the episode came out to 34 pages so it's one of the shortest entries. The shortest was 31 pages. The longest was 45
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a257/DCform2/PR%20Fanfic/SPD%20Year%203/episode%20graphics/previously10.png
[Mia got caught with evidence against Barrett] – The door swung open and Mia saw who it was, coming towards her. She had the blueprints for the Delta X project in her hand, as the figure barreled at her.
“No! Stop!” Mia yelled. “I didn’t—“
Mia’s scream pierced the walls of the mansion, but within seconds it was over and silence once again reigned inside the Van Tigue mansion.
[Sky’s fate was sealed by the Galactic Council] – “Officer Tate, principle counts for a lot, as does dedication, respect, honor and integrity. I find that you have those qualities in abundance,” Cali explained.
Sky continued to look into Cali’s eyes, never breaking their gaze. He could feel Isinia squeezing his hand once again.
“However,” Cali said, sternly. “Based on the principles upon which Space Patrol Delta and this Council was founded, I feel I have no choice but to find you guilty.”
[Dr. Jensen resigned his position] – “I’m leaving,” Pryce said, angrily. “If you believe I’m a spy and that I’m here to undermine your command, then I should go.”
“You can’t leave,” Kat said.
“My resignation says otherwise,” Pryce said. “I’ll be waiting for your signature.”
[S.P.D. Earth’s spy struck again] – After accessing the containment terminal, S.P.D.’s spy gained access once again to the containment cards stored there. After a few meticulously planned minutes, the figure was gone. Six containment cards were now also gone.
– Bridge took off his helmet and crossed the street, looking confused, as he read the Purgatory lounge sign. He was about to follow Piggy into the alley, when he heard a familiar sound. Bridge turned back. He walked slowly towards the front of the lounge, where the large picture window looked out upon the seedy part of the city. As he peeked in the window, he saw something that truly shocked him.
“Syd?”
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a257/DCform2/PR%20Fanfic/SPD%20Year%203/SPD-YearThreetitle.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a257/DCform2/PR%20Fanfic/SPD%20Year%203/episode%20graphics/Episode11Header.jpg
[B]“CELLS”
Given the late hour, the halls on the top floor of Galaxy General were dim. It made the hospital seem more comforting to its patients as they slept, given the never-ending daylight on Andruss III. One of those patients never noticed the difference. Isinia Cruger had not awoken since her arrival at the facility. As her husband stood in the hall, staring in at her through a window, he wished with every fiber of his being that she would awaken.
Supreme Commander Anubis “Doggie” Cruger never heard the light footsteps approaching him.
“Sir?”
Cruger turned to see one of his most trusted officers. Their somber faces practically matched, despite the difference in their species.
“Quinn,” Cruger said softly.
“How is she?” Quinn asked, as he peeked in the window.
“The doctors here stabilized her,” Cruger said. “But there’s not much they can do. Sirian medicine isn’t very popular, given there are only two of us.”
“I’m sorry.”
“They believe she may be having an adverse reaction to the injections,” Cruger said, as he grumbled, silently knocking his fist against the glass. “The shots were supposed to be helping her.”
In his heart, Quinn didn’t know exactly what to do in this situation. Part of him wanted to leave his commanding officer alone with his grief. But he had come to the hospital with a mission.
“Sky wanted me to check in with you two,” Quinn said, sadly. “Of course, then I realized there was no way for me to let him know what I found out.”
“You came anyway,” Cruger said, as he glanced at Quinn. “Thank you. I guess Sky’s transport left?”
Cruger had wanted to say goodbye to Sky, to reassure him that their fight was not over, but circumstances changed in an instant after Isinia’s collapse in the Council Chamber.
“Yeah,” Quinn responded, as he reached into the gray duffel bag he had in his hand. He pulled out two LCD pads. “He asked me to give this to you.”
Cruger took both of them into his hands. Quinn sighed, as he saw Cruger look at both of them.
“One of them is for Isinia,” Quinn revealed.
Cruger nodded and without a word, he entered his wife’s room, leaving Quinn in the hallway. Cruger slowly walked towards her, knowing he couldn’t touch her. The doctors had placed her in stasis behind a powerful force field, suspending her condition so that it wouldn’t worsen until they could find a solution. But Isinia couldn’t remain in that state for very long. The danger would force her to lose both of the offspring she carried within her.
Cruger placed Sky’s letter to her on the table next to the bed, as he took a seat at her side. Cruger stared at her for a moment, before activating the pad in his hand. As the text appeared, he sighed. He looked at Isinia and knew that if she was awake, he would tell her everything Sky wrote to him. He didn’t want to wait.
“Dear, Commander Cruger,” Cruger read aloud. “If you’re reading this then it means that I’m on my way to prison. I know that you did everything you could to help me. You gave me hope and courage to face my fate. You even gave me your wife, showing me that you were truly committed to my cause. But now, I guess it was a futile one. I want you to know that I’m sorry. You have no idea how much honor I wanted to bring to your S.P.D.. I tried my best and on this I have failed. But you should know that as long as I breathe, I will continue to strive to make myself better, to make myself into the man you taught me to be. You, sir, are the image I see when I look at my badge. That part of me may be ripped away, but I’ll never forget the image. Even now, as I find myself on a perilous road, I’ll take comfort in knowing that the future is bright, because your legacy will shine brighter than all of the stars in the galaxy.”
Cruger ended the letter and closed his eyes, hoping to feel his wife’s hand on his shoulder. He needed it now more than ever and he knew that Sky could use a few helping hands of his own.
==========
As Sky Tate began to pull himself up off the floor, he felt two hands gently clutching him from behind.
“Sorry,” his cellmate whispered into his ear.
As Sky got to his feet, he jerked himself away from the man’s grip. Sky immediately moved to the other side of the cell, glaring at his cellmate.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Sky yelled.
The man raised a hand, motioning for Sky to stay quiet.
“You don’t want to annoy the guards,” the man said, as he walked closer to Sky, only to have the former Red Ranger push him across the room.
“Stay away from me,” Sky said. This time, however his voice was a bit lower.
“I’m sorry,” the man said, whispering again, as he walked over to the desk beside the bunk beds and turned on a small lamp.
He positioned the light so that it wouldn’t shine out into the corridor. But, it did allow Sky to get a better look at his cellmate. He wasn’t what he was expecting, given the punch to his face. He appeared to be an inch or two shorter than Sky and had dark skin. He was wearing a red jumpsuit exactly like Sky’s and they appeared to be the same age.
“Why did you punch me?” Sky said, keeping his voice low.
“This isn’t summer camp,” the man said. “We’ve all got reps to protect. You’re S.P.D. and I couldn’t risk any of our neighbors thinking we’re gonna be bosom buddies.”
“You don’t have anything to worry about where that’s concerned,” Sky said, angrily, as he now saw that he could probably take this man down, if he needed to.
“Like I said, I’m sorry.”
“How did you know I’m S.P.D.?” Sky asked, curiously.
“Word travels fast,” the man said. “The name’s Cash Donovan.”
“Cash?” Sky said, as he raised an eyebrow at Cash.
“You’re one to talk…Sky! It’s actually Cassius,” Cash said, as he extended a hand in greeting. “But, everyone calls me Cash.”
Sky took one look at his hand and rolled his eyes.
“I’ll pass,” he said, rejecting the gesture.
“Oookay,” Cash said, as he hopped up onto the top bunk. “The bottom one’s yours. Turn the light off before you turn in.”
Cash turned his back to Sky, who glanced back out at the bars for a second, before turning back to his new cellmate.
“How long you been here?” Sky asked.
“You talkin’ to me?” Cash asked quietly, without turning over.
“Yeah,” Sky said, never removing the seriousness from his tone.
“Almost two years,” Cash said, as he turned over to face Sky.
“That’s a long time.”
“And I’m not even halfway home yet,” Cash said, with a smirk.
“You make it sound like you actually like it here,” Sky said.
“Once you get to know me…if you choose to, you’ll see that it’s actually the exact opposite,” Cash explained. “But, moping around won’t make the five years go by any quicker.”
“Five years?” Sky said, showing his surprise. “What did you do?”
“Armed robbery,” Cash said, with a straight face.
“Five years on a prison planet for armed robbery? In this day and age? You gotta be joking?”
“Wish I was,” Cash said. “But that’s what happens when you cross the king of Maqua II.”
“You stole from the planet’s king?”
“Yep. I took his most precious possession…the princess,” Cash said, with a sly smile. “But that’s not what I was convicted for taking.”
As Cash told Sky his story, he reminded him of his fallen friend, Jack Landors. Both Jack & Cash had a style of speaking that always came off as confident, whereas with Sky it came off as arrogant. Both were also obviously ladies’ men.
“She wanted to buck tradition and follow her heart,” Cash continued. “Who was I to object? But when her father got wind of it, he wouldn’t have it. Maqua tradition doesn’t allow princesses to fraternize with outsiders. So, I suggested we start our own tradition, far far away.”
“She agreed?” Sky surmised.
“Yep. We got pretty far too, but then her dad’s troops got involved. So, she decided to go back to protect me. She gave me her necklace to remember her by and then she was gone,” Cash explained.
“But that wasn’t the end of it obviously,” Sky said.
“Nah. That’s when my fatal flaw kicked in. I have this problem taking no for an answer,” Cash said. “Especially when the fairer sex is involved. So, I commandeered his general’s tank and I headed for the castle.”
“You didn’t?” Sky said, looking surprised.
“Oh yeah,” Cash revealed. “I wasn’t gonna actually destroy anything. I was just trying to…make a statement. So, I stood on top of the tank and poured my heart out. She didn’t come out. The guards did, though. They arrested me and since I was still carrying her necklace, I was in possession of one of the crown jewels of Maqua. Her dad called in a few favors and here I am, as far away from Maqua II as possible and with five years to think about why the hell I even bothered.”
“Ouch,” Sky said.
“Yeah, sucks to be me,” Cash said, as he laid his head back on his pillow. “But, at least I’ve still got my good looks to pull me through.”
He smirked. Sky rolled his eyes again, as Cash’s resemblance to Jack Landors popped up again.
==========
Inside the Purgatory lounge, Syren Dean had just finished her encore performance. As she smiled happily on stage in her white sequined gown, she took in the applause from the all-male patrons who had come out to enjoy her voice.
“Thank you all,” Syd said, beaming. “It was my pleasure, as always. Please, give a round of applause for Rogi, my favorite pianist, for his talents.”
As a steady applause continued, Syd nodded to the alien man sitting at the piano, as he gave a cordial nod of thanks to those applauding. He looked at Syd.
“Syren, I think they want more,” he said slyly.
The applause seemed to get louder, but Syd was not going to oblige them any further on this night.
“Oh, you know me, Rogi,” she said, with a wink. “Always leave them wanting more.”
It was a requirement of her assignment to perform, even when her target wasn’t present. Still, Syd was surprised that Barrett Van Tigue had not put in an appearance on this evening. As she stepped off the stage and made her way past the tables, shaking hands and accepting more compliments from the audience, she glanced over at the bar and noticed that Mia was also absent tonight. Secretly, Syd winced thinking that Barrett & Mia were probably together, further consummating their reunion.
Syd refocused, as she continued to walk past each table, making her way towards the booths at the very front of the lounge, near the entrance. She accepted a rose from one gentleman. While smelling it’s sweet fragrance and thanking him with a brief hug, she was disgusted, knowing that he might be a criminal. But Syren Dean was never picky, no matter how much Syd wanted to be. Behind her, Rogi had already begun playing a new tune to fill the lounge with music, even without a singer present.
She tried to use the time to not think about Mia and to ignore her worries about her friend continuing a relationship with Barrett. But, it still didn’t make sense to Syd. As she continued to walk past the booths giving cordial nods of thanks, a hand grabbed hers, a bit forcefully. Syd stopped and glanced down at the man sitting alone in the booth closest to the exit. She had practiced making these quick contacts and moving on to the next.
“Such a lovely voice,” the man said, in a whisper.
“Why thank you,” Syd said, not even bothering to look into his eyes. “It’s always nice to welcome new listeners.”
“You mean you don’t recognize me?” the man whispered again.
Syd let out a sigh, annoyed with herself that she might have offended a customer. The man was wearing a large-brimmed hat which didn’t allow her to see much of him.
“I’m sorry. I guess I should have said welcome back,” Syd corrected herself. “It’s great to see you again.”
Syd turned to leave, when the hand gripped hers a little tighter.
“Is that all you have to say for an old friend?” the man whispered again.
“I’m sorry, do I know you?” Syd said, trying to muster her perkiness, even though she was getting more annoyed.
“Look a little closer,” the man said, as he used his finger to tip his hat up, revealing a very familiar face.
Syd couldn’t stop her jaw from falling.
“Bridge!” Syd said, whispering. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m investigating!” Bridge said, keeping his voice low. “Better question! What are you doing here?”
Syd plastered another fake smile on her face, as she patted his hand and looked around, making sure that no one was paying her too much attention anymore. She leaned in closer to Bridge.
“I can’t talk about that,” she said. “You need to go.”
“I’m not leaving,” Bridge said, looking worried. “Not until you tell me what you’re doing hanging out on the dark side!”
“It’s…complicated,” Syd said. “Trust me when I say that I can’t say anything.”
“Could Piggy say something?” Bridge said, looking suspicious.
“Piggy?”
“Yeah. I followed him here,” Bridge revealed.
Syd looked surprised.
“Piggy’s here?”
“I lost sight of him outside this place. That’s when I saw you through the window,” Bridge said. Noticing Syd’s nervousness, he pressed on. “What’s going on, Syd?”
“Shhh,” Syd said, not wanting anyone to hear her real name in the lounge. “Look, if Piggy’s here I need to go. I can’t let him see me. It would ruin everything.”
“I don’t understand,” Bridge said. “Ruin what?”
“Just go back to Headquarters and ask all of these questions to Commander Cruger or Kat. I can’t answer. Not here, not now, but they can,” Syd said. “Please, you have to let me go.”
Bridge released her hand and watched Syd attempt to slip out of the hosting area. She was rushing as slow as she could, so that no one would believe that she was fleeing the area. As he watched her disappear into the back of the lounge, Bridge became even more troubled at what was going on in S.P.D. right under his nose. After that brief chat with Syd, he was certain that she had to be undercover, but he didn’t know why. He was, however, determined to find out.
==========
In the alley behind the Purgatory lounge, Piggy found himself pacing, as he held tight to his black cane. Finally his hand grazed the handle of the door that would take him into the back of the club. As he took a deep breath, ready to accept his fate, the door swung open from the inside, knocking Piggy into a small puddle in the alley. He looked up to see who had emerged.
“Well…hey there, Prax,” Piggy said, nervously. “Fancy meeting you here. I was just…uh…examining your gutter water. Looking for a new blend to have with my breakfast.”
“Shut up, Piggy,” Prax said, as he grabbed Piggy by the arm, pulling him off the ground with excessive force, causing Piggy to squeal. “Barrett told me that you might be coming here. He also said that he told you not to!”
“I had to get away from Space Patrol Delta,” Piggy said. “You don’t understand. When I’m there, it’s like I’m going crazy and now I think one of the Rangers might be suspicious!”
Prax groaned, as he grabbed his silver cell phone from his pocket. He had Barrett on speed dial. But, he was surprised to hear no answer from his boss. Prax looked troubled.
“Well, you can’t stay here,” Prax said, angrily. “Your presence could incriminate Barrett, so I guess you’re going to have to come with me!”
Prax dragged Piggy out of the alley forcefully by the arm, as he hurried to keep pace with the insectoid alien.
“Easy…easy with the arm…please,” Piggy said, under his breath, scared to speak up to Prax.
==========
As the sun beamed down on Newtech City the next morning, the Delta Command Base was already bustling with activity. Inside Kat’s office, Sophie stared down at the LCD pad in her hand, still not sure she believed what Kat had shown her.
“He’s really resigning?” she said to her Commander.
“That’s what he said. He was really upset that I didn’t trust him,” Kat explained. “I have to tell you, after seeing him like that, I think my trust is returning.”
“So you don’t think Dr. Jensen is the spy?” Sophie asked.
“Honestly, I don’t know what to think anymore. I know we need him. He’s got a brilliant mind and S.P.D. Earth would be better off with him here,” Kat said.
“…unless he’s the one trying to sabotage us,” Sophie added. “In which case, he should go.”
“That’s true. But, if he’s not the spy, then we still have a traitor in our midst and we won’t have Pryce’s help in finding this other person,” Kat said.
“So what are you going to do?” Sophie asked. “Are you going to sign it?”
“If I sign that resignation, I have a feeling I’d be making a huge mistake, whether Pryce is the spy or not,” Kat said. “But I have no idea how to approach him about this anymore.”
“It would be so much easier if we could trip up this traitor and get some concrete evidence,” Sophie said.
At that moment, Kat’s door chime sounded. She glanced over to the doorway and took the resignation letter back from Sophie, placing it on her desk.
“Come in,” Kat said, wondering if it was their suspected spy.
The doors slid open to reveal Doctor Shivan Sevarus. Kat gave him a welcoming smile, but she quickly noticed he didn’t return the gesture. Instead, Dr. Sevarus looked upset.
“Doctor, what’s wrong?” Kat asked, as her own smile faded.
“I just got a communication from Galaxy General on Andruss III,” he said. “Isinia was rushed in last night. There’s a problem with the pregnancy. She collapsed at the Galactic Council Center.”
“Oh no,” Kat said, as she walked around her desk to get closer to Sevarus. Sophie stood as well.
“Is Mrs. Cruger okay?” Sophie asked.
“They’ve put her in stasis,” Sevarus said. “Her condition is fragile.”
“Wait,” Kat interrupted. “She collapsed before the verdict?”
“No,” Sevarus said, as he lowered his eyes. “Officer Tate was found guilty.”
At that moment, Kat realized why she never heard from Doggie about the verdict. Isinia’s collapse no doubt had him preoccupied. Kat sighed.
“I can’t believe it,” Sophie said, as she processed the verdict. “Bridge is gonna be so mad that he missed it.”
“Well, I came here to tell you that I’m taking a shuttle to Andruss III,” Sevarus explained to Kat. “I’m the closest thing S.P.D. has to an expert on Sirian medicine and Isinia is my patient.”
“I’m going with you,” Kat said quickly, as she looked back at Sophie. “Tell Bridge what’s happened and let him know I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Of course,” Sophie said, as Kat & Sevarus were already out the doors.
==========
On the Eastern side of Newtech City, an old sputtering silver sedan turned a corner, headed for the Van Tigue mansion. Behind the wheel, Consuela Vargas, Barrett Van Tigue’s trusted servant was surprised to see police vehicles parked outside of the mansion, as yellow tape surrounded a portion of the sidewalk, near the long driveway. As she stopped her car almost a block away, she noticed the police cars were traditional style, not those used by the planet’s Space Patrol Delta force. She grabbed the full bag of groceries from the back seat and began walking towards the property.
As she got to a small area of the sidewalk, with yellow police tape blocking it off, she saw a pastel pink cellphone crushed on the sidewalk. Her jaw fell a bit, as she knew who the owner was. With the front door of the house open, she slipped inside. As she passed the archway leading to the kitchen, she saw two officers, oblivious to her appearance. It was a consequence of her ability to blend in to her surroundings. She overheard the two men talking amongst themselves.
“The ambulance is on the way,” one of the uniformed officers spoke to the other.
“It’s a shocking sight,” the other officer responded. “We just don’t get calls like this these days.”
“We can’t prevent suicides,” the first officer said.
As Consuela heard that word, her heart dropped. She didn’t want to believe the situation that was quickly becoming a reality. As she stepped into the living room, she saw Barrett seated on one of the black leather couches, with Lady Vishus at his side, talking to the lieutenant in charge. Without disturbing them, Consuela walked right by, unnoticed. She ascended the staircase, hearing two more officers talking upstairs. As she reached the top, she saw no one. The door to Barrett’s office was open and she crept up beside it and peeked inside. She clutched the cloth grocery bag in her hands even tighter, as she saw Mia Storm hanging from the ceiling. Consuela shut her eyes tight and turned away from the door. Even with them closed, she couldn’t forget the sight of Mia’s terrified gaze.
Downstairs, Barrett & Vishus were still conversing with the police lieutenant.
“She had been going through an emotional time,” Barrett said. “Her daughter is in the custody of child services. Mia was having trouble getting her back.”
“I’d certainly say she was depressed,” Vishus said, quickly.
Barrett shot her an angry glance and she went silent.
“I just wish she would have talked to me,” Barrett said, sadly, as he glanced back at the questioning officer. “She was so beautiful.”
“Sometimes these things are impossible to prevent,” the officer said, his expression blank. “The ambulance will be here soon to take the body.”
The lieutenant should have questioned them about Mia’s cellphone and the broken window she had thrown it out of. He should have asked them about why this young woman would hang herself in the office of her boyfriend. He should have asked many things. But, as Barrett stood up to shake his hand…and pass off a few thousand dollars payment, the officer asked none of those questions. He simply closed his case book, proverbially closing the case on the life of Mia Storm.
“We’ll be out of your way as soon as we can,” the lieutenant spoke.
“Thank you,” Vishus said slyly, as the lieutenant joined his officers in the kitchen. “That went well,” she whispered into Barrett’s ear, as she rubbed his shoulder.
Without a word or even a look at her, Barrett walked away, leaving Vishus annoyed.
==========
Back inside the Delta Command Base, Sophie was on her way to the Command Center. As she turned a corner, she caught sight of the figure who turned into that same corridor at the other end. Her eyes lit up.
“Bridge!” Sophie said, as they walked up to one another. “I’ve been looking for you.”
She tapped her morpher in its holster at her side.
“I was just about to call you the old fashioned way. Where have you been?” she inquired.
“Following Piggy,” Bridge said, looking troubled. “You seen him?”
“Piggy?” Sophie said, looking confused. “I haven’t seen Piggy in days.”
“Well have you seen Kat? I need to talk to her right now,” Bridge said, seriously.
“Kat’s gone,” Sophie revealed, surprising Bridge.
“Gone where?”
“That’s why I was trying to find you,” Sophie said, as her tone became a bit more solemn. “Mrs. Cruger collapsed on Andruss III. She was rushed to the hospital. Kat & Dr. Sevarus left a little while ago.”
“Oh my gosh,” Bridge said. “Isinia collapsed?”
“Yeah. Maybe it had something to do with the verdict,” Sophie guessed, as her eyes fell to the floor.
Bridge noticed her evasive move.
“No…they didn’t,” Bridge said, looking surprised.
“Bridge, I’m sorry. Sky was found guilty. He’s already been taken to prison,” Sophie explained.
“But…they couldn’t,” Bridge said, looking shocked. “I just knew that he would be innocent. I had that feeling that you get when…”
As Bridge’s voice trailed off, Sophie could see how upset he was getting over finding out about his friend. Her instincts kicked in and she reached out to gently touch his arm.
“I’m sorry,” Sophie repeated.
“What is going on around here?” Bridge said, with frustrated anger. “Sky, Isinia…Syd.”
“Syd?” Sophie’s confusion returned.
“I really need to talk to Kat,” Bridge said. “I found Syd and something’s going on and it has to do with her and Piggy…and Z’s death.”
==========
On Andruss III, Galaxy General was bustling with activity. As Cruger sat on the chair outside of his wife’s room, he watched the doctors and nurses pass by. He wanted to grab one of them by the throat and order them to help his wife. But as each one passed without entering her room, he wondered if help would ever arrive. As he looked to his right, he saw help had indeed come. Cruger practically jumped out of his seat as he saw Dr. Sevarus turn a corner heading in his direction, flanked by Kat and Quinn. Cruger let out a sigh of relief.
“Look who I ran into on my way in,” Quinn announced to him.
“Shivan, I’m glad you’re here,” Cruger said, as he shook his friend’s hand.
“I won’t ask how she’s doing,” Sevarus said, quickly, as he clutched his large black medical bag. “I’ll find out for myself.”
Sevarus walked past the large nurse’s station on his way to the door.
“I want to speak to whoever is in charge of Mrs. Cruger’s case, immediately,” he said, as he stepped up to the door and pressed the door panel, causing the doors to slide open.
As the doors slid closed behind him, Cruger began to feel better. He looked back at Kat.
“You didn’t have to make the trip,” he said.
“Yes, I did,” Kat said, as she hugged him. “How are you?”
“I’m itching to rip something apart,” Cruger said, honestly. “I don’t know how long I can take this waiting.”
“Maybe we should keep our distance then,” Quinn said, trying to lighten the mood, without success.
“I know you’re stressed,” Kat said. “Between Isinia’s collapse and Sky’s verdict.”
“You have no idea,” Cruger said, as his thoughts veered to Sky, as they did a few times during the night. Cruger couldn’t help but wonder how Sky was doing on Fenix Prime.
==========
There was some irony in the fact that the prison jumpsuits inside the Myers Detention Facility matched the red sky of Fenix Prime, the planet where the prison was located. Known as a “prison planet” the detention facility was one of the only structures on Fenix Prime. Since nothing could live outside for very long, it was mostly uninhabited, except for a few mining colonies where some of the long-term prisoners worked for short periods of time, to prevent exposure to the crimson atmosphere.
The red jumpsuits also presented an irony for Sky Tate, as he found himself once again donning red, but unable to use it to his advantage as he had for over a year as Earth’s Red Ranger. But for Sky, this place was nothing like Earth and he could never call it home. As he stood in front of Warden Alton Gaines, Sky knew this place could never be mistaken for home. He stared straight ahead, as Gaines came closer. Sky knew exactly what he was looking at.
“It didn’t take you long to get marked,” Gaines said, his tone stern and forceful.
He was a tall human man. His dark skin was illuminated in the fluorescent lighting of his office. For a moment, Sky thought the man of African descent was joking with him, but the warden’s face never shifted from its serious scowl.
“My cellmate doesn’t play well with others,” Sky said, with a tinge of anger in his voice that Gaines picked up on.
The man, quickly approaching old age, slowly walked around to his desk and sat down in his large black chair. He glanced at Sonsky, the head guard who had escorted Sky to this meeting.
“I think we’ll let that go, don’t you Tate?” Gaines offered.
“Let it go?” Sky said, as he looked into Gaines’ eyes, not bothering to hide his annoyance.
“Here at Myers we don’t hold grudges. If we punish Donovan for this, it could hurt you more than him,” Gaines revealed. “Trust me when I tell you that you don’t want to be known as a snitch around here. They’re already going to be looking to target you because of your background. You don’t want to escalate the situation.”
“I’m the one who got hit here,” Sky said, but as he looked at Gaines and Sonsky, he knew he wasn’t going to receive any respect from them. “But, it’s fine. I’ll deal.”
“Good,” Gaines said. “Now, you’ve already had your tour of the facility. As with all prisoners, you’ll be required to work while you’re here. I’ve assigned you to kitchen duty. You’ll be responsible for cleaning and serving food for two shifts a day.”
“That should be something you’re used to,” Sonsky said, sarcastically. “Isn’t that what you S.P.D. types do, protect and…serve?”
Sky didn’t answer, he just gave Sonsky a look of contempt that he was sure conveyed his sentiment. He turned back to Gaines.
“Is there anything else, sir?” Sky asked.
“Of course no visitors are allowed given the tedious conditions on Fenix Prime. You get one off-planet call a week. That’s strictly enforced. If the call doesn’t go through…better luck the next week,” Gaines explained. “Let me offer you one final suggestion. Don’t walk around with that smug arrogance. It won’t get you anything but another bruise.”
As Sonsky grabbed Sky by the arm and led him out of the office, Sky had a feeling that it didn’t matter what he did or didn’t do inside the Myers Detention facility. He was about to be delivered into his fate and he had a feeling Cash was right when he called it hell.
==========
As the warm water sprayed over her bare body, Syd tried to lose herself in the hot shower. It had become a ritual the day after any performance in Purgatory. Syd always showered right after, but that was to cleanse her body. Her hot morning shower was designed to cleanse her soul from the utter darkness she felt under the spotlight in that lounge. Last night was no different. In fact, she as more troubled by the appearance of Bridge Carson. But, unfortunately for Syd, her peaceful shower was about to be interrupted.
She barely had time to get her hair wet when she heard the heavy knocking at her door. Syd jumped out of the shower, quickly wrapping a towel around herself. As she walked out of the bathroom, again she heard the banging.
“All right. All right!” she said, in a huff.
Syd glanced through the peephole and looked shocked. She opened the door quickly and looked out into the hallway past her visitor to make sure no one else was out there.
In an exaggerated tone, she spoke to the woman standing in front of her door, “Consuela! What are you doing here?”
Consuela quickly shuffled past Syd into her apartment. Syd closed the door, locking it.
“Don’t worry! No one saw me,” Consuela said.
Consuela’s voice, however, didn’t sound as it normally did. It wasn’t old and it didn’t sound worn down by manual labor, as she sounded inside Barrett’s mansion on several occasions.
“Still, I can’t believe you took the risk!” Syd said, beginning to panic.
“Well, I didn’t want to wait. It’s important!” Consuela said, tensely, as she ripped her graying wig off.
Syd simply watched as Consuela grabbed at her chin and began pulling the wrinkled prosthetic skin from her face to reveal Z Delgado.
“So what’s so important that you risked ruining your cover?” Syd said, impatiently.
Z sighed.
“I got to Van Tigue’s and there were police everywhere,” Z said.
“Police?” Syd said, confused. “Barrett & Mia? What happened?”
“Syd, I don’t know how to tell you this, but I thought you’d want to hear it from me,” Z said, somberly. “It’s Mia. She’s dead.”
Syd’s entire face went white upon hearing of Mia’s fate. She began to breathe deeply, as she felt like she had been kicked in the stomach. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She turned her back on Z and began pacing around the living room, holding her throat.
Syd mustered the courage to say one word, “How?”
Z waddled over to the couch and plopped down, looking supremely uncomfortable in her fat suit.
“They found her in Barrett’s office. Syd, I saw her,” Z said, nervously.
She wasn’t sure she should tell Syd exactly what happened. But, she had known Syd for years and Z had a feeling that her partner wouldn’t stop until she knew the whole story.
“And?” Syd said, as she walked closer to Z.
“She was…hanging there,” Z said, slowly. “Syd, the police think she committed suicide.”
Syd walked slowly over to the spot next to Z. As she processed what Z was telling her, Syd lowered herself slowly onto the couch. As a tear fell from her eye, Z leaned over, putting an arm around her shoulder.
Syd said. “She wouldn’t.”
“It’s gonna be okay, Syd,” Z said, trying to comfort her, as Syd’s tears began to flow more freely.
“You don’t understand,” Syd said, as she wiped her eyes. “Mia wouldn’t kill herself. She was…confident the last time I saw her. She wanted to live for her daughter, if nothing else. It was like she was determined.”
Syd stood back up and thought back to her last moments with Mia. She looked down at Z, who was still seated.
“She wouldn’t kill herself…anymore than you would!”
“I believe you,” Z said, remembering the terror she saw in Mia’s eyes. “Her cellphone was found cracked outside the house. It looked to me like she had thrown it out a window in Barrett’s office.”
“That sounds weird,” Syd said, looking more troubled. “Why would she throw her cell out a window?”
“Maybe to keep whoever came after her from finding out who she called,” Z said.
Syd pondered that thought for a moment and then ran into her bedroom. Z managed to maneuver herself off the couch, as Syd came back in, clutching her own cellphone. Syd was pressing buttons, as Z got to her feet. Syd looked into her eyes.
“It wasn’t me,” she said, sadly.
Syd then returned to her bedroom, looking focused. Z followed her. She saw Syd going into her closet and pulling out clothes.
“What are you doing?” Z asked.
“I’m doing what you told me to do,” Syd said, angrily. “I’m going after my target!”
“Okay,” Z said, without hesitation. “Let Consuela fix her face and I’ll go with you for backup.”
“No,” Syd responded, as she cursed herself. “We’ve got other problems.”
“What are you talking about?” Z wondered.
“Piggy wandered over to Purgatory last night,” Syd revealed.
“Oh no. I wondered where he went,” Z said. “Did he see you?”
“No,” Syd said. “…but Bridge did.”
“Bridge?”
“He followed Piggy here and he saw me singing. Obviously, I couldn’t go into details with him, but I know he’s going to be asking more questions,” Syd explained. “Including ones about you.”
“I guess I knew the truth was going to come out, sooner or later,” Z said.
“It always does,” Syd said, with a sigh, as she began getting dressed, hoping that the truth behind Mia’s death would also come to light.
==========
Inside the Galactic Council Center, Earth’s representative, Alaina Doherty was walking briskly. She looked troubled, as she turned a corner and ran into two of her fellow council members.
“Gentlemen,” Alaina called out, as they fell into step with her, walking at the same pace.
They all were headed to the same location and each of them looked as befuddled as she did.
“Do you know the meaning of this?” she asked both of them.
“No,” Representative Trecineas said, looking annoyed. “I was in the middle of heated talks with the Barconians. I’m still trying to smooth things over with them.”
Walking on the other side of Representative Doherty was Pheon, the Lynx native who represented the reclusive Barconians on the Council. He sighed.
“Well, as the Barconian’s representative, I must tell you that you’re not making headway,” he said, sarcastically.
Trecineas shot him a glance, conveying that he didn’t appreciate his humor at that moment. As the trio continued towards their destination, Alaina continued to shake her head.
“I don’t understand why Otto thinks he can just force us to drop everything and show up for an impromptu Council meeting,” she said, as they turned another corner and stepped into the long corridor leading to the Assembly Hall.
“The President summons and we come running,” Pheon said, rolling his eyes.
As they got closer, Representative Delphine entered the corridor from an adjacent hallway, also headed for the entrance.
“Delphine,” Trecineas called out.
Upon seeing her fellow representatives, Delphine paused and waited for them at the closed doorway. She greeted the trio with a nod.
“Do you know why we’re meeting today?” Trecineas asked her.
“No,” Delphine said, in her even tone, which often made her sound as if she was breathing underwater whenever she spoke. “I just received the call.”
“Well, let’s not keep him waiting,” Alaina said.
Delphine pressed the door panel, causing the doors to slide open. As the four representatives slowly entered, they could see Galactic Council President Otto Cali standing in the center of their circular stations, talking with Representatives Karina Kevlar and Urgundii. Upon hearing the doors, that trio’s chatter seemed to come to an end.
As they walked further in, Pheon leaned over between Trecineas & Alaina.
“Why do I get the feeling our meeting just interrupted their meeting?” he whispered.
“Mr. President,” Alaina called out, as everyone took their seats. “This is a surprise.”
“I’m aware that it’s short notice, but I didn’t feel we could wait on this,” Cali said, as he sat down.
“Wait on what?” Trecineas asked, curiously.
“I’ve called you all here because I’m sure that the details of the Sky Tate case are still fresh in your minds,” Cali explained. “I felt that the best time to act would be now.”
“Time to act?” Alaina repeated, giving him a confused look. “I don’t understand. Sentencing is over.”
“Yes, but now we must decide what is to come of S.P.D. Earth,” Cali revealed.
Alaina Doherty shifted in her seat, nervously.
“I am officially introducing a motion to close the S.P.D. Academy on Earth and relocate Earth’s Delta Command Base,” Cali revealed, to a shocked audience.
“What?” Trecineas said, dumbfounded.
“This makes no sense,” Alaina said.
“But it does,” Cali said. “Officer Tate’s trial illustrated the many problems with the branch on Earth. I feel we need to respond or we run the risk of more incidents popping up.”
“Officer Tate was sentenced to prison for a year,” Alaina said, annoyed. “You’ve taken away their Red Ranger. S.P.D. Earth has been punished enough.”
“I disagree,” Cali said. “The motion is open to a vote.”
“Already?” Pheon said, surprised. “I can barely type it all in.”
Utilizing his cat-like senses, Pheon’s fingers flew across the keyboard as fast as he could, relaying all of the information to his bosses on Barconia.
“This is wrong,” Alaina said.
“I agree with Alaina,” Trecineas spoke up. “This action is too severe. If I voted to close the Academy on S.P.D. Earth, it would be the same as saying that Triforia’s S.P.D. Headquarters should have been closed because of the insubordination of Commander Trixx in the Barconian incident.”
“One could argue that Trixx’s influence over Triforia was greater than Officer Tate’s over Earth,” Delphine added. “Not that I believe either establishment should be closed.”
“But there is a legacy of rules bent and broken on Earth,” Representative Karina Kevlar, of Divalia said. “This would be an opportunity for the planet to rebuild their reputation, instead of further souring it. No one will respect Earth’s S.P.D. branch after this.”
“You don’t know that,” Alaina said, angrily.
“I know the galactic community is highly skeptical about S.P.D. Earth,” Kevlar revealed.
“After what those Officers did on my home planet, I agree that the disorder extends beyond Officer Tate,” Urgundii said. “Fernovia will never be the same.”
“S.P.D. Earth sent Officers into a perilous situation on your planet,” Alaina said, looking confused at his comment. “They stopped the terror there. It’s true there was a disappointing accident in the conflict, but you are no longer under constant attack. I fear that if we leave Earth unprotected it will fall victim to the same brand of terrorism.”
“The legacy of evil occurrences on Earth is known throughout the galaxy,” Delphine testified. “Earth has always been a magnet for this type of corruption. Closing their Headquarters could be devastating to the planet.”
“We would never leave Earth completely unprotected,” Cali said.
“I’m guessing you haven’t consulted Supreme Commander Cruger on this?” Alaina said, in an accusatory tone.
“Anubis is busy with personal matters, which we all know,” Cali said. “We must take action in a timely manner. This cannot wait. The motion is put to a vote.”
“I would never vote to close any branch of S.P.D. over something this unfortunate,” Trecineas spoke quickly. “I vote no.”
“I vote yes,” Karina Kevlar spoke, causing even more visible anger from her friend and colleague, Alaina Doherty.
“I also vote yes,” Urgundii agreed.
“The Barconians are going to need a moment to process,” Pheon said, as he kept typing in his information to the Barconians, pressing his earpiece closer to his ear to hear their communications.
“I vote no,” Delphine spoke up.
“I can’t stand for this,” Alaina said, already sensing what was about to happen. “I won’t!”
Alaina stood up from her seat and stormed towards the Assembly Hall exit.
“Alaina!” Cali called out.
“You know, Otto, you claimed that your vote in Sky Tate’s case was based on principle. But after this, I’m beginning to wonder what your principles really are!” she said.
Alaina turned away and exited.
“Representative Doherty!” Cali called again.
Cali sighed, after seeing the doors slide shut behind her. Silence crept into the room. Then, one sound invaded the Assembly Hall. Pheon tossed his earpiece onto the floor. All eyes turned to him.
“Sometimes I hate my job,” Pheon said, angrily, before looking over at Cali. “The Barconians are voting in favor of closing S.P.D. Earth.”
Trecineas winced, shaking his head at hearing the news. It was true that his diplomatic efforts to reach out to the Barconians were failing. He suspected that they were voting this way simply to vote against Triforia.
“Since Representative Doherty has virtually abstained from voting, that means we have three votes in favor of closure and two against,” Cali announced. “The motion is passed.”
Silence once again filled the Assembly Hall.
==========
“Where are we?”
Piggy muttered as he walked further into the darkened place. He couldn’t even see his hand in front of his face.
“Prax!” Piggy yelled, hearing an echo. “Prax, where are you?”
After a few seconds of silence, a few lights were activated. Piggy turned in the direction of the light and saw Prax standing at the control panel. Piggy began to visually explore his surroundings, discovering that Prax had brought him to what appeared to be an abandoned factory. Prax approached Piggy.
“You’ll be safe here…even from your nightmares,” Prax said.
“You don’t know my nightmares,” Piggy said, sarcastically.
“Well, you won’t be unprotected,” Prax said.
At that moment, Piggy heard footsteps approaching from behind him. He turned, but couldn’t see much since most of the lights in that direction were still off. As the human man appeared out of the shadows, Piggy breathed a little easier. Some part of him was expecting Barrett’s hired gun, Lady Vishus looking for lunch.
“Hi,” Piggy said simply, with a slight wave, before turning back to Prax. “Who’s that?”
“Piggy, I’d like to introduce you to another one of Mr. Van Tigue’s associates,” Prax said. “This is Blaze.”
“Blaze?” Piggy repeated. “How original.”
Blaze didn’t say a word as he walked up to Prax.
“What’s he doing here?”
“Piggy has to lay low for a while,” Prax revealed. “I didn’t think you’d mind the company.”
“I mind,” the cyborg said, sternly.
“Well, get used to it,” Prax ordered. “Besides, it won’t be long now before there will be a lot more company around here.”
Prax chuckled, as he glanced up at the production machinery in the factory, dreaming of the planned chaos to come.
==========
Inside the S.P.D. Headquarters Command Center, Sophie stood at the main console, once again plugged into the room’s control station, with no other personnel on duty. She had parted ways with Bridge after lunch, which she hoped would calm him, but it didn’t. He was out looking for Piggy once again and waiting for Kat’s return. As Sophie finally began to settle herself, the doors to the Command Center slid open, causing her eyes to flutter open.
“Dr. Jensen,” Sophie said. “This is a surprise.”
“I’m looking for Commander Manx,” Pryce said, as he walked over to Sophie. “The computer says she’s not inside the base.”
“Commander Manx went on an emergency trip to Andruss III,” Sophie revealed. “Supreme Commander Cruger’s wife has been hospitalized.”
“That’s unfortunate,” Pryce said. “Do you know if she signed my resignation? I was hoping to have an answer today.”
“She hadn’t signed if before she left,” Sophie admitted.
“Too bad,” Pryce said, sighing, with his arms folded.
“You don’t really mean that,” Sophie said.
“I don’t?” Pryce said, giving her an incredulous look.
“You like it here,” Sophie said. “And you fit.”
“I’m not sure I do fit, Sophie,” Pryce said. “It’s like everywhere I turn, there are eyes watching me, suspicious of every move I make. I can’t live like that anymore.”
“So you’re just going to give up? You’re going to let this traitor win? If you’re innocent, then fight for your reputation. Fight for your career. Don’t throw it away,” Sophie urged.
“When you helped me in the lab with Deuce, you called these people your family,” Pryce said. “The family doesn’t want me.”
“You may have been…unplanned, but that doesn’t mean they won’t embrace you. They kicked me out once because I lied about who I was. But once they knew the truth, they still came to my rescue and they let me in. Be honest with them. Show them your fighting spirit,” Sophie said. “You may just get the loyalty you want in return.”
Pryce stared into Sophie’s cybernetic eyes for a moment, before heading for the doors, which slid open upon his arrival. He looked back at her.
“When Kat returns, tell her I need to meet with her about my resignation,” Pryce said.
Sophie simply nodded, as Pryce exited. She wondered if she had gotten through to him, but she knew that only time would tell.
==========
Inside Galaxy General hospital on Andruss III, there was one deserted room. At least, everyone thought it was deserted. The doors to the room slid open and a figure entered. There was a single lamp lighting the shadowy space. It sat on a desk in the middle of that room. There was a large black chair behind the desk, with it’s back turned to the doorway. The figure sitting in that chair had heard the doors open and that figure knew exactly who had arrived.
“I trust you were successful?” the voice spoke from the chair.
The alien who had entered the room stepped into the lamp’s light. It was Doctor Shivan Sevarus, looking deadly serious.
“Yes,” he said, as he placed his black medical bag onto the desk and opened it.
Sevarus pulled out a silver box and placed it on the desk. The sound of the metal box touching the metal desk caused a sound that the seated figure liked hearing.
“My position at S.P.D. Earth may be compromised,” Sevarus revealed. “They may be close to decoding one of my messages. It is getting harder to carry out my orders and keep my identity secret.”
“You don’t have to worry about that anymore, Doctor” the voice spoke from the chair. “You won’t be going back to Earth.”
“I don’t understand,” Sevarus said, looking confused.
“It is time for the next phase of this plan to begin,” the voice spoke. “And for that phase to be successful, Supreme Commander Cruger must be neutralized.”
Sevarus nodded.
“That is why you had me sabotage Isinia’s medication?”
“Yes,” the voice spoke. “The Supreme Commander needs to take a long trip. I want you to make that happen.”
“I understand,” Sevarus said.
At that moment, the black chair spun around, revealing the figure seated there. Galactic Council President Otto Cali took the metal box in his hand and opened it, revealing the six stolen containment cards inside. He nodded.
“A change is coming, Doctor,” he spoke. “I intend to restore law and order…even if it has to be forced upon them all.”
==========
As the metal bars shut closed behind Sky, he sighed, looking around at his cell once again. He glanced at his cellmate on the top bunk. Sky took a seat on his own bunk, as he heard movement above. Then, he saw Cash Donovan’s face peeking down at him.
“Meeting go well?”
“I have a feeling nothing goes well around here,” Sky said.
“You got that right,” Cash said, with a smirk. “But, it’s not so bad once you get used to it. Hey, you never told me what you did to get in here.”
“With news traveling so fast, I assumed you knew,” Sky said.
“I told you my story,” Cash said. “Let’s hear yours.”
“I killed a man,” Sky said flatly.
At that moment, he saw Cash hop off the top bunk, looking surprised as he glared at him.
Cash said. “You? You killed a guy?”
“Is it that hard to believe?”
“You just don’t seem the murdering type,” Cash said.
“Well if it makes you feel any better, he didn’t look human at the time. He was merged somehow with robotic parts, used to help keep him alive. He was terrorizing Earth,” Sky explained. “My team and I tried to stop him. The whole conflict lasted about a year before I finally brought him down. The Galactic Council decided to bring me down as a reward.”
“That sucks,” Cash said.
“No kidding,” Sky said. “But here I am. So I have to make it work, at least for the next year.”
“I’m not gonna lie,” Cash said. “You’re gonna have to be careful. Some of these guys would love to get a piece of an officer, S.P.D. or not.”
“I know,” Sky said, standing up and rubbing his jaw and near his black eye. “I’ve seen their handiwork.”
Cash sighed.
“I said I was sorry,” Cash said, whispering. “But you’re gonna have to protect yourself.”
Cash walked closer to Sky, as Sky swung his arm around, activating his genetic power. He used the force field he generated, to deflect the approaching Cash, knocking him backward into the bars of the cell. As Cash fell to the floor, he grabbed at his back.
“What was that for?” Cash said, in pain.
“That was payback,” Sky whispered, as he helped Cash get to his feet.
“That’s a hell of a move,” Cash grunted.
“Let’s just say I can protect myself when I have to,” Sky said.
“I guess we’re even,” Cash said
Sky smirked. Cash once again extended his hand and Sky finally shook it.
==========
As Kat entered Isinia Cruger’s room, she wasn’t sure what she was going to say as she saw Doggie Cruger sitting at his wife’s side. She walked over to him and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
“She’s going to pull through this,” Kat said.
Cruger let out a deep sigh.
“It’s hard to believe that just a few years ago I thought she was gone forever,” Cruger said. “Just when I came to terms with that, there she was, alive, back in my arms. Now, I’m facing that uncertain future again. This time…I don’t know if I can handle it if I lose her.”
“Then I guess we have to make sure that you don’t lose her,” Kat said.
At that moment, the doors to Isinia’s room slid open once again. Dr. Shivan Sevarus entered, carrying an LCD pad.
“I think I’ve found the cause of Isinia’s cell deterioration,” Sevarus revealed.
Cruger stood up.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Isinia’s body has begun to reject the enzyme injections that she’s been taking,” Sevarus explained. “I believe that it may be a result of the pups’ growth. They are close to reaching the birthing stage and they are requiring more of the Sirian growth chemical. The chemical enzymes we’ve been injecting aren’t enough to sustain them in this environment anymore.”
“What does that mean?” Kat wondered.
“It means that the only way to save Isinia and Doggie’s offspring is to return them to Sirius, where Isinia can freely breath in the enzymes in her natural environment so the pups can reach their final maturation,” Sevarus revealed.
“Sirius,” Cruger said under his breath.
It had been decades since he had been on his home planet, which he knew was now a deserted wasteland, thanks to Gruumm and the Troobian forces who invaded. He had never wanted to return there. It was the place where he had lost Isinia first and now it might be the only place that could bring her back to him. Cruger turned and looked at his wife, laying helplessly in stasis.
“When do we leave?” Cruger said.
==========
As Sydney Drew stepped up to the front door of the Van Tigue mansion, she couldn’t seem to settle her nerves. She knew what had happened in that house. She glanced at the nearby sidewalk and saw the broken glass, still laying there. As she pressed the doorbell, she glanced up at the window to Barrett’s office and saw that it had been taped up. She shook her head, as she tried not to think about what had happened inside that room.
The door opened and Lady Vishus greeted her with a sneer.
“Get lost,” Vishus said, as she tried to close the door.
Syd stopped her, using her body as a doorstop.
“What do you want?” Vishus said, viciously. “This isn’t a good time!”
“I want to talk to Barrett,” Syd said, looking sad.
“V, who is it?” Barrett’s voice came from inside.
“No one,” Vishus yelled out.
Barrett, however, had already approached the doorway and saw the new arrival.
“Syren,” he said.
“I’m sorry to bother you. I heard about what happened,” Syd said. “I just…”
“Come in,” Barrett said, causing Vishus to roll her eyes.
She opened the door, allowing Syd to come all the way in. Barrett showed her to one of the leather couches in the living room.
“I’m so sorry about Mia,” Syd said, as she sat down.
Barrett sat next to her. Vishus leaned against the bar nearby, watching closely.
“It’s so hard to believe she’s actually gone,” Barrett spoke sadly.
“I was shocked when I heard,” Syd said. “It just doesn’t seem like something she would do. She looked so happy to be back together.”
At that moment, Barrett grabbed Syd into an embrace, hugging her tightly.
“I couldn’t believe it when I opened the door and saw her there,” Barrett said, his voice low.
Vishus rolled her eyes at the bar. The expression was seen by Syd.
“It’s gonna be okay,” Syd said to him.
“I’m glad you’re here,” Barrett said, as he held her tight.
Her eyes veered to Lady Vishus still standing at the bar. As they locked eyes, both knew the war was still on.
==========
The line to enter the Myers Detention Facility’s exercise area was long on this day. Sky stood in front of his cellmate, waiting to get outside. Sky took a good look at some of the other inmates. Most looked like they were in the right place. From the tattoos and scars, to the missing fingers and stench of loathing in the air, he knew that survival was going to be a tough prospect. As they reached the doorway, he felt Cash Donovan leaning towards him.
“Just a warning,” Cash whispered. “I may have to hit you again.”
“What?” Sky whispered, angrily.
“Just keep your distance,” Cash whispered.
Sky rolled his eyes, as he entered the exercise area. In most detention centers, this was known as the yard. At Myers, however, things were a bit different. Extended exposure to the planet’s atmosphere could have lasting detrimental effects and that meant that their yard was encased in an invisible force field, which protected it from the atmosphere. Sky’s eyes got lost as he looked up at the red sky. Just then he was pushed forward by Cash.
“You’re holding up the line!” Cash said, loudly and sternly.
“Move it, Tate!” Sonsky yelled at the doorway, with his arms folded, as usual.
Sky bit his tongue, knowing Cash was only protecting his own butt. He walked further out into the yard, where he saw many eyes were on him. Cash seemed to be a popular prisoner, as a group of four other inmates came over to him, creating a small huddle several feet away from Sky. After seeing Cash talking and pointing a few times in his direction, Sky shook his head.
He saw a free weight bench and decided to try to work off his frustrations and use his leisure time wisely. As Sky sat on the bench, one of the other inmates walked up behind it. Sky noticed the massive muscles on the fellow.
“Spot me?” he asked.
The inmate nodded, without a word. Sky took a breath and laid back. As his hands grabbed a hold of the bar and lifted, he realized that he hadn’t checked the weight on it. It was a bit more than he was used to, but he managed to get it up above his head. He lowered it towards his chest and that was when he realized he wasn’t going to be able to do anymore reps without changing the weight. As he struggled, he realized that his spotter wasn’t helping at all. He looked up to see that the inmate was gone. Sky used every once of strength in his body to push the weight off his chest. Letting out a loud grunt, he threw the bar off.
Sky jumped off of the weight bench, looking angry, as he saw that dozens of inmates were watching him and none of them lifted a finger to help. Sky looked angry, as he glanced to each one of them.
“Hey!”
Sky turned to see the prison guard, Sonsky, approaching him.
“Be careful with the equipment!” Sonsky yelled at Sky, enraging him even more.
Every fiber of Sky’s being wanted to plunge his fist into Sonsky’s face, but he knew that’s what they all wanted. He worked hard to control his anger. In the distance behind Sonsky he saw Cash Donovan, amongst his crowd of buddies. Cash gave a subtle nod, almost giving Sky silent motivation to not give in to the temptation.
He didn’t give in. In that moment, Sky promised himself that he would never give in. He was tired of losing and he wasn’t about to let them win.
==========
As Kat and Quinn strolled down the hospital corridor headed for the elevator at the end of the hallway, Quinn tried to muster a smile.
“So you don’t mind if I hitch a ride home, right?”
“Of course not,” Kat said. “I’d love to have the company.”
“Good. I’m no chatty Divalian doctor, but I think I can help you stay entertained,” Quinn said, with a smirk.
“With everything that’s happened, I’ve been meaning to ask how you’re doing?” Kat said, after a few moments of silence.
“I’m okay, I guess,” Quinn said, as his smile faded. “Trying to keep my spirits up. I still can’t believe Sky’s in prison. Honestly, if this had happened a year ago, I would have been jumping for joy. But, after all we’ve been through, especially the last few weeks, I’m sad.”
“There’s a lot of that going around,” Kat said, as they stopped in front of the elevator and pressed the call button.
As the doors opened, they were both surprised to see Representative Alaina Doherty step off the elevator.
“Representative Doherty,” Kat said.
“Commander Manx,” Alaina greeted, seemingly out of breath. “Officer Gray, good to see you both. I came to speak with the Supreme Commander. Is he in with his wife?”
“Uh, Doggie’s gone,” Kat revealed.
Alaina looked confused.
“Gone?”
“Dr. Sevarus discovered that Isinia’s cells were degrading from the pregnancy. The enzyme replacement therapy she was on stopped working so she had to be transported to Sirius. Doggie went with them,” Kat explained.
“Oh no,” Alaina sighed. “Sirius? That’s far.”
“What’s wrong?” Kat asked.
“I guess I should tell you, since you’re going to find out soon enough,” Alaina said. “President Cali introduced a motion to close S.P.D. Headquarters on Earth as well as the Academy there.”
“What?” Quinn said, shocked.
“Trecineas just contacted me. The vote went through,” Alaina said, looking disappointed.
“I don’t believe this,” Kat said, angrily.
“I know,” Alaina said. “I plan to do everything in my power to stop this before it’s too late. But, I can’t fight it alone. I need Supreme Commander Cruger’s help. If you speak with him before I can get a message through, you must tell him to contact me immediately.”
“Of course,” Kat said.
Alaina Doherty stepped back onto the elevator and within seconds, she was gone. Quinn and Kat shared a troubled glance as they processed exactly what they had just heard.
==========
Hours later on Fenix Prime, Warden Alton Gaines was in the middle of his own off-planet communication. As he looked out of his office’s large picture window which overlooked the facility’s mess hall, he saw the inmates lining up for their meals. His eyes veered behind the counter, where he saw Sky Tate, equipped with a serving spoon and a hair net.
“He’s beginning to acclimate,” Gaines spoke into the earpiece, which connected him to the communications system in his office.
“That is a good thing,” the voice on the other end of the call spoke.
“It won’t be long before he’ll be feeling right at home,” Gaines said.
“That won’t be completely necessary. Myers Detention Facility will not be Officer Tate’s home for too long.”
“I’ve already had a chat with one of my inmates,” Gaines said. “Life for Tate is about to get very complicated…and potentially dangerous.”
“Then we understand each other?”
“Of course we do, Mr. President,” Gaines spoke. “I can’t thank you enough for the recent donation. We all here at Myers Detention Facility thank you.”
“It is a pleasure as always to deal with you Warden Gaines,” Cali said, as he signed off.
After the call had ended, Gaines walked back over to the window and glanced down at the inmates lining up for their chow. One of those inmates glanced up at the warden and nodded, as he stepped up to the counter to be served by Sky Tate. Gaines watched, as he let out a deep sigh, knowing what was to come wouldn’t be pleasant for Earth’s former Red Ranger.
==========
“Any luck?” Sophie asked, as she met up with Bridge in a corridor of the Delta Command Base.
“No,” Bridge said, with a sigh. “Piggy seems to have disappeared.”
The two turned a corner and saw Quinn Gray approaching from the other end.
“Quinn, you’re back,” Bridge called out.
“Yeah,” Quinn said, appearing exhausted. “You heard about the verdict?”
“I still don’t believe it,” Bridge said.
“How’s Mrs. Cruger?” Sophie asked.
“They’ve moved her to Sirius. Dr. Sevarus thinks that the enzyme injections were the problem. I don’t think we’ll be seeing the Crugers around here for a while,” Quinn revealed.
“What about Kat?” Bridge wondered.
“We came back together,” Quinn said.
“Where is she?” Bridge asked.
“She rushed off to her office right after the shuttle docked. She said she had an urgent meeting to get to, which doesn’t surprise me after what we found out,” Quinn said.
“What?” Sophie asked.
“Apparently the Galactic Council has voted to close the S.P.D. Earth branch. The Delta Command Base, the Academy…everything,” Quinn said.
“This is not happening,” Bridge said, as he started walking.
Quinn and Sophie kept pace with him.
“I need to talk to Kat now,” Bridge said, as they headed for her office.
After a brisk walk, which almost turned into a jog for Sophie & Quinn to keep up with Bridge, they arrived at the Commander’s Office. Bridge pressed the door chime, despite her meeting.
“Kat, it’s Bridge,” he spoke to the doors, knowing she could hear him. “We need to talk.”
The doors slid open and Bridge, Quinn and Sophie entered Kat’s office, where she was standing, watching them. As the doors slid closed behind them, they noticed Kat’s somber look.
“I know we have a lot to talk about,” Kat said.
It was at that moment that the person Kat had been meeting with stepped out from behind her, revealing herself. All three of Kat’s visitors looked shocked at who stood before them.
“Hi guys,” Z Delgado said. “Guess who’s back?”
TO BE CONTINUED IN...
“Barrett”
The Rangers find themselves reunited with an old friend.
Cruger is forced to make a tough decision, after hearing of
SPD Earth’s new trouble. President Cali officially announces
the details of the closure of the SPD Academy on Earth, which
has everyone in Newtech City on edge. Syd meets Barrett’s
mother, giving her new insight into Van Tigue. Cash helps
Sky survive his first night in the Myers Detention facility.