Sorry....I finished late last night, but didn't get to edit until now. This is a big fat juicy one. 38 pages in MS Word, so enjoy. :)
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[Sky received shocking visitors in prison] – “Dru? Mirloc?” Cash said, confused. “Who are these people?”
“Trouble!” Sky said, as he looked over at Cash.
“You’re sure about all this?” Cash asked, not completely believing Sky could be seeing these old foes.
“If I’m not sure, then I really am going crazy,” Sky said. “But if I’m right and somehow they’re both here, then I’m in big trouble.”
– “They are both perfectly healthy,” Sevarus said, as he completed his scans of their vitals. “Meet your son and your daughter.”
Cruger glanced down at the pups, tiny versions of himself and his wife. They were so small that it looked like they could fit into the palm of his hand. Cruger took a deep breath, realizing that his life had just changed dramatically.
[Piggy learned Z was alive] – “You don’t understand,” Piggy said, sadly.
“I don’t want to understand, Piggy,” Z said. “Not anymore.”
“But, I can...I can help you—help S.P.D.!” Piggy said. “This is about Barrett Van Tigue!”
“We don’t need your help, Piggy,” Z said. “All we need is your cooperation. That’s all. You answer questions and then you get out of our lives. That’s what's gonna happen and personally, I can’t wait until it’s over, because then I’ll never have to see you again.”
– The entire factory lit up and Dr. Jiang saw the conveyor belts start up. Parts were moving, machines were activated and within moments, Barrett and Jiang were watching a familiar sight coming together, just as Jiang’s printed plans had depicted.
Once it was completed, Barrett walked over and patted the Delta X robot on the shoulder. He turned back to Jiang and smiled.
“I love it when a plan comes together,” Barrett said.
[Cruger’s past arrived for another fight] – The alien laughed louder, more maniacally, as he imagined finally getting his hands on Doggie Cruger.
This time however, it would be the final battle. So, he hoped that Doggie Cruger had brought his Shadow Saber, because he would need it and a whole lot more to defeat Benaag.
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[B]“ANSWERS”
For the first time since his imprisonment at Myers Detention Facility, Sky Tate was happy to shower alongside a dozen other men. After his encounter with former friend Dru Harrington, and the haunting by Mirloc, he wasn’t in the mood to be alone. Minutes into his shower, Sky closed his eyes tight, dipping his head under the metal showerhead, allowing the steaming water to wash over his body. He hoped it would relax his brain and cause the memories of his father’s killer to leave him.
“Three minutes left, boys!”
The sound of Officer Sonsky’s shouting voice from just outside the shower room, caused a bit of a ruckus, as several of the prisoners began making their way out. Sky, with his eyes still closed, could hear a few of the showers being turned off. He continued his relaxing routine. He had become efficient in using his time wisely.
“You coming?” Cash Donovan spoke from next to Sky.
“Go ahead,” Sky said, without even looking at his cellmate.
“All right,” Cash said, as he grabbed a towel and headed through the doorway to dry off and get dressed.
As Sky steadied his mind and his spirit, he heard a few of the other showers still going. He ran his fingers through his head, mentally counting down how much time he had left before he incurred the wrath of Officer Sonsky again. He had never noticed the twinge of enjoyment that could be gleamed from annoying an officer before. Part of him liked it. Sonsky was the least of his worries.
Sky began to hear murmurs of laughter, dark and sinister. He paused in his place, as his head slowly rose. As Sky opened his eyes, they stared directly into the metal showerhead. Through the reflection, he saw his former enemy standing behind him. It couldn’t be. Sky whipped around quickly.
“Mirloc!” he yelled, as he turned around.
But there was no one there. Sky, however, still heard the laughter in the room, getting louder.
“Guard!” Sky yelled for Sonsky, but again, no one was there.
Sky grabbed his towel and headed for the door, when he heard the ominous voice from behind him.
“Going so soon, Tate!” Mirloc yelled.
Sky turned around and that was when he saw Mirloc standing before him, as the hot water flowed down upon him. The steam in the room barely masked his flesh and blood appearance. Sky’s eyes grew wide. He turned to rush out, knowing he couldn’t fight him there. As he turned, he bumped into someone else.
“Mirloc!” Sky yelled. “It’s Mirloc. He’s here!”
Sky thought he had run into Officer Sonsky, but as he got his bearings, he saw the person in front of him was not wearing a shirt. In fact, like Sky, he was only wearing a white towel and seemed to be laughing deviously.
Sky looked up into his smiling face.
“Dru!” Sky said, through gritted teeth.
Sky turned away from Dru, headed for the exit, as his old friend continued to laugh incessantly at Sky’s fear.
“Stop it!” Sky yelled. “Stop laughing!”
Sky shut his eyes, building up every last once of strength he could. He lunged forward, tackling Dru to the floor, beating on him. As Sky tried to punch Dru’s face, the escaped criminal had his hands up, shielding his face, as he continued to laugh, angering Sky further.
At that moment, Officer Sonsky appeared, pulling Sky off of Harrington.
“Hey!” Sonsky said, as he restrained Sky. “Calm down, Tate!”
As Sonsky’s eyes were on him, Sky saw Dru still smiling out of the corner of his eye.
==========
On the planet Sirius, it was a joyous moment for the Cruger family. As Isinia laid in her bed holding her son for the first time, she smiled, still digesting the fact that she was finally a mother, after decades of turmoil in her life. At her left, Cruger sat, holding his daughter. He was proud that she resembled her mother. Even as a newborn, she had the dark tendrils of hair covering parts of her face, unlike her twin brother, whose hair resembled his father and grew naturally towards the back of his head.
Standing at the foot of the bed, Sam Hastings smiled, as he saw the family in front of him. The bonds between parent and child had been instant, he could tell. Memories of his own parents were quickly fading from his mind, but seeing the Cruger family helped him feel warmer in his heart.
“Congratulations, again,” Sam said with a smirk.
“Thank you, Sam,” Isinia said. “We’re glad you’re here.”
“Really?” Sam said, looking curious.
“You’re our connection to home,” Isinia said.
“Yes,” Doggie agreed. “It’s wonderful to share our new family with our old family, even if it’s only a part of that family. That goes for you too, Shivan. Thank you for everything.”
Sam nodded, happily. Near the doorway, Dr. Sevarus had been observing the entire time. He too nodded.
“It was my pleasure, old friend,” the Divalian doctor said.
Deep down, Sevarus knew that Cruger’s mention of family meant that he was still longing for home and that meant Earth. Sevarus knew that President Cali wanted Cruger out of the way until his plans for Space Patrol Delta’s future could be fully realized. Sevarus didn’t know what that meant, but he was sure that Cali wasn’t going to like hearing that Cruger was looking forward to returning with his family.
Sevarus kept his negativity to himself, allowing the happy occasion to continue. The positive energy within that room, however, was short-lived. The sound of a massive explosion could be heard coming from outside the bunker.
“What was that?” Isinia said, loudly, as the pups began to cry.
“It sounded like a bomb,” Sam said.
Cruger was instantly on his feet, handing his daughter back to Isinia. He walked out into the hallway, followed closely by Sevarus and Sam.
“Where are you going?” Sevarus asked.
“To find out what that was,” Cruger said. “Stay here.”
Cruger exited the bunker, before Sam could object. Once the Supreme Commander had departed, Sevarus returned to Isinia’s room, trying to help her calm the pups. Sam kept his eyes on the bunker exit for a moment, before walking into his room and reaching into his backpack. He removed the Omega morpher and placed it in his back pocket. He took a deep breath, wondering if his time was soon coming.
==========
On Earth, the factory owned by Barrett Van Tigue was fully operational. As he sat in a makeshift office, getting reacquainted with the Delta X Series blueprints, he heard a knock at the closed door. Barrett looked up.
“Come in, Prax,” he called out.
The green insectoid strolled in, walking right over to Barrett’s desk.
“Eight of the robots have been completed,” Prax said. “Continuing production through the night was a good idea. The final twelve should be completed soon.”
“Good,” Barrett said, standing up.
He walked over to the window of the office, which looked out on the assembly line, where the Delta X robots were being produced.
“I think twenty should do the trick,” Barrett said, as if he were having a conversation with himself. “I mean, if we need more, I can always restart the process later.”
“I still don’t understand how you intend to move the plan forward,” Prax said, his voice unsure. “Dr. Jiang told us that S.P.D. is unwilling to employ the robots.”
“Well that’s an easy obstacle to overcome, Prax,” Barrett said with a smile. “We just have to make them willing.”
Barrett turned back to the window, watching the Delta X robots coming together. Then, he saw another ally enter the main assembly area. Barrett saw Blaze staring at the Delta X robots.
“We just have to convince S.P.D. Earth that they can’t survive without the help,” Barrett said, talking to Prax, but still staring out the office window. “Then, they’ll have no choice but to walk straight into my trap.”
“Convincing them won’t be easy,” Prax said.
“Sure it will,” Barrett said, with a smile, as his eyes fell on Blaze. “You’re newfound connection to B-Squad will be the key to putting pressure on them. The fear of failure is always a strong motivator.”
Barrett turned to face Prax, grinning widely.
“It’s time to cash in on the past,” Barrett said.
==========
As Sydney Drew heard the door to her apartment closing, she rushed out of her bedroom, worried, until she saw the face of Z Delgado. Z noticed her look.
“Sorry,” Z said. “I probably should have knocked. Should I give back my key?”
“It’s okay,” Syd said, relieved. “I’m just a little on edge. I’d rather you keep the key. I don’t want Barrett or Vishus to spot you standing in the hallway knocking, especially now that they know you’re alive.”
Z nodded, as she laid down the folder she had carried in, concealed under her black leather jacket. She and Syd sat down on the couch, behind the coffee table, where Z opened the folder, revealing several documents.
“I found everything you asked for,” Z said. “I’ve got blueprints of the building, all the records I could on Anna and the facility. Looks like they’ve got a pretty good security setup...but not impenetrable.”
Syd looked back at Z with a smirk.
“What makes you think I need to know that?” Syd asked, coyly.
“Just a hunch,” Z said. “Come on, Syd. What are you planning?”
“Mrs. Bradshaw won’t let me talk to Anna officially, so I’m going to pay Anna a visit...unofficially,” Syd explained.
“You still aren’t sure that Anna knows anything about Mia’s death or what she found in Barrett’s house,” Z said.
“She knows something,” Syd said, convinced. “I’m sure of it. It’s the only answer.”
“But if she knew something why wouldn’t she tell Mrs. Bradshaw or the police?” Z wondered.
“Maybe Anna doesn’t realize exactly what she knows,” Syd said. “I’ve been thinking. Mia obviously was running out of time. She threw her cell phone out that window on purpose because she wanted to protect whoever she talked to.”
“That’s probably true,” Z reasoned. “Actually, she may not have even talked to anyone.”
“What do you mean?” Syd asked.
“What if Mia never said anything to the person she called? What if she sent a text message or an email or a picture?” Z said, as she began to form a hypothesis of her own. “That could explain why Anna hasn’t said anything. She may not have seen what Mia sent her or she doesn’t know what she has.”
Syd smiled.
“Now you’re sounding like me,” Syd said, with a sigh. “So, are you in? I could really use some help.”
“We’re in this together to the end,” Z said, with a smile. “Besides, breaking into a social services facility sounds like old-fashioned fun. Although, I was usually breaking out of them as a kid.”
==========
Back on Sirius, Supreme Commander Doggie Cruger spotted the fiery wreckage in the distance. He let out a growl, as he saw it was his official shuttle that had exploded. He began jogging towards the burning vehicle, worried that his pilot was still inside. He wondered what Hawk could have triggered that would cause this result.
As Cruger got closer, he realized that the explosion couldn’t have been Hawk’s fault. He saw the fallen S.P.D. Officer laying several yards away from the blazing wreckage. Cruger rushed over to him, expecting to see burn marks and a smoke stained face. But, as he walked up to Hawk, he didn’t see any sign that he had been inside the shuttle when it exploded.
Hawk’s uniform didn’t have fire damage. But, as the officer lay on his stomach, Cruger saw that he was still hurt. The gaping wound on Hawk’s back caught Cruger’s attention as he dropped to his knees, rolling Hawk gently over on his back. Cruger wasn’t a doctor but he was sure Hawk’s back had to be broken.
Cruger glanced back at the shuttle on fire. As his eyes seemed to glaze over at the sight, his mind reverted back to the day that Sirius fell to Troobian forces. The haunting memory had taken over him once again. There were fires everywhere. Smoke and ash filled his own lungs, as he fought back against the invasion, passing many of his fallen comrades along the way.
Benaag’s haunting cackle of victory still echoed in Cruger’s brain. Cruger was knocked from his flashback as he felt something graze his bent knee.
Cruger looked down to see that it was Hawk’s arm twitching a bit. Cruger placed two fingers at Hawk’s neck and felt a faint pulse. He was alive.
“Hold on, Hawk,” Cruger called out.
Cruger scooped the officer up into his strong arms and began their journey back to the bunker. Cruger was certain that moving Hawk was probably doing more damage than good, but he couldn’t wait for Sevarus to get all the way out there. He trusted in Sevarus’ expertise and knew that if anyone could save Hawk, Shivan could, but he would need all of the equipment in the bunker to do it.
As Cruger got closer, he heard Benaag’s ominous laughter once again in his head. But this time, Cruger realized that he hadn’t been thinking about the fall of Sirius. He stopped in his tracks and turned back towards the shuttle on fire. Cruger squinted his eyes, thinking of Hawk’s injury. Something had attacked him, Cruger thought.
But, it couldn’t be Benaag, could it?
==========
On Andruss III, Representative Alaina Doherty took another sip of her triune tea. She had become fond of the Triforian blend since her fellow representative, Trecineas, introduced it to her years ago. The tea was specially made by the Triforians to aid in concentration by calming the brain with its herbal properties. It had always helped her through stressing times. This was her third cup of the day.
As she stepped off the elevator inside the Galactic Council Center, she spotted her target. She wasn’t expecting to run into him so easily, but she was grateful for any pleasant surprises she could get. Doherty walked right over to another fellow Council Representative.
“Urgundii,” Alaina called out. “I’m glad I ran into you. Please, tell me you’ve reconsidered coming.”
“I don’t know about this, Alaina,” Urgundii said, nervously, as they walked together through the hallway.
The Fernovian’s skin looked a pale green. It was a sign of stress. Alaina wanted to offer him a sip of her tea, but knew she needed as much help as she could get. Her plans to rally the council on S.P.D. Earth’s behalf were finally coming together. Although, getting them all in one place without the Galactic Council President’s knowledge was difficult, she had managed to convince them all to meet, except for Urgundii.
Urgundii stopped in the hallway, as they approached a large cafeteria, which was sparsely populated. Urgundii had been heading there for his breakfast.
“Meeting without President Cali seems...wrong,” Urgundii said. “Haven’t we dealt with enough controversy in the last few months?”
“Urgundii, this isn’t some clandestine plot,” Alaina said, trying to sound calm, but keeping her voice low. “I want to discuss the situation on Earth and get thoughts from everyone. We already know what Otto thinks.”
“We’ve all made our positions clear,” Urgundii said. “I don’t see the point.”
“The point is, we’re a council. We’re supposed to work together and keep our lines of communication open,” Alaina explained. “That’s what I want to do. I have some things to say to the other Council members and I’d like to say them informally.”
She didn’t want to say in public that she had lost faith in their President, but deep down that was exactly the case.
“Leaving Cali out of any decisions is a bad move,” Urgundii said. “It’s the first step to chaos on the Council.”
“My goal isn’t chaos, my friend,” Alaina said.
Always the ambassador, she made sure to remind Urgundii of their friendship.
“My goal is to restore order,” she said. “That’s all. Won’t you hear me out?”
After a few tense seconds, Urgundii took a deep breath.
“All right,” Urgundii said. “But, I still think this is bordering on deception and I don’t like it.”
“I hope I can change your mind,” Alaina said. “I’ll call your office with the meeting details.”
Urgundii nodded. Alaina continued on her way, headed for her office, continuing to sip her tea. As Urgundii turned to enter the cafeteria, he almost bumped into Tawke, the slender young alien assistant of President Otto Cali.
“Excuse me, Tawke,” Urgundii said, as he continued inside.
As Tawke walked further into the hallway, she peeked down the corridor watching Representative Doherty turn a corner. Tawke’s eyes looked curious. She had heard most of the conversation between the two and it had left her troubled. Her green skin turned a darker shade, as it often did amongst her race when their mood changed.
==========
Piggy exited the interrogation room inside S.P.D.’s small auxiliary station on Earth. He held tight to his heart, glad to be alive after being further grilled by Commander Manx. Piggy was shocked. Kat had always seemed so calm and reserved, even jovial at times. But that meeting had almost caused him a heart attack.
As he headed for the nearest exit, he was glad that he still had a heart. It was difficult for him to justify it after his actions the past few months, but Piggy knew he was left with no choice.
Then again, that was always his excuse, wasn’t it?
Piggy turned a corner and let out a curse, as he saw the four cadets approaching his direction. He had wanted to slip away undetected by anyone else in Space Patrol Delta, but he had no such luck. He almost laughed, as one of the approaching B-Squad members looked to be quite angry.
“Wait until I get my hands on you!” Boom yelled, as his teammates Meg Thurman and Duc Sato attempted to hold him back. “We know what you did to Z...or what you tried to do to Z!”
“Slow down there, Boom. You’re turning blue...and not the way you’re supposed to,” Piggy said, firmly, as he realized that B-Squad had been told the truth about the falsely fallen Yellow Ranger.
“Don’t sass me, Piggy!” Boom said, angrily.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Casey asked Piggy, calmly.
“Outta here,” Piggy said, rolling his eyes at Boom, as he passed the group, who kept pace with him. “I answered all of the questions asked. Your cat showed her claws and I caved. Now, I’m gone!”
“Oh, no you’re not,” Meg said, blocking his path. “We still have some questions for you.”
Piggy sighed. “Oh no. What now?”
“Prax,” Duc said, standing at Piggy’s side. “You know him. How?”
“Where can we find him?” Casey asked at the same time.
“Is he really a criminal?” Boom spoke as well.
“Answer the questions!” Meg yelled.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Piggy said, holding his hands up in protest. “You guys are new at this, aren’t you? You can’t just throw all these questions at me and expect answers!”
“How about I rip every scale off your grimy body?” Meg said, with a nasty smile, as she sneered at Piggy. “Would that work for you?”
After a moment of staring into her eyes, Piggy smiled and pointed at Meg.
“You’re better at this than I thought,” Piggy said.
“Then I guess you better start answering,” Meg said.
Piggy sighed, knowing he wouldn’t be able to get far far away from S.P.D. without leaving B-Squad behind. He pointed to each of the Rangers as he answered their questions.
“How do I know Prax? It’s a long, complicated story. Let’s just say I owe a debt to his boss,” Piggy explained. “Is he a criminal? I can’t prove that he is or isn’t. Where can you find him? I can’t say I know. Are we done now?”
“You’re not telling us everything,” Duc said, knowing Piggy’s own criminal background. “You know more.”
“Look kid, I have to look out for my own hide and trust me. It’s gotten me into enough trouble already. I’m not looking for any more,” Piggy said, as he started to walk away, leaving B-Squad behind.
As he reached the exit, he turned back to the group.
“But...if you want to find Prax, you’re on the wrong side of town,” Piggy said. “He doesn’t often leave the east side.”
With that Piggy was gone. B-Squad would have been disappointed if Piggy hadn’t at least given them a lead. For now, that was all they needed.
==========
“I swear I can’t leave you alone for one minute without you getting into trouble,” Cash Donovan said, with a smirk.
Cash watched as Officer Sonsky pushed Sky into their cell. Cash remained standing in the hall, as Sonsky locked the cell after Sky’s entrance.
“One more outburst, Tate, and I swear you’re going to solitary confinement!” Sonsky said, angrily.
“Get some rest,” Cash said. “I’ll be back once toilet duty is done.”
Sonsky nudged Cash in the back, signaling him to keep moving. Once the two were out of sight, Sky turned his back to the hall and sighed.
“Get some rest,” he repeated Cash’s words. “I don’t even think that’s possible anymore.”
Exhausted from his outburst, Sky slumped into his bottom bunk and laid his head back, hoping that he really could relax. But as his eyes closed, he was bombarded with memories of his past. He relived the moment that Dru was captured.
After the Megazord battle, Sky had gone to the rooftop unmorphed, just as Dru returned to his familiar form. Dru laid on the rooftop, hurt from the battle.
“Old friend…you’re under arrest.”
Sky remembered filing Dru’s containment card himself. It didn’t make sense that he could be free. Sky would never forget the day he captured Mirloc and avenged his father. It was also the first time he had ever morphed into the Red Ranger.
Calling on the battlizer’s cyber mode, Sky stood tall before Mirloc, using all of the battlizer sword’s power to take Mirloc down in a barrage of sparks, leaving him carded.
“I will escape again!” Mirloc yelled from inside the card.
He was certain that Mirloc was unable to escape the containment facility he had been sent to on Verinox 12, a planet with no sunlight and no possible reflections. Then again, he also thought Dru had been contained for good as well. Clearly, something was going on outside the walls of the Myers Detention Facility and it had Sky now worrying for the safety of his friends on Earth.
Deep in thought, Sky barely heard the clanking sound of the cell door opening and closing. He smirked, as he heard the key locking the cell after Cash’s entrance.
“Back so soon?” Sky said, as he heard the footsteps getting closer.
“And here I thought my return was long overdue!”
Sky’s eyes popped open to see the slender alien form of Sinuku standing over him. Sky jumped from his bed, as Sinuku’s sword came plunging down on the mattress. Sky fell to the hard concrete floor, as Sinuku set his sights on him again, lunging forward. Sky hopped to his feet, ducking Sinuku’s swipe. He landed a swift kick to Sinuku’s chest, causing him to stagger backwards a bit, but it did little damage, as Sinuku was back on top of him quickly.
This was a horrible time to be without his genetic power, Sky thought, wishing that each punch he tried to take at Sinuku was finished off with a genetic force field. His wish never came true. Sky attempted another kick, but this time Sinuku caught hold of Sky’s leg, using it to slam Sky against a wall of the cell. Sinuku grabbed Sky by the throat, pressing him even harder into the concrete.
“Now, isn’t this fun?” Sinuku said, face-to-face with Sky.
“Could be better,” Sky grunted.
“Oh it will be!” Sinuku yelled, as he tossed Sky into the desk in the corner, breaking the wooden table, as he crashed into it.
Sky was knocked out from the impact, as Morgana appeared in the hallway, still wearing her security uniform. She unlocked the cell door and opened it, gesturing for someone in the shadows to enter. It was Wootox. The criminal stepped inside the cell, as Sinuku stepped aside. Wootox picked up Sky’s body from the wooden pile of broken desk pieces. He touched Sky’s head to the glowing gold diamond on his forehead, transferring his essence into Sky’s body and taking Sky’s into his own. Within one second, it was Wootox’s body that collapsed, as Sky’s body stood tall, grinning evilly.
“It’s done,” he said, as he looked down on his own alien body.
Morgana giggled happily, as Sinuku picked up Wootox’s groggy body, which was now home to Sky Tate. He walked the monster out of the cell. As Morgana closed and locked the cell door, Wootox, now in Sky’s body, walked over to her, still grinning.
“Have fun!” Morgana sneered, with a smile of her own before walking off behind Sinuku.
After they were gone from the hallway, Wootox let out a loud maniacal laugh, causing Sky’s voice to go echoing through the corridor.
==========
“What happened to him?” Sam asked, shocked to see Cruger return with Hawk’s body in his arms.
Cruger shuffled into Sevarus’ room, which also carried most of his medical equipment that wasn’t being used in Isinia’s area of the bunker. Sevarus and Sam were right behind him.
“I can’t be certain,” Cruger answered Sam, as he laid Hawk in the doctor’s bed and kept moving. “Take care of him,” Cruger said to Sevarus as he walked back into the hallway, crossing into his shared room with his wife.
Isinia watched Cruger closely, as he entered, heading for his own bag of belongings he had brought to Sirius. Sam was on Cruger’s tail.
“Anubis, what’s going on?” Isinia asked.
“I think we have company,” Cruger said. “Hawk was attacked and that explosion we heard was our shuttle going up in smoke.”
“Oh no,” Isinia said. “Is Hawk all right?”
“Shivan’s working on him,” Cruger said, as he rifled through his bag until he found what he was looking for.
Sam watched as Cruger’s hand pulled his patrol morpher from the bag. He watched Cruger walk over to Isinia’s bed and kiss her forehead.
“I have to go,” Cruger told her.
Isinia closed her eyes somberly and nodded her head. Cruger headed for the doorway, stopping at the double crib that they had brought with them to the planet. Inside were his two offspring, both sound asleep. Cruger almost touched them, but they looked to precious to disturb. He said a silent goodbye and walked through the doorway, heading for the bunker exit. Sam was right behind him.
“I’m going with you!”
“No,” Cruger said, quickly, as he reached the exit.
“But, I can help!” Sam said, desperately.
Cruger let out a deep sigh, as he turned to Sam.
“If you want to help me, then you’ll stay here,” Cruger said, as he glanced down at the teen. “Sam, I believe there is a great evil from my past out there. If that’s true, then I need my family to be protected. You can do that for me. If anyone other than me comes through this door, you have to use your power to get my family as far away as possible. Please. You may be the only person that can protect what is most dear to me.”
Sam took a deep breath.
“Okay,” Sam said, as he watched Cruger turn back to the exit and open the large metal door. “Sir, good luck.”
Cruger nodded to Sam and shut the door, which Sam locked via the control panel next to it. He turned his back on the door, hoping that Cruger could take care of the great evil out there. Sam wanted so much to disobey, but Cruger’s plea for him to stay with Isinia and the pups was something Sam couldn’t turn his back on.
==========
Twenty-eight miles away from Newtech City was the center of affluence. Wealthy families who didn’t want to deal with the hustle and bustle of city life usually moved away from Newtech City and took up residence in Lincoln Grove. As Syd pulled her car into a small side street and parked, she took a deep breath looking over at her partner, Z Delgado who was glancing at the one-level structure around the corner adjacent to the street.
“The rich folks in this town may not want these kids, but they sure do pay to protect them,” Z said, as she pointed to the chain-link fence with barbed-wire rings around the very top.
“Not all of them,” Syd said, with a sigh. “One couple wants Anna. I have to see her first. Mrs. Bradshaw sounded like the adoption was going through really quickly. I hope I’m not too late. If Anna’s gone, she may have taken some important evidence along with her.”
“You ready?” Z asked.
“As long as you keep the security out front occupied, I’ll be fine,” Syd said, with a smile.
“You got it,” Z said, with a wink. “Be careful in there. If you get arrested, I’ll have to pretend I don’t know you.”
“Very funny,” Syd said, as she exited the vehicle and began walking towards the rear of the building.
At the front of the group home, near the security entrance, the tall guard stood with a handheld radio, as the driver of an arriving black car showed the man identification. He verified the driver’s clearance and buzzed her through.
Victoria Shaw drove her car up to the front entrance of the group home, where the aging social worker, Angela Bradshaw waited on the front stairs, with a beaming smile. She took pride in her work and finding the Shaw family was one of her best achievements. She descended the stairs, as Victoria Shaw exited her vehicle, looking perfectly placed. Her dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she wore a simple black sweater and matching skirt. She removed her sunglasses and shook the elder woman’s hand.
“It’s so good to see you, Mrs. Bradshaw,” Victoria said.
“It’s always a pleasure, Mrs. Shaw,” Mrs. Bradshaw said, as she looked a bit surprised. “But where’s your husband today? I thought for sure you two were going to pick up Anna together.”
“Unfortunately, he was got busy with work,” Victoria said. “But trust me. He’s never too busy for his family. This isn’t a usual thing.”
“Oh, don’t worry,” Mrs. Bradshaw said. “The interview process is over. You’ve bowled everyone over with your background and your charity work and clearly your love of children.”
“Then I guess we should go inside,” Victoria said, with a bubbly smile. “I can’t wait to get Anna home.”
The two entered the group home. As the doors to the facility closed, the guard at the entrance gate turned back to the street, keeping his eye out for any newcomers, just as one arrived...on foot.
He smiled, admiring her beauty. The form-fitting outfit she wore showed off all her curves. He was always a sucker for a latin beauty.
“What can I do for you, ma’am?” he asked Z Delgado.
“Ma’am?” Z said, with a smirk. “Come on. Do I really look like a ma’am to you?”
“It’s protocol to greet all visitors as sir or ma’am,” the guard responded. “No matter how young...and pretty they are.”
“Well you’re back in my good graces after that compliment...” Z said, as she read his nametag. “Bobby.”
“Are you here to see someone?” Bobby asked.
“Actually, I’m with Space Patrol Delta,” Z said, as she pulled out her badge, quickly flashing it.
“Wow, really?”
“You’re surprised?”
“Whenever I think of Space Patrol Delta, I usually picture giant talking dogs and bears and such,” Bobby said. “We don’t get much S.P.D. attention around these parts.”
“Well, we’re thinking of expanding. You wouldn’t believe how many aliens come to Earth and end up with just as many problems as us humans. That leaves quite a few alien youngsters without homes,” Z said, faking sadness.
“So, you’re here for a tour?” Bobby guessed. “I’ll call inside and let them know.”
As Bobby grabbed his radio, Z touched his hand, stopping him from activating it.
“Actually, I’d like to ask you some questions first,” she said, flirting with him. “About the security setup. Nothing invasive or confidential. Just a few procedural questions.”
“I’ll try to answer as best as I can, but we do keep most details private,” Bobby said.
“I’m sure you’ll be perfect help,” Z said, with a smile.
As she worked her magic with Bobby, Syd found herself climbing the fence at the rear of the building, near the group home’s vacant playground. As she got closer to the top of the fence, where the barbed wire was attached, she grabbed tight to the steel fence.
She mentally activated her genetic power, causing her hands to turn to steel almost completely, as she touched the barbed wire using her wait to hop to the other side. By the time her feet hit the grass, her hands had returned to their normal appearance. She took a deep breath, glad to know that her entrance went undetected.
“Well, hello there!”
Syd turned quickly, hearing the young voice call to her. She was taken aback because the voice sounded a bit sleazy and she turned to see it belonged to a boy who looked no older than twelve years old.
“Well, hello,” Syd said with a smile. “What are you doing out here by yourself?”
“Taking a smoke!” he said, with a smirk. “What about you, honey?”
“Honey,” Syd said, looking disgusted. “How old are you?”
“I’ll be thirteen in a week. How old are you?”
Syd smiled, as she leaned over a bit to face him better.
“Didn’t your mother ever tell you it’s impolite to ask a woman her age?”
“My mother tried to drown me when I was three!”
Syd felt a little sorry for the kid after hearing that. Her demeanor completely changed, until she heard the boy laughing.
“You totally bought that!” he said, sarcastically. “Tell me you’re a social worker, please?”
“Okay, kid. Listen up!” Syd said, getting more annoyed by the second. “I’m looking for someone and I need to get in that building to find her.”
“Oh, some girl-on-girl action,” he said, with a big grin. “Sounds good.”
“Can you stop with the whole sleaze bag thing? It’s not working for you,” Syd said, as she reached into her pocket. “Now, how much is it going to cost me to get in that building without anyone else seeing me. I need to find a girl named Anna Storm.”
The kid stroked his chin, as he thought over her proposition.
“Hmm, I know where Anna’s room is,” he said. “I might even be able to show you, but you can’t pay me with cash...too traceable. How bought you show me the goods?”
“The goods?” Syd said, looking confused.
“I want full-on bra action,” he said, causing Syd to look disgusted.
“No way!” Syd said.
“No flash, no pass,” he said, as he crossed his arms. “Clock’s tickin’ too. They’re gonna notice I’m gone soon and when they find me with you, I have a feeling you’ll be in more trouble than me.”
Thirty seconds later, Syd found herself inside the group home, headed for Anna’s room. However, her pint-sized guide was little help, as he still seemed mesmerized by the flash of flesh that she had given him outside. She continued on her way, determined to find the child she was actually looking for.
==========
Inside the Myers Detention Facility, Officer Sonsky led Cash Donovan back to his cell, promptly locking him inside. Cash groaned, as he unzipped his red jumpsuit a bit. He saw Sky lying on his bunk and wondered if he was asleep. Cash was ready to relax himself and that meant getting out of his uncomfortable shoes.
But, as he walked over to the desk to use the chair, he noticed the wreckage of the table.
“What the—? Sky, what happened to my desk?” Cash said, looking shocked.
At that moment, he heard Sky laughing under his breath.
“You think this is funny?” Cash said. “I’m starting to think you have gone crazy. When Sonsky sees this, you’re gonna be in big trouble.”
Cash watched as Sky stood up from his bed and walked closer to him. His eyes looked dark, heavy, even in the dim lighting. When Sky grinned at Cash strangely, it caught him off-guard even more.
“Sky? Are you all right? Are you high?”
“You have no idea,” Sky said, darkly. His tone was low, almost giddy.
“Well, I hope breaking my desk helped you blow off some steam, because you’re gonna fix it!” Cash said, as he started to walk away, but Sky grabbed his arm, tightly.
“How about I fix you!?”
Wootox, in Sky’s body, whipped Cash around by the arm, slamming him into the bars of the cell. Cash winced in pain, as his back connected with the metal bars. Wootox brought Sky’s hand up to Cash’s throat, clenching it, as he began to lift Cash off the ground. Cash banged his shoes against the bars of the cell, as he tried to push Sky away.
“Fine...forget...about the...desk,” Cash said, through gritted teeth, as he struggled for air.
He was more terrified to see that Sky looked to clearly be enjoying himself, as he squeezed Cash’s neck even tighter.
“Tate!” Sonsky yelled, as he ran up the cave, alerted by Cash’s thrashing. “Tate, let him go!”
Sonsky quickly unlocked the cell and tackled Sky to the floor of the cell, as Cash fell there himself, gasping for air. Sky didn’t try to struggle with Sonsky. He simply allowed the guard to over-power him and pull him to his feet. Sonsky looked around at the wreck inside the cell and he shook his head.
“That’s it!” Sonsky yelled. “You’re gone! I’m taking you to solitary!”
Sonsky pulled Sky out of the cell, as he continued to smile, glancing back at Cash.
“Too bad,” Wootox commented, using Sky’s voice. “I wasn’t finished killing him!”
Cash watched intently, as Sonsky took Sky away, laughing all the way down the hallway. Cash gently rubbed his throat, catching his breath, wondering what exactly had just happened.
==========
Back in Newtech City, B-Squad found themselves walking the streets of the east side of town, looking for a proverbial needle in a haystack.
“Eastern Newtech...a hive for criminals,” Boom said. “I feel dirty just being out here.”
“Don’t forget the general scum, losers and alien outcasts,” Meg Thurman added, as she walked beside him.
A few steps ahead, Casey Parker, B-Squad’s Green Ranger, was walking alongside Duc Sato, who seemed unfazed by the thick stench of evil that exuded from this part of the city. She knew it was because he was dedicated to finding who killed his parents. It was a lifelong mystery that had haunted her friend to his very core. He wanted to bring honor to his family by bringing their murderer to justice.
“We can’t stay out here forever,” she said, knowing she had to mention it.
“I know,” Duc said, quietly, as his eyes continued to scan seemingly every corner of the street.
Meg & Boom caught up to the two, as they approached a corner.
“I hate to say it, but this is hopeless,” Boom said. “Besides, we don’t even know if Piggy was telling the truth.”
“I hate to agree with Boom, but he’s right,” Meg said. “We have no plan. It’s not like Prax is just gonna appear out of nowhere.”
As the quartet of cadets turned the corner, that was exactly what they saw. They all stopped in their tracks, as they saw Prax a few feet away, leaning against a building, smoking a cigar. He didn’t seem to care that ash from the cigar was dripping onto his white pants.
“You had to say it,” Casey said to Meg.
“I’m so glad you did,” Duc said, with a smile. “Hey! Prax!”
The green alien creature turned as he saw B-Squad. He almost pretended that he didn’t expect them, but he had. Prax had been watching the group for several miles now and had chosen this moment, this place to make his presence known.
“B-Squad,” Prax said, his voice calm and steady. “You’ve found me.”
“Why did you run away the last time?” Duc asked. “I thought you had information about my parents. You should have known I wouldn’t give up on finding it.”
“I have to say I underestimated you,” Prax said.
“You’ve got a lot of questions to answer,” Casey said.
Two members of B-Squad seemed to agree with her, looking forward to questioning him about his strange behavior. Duc, however, was not one of them. There was only one question he wanted Prax to answer.
“My parents...did you kill them?” Duc asked, causing Prax to back up a step in surprise. “We found your arrest record. I know you’re not a concerned citizen. Just tell me the truth, finally!”
“I do know the truth,” Prax said, as stared at them. “But it’s not going to give you what you want.”
“Don’t try to confuse us with your riddles!” Boom yelled out, as he appeared a bit confused.
“What are you trying to say?” Duc yelled to him. “Did you kill my parents?”
“No,” Prax said simply. “But I know who did.”
As silence covered the area, the members of B-Squad exchanged curious glances. Then, Meg’s glance turned to anger, as she looked at Prax, not believing him.
“Then, who did?” she yelled.
Prax slowly raised an accusatory finger towards B-Squad, once again confusing them.
“He did!” Prax screamed.
At that moment, a bomb exploded only a few feet away from B-Squad, sending them all flying into the air and crashing to the ground. As they choked on the smoke and ash of the fried concrete around them, they look up in the direction of the explosion. It was then that the person Prax had pointed to emerged. He had been standing behind B-Squad the entire time, waiting for his moment to strike. As Blaze stepped through the dark black smoke, he became visible to the cadets, who were all shocked at who they saw.
“You,” Duc said, remembering Blaze’s face from their trip to Fernovia.
He was the leader of the terrorists who had been bombing that planet for months. Duc couldn’t believe that he had faced down his parents’ killer before and so far away from Earth.
“Blaze!” Boom grunted, remembering his name.
“It can’t be,” Casey said, holding her hurt arm.
Then, they heard Prax’s laughter, as he stepped up beside Blaze.
“You killed my parents,” Duc said, staring a hole through Blaze.
“Yes!” Blaze said, giving him an evil grin. “I enjoyed it too!”
“It’s true, cadets,” Prax said. “The Sato’s killer is Blaze...my good friend!”
“You tricked us!” Meg shouted in anger.
“Actually this is merely a prelude,” Prax said. “The real party will soon start and I guarantee it will be much bigger than this!”
“What are you talking about?” Boom asked.
Inside S.P.D.’s auxiliary Earth station, Commander Kat Manx was seated at her desk, going over B-Squad’s last patrol report, oblivious to what the squad was currently embroiled in. Then, the doors to Command Central slid open and Dr. Pryce Jensen walked in. As he passed Ghiren & Niyako at their stations, the two aliens glanced across at each other, giving their silent opinions about the tension in the room, which rose dramatically in an instant.
Kat looked up at him, with daggers in her eyes. Pryce, however, looked somber, full of remorse. He knew that his actions with the Delta X project had not only got him in trouble with his commanding officer, but it had ruined any progress he had made with Kat since his arrival on Earth.
“I’m sorry,” Pryce said simply.
“What can I do for you today, Doctor?” Kat said, as her eyes returned to her work.
“You can talk to me,” Pryce said, as he approached her desk.
He appeared a bit uncomfortable, as he glanced back and saw Ghiren & Niyako were present.
“Maybe in private?” he said to Kat.
“I have work to do,” Kat said, still refusing to look at him. “Don’t you have robots to get back to?”
“Kat, please. I made a mistake and I’m sorry I disobeyed you, but I’m a scientist first and I couldn’t resist the huge opportunity that was right in front of me. X-Squad could be the biggest advancement in S.P.D. technology in years. I didn’t think it would hurt anything to explore the future,” Pryce said. “I can’t believe that a fellow scientist wouldn’t feel the same way.”
“A fellow scientist might have informed her commanding officer...or asked permission,” Kat said, angrily, as her eyes finally veered to him. “But you couldn’t do that, could you? Because you knew I disagreed with the entire project from the start! You deliberately kept this from me to avoid dealing with authority. I should strip you of your position for insubordination.”
Kat took her eyes back off of him, then began to chuckle under her breath.
“I can’t believe I actually thought you wanted to resign,” she said. “You really had me fooled.”
“Kat, it’s not like that, I swear,” Pryce said. “I managed to fix the bugs in X-Squad’s programming and I think they can do some good, whether you do or not. I’m sorry for disobeying your order, but I’m not sorry for having my own opinions and beliefs.”
Kat was prepared to lash out again, when she heard an alert coming from Ghiren’s tracking station.
“Commander!” he called out, causing her to stand immediately. “I’ve been tracking B-Squad as you ordered. I think they’re in trouble!”
Kat walked over to Ghiren’s station, where they glanced at a monitor, showing B-Squad laying on the ground, struggling to their feet at the hands of Prax and Blaze.
“What is going on?” Kat said, looking confused. “Where are they?”
“The east side of Newtech City,” Ghiren, said, sounding surprised himself.
“What would they be doing there?” Pryce wondered aloud, as he walked over to the two.
“Possibly ruining a major investigation,” Kat said, annoyed, as she knew exactly who Prax was and his connection to the Barrett Van Tigue case.
“Shouldn’t we send Bridge & the senior Rangers?” Pryce said.
“They already left for Tokyo on assignment,” Kat said, as she stared into the monitor at B-Squad.
Back on the east side of town, the four members of B-Squad had almost gotten to their feet. Prax continued to laugh as he watched them nearby, still standing next to Blaze.
“I think that was one of my best bombs,” Blaze said. “Your plan worked like a charm.”
“Oh, this is just the beginning,” Prax said.
“You keep saying that!” Boom yelled. “What are you up to?”
“I can’t reveal all my secrets right now, B-Squad,” Prax said. “But I can assure you all that you figure prominently into my boss’s plans, as does Newtech City. Soon, you will all find yourselves bowing to a new force in town.”
“I can’t wait,” Blaze said, locking eyes with Duc, whose silence said more about his anger than any words could.
“Who says you’ll have time to execute anything,” Meg said, as she looked to her teammates. “We still outnumber you.”
“Not for long!” Prax said, letting out an ominous cackle of laughter.
“Let’s take this scum down! Ready, guys?” Casey yelled, grabbing her morpher.
The others followed suit, grabbing their morphers.
“We’re so scared!” Blaze said. “You saw what I could do, even when you were morphed on Fernovia.”
“This ain’t Fernovia!” Duc said, fuming. “Ready!”
“S.P.D. Emergenc—“
Before they could finish their morphing call, their morphers sounded with an incoming transmission. Boom flipped his open.
“Go ahead,” he said.
“B-Squad, return to Command Central, immediately,” Niyako’s calm female voice spoke through the device.
“What?” Meg said, looking shocked.
“Commander Manx has ordered you to stand down,” Niyako said.
The cadets looked up at their foes again, as they heard Prax again letting out a hearty laugh.
“You’re on a short leash, I see,” Prax said. “It’s no matter. Your day of reckoning is coming soon. Tell your Commander Manx that Space Patrol Delta will be no match for the future!”
B-Squad stood in fury, as they were forced to watch Prax and Blaze walk away. Duc fell to his knees, as every once of his being wanted to go after the cyborg that had confessed to killing his parents. He had balled his hands so tight into fists that he could feel his nails slicing into his skin. A small tear fell from his eye, as he continued to stare until Blaze was out of his line of sight.
==========
“Thank you all for coming,” Alaina Doherty addressed the other five members of the Galactic Council.
They were all seated in the living room of her very large apartment inside Karovian Towers on Andruss III. She had made sure they were comfortable and supplied with beverages. Alaina Doherty’s apartment could be classified as a penthouse, but most apartments in the upscale complex were. As she sat in her favorite chair, which she had set up between two black couches, she glanced at her invited guests.
Seated on the couch nearest the door was Delphine and Trecineas. On the opposite side of the coffee table, Urgundii and Karina Kevlar were seated. Standing behind them, leaning over the back of the couch was Pheon, who had chosen to stand, as he pondered his own issues.
“Alaina,” Delphine spoke up first, after taking a sip of the glass of water in her hand. “You were quite cryptic in your call to me earlier. Why are we here?”
“I felt it was necessary for us to meet in an informal setting,” Alaina said. “I can’t speak for everyone, but I’m deeply concerned about the recent decisions that this council has made.”
“That is a disappointing thing to hear,” Representative Kevlar of Divalia spoke. “We all have made our opinions heard. It is rare for one of our own to question a vote.”
“You are clearly upset over what has occurred on Earth. We all sympathize,” Urgundii said, nervously. “But, that is no reason to start doubting the Council.”
“I don’t doubt this Council,” Alaina said. “I doubt our President. That is why I’ve called you all here.”
“Cali?” Delphine said, curiously.
“Yes. He has been leading us in this direction for some time, where Earth is concerned,” Alaina explained, seriously. “My faith is wavering in his leadership.”
“What’s your basis for losing faith?” Karina said.
“I have to ask the same question,” Trecineas spoke up for the first time. “Everyone here knows that Cali and I rarely see eye-to-eye, but his people have always been known for their commanding presence. I mean three previous Octarians have been Council President. He’s been a little overbearing lately but I don’t see any reason to start chatting behind his back.”
“I do!” Pheon said, annoyed.
“Pheon?” Alaina said, curious as to what her colleague had seemed on-edge about.
“Look, I guess I should tell you all now, since this has some bearing on the current status of things on the Council,” Pheon started. “I’m contemplating resigning as the Barconian’s representative on the Galactic Council.”
Gasps were heard from the other members of the Council, as they digested the Lynx native’s words.
“Pheon, you can’t leave,” Delphine said, disappointed.
“Why?” Trecineas said, mirroring Delphine’s shock. “We’re finally starting to get through to the Barconians.”
“But we aren’t!” Pheon said. “And I have a feeling that Cali is part of the reason.”
“This is a surprise,” Doherty said, not expecting to find an ally so soon.
“What are you basing this on?” Representative Kevlar spoke, always looking for facts.
“I was doing my routine communications verification with my liaison on Barconia. He sent me several dates and times that didn’t match up with my records. I checked it out and I wasn’t the one who called Barconia on at least a dozen occasions. The communications all came from the President’s office,” Pheon explained.
“Are you sure?” Delphine asked.
“Yes. I recognized Cali’s frequency code immediately,” Pheon said. “The fact that the Barconians are unbending in our efforts to mend their fences with the Triforians has me worried even more. Why would Cali be going behind my back to talk to the Barconians? If they want to deal with Cali directly, then there’s no need for me or my job.”
“I don’t want you to make a rash decision, my friend,” Trecineas said.
“I’m starting to feel worthless,” Pheon said, annoyed.
“I can understand that,” Alaina chimed in. “I’m also feeling like my position on the Council is becoming more meaningless by the day. Our President’s job is not to take control of major decisions.”
“Who’s taking control?” Kevlar spoke. “We’re the ones having secret meetings without informing him. Where’s the fairness in that?”
“Yes,” Urgundii agreed. “I agree Cali has taken extra interest lately, but I think it’s because he’s concerned with how the Council looks to the outside world. We’re charged with so many important decisions. Just before the vote to close S.P.D. Earth, he told us as much.”
“What?” Alaina said, looking suspicious.
“So you’re saying that the three of you were actually discussing the upcoming vote that we had no idea Cali was proposing?” Trecineas said, glancing at Kevlar and Urgundii.
“Well...” Urgundii spoke, a bit more nervously. “The president just wanted to make sure we were keeping ourselves aware of the full picture.”
Alaina let out a disappointing sigh.
“This is just the behavior I’m talking about. It’s not Cali’s job to campaign for support of his goals,” Alaina said, troubled. “I just want us all to be sure that we’re making decisions based on our convictions and not being swayed by anyone to change them.”
==========
Inside the bunker on Sirius, Sam Hastings paced in the hallway, glancing periodically at the entrance door, wondering when it would open again. As he slowly walked past Isinia’s room, she saw him, as she lay in her bed.
“Sam,” she called out.
Sam stopped in his tracks and peeked into the room.
“I think the pups are a little restless,” Isinia said. “Would you hand them to me? I’m still a little weak.”
“Okay,” Sam said, as he walked over to the crib and saw the two were awake.
He lifted the female first, slowly, handing her to Isinia. As he went back for the other, he smirked.
“Did you and Commander Cruger decide on names?” Sam wondered. “I mean, we can’t keep calling them pups, can we?”
“No, I guess you’re right,” Isinia said, as she took her son from Sam’s arms.
He stood beside Isinia’s bed, watching her cradle both in her arms.
“Anubis and I didn’t settle on names. We didn’t know if we were getting boys or girls,” Isinia explained. “Doggie mentioned wanting to name his son Pareis. That was his father’s name.”
“Oh, were they close?” Sam asked.
“No!” Isinia said quickly. “They hardly ever got along once Doggie matured. His father wanted him to become a tailor, like he was.”
“A tailor?” Sam said, trying to hold back a chuckle. “I can’t really imagine Doggie sewing pants.”
“Neither could I,” Isinia whispered. “It caused quite a rift. His father was not one for violence and he saw Doggie’s aspirations for service as throwing away a prosperous future. It’s really surprising that Doggie was the last Sirian standing.”
“So, you’re going to name him Pareis?”
“You know, I don’t think I will,” Isinia said, nodding. “I always loved Doggie for sticking to his convictions and following his own dreams. He was always so independent. I hope his son gains those qualities. In fact, I can think of no one better to name him after than his father.”
Isinia smiled, as she saw her son gripping tight to her finger.
“Anubis Cruger Junior,” Isinia announced.
“Cool,” Sam said. “But what about her?”
“I don’t know,” Isinia said, with a sigh. “She’s been so full of life. She doesn’t seem to fit any of the traditional female names: Ishtara, Isary, Ismay—“
“All the traditional girls’ names start with ‘I’?” Sam said, curiously.
“Yes,” Isinia said. “Just like all male Sirian names end in ‘I’ and ‘S’, all female names begin with ‘I’ and ‘S’.”
“Wow, I never knew that,” Sam said.
“That’s probably because you’ve only met two of us,” Isinia said, with a chuckle.
“Kinda ironic too,” Sam said. “My mom’s name was Isabelle.”
“Isabelle?” Isinia said. “That’s a pretty name.”
“She never did anything particularly heroic though,” Sam said. “She was just an ordinary mom.”
“She brought you into the world,” Isinia said, nudging his arm. “That’s pretty spectacular. I like it. Would you mind?”
“No. I guess not,” Sam said. “But, it’s not very Sirian, is it?”
“Maybe I can make it a little more...unique,” Isinia said, as she pointed to a desk nearby. “Hand me that pad.”
Sam grabbed the small LCD pad, handing it to Isinia.
“How did your mother spell her name?” Isinia asked.
As Sam called out the letters, Isinia input them on the small electronic device.
ISABELLE
“Hmm,” Isinia said, as she began to fiddle with the letters. “How about this?”
ISOBEL
“Isobel,” Sam read. “I like it.”
“Anubis and Isobel,” Isinia said, as she faced her children, introducing them to their names. “I think it fits.”
“A.J. and Izzy,” Sam said, with a smirk. “Definitely sounds like Sirians I’d hang out with.”
Isinia laughed at his nicknames.
“I just hope Anubis likes them,” Isinia said, with a sigh.
The mention of Cruger’s name caused the tension to rise in the room. Sam & Isinia both found themselves silenced, as their thoughts veered to Cruger, leaving behind only the soft cooing of the newborns.
Outside the bunker, Cruger trotted towards the shuttle, carrying a small fire extinguisher. As he began to put out the flames of his shuttle, his eyes seemed mesmerized by the flames and the smoke. He was once again taken back to the final battle of Sirius, unable to shake the memory from his mind. The Krybots were once again on top of him, as he clawed for life. He had lost sight of his wife, until he heard her screams, followed by the devious laughter of Benaag.
“Heh heh heh.”
Cruger blinked, as he realized the final cackle wasn’t a memory. Like earlier, it seemed to be coming from the present. He stopped the extinguisher, dropping it, as his Sirian senses alerted him to grave danger. Even now, he remembered the stench of Benaag’s presence. He turned, but it was too late, as he met with a slashing claw attack from Benaag, which sent Cruger spinning into the air and crashing to the ground, before he could even grab his Shadow Saber.
“We meet again, Cruger!” Benaag yelled, furiously. “But this time, I guarantee you won’t see the same result!”
Benaag’s laughter seemed to get louder, as it penetrated Cruger’s brain, echoing into the dark recesses of his mind.
==========
In the office of social worker, Angela Bradshaw, the woman sat behind her desk, pulling up the records on Anna Storm and the Shaw family who wanted to adopt her. As she glanced across her desk at Victoria Shaw, Mrs. Bradshaw couldn’t help chuckling.
“What is it?” Victoria said, with a smile.
“I don’t know,” Mrs. Bradshaw said. “You and I have met on several occasions, but I just can’t shake this feeling that I’ve seen you somewhere else. I know you and your husband are living in Newtech City and I don’t really get into the city often.”
“It’s true,” Victoria Shaw responded. “Newtech City can be a bit crowded. Actually, we’ve been thinking of getting a place closer to Lincoln Grove, especially if Anna’s made friends here. We want to move the adoption through quickly, but we still want to help her make the transition smoothly.”
“I think that’s wonderful,” Mrs. Bradshaw said, beaming. “Everything I’ve learned about you and your husband, Barry, has led me to believe that you will be perfect parents.”
On the other side of the desk, Victoria Shaw smiled widely, accepting Mrs. Bradshaw’s compliment. After all, it meant that her ruse had been set up perfectly. She couldn’t wait for it to be done, however. Hearing the name ‘Victoria Shaw’ was beginning to annoy her. She always felt much more comfortable being called...Lady Vishus.
Anna Storm sat on her bed, with her knees pulled up to her chin. As usual she was sad, as she glanced around her room at all of the gifts that her mother had given to her over the years. It hit Anna that she wouldn’t be receiving anything else from her mother. She had been sitting in the bed ever since, trying to cry, but unable to find any tears left.
At that moment, she heard a knock at her door. She walked over and opened it, shocked at who she saw. Syd scurried into the room quickly before anyone could see her. Anna smiled.
“Syren!”
“Hi Anna, glad to see you again. Do you mind if I visit for a while?” Syd said, with a smile.
“Um, where’s Mrs. Bradshaw?” Anna asked. “She doesn’t usually allow visitors in our rooms.”
“Well, this is a special visit,” Syd said, deciding to level with the girl, who was approaching her teen years. “Mrs. Bradshaw doesn’t know that I’m here. Anna, I have to ask you some things about your mom. Can you help me?”
“What about my mom?”
“Did she call you the day that she died?” Syd said, realizing how difficult the question might be.
“No,” Anna said, sadly. “I hadn’t talked to her in a day or so. I thought she had called, but she hadn’t.”
“What do you mean, you thought she called?”
“I had been out having dinner,” Anna said. “I don’t carry the cellphone she gave me out in public. She said I shouldn’t show it to anyone. So, when I came back, I saw that her number had called. I must have missed her.”
“Do you mind if I take a look at your phone?” Syd asked.
“Okay,” Anna said, as she went over to her bed and reached into her pillowcase, grabbing the device. “The battery’s getting kinda low. I figured there was no reason to charge it anymore...since mom can’t call.”
Syd activated the phone and noticed the battery was getting low. She pressed a few buttons, until she found what she was looking for and smiled.
“This is it!”
“What?” Anna said, as she glanced at the phone’s screen.
“Your mom...she emailed you pictures,” Syd said, as she squinted, trying to make out what was in them.
“Pictures of what? Her?” Anna asked, curiously.
“Um, I’m not sure,” Syd said, as she could tell that there was some kind of writing there. “I need to take this with me. It’s really important.”
Syd knew she had to get the phone back to S.P.D. for the pictures to be downloaded and analyzed.
“Go ahead,” Anna said, somberly. “I don’t have much use for it.”
Syd headed for the door and couldn’t help looking back at the twelve-year old. She felt horrible leaving her there. She saw Anna walk quietly over to her bed and sit back down. Syd felt a little better when she saw the drawings on Anna’s wall, showing what appeared to be several children playing on a playground similar to the one outside. Something else in the picture caught her eye.
She walked slowly over to the wall, as her eyes zoomed in on the letters written in the corner of the paper.
“Nova,” she said, reading the word. “Anna, did you draw this?”
“Yeah,” Anna said. “It’s kind of a nickname. I’m really good at astronomy. I even won a contest and got to name a star. I named it after my mom. The other kids thought it was kinda funny and they started calling me Nova after that. It’s kinda geeky, I know.”
As Syd stared at the picture, her mind began to race, as she started to put together pieces of a futuristic puzzle that was starting to dawn on her. She did the math in her head. Sam was barely a year older than Anna...it couldn’t be. She wanted to think it was a coincidence, but the future didn’t lie. She had never learned the Nova Ranger’s name, but if this was her, then Syd knew she had a much bigger problem than she came in with.
==========
As Sky awoke, he felt a pounding headache practically shaking his entire body. As he regained his bearings, he realized that it wasn’t actually his body he was feeling. Still on the ground, he began to touch himself, realizing that in fact he was in someone else’s body. When he realized it still felt familiar, it came to him.
“Wootox,” he grunted, as he made his way to his feet.
“I’m sorry. Wootox is unavailable right now, but I’d be glad to give him a message for you!”
Sky turned quickly, seeing Slate, another captured criminal, who now appeared free.
“Slate, you’re here too?”
“Oh, I thought you knew,” Slate said, in his sly tone. “I’ve been here all along. Maybe this will help you remember.”
In an instant, Slate transformed himself into Mirloc, causing Sky to jump back, almost bumping into Sinuku, his latest attacker, who pushed him forward.
“Time for round two!” Sinuku yelled, wielding his sword.
“This time it’ll be a team effort!” Dru yelled from Sky’s right. “I still owe you after the shower, old friend!”
Dru transformed himself into his true form, Giganus right before Sky’s eyes. Trapped inside Wootox’s body, Sky saw that the three alien criminals were closing in on him from all sides. When he heard Mirloc’s grunt, he knew the battle had begun.
He blocked Slate/Mirloc’s barrage of punches and kicks, striking back, until Sinuku attacked him from behind, slashing at his back with his sword. Sky fell forward, grunting in pain.
“Be careful,” Mirloc said, devilishly. “We don’t want Wootox to be upset about his body.”
“He’ll get over it!” Giganus grunted, as he picked up Sky, lifting him into the air and tossing him into the sky.
As Wootox’s body began to fall, Giganus called upon his arm blaster, firing on Sky in mid-air. Sky crashed to the asphalt, groaning in pain. As he looked around, he realized where he was. It was the roof of the prison. He had to get back inside. Somehow, he had to alert those inside that he was trapped inside the alien’s body.
He was even more worried, when he realized that if he and Wootox had changed bodies, then he was inside impersonating Sky. He grabbed at his neck, feeling Wootox’s translator was indeed there. The other humans would be able to understand him. He just had to get to them. His adversaries, however, weren’t done yet. All three were stalking close to him. As they got right on top of him, Sky waited for his chance.
Giganus planted his foot down on Sky’s back, pressing him further into the ground. With Slate approaching as Mirloc, laughing evilly, Sinuku drew his sword high into the air, reading to stab down.
“Remember to hit the right spot!” Giganus yelled to Sinuku.
As Sinuku brought the weapon down towards Sky, he used Wootox’s strength to his advantage, knocking Giganus off of him and into Mirloc. Sky sweeped Wootox’s leg around, taking Sinuku off his feet. His sword flew into the air, where Sky caught it, bringing it around for a powerful slashing attack that caught both Giganus and Slate, knocking both monsters backwards in a barrage of sparks. With all three of them down, Sky sprinted towards the entrance to the prison.
He reached the door and opened it, only to bump into the security guard who had been heading in that direction.
“Help,” Sky yelled. “You’ve got to help me! I’m Sky Tate! Those criminals switched my body.”
Sky’s panic had clouded his vision, as he never noticed the woman’s face under the baseball cap. He did, however, recognize the chuckle of laughter coming from her mouth in that moment. She slowly raised her head, giving him a good look at her face.
“Of course they did. I told them to!” Morgana said, laughing boldly.
“Morgana—“ Sky could barely feel the shock sink in when he was stunned by the tazer Morgana had been holding in her hand.
Still trapped in Wootox’s body, Sky collapsed there on the rooftop, with Morgana standing tall over his body.
==========
On Andruss III, Sevarus had almost finished his examination of Officer Hawk. He was now convinced that Hawk might never walk again without several invasive surgeries to replace his damaged parts with cybernetic attachments. Sevarus shook his head, upset at the waste of life.
He heard beeping coming from his mobile communicator and he answered it, already knowing who he was going to be talking to.
“Yes, Mr. President,” Sevarus said.
“Has my package arrived?”
“I believe it has, judging by the way it tore through Officer Hawk,” Sevarus said.
“Good. Then that means Cruger will be next!”
“Cruger?” Sevarus said. “You never said anything about destroying anyone.”
“Well, plans change,” Cali said. “My plans for the future of S.P.D. are being dragged out longer than I anticipated, so Cruger will have to be put out of commission. In fact, I’m ordering you to make sure that none of them leave Sirius...ever!”
“What?” Sevarus said, shocked. “You can’t order me to hurt anyone anymore than I already have!”
“I can order you, doctor,” Cali said, angrily. “Benaag will take care of Cruger, but it will take time. I can’t risk the others making an escape and calling for reinforcements. They will all have to be eliminated! If you refuse, I’ll make certain that Benaag doesn’t leave before finishing you off!”
Cali cut the transmission, which had Dr. Sevarus shaking his head furiously, refusing to ever kill anyone. It was against his oath as a doctor. But now, it was his life on the line. If he didn’t obey Cali, he would be the next to go instead.
Hawk began to stir wildly in his bed. Sevarus rushed to his side, trying to calm him, as Hawk was attached to the oxygen and clearly having some sort of panic attack, as he awoke from his terrible ordeal. Sevarus could only imagine the kind of pain Hawk was in, as he grabbed wildly at Sevarus’ arms.
“It’s all right, Hawk,” Sevarus said. “Just stay calm!”
Just as Hawk was about to raise his palm to Sevarus, the doctor grabbed a syringe of blue fluid from a tiny case inside his medical bag. Sevarus took a deep breath, mustering the courage to carry out Cali’s order. He walked back over to Hawk’s body, as the officer continued to jerk himself around wildly. Sevarus plunged the needle into Hawk’s neck, releasing the poisonous chemical into Hawk’s body. Within seconds, his attempts to move were halted, as the life was drained from his body. Sevarus checked for a pulse.
“What have I done?”
Outside the bunker, Cruger was still down on the ground. He grabbed his Shadow Saber from his waist, but Benaag sent Cruger’s wrist crashing to the ground. The pain of his boot clamped down on Cruger’s wrist forced him to release the Saber from his grip. Benaag reached down, grabbing the Shadow Saber. He tossed it several feet away, where the saber fell, blade-first into the soft ground.
“Sorry, Anubis,” Benaag said. “This fight isn’t going to be like the last. I won’t even let you play fairly and you know me. I never fight fair, just ask Isinia!”
Cruger struggled to get up, but his arm was still at Benaag’s mercy. He laid there hurt, forced to listen to Benaag’s maniacal laughter.
Back in the bunker, Dr. Sevarus found himself standing over Hawk’s dead body, removing the oxygen from him and cursing himself within. At that moment, the doors slid open and Sam walked in, looking concerned, as he saw Sevarus’ face.
“Is he gonna be okay?” Sam said, as he walked closer to the bed.
Caught off-guard, Sevarus began to shift himself around nervously. He shook his head.
“I’m sorry, but Officer Hawk didn’t make it,” Sevarus said.
Sam looked sad, as he walked a bit closer to Hawk’s side, glancing at Hawk’s eyes, which were still open. Sevarus headed for the door.
“I’ll tell Isinia,” Sevarus said, exiting.
Sam shook his head, as he gently raised his hand to Hawk’s face, closing his eyes. Sam was taken back to the day he saw Jack Landors body in the Infirmary back on Earth. He hadn’t gotten the chance to know Hawk, but he had embraced the teen instantly. Just then, Sam caught sight of something strange. He looked at Hawk’s neck and saw a tiny needle mark, with a drop of blue coming from it.
Sam looked confused, as he looked back at the doorway, once again deeply troubled.
==========
“Right this way,” Mrs. Bradshaw said, as she led Victoria Shaw a.k.a. Lady Vishus down the hallway to Anna’s room.
Mrs. Bradshaw smiled, as she opened Anna’s room, without even a knock. Once the door was open, she noticed that the room was empty. Most of Anna’s belongings were gone, along with the girl. Mrs. Bradshaw looked shocked.
“Where is she?!” Vishus yelled.
“I—I don’t understand,” Mrs. Bradshaw said.
Outside the facility, Syd’s car was soon started and on its way, as Z rejoined her. After buckling in, Z glanced over at Syd.
“Did you get what you came for?” she asked.
“...and more,” Syd said, as she nodded towards the backseat.
Z turned and glanced in the back, where she saw Anna asleep on the seat.
“Syd, I hope you know what you’re doing,” Z said.
“Trust me,” Syd said. “There’s a lot of things I’m not sure about in this world, but I think I may have just somehow saved the future.”
Z looked confused, as Syd’s car continued on its way.
==========
The four members of B-Squad quickly headed for Central Command, anticipating a very tense meeting with Commander Kat Manx. They were, however, still reeling from their confrontation with Prax and Blaze and the revelations it brought.
“I can’t believe that Kat called us back,” Meg said. “We could have stopped them!”
“I don’t know why she did it,” Duc said, walking at her side, still seething. “But, I can tell you one thing. The next time I’m face to face with Blaze, I don’t think I’ll be able to stop myself from fighting him.”
“I still can’t believe he’s the same cyborg from Fernovia,” Casey chimed in. “What a freaky coincidence.”
“And what was that Prax said about S.P.D. being no match for the future?” Boom said, still pondering the words.
As they turned the corner and entered Command Central, they saw Commander Kat Manx standing in the center of the room. The four members of B-Squad piled in, all noticing that she was furious. They passed Ghiren & Niyako at their stations, without even a glance. All eyes were on Kat.
“I don’t know what you think you were doing out there,” Kat said. “But you may have just sabotaged a very important top-level investigation. B-Squad, you’ve got some major explaining to do!”
==========
On Andruss III, President Cali’s loyal assistant, Tawke, sat at her desk, as she had for almost all day, pondering the conversation she had stumbled upon between Representatives Doherty and Urgundii. It was troubling to hear the Council members discussing private meetings without the president’s knowledge.
She had finally resigned herself to tell her boss what she had heard. As she entered his large office, she noticed that Cali was not seated at his desk, as he usually was at this hour. Tawke usually had to pry him away from his work to get him to go home most days. As she walked further in, she began to hear whispers, coming from one of the small rooms that connected to Cali’s main office.
As Tawke heard his quiet voice speaking, she walked closer to the door, which led to his private bathroom. Given her large alien ears, she had always possessed excellent hearing. It made her the perfect assistant in the Council Chamber, able to hear all points and arguments to document for the Council.
She pressed her ear to the door and heard Cali speaking.
“Listen to me, Trixx! I know you’re tired of your extended vacation and I’m aware that you want your post back.”
Tawke knew Trixx was the former Commander of the Triforian S.P.D. Station, who had been ousted for commanding Triforia’s Rangers not to answer the Barconian distress call that led to their convoy’s destruction.
“You promised me,” Trixx responded.
His voice was slightly altered, she noticed. It sounded as if Cali must have been talking to him through a transmitting device.
“I always keep my promises, Trixx,” Cali said. “You played your role and once the Council is dissolved, you will be reinstated as Commander on Triforia. You must be patient!”
Tawke appeared shocked and deeply troubled by what she heard, as she crept back out of the office the same way she entered, undetected. Once she got back to her desk, she found herself once again, silently pondering a conversation she was not meant to hear.
==========
Back on Fenix Prime, Wootox found himself being tossed into solitary confinement by Officer Sonsky. The small room was completely black and he couldn’t see much after Sonsky locked the door. Then, a square-shaped beam of light penetrated the small cell, as Sonsky opened the small observation door near the top of the door, to look in on his prisoner.
“Get comfortable, Tate!” Sonsky yelled. “You’re gonna be here for a long, long time!”
Wootox laughed heartily, as he stared at Sonsky.
“You have no idea how wrong you are,” Wootox said.
Back in his cell, Cash was still digesting the situation, as his breathing finally seemed to return to normal. He heard the sound of keys hitting each other in the distance. He walked over to the bars of the cell, not even wanting to imagine what else could be nearby. He hoped Sonsky wasn’t returning with Sky, especially given how strange Sky’s behavior had become. Cash glanced down the hallway and saw Officer Morgan walking by an adjacent corridor, heading towards solitary confinement.
As she passed his cellblock, Cash noticed she was carrying a one of the prison’s kitchen knives, which he saw her tuck into her back pocket. He ducked away from the bars, making sure she didn’t catch sight of him. It was another strange occurrence in Myers Detention Facility on this day. Cash had no idea what was going on. It appeared that everyone around him was going completely nuts.
Morgana entered solitary confinement, nodding to Sonsky, as she approached him.
“What happened?” she asked Sonsky.
“Tate decided to attack his cellmate. I’ve had enough. I think Warden Gaines will agree that this was the best place for S.P.D. boy!” Sonsky reasoned.
“I think you’re right,” Morgana said. “In fact, I can think of no better place.”
She got close to Sonsky, gently rubbing against his chest. He let out a devious smile.
“I think you’re starting to get the hang of things around here,” he said, as he rubbed her arm.
Given that he was almost a foot taller than she was, Morgana guided his head down towards her own. She moved her lips near his ear.
“I think you’re right,” Morgana said, as she reached into her back pocket, grabbing the knife she placed there.
She thrust the weapon into Sonsky’s chest, at just the right angle and position to deal a fatal blow. It took a few moments for his hulking form to collapse to the floor, but Morgana watched in delight, as he died, staring at her with a shocked face. She never bothered to pull the knife from his body, as she returned to the corridor and waved in her comrades, Sinuku and Giganus, who were carrying Wootox’s body. Morgana unlocked the solitary confinement cell, allowing Wootox to walk out in Sky’s body.
He laughed, as he saw Sonsky’s dead body on the floor of the corridor. He bent over and pulled the kitchen knife out of Sonsky’s chest, gripping it tight, before tossing it to the floor. Sinuku and Giganus dragged Wootox’s body closer, allowing him to transfer his essence back into his own body.
Just as Sky realized he was back in his own body, he was stunned with the tazer again by Morgana, who pushed him into the cell, closing and locking it. While Sinuku & Giganus helped Wootox regain his bearings and exit, Morgana opened the small observation hatch on the door and smiled.
“Welcome home...murderer!” Morgana sneered, as she closed the door, leaving Sky trapped in darkness, alone.
UP NEXT...
Special Mini-Episode
“Wounds”
[I]Quinn, Bridge & Sophie arrive in Tokyo, where
Ellie Gray assists them with the coded message that
could lead them to the identity of S.P.D. Earth’s
traitor. Quinn finds it hard being back home after
the turmoil of the last year and Sophie confides
in Bridge about her surprising fears.
AND YEAR 3 CONTINUES IN...
”Kindred”
Barrett prepares to launch his invasion plan. Bridge, Quinn &
Sophie return with damning proof of Sevarus’ guilt, but it may
be too too late for those on Sirius, as Sam begins to catch onto
Sevarus’ treachery. Z & Piggy reach an impasse. Syd finds a safe
place for Anna. Cruger struggles to face Benaag in the present.
Trapped in solitary confinement, Sky reaches out for help the
only way he can, as Cash finds himself on Morgana’s hit list.