he has just
learned is sheer madness. Ashley can not get her mind to grasp the massive destruction that
has taken place. She begins silently praying to herself, hoping to
find some peace of mind. Alpha continued. "Fourteen hundred and thirty four worlds
have been lost." Ashley's anger surfaced immediately. "Why the fuck didn't
anyone tell us about this? If you've been researching the need for
fake synthetic Zentarian crystals for 14 months then the Alliance has
to have known about this longer than that. The Dark Matter didn't get
that big over night." Alpha nodded in agreement. "The Galactic Alliance has known
for some time that a strain of the Dark Matter was out there. None of
us knew how resilient it was. The Alliance didn't want to create a
panic." "They didn't want to lose face by having to admit something
was happening that they didn't know how to stop," Andros added.
"There are many worlds with research facilities that could have
been working on solutions all this time. Not to mention the fact that
so much blood is already on their hands. For goodness sake, they
should have been evacuating people off of those worlds immediately,"
he finished with pure anger. "Unfortunately, there is some truth to that," Alpha
admitted. "I do not stand behind the Alliances methods of
dealing with this problem." Ashley sat back in her chair and sighed in frustration. "Why
is Divatox on Earth?" Alpha flipped a switch on the VCR, fast forwarding the footage to
another scene. "This is the facility Divatox was held captive
in." Andros looked closely at the strange....he wasn't sure what you
could call it, ship. "I've never seen any kind of prison like
that before." "There is a very good reason for that. First off, that's not
a prison. That's, for lack of a better word, an independent
contractor. An alien race of 'scientists' that work with absolutely
no rules or parameters. They used that facility to test people of
various races to see how they might splice ones DNA to survive what
the Dark Matter plague," Alpha finished. The tape showed a human shaped female with green reptilian skin
stretched out on a table with her arms and legs shackled down. A long
metallic needle approached her body from a small machine. The needle
entered her naval and she screamed some alien dialect at the top of
her lungs. They watched the tape for the next thirty minutes. It exposed the
horrible atrocities committed against all who were imprisoned their. It was sick and appalling. "Divatox may, and I stress may, know where a cache of
Zentarian crystals is. There is a chance that they are on Earth."
Alpha said over his shoulder as he input the command in his ships
computer to teleport the sky sleds form behind the building into the
ship. "Any idea where these crystals might be?" Ashley asked
while clenching her fist as the horrors played on-screen. "Unfortunately no. We must find Divatox and learn what she
knows. She must have some information on the crystals or she would
not be here." "Divatox attacked us today," Ashley stated while taking
a deep breath. "Carlos, Zhane, Adam, Tanya, and Katherine were
taken hostage. Something was done to Kimberly and she's at the
hospital now. The Astro-Mega ship was destroyed." "That will make the job of hunting Divatox even that much
more difficult," Alpha said. "I have stock piled some
weapons and other goodies in the back. We won't be powerless the next
time we face Divatox. But defeating her must now be our second
priority. Our first must be to discover if their really are any
Zentarian crystals on Earth." Andros immediately jumped in. "No. My first priority will be
to saving the lives of those Rangers. I also want to communicate with
the High Council myself," Andros added. "But for now we
must tell the others and get Kimberly out of that hospital." Ashley has a question on the tip of her tongue. She doesn't really
want to know the answer, but she is helpless to resist. "How
many lives have been lost already to this Dark Matter?" Alpha looked away. His emotion chip allowed him to feel and he
knew his next words would cause them great discomfort.
"About ten trillion." Andros and Ashley just stare at him in awe and devastation. ****** ****** The Mercy Divatox's Ship
Located in the mountains of Siberia Monday, July 27, 2000 11:30 PM Reign's hulking form stood just over Divatox's shoulder. Five grey
stasis chambers lay before her, each with a nude victim inside. Heart
and blood pressure read-out monitors stand next to each chamber,
delivering visual information when it was needed. Each individual looks paler than usual. The operations they
underwent were complicated to say the least. "The implants seem to have not killed them," Reign
commented, noting the steady heart rate of the Rangers. "I had some fears that we would lose at least two of them due
to the sensitivity of attaching the implant to their spinal column,
but that has not been the case. It means we are right on schedule.
Come Wednesday, these Rangers should regain consciousness." "What level of mind control will you be able to exhibit over
them?" Divatox paused for a moment. "They will be more or less
walking catatonics. I have no interest in trying to create my own
evil Rangers, so to speak. That has been done many times, never
eliciting victory. The longer you keep any of them around the greater
the risk they will somehow be rescued or reverse the procedure by
which you brainwashed them in the first place. As for me. The second
we have the Zentarian crystals you will execute them immediately." "That is a wise course of action, my lady." Divatox walked slowly around the room, checking on the readouts of
each Ranger.
"What pre-caution shall I take should the implants not work?" "None. With but a press of a button, the implant will release
an ounce of Capatheon poison that would kill any of them instantly." "Is it wise to be so confident?" "Is it wise to question me?" Reign looked away in silence. "Forgive me, my lady." Without looking at him, Divatox waved the apology off with a sway
of her hand. "There is much work to be done. The Ranger's are
defeated and demoralized. They have no idea what is really going on
and even when they do discover whats happening, they still won't know
where the Zentarian crystals are or how to retrieve them. But we must
remember that the trapped, desperate animal is the most dangerous. I
want the security detail doubled and round the clock surveillance of
the outside of this ship on both sides. The Rangers will come for
their own. Of that I have no doubt." "How fares your health?" Divatox is momentarily taken aback by his words. "Physically,
my body should not have a problem giving birth to the Oliver
offspring. Because of my different physiology from humans, the
children will grow at an accelerated rate. I will probably give birth
in five or six months rather than the normal human nine." "Why not terminate the pregnancy? It is not as if they would
ever find out until it was to late. We can always use the children as
a bargaining tool." Divatox looked at him. It isn't often that she is surprised. "I
would think you would be highly against such a course of action?" "I am. But you are in charge. It is your body after all." "I will not terminate this pregnancy, Reign. I have some
theories on these children and if they pan out, they may be more
valuable than I first realized." "Then you are going to keep them after giving birth?" "Yes. If for no other reason than to torture the Rangers with
that ultimate failure. The protection of a child." Divatox then
presses a button on her wrist communicator. "Scorpina." "When will the next shipment of Dreadnaught Assassins
arrive?" "Make sure both ships are fueled and ready to go within 24
hours after the delivery. I want to go after the keys immediately." Divatox presses end on her communicator. "Come, Reign we must
begin our tech designs on the Omega project. What good will the
Zentarian crystals be if we have no means by which to deliver them
into the heart of the Dark Matter." "Divatox." "Yes?" "What will we do when the Galaxy Alliance does send forces to
Earth? They will not remain passive forever." A smile crossed Divatox's normally expressionless features. "We
will let the Rangers deal with them for us. Remember, the Alliance
will not care about these children. They will attempt to kill me. The
Rangers will defend us themselves. Remember, the enemy of my enemy is
my friend." ****** ****** Angel Grove Memorial Hospital Tuesday, July 28, 12:15 AM Sunnydale, Ca Moving with purpose, Rocky, Aisha, and Kelly walk through the
front entrance of the hospital and up to the help desk. "Excuse
me. Can you please tell what room Joan William’s is in?"
Rocky asked. The attendant on call tapped a few keys on her computer. "She's
in room 440. But sir, visiting hours are over."
"If you look closely ma'am, you should see a special note
attached to her file by Dr. Stefan Forester saying that all visitors
are welcome tonight," Rocky added, with Aisha and Kelly behind
him. The attendant looked again. "There it is. I'm sorry. It must
be the late hours working on my eyes. You can go right up." Rocky nodded politely. Aisha and Kelly were already headed toward
the elevator as he walked behind them. Once inside, Aisha turned to Kelly. "You alright?" "No. Are you?" Her tone was not bitchy, but worried and
scared. Adam's abduction would be terribly hard to deal with on it's
own without the news of Kimberly's admittance into the hospital.
Rocky laid a comforting hand on Aisha's shoulder. She titled her
head and gave him a little smile. They haven't the time to enjoy the
simple fact that they are together again for the first time in
months.
This new crisis takes immediate precedence. The traditional 'ping' noise signaled the elevators stop on the
fourth as the door opened. Aisha walked off first, followed by Kelly
and Rocky. They made their way down the hall and turned right on a
corner, passing two janitors and a nurses station. Aisha's eyes followed the numbers on the doors until she noticed
two familiar faces sitting along the wall. "Billy," Aisha called, hoping the wake her sleeping
friend. She gently nudges his
shoulder. Jason is asleep in the chair next to him. "Billy,
wake up." "Huh....," he stammered before regaining his faculties.
Once his eyes adjusted, he stood and hugged her. "Welcome home." "I wish it was under better circumstances," she replied.
"And word on Kim's condition?" "Not yet. Stefan's run a battery of tests already. We're all
just awaiting the results," Jason added as he rose and hugged
Aisha. "Can I see her?" Kelly spoke up, her fingers clutching
her purse. "Kelly." She turned around. "Tommy..." She stifled a sob
immediately fell into his arms. He held her with a light touch,
placing a kiss on her cheek. "Is she alright? Please tell me
she's alright." Her tone was frantic. Her eyes searched his for
any inclination as to how bad this situation might really be. Tommy's face looked like it had aged five years in the last few
hours. He remained calm and spoke in a very even tone. "Dr.
Forester just got the results back a few minutes ago. He's looking
them over now." He then turned to address the others as Trini
walked out of Kim's room and stood by his side. "This is going
to be hard enough to tell Kim once without me having to explain it
all to you a second time. I want all of you there with me when Stefan
explains his findings." His hand found Kelly's in support. Jason nodded, silently speaking for the entire group. "Better late than never I see," a voice came from behind
the group. "Good to see you bro," Jason said as he hugged Zack who
had just arrived with his travel bag in hand. "I would have sent
someone for you at the airport." "Don't think twice about it, bro." Tommy, Aisha, and Zack made small talk as they walked down the
hall to Stefan’s office. Tommy caught them up on the days events
so far. Jason noted Tommy's expressionless demeanor. Because of Kimberly's extreme situation, both he and Billy have
put their own personal fears on the back burner for the moment. But
the women they love near stray far from their thoughts. Following Tommy, Kelly once again feels like a child in the
presence of these adults who have seen and been through so much that
this crisis seems to do little else than lower the tones of their
voices. They act as if being hunted and almost killed is akin to
getting a flat tire. It's an expected annoyance of life. Tommy opened the door of Stefan’s office and escorted
everyone in. ****** Trini read the expression on Stefan's face immediately and a dry
sob racked her body that she tried to hide. Unfortunately, Tommy
heard her sharp intake of air. He prepared himself as best he could for the inevitable. "Dr.
Forester, before you give us the results for the tests I just want to
thank you again for doing this. I know these are extremely strange
circumstances and you are taking a professional risk yourself. We'll
never forget it. I am in your debt," Tommy said, speaking for
himself and the whole group. "Trini explained to me the events leading up to your wifes
attack. I just want to help anyway I can. You owe me nothing,"
Stefan responded behind his desk. The results he has before him would
just about win him every science journal award there is and a Nobel
Peace prize
for research. "Are you sure you want everyone here?" "Yes," Tommy replied, his heart rate increasing with
each second. Stefan nodded, then took a deep breath, making sure his
professionalism is intact. Bad news is never easy to deliver. Even
though he has his own agenda, he feels true sympathy for the men and
women in this room who obviously care so much for his patient.
"Kimberly is not pregnant anymore. My test results show that
while her body is still physically in the condition a woman should be
in after eight weeks, both fetus's are gone." A horrible hush fell over the room. Trini and Aisha put their
hands over their mouths and fought instant tears. Rocky looked away,
clenching his fist. Billy just stared at the wall, feeling a wave of
sadness come over him. Zack closed his eyes, not quite believing how
their lives have been turned upside down again. Kelly began sobbing
on Tommy's shoulder. Jason looked toward his best friend, who remained motionless
through the doctors words, apparently having heard exactly what he
expected to hear. Jason knows that Tommy must hold it together
because he must be the one to tell Kimberly. He'll push his emotions
aside to deal with her's. Stefan continued. "I know she definitely was pregnant. The
hospital records show that and her blood work does as well. But it's
as if the fetus's were removed instantaneously and without trauma.
She has no physical scars or bruises. Her kidney, liver, pancreas,
and other internal organs appear to be fine and working properly. Her
heart rate and blood pressure are back to normal and her blood work
is fine." "So she's going to be alright?" Tommy asked with a dead
calm. He's hungry, tired, and in physical pain himself, yet he musty
hold it together. "I believe physically, she will recover pretty fast since she
has no real injuries. But there is more."
Now dread filled the room. "What is it?" Tommy asked, fearing the worst. Stefan can tell by the look in his eyes how much this man loves
his wife. Sometimes, he really hates his job. "When your wife
was admitted her body exhibited low levels of radiation. You told me
we might find that in her bloodstream, which we did in small
quantities. But I was not counting on finding it in her lower
extremities." "Get to the point," Tommy stated, his voice dry with
angst. "Kimberly's fallopian tubes have sustained some tissue damage
and as a result has left her barren. I do not think she will ever be
able to conceive again." Sorrow bled from the dark truth into the space between them all,
splattering the floor in uneven puddles of blame while guilt leached
away hope. Tommy could only stare straight ahead in horror as his worst
nightmares came true. No less than twenty-four hours ago he and his
wife were discussing baby name for the very first time. Now his children reside inside of a madwoman, who would not shed a
tear over their death. His wife lays unconscious in a hospital room,
barren, and oblivious to all of this. Not for the first time, Tommy feels like the weight of the world
is on his shoulders. "I'm sorry, Mr. Oliver." "When do you think she will regain consciousness and when she
does can we move her?" Tommy asked in a very stoic tone. Kelly
held his hand in support. Stefan stacked his files into a neat pile before answering. "She
should be awake within the hour. Physically, there is nothing wrong
with her. I can release her, but she will need a great deal of rest
as her body re-adjusts." Tommy nodded. All of the others remained silent, taking their cues
from their leaders. When Tommy rose to his feet they all stood. "I'm, going to go for a short walk." Before anyone could
offer. "Alone. Then I'll talk to Kim." He turned around.
"Jase..." "Don't worry, bro." Jason knew he wanted him to handle
all the necessary plans for getting them to the safe house. They all exited the room, speaking in low, somber tones. As soon as the door closed, Stefan grabbed his phone and dialed a
special number. "I think we have the perfect opportunity to get
me on inside of their group." ****** Aisha, Trini, and Kelly sit in a small cafeteria just down the
hall from Kim's room. They each nurse a cup of coffee and their own
inner thoughts. They have not said a word to each other since they arrived 15
minutes ago. As women, the word 'barren' is one of the most horrible things one
can imagine. None of them are ready for children yet, or even
considering it. But to have the option taken away is near
unthinkable. "I don't know how Kim is going to take this," Kelly
spoke softly. "Neither her nor Tommy planned the pregnancy, but
when she called and told me I could hear the joy and anticipation in
her voice. They both fell in love with the idea of being parents.
This is going to devastate her." Aisha shook her head in disgust. "My girl doesn't deserve
this. No woman deserves this. What Divatox did amounts to medical
rape." A stronger statement could not have been made. Trini frowned as she took a sip of her coffee. "Divatox is
insane. She did this so that if we attacked her we would be
endangering the children's lives. She is sick and vile." "Do you guys know of any technology that could help return
the children to Kimberly?" Kelly asked. Aisha and Trini exchanged weary glances. Aisha spoke next.
"Divatox appears human and her race is very close to ours, but
she is not human. She must have figured out a way to do what she did.
But the human body, as you already know, is not a box. You can't just
take stuff out and put it back in. Our medical technology, even what
Zordon had, can only do so much." "But couldn't Tommy's..," Kelly looked around,
"...altered blood show us how to reverse Kim's infertility?" Trini stepped in. "We don't even want to know what we could
do with Tommy's altered blood. I think it would be best if we forgot
it was even there. Besides, if we are all reverting back to normal
humans he may not have it for much longer." "Then what are we supposed to do?" Kelly is just about
at the end of her rope. "We find Divatox," Aisha replied. "Then we put her
in a pine box." "After we torture her ass for a while," Trini added
without mercy. Kelly could tell that a shade of darkness covered all of the
former Rangers. If you hurt one of their own.... You're dead. Period. "We may not be able to save the children," Aisha stated
firmly, hating each and every
word. "Their is nothing in this world I want more than to
save them, but if what Divatox has done is any indication of what she
is capable of, then we have to stop her. For good." Those are the big, scary words they all have been thinking on all
evening, though no one would dare utter them out loud. "I know," Trini acknowledged with her head down. All three looked up suddenly as they heard footsteps approach.
It's Jason. He looks even more worried than before. "I just talked to Andros. There a new situation I need to
deal with. I'm going to teleport up to the shuttle with Zack." "I want to go," Aisha commented. "I'm going nuts
siting here. I'd like to see what were working with." "No problem," Jason replied. "Kelly? Trini?" "I'm going to stay here and help Tommy with Kim," Kelly
added. "Me too, Jason," Trini said. "Billy and Rocky are waiting for you. Aisha, we better go
now." All three women rose to their feet and followed Jason out. ****** ****** The Starship: Lancer Hovering above Angel Grove Memorial Hospital Tuesday, July 28, 2000 1:00 AM Angel Grove, Ca Jason always wondered what became of Zordon's trusted aid,
Alpha-5. His first memories of becoming a Ranger are tied with the
lovable robot who could joke with them and help them save the world. Life seemed so care free and easy, at the beginning. Then people started dying. Battles yielded casualties. Every
rescue attempt didn't turn out good.
Every story didn't have a happy ending. But Zordon remained the voice of reason and wisdom, instilling in
them the strength to keep going amidst the tragedies. Explaining how
the lives they saved far out numbered the lives they could not. And how immensely proud of them he was, every day they risked
their lives. Those heartfelt words didn't soothe their souls every night, but
it gave them all a reason to get up in the morning. Sometimes, that was enough. As Jason stands in front of the viewing monitor in the war room of
Alpha's ship, with Aisha to his right and Zack to his left, he has
never wished he could talk to his former mentor more than he does
right now. A terrible situation has just taken a turn for the impossible. "Ten trillion," Zack spoke softly, the number so
unbelievable. "Is that the number you just said?" Alpha nodded, hating the reunion he had so looked forward would
come about this way. "And that number grows by the day. I
believe we have less than three months before it reaches Earth. By
then 54% of the galaxy will have been lost." All three Ranger's felt a shiver go up their spines. The stakes
are so much higher than they could have ever imagined. "So these Zentarian crystals..," Aisha began. "They
are extremely rare, but you think Divatox believes some can be found
on Earth?" Using a remote control, Alpha switches to a new video. This new
footage resembled a medical documentary. "Well, let's start from
the beginning. Divatox escaped her prison with three other
individuals. But Alliance officials interrogated her captors and
found that their was a fourth member of her group who died 48 hours
before Divatox's escape. What I'm going to tell you next is not
pretty. The people who held Divatox and her men experimented on the
prisoners daily. They tortured them in many ways. A researcher for
the Alliance, Marek, went AWOL because of his distrust and fled the
Alliance Science Station on Cronos 9. He was captured and sent to the
same prison Divatox was sent to. Apparently he was killed, but not
before he imprinted a psionic message in another prisoners mind.
Essence was her name. She hails from KO-35 and like Andros, possesses
some telepathic abilities. When the hierarchy of the prison learned
of Mareks deeds they immediately took Essence in for extensive mental
re-fragmentation. They wanted to know what Marek put in her mind.
They only learned bits and pieces from her because she died during
the process." "What did they find out?" Jason asked as Andros and
Ashley entered the room carrying boxes of supplies. "They learned that Marek believed he knew where a cache of
Zentarian crystals could be found. But that location was not
discovered. They also learned that he feared the galaxy would be
destroyed in 175 days, though my research says we may be able to tact
another 30 days onto that." Zack though for a moment, then it hit him. "Essence possessed
some telepathic abilities, right?" "Yes," Alpha replied. "I'll bet my life she imprinted the message Marek gave to her
onto Divatox or one of her allies. She's not on Earth looking for
Zentarian crystals. I believe she knows exactly where they are." Jason began pacing the room. -Zack's right.- "She took five
Rangers today. She needs them for something. It must deal with the
crystals. But why." Ashley thought it over for a moment to. "About ten months ago
the Space Ranger's came across a Heliton Power Cell. Rebels in the
Garios system were trying to sell it on the black market. Heliton
energy can be harnessed into making a power source for an extremely
bomb. We retrieved the Power Cell, but were immediately called on
again because a rescue situation arose concerning a cruiser who's
life support systems were failing. Normally we would have escorted
the Heliton Power Cell back to a Galaxy Alliance outpost. But due to
the danger of keeping it onboard while on a rescue mission and the
need to get it back into Alliance hands, we placed it in a stasis pod
and shielded it with an Alliance Code Synergy array. Only a
registered member of the Galactic Alliance could open the tube." Her words slowly began pulling all the pieces of this puzzle
together. Aisha approached Alpha. "Are the former Earth Rangers still
members of the Galactic Alliance?" "Yes. In honor of Zordon if for no other reason." Aisha turned to face the others. "Those crystals were left
behind by someone with Galaxy Alliance ties. Divatox either knows or
suspects that she may need someone registered with the Alliance to
get them." "That's a lot of speculation," Andros offered. "What else do we have to work with. I know it doesn't explain
why she took the specific Ranger's she did, but we might at least
know why she took them at all," Aisha replied. "We have to find Divatox right now. Any ideas?" Jason
asked with authority. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Andros's
slightly pale face. -His illness must be acting up again. Damn. We'll
attend to that later tonight.- Despite her anger, Ashley took Andros's hand in to hers, giving
him a gentle squeeze. It's the first time they have touched in
months. There is so much still between them. So much to say and do. And they have so little time left. Alpha moved toward the a computer terminal and began typing. "I
may have something, Jason." He then pointed to a 3-D holographic
cube in the middle of the floor. "I believe there are two galaxy
class ships on Earth, excluding my own. And this second one entered
Earth's atmosphere in a much less discreet way." The image
illustrate a very faint energy trail. "I think Divatox is
overseas. Maybe Europe or the Soviet Union. We should concentrate our
scans there. But we need a someplace to set up camp at." "We have a safe house, Alpha. We bought it after we defeated
Lord Zedd." "LORD ZEDD!!!" "Long story. Look, Kimberly will be released soon, then we're
all heading their. We'll setup a schedule for everyone so that we
each can get some rest.." Andros stepped forward. "I agree. We can program the scanners
to begin focusing on Europe and the Soviet Union. If anything out of
the ordinary comes up they will sound an alarm." "At least we have two ships and weapons to work with,"
Zack added. "Next time we face Divatox she's going down." ****** Angel Grove Memorial Hospital Tuesday, July 28, 2000 1:20 AM Angel Grove, Ca
Tommy didn't react until he heard his name the third time. He
looked up into the face of Dr. Forester. "She's awake and asking for you." A silent prayer is spoken internally before he rises to his feet.
A small hand touches his forearm. He tilts his head down, noticing
Kelly. "Do you want me to come with you?" "No. She needs to hear this from me. But in the coming days
she will need you near." With misty eyes she hugs him, then releases him as he walks into
her room ****** She has always been able to read her husbands face, long before
they got married. There was one time, years ago when they were
Ranger's that an errant laser blast from an enemy hit a school bus
and sent it tumbling in the air off a bridge and into a small lake.
Tommy was first Ranger on the scene since the others were dealing
with their own assignments. Because it was late in the afternoon the bus was in the process of
dropping off the last six kids. Tommy dove into the water and quickly
made his way to the bus. He noticed immediately that the driver was
dead, so he concentrated on getting to the children as fast as he
could. She arrived ten minutes later to find five scared and very wet
children standing around the White Ranger, who cradled one motionless
child. The one he couldn't save. After the authorities and ambulance arrived they teleported back
to the Command Center. When they de-morphed, the look on his was one
of complete despair. As Kimberly looks at her husband now, that sad day comes back to
haunt her for she knows he has news that is not good. "Did I lose the children?" Kimberly’s heart is in
her throat and each word terrifies her. But she has to know. Tommy takes a deep breath in the doorway before approaching the
her bed. He notices how scared his wife looks.
He hates that worst of all. "Yes and no." Her lip quivered from his statement. Her hand moves to her stomach
of it's own
free will. "Explain this to me?"
Tommy knows war. He knows death and he knows evil first hand. But
he does not know how to break her heart. And that's about to happen
like it or not.
He pulls up a chair next to her and steadies himself the best way
he can. "Divatox somehow took our children out of you and placed
them inside of herself." That is the truth and as simple as he could say it. Kimberly's eyes just about died. Her mouth opened, but nothing
came out at first. "No." Her voice whimpered, so low was
the tone.
Tommy knows he has to press forward and suppress his own sadness.
"Divatox told me before she teleported you and I back to our
house. You just saw Dr. Forester, Trini’s friend. He checked you
out and confirmed what Divatox said. You're not pregnant anymore."
His own voice caught in his throat, Tommy fought back tears of grief.
"Physically, you're fine. But due to some type of radiation your
fallopian tubes were damaged. The doctor doesn't think we'll be able
to conceive again." He knew coming into this room he would have
to get every bit of the truth out of his mouth as fast as he could
before he completely fell apart.
Kimberly said nothing. Her tears came without sound. It is her
expression that scares Tommy the most. The unspoken anguish and the
naked despair that reveals the utter devastation she is experiencing.
She sits up a little more, her hand clasped tightly over her abdomen
where once their children rested. A part of her tries desperately to
protect them from the obscene horror that this entire situation is. "She's using our babies against us, isn’t she?" "I believe so. She feels we will not attack as long as she
carries them." "Could she have killed then already. One lone tear falls from his eye. "Yes. We just don't know." "Where's Kat?" More bad news. He's beginning to wonder if it will ever stop.
"Taken, along with Adam, Tanya, Carlos, and Zhane. She attacked
and destroyed the Astro-Mega-Ship." "How are you doing?" Tommy clenches his lower lip between his teeth in an unsuccessful
attempt to conceal the quiver of his chin. Kim notices the abrupt
hitch in her breath and the sudden, violent shudder that causes her
to reach for him, pulling her husband into her arms, fiercely, as if
she could hold everything together that way. Their hearts are breaking into a thousand tiny shards, and the
pain is unbearable. Kimberly is inconsolable. She cries until she is almost gagging
and her eyes are almost swollen shut, until her throat is raw and the
sounds emanating are like those of a wounded animal's. Endlessly, unceasingly. "Sweetheart, we have to get to the safe house so that we can
plan our next steps," Tommy explains while he holds her. "My babies...my babies..." she cries into his shoulder.
"What kind of monster is she?" "We will find a way to get our children back." "You can't promise that." "We can try. That's all we have." Though trembling, Kim tries to compose herself. She still has
plenty of questions, but right now they will have to wait. "You
have some things you need to do." "Nothing is more than taking care of you." Kimberly forces a smile then kisses his forehead. He is flesh and bone and breath and sweat, while she is his heart
and soul. "I feel well enough to get dressed," Kim says as she
pushes the covers down to get out of bed. "Would you like em to send the girls in? Aisha and Kelly are
here." Kim nods. "I'll only be about ten minutes." Tommy takes
her hands and brings them to his lips. "I love you." "I love you, too. Always." Tommy stands and exits the room. ****** Once outside, the now crowded hallway stands at attention. Without
a word Jason walks toward Tommy and embraces his best friend. "We're
gonna get through this, bro." Over Jason's shoulder, Tommy says. "She wants to see you."
Aisha, Kelly, and Trini head for the door. "Have you found Divatox," Tommy asked. "No. Not yet," Andros said as he stepped forward along
with another young man.
Tommy turns toward Billy and Zack. "Is everything ready to
go?" "Yeah," Billy replied. "The safe house is fully
stocked with food and medical supplies." Tommy nodded. "We're going to find Divatox. We're going to
get my kids back. And then I'm going to tear her chest open and rip
her heart out." "No, Tommy. It's not that simple anymore," Jason joined
in. Before Tommy could reply he noticed the stranger. "Who is
he." "That's Alpha-5, Tommy," Jason replied to a wide eyed
Tommy. "There's more going on here than meets the eyes, bro.
Things are much worse than we could have ever imagined."