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August 2009, Astro Megaship

�So Mack, you have a girl back on Earth?�

Mack smiled up at the ceiling of his quarters on the Megaship despite the decidedly mixed feelings that question brought up. �Nope,� he said without looking around at T.J. �Never had the time.� True, but not quite in the way it sounded.

He was lying comfortably on his back, relaxing on his bunk. Carlos and T.J. were lounging in two chairs on opposite sides of a small table, playing a leisurely game of chess that neither seemed to be taking much interest in. It was another long, slow ship�s time afternoon with nothing much to do. Mack had learned quickly that traveling between widely separated stars involved long days of downtime, and was looking forward to their next destination even if it was only a peaceful planet where they could at least get off the ship for a while, hopefully meet a new alien race, and do some sight-seeing.

�I hear you. Right from high school to the Megaship for us, and what with being Rangers in both places - not much chance for romance unless it�s with another Ranger,� T.J. responded.

�Like with Ashley and Andros,� Carlos said. �Or Zhane and Karone - except that was before she became a Ranger. Maybe arch-villains count too.�

�Well, between them and Tyzonn and Vella, I�ve seen enough romance to last me for a while,� Mack grumbled. �No fun being around three happy couples those last weeks on KO-35 when I�m still single.� He squinted suspiciously at Carlos and T.J. �If you two tell me you�re a couple too, I�m going to be very depressed.�

Carlos almost kept a straight face as he said, �Nah. Sorry, Teej, you�re not my type.�

�It�s because I�m black, isn�t it?� T.J. inquired.

�Yeah, man, that�s it exactly.� They all laughed, but Carlos� expression lost some of its humor as he continued, �Back in our Turbo days, I used to think maybe someday Ashley and I would get together - but the second she laid her eyes on Andros it was all over.�

�Yeah, I used to think like that about Cassie at the beginning,� T.J. said with a shrug. �But I never got around to making a move, and when the Phantom Ranger showed up that was the end of that. I guess she likes �em tall, masked, and mysterious. We never found out who or what he is, it�s been ten years, but I bet she still thinks about him.�

Mack hesitated first, but he asked, �Doesn�t it bother you? Being around both of them every day, I mean?�

�That was years ago; we�re all just friends now,� T.J. said. �No, doesn�t bother me at all.�

�Me either,� Carlos said, although Mack thought he heard a hint of regret. �I�m happy for Ashley; Andros is a great guy.�

�I bet she�d be happier if he was willing to settle down in one place,� T.J. said. �Andros has been a little - driven - ever since he was forced to destroy Zordon to end the war with Dark Specter and Astronema. But I think Ashley�s starting to hear the old biological clock ticking, and the Megaship is no place to raise a kid.�

�You think she wants to go back to Earth?� Mack asked.

�Earth or KO-35, I don�t think it matters to her,� Carlos said. He sighed. �Been a long time since any of us lived on Earth.�

�You sound like you miss it.�

�I guess I do.� Carlos frowned as he looked down at the chess board, reached for a piece, and pulled his hand back. �I mean - when Andros asked us all to team up again and we had the new Megaship built, I was really happy to join up, and I�m happy to be here. But - Earth is my home, and a man wants to go home again once in a while, you know what I mean?�

�Not me,� T.J. said cheerfully. �I mean, I like Earth, but honestly - staying there got boring after life on the Megaship. I love it out here - how many people get the chance to see the universe like this? And the chance to really make a difference wherever the Rangers are needed? Maybe I�ll want to go home again and settle down someday, but that�s not going to be for a long time.�

�What about a family?� Mack asked. �Don�t you want that?�

T.J. just shrugged. Carlos answered, �Yeah, I think about it sometimes. I guess I want it both ways - I want to go on being a Ranger, and I want a family someday too.� He smiled. �Who knows, maybe someday I�ll meet another Ashley.�

The soft sound of a chime interrupted them. At Mack�s call of �It�s open,� the door slid aside and Alpha appeared.

�Don�t let me interrupt,� he said, stepping just inside the door. �I just want to deliver this.� He held up an envelope in one metal hand. �It�s for you, Mack.�

�A letter?� Mack jumped up and crossed the room to take it. As he had expected, it was addressed to him, from his father on Earth, sent via SPD.

�It�s from my dad,� he exclaimed, already tearing it open and lifting out a sheet of paper.

�Then I�ll leave you alone to read it,� Alpha said, turned back to the door, and disappeared as it slid shut.

It was on the tip of Mack�s tongue to call him back - but he didn�t, despite the rather plaintive tone he was sure he had heard in the little robot�s voice. The truth was that Alpha made him uncomfortable, his presence being a constant reminder of Mack�s own real nature - a nature he still had not told his teammates about. For a moment he paused, eyes still on the door, wondering... Did Alpha know? And did he know how Mack reacted to him? Was that why he seemed so often to be leaving a room when Mack entered? Or was it all just his own overactive imagination?

�Maybe we should go, too,� Carlos said from behind him.

�No! No, it�s okay; go on with your game and I�ll tell you what he says.� Mack returned to his bunk and propped his back against the wall, feet on the bed, and unfolded the paper.

�Dear Mack,

It certainly sounds like you�re having an exciting time! Another Ranger team, too. I know you loved working with the Overdrive team, so I�m happy for you - also because they sound like a good group of people and good friends for you to have. But - I hate to sound like a father but I have to say it - be careful out there; as an active Ranger again you�ll probably run into trouble.�

�Hah,� Mack snorted.

�What?� T.J. asked, looking up from the chessboard.

�He says we�re probably running into lots of trouble. I wish. Right now I could use some excitement.�

�Why, are we boring you?� Carlos asked with a grin.

�I won�t answer that on the grounds it may tend to incriminate me.� With an answering grin, Mack returned to the letter.

�As for me, you already know I�m in Newtech City, working for S.P.D. It�s turned out to be a fascinating project - trying to develop Ranger technology that�s not only new but beyond anything we used in Overdrive. The person in charge here is a Dr. Kat Manx - amusing name, but the woman herself is very impressive - and she has convinced me that we�re going to need it, not immediately but in the future.

The scientific and engineering challenge is very exciting, and I get to work with some talented and brilliant people who worked with other Ranger teams. We all have a lot in common, and we�ve already become good friends...�

�Welcome to S.P.D. We�re delighted that you were willing and able to join us, and we appreciate the sacrifices you must have made in order to drop your own lives for a time and come here. I hope you�ll agree it�s worth it.�

Andrew smiled and nodded, but said nothing as Dr. Manx continued, one part of his mind listening while another wondered how someone so young and beautiful had been put in charge of an operation like S.P.D. Of course youth and beauty had nothing to do with ability, he reminded himself - look at Rose, after all - but she seemed no more than twenty-five at most, and if she was a precocious genius like Rose (stop thinking about her, dammit!) he had never heard of her.

The woman standing next to him, on the other hand... He had certainly heard of Angela Fairweather-Rawlings, designer of the Lightspeed Rangers� morphers and equipment. In fact, he had read the paper she had written on the subject and exchanged a few letters with her while working on Operation Overdrive. Standing on her other side was her husband, Joel Rawlings, one of the former Lightspeed Rangers, his attention obviously drifting as he looked around the crowded office Dr. Manx had led them into, and at the people Andrew expected would be working with them. Too bad Spencer wouldn�t be joining them, but he had known there would be other technicians as skilled as he was at S.P.D. and preferred to remain in the mansion and tend to his garden. He certainly deserved the time to relax without Andrew to take care of.

�Let me introduce the other principle members of our team. This is Dr. Michael Zaskin, on loan from Bio-Lab in Silver Hills. He�s been with us since S.P.D. was formed, over three years ago.� Dr. Manx nodded at a tall man perhaps a few years older than Andrew who smiled and adjusted his glasses with a nervous gesture. Andrew recognized the name - Zaskin was a bioengineer by education who had studied both the Time Force morpher technology and the long-term effects of morphing on the human body, and had written a series of very informative papers as a result.

�This is Nicolas Tate, who�s worked with me from the very beginning. How long has it been, Nick? Ten years?�

A handsome young man with dark blond hair smiled at her as he answered, �Not quite ten - since Fall of 2000.�

�Nick is a very talented biophysicist, and the leading candidate to become the first S.P.D. Ranger. Paul Carson is our other original member, and our expert in extra-dimensional physics.� She indicated a brown-haired man who grinned and raised a hand in a wave. �Paul joined up only a few weeks after Nick, and has been invaluable in our morpher research.�

�Can I ask a question?� Joel Rawlings said, raising his hand.

�Of course.�

�You�ve got a pretty high-powered bunch of people here already, don�t you? Why do you need us?�

�My husband�s right,� Angela said. �Technology-based Ranger powers have been done, more than once, and I understand you�ve been allowed to study one of the Time Force morphers and the Quantum Morpher. There�s no reason for you to think you won�t be successful, so why bring in Mr. Hartford and myself?�

�Good question.� Dr. Manx sat down in the chair behind her desk and folded her hands, giving Andrew the impression she was carefully considering what to say, and perhaps how to say it. �What we need to build here is not just morphers, but the best and most powerful morphers we are capable of. They will be needed against a danger beyond anything the Rangers have come up against before, with the stakes the future of all of Earth and its people.�

After a silent moment Andrew spoke. �Forgive me, but the Rangers have always faced great dangers and formidable enemies, with the fate of the world in the balance. How is this different?�

�This time, the enemy has already conquered countless worlds.� A shadow seemed to cross Dr. Manx�s face. �He is a ruthless warlord, from some distant planet whose location we have not been able to discover. He leads a vast army in his march to conquer and destroy everything in his path. Nothing has been able to stop him, nothing, despite all our efforts. His name is Gruumm, and he is coming this way - not today, not this year or even this decade, but soon. And we must be ready.�

��Our efforts?� Whose efforts?� Angela asked.

�How do you know all this?� Andrew asked almost simultaneously.

Dr. Manx stared at the three of them intently. �All of you have worked with Rangers - or been a Ranger. You�ve proven your loyalty and dedication to your teams. Now I�m going to ask you to show loyalty to mine. What I�m about to tell you must not leave this room, not yet, whether or not you decide to stay and work with us. Agreed?�

Puzzled, Andrew nodded slowly and saw the Rawlings do the same.

Only a slight tremor in her voice revealed emotion as Dr. Manx continued. �I know all this because one of the worlds devastated by Emperor Gruumm was mine.� She raised a hand to the small pendant on a thin gold chain around her neck, and touched it. For an instant a shimmer of light flared around her head - and when it cleared, inhumanly bright green eyes looked at them, matched by large furred ears emerging from her hair.

�You�re an alien!� Rawlings exclaimed, half-rising from his chair.

�Obviously,� Dr. Manx said dryly. �Come now, you�ve encountered demons and spirits - and in your case, Mr. Hartford, aliens, before now. The idea shouldn�t be shocking.�

�Yeah, we have,� Rawlings retorted, pointing a finger at her. �We �encountered� them because they were out to destroy everyone on Earth!�

�One of the Operation Overdrive Rangers was an alien. Years ago an entire team of alien Rangers helped defend this planet. Zordon himself was an alien. We�re not all bad.� She smiled, although the appearance of the tips of fangs between her lips detracted from the impression of friendliness. �I was sent here by S.P.D. - not the Special Police Division of Bio-Lab but Space Patrol Delta, the real S.P.D. We�re an interstellar law enforcement organization with bases on many worlds, headquartered on a planet called Sirius. I�ve been placed on Earth to prepare you to fight the war Gruumm will bring, both by developing weapons and by encouraging your society to accept other non-Earthlings like me.�

�Okay...� Rawlings said slowly, tensely sinking back into his chair. �Say we believe you. How do we know we can trust you?�

Andrew already knew what his answer would be, just as he had known when S.P.D. had first contacted him. The teamup between Overdrive and a temporary team containing a Ranger from the future wasn�t something he could talk about here, but he did have another good reason. �I�ve met Alan Collins a few times. He�s not an easy man to fool. And I know Dr. Zaskin by reputation. If Bio-Lab is backing you, I guess that�s good enough for me, Dr. Manx. Where do I sign up?�

�And me,� Angela added. She looked at her husband.

�Oh man...� he sighed. �It�s d�j� vu all over again. Okay, I guess we�re in. But - I�m not a scientist or an engineer. What am I supposed to do besides keep my wife company?�

Dr. Manx smiled again. �You�re a former Ranger, Mr. Rawlings, and I believe you still have access to your Lightspeed Morpher? Yes. We were hoping you would consent to help test out the various vehicles and weaponry we�re working on. It would also be very useful to see how our own Ranger suit�s performance compares with yours.�

�I get it,� he muttered. �I�m going to be a test dummy.�

Angela grinned and patted his hand. �Surely not a dummy, Joel, dear.�

As they all laughed, even Rawlings, Andrew took another quick look at each face. The first step had been taken. They had just become a team.

At first the work was easy and pleasant, as they briefed each other on the techniques they had used and what they had learned from working with Ranger technology in the past. Andrew and Angela were the only ones who had built suits, weapons, and vehicles from scratch, so they found themselves the center of the group and spent a great deal of time working together.

Sometimes it reminded Andrew uncomfortably of a summer spent with another brilliant and attractive woman - and he told himself sternly that there would be none of the same mistakes this time. Little chance of that anyway, with Angela married, apparently happily, and treating him with no more than warm friendliness. And how did he feel about it himself? Under different circumstances Andrew thought he would have been very disappointed that they could be no more than friends, but whenever his thoughts strayed in that direction the memory of another face, staring at him in hurt and confusion in a solitary underground room, steered him away again.

There was little time to think of such things anyway, as they began to draw up new designs and pursue new ideas. Kat made her own contributions of technology so different it could only have originated in alien cultures. Mike Zaskin and Nick Tate quietly refined their efforts into the first S.P.D. Ranger morpher, and soon Nick and Joel Rawlings were testing the suit and the weapons and vehicles that would go with it. They began to get results, improved the designs, rebuilt, retested, rebuilt again. And somewhere along the line they began to grow beyond a team, into a family.

�So I spent maybe fifteen minutes trying to explain the concept of a pocket universe to Bridge,� Paul Carson said, grinning as he leaned back in a lawn chair. �When I finished he just looked at me with that expression that makes you wonder whether he can tell what you�re thinking or if he just wasn�t paying attention. Then he asked me, �Does that mean a universe you can put in your pocket or a universe that holds things like a pocket?��

�Hah,� Nick snorted. �Smart kid.�

�Yeah. I told him �both�, and he nodded very seriously and asked me what was for lunch.�

�Ah, he knows what the really important questions in life are.�

Andrew chuckled along with the others gathered in the shade of a tree in the Tates� back yard, and glanced at the boy in question. Five-year-olds Bridge Carson and Sky Tate were running in a circle along with four-year-old Syd Drew, wrapped up in some game involving a great deal of noisy shouting. Then he turned his attention back to Paul, Mike Zaskin, Nick Tate, and Callie Drew, Syd�s mother. It struck him that they were all parents - and how much he had missed, never having relaxed with friends and neighbors on a lazy afternoon watching Mack as a child playing with other kids.

A couple of years ago he would never have had such a thought, and probably would have dismissed a day like this as boring and pointless. His life of exploration and adventure had seemed so much more worthwhile. And now? He found himself content - comfortable - maybe even happy, marveling that this was the reality of life for so many people - without the talk of higher dimensional physics, perhaps. It all felt so perfect, this moment surrounded by laughter as Nick�s, Paul�s, and Mike�s wives emerged from the house with plates, silverware, and a few teasing remarks about their husbands� laziness; watching Joel Rawlings at the barbeque wearing, typically, a cowboy hat and a green apron with bold lettering inviting the guests to �kiss the chef�, flirting outrageously with Mike�s fifteen-year-old daughter Heather, Kat Manx, and his own wife alike. The only thing missing was Rose... but he avoided that thought with the ease of long practice, and only a brief stab of regret at how much she would have enjoyed this place, this company, this conversation.

Especially now - Andrew could only imagine how Rose�s eyes would have sparkled as Paul and Nick launched into a discussion of how an nth-dimensional object could present itself as an almost non-existent point in normal space until unfolded into the three dimensions of our familiar world, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. They were stopped only by Callie holding up her hands, laughing.

�Hey, I�m not one of you rocket scientists, remember, just a lowly chemist turned teacher.�

�From what I hear, you were an excellent chemist.� Angela appeared from behind Andrew, a glass of iced tea in her hand. �What made you give it up?�

Callie�s eyes darted to her daughter Syd, now running through the grass at the end of the yard with Sky chasing her, and returned to Angela with a smile that seemed tinged with irony. �My scientific career had - consequences I wasn�t ready to deal with,� she said quietly.

�Oh,� Angela said. �Sorry. I guess I wasn�t thinking.�

�It�s okay. Syd is fine, and I enjoy my job. I don�t regret what happened - but sometimes I wish I hadn�t left. You guys are certainly doing exciting work.�

�You could come back,� Nick said. �Kat would hire you again in a second.�

�No - I�d have too much catching up to do. Besides, I really do enjoy my job, and teaching is just as important in its own way as what you�re doing.�

There were nods all around - and then grins as Syd came running in at full speed and threw herself on her mother, shouting, �Mommy! Mommy, I found a frog, and my hand went all like dirt when I tried to catch it, and Bridge says it doesn�t like me, and Sky made one of his wall things so I can�t reach it anymore!�

�Let me see...� Callie took Syd�s hands, which were smudged but otherwise normal. �Now, Sydney, you know your hands don�t change unless you make them do it.�

�But Moooommm, I can�t help it!�

�You have to try, sweetheart. You know what Daddy and I have told you about using your power around other people.�

�I�m sorry,� Syd said, pouting prettily. �But Sky used his power.�

�He was bad too, and I�m sure his Mommy and Daddy will tell him so,� Callie said with a glance at Nick, who quickly tried to put a more serious expression on his face. �Now go and play somewhere where you won�t get so dirty, okay?� She smoothed the little girl�s blonde hair and picked a leaf out of it. �You don�t want to mess up your pretty new dress, do you?�

�Okay.� Syd smiled brightly, the reprimand already forgotten, and took off into the backyard again.

That was another thing Andrew had in common with these people - they all had special children. An android in his case; in theirs a girl who could transform her hands into whatever substance she touched and a boy who could project force fields. And little Bridge - well, it was still unclear exactly what he could do, but there was definitely something different about him.

�Don�t scold Sky,� Callie said laughingly to Nick. �If he was keeping Syd from picking up frogs, I�m glad he used his power.�

�Sometimes I wonder if we�re doing the right thing, trying to teach them not to use their natural abilities,� Nick said thoughtfully. �Preventing someone from using a talent they�ve been born with is trying to change their nature. Maybe it�s not healthy.�

�Maybe. But they have to learn when and where to use it.� Callie sighed. �A little later on, when they�re old enough... Well, who knows?� She chuckled, face brightening. �Maybe they�ll learn to use their powers for good instead of for teasing other kids.� But she was serious again after a moment as she asked, �Paul, how�s Bridge doing? Do you know anything definite yet?�

�About what ability he has, if any?� Paul Carson shrugged lightly. �Whatever it is seems to be mental rather then physical. Not telepathy, but the kid is definitely unusually empathetic. Not psychic, but once in a while he seems to know what�s going to happen before it happens. He�s certainly intelligent - when we can get him to focus on a test long enough to get any results. And then - there�s the mittens.�

They all glanced at the children again, off in a corner of the yard playing quietly for once. �Mittens?� Andrew asked, hiding a smile as he remembered an adult Bridge who always wore gloves. Odd to think the small child he was looking at would someday be the Ranger he had worked with.

�Yes, ever since last winter he keeps wanting to wear his mittens, even when it�s warm. Says they keep the colors out, whatever that means.�

�But he�s healthy and happy. They all are, thank God. It could have been a lot worse,� Callie said softly. She smiled and seemed to deliberately shake off her mood as she stood up. �I�m going to go see if I can help with the food. And I think you guys should give your wives a hand with setting the table if you don�t want to sleep on the couch tonight!�

After a few joking complaints, the husbands trailed after her to make themselves useful. Andrew thought there were quite enough people taking care of the small amount of work needed and was content to stay where he was, especially as Angela took a seat next to him.

�Not helping Joel with the barbeque?� he asked.

�No, he�s a much better cook than I am.� She smiled as her husband caught her eye across the yard and winked. �Besides, he�s having way too much fun being the center of attention.�

�He does like the spotlight, doesn�t he? Not that I�m criticizing.�

She laughed. �Don�t apologize. Joel�s a show-off, always has been and always will be. I didn�t like it at first - but it�s harmless. He�s such a kid about it.�

�Yeah, he�s - well, he�s certainly a character.� To tell the truth, Andrew hadn�t liked Joel�s grandstanding and fa�ade of what approached arrogance at first, and wasn�t sure he didn�t still feel that way. The man had a way of being irritating and charming at the same time - he had a good heart and a quick mind, certainly, but his manner didn�t always let those qualities through.

�That he is.� Angela glanced at him with an amused glint. �He can rub people the wrong way; you don�t have to pretend he doesn�t.�

Andrew leaned forward, closer to her. �Can I ask you a question? If it�s too personal, just tell me to shut up.�

This time her smile was decidedly ironic. �How did two people as different as Joel and me fall in love and get married? What do I see in him? How do we get along? What do we talk about?� She shrugged. �I�ve heard all the questions before, believe me.�

�Well, I would have put it a little differently, but yes.�

Angela was looking at her husband again, eyes soft now. �To coin a clich�, he makes me laugh. Oh, there�s a lot more to it - Joel is brave and loyal. He risked his life as a Ranger to protect us all. And he�s more romantic than you think - I treated him pretty badly at first, but he kept coming back. The only time he gave up was when he thought I was in love with someone else, and then - he said he wanted me to be happy, and I know he meant it.� She sighed slightly, and then grinned. �When it comes down to it, I can�t explain. By all the rules we should never have gotten together, and certainly shouldn�t be happy. But sometimes the differences don�t matter, when there�s love. We are happy, and that�s all I can tell you.�

�Differences...� What was a difference in age compared to such differences in personality? If it worked for Angela and Joel... Despite his supposedly superior experience and wisdom, maybe Rose had seen what he hadn�t: that all the other things they had in common were much more important. But what was the point of wondering whether he had made a mistake? It was too late, much too late; she would certainly have found someone else, or just no longer be interested.

Angela was watching him, her gaze frankly curious. �What about you, Andrew? Is there anyone? And feel free to tell me to shut up if you don�t want to say.�

He looked down at his hands, resting on his knees. �There was a girl in college. A few women I�ve dated since then. And - someone - last summer. Didn�t work out.� He looked up with what he hoped was a casual expression. �No, there�s no one. If I�d put as much effort into my love life as I have into everything else, who knows?�

�There�s still plenty of time. And I can�t imagine too many women turning down a guy like you.� Angela smiled at him for a moment before she jumped to her feet. �Look, they�re taking pictures! I�d better stop Joel before he gets in every shot. Let�s go.�

When he joined the crowd, Nick was sitting next to his young son on a bench at the side of the yard while his wife, Lyn, aimed a camera at them. Sky squirmed restlessly and exclaimed, �Daddy, wear your suit! I wanna picture of you in the suit!�

�Sky, the morpher�s not a toy. I�m only supposed to use it in emergencies.� Nick glanced at Kat.

�I think it�s okay just this once,� Kat said, smiling. �Go ahead and morph.�

�Whatever you say, Boss.� Nick didn�t look at all reluctant as he stood up and touched the morpher he had started wearing only a month before. There were a few cheers and scattered applause as he transformed into the S.P.D. Red Ranger with a flash of light, then bowed with a flourish and took his seat on the bench again.

�Honey, why don�t you take off the helmet?� Lyn said. �We don�t want anyone thinking you�re Wes Collins, after all.�

�Yeah, wouldn�t want that.� Nick was smiling as he lifted the helmet off, but Andrew thought he saw a trace of irritation. Couldn�t really blame him; the suit he was wearing was their first attempt - a duplicate of Wes Collins� Time Force suit, except for the small S.P.D. badge. Later they would work out new designs, but for now Nick must feel like he was stuck with a hand-me-down.

�Okay...� Lyn looked through the camera viewfinder again as Nick dropped a hand around his son�s shoulders. �Smile, Sky! Oh well, I guess it�ll do.� The camera clicked on Nick�s grin and Sky�s stubbornly solemn face.

Work progressed over the next weeks, but not as quickly or as smoothly as in the beginning. Andrew had expected snags, and knew they had hit one even before a warm early May afternoon at the practice track behind the main S.P.D. buildings as he stood with Angela beside him and watched their prototype red Delta Cycle with Nick aboard spin out and crash spectacularly into a tree, while the green version with Joel riding swerved wildly to avoid it and slid out of control in a cloud of dust.

�Joel!� Angela cried and headed for her husband at a run. Andrew hurried after her, noting with relief that both of them were still morphed. Nick had hit pretty hard, but was already unsteadily struggling to his knees.

�Are you okay?� Andrew asked as he reached him.

�Yeah, think so,� Nick answered breathlessly. With Andrew�s help he got up, raised his arm and tapped his morpher, and powered down.

�You�re hurt.� Andrew could see a bruise on Nick�s jaw, and from the way he was rubbing one arm and wincing, there were more.

�A few bumps. Could have been a lot worse.�

They both turned as Joel�s voice demanded, �Nick, man, what happened?� to see Joel approaching, demorphed and apparently unhurt, with Angela at his side.

�It was a little sluggish, and then surged on me while I was accelerating. Just got away from me. We need to work on stabilization.�

�Yeah, no point in more power if you can�t control it.�

�I�ll get a crew out here to bring the bike into the main lab,� Angela said with a glance at the wreckage. �We�ll have to find out what went wrong before we repair it.�

�More like rebuild it,� Andrew muttered. �It�s probably a total loss. Joel, how did the green bike perform?�

Joel shrugged. �It was dragging a little. Maybe if I�d stepped on it, I�d be the one who crashed.�

�Uneven power feed, maybe?� Angela said as they all started for the building.

�Sounds like it. Maybe Kat will have some ideas.�

�Why don�t you talk to her? We need to make a report on this anyway.�

�Okay. See you in a few minutes.�

He had only a fleeting impression that Kat�s voice sounded a little off when it answered his knock on her office door. Nothing wrong, exactly, just not her usual brisk and confident tones. He opened the door and found her sitting in her usual place, back straight, hands flattened over the pages of some report which were scattered on her desk, face downturned. He hardly noticed that she didn�t look up.

�Kat, we�ve run into a problem with the �cycles,� he said without preliminaries.

�What kind of problem?� She still didn�t look at him.

�Both Nick and Joel said they were slow to respond. When Nick hit the accelerator, the red �cycle surged and went out of control.� He took a deep breath. �I�m afraid it�s totaled. We�ll have to rebuild, and we need to do an analysis first and redesign.�

�Analysis and redesign.� Kat was looking at him now. She was without disguise, as usual within the confines of S.P.D., and her brilliant green eyes, furry ears, and feline fangs were a familiar sight. And yet - the way she was staring at him sent a shiver down his spine.

�Yes, we must have overlooked something-�

With an abruptness that made him jump she sprang to her feet, eyes blazing, fingers curled like claws. �Analysis and redesign! Again! We don�t have time for mistakes! Why can�t you humans understand that?! Why can�t you...� Just as suddenly, Kat trailed off with a stricken look and lifted trembling hands to cover her face.

�Kat?� Andrew asked awkwardly as she stood unmoving. �Is something wrong?�

�My people don�t cry,� she said, hands dropping as she stepped back and slumped into her seat. Again she looked up at him, this time with a face that impressed him as frozen and drained of all strength. �Does it help you? Crying? Does it make the pain go away?�

�I guess it�s an outlet.� Andrew moved closer and propped himself on the desk, reaching out to lightly touch her shoulder. �What�s happened? Tell me.�

She gestured towards the papers in front of her, which he could now see were covered with a writing that was alien to him. �Sirius. The planet where S.P.D. has its home base, its central headquarters. It�s been attacked.�

�Gruumm?�

�Yes.� To Andrew�s relief, Kat seemed calmer now. �His army invaded and overran the entire populated part of the planet. All gone, the Sirians. Exterminated. They were a proud and fierce people, and Gruumm did not spare them.� She inhaled raggedly. �I lived on Sirius for a time after my own world was conquered. That�s where I joined S.P.D. People I worked with, people I was friends with...�

�I�m sorry,� Andrew said softly, feeling the inadequacy of the usual words.

�A rescue force is searching for survivors. I hope...� She trailed into silence again. �I�m sorry, Andrew, but may I be alone?�

�Of course. But we�re all here when you need us.� He turned back at the door. �And we�ll work harder. Maybe - maybe get more people.�

�Yes. If you know anyone who could help, and who can be trusted to keep our secrets.�

�I might.� If she�s willing to come, he added silently as he closed the door behind him.

He still thought he was only considering it two hours later, after he had finished examining the test track. He thought he hadn�t made a final decision until the moment he picked up the telephone and dialed, and said to the voice that answered, �May I speak to Rose Ortiz, please?�

�We�ve also had some setbacks, as you might expect with any project dealing with Ranger powers. In fact, I�ve asked Rose to join us, and we�re expecting her as soon as she can make arrangements and fly over. It will be good to work with her again, and I hope she�ll feel the same way.

So, you can see life has been eventful here, although not as exciting as yours. I hope you�ll write again soon and tell me more about your new friends. I�m thinking of you, and I�m sure Spencer is too.

Love,

Dad�

�Nice,� Carlos said after Mack had finished and quietly folded the letter.

�Yeah, a father who not only knows you�re a Ranger, but is the one who made you a Ranger,� T.J. said. �Sweet!�

�Yeah, sweet,� Mack replied. If he sounded less enthusiastic than T.J., no one noticed as DECA�s voice spoke from the air.

�All hands are requested to report to the bridge. We are receiving a communication.�

�What kind of communication needs all of us to hear it?� Carlos wondered as they got up and filed out.

They found out when they reached the bridge to find Andros and Ashley already there, sparing only a tense glance at their teammates. There was an image on the viewscreen of the head and shoulders of a Ranger - not one Mack had seen before, with a helmet and armor bulkier than the usual outfit, all in black and silver.

There was the familiar hiss of the door opening, and Mack looked behind him to see the last member of their team enter. Cassie stopped with a jolt and an audible gasp as she saw the screen.

�Everyone is here,� DECA announced with her usual calm. �You may go ahead, Phantom Ranger.�

TBC...

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